There are many ways to use the Knicks' success story to the Blueshirts advantage. Ticketholder Mark Linde writes from his New Jersey estate with insightful ideas.
"The big lesson for the Rangers from the 'Down The Hall' Knicks is NOT TO RUSH THINGS. Here's the genuine reason why:
"A few years ago the Knicks had a good nucleus of young players. But instead of building on that growing foundation, they blew it upon a trade for an aging star Carmelo Anthony. The
Rangers now have a nice, young, promising group.
"That tells me that management should stay the course and build around it – even if it takes a few more years than you like.
-"The obvious, larger question is whether or not Chris Drury is the right man to remodel this franchise and whether Mike Sullivan is the coach to mold a new winner?"
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: Assistant Coach Chip Engelland of the Oklahoma City Thunder before the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If Amen Thompson could shoot. If Alperen Sengun could shoot. If pigs could fly…
Well, that wouldn’t benefit the Houston Rockets in any immediate way.
It’s been one of the two biggest questions surrounding this team. If you’re talking Rockets, it’s “do they have a franchise player?”, and it’s “Can Thompson and Sengun co-exist if neither is a strong three-point shooter?”. Those are closely related questions, in that if either of the two did develop into a reliable shooter, they’d likely be an unimpeachable franchise-caliber guy.
Luckily, the Rockets just gave them the best possible chance of making it happen by hiring famed shooting coach Chip Engelland.
Rockets hire league’s most esteemed shooting coach
Look at this glorious post from my dear internet friend Paulo Alves.
That’s as close to proof of concept as you’re going to get. Either it’s a remarkable coincidence, or Engelland has methods for teaching basketball players how to improve their three-point shooting that are better than the other available methods.
I am no shot doctor. To my eye, Sengun’s form on standstill jump shots is fine. He doesn’t have the fluidity to hit contested, off-the-dribble threes, but that’s not the goal. The goal is for defenses not to want him to be open from beyond the arc. That should be low-hanging fruit for Engelland.
Thompson shoots threes like a petulant child eating broccoli. He doesn’t want to, but he knows he has to. He deserves (a sliver of) credit for willingly putting up threes instead of Ben Simmons-ing his game, but he’s got a long road to three-point respectability. If Engelland can get him there, it’ll be his crown jewel.
Hey, you know what else? Everyone on this roster would benefit from being a better shooter. Everyone in the NBA could benefit from being a better shooter. It’s unlikely that Engelland will waste any time (for varying reasons) on Kevin Durant, Fred VanVleet, or Steven Adams, but everyone else is fair game.
Jabari Smith Jr. is good, and a few percentage points away from excellent. Tari Eason is…eh?, and a few percentage points away from good.
How about Reed Sheppard? He hit 39.4% of his 7.0 threes per game last year. If he could hover around 45% on comparable volume, he’d be among the best shooters in the NBA.
The Houston Rockets are winning the 2026-27 NBA championship, correct?
Rockets will benefit from hire
Jokes aside, expectations should be slightly tempered.
The process of rebuilding a jump shot is presumably tedious. The Rockets may reap more rewards in 2027-28.
Moreover, we can’t attribute every improvement under Engelland’s watch to Engelland alone. Every player in the NBA wants to improve their shot and is trying to do so whether they’re working with him or not. Some of these guys would have improved anyway, although I do think it’s fair to point to the mountain of evidence as near-proof that Engelland does something.
This is a fantastic hire. It’s encouraging that Tilman Fertitta was willing to shell out. Engelland was presumably expensive. Once the Rockets start to see results, it could have a profound impact on the team.
Imagine if one of their two best young players could shoot.
If there is one thing Warriors star Steph Curry and four-time WNBA All-Star selection Sabrina Ionescu have in common, it would be their elite shooting prowess from 3-point range.
The two sharpshooters previously faced off in a 3-point competition during the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend, where Curry slightly edged out Ionescu with a 29-26 final score.
The New York Liberty star won the 2025 WNBA 3-Point Contest the following year, but told the New York Post’s Madeline Kenney that she is uncertain about participating in the competition during this season’s WNBA All-Star Weekend.
However, Ionescu teased she would consider a rematch with Curry for another NBA-WNBA cross-league 3-point contest.
Sabrina Ionescu said she isn't sure whether she would've tried to defend her 3-point title. But she takes pride in helping push the league forward and growing the game.
She added, "Maybe I’ll do it with Steph again at NBA All-Star and get a really nice official invite.”
Curry widely is considered as the greatest shooter in NBA history, holding the all-time league record for the most career 3-point shots made in the regular season with 4,248. Cleveland Cavaliers star James Harden is the closest player to Curry’s total with 3,390 career 3-point field goals made.
Throughout his 17-year NBA career so far, the four-time NBA champion is shooting 42.2 percent behind the arc, making him one of the best 3-point marksmen the game of basketball has ever seen.
