DeMar DeRozan wanted Sacramento to make a decision: Either waive him (and save $15 million) so he could get on the market before space dried up, or find a trade as they have been trying to do for more than a year.
DeRozan has a $25.7 million contract for this season, but only $10 million of that is guaranteed. This will almost certainly be a waive-and-stretch for Sacramento, spreading the $10 million he is owed over three seasons (at $3.3 million per year), which will save the team about $22 million this season and take them below the luxury tax line.
This move was expected by other front offices around the league (and part of the reason there was no trade market for DeRozan, interested teams knew they could just sign him as a free agent for way less money, and they wouldn't have to give up anything).
DeRozan, who will turn 37 before next season, is still a bucket. He has a specific game — he's an old-school midrange assassin, but who can create his own shot — and averaged 18.4 points per game last season in Sacramento. There will be interest in him, and he is reportedly looking for a regular role on a playoff team.
The Kings still have Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine on their roster and continue to look for trades for them.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 30: The sneakers worn by Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on March 30, 2026 at State Farm Arena 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It was time for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks to part ways — but that doesn't make it any less emotional.
Milwaukee was the city that adopted the skinny kid from Greece and made him part of the community, and in return — beyond bringing a title and a decade of elite basketball to the city (although that matters) — he invested in Milwaukee, too. Giannis put together an emotional goodbye video to Milwaukee and its fans.
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) July 6, 2026
Bucks owners Wes Edens, Jimmy and Dee Haslam, and Jamie Dinan released this statement:
"From delivering a championship to transforming our franchise, Giannis' impact on the Milwaukee Bucks is lasting and profound. We are incredibly grateful for what has been a remarkable and historic journey together.
"For 13 seasons, Giannis gave everything to this organization and inspired our city with his relentless drive, humility and heart. He grew into one of the greatest players in the world while becoming an integral part of the Milwaukee community. More importantly, Giannis represented this organization with authenticity, character and a deep commitment to the people of Milwaukee.
"His unforgettable moments on the court and his influence beyond the game defined an era of Bucks basketball and elevated our franchise on a global stage. Few players have left such a meaningful mark on a team, a city and an entire generation of fans.
"Though this chapter has come to an end, Giannis' legacy in Milwaukee is secure. It will always be felt here -- in the rafters, throughout our community and in the countless people he inspired. Forever a Buck."
Antetokounmpo is starting a new chapter in Miami, but when we think of him when he goes into the Hall of Fame someday, it will be as a Buck.
Every player from the Lakers’ Game 1 starting lineup versus the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs is officially gone.
The entire Lakers starting lineup for Game 1 of the postseason — LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Luka Kennard and Deandre Ayton — will all be playing for different teams next season.Getty Images The entire Lakers starting lineup for Game 1 of the postseason — LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Luka Kennard and Deandre Ayton — will all be playing for different teams next season.Getty Images The entire Lakers starting lineup for Game 1 of the postseason — LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Luka Kennard and Deandre Ayton — will all be playing for different teams next season.Getty Images The entire Lakers starting lineup for Game 1 of the postseason — LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Luka Kennard and Deandre Ayton — will all be playing for different teams next season.NBAE via Getty Images The entire Lakers starting lineup for Game 1 of the postseason — LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Luka Kennard and Deandre Ayton — will all be playing for different teams next season.Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Head coach JJ Redick went with an alternative lineup in the series opener due to the injuries of Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić in the postseason. Redick deployed Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James and Deandre Ayton in Game 1 against the Rockets.
While there have been many departures in LA, the Lakers have also added a number of free agents on the market. General manager Rob Pelinka is under immense pressure to improve the roster and made several signings in the first few days of free agency.
The Lakers signed Walker Kessler to a four-year, $130 million deal. The contract is considered an overpay, but it answered Luka Doncic’s request to give the team an elite rim protector.
Guards Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton as well as big man Sandro Mamukelashvili will wear the purple and gold for the 2026–27 season. Despite the roster overhaul, many believe the Lakers’ moves aren’t enough to make the team legitimate contenders.
