You don’t need to understand basketball to own an NBA team.
You need to understand money. How it talks and walks. The mechanisms it uses to make the world go around. Basketball is merely a conduit.
For a while, it was unclear whether Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta understood his function. It’s somewhat understandable. When you own something, there’s an understandable instinct to take ownership.
(I assume).
But Fertitta does not know basketball. He said Chris Paul had the worst contract in the NBA, and traded him for a player with a worse contract, along with draft capital that the Rockets just stopped paying out this summer. It was the worst trade in Rockets history that didn’t involve Moses Malone.
If you Google Fertitta, you won’t see “Houston Rockets owner” autopopulate your search first. You’ll see “U.S. Ambassador to Italy”. If you didn’t know, he’s a big old Trumper.
Perhaps you’re reading this, and you’re a MAGA guy too. Let’s not digress too far down this rabbit hole. I’m not.
But as long as Fertitta knows what he has to do to Make The Rockets Great Again (MRAGA, patent pending), he’s OK with me.
After all, there’s a whole other can of worms to open here. Is Rafael Stone a good General Manager? Is Fertitta even doing the right thing by delegating the work to him?
I’ve been quite clear on my take: Yes. Yet, even if you disagree, Fertitta’s thought process is fundamentally sound. Leave the basketball decisions to the basketball decision guy. He’s responsible for the financial decisions.
There is, of course, crossover there. The Rockets traded Dorian Finney-Smith this summer. It was initially confusing. It was a salary dump, and the Rockets could have signed Marcus Smart without dumping the salary, so why not just stash Finney-Smith at the end of the bench instead of hastily moving him?
Oh…money.
The Rockets were seemingly ducking the second apron of the salary cap. Fertitta was likely thinking about his pockets. It’s hard to blame him if he’s looking to cut costs on a team that won’t win the NBA championship this year anyway. Even then, there are basketball reasons to avoid the second apron. The Rockets don’t want to have their draft picks frozen via the repeater tax.
It could be said that it’s easy enough for Fertitta to say this now. When the rubber hits the road, and Rafael Stone wants to make a future-focused trade that could hurt the short-term bottom line, Fertitta could step in.
For now, let’s just be encouraged that he won’t be trading Chris Paul and picks for Russell Westbrook again.
Miami Heat's Terry Rozier arrives at Brooklyn federal court.
Terry Rozier’s court case took a wild turn on Friday.
Rozier, under federal investigation for four criminal counts — including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering — revealed text messages that he believes will exonerate him from the case.
In a new filing, the former Hornets and Heat star said that he never manipulated his performance for the sake of helping bettors cash in big money. Rozier cited a text message sent from Deniro Laster, Rozier’s friend and co-defendant, six days after a March 29, 2023 game which he is accused of pulling himself out of with a phantom injury.
Miami Heat’s Terry Rozier arrives at Brooklyn federal court. AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura
“Dont tell chum bout the bet,” Laster said in the message, allegedly instructing a person to keep Rozier out of the betting loop.
The defense asked a federal judge to throw out two of the four charges that were brought against him by the U.S. Department of Justice, claiming the text proves he had no knowledge of the transgressions.
“This should end the case,” Rozier, who is represented by David Markus and Margot Moss, said. “One does not hide a bet from the person who supposedly sold it.”
Terry Rozier debuted unseen text messages that he believes proves his innocence. Gregory P. Mango for NY Post
“Terry Rozier is innocent,” lawyers for Rozier added. “He is a basketball player, not a gambler. He never bet on anything, never agreed to underperform, never did underperform, and did not know that anyone was wagering on his statistics in the Charlotte Hornets’ March 23, 2023, game.”
Rozier faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, and he has been released from his contract with the Miami Heat.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 5: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors on April 5, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors front office will not be dodging any of the criticism that they only are willing to make the obvious moves after a report by Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints that the Dubs front office “has not completely moved on from the idea of one day reuniting Curry with former Warrior and two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant.”
After striking out this offseason on any major upgrades, reportedly making runs at LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Trey Murphy III, the Warriors remain the only NBA team that has not acquired a player via trade or free agency. Golden State opted to re-sign Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis, and De’Anthony Melton with the salary cap flexibility the team had available. So now, trades, likely closer to the deadline next February, remain the next available path to returning to contention.
Siegel’s report reflects that strategy and noted the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic as two teams with star players that could be on the trade block if things get off to a rocky start next season. While Siegel did not mention the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Cavs are another team that could be on the verge of a massive shift after losing Dean Wade in free agency and failing to make any big offseason acquisitions in a much stronger Eastern Conference.
It’s critical to remember that the Warriors agreed to a deal to acquire Durant back in 2024. However, when Durant said he did not want to be traded to Golden State, the front office shifted and added Jimmy Butler instead. As Siegel points out, even if the Rockets did end up shopping Durant, would they be interested in what the Warriors had to offer and would he want to return?
Victor Wembanyama is getting a signature shoe from Nike as part of a new contract extension with the company, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by Nike on social media.
"We are proud to continue supporting Victor Wembanyama's journey with Nike. As one of the most unique and influential athletes in the world, Victor is a generational talent who continues to inspire the game's next generation. We are excited about all that we've built together and look forward to more wins ahead."