Ionescu, a Bay Area native, also is considered one of the best 3-point shooters in the WNBA. Throughout her seven-year career so far, Ionescu is averaging 34.8 percent from 3-point range, as well as 16.6 points per game.
The four-time All-WNBA selection missed the first two weeks of the 2026 WNBA season due to a left ankle injury she sustained during a preseason game, but since then, Ionescu has appeared in 15 contests, averaging 14.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
It remains uncertain whether or not Ionescu will defend her 3-point title, and whether or not a rematch between the 2024 WNBA champion and the Warriors star is on the horizon. But if both events were to come to fruition, fans undoubtedly would be tuning in.
Jordan Walsh already was going to be back in Boston next season, the team had picked up his $2.4 million option, but now he is going to be a fixture on the wing there for years.
Walsh and the Celtics agreed to a three-year, $16 million extension, something first reported by NBA insider Chris Haynes and since confirmed by other reports. The first two years of this deal are fully guaranteed, with the third being a team option. This locks Walsh in with Boston for at least three more years at a very affordable price for a rotation player.
Walsh played in 68 games last season for the Celtics, averaging 5.4 points and four rebounds a game, and his 3-point shot has improved, with him knocking down 38.4% from beyond the arc last season. However, his defense was really his calling card. He is a high-level on-ball defender on the wing, which is where Joe Mazzulla leaned into him.
LOOK AT THE DEFENSE FROM JORDAN WALSH
Celtics are 8-2 with Walsh in the starting lineup and he's showing why on Prime!
Walsh is a credit to Boston's player development program. He was drafted No. 38 in the second round and traded to the Celtics a week later, and they signed him to a minimum contract and brought him along slowly (he played just nine games his first year). By last season, he had a steady role with the Celtics.
While Jaylen Brown is out the door, Celtics president Brad Stevens has been locking up a group of affordable wings who can play a role for the team. Walsh joins Ron Harper Jr. as getting a new, longer-term deal this summer, Boston still has Hugo Gonzalez on a rookie contract for three more years, and a year from now they can extend Baylor Scheierman.
MADRID, SPAIN - JUNE 02: Mario Hezonja of Real Madrid gestures after losing the Spanish basketball League Liga ACB Endesa Quarter Finals Game 1 between Real Madrid and La Laguna Tenerife at Movistar Arena on June 02, 2026, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo By Irina R. Hipolito/Europa Press via Getty Images) | Europa Press via Getty Images
The Sixers have one open roster spot at the moment, and it’s fairly obvious whom they’re saving it for. But if LeBron James chooses to sign elsewhere in free agency, then what?
The free-agent market has largely been picked over at this point. A handful of big names are still unsigned, although James Harden and Draymond Green are just biding their time until LeBron decides before they re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, respectively. Neither are legitimate possibilities for the Sixers.
The Sixers already split their non-taxpayer mid-level exception between Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons, and they spent a portion of their bi-annual exception on Ariel Hukporti. As a result, they are now hard-capped at the $209 million first apron from now through June 30, 2027. They only have enough space under the first apron ($3.4 million) to offer a one-year, veteran-minimum contract to any free agent.
With that said, Dalen Terry is on a fully non-guaranteed contract, while only $250,000 of Jabari Walker’s $2.6 million salary is guaranteed. Regardless of what happens with LeBron, the Sixers could still make a few moves around the margins this offseason.
Here’s a look at some of their best remaining free-agent options.
Nick Richards, C
The Sixers aren’t really planning on going into the season with Hukporti, Adem Bona and Johni Broome as their only backups to the oft-injured Joel Embiid… are they?
Perhaps they believe the 7-foot Hukporti has some untapped upside, but he was the New York Knicks’ third-string center last year. Not having a veteran option to push Bona for the primary backup job could come back to bite the Sixers if (when?) the oft-injured Embiid misses time.
Nick Richards is likely the best remaining solution in free agency. The 28-year-old isn’t anything flashy, but he’s a steady presence who averaged 9.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in only 24.3 minutes per game with the Charlotte Hornets and Phoenix Suns between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
Richards fell down the Suns’ pecking order last season, but he put up 9.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in only 22.4 minutes per game across 20 appearances with the Chicago Bulls after they acquired him ahead of the trade deadline. However, if you thought advanced analytics hate Jaylen Brown, you should steer clear of Richards’ Dunks and Threes page.
Mario Hezonja, SF
Eleven years after the Orlando Magic selected Mario Hezonja with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2015 draft, Super Mario is reportedly headed back stateside, as Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews was first to report.
Latest on former No. 5 overall pick Mario Hezonja per league sources:
🏀 Hezonja indeed expected to rejoin the NBA for the first time since 2019-20.
🏀 Multiple NBA teams have shown interest in the Real Madrid forward.
