Category: Basketball

Yaxel Lendeborg shows out in perfect Warriors summer league debut vs. Lakers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – As Warriors fans await LeBron James’ latest NBA free agency decision, they didn’t need to wait long at all to see their 2026 first-round draft pick, Yaxel Lendeborg, make his team debut. 

Before Lendeborg’s first game in a Warriors jersey at Chase Center, he already had the home crowd on its feet giving some loud cheers from high-flying dunks in warm-ups. What he did once the game started brought even more cheers in a 104-72 blowout win against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The first look at Lendeborg with the Warriors was, well, perfect.

Lendeborg played 22 minutes and scored a game-high 19 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting while going 4 of 4 from deep. Along with his scoring, Lendeborg led the Warriors in rebounds (five) and assists (six), plus he blocked a shot and had one steal.  

“I would say probably like a B,” Lendeborg said when assessing his debut. “I messed up a lot of defensive rotations. That’s kind of taken a while for me to get the rotations down. I played a fairly well game until the fourth quarter. Kind of went a little sloppy with four turnovers. But overall offensively, I think I was in the right spot moving the ball well and just finding out where to be.”

Coach Khalid Robinson started Lendeborg alongside guards LJ Cryer and Will Richard, forward Malevy Leons and center Graham Ike. Cryer, Richard and Leons all played for the Warriors last season, and Ike was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract after going undrafted out of Gonzaga last month. Yet it was Lendeborg who looked like a seasoned veteran. 

The No. 11 pick lit it up from the jump. Lendeborg played eight minutes in the first quarter and scored 11 points. He made all three of his 3-point attempts and also added two assists, one rebound and one steal. 

His first shot attempt was a transition three from the left wing that Lendeborg splashed without any hesitation. He then hit a three from the top of the arc and another from the left wing. Lendeborg had a 37.2 3-point percentage as a senior at Michigan and looked like he’s already comfortable from NBA 3-point range. 

Once the second quarter began, Leneborg’s hot shooting only continued, showing he can let it fly off the dribble as well. 

The Warriors led 57-33 at halftime, and Lendeborg was a major reason why. Lendeborg played 14 minutes in the first half and scored 16 points. He also had three assists, four rebounds and one steal. 

Lendeborg improved as a 3-point shooter every year in college and expanded on how he believes that part of his game will translate to the next level.

“This has been all about confidence,” Lendeborg said. “Honestly, I never really had the confidence to shoot it until last year at Michigan. And now here, I feel a lot more confident shooting the ball here. I definitely think that I could probably be in the 37-plus range for threes if I keep shooting with confidence. Hopefully the NBA season doesn’t drain my confidence. 

“Just trying to stay consistent and see how much they fall.”

After a shortened halftime, the good times kept rolling for Lendeborg to begin the second half, as he immediately powered his way through contact for a three-point play. 

“I thought Yaxel played with a really high level of force and physicality,” Robinson said. “That was a point of emphasis for us all week, just force and physicality in everything that we do. Then, he showed a little bit of everything in his game.”

Lendeborg only played seven and a half minutes in the second half. Anything he needed to prove was already done. The rest was just an added bonus for fans to enjoy. 

Checking multiple boxes with an array of skills is what drew the Warriors to Lendeborg in the draft. Being ready to make an impact as a rookie from Day 1 was a major selling point in landing on him. If first impressions are everything, Lendeborg proved the Warriors made the right decision. 

Looks like Rich Paul might need to add another name on his whiteboard next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Lendeborg is made for the big show. 

“He’s definitely ready,” Richard said.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

By now, basketball fans know that LeBron James has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he will not be re-signing with them in free agency this offseason, and will instead find a new team to end his legendary NBA career with.

One reason why this is so fascinating is because James’ entire family has roots in Los Angeles at his point, as he has been playing for the Lakers for the past eight seasons. Of course, his son, Bronny, is also on Los Angeles’ roster, and LeBron still lives with his wife Savannah and his daughter Zhuri.

The only member of LeBron’s immediate family who doesn’t still live in Los Angeles for most of the year is his younger son, Bryce. And this is because Bryce is playing basketball at the University of Arizona.

Bryce isn’t overly active on social media, as he hasn’t made an Instagram post since February of this year. However, he does comment on his girlfriend, Sadie Johnson’s, Instagram posts.

This was shown by a post that Johnson made on June 30, where she posed for several photos while sitting outside of a restaurant and seemingly holding some beverage that included matcha and perhaps pomegranate seeds.

The post was captioned, “just because”. And the top comment on it is from Bryce, who simply wrote, “”.

It’s pretty funny to think that Bryce’s first public post after his dad’s decision to not re-sign with the Lakers was a drooling emoji on his girlfriend’s Instagram post. Then again, the James family has surely had plenty of conversations about what LeBron will do before he made his decision known, so it’s not like Bryce was surprised.

