Category: Basketball

The agent for LeBron James indicated nearly half the teams in the NBA are interested in signing the league's all-time leading scorer and the decision won't be about money.

Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul said he spoke with "12 to 14" teams about James after NBA free agency negotiations officially began during an episode of The Ringer's "Game Over" podcast featuring Paul and former ESPN commentator Max Kellerman released on Wednesday, July 1. Paul also confirmed the Golden State Warriors were one of the teams to contact him regarding James, but remained non-committal about any favorites to land his 41-year-old client.

James announced on Tuesday he plans to play elsewhere next season after spending the past eight years with the Los Angeles Lakers. Paul revealed negotiations with the Lakers never reached the point where the team's front office made a formal contract offer to James.

LEBRON JAMES: Where will he play after Lakers exit? Five potential landing spots

"There didn't need to be one," Paul told Kellerman. "They wanted to bring him back, obviously, but there didn’t need to be one and I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time.”

Paul explained that James began the NBA offseason telling Paul he was "80%" about a return to the Lakers, but his thinking progressively changed even though remaining with the franchise would have netted James his biggest potential payday.

"I don’t believe that there was anything that took place," Paul said about James' shift in mindset. "... I think you get to a place where in your mind, you start to decide, OK, it’s time for me to move on elsewhere.”

Paul reiterated James is in search of "complete happiness" and money won't dictate his potential landing spot for the first time in his career. Paul would not put a timeline on when James might decide on his next team.

"His legacy is etched in stone," Paul said, "but if you can find humility and peace and still be competitive and give yourself the chance at the possibility of winning, that is complete happiness. That’s the Holy Grail. That’s all you can ask for.”

“I think we’ll look at all situations," Paul added, "and ultimately he’ll make the best decision for him.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James agent: 12-14 teams interested to start NBA free agency

It’s no secret the Washington Wizards need to add depth behind their presumed starting frontcourt of Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr.

Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said as much last week, stating the team’s desire to add another forward or center in free agency.

Nearly a day into the NBA’s legal tampering period, several teams have already added frontcourt help. Mitchell Robinson (Celtics), Moritz Wagner (Nets), Nikola Vucevic (Magic) and John Collins (Pistons) are just a few free agents who have already inked new deals.

The Wizards can use the roughly $13 million in luxury-tax space or the full $15 million midlevel exception to sign a free agent.

Below is a list of five available free-agent big men Washington could target.

Marvin Bagley III

Bagley, 27, averaged 10.1 points and 5.7 rebounds on 62.6% FG across 38 appearances with the Wizards last season before he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in a deal that brought Davis to Washington. The 6-foot-10 forward produced in a bench role in each of his previous two stints as a Wizard and would assume a similar role during the 2026-27 season.

Andre Drummond

Drummond, 32, averaged 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds with the Philadelphia 76ers last season in a backup role. The 6-foot-11, 279-pound center would help the Wizards, who ranked 24th in rebounds per game last season, solve their rebounding issues while providing a bruising presence off the bench.

Kevon Looney

Looney, 30, is a veteran option Washington could target on a one-year deal. The three-time NBA champion averaged 2.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in just 21 games with the New Orleans Pelicans last season as he battled injuries.

Nick Richards

Richards, 28, just finished a three-year, $15 million contract that included stints with the Charlotte Hornets, Phoenix Suns and Chicago Bulls. The 6-foot-11, 245-pound forward would give Washington another bruising presence behind Sarr and Davis while assisting with the team’s rebounding issues.

Dwight Powell

Powell, 34, is an older option who’s spent the past 12 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks as a depth forward. Powell averaged 3.3 points and 4.1 rebounds on 64.4% FG across 63 appearances last season

In an odd development, as it coincided with the start of free agency, the NBA officially unveiled the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup groups, schedule, and a new championship venue on Tuesday.

The format remains unchanged, with teams drawn into groups based on their 2025-26 regular-season records.

With all that, the New York Knicks now know their path to repeat as the defending champions of the not-fake-anymore tournament. And the Knicks, coming off a championship season, landed in a top-tier group.