Hezonja has spent the past four seasons with Real Madrid and is fresh off being named the MVP of the Liga Endesa in Spain. In 80 games across all competitions this past season, he averaged 15.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 made threes in only 23.1 minutes per game.
Hezonja came into the NBA looking like a prototypical shooting wing, but he shot only 31.9 percent from deep over five years between the Orlando Magic, New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers. He shot above 39.0 percent from beyond the arc in both 2022-23 and 2023-24 during his first two seasons with Real Madrid, although his percentages dipped over the past two years.
Wing is one of the Sixers’ weakest positions behind Jaylen Brown, unless Justin Edwards takes a major leap forward or they land LeBron in free agency. Hezonja is no LeBron, but the former top-five pick would be a relatively low-risk, high-upside gamble, especially on a minimum deal.
DeMar DeRozan, SF
Since only $10 million of DeMar DeRozan’s $25.7 million contract was fully guaranteed in 2026-27, the Sacramento Kings opted to waive him as they attempted to get their 25-win team below the luxury-tax line. On a minimum deal, he’d be a steal anywhere.
DeRozan is an anachronistic player. He rarely shoots threes and tends to dominate in the mid-range, but he also averaged 18.4 points per game while shooting 49.7 percent overall in his age-36 season last year. However, he’s been one of the league’s worst defensive players over the past few seasons, according to some advanced metrics.
The Sixers already have to figure out how to split touches between Brown, Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe in their starting lineup, not to mention Simons and Labaron Philon Jr. off the bench. One could argue that the last thing the Sixers need is another high-usage player, especially one who’s a defensive liability. But if nothing else, DeRozan could soak up minutes during the regular season to avoid Maxey and Edgecombe getting overworked.
DeRozan did overlap with Nurse in Toronto for a few years before Nurse took over as head coach, so the two have plenty of familiarity with one another. The Miami Heat are also viewed as “a real possibility” to sign DeRozan if they whiff on LeBron in free agency, according to Barry Jackson of Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, so he might wind up being the consolation prize for whichever team loses the King James race.
Kelly Olynyk, C
Kelly Olynyk played sparingly behind Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet this past season. But he’s only one year removed from a four-year stretch in which he averaged 10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in only 23.3 minutes per game across four teams.
Olynyk turned 35 in April, so he isn’t suited for a major role at this point of his career. He could potentially fill the Andre Drummond job of stopgap starting center whenever Embiid misses time, but he’d otherwise compete with Bona, Hukporti and Broome for minutes behind the big fella.
Olynyk is a career 36.9 percent shooter from deep, so the Sixers could have a legitimate five-out look with him on the floor. Bona and Hukporti both likely have the edge on him defensively at this stage of their respective careers, but Olynyk’s long-range shooting could help him carve out a role regardless.
Spending five of their 15 roster spots on centers wouldn’t be great from a positional allocation standpoint, although the Spurs just did so and made it to the NBA Finals. But if the Sixers aren’t confident in the Bona-Hukporti-Broome trio as Embiid’s backup options and they can’t land Richards, Olynyk may be the next-best realistic option.
Jae’Sean Tate, SF
Jae’Sean Tate has spent all six of his NBA seasons in Houston, and his role has gradually declined each year. This past season, he averaged a career-low 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per game.
In Houston, Tate was buried behind Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant and Josh Okogie since Alperen Şengün, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and Steven Adams soaked up most of the frontcourt minutes. In Philly, Edwards might be Tate’s only real competition to be Brown’s primary backup.
The 30-year-old Tate is a career 30.9 percent three-point shooter on low volume, which is the main drawback from the Sixers’ perspective. However, he’s been a plus defender for most of his career.
Given the Sixers’ lack of wing depth, Tate could be a welcome addition on a minimum deal.
Ochai Agbaji, SG/SF
In the last few years of Daryl Morey’s tenure, he turned the Sixers into the Land of Second Chances for recent first-round picks. Could Mike Gansey do the same with Ochai Agbaji?
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Agbaji with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2022 draft. Two months later, they shipped him to the Utah Jazz as part of their blockbuster trade for Donovan Mitchell.
Agbaji never found his footing in Utah, which led the Jazz to trade him to the Toronto Raptors midway through his second season. He averaged 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.6 made threes and 1.5 assists in 27.2 minutes per game during his lone full season in Toronto, but he was once again on the move this past season as part of a tax dump.
Shooting has always been Agbaji’s swing skill, and he shot a career-worst 26.6 percent from deep this past season between Toronto and Brooklyn. The 26-year-old may never live up to his predraft pedigree, but he has great size and athleticism for a wing. He isn’t much of a threat on the ball or as a passer, but the Sixers could do far worse than signing him to a minimum deal and plugging him into a low-usage, three-and-D role.
Amir Coffey, SF
Behold, another desperate attempt to plug the Sixers’ hole at the wing.
