Category: Basketball

While fans likely had some familiarity with most of the Lakers’ signings, Sandro Mamukelashvili is likely someone who fell through those cracks.

More affectionately known as Mamu, the Georgian big man, who spent four seasons in Milwaukee and San Antonio to begin his career, had a breakout season with the Raptors where he received Sixth Man of the Year votes.

The Lakers, who officially announced Mamu’s signing on Tuesday night, are banking on this being the beginning of something bigger and not a flash in the pan.

Welcome to the Purple & Gold, Mamu 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/rojJXSGT5h

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 8, 2026

While the Lakers sported a high-powered offense last season, one look they did not have was a two-big lineup. With LeBron James and Rui Hachimura often manning the forward position and with no viable stretch big men in the rotation, it wasn’t even an option for the team to go to.

With Mamu, that will change. The big man is a unique player, not the perimeter-based wing type like Rui or LeBron while also not being a traditional center. He’s a big who can step in at center to play a five-out style or alongside another big to give the Lakers a look and lineup they did not have.

The Raptors being an untraditional team meant that last season, he played a lion’s share of his minutes at the center position. Still, in 112 minutes alongside Jakob Poeltl last season, the Raptors had a +6.6 net rating.

Mamu’s skillset is one that also has a track record of succeeding alongside Luka Dončić, another key factor in any free agent signing. For years in Dallas, Luka and Maxi Kleber worked well off of one another and there’s plenty of reason to believe Mamu and Luka can have similar success.

Having a big man who can pick and pop will give the Lakers’ offense another dynamic it lacked last season. As a spot-up shooter, Mamu finished at 1.17 points per possession last season for the Raptors, according to the NBA’s tracking data. For reference, that falls right between Austin Reaves (1.24) and Luka (1.13). Similarly, on catch-and-shoot threes, Mamu shot 38.9% on 283 attempts last season, a mark that lands just above Luka’s 38.7%.

No big on the Lakers’ roster could even offer the possibility of being a reliable threat from range last season for the Lakers, which can open up things offensively. On top of bringing back Austin this summer to pair again with Luka, the Lakers added two more guards who can get to the rim in Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes.

Having a big in Mamu who can space the floor and potentially pull centers away from the rim will have cascading positive effects on the team’s offense.

All of this relies on the Lakers being right in their hope that Mamu can build on what he did in Toronto last season. There are underlying numbers, though, that suggest it’s sustainable.

Mamu’s 3-point percentage of 38.9% was the second-best mark of his career, but only just ahead of his career percentage of 36.6%. Similarly, he also shot 37.3% in 2024-25.

The same can be said about his overall field goal percentage, too, where he’s a 49.4% shooter overall but saw his 2025-26 percentage (52.3%) increase from his 2024-25 percentage (50.2%) with both being above that average.

The Raptors were also just a better team with Mamu on the floor. Toronto had a +5.3 net rating with him on and a +0.8 net rating when he sat.

While Mamu had a career-best season in 2025-26, it did not come out of nowhere. Instead, it was a steady build over multiple seasons that saw him take advantage of the most minutes he’s played in his career.

The Lakers are hoping that a big contract and a big role mean even bigger production from him in Los Angeles.

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

There's been much to speculate about the next destination for LeBron James.

James decided to not allow the Los Angeles Lakers a bidding chance for him and informed the team that he would be moving on to a new organization in free agency.

There have been a handful of teams that are considered in the running for James.

James' agent, Rich Paul, previewed a shortlist of teams on a whiteboard during an episode of his podcast with Max Kellerman, "Game Over." The list of teams included the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors.

Many of which have their own storyline and reasoning for a potential James signing, but for a team like the Warriors, they could finally pair James with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, the Warriors are keeping a roster spot open for James but they don't think he'd choose to play in the Bay Area.

"On the James front, Warriors sources continue to express a low level of optimism that James will ultimately pick them as his next team," Slater wrote. "They intend to keep roster space open for James until he ultimately declares his choice."

ESPN's Shams Charania said on "Straight Shooter" with Stephen A. Smith that he doesn't think the Warriors are at the top of James' list, rather "on the periphery," unless they were able to make a package deal for Anthony Davis. It should also be noted that Charania and Smith reported that both James and Green will "hang out this week" amid the 22-time All-Star's decision-making process.