Now, for the conspirators out there, New York will be part of the highly suspicious ‘East Group B’ alongside (get ready) the Cleveland Cavaliers (ECF and LBJ suitors), Philadelphia 76ers (Ariel Hukporti’s new team), Miami Heat (new home if Giannis and LBJ suitors), and Indiana Pacers (2025 Finals runner-up with their No. 1 player back).

Oh, surprise, the doubly-reigning-champion Knicks landed in Group of Death of the 2026 edition of the Cup. Cash cow, NBA!

(To be honest, which I’m not, perhaps the draw results also had to do with the Pacers being disastrous and statistically awful, and the Heat for being mediocre at best only to then pull off the Giannis trade and instantly become kind of good.)

The groups are set for the Emirates NBA Cup 2026!

All 30 NBA teams were randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2025-26 regular season.

The groups are available below. pic.twitter.com/bZHTlRGs29

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) July 1, 2026

The tournament will tip off on Oct. 30, with group play games scheduled every Friday through Nov. 27, along with additional “Cup Nights” on Nov. 24 and Nov. 25. Each team will face the other four squads in its group once, with the three group winners and one wild card team per conference advancing to the knockout stage.

The knockout-stage dates have also been set, with the quarterfinals to be held Dec. 4-5, followed by the semifinals on Dec. 8 or Dec. 9. The tournament will end on Dec. 11 with the championship game, which again, will mark the 83rd game in whoever makes it there’s schedule, even though the stats won’t count for anything.

This year’s Cup final is also changing, if only in venue, as it will take place at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis instead of Sin City, marking the first time the event will be held outside Las Vegas. The choice of such a historic venue is part of the NBA’s plan to bring the Cup into more traditional basketball arenas, and the venue could change once again in the future.

For the Knicks, the stakes are clear. After becoming the first team to win both the NBA Cup and the NBA championship in the same season, New York will enter the tournament with a chance of pulling off the first-ever back-to-back in tournament history, as well as becoming the first NBA franchise to sandwich an NBA title with two Cup championships. See how we appreciate the tournament now, fellas? Give it some respect!

The Knicks’ 2025 Cup title preceded their championship run, while other Cup finalists, such as the San Antonio Spurs, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Pacers, also translated Cup success into deep playoff runs but ultimately failed to win the ultimate prize in June.

You can follow Antonio on Twitter at @chapulana.

The Lakers secured their starting center of the future in a massive trade with Utah on Wednesday, agreeing to send two first-round picks (2031 and 2033) and two pick swaps (2028 and 2030) to the Jazz in exchange for 24-year-old Walker Kessler, sources not authorized to speak publicly on the matter confirmed Wednesday to The Times.

Kessler, who was limited to five games last season because of a shoulder injury, is expected to sign a four-year, $130-million contract with the Lakers, people with knowledge of the situation said.

The center was a restricted free agent, but the Lakers worked around difficult negotiating limitations by throwing in nearly every first-round asset they had in addition to digging into their $51 million in salary-cap space. If the Lakers had only presented an offer sheet to the Jazz to lure Kessler away instead of working on a trade, Utah would have had until July 7 to match the offer.

Kessler’s addition, a day after LeBron James told the Lakers that he’d return for an unprecedented 24th season elsewhere, highlighted a flurry of transactions that will help the Lakers remake their roster around Luka Doncic. Soon after the Kessler trade Wednesday, the Lakers agreed to terms with three free agents — center Sandro Mamukelashvili, guard Quentin Grimes and guard Collin Sexton.

Kessler is a much-needed defensive backstop. The 7-foot-2 center has averaged 2.4 blocks over his career. He was off to a strong start last season in Utah before a season-ending shoulder injury. The previous season, he averaged 11.1 points and 12.2 rebounds. His 4.6 offensive rebounds per game in 2024-25 led the league.

Mamukelashvili declined a $2.8-million player option with the Toronto Raptors and was rewarded with a four-year, $52-million deal with the Lakers, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Times. Primarily coming off the bench, the Georgian center averaged 11.2 points and 4.8 rebounds for the Raptors last season.