Amir Coffey spent the first six seasons of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Clippers before splitting this past season between the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns. He’s a streaky long-range shooter, but he did knock down nearly 40 percent of his three-point attempts between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns.
Like Tate and Agbaji, Coffey isn’t much of a threat on the ball either as a scorer or a passer, but the Sixers wouldn’t ask that of him. He isn’t a standout defender by any means, but he isn’t a glaring target, either.
The 29-year-old has played sparingly in the playoffs, although he did average 18.7 minutes per game during the Clippers’ first-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks in 2023-24. He could be some veteran insurance for the Sixers in case Edwards doesn’t take another step forward this season.
Bruce Brown Jr., SG
Bruce Brown Jr. might be waiting for Peyton Watson’s future to get resolved before he re-signs with the Denver Nuggets. But if he gets priced out there because of apron concerns, he’d be a welcome addition in Philly.
Over the past four seasons, Brown has averaged 9.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals in 26.2 minutes per game while shooting 47.1 percent overall and 35.2 percent from deep. Though he stands only 6’4″ and 202 pounds, he’s able to defend anything from point guards to small forwards.
Among the remaining wing options on the market, Brown might be the best passer by far. Coffey has the edge on him as a long-range shooter, although Brown did drill 38.5 percent of his looks from deep last year.
As an added bonus, Brown signing with the Sixers would likely lead to a lot of diaper-wetting in Denver.
But Bronny asserted that he doesn’t know where his dad will land when Twitch streamer biggy22x pressed him about it when he spoke to the 21-year-old Lakers guard on Wednesday night.
The streamer seemingly saw Bronny on the street, asked him a generic question about motivating the youth, then asked, “You think your dad [is] going to the Warriors?”
Bronny laughed and said, “Man, I don’t know where he going! But that would be crazy if he did.”
LeBron and Bronny James look on from the bench during a Los Angeles Lakers game. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Any inside information that Bronny has was not going to be shared in a random interview as his dad keeps the NBA waiting on his free-agency decision after he and the Lakers parted ways this offseason.
The Warriors have been linked to James for most of the offseason with the tantalizing idea of James joining forces with Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.
However, Golden State does not appear to be the favorite to land James.
Instead, the Cavaliers, 76ers and Heat appear to be the top three options for the 41-year-old James.
Bronny James responds to a streamer’s question about LeBron joining the Golden State Warriors.LeBron James raises his arms when answering a question at Fanatics Fest. Andrew Schwartz / SplashNews.com
Bronny’s future is perhaps most tied to LeBron’s decision as many believe he could be traded to whichever teams signs him.
However, the California Post’s Khobi Price reported the Lakers are fond of Bronny and have been impressed with his development since taking him in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 11: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons listens to the national anthem before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 11, 2026 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We are officially in the dog days of the offseason with the rush of NBA free agency, the NBA Draft, and Summer League all behind us. There is truly nothing left to do other than fret over every day there isn’t a long-term deal with Jalen Duren. However, it feels like fans are treating every day without the Shams tweet announcing the pact as bad news. As if every day means the two sides are getting further apart or getting angrier at each other.
It’s important to take a step back and understand that every new day is just another day. When that influx of available free agent cash, roster spots, and big man needs dried up around the NBA, the need for a quick resolution to this drama also evaporated.
Josh Giddey signed his restricted free agent deal in late September. Collin Sexton got his bag as an RFA in September. Jarrett Allen signed his first big deal in August. As did now-Piston Duncan Robinson when he was a member of the Miami Heat. Same for Lonzo Ball and Lauri Markkanen.
Sometimes these things just need to play themselves out. Every passing day is not one step closer to Jalen Duren deciding to leave a guaranteed $150 million on the table so he can sign his qualifying offer out of spite. It IS one day closer to an eventual resolution, however.
Each side is trying to find the parameters of a deal they are comfortable with. Duren wants more than is on the table today. That’s fine. That’s also not a surprise. That doesn’t mean Detroit is inevitably going raise its offer or that Duren won’t be perfectly happy with the deal he eventually signs if it comes next week or next month.
It’s how the system is built. As The Athletic notes, these RFA negotiations are stretching deeper into the offseason and at a greater volume than ever before. Punitive cap penalties (the dreaded second apron) and falling league revenues, which means a cap that rises more slowly, are the primary culprits.
That same article notes that in a worst-case scenario where Duren signs his qualifying offer and signs a max with another team as an unrestricted free agent next offseason, he could sign for about $205 million. That’s far below his max number of $287 million. But that’s the reality Duren faces. Detroit can reasonably be assumed to be offering a low-end of $180 million over five years to $210 million on the high end (for the sake of argument, and that is likely lower than Detroit’s actual best offer to date).
So even if the Pistons are really trying to flex their leverage and offer something like $185 million, that means Duren is comfortable leaving $175 million on the table (by taking his qualifying offer) for a chance to make $5 millon more per season — MAYBE.