So what about the other teams that could possibly lure James into a contract for a season or two? Charania said it's really boiled down to a top three hierarchy of: Heat, 76ers and Cavaliers.

Here's the latest on the "contenders only" free agency sweepstakes for James:

LeBron James potential landing spots

Here's the latest on the top-three contenders that James could sign with.

Miami Heat

A reunion in Miami would be one heck of a storyline. Once upon a time James promised Heat fans championship rings by famously uttering the words "not two, not three, not four, not five ... not six." He got them two with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and company, now he could join a new 'big three' with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo and himself.

"There’s a draw with Miami. Pat Riley is a draw, Spoelstra is a draw," Charania said. "I have gotten any feel that there’s still tension between LeBron and Pat Riley that would detour him from that. I think Bam and Giannis are big draws for him too. He played team USA for Bam and has a lot of respect for Bam. Giannis would want LeBron in Miami from my understanding as well. No state taxes…. In January, you think about Miami and, it’s Miami! If you have a team that is basically neck and neck but one of them is based in Miami, with no state taxes.”

Smith reported that "a lot of executives" believe Miami is the best destination for James.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers have picked up steam in the running for James, Charania said.

"Philadelphia was not in the picture," he said. "When the Sixers got Jaylen Brown I did some research ... he (LeBron) is taking their pitch very seriously."

They would be able to create a lineup featuring Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, James and Brown.

Cleveland Cavaliers

What could be better than a Hollywood ending? A return home to where it all began. Many want it to be the perfect storybook ending to a legendary career. The Cavs do.

Charania said that the organization is making James their No.1-priority and their superstar Donovan Mitchell is on board with that.

Some are speculating that it could very well be. Signs are there. That's what ESPN's Brian Windhorst said.

"Yes, absolutely, he knows what he's going to do," Windhorst said. "If you ask me, 'Are the vibes pointing towards Cleveland?' Yeah, the vibes are pointing towards Cleveland, but it's just vibes."

Consider this, he's celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the 2016 championship with Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Matthew Dellavedova, Tristan Thompson and Channing Frye.

He's spending some offseason time there, which has fans on social media putting it all together after reuniting with his high school teammates from St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School in Akron. He was also with Cavs general manager Brandon Weems, but it could all just be coincidence.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: LeBron James next team predictions: Latest news, rumors on star's decision

The Washington Wizards have acquired Khris Middleton via a sign-and-trade deal with the Dallas Mavericks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday.

Just in: Free agent Khris Middleton has agreed on a three-year, $17.6 million deal with the Washington Wizards via sign-and-trade, agent Mike Lindeman of Excel Sports Management tells ESPN. The 14-year veteran returns to D.C. where he spent parts of last two seasons as a leader… pic.twitter.com/iZh6XrXMoc

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 8, 2026

The deal is part of a larger six-team trade that sends D’Angelo Russell, a 2029 second-round picks (via Lakers) and a 2033 second-round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Middleton, 34, will sign a three-year, $17.6 million contract as part of the deal. The first year is fully guaranteed, but the second year only carries a partial guarantee and the final year is fully non-guaranteed, per The Athletic’s Joshua Robbins.

The second season on Khris Middleton's new three-year sign-and-trade deal with the Wizards will be partially guaranteed, while the third season will be non-guaranteed, per source.

— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) July 8, 2026

Sign-and-trade deals must be at least three years in length and have the first year fully guaranteed, which is why Middleton’s contract fits those parameters.

The 14-year NBA veteran returns to Washington after he was traded at the February deadline for Anthony Davis. Middleton averaged 10.3 points across 34 games for the Wizards during the 2025-26 season.

Washington’s roster now sits at 14 standard contracts:

G: Young | Johnson | Carrington
W: Dybantsa | George | Coulibaly | Riley
F: Davis | Champagnie | Middleton | Whitmore
C: Sarr | Ayton | Vukcevic
Two-way: Watkins | Reese | Okpara

This early into the NBA offseason, it’s unclear what the Lakers’ roster will look like at the start of the year. But it’s obvious the front office would like it to feature Jonathan Kuminga.

The Lakers have a serious need for wings, and they’ve been linked to Kuminga since the Hawks declined his team option.