His three-point shooting has improved in recent seasons; Mamukelashvili shot 38.9% from three-point range last season on 3.7 attempts per game, improving from 37.3% on 2.6 attempts the previous season. The long-range shooting element would stand out in a revamped front line that includes the returning Deandre Ayton, who was the Lakers’ major free-agent signing last year. He exercised a $8.1-million player option after career lows in points (12.5), rebounds (eight) and minutes (27.2) per game.

Grimes, 26, averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Philadelphia 76ers last season. He agreed to a four-year, $60-million contract, The Times confirmed.

Sexton agreed to a two-year, $19-million contract, The Times confirmed, after the guard played for the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls last season. The Lakers will be his fifth team in his eight-year career, which began in Cleveland, where he was named All-Rookie second team in 2019.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

If it wasn’t clear before the Lakers made their flurry of moves on Wednesday morning, then it certainly is now.

Rui Hachimura will not be a Laker next season.

The writing was on the wall coming into free agency and Wednesday’s moves effectively made it impossible for the team to bring back Hachimura. The trade for Walker Kessler paired with the signings of Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton exhausted all of the Lakers’ spending power.

To make those deals official, the Lakers will have to renounce all their cap holds, which includes Hachimura’s. In doing so, it means the team can no longer go over the cap to sign him. And with no spending power and no ability to go over the cap, it means Hachimura won’t be in LA.

Even before Wednesday, the assumption from most was that Hachimura wouldn’t be back.

In their latest Substack piece late Tuesday night, Jake Fischer and Marc Stein called it “increasingly likely” Rui will leave the Lakers this summer.

Lakers free agent Rui Hachimura, Clippers free agent John Collins and Pistons free agent Tobias Harris are also known to be on San Antonio’s list. Hachimura, for that matter, is also believed to still be drawing interest from Brooklyn and Detroit and is regarded as increasingly likely to join James. Smart and Phoenix-bound Luke Kennard out the exit door in Lakerland.

Similarly, on his newest podcast episode on Wednesday morning, Zach Lowe made a passing comment that he believes Rui will be playing elsewhere next season.

“The Lakers now have a lot of cap space and how they use it is going to be very interesting and Luka Dončić is going to be watching it very carefully. Rui Hachimura is a free agent. I think he’s going to be on another team next year.”

All of that also aligns with reporting prior to the start of free agency. Dave McMenamin of ESPN said that Rui would likely be the “odd man out” for the Lakers and would have to find his deal somewhere else.

Having said all that, it’s unclear where he would go. Before free agency, reports linked him to the Nets and the Spurs. There were also some links to the Pistons, but their signing of John Collins on Wednesday morning almost certainly takes them out of that running.

The aforementioned Fischer and Stein report was about the Spurs, so he’s still on that list. However, that same report also said that San Antonio isn’t looking to give out more than a two-year deal on forwards this summer.

Free agency is a very fluid situation with lots of bluffing and negotiating, so things can change quickly. But barring some drastic late change, Rui’s time in LA is finished.

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

The Walker Kessler saga is officially over, and so is his tenure in Utah. The Utah Jazz are sending Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers in a sign-and-trade for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, plus the right to swap first-round picks in 2028 and 2030.

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Lakers are acquiring Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030, sources tell ESPN. Kessler will sign a massive four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/rt8b17fEQZ

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

The Lakers are paying Kessler $130 million over 4 years, which is about $32.5 million AAV. Additionally, his contract includes a player option on the fourth year, and a 15% trade kicker.

Kessler turns 25 years old in late July, and has averaged 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.2 assists in 25.3 minutes per game for his career, shooting 68.1% from the field. Ironically, Kessler arrived in Utah in the package for Rudy Gobert as the No. 22 overall pick in the 2022 draft. This Gobert trade has now amounted to six first-round picks, and three swaps (4 of the picks are still outstanding).

In his 4 seasons with Utah, he has been a great rebounder, rim protector, and lob threat around the rim. He flashed a hint of 3-point shooting early in the past season, making 6/8 before going out with shoulder surgery. However, any outside shooting is only theoretical, as he is a career 54.5% free throw shooter.