Wembanyama is fast becoming the biggest name in the game, a global superstar and the face of the league. He and the Spurs made a leap last year as he led them to the NBA Finals coming off a season where he was the first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year and was third in MVP voting.
With all that, Wembanyama getting a signature shoe — the Wemby 1 — was simply a matter of time. While the old-school thinking was that big men don't really sell shoes (at least compared to wings/guards), Wemby might break that mold, like he has broken so many others. Wembanyama has been with Nike longer than he has been in the NBA, originally signing with Nike in 2022 while he was playing in Paris for the Metropolitans 92.
Nike currently has signature shoes for LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, Ja Morant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with Cade Cunningham set to join that group in 2027 with his new signature shoe. Wembanyama will not be far behind.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: The sneakers worn by Jesse Edwards #41 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the game against the Miami Heat during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 10, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For the Toronto Raptors to be declared the winners of the Kawhi Leonard Next Team market on Kalshi, an "official trade execution as approved by the league office" must occur before October 21, 2026.
The reported trade between the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers centered on star forward Kawhi Leonard has yet to be completed due to an ongoing NBA investigation. Yet, the Raptors remain the heavy favorite in the Kawhi Leonard next team prediction market at Kalshi — one of our best prediction market apps.
NBA betting analyst Jon Metler breaks down all you need to know about the market and the rules for it settling.
Current market snapshot: Kalshi odds & pricing
Outcome
Win probability
Market settlement date
Raptors
-212
68%
October 21, 2026
Clippers
+270
27%
October 21, 2026
Warriors
+4900
2%
October 21, 2026
The Toronto Raptors traded at 80.6% on the morning of July 29, then fell to 65.9% on July 30. While the price has rebounded slightly, the uncertainty surrounding the stalled trade has erased the 97% win probability Toronto reached on July 8.
Prices courtesy of Kalshi as of July 31.
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The investigation and trade status explained
Background context:The Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers agreed to a blockbuster deal that would send Kawhi Leonard to Toronto in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, a pick swap, and two second-round picks. However, the trade has been put on hold while the Clippers and Leonard are investigated for allegedly circumventing the salary cap by funneling payments to Leonard through a company called Aspiration during his time with the team.
Why the delay exists:The trade was ultimately put on hold because Adam Silver has yet to conclude his investigation into Leonard and the Clippers or issue any penalties. If Leonard is traded before the investigation is resolved, the Raptors would inherit any punishment stemming from his alleged salary cap violations.
Clippers need to pull the first-rounders out of the package and get this trade over the finish line.
Can't have Brandon Ingram back in Toronto while Kawhi Leonard is stranded in LA. pic.twitter.com/YCED7dGPde
Deep dive: How Kalshi settles voided or delayed trades
Resolution source:According to Kalshi's rules, a Next Team market isn't settled until a trade receives "official trade execution as approved by the league office." Because this deal has been put on hold and has not been approved by the league office, Leonard has not officially joined the Raptors.
Cutoff date impact:This market has an October 21, 2026 cutoff for Leonard's next team. If the trade isn't officially approved by the league office before then—and the Clippers don't trade Leonard elsewhere—the Los Angeles Clippers are the winning side. For the Raptors to win this market, the league must officially execute the trade before the October 21 deadline.
If Leonard remains contractually on the Clippers roster on the settlement deadline because the deal was voided or unapproved, "LA Clippers" resolves to 100¢ ($1.00) while "Toronto Raptors" resolves to 0¢.
Strategic takeaways for prediction market bettors
Hedging options:If you grabbed the Raptors at a great price and thought you had already won when the trade was announced, you may not be as close to getting paid as you think. Reports suggesting the Clippers are willing to bring Leonard back rather than negotiate a revised deal with Toronto are concerning. Your next move depends on the price you're holding, but I'd be following this story closely and considering taking profits by selling your position while you still have the opportunity. It's a difficult decision when you believed the market was settled, but if the Raptors can't complete the deal and the Clippers are comfortable keeping Leonard, the odds of this trade being finalized are becoming increasingly slim.
Risk factors:The biggest concern with this market is the October 21, 2026 settlement deadline. If the investigation drags into the season and the Raptors-Clippers deal remains on hold, Leonard could eventually land in Toronto—but not before the deadline needed for Raptors shares to win. Bringing back traded players like Brandon Ingram would create complications, making it possible this deal stays frozen until both sides are satisfied. The issue for traders is simple: the trade must be officially completed before October 21, 2026 for the Raptors to cash.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
As we get deeper into the summer, the NBA world slows down, but there is still some intrigue in the free-agent and trade market. Some of this may drag out closer to the start of training camp, but here is the latest from the rumor mill.
Stephen Curry extension
When the Warriors came out as a loser in the LeBron James sweepstakes, that led some people to speculate about Stephen Curry's future: With the end of this Warriors era limping to the end, would he leave Golden State to chase a ring somewhere else?
No.
While some pundits looking to grab attention may talk about it, the idea of a Curry exit was never seriously entertained by other teams, league sources told NBC Sports. Every report out of the Bay Area has been about how the sides will talk extension when he becomes eligible on Aug. 29. Here is how ESPN’s Anthony Slater put it.