Not to mention that he’s still just 19 years old. He’s allowed a drooling emoji or two.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

The Knicks are signing a local product and familiar name as their backup center veteran. 

Andre Drummond, who is from Mount Vernon and had been linked to the Knicks in previous years, agreed to a one-year, veteran minimum ($3.9 million) deal with New York, league sources confirmed. 

The 32-year-old offers size, strong rebounding and a glut of experience but is well past his prime, having served as a backup for most of the last four seasons. Drummond’s career drop off from his All-Star peak is likely why the Knicks were able to secure the 6-foot-11 piece at such a small salary, a necessity for them to stay under the second apron. 

Drummond played the last two years for the rival Sixers as Joel Embiid’s backup, averaging 6.3 points and 8.4 rebounds last season in 19.5 minutes. He’s a downgrade from Mitchell Robinson — who left in free agency for Boston — but a strong body to eat up minutes for Karl-Anthony Towns. 

His greatest asset remains rebounding. Drummond was second to Robinson last season in boards per 36 minutes with 15.6. He led the league in rebounding four times and, unlike Robinson, cured his free-throw shooting problems — Drummond went from 37% from the charity stripe as a rookie to a career-best 63% last season. 

Hack-A-Drummond no longer works. Drummond is also more durable than Robinson and shockingly developed a 3-pointer last season in Philly, knocking down a career-best (by far) 32 treys. Still, his weaknesses are shooting and conditioning. He was again forced to take a minimum deal after expressing a desire to avoid it. 

“I’m not willing to play less than my worth,” Drummond said about free agency in a since-deleted interview posted on Youtube. “I did that once and then I got labeled as one of those guys, and I think it really killed my value in the NBA because I’m still moving like I’m in my mid-20s. I still have a lot left in the tank. I think by taking that pay cut … I feel like I’ve been climbing out of a hole for the last 4-5 years. It’s been hard.” 

Drummond’s climb continues on an expiring minimum deal but the Knicks can offer a pathway to a bigger payday — a rotation spot and a legitimate chance at a championship. 

The Knicks still have two roster spots to fill and roughly $6.5 million remaining under the second apron. Jonas Valanciunas, another veteran center, is a target to further bolster the frontcourt depth, according to The Athletic. 

Jordan Clarkson, a guard, is also a candidate to return, sources said. 

The biggest free agent remaining — LeBron James — is “very, very unlikely” to sign with the Knicks, even if he were willing to accept a minimum deal, sources said. Among the reasons from both sides, as outlined by LeBron’s agent Rich Paul, is the Knicks are coming off a title and, “The last thing you want to do is mess up something like that. The Knicks have a good thing.” 

The Knicks had previously discussed signing center Marvin Bagley III, but the former second overall pick instead joined the Nuggets.

In late May, news broke that Taylor Jenkins had made decisions on his Milwaukee Bucks coaching staff, retaining stalwart Darvin Ham while adding Patrick St. Andrews and Joe Boylan. However, that no longer appears to be the case, with Marc Stein reporting that Boylan will instead join new Mavericks head coach Dusty May in Dallas.

“After stints with five other NBA teams, including Memphis, Boylan was initially expected to reunite with Taylor Jenkins on his new Milwaukee staff. But I’m told Boylan is now Dallas-bound along with Willie Green,” Stein wrote, later adding that Boylan will coach the Mavs’ Summer League team. This has since been announced on the Mavericks’ official NBA.com page.

This is a disappointing outcome for the Bucks, with Boylan viewed as a perfect fit for a rebuilding Milwaukee team with plenty of young talent. Highly touted for his constraints-led approach (CLA) to coaching, Boylan seemed particularly ideal as a developmental coach for Nate Ament, Milwaukee’s 13th overall pick via the Miami Heat, given his success working with the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels, who followed a similar path to the NBA. Undoubtedly, Boylan would’ve been beneficial for the Bucks’ other prospects too, including 10th overall pick Brayden Burries, new acquisition Kasparas Jakučionis, the returning Ousmane Dieng, and the recently signed Bogoljub Marković.

Jenkins and the Bucks must now find a replacement for Boylan on the coaching staff. As it stands, Patrick St. Andrews will coach the Bucks’ California Classic Summer League team. For more on that, including roster details and scheduling, check out our Summer League primer.

After losing Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics in free agency, the Knicks have found a new backup center.

New York is signing veteran Andre Drummond to a one-year, $3.9 million deal, SNY NBA insider Ian Begley confirmed.

Drummond, who turns 33 in August, averaged 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game over 63 contests in the 2025-26 season with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 6-foot-11, 279-pounder spent the past two seasons with the 76ers. Previously, he was with the Chicago Bulls for the 2022-24 campaigns.

Drummond split the 2021-22 season between the 76ers and Nets. In 24 games with Brooklyn, Drummond averaged 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in 22.3 minutes.

