HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 12: Rayan Rupert #32 of the Memphis Grizzlies brings the ball up court against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Toyota Center on April 12, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day, another Mike Gansey move.
Albeit this one a level tamer than what we have seen from the Sixers new president of basketball operations in the past 48 hours.
The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to sign French guard Rayan Rupert on a two-way NBA deal, sources tell ESPN. Rupert, a second-round pick in 2023, split last season in Memphis and Portland.
The 76ers signed 22-year-old Rayan Rupert to a two-way deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Rupert averaged 5.2 points per contest last season, appearing in 64 games and getting heavy minutes once being acquired by the Memphis Grizzlies at the trade deadline.
He has more to show as a shooter considering he went only 39% from the field last season, but his 33-10-10 night against the Bucks (on April 5, 2026) showcased how his 6-foot=7 frame can be a triple-threat option offensively. He followed up that performance with back-to-back 12-rebound games to close out the season.
He is a handsy defender who will make the ball-handler pay for lazy drives. He picked up nine steals combined in the final three games of the season. The level of competition he saw in those games, however, renders a two-way deal realistic. He will be able to grow consistent and develop as a shooter with the Delaware Blue Coats and be called up as needed.
Rupert is the first reported player the Sixers have signed to a two-way deal this offseason. They still have two other slots to fill. It seems likely Rupert will also be a part of the Sixers’ summer league team in Vegas. We’re still awaiting the release of the roster for those games.
Rupert is an ideal player to take a flyer on with a two-way deal. We’ll see what else Gansey has in store for the other two-way spots.
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 25: Ebuka Okorie #23 and President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon of the Detroit Pistons pose for a photo during the Detroit Pistons press conference introducing Ebuka Okorie on June 25, 2026 at the Pistons Performance Center in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There are few surprises on the Detroit Pistons’ roster for the upcoming NBA Summer League, and that’s just fine. The team will be headlined by first-round pick Ebuka Okorie, a quick-scoring guard from Stanford. The No. 17 overall pick is used to having the ball in his hands, creating his own shot, and getting to the rim. Those are the kinds of prerequisites that allow you to star in Summer League.
The team will also feature college basketball’s reigning shot-block leader and Detroit’s second-round pick Ugonna Onyenso from Virginia. Having a dominating presence at the top of the key and near the rim should at least make for some enjoyable games for Pistons fans.
Elsewhere on the roster, you will find last year’s second-round pick Chaz Lanier. The sharpshooter from Tennessee didn’t get much run in his inaugural season in Detroit so it will be nice to dust him off and see what he can do when given plenty of shots.
Current two-way player Isaac Jones, acquired in a trade with the Sacramento Kings last season, will be at Summer League for Detroit, as will players from Detroit’s G League team, the Motor City Cruise. Dawson Garcia and Brice Williams will suit up. Former Atlanta G League player for the College Park Skyhawks Basheer Jihad will also play for the Pistons in Vegas. Latavious Mitchell played overseas in Ireland.
The rest of the roster comprises college players looking to turn heads and secure two-way spots or contracts overseas. That includes Roddy Gayle Jr. of the University of Michigan and Corey Stephenson of Florida International University.
Detroit Pistons Summer League Schedule
The Pistons will play at least five games at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, which kicks off on July 9. Four games have already been announced.
The slate is as follows (all times Eastern):
July 9 at 5:30 p.m.: Pistons vs. 76ers (Prime Video)
Agents don't leak things by accident. Everything is more calculated and transitional than that. Still, it can be insightful.
Rich Paul did that on the latest episode of his “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman. Paul — LeBron James' agent and friend — laid out the case for six potential destinations for LeBron's next team:
• Golden State Warriors • Miami Heat • Philadelphia 76ers • Cleveland Cavaliers • Minnesota Timberwolves • Denver Nuggets
However, look at the podcast video, where Paul breaks out the whiteboard, and it feels like the Warriors may be the long shot in that group. Paul said not to read into that, but it's kind of hard not to.
Rich Paul made a whiteboard laying out LeBron’s “realistic” destinations
Other teams were discussed and put on the periphery of that whiteboard, including San Antonio, Boston, Dallas and New York, but those teams are unlikely. New York reportedly had expressed interest, and Paul said if New York had not won the title, LeBron would be headed there, but that ring changed everything.
Paul and Kellerman break down the case for LeBron's interest in each team. For example, here's what was said about a return to Miami.
Rich Paul and Max Kellerman on the positives about LeBron going to Miami:
Rich: You go down south. Mitchell, Wiggins, Giannis, Bam. Plus Pat, Plus Spo.
Paul has previously said that for LeBron, this decision is about happiness, not money — which is good because a few of these teams could only offer the veteran minimum of $3.9 million.