"There remains mutual interest in a Curry extension when he's eligible in late August, league sources said, but nearly the rest of the roster is vulnerable in the next calendar year."
The Warriors can re-sign Curry for up to two years, $135 million. The only questions are whether he will take that much or take a little less to give the Warriors flexibility, and whether he would delay signing that extension for the same reason, so the Warriors could round out the roster with more talent, then re-sign him using his Bird rights.
Curry is not leaving the Warriors, however.
Peyton Watson sign-and-trade
Denver is stuck. It is over the dreaded second apron of the luxury tax, facing a massive potential tax bill of over $100 million (on top of paying salaries), and it has yet to re-sign wing Peyton Watson, who emerged as a key player for the Nuggets last season. The Nuggets reportedly first offered Watson five years, $70 million, but he saw the team give Christian Braun — a guy Watson outplayed and in some ways supplanted in the Nuggets rotation last year — five years, $125 million a year ago, and Watson wants at least that.
Which is why Denver is listening to sign-and-trade offers. Michael Scotto at Hoopshype had the latest, including that Cleveland has called to talk sign-and-trade (something ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported as well). From Scotto:
The Denver Nuggets remain interested in retaining restricted free agent forward Peyton Watson amid sign-and-trade interest from the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, and Los Angeles Clippers.
Denver's price tag in any sign-and-trade scenario has shifted to at least one first-round pick and one notable player, per multiple reports, and confirmed by HoopsHype. As of now, the Bucks, Cavaliers, Hawks, and Clippers have not offered a first-round pick to the Nuggets in sign-and-trade discussions for Watson, league sources told HoopsHype.
Milwaukee also is willing to take on the salary of Zeke Nnaji, Scotto reports. Cleveland's sign-and-trade is going to be based around moving Max Strus ($16.7 million) and/or Dennis Schroder ($14.8 million).
Still looming over all of this, Watson could ultimately elect to play next season for the $6.5 million qualifying offer and become a free agent next summer, but with not a lot of teams lined up to have a lot of cap space next offseason that comes with its own risks.
Bennedict Mathurin sign-and-trade
The Clippers want to re-sign restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin — he was fantastic for them after being traded to Los Angeles as part of the Ivica Zubac deal — but they are on hold as an organization waiting for the fallout from the Kawhi Leonard/Aspiration investigation.
In the absence of action, a number of teams have approached the Clippers about a sign-and-trade for Mathurin, reports Scotto at Hoopshype. Those teams include Chicago, New Orleans, Milwaukee and Dallas, according to multiple reports.
This could drag out for a while while the Clippers wait for things to play out. Mathurin averaged 17.4 points and 5.5 assists per game with the Clippers last season at a 56.1 true shooting percentage that is close to the league average.
Other free agency rumors
• While we talked about Cleveland having interest in Peyton Watson above, they also are eying Jonathan Kuminga (a much more complex sign-and-trade with Atlanta) and DeMar DeRozan, an unrestricted free agent, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (the Cleveland Plain Dealer). Adding DeRozan is the most straightforward option and would give the team a scoring punch off the bench in the regular season.
• All of those potential upgrades are why James Harden has yet to officially re-sign with the Cavaliers, they have a lot more financial flexibility now, after Harden opted out of the $42.3 million he was owed. While he will take less per year next season when he re-signs, this will be a multi-year deal that compensates him fairly and gives him more guaranteed money over the long term. The sides are talking according to multiple reports, but Harden is being patient to help out the team.
"They haven't promised him a starting job, they haven't promised him 'X' amount of minutes per game... We understand, you're making a business decision to accept $49 million. We also as a franchise have to make a business decision with regards to you, and what we're gonna do at our shooting guard position for the next five years. And that does not include you. So if it includes you part of the time this season that's one thing, but if it doesn't include you by game 20 or game 40, then it doesn't. We can try to find you a place to play.' But when LaVine accepted that $49 million, he accepted the reality that he is nearly untradable. And any trade that would happen should happen now, and if he's going to get bought out it should happen now."
The 22-year-old phenom has extended his contract with Nike that will include a signature shoe line, Nike announced Friday, July 31.
”We are proud to continue supporting Victor Wembanyama’s journey with Nike,” the company said in a statement. ”As one of the most unique and influential athletes in the world, Victor is a generational talent who continues to inspire the game’s next generation. We are excited about all that we’ve built together and look forward to more wins ahead.”
Wembanyama had already been a Nike athlete, though his current deal was set to expire in October 2026. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but ESPN reported that the extension is “long term.”
The shoe company already sold Wembanyama-inspired shoes, such as the G.T. Cut 4 “Victor Wembanyama” models that he used this past season, but this new deal could amplify the brand’s relationship with Wembanyama. Nike has already showcased a personalized alien logo that capitalizes on Wembanyama’s nickname, though the brand hinted on its Instagram page that the personalization around its Wembanyama line could be expanding.
In the post, a short video teases a new logo. Against a backdrop of outer space, an explosion reveals a logo with a V above a W. When paired together, the two letters resemble an alien head. “The game looks different from here,” a caption reads. Nike tagged Wembanyama as a collaborator on the post.
