Category: Basketball

LeBron James isn’t expected to be back in a Los Angeles Lakers jersey after informing the team that they can move on without him,

A person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to USA TODAY Sports what was first reported by ESPN insider Shams Charania.

Now all of a sudden, those rumors you heard about James potentially taking his talents to the Bay Area seem more and more believable.

But hold your horses. It's not a clear cut path, just yet.

According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, the Warriors haven't been given any indication that they are the preferred landing spot for James. There's reason to believe that Golden State will have appeal but they will have to do some additional recruiting.

That additional recruiting required could signal the Warriors doing what they can to bring in James' 2020 title running mate, Anthony Davis, over in a trade with the Washington Wizards. James, according to ESPN, would only join the Warriors if they are able to get Davis from Washington and form a nucleus with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

Golden State would need to free up money to pull this off. One of the reported avenues to make it happen would be finding a trade partner to get off of Jimmy Butler's contract worth $56.8 million.

However, there could be some complications, according to Hoops Wire, as the Wizards don't want to take on Butler's contract, especially coming off of a season-ending ACL tear. If Golden State wants to land Davis, it's going to take a third team.

Additionally, Butler's agent told ESPN that the Warriors remain "resolute in their plan to support Jimmy through his rehab and have him return to form and continue together on a quest to compete for a championship."

Golden State still has a pathway to land LeBron James. According to Hoops Hype's Yossi Gozlan, if they don't make the Butler-Davis swap, their other option would be to trade Moses Moody to open the $15 million mid-level exception for James, as Green re-signs on a friendlier deal that keeps the Warriors under the first apron.

It's not the first time the Warriors have shown interest in James, having contacted the Lakers multiple times regarding his availability. Now, the Dubs have the chance to finally get the guy they've chased for years.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Will LeBron James go to the Golden State Warriors? What we know

I don’t think there’s a more difficult Knick to evaluate than Karl-Anthony Towns. It’s not just the fact that the big man’s season looked completely different from game four of the Hawks series onwards. It’s also the fact that for much of the season, Towns’ impact on the team was hard to gauge. Even when Towns’ counting stats didn’t look the way most fans wanted it to, and even when the team wasn’t piling up results that people had expected, Towns was still analytically better than many believed. But as we learned throughout the playoffs, analytics can’t be the end-all, be-all. So how good was Towns this season as a whole? Incredibly good.

Is that an overreaction considering some of his regular-season shortcomings? Maybe. Is there recency bias? You bet. But if you were to ask me to choose between a player who dominates in the regular season but has a drop off in the playoffs and a player who disappoints a bit during the regular season but dominates in the playoffs, I’m taking the latter. And I do so every single time. I get that the playoff riser is performing higher for a mere fraction of the games as the regular-season guy. But in sports, you take care of business in the postseason, and those performances will do the heavy lifting. As many have said before, “winning cures all”, and that’s exactly what Towns did. 

I do want to clarify, though, that Towns’ regular season wasn’t bad. Or at least, again, not as bad as many thought. By a lot of metrics, he was playing some of the best defense in his career. And on the other end of the floor, he still put up solid numbers despite changing roles, having a new coach, and seeing limited opportunities at times. I do believe that players, for the most part, have agency. And Towns does deserve some blame for his offensive shortcomings and lack of aggression at times. But some of that blame needs to be placed on Mike Brown, Jalen Brunson, and the rest of the team. 

Sure, Towns could’ve, and arguably should’ve, taken it upon himself to get the ball more. And when he did, Towns should’ve been more intentional in looking for his own shot. There absolutely were times when Towns was too passive and nonexistent in the offense. He did take himself out of some games. But there were also a lot of times when Brunson ignored him for his own shot. And other times when OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart just missed him, or couldn’t make the requisite pass. There were also plenty of times when Brown saw the offense going away from Towns and refused to find ways to make him the focal point. 

