Category: Sports News

LeBron James should go to the Warriors. 

Hear me out. 

Yes, his family is rooted in Los Angeles. He’d be able to earn more money with the Lakers than with Golden State or Cleveland. And if he remained with the purple and gold, he’d finish his career with the franchise for which he played the most consecutive seasons and carried to its first championship in 10 years in 2020. 

But if you listen to James’ words, he has made it clear he’s only going to keep playing if he remains excited to show up to arenas five hours before games. If he’s still committed to putting in the type of work that has allowed him to remain a superstar into his 40s. 

What would excite him more than joining forces with Steph Curry and Draymond Green? 

James going to the Warriors feels so wrong that it feels right. 

He faced them in four straight Finals when he was with the Cavaliers. They were the mountain he had to climb to overcome a 3-1 series deficit before leading the Cavaliers to their first championship in 2016. Curry and Green commanded his respect more than anyone in the modern NBA. They were his nemeses. 

They’ve since become something else to him. 

In an episode of “The Shop” in 2022, James said if he could play alongside anyone in the league it would be Curry. 

As for Green, James recently told the California Post that he’s his “brother.” When Green was asked if he ever dreamed of joining forces with James, he told this publication, “I’ve always wanted to.”

The thought of James playing alongside Curry and Green would be thrilling. It would be the revenge of the old men who refuse to age. 

Curry can still shoot the lights out. James can still single-handedly carry a team in a playoff series, as we witnessed in the first round against Houston in April. Green would give Victor Wembanyama a run for his money as the best defender in the league if he truly believed he had another shot at winning a championship. (Just look at what Green did against Kawhi Leonard in the Warriors’ play-in game against the Clippers in April.)

That trio would be exciting. It would be fascinating. It would infuse all of their careers with a newfound sense of purpose. 

There’s something that feels stale about James returning to the Lakers.

He watched the purple and gold become Luka Doncic’s team after they acquired him in a blockbuster trade in Feb. 2025. He slipped to being the third offensive option this season, behind Doncic and Austin Reaves. 

Did he make it work? Of course. The Lakers went 16-2 last spring.

But there’s something unnatural about watching someone who has been a circle all his life jam himself into a square peg, even if he’s good enough to shape shift. 

While Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss have both said they’d love for James to finish his career in Los Angeles, it’s obvious they’re looking forward. It’s equally obvious that James has felt disrespected at times. 

Things would be different in Golden State. 

Instead of placing their hopes on a young hotshot, they’re still looking at the rearview mirror. They’re trying to make that view relevant again. They’re celebrating it. 

They’re trying to extend Curry’s championship window. They’ve made it clear they still believe in Green. If James joined the Warriors, he’d still get the respect of being arguably the greatest player of all-time, instead of being reduced to taking a supporting role. 

He’d still be him. He’d be playing alongside the greatest shooter of all-time. Neither of them would have an ego when it comes to one another. Just look at the 2024 Olympic team, when James won MVP but Curry played hero. It just worked. They genuinely celebrated each other. They won gold together. 

If James remains in LA, things are going to get muddy. 

There’s no way the Lakers are going to offer James (who made $52.6 million last season) a maximum contract extension. The problem is he’s still playing like a maximum contract player. 

The Lakers would likely offer James something in the $20 to $30 million range, while trying to retain Austin Reaves and building out their roster around Doncic. That would be a tough pill to swallow for a player who resuscitated the franchise after it missed the playoffs six straight seasons. 

The Warriors currently have even less money to offer James: The $15.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception. But somehow that feels like less of a slight. There’s no history there. James would be choosing a massive salary cut instead of begrudgingly accepting one from a team he poured himself into over the last decade. 

Sure, James would be leaving a lot of money on the table, an anathema for a guy who has been famously opposed to doing that sort of thing in the past. 

But it would also mean a fresh start. A new challenge. A new purpose. 

The four-time champion would join forces with players who have won four championships. James, Curry and Green have some of the sharpest basketball minds in the league. They’d form a supercharged think tank together with unknown capabilities. 

It would be the geriatrics against the young bucks. It would be must-watch television. The three of them would deeply have something to prove. 

There would hardly be an adjustment period. 

