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Rumors about LeBron James potentially returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a farewell tour this offseason have been flying around for months. Brian Windhorst of ESPN added fuel to that fire on Wednesday during a radio interview on ESPN Cleveland.

“There is a thought process out there in Los Angeles — and I think if the Cavs were interested in this, the Lakers would sit up at attention right now — that they would sign-and-trade LeBron for Jarrett Allen,” Windhorst said. “And I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they could have LeBron.

“Obviously, LeBron would have to want to sign with the Cavs. But your pathway to pay LeBron the money is to trade Jarrett Allen for him. The Lakers would kill for Jarrett Allen. Kill for him! They would do that deal in 17 tenths of a second.”

Even if the Cavaliers were willing to send Allen to the Lakers for LeBron in a sign-and-trade, they’d have other obstacles to overcome. But as Windhorst said, that would be their cleanest path to add LeBron this offseason unless he’s willing to sign a veteran-minimum contract with them.

How realistic is a LeBron/Allen S&T?

If the Cavaliers were to acquire LeBron via a sign-and-trade, that would hard-cap them at the first apron for the entire 2026-27 league year.

Current projections have the first apron landing at roughly $209 million. The Cavs are currently projected to have more than $222 million in salary on their books for next season, although that figure includes James Harden’s $42.3 million player option. Harden is widely expected to decline that option and sign a multiyear deal at a lower annual salary to help the Cavs duck below the second apron.

Allen is set to earn $28 million flat this coming season. Unless LeBron agreed to take significantly less than that, he wouldn’t help bring much financial relief to the Cavs. They’d likely have to look at salary-dumping Max Strus ($16.7 million), Dennis Schröder ($14.8 million) and/or Sam Merrill ($9.2 million) to give themselves enough flexibility under the first apron to round out their roster after acquiring LeBron.

If the Cavaliers did acquire LeBron via sign-and-trade, they’d also potentially price themselves out of being able to re-sign Dean Wade, Keon Ellis or any other free agent who’s expected to receive more than a minimum contract. That’s not a problem for the Lakers to worry about, though. On their end, the transaction would be easy to swing regardless of whether they operate as an over-the-cap team or a cap-space team.

If the Lakers went the over-the-cap route, they could sign-and-trade LeBron for Allen while maintaining their free-agent rights to Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard and the rest of their free agents. Choosing this path would hard-cap them at the second apron, but they’re already hard-capped there after sending cash to the New York Knicks to trade up for Cameron Carr, so that’s inconsequential.

If the Lakers went the cap-space route, they could absorb Allen into their $50-plus million of potential cap space. However, they might have to renounce their rights to both Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes to create that kind of wiggle room.

Dave McMenamin of ESPN recently reported that Luka Dončić has been in “constant communication” with the Lakers this offseason and has made it clear that he wants them to add an “A-list center.” It’s unclear whether Allen fits that mold, although Dončić has had plenty of success with his archetype in the past.

Allen isn’t a three-point-shooting “unicorn” big man. He’s hit exactly 20 threes across his nine-year NBA career, 11 of which came within his first two seasons. A grand majority of his offense comes within 10 feet of the basket. He’s not much of a pick-and-pop threat.

However, he’s a sturdy screen-setter and would be a potentially potent pick-and-roll partner for Dončić. Allen averaged 3.4 points per game off rolls this past season, which was tied for the eighth-highest mark leaguewide. He’s a strong rebounder and a decent shot-blocker, too.

If the Lakers don’t believe they can make a realistic run at Jalen Duren or Walker Kessler in restricted free agency, Allen might be the best available option this offseason. He just turned 28 in April, too, so he isn’t far off from Dončić in age.

Trading LeBron for Allen would be a clear downgrade in terms of talent, but it would better balance the roster by solving the Lakers’ need for an upgrade at center. Since LeBron could hypothetically leave them empty-handed by signing elsewhere in free agency, getting something of real value for him would be better than that alternative.

If LeBron does leave this offseason, the Lakers probably won’t receive a massive haul for him. However, the Cavaliers likely would require the Lakers’ cooperation since a sign-and-trade seems like the most realistic pathway for them to acquire LeBron.