Yet Towns persevered. He responded. Maybe not in the way fans wanted. But the big man continued to look for ways to best serve his team, even when the going got tough. He revealed late in the regular season that he still wasn’t sure what his role was in the offense. And you could tell that Towns wasn’t necessarily enjoying his new roles as an offensive Swiss Army Knife, whose only, or at least primary, role wasn’t to score. It didn’t matter, though. Thankfully for the Knicks and their fans, the transparency never came at the cost of effort or passion. Even with the discomfort and unease of the situation, he didn’t waver. And then destiny came knocking and rewarded him and the Knicks for their mutual perseverance and trust. 

When the fate of the season was hanging in the balance and when the Knicks needed him the most, he showed up. In game 4 of the first round, the Knicks found themselves down 2-1. Two more losses and the core of the eventual champions very well could’ve been disbanded. But Towns didn’t allow it to happen. Brunson, Brown, and Towns’ teammates deserve credit for entrusting their season and potentially their future to Towns. And Towns delivered performances that will live on in Knicks lore for decades. 

Newly appointed as the offensive hub and point center of a system that emphasized his passing skills and the other players’ basketball IQ and cutting abilities, Towns shone like he never had in a Knicks jersey. And neither Towns nor the Knicks looked back. They rattled off 13 straight postseason wins and won 15 of their next 16 games thanks in large part to Towns’ new game. He was no longer a scoring first center. He wasn’t confined to the paint. And he wasn’t relegated to being a spot-up shooter. 

For the first time in Towns’ career, he really put it all together. He was still an elite rebounder who was stretching defenses with his shooting threat like he always had. But now, he had become a smart, patient, and deadly passer. And he was now also playing not just passable, or average defense, but legitimately great defense. 

And yes, he got in foul trouble against Joel Embiid and Victor Wembanyama. And yes, he struggled to have an offensive impact in games three and five of the Finals. But on defense, he legitimately made Wembanyama work more than maybe any other player in the league. Meanwhile, on the other end of the floor, his offensive impact far outweighed his counting stats. He continued to perfectly balance scoring and passing and routinely came up clutch. Brunson and Anunoby may have had the biggest moments, but a lot of those comebacks don’t happen without Towns on the floor.

Towns’ early season struggled were frustrating. He still struggles at times with foul trouble, silly turnovers, and a lack of aggression. But you really can’t ask for much more. Towns reinvented himself deep into his career for the betterment of his team. He adjusted to coach Brown’s system. He bought in defensively. Most importantly, he was arguably the best overall Knick during a dominant championship run that saw them go 16-3. The 2026 championship did a lot for multiple players’ legacies. Outside of Brunson, no other player and their legacy benefited more from that trophy than Towns.

–

(P&T will be doing player-by-player article tributes over the next few weeks to commemorate the special team that ended our long, half-century nightmare)

The worst-kept secret in the NBA this offseason has been the Golden State Warriors’ desire to bolster their roster with a LeBron James acquisition. Golden State has been chasing James for years, and while it was initially a pipe dream, this offseason it’s felt different.

While still being considered a long shot, the Warriors entered the offseason with more realistic dreams of adding the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. It was easy to see the appeal of James, in the twilight of his spectacular career, joining Steph Curry (whom he’s always had extreme admiration for), Draymond Green (one of his close friends), and Steve Kerr (whom he played for in the Olympics). But it was unclear if James would actually consider such a move.

On Tuesday, it became a distinct possibility, when news broke that James had informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he would be playing elsewhere. After spending eight years in the purple and gold, it was widely assumed that that James’ most likely choice would be to stay on the Lakers. With that off the table, the doors to all the other options opened wide.

And with that, the Warriors are not just in the running, but arguably the favorites for James’ services. Given the reports that James prefers an ideal situation to the largest check, the Warriors check a lot of boxes. They would be a competitive team, they employ a lot of his friends (and fellow Klutch Sports athletes), they’re coached be someone he deeply respects, and he would remain close to Los Angeles, where his family is firmly entrenched.