James has studied Curry’s and Green’s games over four championship rounds. They’ve earned their PhDs on him. They probably know each other better than any of their current teammates.

James has earned the right to do whatever the heck he wants. He has shattered nearly every record in the books. He has arguably had the greatest career of any athlete ever. His longevity is unprecedented. 

On paper, returning to the Lakers makes the most sense. 

But now’s not the time to play it safe. If he doesn’t retire, this will be his final hurrah. Why not put everything on the line? Why not do something that will light a fire under him? Why not go after what could be most fun?

James’ goal was to become the first player in NBA history to play alongside his son, Bronny. He accomplished that. It’s time for Bronny to spread his wings. And it’s time for James to try and soar one last time. 

James going to the Warriors would be the ultimate candy for a fanbase that wants to see the faces of the league thrive before the league moves on. It would be a defibrillator for James’ mind.

It would be a new final chapter. 

Instead of the same tired story, it would be a must read.

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After three straight years, it’s becoming a norm for a UConn player to be picked in the first round of the NBA Draft. The only other schools with that distinction in the last three years? Duke and Baylor, a couple of five-star daycares with questionable methods.

I still remember the delight of hearing James Bouknight’s name called. 

But for the streak to continue, they’ll need teams to fall in love with Tarris Reed Jr or Alex Karaban. Both have been projected as fringe first-rounders, but as we saw with Liam McNeeley last year, draft night comes with a lot of uncertainty. 

Since NBA front offices are obviously reading The UConn Blog Dot Com, here is my sales pitch for Reed. You can read Karaban’s here. Maybe this can push them solidly into the first round.

It Pays to Be Big

I found five comparisons based on combine measurements and play style, three from the current generation and two slightly older ones. Combined, they all reflect a sort of best-case, best-floor comparison.

Pace and space is still a thing in the NBA, but some are bucking the trend. Jumbo lineups — like what Michigan did to UConn in the title game — are starting to enter the picture. If you’re trying to stay ahead of the jumbo curve, may I interest you in a 6 ’10 (barefoot), 260 lb. center with ballerina feet, a 7′ 5 ” wingspan, and feathery touch around the rim?

What if he has above-average passing skills, exceptional switchability, and shot mechanics that indicate potential shooting range later in his career?

With the first comparison, let’s aim high.

The Detroit Pistons were the no. 1 seed in the East in part due to Jalen Duren’s emergence as a space-eating low-post anchor with two-way athleticism. 

That’s the almost unrealistic, peak comparison for Reed Jr. out there right now; he comes into the league and picks up right where he left off in April. His rebounding translates, his defense continues to tighten up, the motor is revving, and he shows he can score over NBA size consistently. That’s a lot of “ifs” but that’s also Jalen Duren-lite.

Duren was a one-and-done at Memphis, and came in with more of a pedigree after reclassing into the 2022 recruiting class as the no. 1 player overall. He was 18 years old when drafted, a mammoth project with unlimited tools. 

Reed’s path was a little longer, featuring a change of scenery and a little senioritis needed to unlock the full potential. After an inconsistent run as a Husky, something clicked for him this past March. All that enticing potential was realized and the staff’s vision was fulfilled. 

It doesn’t matter when the light comes on, as long as they turn on. 

Here are the combine measurements for comparison:

Tarris Reed Jr

Height (Barefoot): 6’9.75”

Weight: 263.6 lbs

Wingspan: 7’4.25”

Standing Reach: 9’2”

Standing Vertical: 29.5”

Jalen Duren

Height (without shoes): 6’9.5″ 

Weight: 250 lbs

Wingspan: 7’5″

Standing Reach: 9’1″

Standing Vertical: 37”

Duren’s age and explosiveness make him even more of a freak than Reed Jr, but that’s why he was the 13th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He was a baby then, and is Tarris’ age now. Duren improved his statistical profile in his first four years, averaging 19.7 ppg and 10.5 rpg last year, earning his first All-Star berth, third-team All-NBA, and defensive player of the year votes.

A team taking Reed isn’t automatically getting the next Jalen Duren. But maybe they’re getting a more NBA-ready, albeit less athletic Jalen Duren. Less ceiling, more polish. Backup big men don’t just fall out of the sky.

Duren is the pie in the sky. Back on earth, can I interest you in a Day’Ron Sharpe comparison?