A two-time All-Star with the Detroit Pistons (2016, '18), who selected him from UConn with the 2012 NBA Draft's No. 9 overall pick, the Mount Vernon, N.Y., native's career includes stints with the Pistons (2012-20), Cleveland Cavaliers (2020-21) and Los Angeles Lakers (2021).

The Celtics continued reshaping their future Friday by locking up 2025-26 starting center Neemias Queta on a long-term extension.

Per ESPN, Queta agreed to a fully guaranteed four-year, $56 million extension that begins in the 2027-28 season, as Boston had already exercised his $2.67 million team option for the upcoming campaign.

The Celtics, in doing so, reinforce their frontcourt just days after agreeing to terms with former Knicks center Mitchell Robinson and in the aftermath of the blockbuster trade that sent Jaylen Brown to the 76ers.

Robinson’s deal locks him in for three years and $47 million.

Queta, 26, established himself last season as one of the league’s better rim protectors and interior defenders, playing a vital role in Boston’s surprising No. 2 seed heading into the 2026 playoffs.

During the 2025-26 season, the 7-footer averaged 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 65.3 percent from the field across 76 games.

Queta also finished fourth in NBA Most Improved Player voting this past season.

Robinson arrives after spending the first eight seasons of his career in New York City, where he was one of the league’s premier offensive rebounders and rim protectors when healthy.

The 7-foot Robinson, whom the Knicks selected in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft, appears to be the biggest name the defending champions will lose following their first title in 53 years, after the team retained Jose Alvarado, Mohamed Diawara and Landry Shamet — all on team-friendly deals.

But with the Knicks’ unwillingness to approach the second apron and deal with the severe cap penalties, Robinson was an expected casualty coming off his best regular season since 2022-23.

The move for Boston could ensure that the Celtics have one of Robinson or Queta on the floor at all times, signaling a further lean into interior defense and rebounding as the team reshapes its roster in the post “Jays” era.

The Celtics stunningly dealt Brown to Philadelphia in exchange for Paul George, two first-round draft picks and two second-round selections.

The move ended Brown’s decade-long tenure in Boston despite the five-time All-Star coming off the best individual season of his career, during which he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists — leading the offense after Jayson Tatum suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in the 2025 playoffs.

Brown has been a lightning rod publicly due to his accolades — highlighted by a 2024 NBA Finals MVP and a sixth-overall regular season MVP finish in 2026 — being disregarded by some in the analytics community, where his production doesn’t often translate to eye-popping advanced numbers.

The conversation recently reached a breaking point after ESPN insider Bobby Marks said on Sirius XM that, “There’s mixed feelings about him when you talk to teams. The analytics of Jaylen Brown is not good … I had one, not an executive, but an analytics guy say, ‘Yeah, we view him as the seventh-best player on a team.’ I was like, ‘Holy crap.’”

The Los Angeles Lakers have launched a new era for the franchise this summer.

After LeBron James informed the Lakers he would not return for the 2026-27 season, the roster reconstruction quickly began.

General manager Rob Pelinka headlined the Lakers’ free agent signings by inking center Walker Kessler to a four-year, $130 million deal.

Kessler joined superstar Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves as the team’s new big three and basketball fans had much to say about Hollywood’s newest trio.

In a post on Instagram, comedian and actor Jordan Conley read comments from fans giving new nicknames for the new look Lakers.

“The Harvard Lakers”

“Lakestreet boys !!!”

“Looking like Dawson’s Creek”

“The Credit Scorers”

“Getting back to the Minneapolis Lakers”

“THE SNOWTIME LAKERS”

“The Beatles”

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

View this post on Instagram

While the Lakers have completely revamped their roster, Kessler is just one of many new faces that the storied franchise has welcomed over the last few days.

The Lakers also added guards Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes as well as big man Sandro Mamukelashvili. Sexton and Grimes serve as replacements for sharpshooter Luke Kennard and defensive specialist Marcus Smart.

Mamukelashvili gives the Lakers additional height and skill in the frontcourt. On Friday, LA traded Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards in exchange for guard Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks.

There is speculation the team has at least one more impending trade as the Lakers have been linked free agent forwards Rui Hachimura and Jonathan Kuminga.

Hachimura has spent the last three-plus seasons in LA, but has gained interest from other teams on the market. The Lakers are missing a versatile wing defender and both Hachimura and Kuminga would be sufficient additions for the purple and gold.

It’s up to Pelinka to orchestrate another deal as the Lakers look to return to contender status for the 2026-27 season.

Greetings, Panthers fans. Welcome to the weekend.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread

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

With the strict NBA salary cap and apron restrictions, teams have to get their big contracts right. Signing a player to a max deal they can’t live up to can set a franchise back for years.

With Reaves up for a big payday this summer, the Lakers had to decide if he was a max player. They negotiated hard with him, but in the end he reportedly agreed to re-sign on a four-year, $185 million deal.

There are a couple of ways to look at this. One way is to think that the Lakers did well here by keeping top talent and paying Reaves what he deserves.