Los Angeles’ Perspective

Looking at the Lakers’ side of things, this fills a massive hole on their roster at the center position, which they tried to patch with Mark Williams and Deandre Ayton with little success. Kessler is the dominant rim protector, elite offensive rebounder, and finisher that a Dončić/Austin Reaves-led offense needs. Ayton will now have a much smaller role, off the bench, which better suits his skillset.

On the other hand, the Lakers have no tradable first-round picks over the next seven years, and have committed $475 million to Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler. Kessler is undoubtedly a great fit, but they are paying a steep price for a player that hasn’t proven himself on a high-stakes NBA stage.

Kessler has struggled with confidence finishing around the rim and playing through contact, especially in his sophomore year, which can’t happen on the Lakers. Los Angeles scrutiny will be on an entirely new level. Whether he’s fully grown past that is unclear, and it’s a real question when you’ve traded your remaining first-round picks for him.

Another concern worth considering is Kessler’s durability. He has only played 63 games in the past two seasons, and is coming off a surgery which repaired a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The labrum has been a years-long issue going back to his Auburn days that required surgery after repeated subluxing. I’m sure the Lakers looked into Walker’s medical records, but his health will be something to continue to monitor.

How much can a team giving that much money to those three players, without any flexibility, really win? We will see how they continue to round out their roster this offseason, but so far they have lost LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, and likely won’t be able to re-sign Rui Hachimura.

A Luka Dončić team needs shooting, perimeter defense, and solid bigs. Now they have a solid big in Kessler, but no flexibility to improve their shooting or perimeter defense.

Utah’s Perspective

For the Jazz, this is a bitter-sweet deal. On one hand, they recoup a lot of the draft capital they traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. and have more cap flexibility in the future. Utah already has significant money tied up in Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr, so signing Kessler to a $130 million deal would have squeezed their books even further.

Not paying Kessler gives the Jazz more flexibility to chase free agents this offseason, and to re-sign Keyonte George next summer. The picks they got in return are also valuable assets that could be used in a trade or win-now move.

However, as of today, this trade makes Utah a worse basketball team. Jusuf Nurkic is now the starting center unless more moves are made. JJJ could play some center minutes, but is a more natural powerforward. He plays best next to a rim-protecting center, which is what made his pairing with Walker Kessler so enticing. Now we never get to see what those two could have been together on defense.

While paying Kessler this contract would have been expensive, it’s surprising Utah didn’t just match the contract which was being reported all week.

I was personally bracing myself for the Jazz to match a Kessler contract worth $35+ million AAV, making it surprising that the Jazz didn’t just pay him the $32.5 million. The front office must have determined that these first-round picks are more valuable than Walker Kessler on that contract.

Utah Jazz restricted free agent Walker Kessler has had meetings with a couple of teams and is headed to another meeting, league sources tell The Athletic. He holds multiple offers in the mid to high 30’s annually, along with structure of his choice, including player options

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) June 30, 2026

The Jazz have spent the last four seasons tanking for high lottery picks and collecting assets. After the JJJ trade and drafting Darryn Peterson, Utah seemed to be turning the page and making win-now moves. This Kessler deal doesn’t fit that narrative, but maybe it turns into a greater opportunity in the near future.

For a moment this offseason, it really seemed like Utah was building something rare. A frontcourt pairing of JJJ and Walker Kessler along with a dynamic offense is everything the Jazz needed to turn this rebuild around. It’s too bad we didn’t get to see this team play out.

As Kessler leaves, so does a big part of Utah’s defense, replaced by two first-round picks that won’t convey until the next decade. Utah got good value, but is that value worth downgrading the team? As of right now, it’s too early to determine who has won the trade. Whether this trade ages well for the Jazz will depend on what they do next.