The betting odds may favor the Dubs, but nothing is set. According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, the Warriors “have been given no indication” that James intends to sign with them. That doesn’t mean James is against signing with Golden State, just that nothing was been predetermined.

Warriors decision makers have been given no indication at this hour that they are the firm LeBron James landing spot, per sources. There's a belief that they'll have plenty of appeal, but appears to be some level of recruitment required.https://t.co/sarcY9gxME

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 30, 2026

As Slater notes, the Warriors will need to do some recruiting … but it’s hard to imagine a better trio of recruiters for James than Curry, Green, and Kerr. The Warriors have to be thrilled with the position that they’re in, but there’s still work to do.

With Landry Shamet signed, the biggest question for the Knicks entering free agency is about Mitchell Robinson.

If New York wants to stay under the second apron, the franchise would need to shed existing salary to make Robinson a competitive offer.

As things currently stand, the Knicks’ team salary is at roughly $213 million. They have 11 players under contract. The NBA’s second apron in team salary is $221.7 million. Knicks owner James Dolan said in an interview with WFAN earlier this month that he did not want to exceed the second apron. It is unclear if that decision was made in concert with his front office or if it was purely a financial decision. Dolan did reiterate his stance on the second apron internally prior to the NBA Draft.

If Dolan and the Knicks don’t change their stance on the second apron, they would need to shed salary – presumably by trading trading Pacome Dadiet, Tyler Kolek or Miles McBride – in order to make Robinson a solid offer.

What is the market for Robinson?

That’s unknown. The Lakers were oft-mentioned as a Robinson team. DeAndre Ayton picked up his player option for 2026-27. But that wouldn’t automatically take them out of the running for Robinson. As of Tuesday morning, Los Angeles was still active in the center market. The Lakers were among several teams who would have interest in Toronto’s Sandro Mamukelashvili during the free agency period, per sources. As of Tuesday morning, Los Angeles was comfortable offering Mamukelashvili a deal worth $10 million-plus annually.

What about the Nets? They were reportedly interested in Robinson but the Nets also are expected to show strong interest in Orlando’s Mo Wagner in free agency, per sources. Brooklyn obviously wouldn’t sign both Robinson and Wagner.

Portland reportedly agreed to a deal with Robert Williams III for $13+ million per season. Jock Landale reportedly agreed to a deal with Atlanta for a $14 million annual salary.

The Knicks would need to shed significant salary to offer Robinson a deal that approaches $14 million in annual value (Another team salary note: the plan entering free agency for second-round pick Jack Kayil is that he play next season overseas with his current club in Germany).

But maybe Dolan is willing to go into the second apron for Robinson this season if he can get out of it next year? WFAN’s Craig Carton said that Robinson’s return to New York depends on Karl-Anthony Towns’ extension. Towns is extension eligible on July 10. If he accepts a lower salary than his 2027-28 player option of $61 million, perhaps the Knicks can exceed the second apron in 2026-27 to re-sign Robinson and then dip under it in 2027-28.

Why would the Knicks want to avoid the second apron? ESPN’s Bobby Marks offers a great breakdown here.

The Spurs have announced their roster for the California Classic Summer League (which we can assume will mostly carry over to Las Vegas), and there are plenty of familiar faces. As predicted, the team will be captained by second-year Spur Carter Bryant and coached by Corliss Williamson. Another returning face is Emanuel Miller, who signed a two-way deal with the Spurs in February but did not play any NBA minutes for them.

Your 2026 Summer Spurs ☀️🏀@Ledger | #PorVidapic.twitter.com/mkCdzcG4mZ

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) June 30, 2026

Unsurprisingly, the Spurs rookie class is all there, including Tarris Reed, Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Maliq Brown. Jayden Quaintance is a somewhat surprising inclusion, although Williamson has confirmed he is only traveling with the team and will not participate. He only appeared in five games for Kentucky this year after tearing his ACL and meniscus in February of 2025 and reportedly expects to undergo one last procedure to clean up his knee for good.