The Lakers will get what they paid for. Reaves is a max player, so they compensated him accordingly. Now he’s set to play in LA during the prime years of his career.

Another way to evaluate this contract is that the Lakers spent way too much money.

Reaves has never even been an All-Star. Add in some postseason struggles, and Reaves’ contract will only look worse over time, especially if he is done improving and his best performances have already been seen.

So, for our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans how the Lakers did on the Reaves contract. The results were relatively positive.

The top selection by fans was a B grade, and that seems very fair. If the deal was for less money and the last year was an option for the team instead of Reaves, then perhaps an A grade would be the right choice.

The way things turned out, Reaves is relieved to be a Laker, he got paid, and the team keeps a guard that can produce a ton of points and scoring opportunities.

That sounds like a situation where everyone wins, and a B grade reflects that.

Still, 21% of fans give this deal an A. So, the overall perception is that keeping Reaves was necessary, and the fact the Lakers did that is all that matters.

Only 15% of fans graded this extension a D or lower. These people likely don’t like the idea of Reaves at this price point.

However, with the Pistons reportedly interested in him, Reaves was likely going to get paid regardless. At least now, the Lakers will benefit from his continued growth.

With Lakers fans happy and even Luka Dončić reportedly excited about the franchise keeping Reaves, the Lakers did well on this deal.

Now their backcourt is secured, and they can focus on improving the team in other areas, knowing the starting guards are elite.

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

With LeBron James already conveying his intention to leave the Los Angeles Lakers and Austin Reaves re-signing, Rui Hachimura is now biggest member of the Lakers’ 2025-26 roster whose free agency fate remains uncertain.

The 28-year-old Hachimura has done more than enough to earn a lucrative deal in free agency, and he’s coming off a season where he scored 11.5 points per game and shot 44.3% from three-point range.

While the Lakers are showing interest in bringing him back, they aren’t the only Western Conference team who has their eyes on Hachimura. In a July 2 Substack article, NBA insider Marc Stein asserted that the Minnesota Timberwolves are prioritizing Hachimura as their top forward target, and are expressing “serious interest” in signing him with Hachimura’s representation.

Minnesota has already been active this offseason, trading for star guard LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029 and 2030), and three future second-round picks. Minnesota already has one of the league’s biggest stars in Anthony Edwards.

The Lakers’ front office has already faced criticism this season for what many fans feel like is a failure to build a true contending roster around Luka Doncic. There’s still plenty of time for Los Angeles to change this narrative, but if bringing Reaves back and trading for Walker Kessler is all the Lakers accomplish by the end of the offseason, that criticism will feel warranted.

Re-signing Hachimura would be a step in the right direction, even if it still means other moves need to be made afterwards. And if Hachimura doesn’t end up back in Los Angeles, the hope among fans is that he’ll end up somewhere in the Eastern Conference.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

It is completely understandable to be excited over the possibility of LeBron James choosing to play for the Philadelphia 76ers. That was true in the summer of 2018 when James was in his mid-30s and it’s still true now as he’s in his early 40s and potentially embarking upon a farewell tour in the 2026-27 season. After a few days of speculation, we’ve probably all at least thought for a little bit about how cool it would be to see a playoff-plagued franchise like the Sixers exorcise their demons with LeBron James in the middle of all of it in what might be his final season in the NBA.

On some level it’s all understandable. James is probably the greatest player of the 21^st century and is widely-regarded as the second-greatest man to ever play basketball. He’s not just any free agent so we’re not just going to get a Shams tweet that announces where he’s signing. Basketball has always been the most individualized North American team sport and James is far from the only star that likes to bask in the rays of attention. Certainly, as his career winds down, there’s no reason to think that behavior would change.

But how much of this do we really need? Is it even fun to track all the leaks? Many felt the Sixers had a chance eight years ago when rumors began to circulate that James or someone in his circle was visiting Malvern Prep as a possible high school for his kids to attend. In 2018, LeBron James did not attend the free agent meeting his representatives had with the Sixers, so how much of a chance did they really have?

Fast forward to present day and the Twitter detectives are billing hours faster than Tyrese Maxey goes coast-to-coast for a fastbreak layup. We’ve gotten an interview with James’ agent Rich Paul in which the starters for all the contenders in this summer’s LeBron sweepstakes are on a whiteboard.  There was an asterisk next to Maxey’s name on the whiteboard fueling all sorts of speculation as to what that meant.

We’ve also had some of the social media sleuthing lead to the possibility of a private plane from Philadelphia to James hometown of Akron, Ohio on Friday morning. Sportsbooks and other prediction markets have updated odds for James’ next team to be more favorable for the Sixers with every inkling of “information.” To reiterate, this kind of circus is not exclusive to James. There’s a reason people say the offseason in the NBA is better than the season. It’s just the biggest circus of all when it’s James.