The Knicks and Raptors haven’t been good at the same time very often. In the late ’90s, when the Knicks made regular appearances deep into the playoffs, the Raptors were a young expansion team getting their feet wet, focused on building a foundation and a fan base. When they started to take off and Vince Carter elevated them into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks had begun what would become a decade-long spiral of suffering, losing, and ineptitude. In the 2010s, the Raptors won the ninth-most games in the NBA and captured an NBA championship. The Knicks, meanwhile, were busy failing to put together competent teams around Carmelo Anthony, only to fail to capitalize on Kristaps Porzingis’ breakout career.

The trend of at least one of the two franchises struggling will change this upcoming season, though. LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo were the only superstars expected to swap teams this offseason, but Kawhi Leonard has joined them in what has turned into a very fun offseason filled with surprising twists. With Leonard heading to Toronto, both teams will be good. Very good. But can the Raptors challenge the Knicks? And if so, are they the biggest threat in the conference?

The answer to the first question is yes. A defensive frontcourt consisting of Leonard, Scottie Barnes, and Collin Murray-Boyles has a very strong case to be the best in the league. That’s a very athletic and strong defensive trio with plenty of versatility, size, and length. No offense will enjoy playing against them. Even a Knicks team that solved the Victor Wembanyama problem that so many had struggled to answer will undoubtedly struggle at times.

This past season, while the Knicks dominated the season series against the Raptors, the latter held up defensively for much of each game. Adding one of the best defenders in the league to what was already a strong group while subtracting its weakest defender in Brandon Ingram makes them an immediate threat. Assuming they stay relatively healthy, it’s not unreasonable to expect them to be a top-three defense in the league alongside the Thunder and Spurs.

This trade also gives them a significant offensive upgrade. Ingram is no slouch as a scorer, but his shot profile isn’t an ideal one in today’s NBA. He is a 2000s-esque player who does a lot of his damage in the midrange and doesn’t get to the free-throw line much. While Leonard is just as deadly from the midrange, he gets to the line more frequently and is a much better, more willing three-point shooter. One of the areas where the Raptors struggled most last season was their lack of three-point shooting, particularly off the dribble.

On many nights, the Raptors simply lost the mathematical battle because opposing teams took and made significantly more outside shots. In fact, Leonard alone averaged 4.0 pull-up three-point attempts per game last season, while the Raptors averaged 4.9 per game as a team.

I’d also say that the answer to the second question is yes. Part of that is because the Raptors, for all the reasons mentioned above, are a much better team. But part of it is also due to how the offseason has unfolded for the other Eastern Conference teams. The Celtics may be losing Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White will be one year older and is coming off a poor shooting season. As they are currently constructed, I don’t think they have the defensive capability to slow down the Knicks.

The Boston Celtics have officially begun their work in free agency. 

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Boston has agreed to deals with veteran guard Mike Conley and center Mitchell Robinson. 

Conley is reportedly signing on a veteran minimum contract, while Robinson, fresh off an NBA championship with the New York Knicks, has landed a lucrative deal worth just over $15 million annually. The contract is reportedly for three years and includes a player option for the final season. While I don’t think it’s particularly likely, one detail worth monitoring is whether Robinson’s contract includes games-played incentives. We’ve seen this structure used before, most recently when the Portland Trail Blazers included similar incentives in old friend Robert Williams III’s extension to account for his injury history. 

One important aspect of the Robinson signing though is its financial impact on the Celtics. 

Boston used its non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Robinson, a move that automatically triggers a hard cap at the NBA’s first apron, set at approximately $209 million. When a team is hard capped, they are prohibited from exceeding that salary threshold for the remainder of the league year. 

As things stand right now with the additions of Conley and Robinson, Boston has all 15 standard contract roster spots filled and are $5.1 million under the first apron but now $3.5 million over the luxury tax.  

With Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley in the fold, the Celtics are at 15 players on standard contracts (including Chris Cenac). I've got Boston at $3.5M over the tax and $5.1M under their first-apron hard cap (triggered by signing Robinson with the NTMLE).

That's enough…

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 1, 2026

I am very curious if this means other moves, whether big or small, will come down the pipe eventually. The Celtics have traditionally preferred to carry an open roster spot into the regular season, giving themselves flexibility as the year unfolds. On top of that, we saw just how committed the front office was to managing its tax bill last season, making a flurry of deadline deals to duck below the luxury tax threshold. With Boston now operating under the first-apron hard cap, that same emphasis on financial flexibility could once again shape the team’s next moves. 