Wembanyama broke out as a massive star this past season, leading the Spurs to the NBA Finals. San Antonio fell to the New York Knicks in five games, but Wembanyama carried the team throughout the postseason.
He averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game this season and became the youngest player in NBA history to win Defensive Player of the Year honors. Wembanyama also became the only unanimous selection to win the award.
Earlier in July, Wembanyama signed another contract extension, this one a five-year, $252 million rookie-scale extension with the Spurs. On July 22, Wembanyama was also announced as one of the cover athletes of the popular NBA 2K video game franchise's upcoming NBA 2K27 edition.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 15: Mikel Brown Jr. #0 of the Brooklyn Nets poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at UNLV on July 15, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
He’s already home. Mikel Brown Jr. will tell you that, he’ll tell Tracy McGrady that, he’ll tell Vince Carter that — and next, he wants to let Jay-Z know.
When the Brooklyn Nets drafted the Louisville point guard sixth overall, they didn’t just get a long-sought guard to run the offense. They brought in an 18-year-old who was raised on the borough’s soundtrack long before he ever put on the jersey.
Appearing on a recent episode of the Cousins podcast alongside NBA legends Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter, the rookie gave Nets fans an intimate look into his connection to Brooklyn’s Finest.
Despite being born in 2006 (a full decade after Reasonable Doubt dropped), Brown Jr. made it clear that his knowledge of Hov’s catalog isn’t a surface-level trend. It’s a lifestyle passed down from day one.
Passing Down the Blueprint
During a recent sit-down on Cousins, the conversation drifted away from summer workout routines and straight into hip-hop. McGrady brought up a detail that caught him off guard given the rookie’s age.
“We was talking about some music and you said Jay-Z was your favorite artist,” McGrady said. “And I want to know how, because you a young fella. When you were born, what year were you born?”
“2006,” Mikel Brown Jr. replied.
“Oh my gosh, yeah,” McGrady said. “Jay-Z had been out 10 years already. So how you got involved, how you got connected and hooked up with Jay-Z, bro?”
“My father, pops put me on,” Brown Jr. said. “Car ride, car ride, me in the front seat at the age four or five, blasting Hov, blasting Blueprint, blasting Reasonable Doubt, Black Album, Blueprint 3, all of it, KingdomCome, all of it.”
McGrady stepped in to test the young guard’s catalog knowledge: “What is your favorite album from Hov?”
“The best album is the Black Album,” Brown Jr. said. “My favorite album, because I mean it came out in 2009, Blueprint 3 is my favorite album.”
“What’s your favorite cut on there?”
“‘Already Home’,” Brown Jr. replied instantly. “‘Already Home’. ‘Already Home’… Every time it comes on, like if I’m shuffling my music and it comes on, I’m already like I start jamming, I promise you I start dancing.”
McGrady started and Brown Jr. joined:
“They call me a camel”
“But I mastered the drought, what the f— I’m an animal”
“Half-man half-mammal”
“My sign is a Sag, this is just what I plan to do”
“Oh he a fan, he a fan,” T-Mac said.
He didn’t stop at the lead single. MBJ began running through his tracklist rankings.
“You know that it got ‘Already Home’, ‘Reminder’, ‘A Star is Born’… ‘Real as It Gets’ is the most underrated song on that album,” MBJ mentions.
“No, it’s the BEST song on the album!” McGrady insisted.
“You think so?” asked MBJ
“Him and Jeezy…” McGrady said.
“They don’t miss though, them two don’t miss,” said Brown Jr., before T-Mac brought up the duo’s reunion at the Extra Innings Show on July 12.
“Don’t even get me started, cuz I’m gonna get mad now. Don’t even… I’m get mad, bro, I’m gonna get mad, bro,” MBJ said.
“Duty calls, man. Duty calls in Vegas, young fella” T-Mac emphasized as the trio laughed.
For the incoming guard, the full-circle moment of landing with the franchise Hov once helped bring to the borough isn’t lost on him.
“It’s crazy, what a coincidence, me getting drafted in Brooklyn and Jay-Z being my favorite artist,” Brown Jr. said. “It’s… it’s nuts.”
“You going to get a chance to meet Jay, bro,” McGrady said.
Nets legend Vince Carter closed out the segment with a promise that every rookie landing in Brooklyn dreams of hearing.
“He gonna be there, especially when he gets wind of this, oh yeah. We’ll make it happen for you regardless.”
MBJ understands the culture and the soundtrack of the borough he now calls home. If the Knicks currently own the heart of the city, then No. 0 is walking into Barclays with his own blueprint. We’ll see if he can help get the Nets there — with or without Jay-Z watching court side.
Mikel Brown Jr. is going to fit in perfectly in Brooklyn 💎
The generational gap between himself and @Tmac_213 being bridged over their shared love of Jay-Z's music is incredible, with the two spitting lyrics from "Already Home." 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EdG0EM6zzW
— Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady (@VinceAndTmac) July 30, 2026
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 10: Moritz Wagner #21 of the Orlando Magic walks backcourt during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Emirates Cup Quarterfinal at Fiserv Forum on December 10, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets announced the signing of Moe Wagner Friday morning, giving them 15 guaranteed contracts and more significantly. almost certainly ending their off-season. The two-year, $19 million deal, effectively exhausts their cap space for the 2026 off-season and puts a period on their summer moves, barring a big exclamation point as surprise. And yes, Michael Porter Jr.’s extension needs addressing but he is under contract next season and even if the two sides think a trade might be wise, that’s more likely to happen around the deadline.