Ultimately, James can only play for one team when push comes to shove. There are a lot of fanbases who are talking themselves into the hype that comes with their team’s chances, and many of them will not have James on their roster next season. If you’re enjoying the social media speculation, go for it if you must. At this stage in his career, remember it’s probably only a one or two-year commitment and the winner of this summer’s LeBron sweepstakes certainly isn’t getting the player the Lakers got in 2018, the Cavs got in 2014 or the Heat got in 2010. That doesn’t mean James can’t help the Sixers. Their roster for next season is coming together nicely and a point forward type like James who can find open shooters would fit well with what they already have.

But if you’ve decided to sign off from Twitter for the holiday weekend, who can blame you? Sure, this all comes with the territory when it comes to the pursuit of a high-level free agent in the NBA. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t get tiresome. Most of all, no one wins NBA championships during the first week of July. In a lot of ways, the announcement of where James is playing in 2026-27 will feel like the end of something, and it will be. It will be the end of reckless speculation on where James is currently located, who his team is talking to, and what hints they’re putting out.

But it will be the beginning of what really matters and that’s James’ playing days for his next team. I think we’d all agree we’d rather enjoy LeBron making plays on the court for the Sixers in big playoff games in May and potentially June more than we’re enjoying what’s going on now.

The Wizards shored up their center position for next season by acquiring DeAndre Ayton from the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s yet another trademark Will Dawkins trade — the price for Ayton was a guard they didn’t want and a couple second round picks. Add this move to a list that include paying nothing the team wanted to obtain Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks, and paying a modest price for Anthony Davis.

This isn’t a franchise-altering move, but it’s a smart one nonetheless. While multiple teams have given up on Ayton, including the Lakers, who just paid a heavy price to acquire Ayton’s replacement, he’s not a bad player, and he will upgrade Washington’s backup center spot next season.

Last season, Ayton’s individual production was solidly above average (144 PPA — in PPA, 100 is average and higher is better), though the Lakers were only “about the same” on both ends when he was in the game. That goes for regular season and playoffs.

After spending heavily to acquire Walker Kessler, the Lakers needed to offload Ayton’s relatively modest $8.1 million salary to create financial flexibility for other moves, and get back some future draft resources. That they dealt him for a player they don’t want and a couple second round picks is a bit of an indictment of the former No. 1 overall pick — a guy selected ahead of players like Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Still, a guy one team doesn’t want can still have value to another. For Washington, Ayton checks a few boxes. At full health, he’ll be the primary backup center — slotting into a three-big F/C rotation with Alex Sarr and Davis. With Ayton in the fold, Davis won’t have to spend much time as the titular center. Figure the team will start and finish halves with Davis and Sarr up front and play combinations of the three in between.

Ayton also provides some injury insurance in the likely event that Davis or Sarr gets hurt. Both have injury histories. Sarr is currently recovering from a broken foot suffered during an offseason workout. Both are expected to be ready for training camp, but it’s still wise to have some coverage.

Ayton also provides some flexibility in case Dawkins and Michael Winger change their minds and agree to trade Davis to Golden State or elsewhere. Ayton is no long-term answer in the middle, but neither is Davis. With Ayton, the issues are quality and attitude — he’s not The Guy and hasn’t exhibited the willingness to do the work necessary to be The Guy.

With Davis, the issues are age, health, and expense. When healthy, he’s been terrific.

The move will give Washington an $8.1 million trade “exception” in the form of Ayton’s expiring contract. They’ll also create a $6 million exception because, as suggested by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, they’ll use their existing trade exception for Kelly Olynyk to bring in Ayton — which was set to expire July 9 if they didn’t use it.

Again, nothing about this transaction significantly alters the franchise’s trajectory. Ayton improves their reserve center spot and gives them some flexibility. He’s a temporary solution that fits a current need, and it didn’t cost future assets with significant value. That’s solid work from the front office.

HeraldCeltics reportedly signing breakout starter to four-year extension

Projecting Celtics depth chart after Jaylen Brown trade, signings

Jaylen Brown felt disrespected by Celtics trade: ‘There’s definitely more to it’

Globe Jaylen Brown says Celtics showed ‘lack of respect’ after trade to Sixers

Isaiah Thomas comes to Jaylen Brown’s defense after shocking Celtics trade​

Windhorst: Celtics didn’t think Jaylen Brown was their best player last season

The biggest question of them all: What was Brad Stevens thinking when he traded Jaylen Brown?