Because there are no guarantees for Duren that the max offer will be on the table from any team next season. There are the risks of injury and the risk of delivering another disappointing playoff performance that takes the shine off his rising star.
No, it is still exceedingly likely that Duren returns to the Pistons on a multi-year deal this offseason. And both sides will be a little annoyed but largely happy. Duren will get his bag, and Detroit will get its building block as it attempts to build a title contender.
It’s just business. Whether it gets completed on July 6, July 26, or August 26. It’s still just business.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics shoots a three point basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Walsh is coming off a career season in which he averaged 5.4 points and 4 rebounds per game, while shooting 50.9% from the field and 38.4% from three. He averaged 17.8 minutes per game and started 25 games, all career-highs. The Celtics went 15-5 in a 20-game stretch in which he started.
Most importantly, Walsh established himself as an elite defender capable of slowing down opposing teams’ top players, tasked with guarding Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey in the playoffs.
Walsh, who was selected 38th overall in 2023, was entering the last year of his contract and was due $2.4 million next season. While Walsh has played three years in the NBA, he’s just 22 years old and is still the third-youngest player on the roster.
Walsh will be making $2.4 million next season, $5 million in the 2027-2028 season, and $5.25 million in the 2028-2029 season. The Celtics have a $5.5 million team option for the 2029-20230 season.
The Celtics now have a litany of wings under contract for the next few years
Ron Harper Jr. (age 26) has four more years under contract, with team options in the final two years. Sam Hauser (age 29) and Hugo Gonzalez (age 20) both have three more years under contract (Hauser’s contract is fully guaranteed, while Gonzalez’s last two years are team options). And Baylor Scheierman (age 26) has two more seasons under contract, with the 2027-2028 season being a team option.
Whether or not Boston decides to keep all of these wings long-term remains to be seen; if nothing else, they’re valuable trade assets that could be used to bolster other parts of the roster.
In addition — and most importantly — Jayson Tatum (age 28) is under contract for the next four seasons.
Walsh’s extension comes on the heels of another big-time extension; the Celtics agreed to a 4-year, $56 million extension with Neemias Queta earlier this month.
And one more could be in the works: Payton Pritchard is eligible for an extension beginning October 1st.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 8: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Though still early in his career, Quentin Grimes is not a player who has been known for his defense.
Quite the opposite, actually.
Grimes’ offense is predominantly what got him his big four-year contract this summer from the Lakers. At his best, he averaged 21.9 points per game after being traded to the Sixers last season and has proven to be a dynamic combo guard.
But his defense? That’s never been his calling card. But given the role he’s about to take with the Lakers, there’s an expectation of productivity on that end, both from the team and from Grimes himself.
In a recent interview on “Mason & Ireland” on ESPN LA, Grimes spoke about his role in LA and why he’s excited to show what he can do defensively.
“That was really one of the bigger selling points. Talking with JJ and then having them be able to pitch me what my role [will] look like, having a pretty a pretty big offensive role within the team. But also having a big leadership role on defense as well as taking on that challenge every night of guarding the best players and wanting that responsibility. I want to have that challenge every night. So, that was really the two main things when I was choosing [a team] in free agency.”
In essence, Grimes is being brought in to replace Marcus Smart. It’s certainly not a like-for-like replacement, but that’s the role he’ll take on the roster. There’s a strong possibility he steps into the starting lineup and, if that’s the case, he’ll have to be able to defend at a high level alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
He’s still a young player and is athletic. There’s plenty of reason to believe he could become a solid defensive player. But it would be him showing a skill that he hasn’t demonstrated a ton of during his career.
The Lakers are betting he can shine in a bigger, different role. Grimes wants to step up in said role. Now it’ll be a matter of actions matching words when the games start.
The NBA free-agency window opened up on June 30 and, for a moment, deals were being struck left and right, but over the past couple of weeks, the basketball world seemingly has come to a halt as teams wait for LeBron James to make his decision on who to join.
While he reportedly shifted his focus to three teams, the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers, last week, there seemingly have been no new substantive updates in recent days.
For the Warriors, their initial plan, according to ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania, was to try and acquire James in free agency while also trading for 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis, but there doesn’t seem to be much traction there.
“Those conversations for AD have gone nowhere for the Warriors from my understanding,” Charania said Thursday on the “Pat McAfee Show.” I don’t sense any direction that they’re picking back up in. I don’t think that’s going to be a conversation.”
"We're just waiting on LeBron James to make his decision right now..
“If the Warriors were to get in that ballgame, they would have to give up multiple first-round picks, multiple draft picks, multiple swaps” Charania continued. “All this other stuff and then the question is just ‘Do you want to give that price up?’
“Now, when I talk to teams around the league it’s if you have the chance to get LeBron James and Anthony Davis, you probably give up that price but if you’re the Warriors, that’s the give and take that you have there.”