That could result in the Lakers landing a former All-Star center who’s smack dab in the middle of his prime.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

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Britain's Tobi Lawal says he is going to "live" in the gym as he bids to establish himself as an NBA player after being selected in the NBA Draft.

The 23-year-old was picked 48th overall by the Dallas Mavericks after two years as a starter in the college game at Virginia Tech.

The 6ft 8in forward only began playing competitive basketball when he was 16 and developed his game with the City of London Academy.

He then left south London to play at high school in Maine before spending his first two years in college at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Like many prospects selected in the second round, he is viewed as a project player so will now focus on "getting a better feel for the game".

"I hope this provides inspiration to young kids that anything is possible," he said.

"I'm touching close to what I could be and how good I could become. I definitely believe that it can help me become as great as I want to be.

"In London it is hard to get in the gym. Now the gym is right next to my house. I love being in the gym. I love growth - as a person, in my faith and as a player. Now I can do that, I'm going to live there."

Lawal was one of 30 players picked during the second round of the NBA Draft in New York, which concluded on Wednesday.

The first 30 players were picked on Tuesday, with the Washington Wizards selecting former Brigham Young University small forward AJ Dybantsa first overall.

• Which British players are in the NBA?
• NBA Finals winner Anunoby predicts UK basketball boom

Who are the winners of the draft?

The draft can help NBA franchises turn around their fortunes, while relatively unheralded prospects can become NBA legends.

Victor Wembanyama, for example, was the first overall pick in 2023 and he not only helped the San Antonio Spurs end their play-off drought this year but they went all the way to the NBA Finals.

They were beaten by the New York Knicks, with this year's Finals Most Valuable Player being Jalen Brunson, a second-round pick in 2018. Others include Nikola Jokic, Draymond Green and Dennis Rodman.

The Washington Wizards had this year's first pick and were expected to go for 19-year-old AJ Dybantsa instead of point guard Darryn Peterson after giving Trae Young a contract extension.

After a 17-65 record last season, the Wizards are expected to improve with the 6ft 9in Dybantsa joining a core which includes Young and Anthony Davis, and they hope to reach the play-offs for the first time since 2020-21.

With the second pick the Utah Jazz had to choose between Peterson and power forward Cam Boozer, son of Jazz legend Carlos, who now works in their front office.

Yet they plumped for Peterson so the Memphis Grizzlies took Boozer, who won multiple awards as a freshman with Duke last season, with the third pick.

They also collected five future second-round picks to move back from 16 to 21 in the first round, where they made 19-year-old Karim Lopez the first Mexican-born player to be drafted in the first round.

The 6ft 8in forward was the highest-rated prospect in this year's class from an international league having played for the New Zealand Breakers the past two seasons.

The Grizzliesalso acquired former first-round pickIsaiah Stewart and with the 32nd pick selected versatile guard Richie Saunders, who is 25 and was a late bloomer after serving a two-year church mission prior to starting college.

Despite finishing with the NBA's top record for the second straight year, the Oklahoma City Thunder had two top-16 picks.

They were expected to challenge for back-to-back championships but were upset by San Antonio in this year's play-offs.

The Spurs, led by the 7ft 4in Wembanyama, could be OKC's biggest rival in the Western Conference for years to come so they remedied that by using the 12th pick on 7ft 3in Spanish centre Aday Mara. They then added point guard Bennett Stirtz with the 16th pick.

Trades agreed for Antetokounmpo and Ball

Several teams traded picks and players this week as they aim to rebuild their roster for the 2026-27 season, with two big-name veterans set for blockbuster moves.

Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to join the Miami Heat, with the Milwaukee Bucks choosing Miami's package over that of the Boston Celtics, which would have included their five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown.

The Bucks used one of the picks they acquired from Miami to select Tennessee forward Nate Ament 13th overall, shortly after taking Arizona guard Brayden Burries with the 10th pick.

The 2021 champions then completed the draft by selecting Malique Lewis of Trinidad and Tobago with the 60th and final pick. The 21-year-old forward has spent the past two seasons playing for South East Melbourne Phoenix.

Miami's anticipated trade for Antetokounmpo, though, has transformed them from afterthoughts to legitimate contenders, with their championship odds having been slashed in half this week.

Only Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Boston and the New York Knicks are seen as having a better chance of becoming the 2027 NBA champions.