The Lakers’ biggest needs remain a versatile wing defender and a backup center after Ayton was traded to the Washington Wizards last week.
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“The Warriors, I have already been told it’s a guy they will look into at some point in the coming days, especially if they do not get LeBron James,” Slater said on SportsCenter.
🤔 Where will DeMar DeRozan sign? 🏀 Yaxel Lendeborg and Darius Acuff Jr.'s debut in Summer League@anthonyVslater joins SportsCenter to discuss the trending topics in the NBA pic.twitter.com/WPEJ3TSG7F
Slater also mentioned teams like the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors as other potential DeRozan suitors – the latter two being more due to their “heartwarming” nature.
The 17-year veteran is from Compton, Calif., just 20 minutes away from Inglewood, where the Clippers play and played his first nine seasons with the Raptors after being drafted No. 9 overall by Toronto in 2009.
DeRozan will turn 37 next month, but has proven the last two seasons with Sacramento that he’s still a bucket-getter.
“The reality is he should be coming at such a bargain that really any team in the league that just needs some bench scoring should be looking at him,” Slater said.
The six-time All-Star averaged 18.4 points per game with the Kings last season and proved to enjoy his mentorship role for the young players as the team’s mentality shifted from contending to rebuilding during his tenure.
In 2025-26, DeRozan’s points per game were the lowest for his career since the 2012-13 season, but that was largely because of the team’s shift and his minutes per game (31.2) and usage percentage (22.8) being reduced to the lowest since his rookie season in the NBA.
While James remains the Warriors’ top target, adding an efficient scoring wing doesn’t seem to be too bad of a fallback.
CHICAGO, IL – JANUARY 26: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a call during the second half against the Chicago Bulls on January 26, 2026 at...
Teams reportedly interested in the four-time NBA champion aren’t optimistic about their chances of landing James, according to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst.
LeBron James has yet to make a decision in free agency this summer. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“I’ve talked to people in Philly, and I’m like what do you think? Everybody I talk to is like, ‘we’re afraid it’s Cleveland,'” Windhorst said on the Pardon My Take podcast.
“Nobody seems like they have optimism.”
Brian Windhorst on conversations he's had regarding LeBron James:
"Everybody I talk to is like, 'We're afraid it's Cleveland.' Nobody seems like they have optimism to be honest."pic.twitter.com/KUxpzfJcBP
Returning to Cleveland was always the storybook ending for James since he began his career with the Cavaliers.
At 41 years old, James is still a productive player as he is coming off a season where he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists. He shot 51.5% from the field and 31.7% from beyond the arc in 60 games with the Lakers.
The 2025–26 campaign marked the first time James had missed opening night for the first time in his 23-year NBA career because of a sciatica injury. Despite missing the start of the season, James played a crucial role for the Lakers down the stretch after Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves sustained injuries in the final weeks of the regular season.
James spearheaded the Lakers’ postseason run, which ended in the second round of the NBA playoffs after the Oklahoma City Thunder swept LA in four games.
The Game 4 loss to OKC marked James’ final game in a Lakers uniform.
Now, it appears the next chapter for James may be a poetic one as Cleveland appears to be the winner of his free agency sweepstakes.
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Phoenix Suns General Manager Brian Gregory is keeping his right-hand man around for the foreseeable future, as Suns and Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein is finalizing a new extension to keep him working with the team on the business and basketball side, according to ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania.
Phoenix Suns and Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein is finalizing a new extension, further cementing the partnership with owner Mat Ishbia to shape business and basketball operations of both franchises, sources tell ESPN.
With the extension being announced, Suns Governor Mat Ishbia gave Bartelstein high praise in a statement he gave to ESPN.
“From day one, I knew Josh was the right person to help build the culture and organization that I envisioned in Phoenix – on and off the court. He is my trusted partner in every aspect of our basketball (Suns and Mercury) operations and business side as well. His knowledge of basketball, care for our players, and the strong relationships he has across the NBA and WNBA have been invaluable in building our success and will continue to shape our future. His leadership has elevated our entire organization.