Sharpe opted out of the combine measurements back in 2021, but the Nets list him at 6 ’10 265, pretty close to Tarris’ measurements. Sharpe was a one-and-done out of North Carolina that fell to Phoenix at pick 29, and promptly traded to the Brooklyn Nets on draft day. He’s been there as a reserve big man, averaging 7 ppg and 6 rpg in 15.5 mpg.

The way Sharpe seals and uses his body is very reminiscent of Reed, except the latter’s post moves are more polished because he’s older. This is probably what scouts see, with Reed’s upside coming from his bullish trajectory and potential to expand his game.

Former Georgetown Hoya Thomas Sorber is another match.

Thomas Sorber 

Height: 6’9.25″

Weight: 262.8 lbs

Wingspan: 7’6.00″

Standing Reach: 9’1.00″

Vertical: 42 inches

Reed is taller, but Sorber is younger and more explosive. He put up nine points and 10 rebounds against UConn in 2025, a game in which Reed played 12 minutes and scored three points.

Sorber tore his ACL in September and never saw the court for Oklahoma City, but if you watched the Spurs take down the Thunder last month, you know his skillset is sorely needed.

Now for the throwbacks. Walk with me down memory lane, fellow millennials.

Al Jefferson

Height (without shoes): 6’8.25”

Weight: 289 lbs

Wingspan: 7’2.5”

Standing Reach: 9’2”

Big Al came into the league smaller but heavier than Reed. Before the one-and-done era, he was a highly-ranked prospect in high school (noticing the trend?). Big Al and Tarris have the below-the-rim post game with an array of moves in their bag. 

Pace-and-space left Big Al behind, but look at some of this footwork.

Awfully reminiscent of Reed this past March, except Reed has flashed the mobility to adapt to today’s game. Big Al played 14 years in the league and finished with career averages of 15.7 ppg and 8.4 rpg. He averaged 23 and 11 in 2008-2009 for the Timberwolves, and was third-team All-NBA in 2013-2014.

I also saw some Derrick Favors comparisons floating around out there on the internet. 

Here are his measurements from the 2010 combine:

Derrick Favors

Height: 6’8.75”

Weight: 245.2 lbs

Wingspan: 7’4”

Standing Reach: 9’2”

Standing Vertical: 31.5 inches

Similar to Duren, Sharpe, Sorber, and Jefferson, Favors was a blue-chip, one-and-done freakazoid prospect. Except he never really ascended to Duren’s heights, or Jefferson’s. Favors played 12 seasons in the NBA, finishing with career averages of 10 ppg and 7 rpg. He was a solid rim-runner who protected the rim well with Rudy Gobert.

Reed is taller by an inch, but Favors was more explosive and younger coming out (the youngest player drafted by the Nets ever). 

Breaking it Down

Five players with very different ceilings. Duren is a franchise cornerstone. Big Al was on his way to being one, until his knees gave out. Favors never ascended, but career earnings of $130 million (Jefferson made $137 mil) is far from a bust. Sharpe looks like he’ll carve out a reserve role for the next decade. The jury’s out on Sorber due to injury.

It sounds silly to rattle off these highly successful comparisons for a player like Reed that’s barely projected to go in the first round. As I said before, there are a lot of Ifs, and that’s why he’s a fringe first-rounder. But it’s hard to ignore the success of these players with similar physical measurements, combined with the switch that Reed flipped in March.

That’s not to say big men of his stature are automatic. In the last decade, James Wiseman Jr and Marvin Bagley had roughly similar measurements and didn’t pan out. However, when you really broke them down, the comparisons didn’t entirely add up; Reed is heavier than both and a different type of player.

Age is Just a Number

There are a lot of factors working against Tarris. His age, the potentially historic draft class, career inconsistency, and overall game trends can all be docked against him. After all these optimistic comparisons, the downsides need to be addressed.

College players at 6 ’10, 260 lbs. are usually one-and-done material. Even if they’re projects, most of the time they’ve been developed in an NBA organization, not the program. All of the comparisons above were five stars, making Reed’s Top 40 four-star ranking out of high school look pedestrian.

Reed represents a different path because he’s three years older. But let’s investigate that a little further.