Paul has also said that LeBron is not rushing this decision and is letting things play out a little. For example, Denver is on the list, and Paul talked about LeBron's relationship with the Kroenke family that owns the team, but until Peyton Watson's restricted free agency is settled, nothing is happening there.
Which means sit back and relax, we've got a plethora of LeBron rumors to come before he gets around to making a decision.
A ray is seen inside the Lisbon Oceanario in Lisbon, Portugal, on February 1, 2026. The aquarium is one of the city's most visited attractions, contributing to Lisbon's tourism economy and year-round visitor activity. (Photo by Luis Boza/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Spicy day around the Association on Thursday as everybody from Twitch streamers to Import Beantowners had plenty to say about everything. Here’s a bunch of links to keep you entertaining as we enter Day 4 of this new and weird No-Centers Knicks Era.
Mitchell Robinson leaving for Boston already hurt enough, but Mitch made it sting a little more on Instagram, replying to an OG Anunoby sad-face comment.
Does Robinson know he still owes us an explanation himself? Get ready, Mitchie.
Finer gentleman Ariel Hukporti (who as a new Sixer we now hate too, don’t get it twisted) also sent his goodbyes.
The Knicks keep trying to fix the unfixable and sign/trade for some center, but so far, they’ve had no luck. In the latest round of bad news, New York has been trying to replace Mitch by going after New Orleans’ Yves Missi, but the Pelicans have made their stance on that very clear. Looks like the Knicks are doomed to settle for one or two of Looney, Drummond, Plumlee, Powell, Biyombo, Richards, or any other warm and aging body.
SNY’s Ian Begley heard a similar message around the draft, but decided to wait more than a week to report it. Weird.
Newsday’s Steve Popper attempted to breakdown some of the remaining options for the Knicks. Usual names on top of Mousa Cisse, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Moussa Diabate. The background:
“The Knicks are still waiting, searching and letting the prices settle down — for the math to work and for a player to decide that filling the role that Robinson occupied is for him. The Knicks have approximately $8.5 million left to fill out the roster if they want to remain below the second apron, an edict that Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan voiced just days after the championship was secured. That money isn’t just for a backup center but to finish off the last spots on the roster. The Knicks have 11 players under contract and must have 15 — or at least 14, a number they can roster for 14 consecutive days and 28 days total in a season.”
HoopsHype reported the Knicks had interest in Marvin Bagley III before he signed a minimum deal with Denver.
The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy noted some big Knicks extension windows are opening, even if we’re not quite focused on that for now. Those belong to Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Miles McBride, all of whom can negotiate extensions between now and Aug. 10. Very worth reading in full, and we’ll surely cover it in detail later this week/month/summer. Here’s a snippet:
“All these extensions, if signed, would start in the 2027-28 season. Coming off the franchise’s first championship in 53 years, it would make sense to contractually lock up the key players involved. But as Mitchell Robinson’s free agency underscored, there are sometimes other considerations — like aprons and egos. With KAT and especially Hart, the guess is they’ll agree to extensions before or during next season. McBride’s extension, meanwhile, is the diciest of the three.”
The LeBron-to-Knicks speculation is growing louder, if not quite likelier. Jake Fischer reported the Knicks showed some level of interest in LeBron while on a livestream, only for SNY’s Ian Begley to pour cold water on it shortly after.
The unrecognizable Sixers are reportedly lurking too, thanks in part to the arrival of Jaylen Brown and the Tyrese Maxey-Klutch ties.
At least one thing in the James sweepstakes is clear, ESPN’s Shams Charania believes.
The NBA will test a one-free-throw rule during Summer League, using the G League model, where one single FT attempt is worth one, two, or three points depending on the foul situation. It won’t apply in the final two minutes or overtime. The league will also test a basketball with an embedded sensor — pause — to help with future officiating applications like last-touch out-of-bounds calls.
Jaylen Brown (of course) went live on Twitch after the first streamer-for-podcaster trade was confirmed on Wednesday. He talked about a bunch of stuff and made clear he wasn’t thrilled with how Boston treated him.
“I wasn’t thrilled with the amount of respect I was shown during this process. I think there was a bit of a lack of respect. I think it was fine at one point, and then out of nowhere, things just kind of went left. I think Brad is probably getting a lot of the criticism. I wasn’t thrilled the way he facilitated some of the conversations.”
Sister site CelticsBlog pushed back on a Bill Simmons report about Giannis-to-Boston falling apart over extension demands. Choose your fighter as Boston collapses!
Kyle Lowry is reportedly set to retire as a Raptor on a one-day contract, and he was pissed about the news being leaked.
Spain beat Austria 3-0 at the World Cup. Sorry, I had to include it.