“He is one of the best CEO’s in all of sports, and happens to be one of the youngest too, and I’m excited to keep working next to Josh as we continue to build on our success.”
A former college basketball player at the University of Michigan, Bartelstein, who’s been with the Suns since 2023, played a major part in the team trading for Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic in his first year working with the team. With his father Mark being Beal’s agent, much was made about the relationship Josh had with his father to negotiate the trade, along with his buyout last offseason.
However, after a season in which the team surprised many by increasing its win total by 9 games and making the playoffs after missing them the season before, Ishbia and company rewarded Bartelstein with an extension. The Phoenix Suns have already had a busy offseason by resigning many of their free agents, trading for Miles Bridges, signing Luke Kennard and Pat Spencer, making a deal to draft Koa Peat with the 30th pick, and now extending Bartelstein.
The Jaylen Brown trade between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers became official Monday afternoon, and it has caused quite a reaction around the basketball world since it was first reported last week.
The C’s traded Brown, who they drafted No. 3 overall in 2016 and won a championship with in 2024, to the Sixers in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
A few hours after the deal was made official, Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and team owner Bill Chisholm held a press conference. The theme was “optionality.” This was a word Stevens used many times when responding to questions about this trade.
“I think when you use the term ‘optionality’, you’re talking about just length of contract and assets,” Stevens said. “So that’s where the increased optionality comes from.”
George’s contract is shorter than Brown’s, and the C’s got four picks in this trade that they can use to make other roster additions.
You can watch the entire press conference in the video below. And under the video player, we highlighted the best moments from the event.
Two stars taking up 70 percent of the salary cap
The current CBA makes it very challenging to build out a roster with enough depth if you have two superstars on max contracts that take up 70 percent of the salary cap. Stevens noted that when the C’s won the NBA Finals in 2024, Tatum and Brown made up 47 percent of the cap combined.
“When I looked at our team, and I looked at where the league was heading, looked at the way that we’ve finished the last couple of years and also looked at the unbelievable way we’ve played in the regular season in the last couple of years, the path looked a little bit more challenging to me,” Stevens said.
“I might be wrong. I’m not going to stand up here and be defensive about that. But the path looked a little bit more challenging with 70 percent of our cap and such a high percent of our usage tied into two players.
“And the reality in this era, and in this day and age of the NBA, and you could see it, obviously, with the last couple of champions and some of the teams that were at the very top of the league, when it was all said and done at the end of this year is that, you have to do a great job and you have to have the optionality to do a great job of building out depth that can hopefully replace the irreplaceable individual. And that’s not an easy thing to do, right?
“And we get that. And that’s absolutely nothing against Jaylen, right? If you have Jaylen Brown on your team, you should feature him. You should use all those possessions, and you should approach things that way. But I think the importance of depth, and then obviously, we have to continue to work on ways to diversify our attack overall. All that being said, still would not have made a move unless we thought the right opportunity presented itself.”
Paul George is not as good as Jaylen Brown. George also is 36 years old and, mostly due to injuries, has played more than 60 games in a season only once since 2019. But he is still a good player. George, when healthy, remains a quality scorer and a reliable defender. He played fantastic in the Sixers’ first-round upset over the Celtics this past season.
“We like Paul,” Stevens said. “Paul’s a really good player. We’re not very far removed from all sitting in our series against Philadelphia and watching Paul be a guy that could carry you, for portions of a quarter or a half, but also play a complementary role on both ends of the floor at the highest of levels. He’s excited to come to Boston. He actually already came in this weekend, and we’re excited to get a chance to work with him.”
The two first-round picks the Celtics got from the Sixers in this trade could end up being the most useful assets for Boston. It can be hard sometimes for fans to get really excited about draft picks years down the road, but the more first-rounders you own, the more options you have in the trade market.
“From the draft assets, I get it. I’m a fan first and foremost,” Stevens said. “When I was a kid, I could care less about what picks came back, right? Especially second-round picks. I get it. But the draft assets in this whole deal, the way we looked at it was there are two potential premium assets.