First, the Juwan Howard factor. How would any of the above players have succeeded under a Howard regime? Second, the NIL landscape informs a lot of ‘stay or go ’ decisions now.

With no NIL around, maybe 15 years ago, Tarris heads to the NBA a year or two earlier with that coveted ‘raw potential’ label. Would Al Jefferson stay another year in college if a school offered more money than he’d make in the late lottery, which was where he fell? And if he somehow didn’t perform, every year in college would tank the sense of his potential, even though he eventually became a force inside.

What would Da’Ron Sharpe’s numbers look like if he stayed three more years? Would he average 19.5 ppg, 13.2 rpg, and 1.5 blocks per game in the NCAA tournament?

For a variety of reasons, Tarris took a little more time to cook. That’s okay! He’s not a senior citizen though; he’ll only be 23 next season. I understand the financial advantages a GM gets from a 19-year-old’s contract vs. a 23-year-old’s. But there are still risks.

A savvy GM should look at the March emergence and see an NBA-ready guy. Given how suddenly he flipped the switch, maybe there’s still more left to unlock. 

His measurements have a pretty good track record at the next level. There are more success stories for guys with Tarris’ combination of size and skill out there than cautionary tales. The college game is more like the G-League than ever before, so age shouldn’t be as big a knock on a player’s draft stock. This applies to Karaban as well, who surely would have gone to the NBA earlier without the benefits of NIL.

Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens threw Boston’s hat in the ring amid this offseason’s Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes. But Stevens could already be cooking up a backup plan in case his pursuit of the Greek Freak topples over.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported Friday morning that Boston could shift its interest from Antetokounmpo to Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III following the 26-year-old’s breakout season with New Orleans.

Murphy averaged 21.5 points through 66 games logged with the Pelicans last season, while setting career-highs with 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and a 47 percent shooting clip from the field. Still, while Murphy stands out as an intriguing fit for the Celtics, the interest he’s generating from Stevens and company remains predicated solely on how Giannis’ market plays out.

For the past week, Boston has led the race alongside the Heat as the primary frontrunners, according to the league’s rumor mill, while the Bucks desperately seek a way to sever ties with Antetokounmpo once and for all. So far, it’s been a lot of hearsay more than anything else, with the expectation that Giannis becomes the first major domino to fall this offseason.

Stevens, during his end-of-the-season press conference less than a week after Boston’s first-round playoff elimination, insinuated changes were on the horizon. He highlighted rim protection, prioritized easy looks at the rim, and acknowledged the increased difficulty of winning a championship with teams rapidly improving and fewer organizations tanking with intention, unlike this past year.

Murphy, as a target, checks a lot of boxes for the Celtics and their scheme to remain contenders in the Eastern Conference.

For starters, landing Murphy — unlike Giannis — could help Boston keep the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown duo intact. Murphy is under a four-year, $112 million contract signed with New Orleans, with three years left. He’s earning roughly $28 million in annual salary, posing a much easier avenue for Stevens to work with, compared to Antetokounmpo’s pending forced exit from Milwaukee, giving the Bucks zero leverage.

Murphy shot a career-best 37.9 percent from three last season and is among the league’s elite rising two-way wings. At 6-foot-8, Murphy has shown an ability to score off-ball, defend with versatility, and attack the rim with explosive athleticism. Plus, unlike Giannis, Stevens could strike a simple, easy one-for-one swap with New Orleans without having to search for a third team to facilitate a Murphy-to-Boston trade.

The Celtics have a trade exception large enough ($27.7 million) to make Murphy’s contract work, plus a price tag that isn’t nearly as high as Giannis’ presumed asking price either.

Boston also has a handful of future first-round picks — including the 27th overall selection in next Tuesday’s 2026 NBA Draft — to work with in assembling a trade package for Murphy if Stevens and the front office pursue that course of action.

Speaking of Plan Bs, Amick also reported that there’s interest in Derrick White. After consecutive Western Conference Finals exits and a second-round ousting this season, the Minnesota Timberwolves could again reshape their roster and have shown interest in trading for White. Salary-wise, Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle make sense as straight-up trade candidates and do make some sense for a Boston team needing frontcourt help, but dealing the All-Defensive First Teamer might be a bridge too far for Stevens.