‘I love you JB’: 6-year-old Celtics fan’s tearful message to Jaylen Brown goes viral

4 things to know about Paul George, reportedly coming to the Celtics in the Jaylen Brown trade

Celtics agree to four-year contract extension with center Neemias Queta

Jaylen Brown says Celtics showed ‘lack of respect’ after trade to 76ers

The Jaylen Brown trade was unprecedented for the Celtics, and other thoughts

CelticsBlog The Celtics just secured Neemias Queta long-term in a win-win move

The harsh reality of targeting Trey Murphy

Coming to terms with Boston’s new look

Everything Jaylen Brown unpacked in post-trade livestream: ‘We move on’

Jayson Tatum in a post-Jaylen Brown world

CLNS Media What will Celtics do after Jaylen Brown trade? | Still Poddable

NBC Sports BostonNeemias Queta signing four-year extension with Celtics: Report

Paul George doesn’t mention Boston in farewell post to Philadelphia

NESNCeltics Lineup Projection 2026: How Jaylen Brown-Paul George Trade Impacts Boston’s Rotation

Former Celtics Champion Blasts Brad Stevens for Jaylen Brown Trade

Celtics Free Agency 2026: Latest News, Rumors & Signings for Boston

Mass Live Paul George releases statement after Celtics trade

Agent reveals LeBron James considering Celtics among free agency destinations

Jaylen Brown calls out Celtics for ‘lack of respect’ after Sixers trade

Celtics trade rumors: Boston targeting elite shooter after Jaylen Brown deal

Celtics WireJaylen Brown vows to still take care of Boston community after trade to 76ers

Draymond Green weighs in on the Celtics trading Jaylen Brown

Evan Turner blames Mike Zarren, analytics for Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown trade

Boston Celtics reportedly add former Arkansas standout to Las Vegas Summer League roster

Dalzell: Celtics did not lose Giannis trade with lowball extension offer

Jaylen Brown says goodbye to the City of Boston, Celtics fans

Robert Parish is still no fan of the Celtics trading Jaylen Brown

Center Neemias Queta signs four-year, $56 million extension with Boston Celtics

Celtics history: Brad Stevens hired as coach; Marlon Garnett born

The AthleticInside Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade: How differences in perspective drove stunning deal

NBA free agency winners and losers: Celtics, LeBron-less Lakers raise eyebrows

Jaylen Brown says Celtics showed ‘lack of respect’ before trading him to 76ers

Boston Sports Journal What Paul George trade ideas could the Celtics explore?

Hurley: A Jaylen Brown farewell, and some Boston sports championship predictions

Hardwood Houdini Bill Simmons thinking he died after Jaylen Brown trade is too perfect

LeBron James to the Celtics? Rich Paul’s whiteboard just dropped a massive hint

Celtics’ offseason moves make Trey Murphy III pursuit even more complicated

Neemias Queta’s new extension an absolute steal for Brad Stevens and the Celtics

Why Mitchell Robinson’s impact on Celtics goes deeper than anyone is discussing

The absolute pretzel that is the Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade

Why the Celtics believe trading Jaylen Brown is actually “addition by subtraction”

What to make of Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade to 76ers: 5 leftover thoughts

Chowder and Champions Celtics make no-brainer Neemias Queta decision amid roster shakeup

CLNS Media/YouTube Neemias Queta just signed a win-win extension with Celtics | You Got Boston

How Jaylen Brown Trade to 76ers HAPPENED | Celtics Daily

Ryan & Goodman RIP Celtics for ‘Embarrassing’ Jaylen Brown Trade

Insider Reveals NEW Jaylen Brown Trade Details | Celtics Daily

What’s Next for Celtics After Jaylen Brown Trade | Celtics Beat

Locked on Celtics Jaylen Brown RESPONDS To Being Traded by Boston Celtics: ‘There’s More To It’

WHY was Jaylen Brown Traded? Ownership? Brad Stevens Mistake?

Celtics RoundtableNew Reporting Details What Jaylen Brown Wanted From Boston Celtics

Hugo Gonzalez was excellent for Spain today in FIBA

3-Time NBA Champion Says Boston Celtics Are Headed Toward Play-In Tournament

HeavyCeltics’ Hugo González Gives Timely Reminder Before Important Year 2

Mitchell Robinson Takes Shot at Knicks After Signing with Celtics in Free Agency

76ers Get Strong Message From Ex-Celtics Player After Jaylen Brown Trade

New Details Behind Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Trade Revealed

Jaylen Brown Adds Fuel to Jayson Tatum Rumor After Celtics Trade

Jaylen Brown Sends Bold Warning After Blockbuster Celtics Trade

Celtics Could Flip Picks From Jaylen Brown Trade for Key Asset

Daily KnicksMitchell Robinson’s Knicks exit gives NBA painfully obvious decision to make

Celtics already coming to Mitchell Robinson realization Knicks have known for years

SI .com Ex- Buckeye Mike Conley Signs with Celtics Before Historic 20th NBA Season Milestone

Celtics Bring Back Neemias Queta To Pair With Mitchell Robinson, Impacting Both Of Their Fantasy Basketball Value

Jaylen Brown Releases First Official Statement Since Stunning 76ers-Celtics Trade

Jaylen Brown Responds To Being Traded by Boston Celtics: ‘There’s More To It’

Boston Celtics Reward Neemias Queta with Big New Contract Just Before His Birthday

Bill Simmons Found Out About Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Trade in the Wildest Way Possible

Bleacher Report New Celtics Trade Rumors on Trey Murphy III Interest After Jaylen Brown, Paul George Deal with 76ers

New NBA Rumors on Paul George’s Celtics Future After Jaylen Brown Trade, Team’s Stance on Return

NBA Insiders Suggest 76ers Got Jaylen Brown for ‘Free’ in Paul George Trade with Celtics

New Jaylen Brown Rumors on How Contract Affected Celtics’ Return in Paul George, 76ers Trade

Posting and Toasting State of the NBA: Parity… or just plain dumb randomness?