As Yossi Gozlan of Third Apron tweeted about the 6’11” 29-year-old’s deal…
The Nets held off on this signing to see if they could spend $14 million in cap space first.
By officially signing Moe Wagner, they’re down to $4.5 million in cap space and have the $9.4 million room mid-level exception as well.
That means Sean Marks & co. can use the MLE at the February trade deadline, giving them some additional flexibility. Gozlan said the Nets could use their remaining cap space to give MPJ a raise this coming season from $40.8 million to $45.7 million then extend him at a much lower salary.
Any option to improve things down the line is welcome to fans. Here’s why:
The Nets live in a tough neighborhood. We’re not talking about Prospect Heights in particular or Brooklyn in general. It’s the NBA’s Eastern Conference and the Atlantic Division that’s so dangerous, particularly for fans who have sat through two years of tanking and before that two years of collapse as the Big Three went their separate ways.
A walk through the East requires peering anxiously at every corner. Peril lurks everywhere. The New York Knicks are defending champs; The Philadelphia 76ers acquired one All-NBA player, Jaylen Brown, in a glorified salary dump then signed another, LeBron James, for gods sake, to the vets minimum. The Miami Heat traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Toronto Raptors will (likely) see the return of Kawhi Leonard. Speaking of returns, the Indiana Pacers are anxiously awaiting Tyrese Haliburton, last seen in the 2025 NBA Finals.
Yes, it’s daunting. While the Nets are no longer tanking — it would make no sense with the Houston Rockets likely to have their pick in the 2027 Draft, which gets awful reviews on top of that — the rebuild is ongoing. They are likely to have once again the youngest roster in the league, with an average age not much higher than the 23.3 years old they registered last season. Indeed, they were the youngest player in the NBA in more than 20 years. They may also lead the league in cap space as well as well as future draft picks.
Their big positives in the off-season so far have been the acquisition of Julius Randle in the Nic Claxton trade, and Mikel Brown Jr. in the draft as well as Egor Demin’s development. They also added some veterans, like Wagner and Keon Ellis who have defensive cachet. On the other hand, they had to be disappointed at the development (or the lack thereof) of the final three picks of the 2025 Draft. And although they’re happy with who they got with the 8th and 6th picks in the last two drafts, bad luck in the lottery still stings.
Bottom line, though, is that they did not stray from their organic path: using an accumulation of draft picks plus development and good fortune to create a cap environment that will permit them to be opportunistic when big players become available … without having to worry about luxury taxes, repeater taxes, the first or second aprons. And they will not make big acquisitions unless it will, as Marks has said, “automatically and absolutely change the trajectory of your team.” There’s no desire, he’s also said, to be stuck in the purgatory of a sixth or seventh seed. There’s also a few requirements for individual acquisitions: positional size, versatility, athleticism and high character …. Jordi-ball … that became evident. ( You’d have thought Peyton Watson might have been an ideal addition, particularly with the team’s highest paid player opening recruiting him. Not so. He apparently doesn’t meet that “automatically and absolutely” qualification and he probably will be expensive.)
There should be no surprise that the Nets did what they did — or didn’t do — this off-season, whether you agree or disagree. As C.J. Holmes in the Daily News noted this week in quoting Marks in various summertime venues.
Here’s what he said after the Nets fell to the sixth pick in the draft lottery. No rush.
“For us, it’ll still be about having patience,” he said in Chicago. “But at the end of the day, we’ve got optionality, we’ve maintained flexibility, we’ve got the cap space and assets. So I think the word would be opportunistic.”
At Summer League, he reiterated the stance.
“Something we’ve always prided ourselves on with how we’ve built is not using up all our flexibility. … I like the roster we have. … I don’t think we’re in any immediate rush to do anything and add more pieces,” he said in Las Vegas.
The plan for the future depends a lot on the franchise’s faith in Jordi Fernandez. They are all-in and in his speech to the citizens of his hometown of Badalona, Spain, he intimated the feeling is mutual. He said he wanted to retire from coaching in Brooklyn. Considering that he’s 43 years, that’s quite the commitment.
One has to assume that the Nets brass is looking for a scrappy team this season in the mold of their coach, one led by two players won’t be able to buy a drink legally in New York until well into the season and two other players who can put up 20 a game with ease but whose excess baggage fees have been high. (We generally think the acquisition of Randle has been underrated. So did a vast majority of the fan base as our poll showed.).
The franchise understands that the rebuild is getting old in a lot of ways, but so far the fanbase seems generally patient. That’s a good thing because it will be needed.
On July 1, 2018, LeBron James announced he was signing a four-year $153.3 million contract to play basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers.
At the time he announced this move, there were no other superstars coming with him, and no immediately clear path to him extending his personal streak of making eight consecutive Finals. No, he’d be “going at it alone,” joining a roster of mostly unproven young players — some high lottery picks, some deeper draft/undrafted steals — and a few holdover veterans in an attempt to steward them into the next era of what many hoped, but even more doubted, could be the next Lakers champion.