That decision is a tough one for the Warriors – who currently have Jimmy Butler, whose primary position – small forward — is the same as James’.
But, the rumors around a trade for Davis have almost always had Golden State sending Butler along with a package of draft capital — even though Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy still expects him to be on the team when he returns from injury.
While the talk of James and Davis has quieted as of late, it’s always calmest before the storm.
As we await another rendition of the “The Decision,” the Warriors roster, as we know it now, could all but become a thing of the past.
As the world continues to anticipate LeBron James’ decision on which team he will sign with during the 2026 NBA free agency period, the four-time NBA MVP reportedly is not waiting for any team to make a move that would sway his decision.
Previously, there was a report that James has been taking his time with his decision, seeing whether any of his suitors could find a way to acquire Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis or Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving.
However, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that James will choose his next team on his own terms.
“Now that we’re 20 days in, there’s nothing left. The teams are the teams. The information is the information. LeBron has everything he needs to make a decision. The conversations have happened. From my understanding, my sources tell me, LeBron James, his agent Rich Paul and that inner circle, they’re not waiting for another domino right now,” Charania said on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday.
“They’re not waiting for Anthony Davis to get traded anywhere. They’re not waiting for anyone else to move anywhere. The teams – Cleveland, Miami, Golden State, Philadelphia, Minnesota – they’re set. Those are the teams. Wherever he ends up, you’re looking at minimum deals, you’re looking at exceptions. The contracts are not going to be a grand part of this deal.
“LeBron James is very clear from the very beginning. This is going to be based on happiness in terms of a chance to contend for a championship, a chance to compete at a high level and join a [winning] culture. That doesn’t come from going to a team and then gutting that team from multiple different players.”
"My sources tell me that LeBron James isn't waiting for another domino right now..
The Warriors remain in the running as one of James’ top destinations, considering the 22-time NBA All-Star selection would get the opportunity to play alongside Golden State’s franchise star Steph Curry, and under coach Steve Kerr.
“If during the first week of July, LeBron James and Rich Paul told the Heat or the [Cavaliers] or the Warriors, ‘Hey, we need you to do this, and we’re coming,’ those teams might have done that. But that message was not delivered,” Charania added.
While there might be some pressure coming from commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA for a quicker process, James and his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, are running on their own clock and have expressed that a decision will be made whenever it is ready.
In the meantime, the world shall continue to wait.
While the high may still be coming down for Knicks fans experiencing their first championship in 53 years, the rest of the league is back to usual business, re-shuffling their rosters in pursuit of New York’s throne. Opposing fans are already touting their new acquisitions and downplaying the Knicks' run as flukey, but they may be in for a rude awakening.
With how dominantly and cohesively New York ran through the playoffs, the league should be more fearful they’ll come in even better than they were last season. Here’s why we shouldn't be surprised if the Knicks continue their tear with a 60-win regular season.
The manner in which New York steamrolled the playoffs - 12 consecutive wins, only three total losses by a combined six points, massive closeout blowouts and a historic point differential - suggests it wasn’t just a heater, but an all-time great team finding itself. Something clicked that allowed them to elevate to a new level, one that, if sustained, should have a similar impact on the regular season.
Guys playing multiple roles selflessly, committing on defense, and openly moving in and out of the rotation to answer the team’s needs at the moment. This, on top of the standout on-paper talent that’s almost entirely been retained, should make for a standout group.
If this team could sweep the best of the Eastern Conference last year, and walk the Spurs down over five games in the Finals, hitting 60 wins shouldn’t be an especially outsized challenge. They’ve historically dominated lesser teams and had to fight against the league’s top dogs, and so long as they can stay relatively healthy, they’re atop the food chain now.
They will also have less holding them back this year. The weight of trying to secure the city’s first championship in a half-century is lifted, and so are the challenges of figuring out how to be that caliber of team.
Head coach Mike Brown spent training camp implementing a new offensive system that he had to spend months of the regular season adjusting to his personnel, and the same with the defensive side. At times this caused friction, and it required a lot of trial and error to perfect.
Now they’re coming into his second training camp with the answers to the test already, and won’t need to spend so much of the regular season trying new things. Brown will still dabble in new schemes and rotations as other teams adapt and the Knicks try to further raise their ceiling, but at least now the roster will be used to it and can see the ultimate vision.
This will be year three of this core starting five, so while New York comes into 2026-27 familiar with themselves, the rest of the league will spend some time discovering their identities. Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Toronto and Indiana all made big trades in the last year and will go through adjustment periods figuring out their new teams.
Oklahoma City and San Antonio are still the behemoths out West, but the rest of the conference is noticeably worse. The Knicks will have an edge right from opening night.
If they can continue playing at the level they ended last season on, without the pressure or major schematic changes, while the rest of the league needs time to figure itself out - watch out. Their dominance didn't just end with the 2026 championship, in fact it may be just beginning.