An easy assumption would have been that the Spurs want him to get his knee fixed as soon as possible so he can get to rehabbing and return to the court (social media doctors have said it is typically a six-month recovery), but this suggests the Spurs are truly in no rush with him (they don’t have to be with Victor Webmanyama, Luke Kornet and Reed on the roster) and would prefer he experience the learning and comradery that comes with Summer League first and foremost, even if it’s merely as a spectator.

Notable names that aren’t there are the Spurs’ other two-way players from last season, David Jones Garcia and Harrison Ingram, both whom the Spurs extended qualifying offers to, making them restricted free agents. Jones Garcia is no surprise considering he too is recovering from injury, plus he had his SL breakout last season, and it could be that the Spurs know Ingram well enough at this point that they don’t need to see anything else.

The California Classic, which Bryant may not participate in, begins on Friday at the Chase Center in San Fransisco. Here is the complete schedule (TV/streaming is TBD).

• Friday, July 3 vs. Miami Heat, 7:00 PM CT
• Sunday July 5 vs. Golden State Warriors, 6:00 PM CT
• Monday July 6 vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 6:30 PM CT

The schedule has yet to be announced for the Las Vegas Summer League, which will run from July 9-19.

Anyone who watched the Raptors this year isn’t surprised that Sandro Mamukelashvili has become one of the most popular mid-level free agent targets this summer. As a 6-foot-9 forward, Mamu came off the bench to average 11.2 points per game on 63% true shooting along with 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.

A five-year vet, Mamukelashvili had shown flashes of being a solid big with intriguing tools offensively. He had Gregg Popovich gushing over him when he first arrived in San Antonio, but it really didn’t come together for him until his final year with the Spurs.

He was able to shoot 37% from three, taking 2.5 per game in 2024-25. He’s always had a good assist rate for a big, and in that last season in San Antonio, he posted one at 11.7% with a career-best 8.9% turnover rate. Impressively, neither of those numbers saw a huge change as he had an 11.9% assist rate with a 9,5% turnover rate with the Raptors.

Mamukelashvili has profiled as a solid defender who is a capable rebounder. His block numbers are nothing to write home about but he’s posted a steal rate of over 1.5% the last two seasons, which puts him in the 74th percentile for his position, according to Cleaning the Glass.

For these reasons the Raptors would love to keep him. According to Jake Fischer and Marc Stein they were trying to renegotiate a new deal, but their fears of him opting out of his player option and testing the open market were realized.

As the start of free agency nears, teams have begun to circle him. Several plugged-in reporters have said the Los Angeles Lakers will have interest, and the Spurs are interested as well. The Sixers will have some high-profile teams with good roles to offer to compete with, but they should absolutely be throwing themselves into the Mamu sweepstakes.

What’s clear from last season is that as good as Joel Embiid looked when he was able to get on the court, the Sixers need an innings eater to get them through the regular season. Mamukelashvili appears to be not only capable of that, but also sliding up to the four and playing alongside Embiid in certain lineups.

The last two seasons, Mamu played about a 60%/40% split at center to power forward. The way he’s been able to hit shots over the last two years instills a lot of confidence that he’s someone who can get plugged into just about any type of lineup.

Those type of bigs don’t exactly grow on trees. It’s easy to see why he’s drawing so much interest on the open market. Especially since with all that being said, it appears he will be gettable for a portion of the $15 million dollar non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

There are a couple attractive targets for the Sixers to use that on should they stay below the first apron. Guys like John Collins and Dean Wade might make more sense to use the full exception on. Both of those two would also probably fit pretty well in Philadelphia — this very blog has made theargument for that.