This week's other big trade has seen the Charlotte Hornets agree to send guards LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves, in exchange for Naz Reid and a host of draft picks, according to reports.

Minnesota, who lost to San Antonio in the play-offs, made the moves after star player Anthony Edwards said he would ask for a trade if they did not build a championship-level roster around him.

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With free agency about to start in the coming days, the Milwaukee Bucks have an answer in regards to the future of center Jericho Sims.

According to HoopsHype Insider Michael Scotto, Sims will exercise this $2.8 million option to remain with the Bucks for the 2026-27 campaign.

Sims played in 67 games for the Bucks last season, averaging 5.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for Milwaukee.

With the roster looking very different compared to last year after the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, there is a lot of opportunity for players to earn minutes and roles within the roster. Sims will likely compete with Kel’el Ware and Myles Turner (if he’s on the roster by the start of the season) for playing time at the center position.

Sims began his career as the No. 58 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft by the New York Knicks out of the University of Texas. Sims spent the first three years of his career with the Knicks before being traded in the middle of his fourth season from the Knicks to the Bucks. Sims had his first full year in Milwaukee during the 2025-26 campaign and showed flashes of potential throughout the year.

With the Bucks entering a new era under head coach Taylor Jenkins, it will be intriguing to see how he fits into Milwaukee’s new system and how much he can grow as a player.

Brew Hoop community, how do you feel about Sims’ return to the Bucks? Let us know in the comments section below.

The 2026 NBA Draft is over. We let our immediate thoughts marinate and after sitting in the Toronto Raptors’ post-draft press conference availability, here are our final grades:

Rebecca: B

Allen Graves

It’s not hard to see why the Raptors see value here. An obvious option as a pick and pop player with solid shooting last season. He has good size and can probably contribute as a spacer immediately if his numbers stay consistent with the jump to the NBA. Graves had a fairly small sample size (only 93 attempts).

I also don’t love some of his decision-making, especially in the paint. This could be due to a lack of capable shooters around him in Santa Clara but he forces possessions inside rather than kicking to the open shooter. That should be easy to fix, especially with options like Walter and Barrett in the corner.

Overall – I think most of us agree that we wanted a centre or point guard.

Jaden Bradley

A point guard! 

For what’s available at this point in the draft, I really like this pick. He’s a big guard who has plenty of experience in his four years in college. He can easily slot in and support off the bench which matches the Raptors’ timeline a little bit better.

He’s shown drastic improvement defensively, and with solid three-point shooting, he can help space the floor for the bench.

Josiah: B+

The Raptors made two very Raptors picks in Graves at No. 19 and Bradley at No. 50. Both have intriguing defensive potential, with Graves’ sky-high steal rate at Santa Clara a key pillar in his analytics-friendly profile and Bradley’s point-of-attack defensive pressure. Both have questions on the offensive side of the ball. The wisdom of the crowds (and it is a very crowded mock draft space indeed) has Graves ranked a little lower than No. 19, and Bradley a little higher than No. 50, but the fit in Toronto could smooth both of those pre-draft projections.

Toronto has drafted at least one player in the 6’7-6’9 height range in every draft since 2020. They’ve taken a player from college with every pick since Bruno Caboclo (now only two years away!) in 2014. Grades for players approximately four seconds into their NBA careers aren’t exactly a science, but in a draft process that’s more art anyways, I’ll trust the quality draft history.

Kristian: A-

It’s become a tradition synonymous with this time of the NBA calendar for Raptors fans. We get ourselves excited – and attached – to players we’ve invested hours watching on YouTube or reading about during commutes. When it’s finally time for our picks to be announced, we stand or sit in front of the TV with bated breath, before subsequently going through a violent swing of emotions because the Raptors front-office again chose to go with what they believe internally.

While we’ve had our misses, the Raptors have traditionally drafted well, particularly with later first-rounders. I believe Allen Graves will join a growing list of prospects we eventually learn to be grateful for. If most things fall into place, Graves could provide Head Coach Darko Rajakovic with an Al Horford-Boris Diaw type of player. At pick 19, that’s an absolute steal, knowing how much of a two-way force both players were. Go watch some footage of either player in their primes and tell me that archetype wouldn’t look great next to Scottie Barnes.