The Knicks “checked in” on free agent LeBron James, as stated by his power agent Rich Paul, but a signing is “very, very unlikely,” multiple sources told The Post.
A source said the discussion between Paul and the Knicks was cursory, with Paul later explaining on his podcast why New York actually lost appeal by winning the title.
Either way, a Knicks-LeBron union – which feels decades in the making – is not in the cards.
“It’s difficult,” Paul said on his “Game Over podcast on Netflix. “The last thing you want to do is mess up something like that. The Knicks have a good thing. … If the Knicks hadn’t have won (the title), there’d be no board (of teams). He’d be going to the Knicks.”
Lakers forward LeBron James saves the ball from going out of bounds against the New York Knicks. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
LeBron, who averaged 21 points as an All-Star last season, would obviously be a tremendous fit on the court but adds a different element to the atmosphere.
The defense of the championship would suddenly morph into a different story, replete with distractions – the potential farewell tour of arguably the greatest player of all time.
The Knicks, who are trying to avoid the second apron, can also only offer a veteran minimum contract to James, who is looking for a new team after informing the Lakers he wasn’t returning.
With LeBron out of the mix, the Knicks are still searching for a backup center to replace Mitchell Robinson, who bolted to the Celtics in free agency.
Regardless, a source said that the “core” of the Knicks will remain in place for the upcoming season.
Rich Paul on LeBron James to the Knicks
“If the Knicks hadn’t won, there would be no board. He’d be going to the Knicks…. Jalen Brunson would literally have to pick up the phone and say ‘hey man, there’s no issue with me.’ They (Knicks) have checked in.”
With the Warriors, James can earn more money while playing with fellow legend Steph Curry. With the Cavs, he can try to complete a storybook ending with his original franchise. With the Sixers, there’d be three star teammates – Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey – and a chance to break a long title drought.
The Knicks? There used to be a lot of reasons but those don’t apply after a championship.
May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a foul in game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Happy holiday weekend to our largely American audience.
While the Fourth of July is a slow time of the year for the NFL, such is not the case for the NBA.
In case you missed it, which I find hard to believe even if you don’t follow professional basketball, the Philadelphia 76ers made a really big move earlier this week by trading for Jaylen Brown from their rival Boston Celtics.
It was a pretty exciting move. But the intrigue doesn’t stop there.
Now there’s buzz that LeBron James might also end up in Philly. And not just in the form of social media rumors but from an actual podcast hosted by James’ agent himself:
For the record, I’ve always been a Jordan > LeBron guy.
RELATED CONTENT: I joined my good friends Michael Levin and Roy Burton to talk Sixers (and their relation to an Eagles/Cowboys dynamic), the Jaylen Brown trade (with an A.J. Brown trade comparison), LeBron, and more on The Rights To Ricky Sanchez podcast:
SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 3: Trey Murphy III #25 of the New Orleans Pelicans looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on April 3, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Show of hands, who wants Trey Murphy III?
Yeah?
Me, too!
We all need a pick-me-up right now. Trading Jaylen Brown hurt, no doubt. Sending him to the Philadelphia 76ers, to form what is essentially a Big Three-and-a-half, well, that was borderline treasonous. Murphy would be the ideal mea culpa from Brad Stevens. He’s young, talented, and would complement Jayson Tatum’s game perfectly.
There’s a catch, though. The Boston Celtics are now operating under the hard cap of the first apron, courtesy of using the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Mitchell Robinson on Wednesday.
As things stand, the Celtics are approximately $3.5 million over the tax, and $5.1 million under the first apron.
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).
After putting in so much work to duck the tax last season, it’s likely Stevens will ensure the Celtics complete their goal of avoiding the repeater tax this season, meaning some money must be shed before or at the 2027 trade deadline.
Unfortunately, it’s that first-apron hard cap that’s going to make life tough for Boston in any potential Murphy pursuit.
Sure, when looking at Murphy’s $27 million salary for next season, and then remembering Boston boasts a $27.1 million traded player exception (TPE), it feels like the stars are aligned. I mean, how often does your primary target fit perfectly into an exception you just have lying around?
However, using a TPE doesn’t exempt a team from eating the cap hit. The exception removes the need to match salaries, but the incoming cost still counts against the cap sheet. So, the brutal truth of the situation is that the math isn’t going to math.
With just $5.1 million between the Celtics’ current standing in the tax and their hard stop at the first apron, there isn’t enough room to lean on the TPE as a vehicle to acquire Murphy outright. Instead, the Celtics will need to send a sizeable amount of salary back to the New Orleans Pelicans.
That’s where things get tough.
Right now, the only two players who make enough to be a viable trade chip are Derrick White and Paul George. Sam Hauser is making around $10 million next season, Payton Pritchard is in the $7 million range, and everyone else is on a downward sliding scale. Of course, I’m excluding Tatum.