One name that consistently surfaces in salary-clearing discussions is Sam Hauser, who is set to earn $10.8 million this season. The more likely move, in my view, is parting ways with Dalano Banton to free up a roster spot. The Celtics exercised Banton’s team option before the deadline, but his salary remains non-guaranteed. That gives Boston the flexibility to waive him with minimal financial consequences if the front office decides it needs another opening on the 15-man roster. 

What cost saving moves do you think the Celtics should/will make if any?  

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Prediction market customers are taking a strong interest in LeBron James' basketball future. The 41-year-old is mulling his next team options now that NBA teams are allowed to negotiate contracts with free agents.

Roughly $27 million in contracts have been traded at leading operators Kalshi and Polymarket on the superstar's next destination.

Key Takeaways

• Trading volume has spiked since James announced his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers.
  
  
• Golden State is the leading destination at Kalshi and Polymarket.
  
  
• Polymarket customers are also showing strong support for Miami.

ESPN’s David Purdum shared Tuesday evening that more than $12.8 million in prediction market contracts related to James’ next team had been traded at Kalshi in the preceding two days. That pushed the overall total over $17 million.

The trading volume surpassed $23 million as of Wednesday morning.

The LeBron James next team odds show that the Golden State Warriors are the favorite (38% at Kalshi, 34% at Polymarket). Traders at both platforms also believe the Cleveland Cavaliers are the next most-likely team (34% at Kalshi, 33% at Polymarket), and there’s a sizable discrepancy after them.

The Warriors climbed as high as 58% on Polymarket and 50% on Kalshi within the last week after reports suggested that Golden State was hoping to pair James with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. 

If there is a team that is going to challenge the Warriors and Cavaliers, it appears to be the Miami Heat (21% at Polymarket, 18% at Kalshi). James won two championships with the franchise in 2012 and 2013 and would have the chance to play with Bam Adebayo and the recently acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Heat had less than a 1% chance on Polymarket of landing James as recently as Monday. Kalshi never dropped them that low, but did have them at just 5% a week ago.

Where is the money going?

Kalshi does not show trading volume for individual outcomes on its platform, but Polymarket does.

Polymarket customers have bought a hair under $4.7 million in trades. The Los Angeles Lakers – who already announced James’ departure – have the highest trading volume at $776,706 (16.6% of the total volume).

The Heat lead the top three contenders with $407,443, which is 8.7% of the total volume. The Warriors are next with $359,374 (7.7%) in trades, followed by the Cavaliers’ $184,356 (3.9%).

The San Antonio Spurs are fourth in probability to sign James at Kalshi and Polymarket, although they have not been linked to him by prominent reporters. The Minnesota Timberwolves (3% at Kalshi, 2% at Polymarket) and Washington Wizards (3% at Kalshi, 1% at Polymarket) have.

Polymarket reported $128,654 (2.8%) of trades backing the Timberwolves and $112,492 (2.4%) supporting the Wizards.

NBA Finals probabilities

With heavy player movement, NBA Finals odds and probabilities are constantly changing. However, Kalshi and Polymarket share a common view of the favorites to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy in 2027.

The Oklahoma City Thunder (25% at Kalshi, 21% at Polymarket) and San Antonio Spurs (21% at Kalshi, 18% at Polymarket) are separated from the rest of the league. The defending-champion New York Knicks are third at 11% on both platforms, followed by the Boston Celtics (10% at Kalshi, 8% at Polymarket).

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.

The Golden State Warriors are looking to make a splash in free agency or through trades this offseason, but first things first: they have to make sure to keep some of their own key players. And so, two days after agreeing to an extension with Kristaps Porziņģis, the Warriors have reportedly re-signed guard De’Anthony Melton.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Melton’s new deal is for two years and $11 million, with a player option in the second year. It’s a pay bump of a few million for Melton, who had just declined a player option that would pay him $3.3 million in the upcoming season.