The difference between those two and Mamukelashvili is that he can play the five and they cannot. It’s true that the Sixers need to bolster their forwards at every position, but these last two seasons have really emphasized the need for another center to get them through the regular season.

Mamukelashvili isn’t the only center on the market, but he might be the best that’s gettable. With Jusuf Nurkic, Jock Landale and Robert Williams III all having agreed to extensions to avoid hitting the free agent market, the pool of centers has only gotten shallower.

The Sixers would have a lot of teams to compete with to secure Mamukelashvili’s services, but it’s a ring they absolutely need to be throwing their hats into.

The Los Angeles Lakers are losing LeBron James. So what does that mean for the future of Bronny James?

They made history together in 2024, becoming the first father and son to share the court -- not to mention playing for the same team -- during an NBA game. And they continued to share the same locker room and suit up purple-and-gold for the past two seasons.

But that feel-good history gave way to reality when ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday, June 30, reported LeBron James has informed the Lakers he will be playing elsewhere during the 2026-27 season. The business of basketball, already set in motion, accelerated.

If the Lakers had waived Bronny on Monday, they would've saved about $1 million in cap space. But on Tuesday, Bronny remained a Laker, but his future is unclear.

Bronny James Lakers contract

Unlike his father, Bronny is not an unrestricted free agent, or a free at all.

Bronny, 21, is headed into the third year of a four-year contract, with the final year being a club option.

But that doesn’t rule out Bronny asking for a trade if he hopes to rejoin his father and the Lakers are willing to comply.

During the 2026-27 season, Bronny will be making $2,296,271 a year, a pittance among NBA players. But critics might argue it's debatable if he deserves to be on the roster – or if it was mostly meant to keep his father happy.

Last season, his second in the NBA, Bronny averaged 2.9 points, 1.1 assists in 8.9 minutes per game. He also shot 40.9% from the field and 38.6% from 3-point range, appreciable improvement over his rookie season.

Before the Lakers played the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs last season, Lakers coach JJ Redick talked about Bronny.

“He's improved a lot, we trust him,’’ Redick said. “The shooting I believe in because of how well he shot it in the G league. There was a stretch where he didn’t shoot it well. He’s improved defensively in terms of his body positioning both on and off ball."

He also remained a fan favorite, and moments with LeBron and Bronny on the court together were potential magic – including father finding son for an alley-oop during Game 3 of the Lakers’ first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets this past season.

But now the father is gone.

Will the son remain with the Lakers?

Only one thing is certain: The most famous father-and-son pair in NBA history will no longer be wearing purple and gold together.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What's next for Bronny James now that LeBron James is leaving Lakers?

The next decision for LeBron James is here, and it could once again alter the NBA landscape. The league's all-time leading scorer has informed the Los Angeles Lakershe plans to play elsewhere during the 2026-27 season, according to multiple reports on Tuesday, June 30 ahead of the start to the league's free agency period.

James will be the most coveted free agent on the market despite entering his record 24th NBA season, especially if he's willing to take a pay cut. He signed with the Lakers ahead of the 2018-19 NBA season and won the 2020 NBA championship in the COVID bubble with the franchise. The 41-year-old is just a year removed from earning all-NBA honors.

The Golden State Warriors are considered the front-runners to sign James after Draymond Green's decision to opt out of his contract to provide the team with financial flexibility. But it would involve James taking less money than he's used to and there are other potential suitors, including James' two former teams.

Here's a breakdown of the potential NBA free agent landing spots for James now that he has informed the Lakers that he plans to play elsewhere during the 2026-27 season:

NBA FREE AGENCY LIVE UPDATES: Trades, signings, latest buzz and intel

LeBron James landing spots

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors have emerged as early favorites to land James given recent developments. If James is willing to take the midlevel exception of about $15 million, there's a relatively straightforward path for him to join Steph Curry and Green on Golden State's roster next season.