Unless another guard is coming back as part of a trade, I struggle to envision Stevens parting with White in a Murphy deal. After all, the Celtics’ guard rotation was already threadbare before they added Mike Conley Jr., so I doubt they take a step backward there.
That leaves George.
As things stand, Brown’s trade to the Sixers is yet to be made official. Deals won’t be confirmed until Monday. Therefore, Stevens could still look to expand the trade, with George then being rerouted elsewhere, along with some of the picks Boston stands to receive. In return, the Celtics could add a younger, more athletic player or two to the rotation.
I took the liberty of throwing together a potentially expanded trade, just to see how things could look if the Celtics opted to go down this route. The deal would look like this:
Boston Gets: Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy
Sixers Get: Jaylen Brown
Pelicans Get: Paul George
I’ll leave it up to you to decide where the draft picks would end up, and whether the Celtics would have to throw any additional picks into the deal to effectively avoid a partnership with George.
The downside of a deal like this is that it would further push the Celtics toward the hard cap, thus making it harder for Stevens to duck under the tax later this season. Yet, it would ensure Murphy landed with the Celtics while reuniting the backcourt pairing of Murray and White from their time together with the San Antonio Spurs.
Granted, this trade idea is far from perfect, and it isn’t supposed to be. It’s just an exercise to illustrate the challenge Boston will face in trying to acquire Murphy, assuming that is legitimately something they’re interested in doing, and the reporting isn’t just noise.
My bigger point here is that, even armed with a large TPE, the Celtics are in a position where they’re going to need to match salaries in any sizeable trade both now and at the deadline — it kind of defeats the point of having a trade exception in the first place, doesn’t it?
That’s why I’ve become open-minded to what a George and Tatum wing duo will look like this season. It would be far easier to run with George and Tatum this year, and then, assuming George picks up his player option (which I would imagine he does), look to flip him and his expiring deal next season.
So, back to that show of hands. Keep yours up if you still want Murphy. And now keep it up if you think a deal actually gets done. Yeah, my hand went down, too.
Mitchell Robinson says there is more behind the scenes of his departure story.
Mitchell Robinson’s departure from the Knicks to the Celtics caused a lot of head-scratching around the league, and he’s hinting at there being more to the story.
NBA Finals hero OG Anunoby commented on a post about his now ex-center joining Boston with a cold sweat emoji, resulting in Robinson’s surprising reaction.
“I tried brother I didn’t want this to happen,” Robinson replied to Anunoby. “Hopefully the truth comes out at some point.”
Mitchell Robinson says there is more behind the scenes of his departure story. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
It’s unclear what Robinson is referring to at this point, but the Knicks’ interest in retaining him in free agency was a big to-do after they won the NBA Finals, with owner James Dolan explaining his reluctance to go into the second apron of the salary cap.
“There’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron,” Dolan said in an appearance on WFAN’s “The Carton Show” last month. “I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron.”
Mitchell Robinson on Instagram:
“I tried brother I didn’t want this to happen hopefully the truth comes out at some point.” pic.twitter.com/O8op1vVSwv
The second apron is set at around $222 million, and surpassing the threshold comes with punitive measures including a much higher tax and trade restrictions.
The Knicks currently have at least $211 million committed to their 2026-27 roster.
With the Knicks keeping Landry Shamet (4 years, $24 million), Jose Alvarado (3 year, $14.6 million) and Mohamed Diawara (4 year, $10 million), there was only about $10 million to give to Robinson — who agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million contract with the Celtics that is set to pay him $15.8 million for 2026-27.
The Knicks could have matched that offer if they were willing to enter the second apron, but they held fast to Dolan’s edict.
OG Anunoby #8 and Mitchell Robinson #23 of the Knicks pose after winning Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals. NBAE via Getty Images
If other machinations existed, it doesn’t seem Robinson is going to be the one to spill the beans.
Robinson was drafted by the Knicks in 2018 and played eight seasons with the team before his departure.
He bid farewell to his former teammate Anunoby in the Instagram message.
“I’m gonna miss you, big dawg,” Robinson said. “Keep doing great things.”
Madison Square Garden Corp. Executive Chairman and CEO James L. Dolan announced Friday that he has named his son, Quentin Dolan, the new president, chief operating officer, and alternate governor of the Rangers.
Quentin Dolan, 32, previously served as MSG Sports' senior vice president, player performance, and science leader. He will now assume the day-to-day ownership responsibilities of the Rangers and AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.
James L. Dolan had held control of both the Rangers and Knicks since 1999, but is now "stepping back from day-to-day responsibilities with the Rangers." He will continue his executive chairman role with the Knicks, per the NY Post.