Nearly eight years to the day, on June 30, 2026, LeBron James announced he would continue his career into a 24th campaign, but on a different team, leaving the Lakers after the longest uninterrupted stint of his Hall of Fame career. Unlike when he arrived, James was leaving a team that had a superstar already in tow, which, not coincidentally, helped to facilitate his decision to move on by essentially replacing him in both importance and status as the Lakers’ best player.
In the 2,291 days between LeBron’s announcement of his arrival and his decision to leave, he and the Lakers had their ups and downs, to be sure, but ultimately accomplished just about everything anyone could have realistically expected.
Individually, LeBron was named to eight All-Star games, one of the three All-NBA teams seven times, had three top-10 finishes in MVP voting (including a second place finish in 2020), passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer (and, more broadly, the league’s oldest player to accomplish essentially anything of meaning in an individual game or average across a season), and won the Finals MVP. And, as a team, the Lakers won the organization’s 17th championship by claiming the 2020 title and won the inaugural In-Season Tournament/NBA Cup in 2024.
Whenever his career is over, his jersey will hang in the rafters and that’s that.
I’ll add, too, that while the 2019-20 season was the one where LeBron and the team experienced their most success together, it also doubled as one of the hardest for the organization, its fans, and, generally, the world. With the death of franchise and sports icon Kobe Bryant in January and then the COVID-19 shutdown in mid-March, LeBron put the franchise on his broad shoulders, serving as a leader both on and off the court to help stabilize the organization in ways that go beyond just basketball. I don’t know if there was a single player in the league I would have wanted more leading the team than LeBron during that time and I’ll always be grateful he was with the team to carry the burden that he did.
In bringing it back to the court, though, maybe fans wanted more. Some always will, of course. More titles, more regular season success, more consistent deep playoff runs…just more. But, in the eight years LeBron spent in Los Angeles, not a single team repeated as champion. We never saw a repeat Finals matchup or, even less so, a single team make the Finals in back-to-back seasons — though the Warriors, Celtics, and Heat each made two Finals in that stretch.
Maybe the Lakers could have been one of those teams that made more than one Finals run or bucked the trend and won a second, or even went back-to-back. They were certainly on track in 2021. But a Solomon Hill dive for a loose ball into LeBron’s legs and then an Anthony Davis sprained knee ended that idea. Then, later that summer, the ill-fated trade for Russell Westbrook essentially spiraled the team backward, undermining their championship chances long enough for the internal belief in the LeBron and Davis duo to erode to a point where the front office would no longer sacrifice assets that could possibly get them over the hump.
Whoever you want to blame for this, you’re likely to be correct.
The stars — LeBron included — either couldn’t stay healthy or couldn’t lift a flawed group of role players high enough to get past Denver to really make a sustained push to another title. And even though LeBron reportedly bought in and signed off, it was front office who both executed the disastrous Russ trade and then ultimately decided they would neither sacrifice more future assets to either get out of his deal earlier nor try to grab the sort of reinforcements LeBron and AD needed after it was clear the remade group they did build wasn’t good enough to get over the top.
And to the degree Jeanie Buss could have stepped in from her ownership role to alter the course charted in any way, it never happened, allowing Rob Pelinka to divest from a LeBron-led team to one that actively sought out its next superstar instead — something, to his credit, he did better than anyone could have ever imagined when he was able to flip Davis for Luka Dončić.
Which brings us to present day.
I, for one, have no hard feelings towards LeBron, or even his “camp” of Rich Paul and the more Bron-centric media talking heads who have been taking subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) shots at the Lakers in the wake of LeBron leaving for Philly. As I said up top, LeBron did everything I could have ever expected him to, and did it with a level of commitment to both his teammates and the franchise that you’d want from your best player. And while hearing the jabs from those around him is both annoying and somewhat predictable, it doesn’t sour my view of James himself or his time here.
From my POV, things weren’t always perfect, but they never are — not with Kareem, Magic, Shaq, or Kobe before him. But, just like those superstars who came before him, on most days, I knew exactly what I was getting from LeBron, and he delivered it with a spirit, joy, and love of the game that I always appreciated.
I know there are some who feel differently. Some, actively and derisively so. And I’m not here to tell you how to be a fan or who to like/cheer for. That’s how it goes with sports fandom — and especially how it goes with a fanbase as big as the Lakers’. There’s going to be a much wider range of opinions and like any other huge group of people, we’re not a monolith and there’s no one single opinion about any single player that every person will hold as their undeniable truth.
That said, I think we can all agree that with LeBron now gone, the pivot is here to Luka Dončić as the undisputed face of the franchise and the singular superstar this team will rise and fall with. And I, personally, am excited about what this means for the team and the franchise moving forward. LeBron leaving can mean different things to different people, but it’s undoubtedly an opportunity for Dončić to put his stamp on the Lakers in the singular way that his personality and game dictate.
This is something that never could have happened with LeBron here. He knew it, Luka knew it, Pelinka and the front office knew it, and so does everyone else. Which means it was probably time for this change to happen and goodbyes were in order.