ESPN Sources: 76ers enter mix for LeBron James after Jaylen Brown add

One free throw rule, embedded ball tech test set for summer league

Will Celtics live to regret trading Jaylen Brown?

What NBA execs are buzzing about after a wild week of free agency

The Sports HubWhat the Celtics are taking on with Paul George’s contract

Celtics make first post-Jaylen Brown trade move

New update sheds light on why Celtics fell short on Giannis trade

NESN/YouTubeIs Jaylen Brown BETTER Than Jayson Tatum?

Is Celtics Ownership To Blame For Jaylen Brown Trade?

WABI 5Local high school basketball players react to Celtics trading Jaylen Brown to Sixers

Thunderous IntentionsPaul George hits rock bottom right as Thunder royalties run out

Sports Business Journal Celtics ownership, front office under heavy criticism following Brown trade

NBA .com4 takeaways: Jaylen Brown heads to Philadelphia in reported blockbuster trade

CBS Sports The Jaylen Brown trade is a gut punch to Celtics fans and a move the team can’t justify

How did Celtics, Jaylen Brown get here? Trade to 76ers caps off stunning deterioration of relationship

Jaylen Brown rips Colin Cowherd, criticizes Celtics after trade to 76ers: “Boston, they packed me up”

Athlon SportsDerrick White News Emerges After Celtics Trade Jaylen Brown

The Sporting NewsBoston Celtics eyeing Jaylen Brown replacement after blockbuster trade

Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade puts spotlight on Payton Pritchard’s expected breakout

Celtics’ Jayson Tatum receives deafening trade update after Jaylen Brown-Paul George 76ers deal

Celtics could replace Jaylen Brown’s production by signing LeBron James after blockbuster trade

CBS Philadelphia/YouTube Sixers fans react to team trading for Jaylen Brown in deal with Celtics

All Phly The 34-Day Process: Mike Gansey turns Sixers into a title contender with Jaylen Brown trade

Hoops RumorsTrade Rumors: Murphy, Celtics, Duren, Hield, J. Green

Jaylen Brown Discusses Boston Exit, Trade To Sixers

AudacyGary Washburn: the trust for Brad Stevens has begun to decline after trading Jaylen Brown

BasketNewsBrutal revelations emerge on Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade decision

Yahoo Sports Why Jaylen Brown trade ‘doesn’t make any sense’

The Ringer The Jaylen Brown Trade Is a Meteor to the Eastern Conference

NBC Sports Boston/YouTube How can Brad Stevens win back the Celtics fanbase after trading away Jaylen Brown?

Neemias Queta to sign four-year, $56 million extension with Celtics

Why Payton Pritchard may be the ‘BIGGEST BENEFICIARY’ of the Jaylen Brown trade | Celtics Talk

Scal: Celtics owe it to Jayson Tatum to make next championship-level move

Mannix: C’s seem to have determined ON-COURT RELATIONSHIP between Jays was ‘deteriorating’ 😬

SB NationThe Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade actually makes sense

Philly VoiceJaylen Brown issues statement after being traded to Sixers

Bleacher Report Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum’s ‘Personal’ Fit Reportedly Led to Celtics’ Decision on 76ers Trade

Donovan Mitchell Slams Rumor on Jaylen Brown from Colin Cowherd After Celtics-76ers Trade

Boston Celtics Trade Exposes Brutal Reality About Jaylen Brown

New NBA Rumors on Paul George’s Celtics Future After Jaylen Brown Trade, Team’s Stance on Return

Lindy’s Sports Brad Stevens Messed Up Badly With Awful Jaylen Brown Trade

Pelican DebriefThe Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III leverage just got a much needed boost

CBS Sports/YouTubeNBA Free Agency UPDATE: Assessing Tatum’s role in Jaylen Brown leaving + 76ers interest in LeBron 👀

The Lead The Celtics Chose Jayson Tatum Over Jaylen Brown

HITCWhy Bill Simmons thought he was ‘dead’ when Jaylen Brown was traded to Philadelphia 76ers

Dave Portnoy’s reaction to Celtics trading Jaylen Brown to rival 76ers wasn’t great

Boston Celtics may have traded Jaylen Brown due to a unique concern from new owner

Jalen Brunson’s emergence might be why Celtics traded Jaylen Brown and bet on his replacement

Clutch PointsJaylen Brown gets brutally honest on Brad Stevens after shocking trade

Mitchell Robinson wants ‘truth to come out’ about Celtics move in response to sad Knicks’ OG Anunoby

How Jaylen Brown’s Celtics exit clears a path for Payton Pritchard’s ascension

Celtics rumors: The Jaylen Brown comments that ‘rubbed Jayson Tatum’s camp the wrong way’

The Celtics Chronicle/YouTubeCeltics Free Agency Reaction Mitch Robinson and Mike Conley

ESPN/YouTubeDid Jayson Tatum play a role in the Jaylen Brown trade? 👀 | Get Up

Are the 76ers the biggest threat to the Knicks after acquiring Jaylen Brown? | Get Up

Were the Boston Celtics DISRESPECTFUL in the way they traded Jaylen Brown?