The team's press release says that Quentin Dolan will report to his father and that Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury will now report to Quentin Dolan.
Below are statements from James L. Dolan, Quentin Dolan, and Drury on the organizational changes:
"Since his arrival overseeing our Player Performance and Science department, Quentin has made a strong impact on the Rangers and Knicks organizations, and we are pleased that he will step into this elevated position,” said James L. Dolan. “Quentin has quickly become an incredibly valued member of the Rangers franchise and played a key role behind the scenes with the Knicks during their championship run this past season. I look forward to seeing the positive influence he can make in this expanded and critical role."
"I’ve always had a tremendous respect and admiration for the New York Rangers organization, it’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” said Quentin Dolan. "I’m honored to have this opportunity to ensure our hockey operations staff, coaches, and players have all the support they need to provide our fans a product they can be proud of. I’m looking forward to immediately getting to work with Chris Drury, Mike Sullivan, and the entire staff."
"Quentin and I have worked together for several years, and I believe him taking on this role will only make the Rangers organization stronger," said Chris Drury. "The front office and coaching staff will be working in unison with Quentin in all key areas of our team in an effort to put this franchise in the best position possible to compete for a Stanley Cup."
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: A closeup shot of Bogoljub Markovic #23 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 12, 2025 at the Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Summer League is upon us, folks. As Deolu wrote about back in early May, the Milwaukee Bucks will take part in the California Classic Summer League in addition to the standard NBA Summer League this year. Being a younger team now, this should 1) give players more opportunities to develop and 2) give coaches and front office members more chances to evaluate.
Schedule
The dates for each of the three California Classic Summer League games are as follows:
July 4, 2:00 p.m. CDT vs. Golden State Warriors
July 5, 2:00 p.m. CDT vs. Brooklyn Nets
July 6, 9:00 p.m. CDT vs. Sacramento Kings
The Bucks will then get a few days off before they travel to Vegas for NBA Summer League. The schedule for that is as follows:
July 10, 3:00 p.m. CDT vs. Miami Heat (did someone say grudge match!?)
July 12, 8:00 p.m. CDT vs. San Antonio Spurs
July 13, 9:00 p.m. CDT vs. Phoenix Suns
July 15, 6:30 p.m. CDT vs. Charlotte Hornets
From there, Milwaukee will play at least one more game, which will be announced at a later date based on seeding.
Roster
The Bucks announced the following roster for the California Classic Summer League:
Zack Austin
Brandon Boston Jr.
Brayden Burries
John Butler Jr.
Rafael Castro
Jesse Edwards
Kuany Kuany
Kira Lewis Jr.
Malique Lewis
Bogoljub Markovic
Kevin ‘Boopie’ Miller Jr.
Pete Nance
Cormac Ryan
Kobe Stewart
Earl Timberlake Jr.
Luke Travers
Aaron Williams
Note: Nate Ament and Kasparas Jakucionis are presumably not playing in the California Classic due to the Giannis trade not being able to be finalised until July 6; expect both to play in Vegas. We will provide further updates on any other roster changes as they occur.
The Brew Hoop team should have rapid recaps up following each game. Go Bucks!
Much like city of Los Angeles it resides in, at its essence, the Lakers organization has long been built on the idea of superstardom.
Whether that’s on the big screen, the soundstage or, in the Lakers’ case, someone who can not only be a tentpole performer whose production drives winning on the court, but also possesses the personality and gravitas to draw eyeballs and attract fans off it.
From the days of George Mikan when the team was still in Minneapolis to Luka Dončić today, the ethos of the franchise has almost always been about acquiring not just the best players, but the biggest stars who could propel the team forward and compete for championships.
This will never change, either. It is embedded into the fabric of what makes up the Lakers as a brand as much as a sports team.
That said, when it comes to team building, I would argue that the Lakers, particularly under Rob Pelinka’s stewardship, have applied this same approach of pedigree and name value to the role players it’s acquired as they have with the superstars those secondary talents are supposed to support.
Said another way, setting aside the true “face of the franchise” players the Lakers are always trying to get their hands on, this front office has typically chased role players who fall into two categories:
Former lottery/high draft picks whose original (and sometimes second) teams moved on from them. These are the “second draft” players we are all familiar with: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Malik Monk, Rui Hachimura, Cam Reddish, Jaxson Hayes, and Deandre Ayton. These are pure talent and upside plays; the sorts of players you sign in an attempt to capture the talent that got them drafted so high in the first place.
The “name brand” role players who have either been stars in their roles at the highest level on previous teams or themselves former superstars who have since transitioned to a different phase in their career, but whose original talent makes them attractive as higher level contributors than what their new roles might ask of them initially: Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard (the secoand and third stint), Danny Green, Trevor Ariza (second stint), Marc Gasol, and Carmelo Anthony.
TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 4: Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates his game-winning three-point basket against the Toronto Raptors with teammate Deandre Ayton #5 during second half action at Scotiabank Arena on December 4, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andrew Lahodynskyj/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you weren’t drafted by the team, signed as an undrafted free agent, or mined out of the G-League, you most likely fell into one of these categories. Are there exceptions? Sure, but look through the team’s rosters under Pelinka and you’ll find way more examples from those two buckets above than ones who do not neatly fit into either.
That is, until this offseason.
The Lakers made waves early on day two of free agency when they sent a haul of draft picks and used a huge chunk of their cap space to acquire Walker Kessler from the Jazz to be their new starting center. Shortly after, and in rapid succession, the Lakers signed Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton to multi-year contracts, using up the rest of their cap space.
As much as this quartet represents a roster overhaul for an organization going through a sea change after losing LeBron James the day before, they are also a shift from the aforementioned two-pronged approach they’d often taken when chasing complementary players.
Instead, in Kessler, Grimes, Mamu, and Sexton, the Lakers targeted three lesser-known — but in their prime — veterans and one promising, but fairly unproven early 20-something, who are not the sort of prestige-based pedigree plays or name-brand, win-the-press-conference signings we’re used to this front office making.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 7:Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 7, 2025 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
What this also signals is a shift away from what I consider a more draft-based approach to player evaluation toward a purer version of pro-personnel scouting.
To dig deeper here, in many signings over the years, I’ve felt the Lakers had leaned more on their likes and preferences stemming from evaluations made when players were drafted, rather than on how they’d played as professionals. A common refrain I was used to hearing is that the Lakers “liked this player in the draft when they came out” or “they’ve been interested in them for years, since they were drafted”, rather than how that player might fit into their system or how they complemented the players already on the roster.
Pro-personnel scouting, however, leans more into those latter ideas of how to evaluate what a player has done in the pros and how their skill sets — even if they didn’t quite fit on their previous team — could not only be easily integrated into what your team does but also allow them to thrive. This is a more targeted approach tailored to the specifics of your team, your coach and the systems and schemes.
And this is what I believe the Lakers have done with this group. Sure, there is some previous history with some of these players — Sexton and Kessler played together in Utah, Grimes played with Luka in Dallas — but I would argue that more than any of that familiarity, what the Lakers have really done with these signings is target players who fit into what JJ Redick has said he wants in his players and what has, in the past, proven to be supportive of Dončić’s success.
It would be easy to point to Kessler here as the prime example, but I’d actually look at Mamu as a great representation of this idea.
At the Lakers’ season-end press conference, Redick spoke extensively about wanting to improve the team’s athleticism while also getting more players who have “dribble, pass, and shoot” skill sets. Mamu checks all of these boxes and does it from a man position that allows the team to be bigger on the court without a drop-off in skill.
I was NOT kidding about the Mamu grab-and-go thing, by the way.
The Raptors generated over 1.2 PPP (!) on trips where Sandro Mamukelashvili 1) grabbed a defensive rebound and 2) brought the ball up.
Could attack himself, hit lane-fillers, receive drag screens or flow into DHOs. pic.twitter.com/JaeNVqfqpC
— Nekias (Nuh-KAI-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) July 1, 2026
This sort of big not only fits into how Redick wants to play, but it’s also the sort of archetype that Luka has thrived with in the past. While we often think of Dončić needing a rim-running lob threat, his history with Maxi Kleber also tells the story of a stretch big who can space the floor and give Luka driving lanes as being meaningful to his success.
Similar explanations could be provided for Grimes as a spot-up shooter who can attack closeouts and Sexton as a secondary shot creator who can push Luka off the ball for some possessions and allow him to either be a spot-up option or just allow him to decoy and occupy defenders while allowing his teammate to operate with more freedom.
How successful any of these moves will be remains to be seen. I am hopeful and optimistic, but until the team is fully complete and gets real reps together, no one can know for sure. But what seems clear right now is that these signings do represent a shift in the types of players the team has targeted with what feels like a greater emphasis on a different part of the scouting department.
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 12: Javonte Green #31 of the Detroit Pistons dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 12, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Woo is coming back to Detroit. Javonte Green, the final player signed before the start of the season last year, again takes the 15th roster spot for the Detroit Pistons, assuming Jalen Duren comes back and no other moves. We’ll get to that last bit again soon.
Green is signing a one-year, $3.95 million deal with the Pistons, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
JB Bickerstaff liked the 18-game stint he had with the Cavs when he coached there in 2024-25 and brought him along to Detroit, where both Green and the Pistons had massive success. He signed for a veteran minimum deal last year and surpassed all expectations.