So, goodbye LeBron. Much success to you in Philly. Except when you play the Lakers.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 15: A general view of the Houston Rockets logo on court prior to the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center on January 15, 2026 in Houston, Texas. 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 Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Rockets, along with the rest of the NBA, are in the middle of their offseason. Players are doing their individual workouts, coaches are going over their training camp and start-of-season plans, and the front office is, as usual, thinking ahead about how to improve their teams.
Late July through Early September are usually the slowest time of the year for the NBA as the next big event is training camp, which usually takes place the last week of September or the first week of October.
Some players host basketball camps for their local communities, which allow fans to work out with an actual NBA player. For instance, Jabari Smith has held a basketball camp each season he has been in the NBA.
Other off-court events take place throughout the Summer as NBA players and teams host a range of functions, from park renovations to back-to-school charity events.
The Rockets organization has always been active in the community year-round. They have renovated multiple parks, hold charity events to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the city, and hold food drives every holiday season.
The Rockets will hold their annual Back-to-School Bash in partnership with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. The event took place at Sunnyside Community Center and featured a backpack giveaway and school-supply distribution for up to 1,000 students, courtesy of Reliant and the Rockets.
Each backpack will include a Chick-fil-A and a Pizza Hut voucher, along with beverages from Gatorade and Aquafina for the event.
There will be appearances by Hall of Famer and Comets legend Cynthia Cooper and Rockets legend Rafer Alston. Rockets staff will conduct basketball clinics, and students can receive complimentary health and dental screenings without the need for insurance, courtesy of Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital.
Students will also be able to receive services from Franklin Beauty Institute and Sparkle Spa Bus. This is a great event that provides families with school supplies and essentials they will need for the upcoming school year. The event also brings the community together and gives the Rockets orginization the oppurtunity to interact with the fans who support them all season long.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 5: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers handshake after the game on February 5, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, 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 License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Sixers are the talk of the NBA. Who would have thought that would have been the case just over two months ago when the euphoria of eliminating the Boston Celtics had been quickly erased at the hands of another rival in the New York Knicks? Well, here we are and almost half of the schedule for the Sixers next season will be seen by a national audience.
It’s really a 180 from a vibes standpoint. The Sixers haven’t even played a game next season, and won’t for about three more months, but basketball fans both inside and outside of Philadelphia are fascinated by what’s about to happen with the team. By now, we’ve all seen the concerns and doubts expressed about why it won’t work out for Philly in 2026-27. “There’s only one basketball! Look at those usage rates!” Maybe those concerns will be validated when the season starts.
There is probably some truth to the fact that the LeBron James experience is at its apex from the day he picks your team in free agency and after that things get chaotic and James becomes a de facto GM of his new team. But if there’s any fanbase that deserves to overlook those norms, it’s Sixers fans. Joel Embiid has had just about every injury imaginable in his career and some of them have just been bad luck at the wrong times in the playoffs. Philadelphia has had countless executives try over and over again to put the right players around Embiid to make a serious run at an NBA championship.
Now, it’s not just about surrounding Embiid with talent, but it’s about how good the Philadelphia 76ers are at basketball. The entire team is coming together in a way that is forcing pundits around the country to look at the organization in a different lens and that wouldn’t have necessarily happened with some of the other teams James was considering in free agency. Even without James, the mood around the Sixers had already shifted in a positive direction thanks to the Jaylen Brown trade. Getting off Paul George’s contract to bring in a player who’s significantly younger and significantly better than George was a massive shot in the arm for the fans.
Then factor in that a player who is widely-regarded as the second-best to ever play basketball and certainly the best player of the 21st century just chose to finish his career as a Sixer, and how can you be on cloud nine for the next couple months until the games start counting for real? Nothing counts right now and that’s why it’s the perfect time to bask in the spotlight for a few months because it’s a spotlight that no one saw coming.
Provided Philly can live up to the hype, it’s a spotlight that will stay on the franchise certainly for as long as James is a 76er. But what’s the best part of all of this? It’s that the Sixers should be able to sustain success well after James is done playing. They already have a promising backcourt with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe and we know that Maxey’s connection with James played a key role in James picking Philadelphia. Set to turn 26 at the start of the season, Maxey is only just entering his prime. If he was able to lure James to finish his career in Philadelphia, think about the positive ripple effect he could have on the franchise when it’s time to court the next big superstar towards the end of the decade.
Mike Gansey has really hit a grand slam in his first offseason as president. It’s now up to Nick Nurse and the players to make it all work on the court. But thanks to Gansey’s heavy lifting in the two months he’s been on the job, people all over the country are viewing the Sixers in a far more positive light than they ever have. That’s worth celebrating when you consider how often the Sixers are a national punchline.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard LaMelo Ball and his manager are facing a lawsuit alleging they skipped paying rent on a luxury apartment in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The lawsuit filed in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Superior Court and obtained by USA TODAY Sports adds to the allegation that Ball and his manager, Jermaine Jackson, owe Agape Property Management hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In May, Agape Property Management – a company tied to former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton's family – accused the two of owing $164,700 on a 3,000-square-foot apartment with a $15,000-per-month rent. In 2020, Ball and Agape Property Management Group secured a deal for the 2022 NBA All-Star to rent two luxurious apartments in a posh uptown Charlotte condominium complex.