“And so, the quality of the assets, both the 2031 Philly (pick) and the super complicated 2028 pick, which we don’t really need to go into here, both offer potential, who knows, big swings at the apple. And then the second-round picks are sweeteners that you can use in deals to do things to put your team over the top, or maybe draft Jordan Walsh or Dillon Mitchell or somebody you’re really excited about.
“At the end of the day, those guys aren’t Jaylen, but I understand that ultimately, there’s a lot of small steps that it’ll take to build out the depth in the team that we ultimately want to.”
Trading Brown to a rival such as Philadelphia
It’s not easy to trade a great player to a longtime rival that also happened to beat you in the most recent NBA playoffs. But at the end of the day, the job of the front office is to make the best possible trade.
“The Philly part, that is a hard thing, to trade a guy that you, first of all, care so much about, but secondly, have so much respect and admiration for, to a team that just beat you in the playoffs, and that you’re gonna literally play six times before the playoffs next year with our two preseason games,” Stevens said.
“But I do think that ultimately, when you do a deal, you have to be thinking about you first and the optionality it creates for you. If I was being honest, if that exact deal came from a team out west and you were comparing the two, then you’d probably take the team out west, but that’s not the way it was working.”
Stevens made it clear he did not ask for Tatum’s, or any other player’s input, about the trade.
“I have a real hard, fast rule: I don’t ask other guys about other guys because it’s not — I don’t want to put them in that position, and so he had none,” Stevens said.
“The mandate here is to win”
Celtics owner Bill Chisholm made it clear that the goal for the Celtics is to win, and that the team is not afraid to spend money to make that happen.
“This was all about trying to win and really trusting in our process,” Chisholm said. “We have, I think, the best front office in the NBA, and they put in their work and they came to the conclusion this was the best way for us to win. The mandate is to win. And I just have to keep saying that. We’ll spend whatever it takes to do that. The mandate is to win.”
Analytics has been a popular talking point in regards to this trade, especially on social media and the comments from a Bobby Marks interview on SiriusXM NBA Radio last week.
Stevens considered analytics a “small” part of the process here.
“You take in every angle and every ounce of information that you have, and you put it all together, right? For me, and Mike and his staff might get mad at me — they do every day — I would say that was a small piece of information for me,” Stevens said.
Next moves
There’s been some debate over whether the Celtics have another move lined up. Stevens didn’t suggest there’s anything coming soon.
“We’re open, and we’ll be open. I don’t anticipate anything in the very near term,” Stevens said. “We do like the team we have. We might be able to add to it, but at the end of the day, we like the group we have.
“We like the people that we think will be able to officially sign. We’re cognizant that we have a lot of work to do.”
College basketball journeyman Kerr Kriisa, who played for four teams in six years, has been indicted by the FBI on multiple counts of wire fraud that occurred during his time in West Virginia.
The charges, which were unrelated to sports gambling or actions on the court, are laid out in court documents obtained by USA TODAY Sports. They include five counts of wire fraud that saw Kriisa texting people, often under the alias "Irene" asking for money for multiple "emergencies."
Kriisa, who played for Arizona, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Cincinnati in his college career, "allegedly carried out a scheme to obtain nearly $2.2 million from multiple victims using false representations, fabricated identities, and deceptive communications," per the DOJ's release on his arrest. Among the alleged attempted scams, Kriisa — who was most recently playing basketball in his home country of Estonia — allegedly tried to ask for money to help his mother who was sick with cancer and asked for money to save his family's farm.
Kriisa averaged 8.8 points per game, including 11 points per game at West Virginia in the 2023-24 season.
And after upping his physicality last season for Illinois, becoming a weapon on the boards and brick wall on defense, the Brooklyn Nets signed him to an Exhibit-10 contract to give him a chance to show what he can do.
His first Summer League game came in a narrow loss to the Sacramento Kings, where he put up six points on 2-for-5 shooting from three-point range. But that’s not all he did. Humrichous showcased that same physicality he utilized last season, snagging two boards, two steals and one block.
Just a day later, after building up some confidence, he decided he’d carry the offensive load for the Nets to help them secure a 20-point blowout victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Humrichous racked up 15 points after knocking down 5-of-12 from beyond the arc. That’s a lot of triples. In his entire career at Illinois, Humrichous hit five threes in only three games.