Green played in all 82 regular-season games for the Pistons, shooting a career high from three while averaging 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 17.6 minutes per game. Not bad for an undrafted player who left Radford in 2015, spent years overseas before garnering NBA interest in 2019.
Green spent last season at various backcourt positions, primarily shooting guard and with a healthy mix of small forward. The Pistons aren’t exactly hurting for bodies at those positions with their current roster makeup.
The Pistons return last year’s starting backcourt of Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson. They drafted Eubuka Okorie in the first round, have Daniss Jenkins back for another full season, added Isaiah Joe to play a major role, have Caris LeVert to do LeVert things, brought back last year’s second-rounder Chaz Lanier, and re-signed Kevin Huerter. That doesn’t even account for the fact that the team is slotting in Ausar Thompson as the starting small forward with an eye toward major minutes.
That is quite a roster glut, even if you’re factoring in the likely trade of Marcus Sasser to the Mavericks once all of Detroit’s moves can be made official.
The big man rotation is not quite so robust. Pencil in Duren for major minutes at center. His backup is Paul Reed, and Detroit will likely look to Tolu Smith as an insurance big. The power forward spot is just John Collins and Ron Holland as it stands today. Holland can certainly play the power forward spot, but he’s listed at just 208 pounds. There were reports late last season that the Pistons had already made arrangements to add Isaac Bonga, a 6-foot-8 forward. We will see if that rumored deal comes to fruition, but it is important to note that he weighs even less than Holland, and there isn’t currently a roster spot available for him.
It all begs the question. Is a consolidation trade coming? There are still murmurs of the Pistons being in on a Trey Murphy deal if the price ever comes down. There were sketchier reports that Detroit almost landed Kevin Durant in a three-way trade involving Jaylen Brown and Alperen Sengun.
Trajan Langdon has certainly been active this offseason. We will see if the Green signing is the capper to his offseason or the final move before a major deal emerges.
Apr 9, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers center Micah Potter (11) shoots the ball against Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson (22) during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Ahead of NBA free agency, the Indiana Pacers elected to pick up former Wisconsin Badgers forward Micah Potter’s team option for the 2025-26 season, keeping him in town as Ivica Zubac’s backup.
Potter, 28, enjoyed a career year in Indiana, where he averaged 9.7 points and 5.0 rebounds across 47 appearances with the Pacers. He made seven starts, playinh 19.7 minutes per game, which was also a career high.
Not only did Potter see more minutes and average more points and rebounds, but he did so in a highly efficient manner. The big man shot 51.5 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from three on a career high 3.6 attempts per game.
The Pacers had to make a decision on Potter’s option by June 29th ahead of free agency, and it was an easy one for the team. Potter’s contract is non-guaranteed for next year, so there still is a ton of flexibility for the Pacers, but he should have a great chance at sticking around after a quality year.
Back in May, President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard did note his expectation for Potter and Jay Huff to battle for the backup center spot. So far, Indiana’s offseason moves have made it look like that remains the plan for the 2026-27 season.
Potter signed with the Pacers back in December on a two-year, $4.33 million dead that included a club option for the 2026-27 season. That came after he was waived by the San Antonio Spurs back in October. Potter had signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Spurs heading into the season after becoming a free agent, then found his way to Indiana, where he received the opportunity for regular playing time with the NBA team.
Now, he’s set for his biggest contract yet and a chance for a big opportunity in 2026-27.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 25: Henri Veesaar #13 of the Atlanta Hawks poses for a portrait during the Atlanta Hawks New Draft Picks Press Conference and Portraits on June 25, 2026 at Atlanta Hawks Practice Facility in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In an attention economy that rewards instant reactions, Henri’s remarkable slide down NBA draft board became one of the hottest social media content generators to come out of the two rounds. A projected late first round pick, a number of factors coincided to see 51 players selected ahead of the Estonian big man. Condemnation came fast. A sampling includes the following:
Via a UNC source: Henri Veesaar would have had at least a $5 million NIL deal had he returned. He left to chase being a first-rounder.
We're into the mid-40s and he's still waiting.
Easily the biggest mistake of the 2026 draft—and certainly one of the biggest in recent memory.
A few days ago, this blog looked at those issues and the potential fall-out for Henri. While the CBA between the NFL and its players’ union specifies salary slots through the entirety of the draft, the NBA’s CBA allows teams much more latitude with second round picks. The article noted the likelihood that Veesaar and his agent still secured a deal with some guaranteed years in the range of $2+ million or more, but that wouldn’t be known until the contracts details were released.
Well, those details are now public:
Henri Veesaar has signed a four-year, $9.3 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks, per sources.