LeBron James arrived in Los Angeles in 2018 carrying more than championship expectations.
He carried an entire era of NBA change with him.
When James joined the Lakers, he was already a champion in Miami, a legend in Cleveland and could have retired as one of the NBA’s greatest players.
But he was also different from the NBA icons who came before him. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant are remembered largely through the teams they came to define.
LeBron James leaves the Lakers with a legacy shaped by a title, records, Bronny history and by defining the true power of the modern NBA superstar. Getty Images
James has always been remembered as the superstar who helped redefine how much power a player could exercise.
That made his Lakers years historic.
It also made them complicated.
When James signed with LA in 2018, the Lakers were no longer the automatic center of the basketball universe. They were young, uneven and years removed from real contention. His first season did little to change that. A groin injury derailed the year, the Lakers missed the playoffs and some dismissed James’ move West as a Hollywood play rather than a practical basketball decision.
Then came the first major turn.
LeBron James made many memories for Lakers fans, but he also polarized the fan base. NBAE via Getty Images
In 2019, the Lakers traded for Anthony Davis, giving James the superstar partner he needed and immediately restoring LA as a championship threat. The Lakers looked like a machine during the 2019-20 season, but that year became about much more than basketball.
In January 2020, Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash. Less than two months later, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most of the world and the NBA season.
James helped carry the franchise through that grief and uncertainty.
Inside the Orlando bubble, he led the Lakers to the franchise’s 17th championship and won Finals MVP, becoming the first player in NBA history to claim that honor with three different teams.
James celebrates while holding his MVP trophy and NBA Finals trophy after winning the 2020 NBA title over the Heat. Getty Images
That title is the cleanest part of his Lakers legacy.
The rest is where the debate begins.
James did not just play for the Lakers. He changed the way the Lakers operated. His presence brought urgency. It brought Davis. It brought a win-now mindset.
It also brought constant questions about roster control, future assets, coaching changes and whether the franchise was building around James or bending around him.
James and his Lakers teammates celebrate winning the 2020 NBA championship, the 17th title in franchise history. Getty Images
That is where James’ legacy separates from the NBA’s Mount Rushmore figures who came before him.
Magic was the face of Showtime. Kobe was the last true face of Los Angeles sports, becoming the standard-bearer for an entire generation of Lakers fans. Even Jordan, the one player still most often placed opposite James in the GOAT debate, symbolized the superstar who dominated from inside one organization’s structure.
James represented something else.
Steph Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant were teammates during Team USA’s gold medal run at the 2024 Paris Games. Getty Images
He was the modern star as a power figure unto himself, a player whose influence could rival the weight of the franchise he played for.
That player empowerment made him influential. It also made him polarizing.
In Los Angeles, that tension never really disappeared.
The Lakers won because of James’ greatness, but they also lived with the cost of chasing short-term windows around an aging superstar. Young players and picks were moved. Coaches changed. The roster was rebuilt more than once. Every season felt like a referendum on whether the Lakers had done enough for James or whether James’ presence had pushed them into an impossible balancing act.
James left LA in free agency, and there is still a chance he winds up playing for the 76ers. AP
Still, he kept making history.
In February 2023, James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, doing it in a Lakers uniform at Crypto.com Arena. It should have been one of the most celebrated nights in franchise history.
Instead, it also captured the strangeness of his LA run.
Was James truly a Laker? Certainly not in the way Magic and Kobe were. Not in the way the franchise’s permanent icons are.
James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career regular-season scoring record. MediaNews Group via Getty Images
But that became the rhythm of the LeBron Lakers era.
Brilliance surrounded by noise.
In 2023, James added another trophy when the Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup, and he was named tournament MVP. In 2024, he became the first player in NBA history to reach 40,000 career points. He kept stacking All-Star appearances, scoring records and age-defying performances deep into his late 30s and early 40s.
James celebrates after breaking Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record. NBAE via Getty Images
The production was extraordinary, even when it started to be treated as routine.
Then came the most personal milestone of all.
In 2024, the Lakers drafted Bronny James, giving LeBron the chance to share an NBA floor with his son. Even that came with questions about LeBron’s outsized sway within the organization.
LeBron and Bronny James (9) became the first father-son duo to play together in the NBA. Getty Images
When LeBron and Bronny checked into a game together against the Timberwolves, they became the first father-son duo to play in the NBA simultaneously. For LeBron, it was a dream he had spoken about for years. For the Lakers, it was another moment in which history, family and the power of LeBron’s influence all collided.
By the final stage of his Lakers tenure, though, the franchise had started moving in another direction.
The future shifted toward Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
LeBron adjusted, giving up touches and responsibility while still playing at a level few players his age have reached. Even in his final season in LA, he continued adding to the record book and testing the limits of longevity.