Dunking with WolvesCeltics should’ve taken a page out of the Timberwolves’ book with Jaylen Brown trade

Basketball News “Dumbest Trade in NBA History”: Ex-Celtics Star Slams Brad Stevens For Jaylen Brown Trade

Total Pro Sports Giannis Antetokounmpo Was Inches Away From Joining The Celtics Before Stunning Twist

Sixers Wire Looking back on the 2-year Paul George era with the Philadelphia 76ers

Chaz NBA/YouTube Jaylen Brown FULL Twitch Stream reacting to trade to 76ers & talking Boston

Fan RecapCeltics May Already Have Their Jaylen Brown Replacement In Mind

The Sports Hub/YouTubeDid the Celtics just make a HUGE MISTAKE? | Felger and Mazz

The Big Lead 3 NBA offseason moves that teams will regret

The Dallas Mavericks announced their Las Vegas Summer League roster on Friday, and there are several fun additions to the group.

Ryan Nembhard, John Poulakidas and Tyler Smith are some existing Mavs that fans might remember from last season. Nembhard, who busted onto the scene at Summer League last year alongside Cooper Flagg, will likely run a lot of point for the Mavericks early on in the summer. Poulakidas came on later in the season last year, and has earned another go with the Mavs this offseason. Tyler Smith, who also joined the Mavericks late last season, is also in for Summer League.

The fun here is in the rookies that the Mavericks selected in last month’s NBA Draft. Ninth overall selection Morez Johnson Jr. will debut for Dallas in Summer League, and he will be flanked by 25^th overall pick Sergio de Larrea. The Spainard was last seen winning the ACB title with Valencia and is coming over to join not just the summer Mavs, but the actual Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavericks second round selections will also be joining the squad. Tobi Lawal is the extremely athletic forward from Virginia Tech. I can almost guarantee he will do something incredible in Summer League, whether it be a dunk or a block. And perhaps the most shocking development, Russian prospect Vsevolod Ischenko will be joining the Mavs in Vegas. Ischenko is a 6’8” guard that is an interesting dart throw for the Mavs. Now, don’t get your hopes up immediately, as he will likely be stashed in Europe again this year, but it will be fun to see exactly what they’ve got in him right now.

Overall, there is a strong international flavor on this roster. Three Spainards, a Russian, a Canadian, a Nigerian and an Englishman will all be in Vegas. Should at least be an entertaining watch! Be sure and follow along with us here at Mavs Moneyball as we take you through the Las Vegas Summer League.

The Rockets have traded Dorian Finney-Smith to the Charlotte Hornets for…nothing. In fact the Rockets sent Smith and three second round picks to the Hornets to make sure DFS made it to IAH, or HOU, I’m really not fussy.

I will admit that I was a fan of the signing, and many of you were as well. DFS, at the time, seemed like he might give the Rockets about 75% of Dillon Brooks. As it turned out, he gave the Rockets about 7.5% of Dillon Brooks. This could well be the fault of the ankle injury that sidelined him for most of the season. In fact he only started looking like the player the Rockets thought they were getting sometime in the series with the Lakers. Which was, as it turned out, too little, too late.

The Rockets recent signings all come with one watch word, and that word is flexibility. The signings all expire, more or less, when the deal for Kevin Durant expires. Finney-Smith’s deal had a player option in 28-29, as well as a guarantee for this season, and next. Now he’s going into the Hornets salary exception.

The Rockets traded their Memphis second round pick next season (which should be a good one), and their own 2028, and 2033 second rounders (who knows?). So that was the price to get out of the DFS is CFS experience. Honestly, even if he plays well for Charlotte, this is for the best. It’s unlikely he’ll break out of his career norms, and more likely that at 33 he’ll continue to decline.

While I haven’t loved the Marcus Smart and BogBog deals, I like this one. It’s a fairly cheap way to get out of a mistake, and second round picks are now pretty much the grease for the wheels of NBA commerce at this point.

The deal gives the Rockets a little breathing room this season, and who knows what they might do? Perhaps they’ll sign another older, not especially good player. With the new contract for Tari Eason it makes sense to move on from DFS for any number of reasons.

Dorian Finney-Smith, we hardly knew you. Good look in North Carolina.