Not only have they spoken with him, but they’ve reportedly remained in contact with his agent and even increased their offer to entice him to sign.

However, he remains available and is still looking for the best possible deal.

On Tuesday, thanks to a Broderick Turner article in the LA Times, we have the details on what the Lakers offered Kuminga.

Jonathan Kuminga is a player the Lakers are after, according to people, who said LA is looking at a two-year, $20-million deal for Kuminga.

Last season, Kuminga earned over $23 million, so going from that to $10 million per year is a considerable decrease. But given how little cap space the Lakers have, this offer signals how serious they are in bringing Kuminga in.

The Lakers are showing they want Kuminga by offering whatever they can, even increasing their original deal. And with a potential starting spot on the table, a breakout season from Kuminga could raise his value around the NBA.

Kuminga averaged 12.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season. He also shot 33.3% from 3-point range last year while playing for the Warriors and Hawks.

If he does start with the Lakers, he can produce well past those numbers and get closer to his career-high in scoring, which came during the 2023-24 season with Golden State, when he averaged 16.1 points per game.

Here in LA, with LeBron James gone, there are a ton of shots up for grabs. Kuminga could be the one to pick them up and make the most of this opportunity.

Clearly, the two-year $20 million deal isn’t enough to get him here, but this is all part of the negotiation.

Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka has to keep selling his vision and see if he can free up some salary cap space so he can get this deal to the point where Kuminga will take it.

So far, the Lakers appear to remain aggressive and very much in the running for Kuminga. The fit seems good, and if they can reach an agreement, this could be beneficial for everyone involved.

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

It wouldn't be a proper NBA offseason without a convoluted, six-team trade that sends multiple players to new teams.

The Detroit Pistons continue to make roster moves to bolster their team after concluding the 2025-26 season with a seven-game series loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Their latest move has them parting ways with 10-year veteran guard Caris LeVert.

The Pistons traded LeVert and two second-round picks to the Milwaukee Bucks for Taurean Prince and Gary Harris, according to ESPN.

The deal allows Detroit to save money and creates a trade exception, while the Bucks will acquire LeVert and pick up additional assets.

Clutch Points insider Brett Siegel reported that the Pistons freed up roughly $7 million in extra funds needed to complete their recent transactions. The simple cost-cutting maneuver by the Pistons is expected to go toward signing restricted free agent Jalen Duren.

Detroit currently has $39 million in pending outgoing salaries between LeVert and Isaiah Stewart, who was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for three future second-round draft picks.

The Pistons have been making moves to clear cap space since the summer period began. The Stewart trade allowed Detroit to clear $30 million off its cap for free agency. In exchange, Memphis acquired a defensive-minded frontcourt piece. The big man plays physical, intimidating defense.

As for the Bucks' assets, they now own seven first-round picks and four second-round picks, as they continue to rebuild in the post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era.

Six-team trade to connect everything

The Bucks-Pistons trade was important for other teams and players involved. Ultimately, it connected one trade to another to make several transactions possible.

According to ESPN, free agent Khris Middleton agreed to a three-year, $17.6 million deal with the Washington Wizards. The deal is a sign-and-trade involving the Dallas Mavericks, who had acquired Middleton from the Wizards ahead of the trade deadline in February.

That's all part of a larger six-team deal.

The teams included are: the Mavericks, Wizards, Pistons, Bucks, Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers.

The Wizards are sending D'Angelo Russell, a future second-round pick and a future second-round pick swap to the Grizzlies, according to ESPN.

Nearly a week ago, the Pistons made a move to sign John Collins as a free agent on a three-year, $51 million contract. The six-team trade helps to solidify the move.

A look at the six-team trade

Here's where players went as a result of the six-team swap:

Dallas Mavericks

• Receive: Santi Aldama
• Lose: Khris Middleton

Detroit Pistons

• Receive: John Collins, Gary Harris and Taurean Prince
• Lose: Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert, two second-round picks

Los Angeles Clippers

• Receive:Noplayers
• Lose: John Collins

Milwaukee Bucks

• Receive: Caris LeVert, two second-round picks
• Lose: Taurean Prince and Gary Harris

Memphis Grizzlies

• Receive: Isaiah Stewart, D'Angelo Russell, a future second-round pick, future second-round pick swap
• Lose: Santi Aldama

Washington Wizards

• Receive: Khris Middleton
• Lose: D'Angelo Russell, a future second-round pick, future second-round pick swap

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Massive NBA trade sees Pistons pick up Taurean Prince, Khris Middleton return to Wizards

Los Angeles Lakers legend and two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol turned 46 years old on July 6.