Cleveland Cavaliers

A return to Cleveland has long been considered a possibility for James, who could provide the veteran boost the Cavaliers need to get over the hump in the Eastern Conference with their current nucleus. James Harden's decision to agree to a new contract should give Cleveland enough flexibility to make this work, either through the midlevel exception or a sign-and-trade.

Miami Heat

Would James want to join forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo for a major discount? That's likely what it would take to make a return South Beach happen. It's also unclear if James and Antetokounmpo could work along with Bam Adebayo. But Pat Riley has always taken big swings. Snagging James and Giannis in the same offseason would be the ultimate one.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets are a longshot in this process, but the prospect of pairing James with Nikola Jokic would create one of the most basketball savvy duos ever. Denver could make this work as a sign-and-trade, or if James is willing to take a veteran's minimum salary.

Los Angeles Lakers

James told the Lakers he plans to play elsewhere, but the Lakers are still the team that can pay him the most money given its cap situation. Perhaps James finds a better fit elsewhere. Maybe the Lakers do the same with another player. But don't completely close the door on James and the Lakers, if only because more money and leverage can always change minds.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where will LeBron James play after Lakers exit? Five potential landing spots

LeBron James has shocked the basketball world with his latest career update that he will not return to the Los Angeles Lakers in his 24th season. 

James’ announcement comes on the day of free agency, which officially begins at 6 p.m. ET Tuesday, June 30. 

ESPN insider Shams Charania first reported that James, 41, informed the team that they can begin to move on without him as he pursues his NBA future as a free agent.

James joined the Lakers in the summer of 2018 and has spent the last eight seasons in L.A., leading the team to an NBA championship in 2020, where he was named Finals MVP. He was named an All-Star every season he played in a Lakers' uniform. James averaged 25.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game on 51.3% field goal shooting and 35.6% 3-point shooting during his eight seasons in LA.

The big announcement which came from James' agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, has sparked interest and think pieces around the sports world. Many expressed their gratitude for James, including former teammate Luka Doncic, Lakers president Jeannie Buss and Laker legend and former president of basketball operations Magic Johnson.

Here’s how the sports world reacted:

Sports world reacts to LeBron James not returning to Lakers

Thank you, LeBron 💜💛 pic.twitter.com/SW910ZVqSu

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 30, 2026

Luka Doncic’s reaction to LeBron James moving on: “An honor to play with and learn from you” pic.twitter.com/CleXLdscC9

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 30, 2026

I want to thank LeBron James and his super agent Rich Paul for taking a meeting with me back in 2018 when I was President of the Lakers and deciding to sign with us. He created a whole new era for the Lakers, including leading us to an NBA Championship in 2020 and all the…

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 30, 2026

Breaking: LeBron James will continue his NBA career for the 2026-27 season and has informed the Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere, his agent told @ShamsCharania. pic.twitter.com/3uYVROBrH1

— ESPN (@espn) June 30, 2026

Heard he's a free agent pic.twitter.com/w7CDE1MAEj

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) June 30, 2026

"This feels like a breakup that you want the other person to do the breaking up. Like, I think the Lakers are ready to move into the Luka Dončić era of Los Angeles."

—@DavidDTSS on LeBron potentially walking away from the Lakers 👀 pic.twitter.com/RIusClmnTt

— First Take (@FirstTake) June 30, 2026

pic.twitter.com/uQfH3k6baF

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 30, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Sports world reacts as LeBron James won't play for Lakers in 24th season

After showing promise in his sophomore season, the Lakers will continue investing in Bronny James.

On Monday, the team guaranteed Bronny’s contract for next season, set at $2.3 million, by keeping him on the roster. Keith Smith of Spotrac reported the news on Tuesday.

Bronny James' contract with the Los Angeles Lakers became fully guaranteed for $2.3M yesterday.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 30, 2026

Naturally, given how LeBron’s free agency is currently playing out, the assumption is to tie the decision on Bronny’s with LeBron. Fans will certainly race to that conclusion. But Bronny has been his own player and treated as such for quite some time.