As for Jaden Bradley, there’s immense value in bringing on a senior with an established portfolio. The 2025-26 Big 12 Player of the Year is expected to come in and challenge the veterans.

That’s the goal of these young guys, to push the player ahead in the depth chart,” said Assistant General Manager Dan Tolzman. “He’s not going to take a back seat.”

“He’ll come in and fight.”

Julian: A-

Allen Graves

Graves is the prototypical Raptors pick. A big forward with two-way chops who the Raptors won’t have to hide on defence. I understand the logic behind the Graves pick: Vision 6’9″ and all of that, but after adding Collin Murray-Boyles last year, I believed that we were finally in a position to start drafting for fit.

Free agency is never a sure thing for Toronto, and while our reputation has improved greatly since the 1990s and 2000s, the Raptors have never been a destination for FAs, which is part of the reason I am wary about the belief the franchise has in being able to add size and guard play without the draft. 

I think Graves has the potential to slot in well into lineups as a backup forward where CMB is playing the 5, but I am concerned that due to the similarity of play-style between him, Boyles, and Scottie, he won’t get the minutes he deserves to prove that he can hang with the big dogs, just like CMB benefited so much from last year. Nevertheless, if anyone can develop Graves, it would be us. I was shocked at last year’s pick and have been extremely pleased with the results. I’m willing to give my faith to the Raptors again.

Jaden Bradley

If the first round is about taking swings at prospects, second round conservatism is far from a bad thing. Bradley has shown what he can do on the college court, and taking a senior for the experience amidst a bunch of players all hitting that 22-24 age range is a great idea for team fit.

Bradley looked cool, calm, collected, and in control during March Madness, and getting that level of veteran talent out of the draft is more than worth it. 3-and-D is a phrase that has been overused ad nauseam, but Bradley himself has made it clear that he sees that as a big part of his role here in Toronto

Getting a guard that will be hard to either target on defence or sag off during offence is always going to be a good move, and will save the energies of Scottie Barnes and CMB, redirecting defensive attention where it is really necessary. Having someone else to drop dimes and shoot threes alongside – or in stead of – Quickley and Shead is not a bad thing at all. And if the minutes aren’t there, time in the G-League is nothing to be ashamed of in this franchise – Bradley will bring high quality play alongside intangibles wherever the Raptors choose to slot him in. 

Austin Reaves’ new $185-million deal guarantees him a deal richer than any undrafted player has ever received.

The deal coming in at such a big number might have Laker fans thinking they just offered him the max and got it over with, but that’s far from the case.

Reaves mentioned feeling relief that an agreement was reached, and that’s likely because, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Lakers weren’t initially offering him a max deal.

On Thursday’s episode of “First Take,” Windhorst said the Lakers were offering Reaves much less, putting his future with the team in question.

“Austin Reaves, from what I understand, two days ago was somewhere around $30 million a year in his offer from the Lakers. A very good contract. It is a far cry from what they offered him yesterday. What they offered him yesterday and what he agreed to was more than $45 million a year. That’s a 50 percent increase in like 24 hours. That’s why Austin Reaves was falling down on the golf course yesterday. Because he got his contract offer up 50 percent.”

With teams like the Pistons reportedly interested in signing Reaves, the Lakers likely felt pressure to pay him the max and avoid the risk of him going elsewhere.

Of course, paying him less would’ve been ideal for the franchise, but even less ideal would’ve been watching Reaves flourish in Detroit and having fans wonder why LA let a homegrown talent like that walk away.

The Lakers couldn’t risk that, so they did the smart thing and paid Reaves the max to ensure he’d remain in Los Angeles.

The Lakers’ front office does deserve credit for being tough negotiators here. They tried to get a deal done for less than the max, but didn’t mess around when it became clear that’s what it would take to keep him.

Now, the Lakers have their backcourt locked up, and considering how quickly they reportedly went from an offer around $30 million to one over $45 million, it’s unlikely there are any hurt feelings over this process.

In free agency, the market dictates what one is worth. Clearly, there was some interest in Reaves as a max player from other teams, so the Lakers stepped up and made sure they had a fair offer on the table.

But before they just gave Reaves a higher number, they tried to do something team-friendly, and that was a good way to go through this process.

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