Veesaar was the 52nd pick in the draft. The structure of the deal is the same as the 31st, 32nd and 35th picks in last year’s draft. pic.twitter.com/E3KV9tCnLX
The details of that contract are even better. It appears Veesaar receives three guaranteed years totaling more than $6.3 million. That’s a firm footing in the NBA and reflects a commitment by the Hawks to develop Veesaar over years versus throwing him into the fire in season one and seeing if he sticks. The money’s objectively fantastic for a 22-year-old. It’s exactly what Veesaar wanted when he decided to stay in the draft, a worst-case scenario that’s still pretty great.
Veesaar had this to say about his decision at the combine, before the two-round roller coaster put a national spotlight on him:
“Obviously, it’s tempting,” Veesaar said during the NBA combine this summer. “Like, there’s a lot of money being thrown around in college. It’s another year of going to school, being able to get ready for the NBA, but honestly getting thrown into the fire is the best way to learn. I had that as a freshman in college. I feel like I had the same one as going to Real Madrid when I was 15. You kind of get thrown in the practice with players that are older than you, better than you, more experienced than you. So you learn a lot quicker.”
As a basketball decision, Henri used what he knew of himself and what his agent knew of team interest to make a decision that turned out well for him. Yes, in the short-term, the financial difference seems notable. $1.4 million is much less than $5 million, making the first year shortfall north of $3 million. College basketball was willing to pay a player the NBA values as one of the 35 best coming into the league more than three times that much for a single year of service.
That says more about where college basketball is these days than Veesaar’s decision. Next season probably will have another Tar Heel or two evaluating similar decisions. The college game will offer more immediate money, while the NBA game offers the ultimate validation as well as long-term financial potential. A different player may weigh priorities differently, but it certainly ended well for Veesaar. Good outcomes for UNC players can only help the program moving forward.
The Los Angeles Lakers have already spent all their money in free agency, but improvements still need to be made to the roster.
General manager Rob Pelinka was aggressive once the signing window opened and headlined the Lakers’ free agent deals with a four-year, $130 million contract for center Walker Kessler. The Lakers also signed guards Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes as well as big man Sandro Mamukelashvili.
While those additions are strong individually, there’s much doubt surrounding how the team will jell as a collective. Moreover, there is still a glaring hole for a versatile wing defender.
With a glaring hole at wing, Rob Pelinka’s job isn’t done for the Lakers. Getty Images
The Lakers have been linked to free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga, who is coming off a 2025-26 campaign where he averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He shot 46.3% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc last season for the Atlanta Hawks.
The 23-year-old spent the first four seasons of his career with the Golden State Warriors, so the Lakers are quite familiar with the type of player Kuminga is. Joining the Lakers would be a good opportunity for Kuminga, who could serve as a starter or bench player in LA.
The organization saw several key players depart this offseason with LeBron James informing the Lakers he would not return for the 2026-27 season as well sharpshooter Luke Kennard and defensive specialist Marcus Smart signing elsewhere.
Their departures left the Lakers without multiple starters and one notable sixth man — Rui Hachimura.
Hachimura is an unrestricted free agent, yet remains unsigned unlike Kennard and Smart. The slow free agency process for Hachimura speaks volumes for the Lakers, who seem to be weighing their options in free agency.
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According to NBA insider Dave McMenamin, there are rumblings that LA is planning on making a potential trade or using the stretch provision to make an offer, which could be made to either Kuminga or Hachimura.
“That Hachimura remains unsigned caused several league sources to wonder whether the Lakers are planning some sort of trade or using the stretch provision on perhaps Jarred Vanderbilt or Deandre Ayton to be able to offer Hachimura more,” McMenamin writes.
Jonathan Kuminga and Rui Hachimura are viable options for the Lakers, but it will take some creative financial work from Pelinka to make it happen.Getty Images Jonathan Kuminga and Rui Hachimura are viable options for the Lakers, but it will take some creative financial work from Pelinka to make it happen.PSNEWZ/SIPA/Shutterstock
Currently, the Lakers don’t have the ability to sign another player, aside from a veteran on a league minimum. In order to make a considerable offer to Kuminga or Hachimura, the Lakers would have to execute a trade or waive Vanderbilt or Ayton.
Hachimura is coming off a strong playoff performance where he averaged 17.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. However, the current Lakers roster is lacking a versatile defender and the forward has notoriously struggled in that area.
But Hachimura gives the Lakers a solid three-point shooter who is coming off a postseason where he shot over 50% from three. There seems to be upside for both Hachimura and Kuminga, who is the younger option of the two.
If the Lakers want to continue infusing youth into the roster, Kuminga would be the obvious choice as he has the potential to develop into a solid two-way player at only 23 years old.
Pelinka will have to get creative in order to acquire more talent before the season begins, but it’s clear the path to do so will be challenging.