Ball lived in one unit and Jackson lived in another apartment. Ball bought Jackson's condo for $2.47 million and continued to lease the apartment to Jackson, who allegedly failed to pay the rent.
The new lawsuit alleges that Ball is responsible for the rent that Jackson occupies and owes more than $181,500 in unpaid rent, plus $90,000 in homeowners association fines.
According to the lawsuit, Ball remained legally responsible for the lease after Jackson moved into the unit. The filing claims the pair owes more than $181,500 in unpaid rent, along with more than $90,000 in homeowners association fines.
"The Defendants' failure to pay rent while failing to leave the premises has caused the Plaintiff substantial and potentially long-lasting harm including HOA non-compliance fines, lost rental income, and other monetary damages," the lawsuit states.
The 24-year-old Ball spent six seasons with the Charlotte Hornets before he was traded earlier this month with Josh Green to Minnesota for forward Naz Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, three second-round picks, and three future first-round pick swaps. The four-team deal also included the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls.
After standing pat this offseason, they’re allowing the end of Steph Curry’s career to swirl the drain. It’s obvious as things stand they have no chance of competing for an NBA championship.
But there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
The Warriors’ Steph Curry is eligible for a two-year, $136.7 million contract extension on Aug. 29. San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
At the February trade deadline, they’re going to have some leverage with about $100 million in expiring contracts, including Jimmy Butler’s $56.8 million, Draymond Green’s $27.7 million and Kristaps Porzingis’ $20 million, minus his partial guarantee for next season.
So, maybe they could make a big trade. Or maybe they could set themselves up for a big free-agency acquisition next offseason. That’s a lot of maybes for Curry, who’s on an expiring contract himself and is eligible for a two-year, $136.7 million extension on Aug. 29.
But the Warriors may have an even bigger problem.
Do stars want to play for Golden State?
Ten years ago, Kevin Durant made a decision that tainted his legacy.
He left the Thunder for the Warriors in free agency in 2016, joining a team that had reached the NBA Finals two straight seasons and won a championship in 2015 behind Curry, Green and Klay Thompson.
Durant went on to win back-to-back championships with the Warriors in 2017-2018, including being named Finals MVP both seasons.
Even though he played a major role in the Warriors’ dynastic run, his decision to join a team that was already atop the mountain drew the ire of detractors. He has been accused of being a sellout. Pundits question whether he could win without Curry, especially since he hasn’t made it past the second round of the playoffs since leaving the Warriors in 2019.
Curry’s success was a factor in LeBron James picking the 76ers over the Warriors because James might have feared having his own legacy tainted, Draymond Green said on his podcast. Getty Images
Durant’s experience made a resounding impression around the league.
So much so that when LeBron James became an unrestricted free agent this summer, Green believes concerns about how teaming up with Curry would negatively impact his legacy played a major role in him deciding not to come to Golden State.
“I ultimately don’t think Bron was ever able to get over the history,” Green said on his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show.” “And I understand it. I get it. What we ultimately always knew is that’s the hurdle to get over.
“We live in a day and age where everybody who doesn’t have anything to say has something to say. So, he’s going to get crushed if he comes to the Warriors. ‘Aw man, he went to team up with Steph. Aw man, you had to go to them, dah, dah.’ And I think ultimately that weighed in on the decision a lot. That played a big role in the Warriors not landing LeBron.”
Obviously, James was in a completely different position than Durant.
He has already won four championships. He’s considered one of the greatest players of all time. James’ history with the Warriors includes playing against them in four straight Finals from 2015-2018, including completing the greatest comeback in NBA history when he overcame a 3-1 series deficit in the 2016 Finals to lead the Cavaliers to their only title.
But he apparently still had concerns.
It makes you wonder if all superstars are worried about how joining Curry would impact their legacies.
It’s interesting because Curry and the Warriors are in a completely different position nowadays. They’ve missed the playoffs two of the last three seasons. Curry is turning 39 in March. They’re far from being the team to beat.
But does Curry’s legend loom so large that superstars don’t want to play alongside him?
Durant was labeled as a villain after he joined the Warriors. James clearly feared he’d be viewed a certain way if he teamed up with his former greatest rival.
Curry is obviously no longer in his prime, but he’s still one of the league’s best players. Last season, he averaged 26.6 points on 46.8% shooting from the field and 39.9% from beyond the arc. He was the oldest point guard in NBA history to be named a starter on the All-Star team.
He’s the greatest shooter of all time. He changed how the game is played. He may be inching toward the end of his career, but he’s still very much him.
In a league where perception dominates narratives, does that mean guys don’t want to team up with him? That hasn’t been the case for other superstars, such as James. But Curry has been with the same team for 17 years, while James just joined his fourth team.
There’s something different about playing alongside Curry on the Warriors.
That’s an issue for the Warriors, who are under a lot of pressure to extend Curry’s championship window.
It would be deeply upsetting for them to squander the sunset of his career. He put them on the map. They owe it to him to do everything in their power to make sure he’s still playing meaningful basketball.
But even though Curry is one of the most likable guys in the league, playing alongside him comes with a unique set of issues.
And for other superstars, that may be a deterrent.
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