The Lakers have been building around Luka Doncic (77) since he joined the franchise in a blockbuster trade. Getty Images
LeBron leaves LA with one championship, one Finals MVP, one NBA Cup, the league scoring record, the first father-son moment in NBA history and eight seasons of relevance for a franchise that badly needed it when he arrived.
But he also leaves behind a more complicated question.
What exactly was the LeBron era in Los Angeles?
James and Steph Curry (30) still have a chance to be NBA teammates with the Warriors. NBAE via Getty Images
It was not the clean franchise romance of Magic. It was not the lifelong Lakers identity of Kobe. It was not the Jordan model of one superstar becoming inseparable from one dynasty. It was something more modern, perhaps more transactional, but certainly more revealing about where the NBA has gone.
LeBron’s power helped restore the Lakers.
LeBron’s power also made his run harder to fully embrace.
That contradiction is the legacy.
James is leaving Los Angeles, but he will remain part of the franchise’s lore. NBAE via Getty Images
LeBron came to LA at 33, won a championship, broke records, made history with his son and stretched greatness longer than anyone had any right to expect.
He also forced the Lakers to live in the same tension that has defined the second half of his career: the tension between superstar freedom and franchise stability.
Mar 29, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers mens basketball head coach Will Wade looks on against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
LSU Tigers men’s basketball head coach Will Wade has a clear vision for what he wants the program to look like as they continue rebuilding the roster.
Speaking about the roster overhaul with Brendon Fairbairn of Louisiana First News, Wade said the emphasis was on bringing in players with the size, athleticism and skill needed to compete in one of college basketball’s toughest conferences.
“Long, athletic guys that can compete in the SEC,” Wade said. “You need some skill and shooting at the guard spot, and we feel like we’ve accomplished a lot of that.”
The comments highlight the philosophy driving LSU’s roster construction throughout the beginning of this new era. In today’s SEC, where teams regularly feature elite athletes and NBA-caliber talent, Wade believes length and versatility are essential. At the same time, adding guards who can stretch the floor with consistent outside shooting was another major priority during the rebuilding process.
While the Tigers will feature several new faces this season, Wade’s confidence suggests LSU has assembled a roster capable of fitting the style of play he wants to implement.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: Luguentz Dort #5 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks have been the masters of the trade system this offseason, and with it, they’ve acquired players who have the chance of elevating the team this upcoming season. With the financial flexibility the Hawks have, they’ve been able to take on contracts while also not having to give up much in return.
In Onsi Saleh’s latest deal, he acquired Lu Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a three-team trade with the Dallas Mavericks. The Hawks moved Zaccharie Risacher to the Mavericks, and Ryan Nembhard was sent to Atlanta. For the Hawks, the big acquistion was Dort, who’s played with the Thunder for the past seven seasons, and helped them win a championship just two seasons ago.
Dort is definitely the type of player you hate to play against, but love when they’re on your team. The Hawks can say they’re on the right side, and Dort will bring toughness and grit that had been missing from the team for some time.
Outside of those intangibles, the one thing that sticks out about Dort is his defensive prowess and ability to guard almost anybody on the floor. Dort is just 6’4, but you would think he was a few inches taller the way he can disrupt an offense with his physicality. The Thunder have several above average defenders, but Dort seemed to always be the one tasked with guarding the best player on the opposing team, whether it was Luka Doncic one night or Victor Wembanyama the next.
Yes, Dort has that kind of range.
It’s mostly because of his bulky figure, and that allows to keep his assignment in front of him. He has good hands to easily swipe the ball, and he’ll go for an occasional block here or there. Opposing players would probably say it’s hard to get past him, and he does it all without fouling as much, which is good attribute. There’s a reason he earned All-Defensive honors two seasons ago, and he could’ve been on the list several other years.
His versatility on defense alone will allow the Hawks to do a lot of different things on that side of the ball. Dyson Daniels and Dort on the court together could cause havoc for backcourts or even frontcourts, as they have the same kind of range to where they can defend almost anybody on the floor. Dort could also allow Daniels to save some of his energy on defense, which will only make him more efficient in other areas on the floor.
On offense, Dort is more of a spot-up shooter than anything else, and he thrived in that role with the Thunder. His 3-point percentage shows it over the past three years, and he’s hit some big shots at big moments for them. Dort found himself open in a lot of situations due to the gravity of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but their style of offense feels similar to the Hawks, where they share the ball a lot and always find the open man.
Dort should be able to have the same kind of success on offense, especially since the Hawks pride themselves on getting up three-pointers. Outside of the 3-point shooting, Dort doesn’t have much offensive versatility, but his physicality gives him the ability to put pressure on the team.
It’s uncertain what lineups will look like right now, but Dort might be utilized best coming off the bench for the Hawks. He has been starting for most of his career, but with the Hawks’ starters returning this season, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he were sent to a reserve role.
In the end, the Hawks definitely got better with the Dort acquisition, and the next thing is seeing how he meshes with the team.