Melton has been open about enjoying his time with the Warriors and hoping to stay long term. He first signed with the team ahead of the 2024-25 season, but suffered a season-ending ACL injury early in the year, and was later traded. Despite that, he returned to the Warriors a year ago, and fit right in, averaging 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, in 23.0 minutes. Melton’s three-point stroke fell off dramatically last year (he shot 29.4% from deep, after entering the year with a career 36.9% mark), but he did a wonderful job of running the team when Steph Curry was on the bunch (or sidelined with an injury).

During a hot stretch late in the year, it looked like Melton had played himself well out of the Warriors price range. But a cold stretch to end the season, mixed with his injury concerns, kept him at a price that the Warriors could afford. Given his skills, veteran reliability, and respect within the locker room, Steve Kerr and Mike Dunleavy Jr. have to be thrilled that Melton is returning.

Of course, the Warriors bringing back two of their older, oft-injured players, does nothing to change the biggest issue facing the team: age and injuries. But there’s plenty of time left in the offseason to address that.

Editor's note: Find July 1 live updates from NBA free agency here.

As LeBron James enters the free agent market as the most accomplished 41-year-old in NBA history, teams with championship aspirations are no doubt inquiring about his availability as he and agent Rich Paul scope out the lay of the land as teams chase and sign players in order to dethrone the champion New York Knicks.

With James, this decision isn't about money; if it were, he would have immediately re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, who were told to plan to play their 2026-27 season without the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

Loads of money for LeBron: Lakers, Nets, Bulls and Pistons

James is a Bird Rights free agent, meaning Los Angeles could have given him the value of his cap hold, which is $57.75 million for the upcoming season. A two-year deal with a player option could have been an option as well, in case he wants to retire after one more season.

There are few teams with the cap space to sign James, including the Brooklyn Nets, who are in total rebuild mode, putting them at a distinct disadvantage.

The 2026-27 NBA salary cap was set at $164.961 million, so the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons can easily create cap space by waiving or trading players to get those salaries off the books.

Mid-level exception contenders: Warriors, Celtics, Heat and more

Golden State, which has been rumored to covet James' services, will need to jump through some hurdles to acquire him. The Warriors are among nearly half the league that can offer a full mid-level exception. That list of teams also includes the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Dallas Mavericks.

This year's mid-level exception is set at $15.044 million, and, of course, James must decide if an opportunity justifies getting maximum value for his services, but ESPN.com reported that he is willing to accept a minimum contract to play for a contender.

Veteran minimum or bust: Cavaliers, Nuggets, Thunder

Speaking of the minimum, there are three teams that can offer James exactly that: The Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Cavaliers, of course, would be a homecoming for James, as he spent 11 of his 23 seasons with the team and led them to their only championship in 2016. Cleveland is coming off a thumping in the East finals by the Knicks, and a third act of James would immediately put them as the conference favorite.

But for those teams to make room for James, they would not only have to offer him the minimum but also decide whether going further into another tier of salary cap space hell, known as the apron, is worth it. The Thunder seem content with where they are after signing their stars, including NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to long-term extensions last year.

Wherever James ends up playing will be a fascinating case study in how he fits with a new roster and whether he immediately puts a team over the hump to get his elusive fifth championship ring.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: In LeBron James free agency, these teams have the most, and least, money to spend

The Los Angeles Lakers moved on from LeBron James by making the first big splash of NBA free agency. The team filled a void in its starting lineup by acquiring Walker Kessler in a trade with the Utah Jazz that also includes a massive new contract extension for the 24-year-old center.

Kessler will join the Lakers through a sign-and-trade agreement, according to multiple reports, in which the Lakers will give the Jazz two future unprotected first-round picks and two first-round picks swaps and sign Kessler to a new 4-year, $130-million contract.

Since Kessler was a restricted free agent, the Jazz had the right to match any contract offer he received from another team. The two sides had been in protracted negotiations on a new extension, with Utah hoping to keep Kessler. But the Lakers' offer proved too good to pass up with talks stalled.