While Gasol will always be beloved among Lakers fans because of what he accomplished on the basketball court, he has also earned endless respect for stepping up as a father figure in Natalia Bryant’s life in the wake of the late Kobe Bryant’s tragic passing in 2020.

Plus, Pau has maintained a great friendship with Vanessa Bryant, as the Gasol and the Bryant families have formed an extremely close bond after enduring this tragedy to their shared loved one.

Vanessa Bryant has made her appreciation for Gasol very clear over the years, and she shouted him out with a birthday post to her Instagram on July 7, which showed her, Natalia, Pau, and Pau’s wife, Cat, playing what appears to be the card game called Spoons.

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The Instagram video shows the group of four laughing and joking about an apparent mishap that Pau had during the game. The post was captioned, “Happy birthday @paugasol !!!!!! We love you uncle Pau! #hermano #family”.

This caption says it all, showing that Vanessa and Natalia have a ton of appreciation for “uncle Pau” and wanted to show him that on his birthday.

Pau and Cat Gasol have three kids of their own, all of which were born after Kobe and his other daughter’s Gianna’s passing in January of 2020. Their oldest daughter, Elisabet Gianna (named after Gianna Bryant) was born later in 2020, their son Max was born in 2022, and their third child, a daughter named Olivia, was born in January of 2026.

This is surely not the last birthday celebration the Gasol and Bryant families will share together.

The Milwaukee Bucks have traded veterans Taurean Prince and Gary Harris to the Detroit Pistons for Caris LeVert and two second-round picks, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania.

“The Detroit Pistons are trading Caris LeVert and two second-round picks to the Milwaukee Bucks for Taurean Prince and Gary Harris, sources tell ESPN. Pistons will create a trade exception from the deal and savings while Bucks acquire LeVert and pick up assets,” Charania tweeted.

LeVert, a 6’7” wing who will turn 32 prior to the upcoming season, played 60 games for the Pistons last year—all off the bench—averaging 7.4 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 2.7 APG, to go along with 1.6 stocks, in 19.2 MPG. He was a regular part of the Pistons’ postseason rotation too, averaging 16.6 MPG through 13 games, and is just two years removed from being a 14, 4, and 5 guy on a Cleveland Cavaliers team that won 48 games and finished fourth in the Eastern Conference. He is on an expiring contract that pays him $14.8m for the 2026-27 season.

But while LeVert is a proven player, capable of handling the ball and creating offense for himself and others, the move for the Bucks is likely more about the acquisition of draft assets and roster construction. Milwaukee now adds two more second-round picks to the 2030 first-round pick swap, two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033), and 2033 second-round pick they acquired trading Giannis to the Miami Heat. The move also trims the Bucks’ roster. By exchanging two veterans for one, the Bucks are effectively down to a full 15-man roster—pending the official signing of 13th overall pick Nate Ament—for the 2026-27 season.

While the Bucks gain a valuable player and draft assets, they lose strong veteran leadership in Prince and Harris. Prince, who somewhat surprisingly picked up his player option on June 30, played 106 games across two seasons with the Bucks, averaging 8.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 1.9 APG. He primarily served as a floor-spacer in the frontcourt, hitting 44% of his 4.5 three-point attempts during his time in Milwaukee, and bravely battled through a herniated disc and subsequent neck surgery that kept him out of action for most of last season.

Harris, on the other hand, signed with the Bucks prior to last season as a depth piece. He played 48 games for Milwaukee, averaging 2.7 PPG, 1.3 RPG, and 1.1 APG in 13.8 MPG, hitting 41% of his shots from three. While he didn’t put up big numbers, he was a pro’s pro who more often than not did all the right things on the court.

All the best, Taurean and Gary.

UPDATES:

• According to Charania, the trade is actually part of a larger, six-team deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Clippers.
• Per Eric Nehm, the Bucks get their own second-rounder in 2027 back from the Pistons and then the least favorable of the Dallas Mavericks’ and Brooklyn Nets’ second-round picks in 2027.