But yet again, he offered more on the court than just three-pointers, snagging eight rebounds and tallying two steals.
And to make his night even better, one of Humrichous’ five threes was a buzzer-beater to end the first quarter.
If all of his summer league performances look like this, Illinois fans could see Humrichous earn some real minutes for the Nets in the regular season.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 25: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers wait for a free throw during the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on November 25, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s understandable if you took the holiday weekend off of LeBron Watch.
Unfortunately, the latest seems to suggest James could be nearing a reunion with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst seemingly confirmed that the Cavs are the favorites on Pardon My Take Monday.
“I’ve talked to people in Philly, and I’m like what do you think? ‘We’re afraid it’s Cleveland,’ – everybody I talked to is like ‘we’re afraid it’s Cleveland,’ – nobody seems like they have optimism,” – @WindhorstESPN on the latest with LeBron James 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/aGcO0GiPFo
“I can’t take that off the table,” Windhorst said when asked about the idea of ending a championship drought in Philly being alluring to James.
Longtime NBA Insider Marc Stein’s opinion was slightly different.
“The teams that are in this as we speak, still believe they’re in this,” – @TheSteinLine with an update on what he’s hearing about LeBron Watch. pic.twitter.com/TpEbvyn54x
So, the Sixers are still in it, but how much optimism you want to have is up to you.
Over the weekend, James was photographed after playing a round of golf with Cavs assistant GM Brandon Weems and friends in Akron. It’s worth noting that LeBron frequently goes back to his hometown in the offseason and Weems is one of his best friends.
Again, you choose to read those tea leaves however you’d like.
If he ultimately chooses Cleveland, it truly feels sentimentality-based. From a basketball standpoint, James would likely be tasked with guarding the opponent’s top perimeter threat every night while sharing the floor with Donovan Mitchell and old friend James Harden. Harden’s heliocentric nature also feels like a clunky fit with LeBron offensively.
Meanwhile, the Sixers and Timberwolves might present his best chance to win. He’d slide in at the power forward on either roster and immediately make them a legitimate contender in their respective conference. The Golden State Warriors are also still in the mix, but it seems like that might be contingent on them acquiring Anthony Davis from the Washington Wizards, something that doesn’t seem likely as of now.
A reunion with the Miami Heat — and partnering up with Giannis Antetokounmpo — also can’t be ruled out. Nor can the idea of James playing alongside Nikola Jokic with the Denver Nuggets.
As the moratorium ends and deals are officially announced this afternoon, we await LeBron’s decision. Only fitting for The King to take over one more NBA offseason before he hangs it up.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, 31, left a remarkable legacy on the city of Milwaukee. 13 seasons, 10 All-Star Games, two MVP awards, an NBA title, and a partridge in a pear tree.
However, that didn't stop Bucks president Josh Glessing from trading their legend away to the Miami Heat this offseason. Albeit, the Bucks did endure an underwhelming season and saw themselves miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade. That said, to trade away your franchise cornerstone, the man who gave everything he had to give your team everything they've earned, is a hard task regardless.
Rumors had been swirling about Giannis' departure for most of the season as well. It was only a matter of time, but that doesn't make the reality of the situation any less heartbreaking. And to boot, Antetokounmpo just posted a sorrowful video to social media thanking everyone involved during his time in Wisconsin.
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) July 6, 2026
What does Antetokounmpo say in his goodbye video?
In his video, Antetokounmpo stresses that he does not want the city of Milwaukee or the state of Wisconsin to remember him for the wins, the losses, the championships, or the basketball.
"I try to be like them," he says.
He describes the city as "blue collar." He continues, "It's people who work hard every day. And give all their hard-earned money just to come watch the Milwaukee Bucks ... I hope that I was able to represent them the best that I could."
Antetokounmpo then goes on to describe Milwaukee as his home. "This is a place that I had my kids. My mom is here. My father is here. My brothers played here. It made me the man that I am today."
"No matter where I am, Milwaukee will always be my city, my team, my family."