Did Los Angeles give up too much to acquire the center they've needed since trading Anthony Davis? Or did the Jazz give up on Kessler too soon coming off a major injury?

USA TODAY Sports breaks down the Lakers' big move, with trade grades for both teams now that Kessler is going from the Jazz to Los Angeles:

NBA FREE AGENCY LIVE UPDATES: Latest LeBron rumors, signings, trades

Walker Kessler trade details

• Lakers receive: Restricted free agent Walker Kessler (will sign new 4-year, $130-million contract as part of sign-and-trade)
• Jazz receive: Unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030

Los Angeles Lakers Walker Kessler trade grade: B-

The Lakers coveted a new starting center to team with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and they're making a huge bet Kessler is the two-way piece that can best complement them inside.

General Manager Rob Pelinka gave up a lot to acquire Kessler, who played in just five games last season due to a shoulder injury. But the 24-year-old averaged a double-double (11.1 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks) over 54 games during the 2024-25 campaign. If Kessler quickly returns to form, he can be a dynamic lob threat for Doncic and a premier offensive rebounder, while also providing elite rim protection and defensive cover for the Lakers' backcourt.

But the Lakers are spending most of their salary cap space for the foreseeable future on the trio of Doncic, Reaves and Kessler, and they won't have much draft capital moving forward to build around them. They are making more moves along the periphery of the roster, but questions will likely linger into the regular season about whether this new Los Angeles nucleus can compete with the Spurs and Thunder long-term.

Utah Jazz Walker Kessler trade grade: B

The Jazz lost one of the successful first-round draft picks that have come to the team through its extended rebuild, but they acquired a significant haul of new draft capital in the process.

There is an argument, given Kessler's recent injury history and limited offensive game, that the Jazz just acquired two unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps for the right not to overpay Kessler. Utah reportedly had a 5-year, $140-million offer on the table, according to ESPN. The Lakers bested that, and the Jazz did well to get assets in return.

Though Utah seems ready to make a playoff push this coming season after re-signing Lauri Markkanen and trading for Jaren Jackson Jr. in recent years, tying up so much money in three frontcourt players could have been problematic in the future. Losing Kessler will hurt Utah's short-term outlook, and finding a replacement won't be easy. Just ask the Lakers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Walker Kessler trade grades: Did Lakers give up too much in Jazz deal?

In need of bench scoring and depth in the backcourt behind their starting backcourt, one of the Lakers’ first signings this offseason will be a backup guard.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Lakers have agreed to a four-year, $60 million deal with Quentin Grimes.

Free agent guard Quentin Grimes has agreed to a four-year, $60 million to join the Los Angeles Lakers, with a player option, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/5mcp4pULuD

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

The Lakers had been linked to Grimes during free agency, so this move does not come as a total surprise. With both Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard leaving in free agency, the Lakers had a need for guard depth. Along with Grimes, the team signed Collin Sexton, getting two young, athletic players to fill that void.

Now Grimes will reunite with his former teammate Luka Dončić. They played together briefly in Dallas during the 2024-25 season. Ironically, both were traded in pretty terrible deals for the Mavs with Grimes dealt for Caleb Martin days after Luka joined the Lakers.

Grimes had some big scoring nights last season in Philadelphia. He had 20-plus points in 15 games with his best performance coming against the Blazers where he scored 31 points in a win. Across the season, Grimes averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game last season. He also shot 33.4% from beyond the arc.

Overall, Grimes had an up-and-down postseason with the Sixers, but he had some great scoring games. He scored 18 points in a pivotal Game 5 win over the Celtics. In that matchup, he was red-hot from deep, knocking down four 3-pointers.

Over his career, Grimes has averaged 11.1 points per game while shooting 44.6% from the field and 36.6% from the 3-point line.

Grimes reached unrestricted free agency this summer by signing a qualifying offer of $8.7 million last season after failing to reach a deal with the Sixers last summer.

With Grimes on the Lakers, they have added another guard with some youth and athleticism. These are two things they have desperately been lacking over the past few seasons. The Lakers are betting on those two aspects helping the team improve over Smart and Kennard from last season.

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