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What are your thoughts on the trade, Brew Hoopers? Add your two cents in the comments.

The Detroit Pistons made a trade Tuesday that made me legitimately ask the question — has there ever been a trade of at least three players that all had at least a decade of NBA experience before? If not, then welcome to history, Caris LeVert, Taurean Prince, and Gary Harris!

The Pistons traded Caris LeVert, a significant offseason addition a year ago who never found his footing in during his one-year stay in Detroit, along with two second-round picks for veterans Taurean Prince and Gary Harris. The trio have a combined 32 years of NBA experience under their respective belts.

ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to break the news of the trade. The second-round picks in the deal are from 2027, according to Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press. The Pistons own their own 2nd, the least favorable between Brooklyn and Dallas, and a Milwaukee second. I wouldn’t be surprised if this trade gets Milwaukee its own pick back.

LeVert was set to make $14 million in the final year of his contract with the Pistons while Prince and Harris make $3.8 million each. The trade shaves more than $7 million off the team’s books and gives Detroit a $14.8 million trade exception, per cap expert Yossi Gozlan.

Prince is the more significant of the two additions as he fills the role of backup power forward with enough girth to man the position and more than enough shooting ability. Standing just 6-foot-6, he’s a stout 218 points. More importantly, he’s a career 38.7% 3-point shooter and has shot 43% and 41% the past two seasons. He doesn’t do much more than catch-and-shoot these days, but it’s a skill the Pistons can’t have enough of. Prince is coming off an injury-plagued season with the Bucks that saw him limited to just 26 games. But in both of the two previous seasons, Prince played more than 2,000 minutes.

Prince suffered a herniated disc in his neck in November of last season that kept him out until March. But when he returned, it was like he never missed a beat. He averaged 10.6 points and shot 43.8% from deep on more than six attempts per game in the season’s final 18 games.

Harris has been a part-time role player each of the past two seasons in Orlando and Milwaukee, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he were waived after the deal is finalized.

The LeVert stay in Detroit was a brief and disappointing tenure. He seemingly completely forgot how to shoot the ball from deep and had the worst turnover percentage in his 10-year career. He also wasn’t a good defender. There’s not much you can point to that went right for Caris in Detroit, and he seemed like he was entering the season where he might find himself on the outside looking into a crowded backcourt rotation.

The Pistons have Cade Cunningham and Daniss Jenkins to take the lion’s share of the point guard minutes, drafted a 6-foot-1 drive-and-score rookie in Ebuka Okorie, traded for Isaiah Joe and return Duncan Robinson as the primary shooters.

They also had a significant need at the backup power forward spot. The team added John Collins this offseason but lost Tobias Harris to the San Antonio Spurs. They were staring at a season with Ron Holland as the only legitimate backup power forward. With the trade for Prince, the roster feels much more balanced.

This deal might be a signal that the Pistons are done making moves this offseason. LeVert’s $14 million salary was one of the only significant moveable salaries on Detroit’s payroll. Unless the team moves one or both of Ron Holland, Duncan Robinson and all of the future firsts, there isn’t really an avenue to a significant upgrade remaining.

Presuming the reported Marcus Sasser trade to the Dallas Mavericks comes to fruition, Jalen Duren re-signs, and Harris gets waived, Detroit would enter the season with a full 15-man roster.

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, and Jalen Duren as the starters. Daniss Jenkins, Isaiah Joe, Ron Holland, Taurean Prince, Paul Reed as primary backups. Ebuka Okorie, Kevin Huerter, Javonte Green, Chaz Lanier, and Tolu Smith as depth pieces. Ugonna Onyenso, Isaac Jones as two-way players.

How does that stack up in the East? We have a whole offseason to argue about that.

NEWTON — The basketball world was largely stunned when Jaylen Brown was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers last week. Since the trade was first reported on Wednesday, Celtics fans have reflected on his longtime tenure coming to a sudden halt, and what that means for the team, both on and off the floor.

And Jayson Tatum, Brown’s co-star of almost a decade, is also processing it all.