Other social media posts for Antetokounmpo's farewell
Statements from the Milwaukee Bucks on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to the Miami Heat:
Bucks owners Wes Edens, Jimmy and Dee Haslam, and Jamie Dinan: “From delivering a championship to transforming our franchise, Giannis' impact on the Milwaukee Bucks is lasting and…
You came to Milwaukee 13 years ago as a kid from Sepolia with an impossible dream. Over the past 13 years we have witnessed you grow into one of the greatest players the game has ever seen, the greatest Buck of all time, and the driving force behind an era of Bucks basketball… pic.twitter.com/6oDA0APFwh
Apr 24, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart (36) reacts after making a basket during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The 2026 NBA Free Agency season kicked off last week. The Rockets signed Bogdan Bogdanovic and Marcus Smart. They also re-signed Tari Eason and traded away Dorian Finney-Smith. We want you to grade the new Rockets signings only. So that doesn’t include the Eason re-up or the Finney-Smith trade, as they received no players back in those transactions. So grade the new Rockets pickups.
Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with the results.
Restricted free agent Quinten Post is signing a three-year, $30 million contract offer sheet with the Memphis Grizzlies, according to NBA insider Shams Charania.
The Golden State Warriors have until 11:59 p.m. ET Tuesday to match the offer. However, that seems highly unlikely given the considerable contract from Memphis.
Warriors center Quinten Post signed a three-year, $30 million offer sheet with the Memphis Grizzlies. Getty Images
Post is coming off a 2025-26 campaign where he averaged 7.7 points, four rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 44% from the field and 33.6% from the field. The big man played a depth role for the Warriors, which leaves Golden State in a tricky situation.
The team can match the Grizzlies’ offer, which would be a massive overpay. Or they can let Post walk, which would leave a glaring hole on the roster.
The Golden State Warriors have until 11:59 p.m. ET Tuesday to match the offer. Getty Images
Post was the 52nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and spent the last two seasons as a rotation player for the Warriors. Now, he’ll get the chance to have a starting role with the Grizzlies if the Warriors don’t match the offer by the deadline.
Golden State has already agreed to bring back center Kristaps Porzingis and forward Al Horford, which gives them limited financial flexibility to sign Post. The Warriors are also one of the reported six finalists in the LeBron James sweepstakes.
Thus, it seems certain Post will join No. 3 overall pick Cam Boozer in Memphis as the Grizzlies look to rebuild the franchise with fresh faces. The team traded star guard Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, signals the organization’s desire to revamp the roster.
The Miami Heat’s newest superstar appeared on a stream with popular YouTuber and Kick streamer known as N3on. Rangesh Mutama is known for his personality, controversies and collaborations with celebrities.
Having only played together in an All-Star game, Giannis Antetokounmpo makes a free agency pitch to LeBron James to join him in Miami.
Antetokounmpo discussed James and revealed the NBA’s all-time leading scorer is the player he enjoys watching the most.
“The person I like to watch a lot is LeBron James,” Antetokounmpo said.
Giannis Antetokounmpo may have just made a free agency pitch to LeBron James. NBAE via Getty Images
As for who the greatest of all-time is, he put Michael Jordan and James at the top. Antetokounmpo said it was unfair to compare eras, but he sees Jordan and James as the greatest basketball players ever.
Later in the stream, Antetokounmpo was directly asked whether he’d like to team up with James. The Heat superstar offered a cryptic response and simply shrugged his shoulders.
The two-time MVP’s arrival to Miami signaled a new era for the Heat after missing the playoffs last season and making a first round exit during the 2024-25 campaign.
But Antetokounmpo could use another star in the lineup. While the 31-year-old went to a better city and franchise, he’s landed in a similar situation basketball-wise. Miami’s frontcourt will be strong with Bam Adebayo and Antetokounmpo, but the team lacks depth and athleticism.
Landing James wouldn’t solve all of Miami’s problems, but it would certainly change the optics on the Heat entering the 2026-27 season.
James is reportedly considering the Heat as a free agent destination, but his decision remains the biggest question mark of the summer.
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