The Lakers have spent quite a bit of time developing Bronny. For the first year and a half of his time in LA, Bronny’s playing time with the parent Lakers was either ceremonial minutes with his father, in garbage time or in games where players were being rested en masse.

However, late in his second season, he emerged as an option off the bench amid an injury crisis. He played well enough to see minutes in the postseason and had a memorable moment alongside LeBron in the series against the Rockets.

Even if he was phased out of the rotation as the games started mattering more, it was not just a sign of progress, but the first time Bronny had looked like a rotation-level player.

For the Lakers, it was enough of a sign to keep him around for next season. His contract is now fully guaranteed for the season, meaning he’ll likely be on the roster barring a trade.

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

The Atlanta Hawks have re-signed another one of their midseason pickups from last season. First, it was playoff hero CJ McCollum one a one-year, $21 million deal. Now, reportedly they locked down their Aussie big man with a similar offer per Shams Charania of ESPN:

Free agent center Jock Landale intends to sign a one-year, $14 million deal to return to the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell ESPN. Landale had a strong finish after being traded to the Hawks, averaging 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds last season, and his agents Sammy Wloszczowski and… pic.twitter.com/GfR3rzSlPY

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2026

The Hawks picked up Landale for essentially free (well, cash considerations), and he stepped into the role as the backup center after the team parted ways with Kristaps Porzingis.

He exploded for a career-high 26 points in his first game with Atlanta in a win over the Utah Jazz. Overall, he averaged 9.1 points (60% true shooting) and 4.1 rebounds per game on 19.4 minutes per contest in his 23 games after literally driving in his car from Memphis to Atlanta.

Most importantly is his ability to stretch the floor as a big, hitting 39% of his threes while forming a great partnership with his country-mate Dyson Daniels.

Unfortunately, a dirty foul by Goga Bitadze ended his regular season and postseason prematurely due to the ankle injury he suffered early April.

LeBron James is no longer a member of the Los Angeles Lakers and will be a free agent starting at 6 PM Eastern tonight. There’s been a lot of speculation about him joining forces with Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. But don’t count out a reunion with the Cleveland Cavaliers just yet.

Veteran NBA insider for NBA on Prime and former beat reporter in Cleveland during the 2014-15 season, Chris Haynes, reported that the Cavs are indeed interested in adding James to the roster.

Cleveland Cavaliers have interest in a second reunion with LeBron James with the appeal of the franchise’s greatest player finishing his career where it all started, league sources tell me.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 30, 2026

It’s easy to see the appeal of a third tour of duty in Cleveland for both sides.

The Cavs are a good team, but are a playmaking wing away from being true championship contenders, as the New York Knicks showed them in their four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference Finals. Adding James would give this roster the versatility needed to possibly get over the hump in the postseason.

Being on a title team again is reportedly LeBron’s goal. James’s agent, Rich Paul, told The Athletic’s Dan Woike that his client “wants to compete for championships.” From that perspective, their goals align.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said that James is prioritizing “happiness, not money” next season. What that means is anyone’s guess. No one besides LeBron truly knows what he’s looking for in terms of happiness.

This is where playing for the Warriors could interfere with a reunion in Cleveland. Even though there are questions about whether an older core featuring Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler could compete for a championship, James might not see it that way. And the appeal of teaming up with friends while staying in California may be too much for him to ignore.

There’s also the question about how much the Cavs could afford to play LeBron.

The Cavs’ roster currently has some flexibility. James Harden declining his player option for next season has the Cavs $42.1 million under the second apron. Harden is expected to re-sign, but the annual value could help the Cavs open up room for the taxpayer mid-level exception.

Additional moves would be needed if the Cavs were going to open up the full mid-level exception of $15 million. The Cavs are reportedly looking for suitors for players like Dennis Schroder, which could give them more cap flexibility. Additionally, a sign-and-trade with the Lakers could still be an option if the deal were to bring Cleveland below the first apron.