“To be honest, weird. It’s weird,” Tatum said on Tuesday night. “You play on a team with a guy for 9 years. I was fortunate enough to go to the finals with him twice, and win a championship, and push each other to be the players that we are today.”

Tatum’s reflection came as part of an hour-long sit-down at the Newton Community Stage for a sit-down Q&A with longtime reporter Howard Bryant to promote his new book, “Baby Dunks-a-Lot: The Day the Basketballs Stopped Bouncing.” (The book, co-written with author Sam Apple, is currently available for purchase at The Silver Unicorn Bookstore as well as Newtonville Books).

At the event, Tatum spoke on several topics, including his recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon, what it’s like balancing being a father and a pro athlete, and much more (a longer story on some of his reflections is to come).

Jayson Tatum is here in Newton in celebration of his newest book, Baby Dunks-a-lot, which came out today.

Very loud applause here as Tatum is introduced pic.twitter.com/17x4Ypy7Zc

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) July 7, 2026

Tatum both answered questions in a moderated panel with longtime reporter Howard Bryant and also took questions from the kids in attendance. 

Jayson Tatum reflected on ‘tough’ reality of Jaylen Brown trade

Bryant explicitly asked Tatum how he’s handling the reality that a new chapter is now beginning for him, the Celtics, and for Brown.

“The NBA is an incredible business; it’s an incredible job, but there are some downsides to the business and moments like this, where you just kind of feel like you’re going to be on the team with somebody, because that’s all you know,” he said. “And then it’s just like, one day you find out that they’re no longer on your team anymore. And, we’re all humans. We feel all those emotions. Going into the facility, and knowing that you have different teammates, and somebody that you’ve been to war with, essentially, is on a different team…”

Together, Tatum and Brown made five Eastern Conference Finals and two NBA Finals.

In 2024, they won their first title as a duo.

“It’s tough. But it just makes you appreciate the moments and time that we had,” Tatum said. “Obviously, it came to an abrupt ending, but it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t super successful. Great years, obviously, that he gave to the city and to the organization.”

Brad Stevens, who addressed reporters in a press conference on Monday, said that Tatum did not have any input in the decision to trade Brown.

“I have a real hard-and-fast rule,” Stevens said. “I don’t ask guys about other guys.”

In lieu of Jaylen Brown (and Nikola Vucevic, who departed in free agency), Tatum now welcomes a slew of new teammates like Paul George, Mike Conley, and Mitchell Robinson, among others.

All three players were at the Auerbach Center this week and took photos with their brand-new Celtics jerseys.

“The tough part is you miss teammates, but then you have new teammates, and you want to welcome those guys and accept them and move forward with them,” Tatum said. “So there is a balance there.”

Last week, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst conveyed that the Philadelphia 76ers trading for Jaylen Brown made them serious suitors in the LeBron James sweepstakes.

Fellow NBA insider Shams Charania confirmed this and then some during a July 7 conversation with Stephen A. Smith.

Charania initially said that after checking around the league, he has heard that the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat, and the Philadelphia 76ers are the teams that he keeps hearing about as LeBron’s top free agency fits at this point.

“Philadelphia, after they got the Jaylen Brown [trade done]. Philadelphia was not in the picture [before that],” Charania said.

He then spoke about how James didn’t necessarily have a free agency plan in place headed into this offseason because there’s no clear indication about how much money he’ll try to secure.

REPORT: LeBron is taking the Sixers “very seriously” after they got Jaylen Brown, per @ShamsCharania

“When I talk to teams now I have a hierarchy of Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia, and then some teams on the peripheral.”

(h/t @TheHeatCentral) pic.twitter.com/dVdHBFSOiG

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 7, 2026

Charania then added, “When the Sixers got Jaylen Brown, I did some research and I found out within 24 hours, [LeBron is] taking their pitch really seriously. So, when I look at it, when I talk to teams now, I have a hierarchy of Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia, and then some teams on the peripheral.”

The 76ers stand out among these three teams at the top of James’ “hierarchy”, if only because it’s the only franchise among the trio that James hasn’t played with before.

It’s clear that LeBron is looking to compete for another NBA championship before retiring, and the 76ers’ addition of Jaylen Brown to pair with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe already makes them one of the Eastern Conference’s most talented rosters on paper.

Adding LeBron to that mix would make them even more lethal and probably cement them as favorites in the East.