At this point, it’s anyone’s guess how this will play out or what James truly values. What we do know at this time is that the Cavs are interested in a LeBron reunion and have a roster that would allow him to compete for a championship next season. And they’re also close to some golf clubs he just joined.

We’ll see if that’s enough to secure his services for one last run.

NBA free agency is in full swing and there’s a couple Hoosiers who are staying put with their current teams.

Thomas Bryant, who spent the 2025-26 season with the Eastern Conference runner-up Cleveland Cavaliers, recently inked a one year deal to return to Cleveland. Trayce Jackson-Davis, who was traded from the Golden State Warriors to the Toronto Raptors during the 2025-26 season, had his team option picked up by the Raptors.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Hoosiers today:

ICYMI on The Crimson Quarry

• Indiana men’s basketball: Where have all the centers gone?
• Indiana fans are glad to see Dusty May off to NBA, out of Big Ten
• Indiana men’s basketball commit Chase Branham transfers to La Lumiere
• Candystripe Catchup: Dusty May to the NBA, Kel’el Ware trade, football recruiting

What they’re saying about the Hoosiers

• Fear the Sword:Thomas Bryant to return to Cavs on a one-year deal
• CBS Sports:Raptors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis: Raptors pick up option
• Inside the Hall:‘I’m just more comfortable:’ IU basketball’s Trent Sisley looks to build consistency
• The Athletic:Who is the USMNT of college football? Debating Texas A&M, Indiana, UNC and more
• The Indianapolis Star:Why Fernando Mendoza isn’t contributing to Indiana football NIL efforts

Around SB Nation

• NHL Free Agency Rankings: The Top 10 players in a weak 2026 class
• Maize n Brew: What Mike Boynton’s recruiting history tells us about Michigan’s future
• Aces, Liberty both got bad injury news ahead of the Commissioner’s Cup
• Bucky’s 5th Quarter:What is Colton Joseph’s ceiling in 2026?
• Live NBA free agent signings 2026 for every deal and trade this summer

We’ve arrived at NBA free agency day, the time of year when, if you’re not careful, your phone starts exploding with transaction notifications. It’s one of the busiest days on the NBA calendar, as free agency officially begins at 3 p.m. Arizona time.

For the Phoenix Suns, much of the heavy lifting has already been done. They’ve re-signed unrestricted free agents Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin, brought back restricted free agent Mark Williams, traded Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale for Miles Bridges, and selected Koa Peat in the first round of the NBA Draft.

As things currently stand, the Suns sit at a projected $208.9 million in salary, placing them just below the first apron. T

The team has 14 of its 15 roster spots filled. That’s not an unfamiliar position for Phoenix. The organization has often preferred to keep one roster spot open, giving itself added flexibility as the season unfolds.

But after sending out so much shooting in the trade for Miles Bridges, the Suns now have a glaring need. They need shooting off the bench. More specifically, they need a veteran presence who can consistently space the floor. So the question becomes whether they choose to fill that final roster spot today when free agency opens. Phoenix has roughly $6.1 million available through the mid-level exception to offer the right player. Whether they decide to use it immediately remains to be seen, but that’s what we’ll be watching throughout the day.

We shared names that could be available for the Suns to target, and a couple of those names have already fallen to the wayside. Landry Shamet is expected to return to the Knicks, while Kevin Huerter is going to re-sign with the Pistons. The list that Arizona Sports Suns insider John Gambadoro has been whittled down to the following:

• Collin Sexton
• Luke Kennard
• Jordan Clarkson
• De’Anthony Melton

At the same time, we’ll be keeping an eye on the rest of the Western Conference, evaluating every move and asking the same question after each transaction. Did those teams get better? And in comparison, did the Suns get worse?

Time to turn those notifications on. It’s NBA free agency day…