Of course, things can change very fast in free agency. But Philadelphia has become one of the most compelling teams to watch regarding LeBron.

Going 0-3 in the California Classic is not good… I wouldn’t necessarily call it bad either. Summer League isn’t about wins and losses. It’s about seeing if your contracted young players can stand out, or finding diamonds in the rough in the G League. In Monday’s 88-84 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the San Antonio Spurs got exactly what they needed from their new draftees.

Tarris Reed Jr. and Ja’Kobi Gillespie had their best games of the summer, nearly leading San Antonio to a comeback win. Reed Jr. got a low-post seal, turned his shoulder, and finished through the contact for an and-1 opportunity late in the game, but rimmed out the free throw that would have tied it. Gillespie hit some big threes down the stretch to put the Spurs within striking distance.

It was clear that both of those guys belong on an NBA court in some capacity. That’s about all you can ask from a Summer League squad. Now the team will head to Las Vegas, where Carter Bryant will join the team and almost certainly get to show the Spurs what he’s got in his offensive bag. With an NBA rotation player on his way, the team could find more success when they head to Sin City.

Takeaways:

• Reed Jr. showed off the skills that made him a first-round pick. He played incredibly tough on the interior, making some contested shots through contact. He got a few opportunities to back a defender down in the post and use his size to seal defenders and create angles for himself. He made a nice pass to Gillespie on a backdoor cut for a bucket, flashing his playmaking upside. He had one good weakside block, but was overall a step slow rotating to play help defense. His role with the NBA team will likely be to set screens, rebound, and finish around the rim. He’s shown he can do that, finishing with 12 points and 12 rebounds in his second summer game.
• Gillespie finally got his shots to fall. He was super active offensively, cutting and relocating all over the place to get open. He finished with 19 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals. What’s most important is that he knocked down 5 of his 9 three-pointers. If Gillespie gets playing time in the NBA this season, it will likely be as a combo guard who can handle, but typically plays off the ball. Hitting threes, as he did on Monday, will be important to providing value in that role.
• Emmanuel Miller continues to show flashes, but forces it a bit too often. He had 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals in the loss.
• Maliq Brown has been incredible defensively to start the Summer League. He may have one defensive flaw: he leaves his feet a bit too often, jumping for pump fakes.

Pacers rookie Kam Jones questioned his NBA future after he was ordered out of his car at gunpoint following a police chase last year, new body cam footage obtained by The California Post shows.

Jones’ dramatic encounter with Indiana State Police occurred in Indianapolis on Oct. 10, 2025, after he allegedly hit speeds of over 100 mph and then refused to immediately pull over.

Cops were seen in the newly released video training their guns on Jones before they demanded he exit his ride and walk toward them slowly.

When Jones, 24, ultimately complied and was placed in handcuffs, he insisted he was not trying to evade them on purpose.

“I feel very confused right now,” the basketball player said. “Honestly, I saw your right blinker on, so I’m like, ‘Is he trying to get by me?’ So, I was trying to get out your way.”

Jones explained he was driving quickly because he was late for a practice. He was then stunned to learn cops intended to take him to jail over his behavior.

“I’m going to jail?” he asked.

“Yeah,” one cop responded. “Reckless driving and resisting law enforcement.”

“I didn’t know you were trying to pull me over, though,” Jones said.

“You could have fooled me,” the officer said.

As police took Jones toward the back of a squad car, a Pacers assistant coach appeared on the scene. However, cops would not let the two communicate and the Indiana staffer drove off moments later.

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One officer then asked about Jones’ life, and at one point, the cop noticed Jones’ 6-foot-3 frame and wondered if he played point guard or shooting guard.

Jones then somberly said, “I’m about to be nothing no more.”

“Why not?” the cop asked.

“I just didn’t realize I was driving that fast,” Jones said.

Jones was eventually taken to a nearby jail and booked on reckless driving and resisting law enforcement charges. Following his release, he apologized to his team and media members and said the situation was a “mistake that I’ve learned from.”

Prosecutors ended up charging Jones with misdemeanor reckless driving in January, but court records show the count was dismissed in March after Jones entered a pretrial diversion program.

Jones, the No. 38 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, played in 37 games for the Pacers this past season, logging 4.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest.