Worldwide Sports News

Companies that build data centers don’t just pollute the environment, waste water, drive up electric rates, and dodge taxes. Sometimes they also sponsor NBA jersey patches.

NEWS: The Warriors signed a new jersey patch deal with AI cloud firm Iren. The multi-year agreement is the richest sponsorship in the history of North American team sports at an average of more than $50 million per year. pic.twitter.com/dA6cC6qyQr

— Kurt Badenhausen (@kbadenhausen) June 25, 2026

An “AI cloud firm” called Iren has agreed to replace Rakuten as the jersey patch sponsor for the Golden State Warriors in a deal that’s reportedly worth $50M per season. For context, that’s enough to pay for 7 1/4 Al Horfords, 10.8 Gui Santoses, or over 58 Pat Spencers!

IREN Ltd. is an Australian company that actually seems less evil than the usual data center operator. They’re still primarily used for artificial intelligence cloud services and Bitcoin mining, both obviously cool pursuits for both individuals and the entire United States economy to focus on. However, Iren claims that their centers use only renewable energy, purchased from “clean or renewable sources” like solar or wind. Of course, they provide a disclaimer that sometimes they use “renewable energy certificates” which are like carbon offsets. It’s basically a certificate that says, yes we used fossil fuels, but we’re going to pay someone who did create renewable energy because we feel bad about it.

It’s still better than a non-renewable energy data center company.

This deal isn’t just for the Warriors jersey patch. The deal extends to Iren branding on the warmup gear of the Valkyries and the jerseys of the G League Santa Cruz Warriors, along with signage throughout the Chase Center.

But according to the Warriors’ chief commercial officer, Mike Kitts, this deal isn’t about the money, silly! The Warriors made the deal in order to “push the boundaries of innovation on a global scale and create a lasting legacy across the Bay Area and beyond.” Which is exactly what every fan wanted the team to do this offseason: Push the boundaries of innovation — on a global scale. That’ll impress LeBron, right?

The Warriors will also partner with this Australian company to do educational programs promoting “STEAM” — that’s the normal STEM, plus arts, because children still need to be educated in the discipline that artificial intelligence is actively destroying. They’ll also donate 10,000 Warriors jerseys each year to underserved communities and refurbish basketball courts.

It’s a very lucrative arrangement for the Warriors, especially since they still have a partnership with former jersey sponsor Rakuten. Unfortunately, their previous lucrative deal with FTX is probably not coming back, no matter how much Steph Curry and Shaquille O’Neal might want it to.

He put on all that mime makeup for nothing!

How does this affect the casual fan? Not really at all, aside from one annoying jersey patch being replaced by another annoying jersey patch. However, the Warriors may need to brace themselves for a late-night barrage of Truth Social posts from the president because he mistakenly thinks the team has signed a sponsorship deal with Iran.

“Mouthy Steve Kerr of the FAILING Golden State Warriors, who was very unfair to Jonathan Kuminga, need to tell IRAN to OPEN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ and start running more big beautiful pick and rolls for Steph Curry. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

This big-money partnership with an Australian company does explain some other previously-inexplicable Warriors decisions. Namely, drafting Australian Alex Toohey with the No. 52 pick and signing Tasmanian Taran Armstrong to a two-way contract. Did they truly believe in these prospects from Down Under who never played a minute in the NBA or was this just a clever ruse to get on the good side of a company that was going to give them enough money to pay for 23 1/4 Will Richards?

Regardless, it’s time to say “G’Day” to Iren! Please don’t steal/pollute all our water!

When Larry Bird entered the NBA, he had plenty of doubters. He didn’t pass the eye test: he was slow, couldn’t jump, and was ghostly white.

Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan figured it out quickly. Writing in Basketball Weekly, early in Bird’s rookie season, he explained what people didn’t get about Bird.

To be clear, Cameron Boozer is not Larry Bird, but like a lot of guys who are perceived as slow and not as athletic as they might be, he’s getting that particular tag.

Skip Bayless, not always the sharpest knife in the drawer, is beating that drum, tweeting this out on X: “Love his dad but don’t love-love Cameron Boozer in the NBA. Just not that explosively athletic. But he is a very good, extremely well-taught basketball player who will give you all he has every night and provide solid leadership.” 

First, good to know he loves Carlos, but maybe he forgot that the elder Boozer had a similar rap coming out of college and was actually a second-round pick, going to Cleveland with the 35th pick.

At the time, people questioned his athleticism, his lack of verticality, and worried that he was a ‘tweener, too small for center and not quick enough for power forward. They worried about his shot, too, and questioned his foot speed.

Any of this ringing a bell?

Well, things worked out okay for Carlos, and Cameron enters the league as a vastly more skilled young player than was his father.

Whatever you can say about Cameron, his fundamentals, his grasp of the game, and his sheer intelligence have been major factors in his success.

Red Auerbach, patriarch of the Boston Celtics, liked to simplify the game. About Boozer, he might have said, look, he can shoot, he can rebound, he can pass, he plays defense, and he doesn’t screw up very often. What’s not to like?

• ‘Not that explosively athletic’: Skip Bayless Doubts Cameron Boozer’s Talent after 2026 NBA Draft Pick
• Cam Boozer is already winning over Grizzlies fans after intro press conference
• Utah Jazz Owner Talks Cameron Boozer After Selecting Darryn Peterson
• Utah Jazz Owner Talks Cameron Boozer After Selecting Darryn Peterson

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

Good morning.

Yes, it was not all some dream or nightmare. LaMelo Ball will be suiting up for the Minnesota Timberwolves next season.

I was able to have a quick question and answer session with The Athletic‘s Mike Vorkunov, a national NBA and basketball business reporter for that outlet. He has covered the Charlotte Hornets, among the rest of the association, in his time with The Athletic.

Here was our conversation:

---

Leo Sun: Thanks for taking the time to chat with me. I would love to get your perspective on the blockbuster LaMelo Ball trade. My first question for you is that many Wolves fans, myself included, are concerned about LaMelo’s character off-court issues. Would you say there’s a general misconception about him, or is some of it warranted?

Mike Vorkunov: Ball has definitely had a number of off-court incidents. Those were public and documented. There’s no escaping it. The perception was that he matured last year, even as he continued to run into some problems. Hornets people claimed he also got better on the court and in regards to basketball too. He seemed to find a good relationship with head coach Charles Lee. We’ll see if that sticks in a new place and under a new coach and in a new role. Ball will have to be more refined and more consistent playing for a team trying to win at the level the Wolves are.

Sun: Interesting. Finch is certainly a no-nonsense coach who’s tough even on his star players, so that relationship will be fascinating to watch. Moving to on to basketball, how concerned would you be about the long-term health of LaMelo?

Vorkunov: It’s definitely an important question. Last season, he played in 70-plus games for just the second time in his six year career. The Hornets metered his minutes at times and did their best to get him through the season. It’s hard to say if he can repeat that. Injuries can he hard to predict and we don’t have all the information when it comes to that. The Wolves are certainly counting on him being a reliable partner to Anthony Edwards, and unlike in the East, every game will matter not just for seeding but to get into the playoffs.

Sun: I agree that health is always an unpredictable variable. I would hope Wolves President of Basketball Operations, Tim Connelly, and his medical staff did their homework on LaMelo’s ankles. He is coming from the same organization that dealt with the whole “Mark Williams failed physical” saga after all. Well, if there’s something Wolves fans should know about LaMelo, what would it be?

Vorkunov: LaMelo is supremely talented. That gets lost sometimes. He had a hugely positive on-court impact for the Hornets last season with one of the biggest on and off court point differentials. He can change a lot of things for Minnesota if everything is right.

Sun: I think that’s sometimes forgotten between all the memes and wild antics or quotes. Talent does win in this league. There certainly isn’t a more tantalizing and talented backcourt duo than LaMelo and Anthony Edwards now. How do you think their pairing will go?

Vorkunov: It’ll definitely be interesting. Edwards has never played with someone like Ball. Even Karl-Anthony Towns was not the same kind of high usage player. But he should help and I think the pairing could work. It’ll be a lot harder for teams to key in on Edwards now and they should be able to have a very good playmaker on the court when he sits. But there’s a chance this lifts the ceiling for the team in a way they couldn’t reach with Randle and Reid. It could also go very wrong. That’s the beauty of a fun trade like this.

Sun: The Wolves will either win the championship or not! It’s a 50-50 chance. This will definitely make next season something Minnesota fans will be following. Thank you for your time!

---

I appreciated the time that Mike took to answer some quick questions. If you want to check out more of his work, make sure to read this free article that both he and our very own Jon Krawczynski teamed up on yesterday.

Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

In our previous Reacts survey, we asked fans the obvious question when a franchise trades its most decorated player of all time: do you approve of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade return? Well, the results were clear, with nearly three-quarters of respondents voting in the affirmative.

Of course, a key component of this trade package was the 13th pick, which the Bucks used (in principle) to select Nate Ament, a polarising prospect out of Tennessee with a low floor but a high ceiling. Still, the overwhelming majority of fans were optimistic about the selection.

And finally, the Bucks also had pick 10, which was their own selection. They selected Brayden Burries, an exciting do-it-all combo guard out of Arizona. Needless to say, fans viewed this pick as something of a home run.

In summary, these results indicate that the fanbase is largely optimistic about the package the Bucks received to kickstart what will be a multiyear rebuild; the Heat’s offer of draft picks, young players, and assets satisfied fans and gave them optimism about the Bucks moving forward. Additionally, fans approved of the Bucks’ first moves after the trade, with both Burries and Ament projected to be key pillars in the franchise’s long-term vision.

Check out FanDuel, the official sportsbook of SB Nation.

The offseason drama continues.

Sam Amick released an article today on The Athletic surrounding Jalen Duren and his contract negotiations with the Detroit Pistons.

Amick said:

All-NBA forward Jalen Duren was underwhelmed by the Detroit Pistons’ initial offer in restricted free agency and is planning to explore sign-and-trade scenarios when they are permitted on Tuesday, league sources told The Athletic.

Based on what we’ve heard back to last year about negotiations with Duren, the two parties have never gotten close to finding a middle ground on JD’s next contract. I’m not surprised that they feel underwhelmed by Detroit’s offer.

Amick also reported:

According to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiation is ongoing, the gap between the sides is large enough that Duren is considering ways to land elsewhere, with the sign-and-trade route deemed preferable to signing an offer sheet with another team that the Pistons could, and likely would, match. And with some of the game’s best players potentially available this summer, including the Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown and the LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard, the question now becomes whether the Pistons might be willing to engage in those sorts of scenarios when that time comes.

We’ve heard Detroit wants to go big-game hunting and that sure makes it a lot easier to do when you have a 22-year-old All-NBA center to use as bait.

Trajan Langdon doesn’t seem like a guy who’s willing to lose on the margins. He seems to set his price and he sticks to it, whether that’s for a new Jalen Duren contract or a trade for a player like Tyler Herro or Trey Murphy III. After JD’s playoff performance, it’s fair that Detroit is hesitant. However, he’s also an All-NBA player who’s younger than some of the rookies that got drafted on Tuesday night.

This offseason has already been fascinating and that seems like it’s only going to continue over the next week or two. We knew that the Isaiah Stewart trade of getting money off their books was Step One for a bigger move and this could be it – though, those are two big holes in the center position that they’ll need to fill.

Here are a couple quick thoughts on potential Jalen Duren sign-and-trades:

• Boston – Jaylen Brown
• Brooklyn – Michael Porter Jr
• Charlotte – LaMelo Ball TPE + picks
• LA Lakers – Austin Reaves
• Milwaukee – Ryan Rollins + Myles Turner
• New Orleans – Trey Murphy III

Get your popcorn ready.

Go Stones.

A couple of pieces of news happened on Thursday as it pertains to the roster for next season.

First, Buddy Hield was acquired by the Hawks last trade deadline as part of a move that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Golden State for the real centerpiece of the trade: Jonathan Kuminga. While Hield’s main contribution was as a veteran presence cheering from the bench or leading in the locker room, it’s still possible the Hawks or another team could have interest in bringing him back for 2026-27.

Hield has just $3 million of his $9.66 million salary guaranteed for next season, and the deadline for the team to decide on guaranteeing that larger figure or waiving him was tomorrow. But both sides have mutually agreed to push back that date according to Chris Haynes of Prime:

Sources: Atlanta Hawks and sharpshooter Buddy Hield have agreed to push back the guaranteed deadline date on his contract so both sides have more time to flush out options. Of his $9.7M salary, $3M is fully guaranteed. Deadline was today. pic.twitter.com/1P9oBgiGi5

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 25, 2026

Mouhamed Gueye’s situation is a lot less murky. Next season will be his fourth year in the NBA after three years of ascent into a monster defender and overall NBA rotation player. Gueye signed a four-year second-round pick exception deal with a fourth-year option worth around $2.41 million.

Now, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first reports that the Hawks will pick that option up so as to not lose the wiry Senegalese frontcourt player for no return:

In Tuesday’s NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks drafted the highly-touted Brayden Burries with the 10th overall pick. It was a strong selection, with Burries generally regarded as the best player available. But it was Milwaukee’s other pick—Tennessee’s Nate Ament, taken with the 13th overall selection courtesy of the Miami Heat—that generated the most talk. Just look at your comments. It’s understandable too—Ament entered the draft as the most polarising prospect, with critics widely labelling him as the first round pick most likely to “bust.” 

They’re wrong. 

Ament might not be the Bucks’ hero right now, but he’s one of the few who can walk that path—and he’s already on it. 

The Hero’s Journey 

The son of parents who took part in relief efforts in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide, Ament knows a thing or two about the hero’s journey. And while his path might be less humanitarian—certainly infinitely less consequential—it can still have a profound impact. 

Popularised by Joseph Campbell, the literary hero’s journey traditionally has more steps. Still, it’s a useful framework for understanding Ament’s path: a rise to prominence, a fall into uncertainty, and the chance to emerge stronger.

1. Comfort 

Ament’s story starts in silk. A consensus five-star recruit, he dominated the high school scene, earning selection in both the 2024 USA Men’s U18 National Team, which won gold at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup, and the 2025 USA Men’s Nike Hoop Summit Team. In fact, he was so good in high school that ESPN’s Jonathon Givony described him as “a top-five recruit and the best available high school boys’ basketball prospect in the 2025 class.” This was his comfort. But comfort never lasts long—not when the call to adventure arrives. 

2. Challenge

Following the triumph of high school, Ament committed to the University of Tennessee in part because of Coach Rick Barnes, who coached Ament’s idol, Kevin Durant, 19 years earlier at the University of Texas. But despite his immense talent—and similar size and style to Durant—Ament’s lone season with the Volunteers was filled with turbulence. Inconsistencies, struggles at the rim and with physicality, injury. Challenge.

As a result, the criticism grew; his stock lowered. Ament went from being a consensus top five player to being projected in the teens—and even as late as the 20s. Draft night then became visibly painful, every lingering close-up on Ament’s face another critique, another interrogation into his worth. As such, Jon Horst and the Bucks were able to nab him with their 13th pick instead of their 10th.

3. Transformation  

While Ament’s selection was met with mixed reviews, especially by Bucks fans, it comes at a perfect time. Like Ament, the Bucks are accustomed to external criticism. And, like Ament, they are at a point of transformation; down which path do they venture?

Regardless of the answer, one thing’s for sure: the Bucks have a new head coach and a whole lot of youth. Luckily, then, they also have Joe Boylan, CLA guru, whose mentorship will provide Ament the knowledge, opportunity, and perspective to flourish. Even better, he’s done it before.

An archetype

Like Ament, Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels was a highly-touted high school prospect, a five-star recruit who was ranked among the top 10 in his class—and even projected by Givony as a potential number one overall pick in a draft that included his eventual teammates Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. But he too underwhelmed in college, slipping in big boards and mock drafts until he finally fell into the Timberwolves’ lap with the 28th pick—and was put to work with none other than Boylan.

The similarities don’t stop there. Both stand a slender ~6’10”, though Ament is already listed some 20 pounds heavier (211 lbs vs. 185 lbs, according to Basketball Reference). Heck, both even garnered the same pre-draft player comparison on NBADraft.net, Jonathon Isaac. And while Ament has often been profiled for his offensive potential, especially as a shooter, he’s also been projected by Givony as someone who has the “the ability to defend all over the court.” Considering the lessons we learned from this year’s playoffs, and how valuable forwards are, there’s even more reason for optimism. Of course, as with any journey, there’s work to be done.

First steps 

First, Ament must deal with the vitriol. Mute the haters, keep the receipts. Whatever the strategy, the drop must fuel not fester. Second, embrace the grind. Find comfort in discomfort. Embrace Boylan and Jenkins and whatever veteran leaders this squad finds (this needs to be a point of emphasis for Horst—just look at how the San Antonio Spurs prioritised Bismack Biyombo, Kelly Olynyk, and Harrison Barnes to guide their prized youth).

Third, Ament must find his niche, his ticket to court time. While there’s no clear hierarchy on this Bucks team, there’s plenty of guys to feed. But there aren’t many forwards, especially of the defensive variety. So, Ament must focus on this, using his size and fluidity to contend and contain and contest. To wreak havoc. On the other end, he should focus on, as Jack Trehearne pointed out to me, getting his shooting to the dangerous level it was leading up to his freshman year at Tennessee. In other words, save the “big stuff”—the isolation scoring, the creation for others—for an encore.

Then he can really shock the world; complete the arc. 

---

From foe to locker mate: Yaxel Lendeborg embraces full-circle Steph Curry moment originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Warriors draft pick Yaxel Lendeborg uttered six words that almost shunned him from Dub Nation before even putting on a Golden State jersey.

“I used to hate Steph Curry.”

Lendeborg, after being taken by the Warriors with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, shared that Kyrie Irving was his favorite player, so by default with three consecutive NBA Finals clashes between Golden State and the Cleveland Cavaliers, he was rooting against Curry and the Warriors.

Ten years later, not only is Lendeborg a Warrior, but his locker is directly next to his former nemesis-turned teammate.

Was that intentional? Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy pointed the finger at team equipment manager Eric Housen. Lendeborg, however, believes so.

“Ironically, they put my locker right next to Steph, so I know we got a lot of work to do to become best friends,” Lendeborg said Friday morning at his introductory press conference at Chase Center. “But definitely excited that I’m going to be able to learn as much as I can through him. Hopefully, some of his shooting can roll off on me, and we can go a long way.”

Lendeborg will replace former Warriors guard Buddy Hield’s locker.

Hield joined the team during the 2024-25 season and quickly became integrated into the family-like culture in Golden State. That is the hope for Lendeborg, who’s known for his bubbly and goofy personality.

Outside the locker room, too, Lendeborg feels he’s the perfect fit for the Warriors on the court.

“As far as personality-wise, it seemed like they really loved me as a person, and that always goes a long way to making a good first impression,” Lendeborg said. “Just speaking with them as much as I could, we spoke about how I can envision myself playing on the court this year, and it was all good things, all things that I enjoy doing, all things that I feel like are the right thing and simple thing to do on a basketball court. So I feel like I just fit this game perfectly.

“So I mean, I was very excited to be here working out with these guys, and just showcase that I can be able to stretch the floor out and be able to help, be a secondary ball handler whenever it’s needed. So I feel like it just went a long way. It just showed the character of these guys and the kind of players they’re looking for, not just basketball-wise, but players person-wise.”

Lendeborg also shared that Curry added both him and Warriors second-round draft pick LaJae Jones to the team group chat immediately after the draft.

He also texted both Curry and Draymond Green individually on Thursday, adding that Curry responded but Green hadn’t yet. Green, of course, will respond eventually, and likely have plenty more to say since the two exchanged barbs about their college teams.

Green, a Michigan State alum, already took shots at Lendeborg on Instagram, who played one season at the University of Michigan.

The other Warriors star veteran, Jimmy Butler, shared his stamp of approval of Lendeborg, telling reporters Thursday that he likes that the 23-year-old speaks his mind and that “he’s going to be very good.”

Coming in as a rookie on a team full of future Hall of Fame veterans, who have nothing short of big personalities themselves, can be quite intimidating. Lendeborg, however, doesn’t want to hide his outgoing nature.

“I don’t want to change myself, no matter where I go,” he said. “Being myself got me here, so I’m just trying to be as happy-go-lucky as I’ve always been, keep a smile on my face, try to enlighten the room, and make everybody happy around me.”

It hasn’t even been a full week yet and, as expected, Lendeborg’s phone has been blowing up. Childhood friends, former teammates, former coaches. But the “craziest” message he received was from someone, 10 years ago, he would have never expected.

Steph Curry.

“Definitely, Steph, that was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Lendeborg said. “I called all my friends and we all went crazy about it.”

From Steph Curry hater to Steph Curry teammate to Steph Curry lockermate: a full-circle moment truly like no other. But it’s the first step of a rookie-vet relationship that hopes to be pivotal for the Warriors as they continue to build a “win-now” roster.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

The Toronto Raptors’ first round draft pick was shocking because of just how predictable it was.

Allen Graves is not only viewed extremely favourably from an analytics standpoint, but is the archetypical Toronto Raptors player: a defensively minded forward who plays well on both sides of the ball. A one and done college player, the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year is a decorated forward who when stacked with Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles, could be a part of a group that – while too short to be a Trio of Towers – could have serious lockdown impact.

But, it seems that the fans might need some time to come around to the rookie.

In this FanDuel sponsored survey, a whopping 50% of Raptors HQ readers polled looked upon the pick as a bad move for the Raptors, with less than a quarter of people answering that they saw it as an above-average pick.

This likely reflects less on an assessment of Graves’ skills, but rather, subverted expectations that led to short-term disappointment. Creator @5starsportz on TikTokn exemplifies this, with his video about the Raptors passing on guard Labaron Philon Jr. reaching more than 30,000 views and nearly 7000 likes at the time of writing.

Philon Jr. was mocked at falling to 19, but was ultimately passed on by the Raptors in favour of Graves. This came as a shock to many fans, who identified guard play and a new centre as major priorities for the team to address with the draft. Still, the Raptors are betting on what’s worked for them in the past. Collin Murray-Boyles is in some respects a variant of the Scottie Barnes archetype, and was seen a superfluous pick at a position the Raptors already had a guy at. I think what has been underdiscussed is how cool it would be to have 3 guys who can play even half as well as Scottie Barnes.

Ultimately, I believe that the Raptors’ front office should be trusted with their decision. The draft is far from the only way to build up a team, and many of Toronto’s most important pieces have joined the team as trades. There are other ways to address the deficiencies of this team, and while taking a great centre or guard in the draft could have worked, searching for an upgrade or backup at either of the positions could be done just as easily in another way.

Graves will be the one who has to cash the cheque with his play that the Raptors wrote with their pick, however. But, if the forward remains tenacious on both ends of the ball and plays his role well, I see no reason why the Louisianian couldn’t flourish here in Toronto.

Welcome back to The Butterfly Effect! Last week, we discussed the Stephon Marbury and Anfernee Hardaway trade to the New York Knicks in 2004 and how it opened up the cap space for the Phoenix Suns to re-sign Steve Nash. That signing, of course, would lead to the Suns beginning one of their greatest eras in franchise history.

That was the beginning of the Steve Nash era. This week, I want to talk about the end. In 2012, the Phoenix Suns traded Steve Nash to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a sign-and-trade. Now, I believe that all pictures of Nash in a Lakers jersey should be burned, and we should all pretend it never happened. Today, though, we aren’t discussing #13 moving on to LA; we are discussing what the Lakers sent back to the Suns.

Seriously, though, look at this picture and tell me with a straight face that it doesn’t make you sick.

Before we get started, I have one more thing to add. One of my favorite comments last week was from Bright Side reader Zenzino, who said:

“That’s kind of a stretch to attribute the Nash signing to the Marbury/Hardaway trade. Why stop there? Everything is interconnected to some degree.”

Zenzino’s comment at the end is especially important. Everything is indeed interconnected to some degree. In fact, that is a portion of the thesis of this series. This week, we want to find out what names are linked to Nash that we might not have thought of before.

Furthermore, that interconnectedness will require us to make an amendment to the rules of the game this week:

• Subsequent trades count. If Player A was traded to Phoenix, played there for 2 years, and was traded again, that second trade is included in our analysis.
• We go until there is nothing left. The transaction chain continues until a player is waived or leaves in free agency
• All pieces returned will be analyzed. If the Suns received two players and one pick in the deal, we analyze the entire transaction tree of each asset.
• Partials count. If a player is received in a trade, then is flipped alongside two other players in a second trade, the full amount back in that second trade will be counted with the “(Partial)” title.
  • There is no real way to quantify the percentage of value that any one piece has in a trade, so this is how we will compromise. This way a player does not get full credit for value that they did not provide in a trade.
  • Amendment: Partials of partials will not be discussed. This week, you will see Ryan Anderson (Partial). The Suns received Ryan Anderson when they traded away Player X (Partial). We will count what Anderson did on the Suns, but not what the Suns received when they eventually traded him away. The asset dilution is such that if you go back far enough, almost the entire Suns Roster is a result of some trade or another. This keeps us focused on what the Suns got specifically for the player we are discussing, without diluting our analysis too much.
    • If a trade tree has reached a point of too much dilution, I will stop counting players towards our end total.
• Transaction tree branches will be listed in chronological order so that we can analyze the story that was being told by the transaction timeline.

---

July 11, 2012

Phoenix Suns Trade:

• Steve Nash

Los Angeles Lakers Trade:

• 2013 1st round pick (Nemanja Nedovic)
• 2018 1st round pick (Mikal Bridges)
• 2013 2nd round pick (Alex Oriakhi)
• 2014 2nd round pick (Johnny O’Bryant)

That’s right, folks. The Phoenix Suns traded Steve Nash for Mikal Bridges. This would have ended up being a great trade for Phoenix off of the back of that pick alone, had they kept it. But, they did not. In fact, Phoenix did not end up drafting and keeping any of these picks. All three of the picks that did not go on to be Mikal Bridges were selected by the Suns, but traded before they could ever suit up in purple and orange. The Bridges pick was traded years before Mikal would even be eligible for the draft.

Let’s see where each of these four branches leads us.

---

July 27, 2012

As part of a three-team trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New Orleans Hornets:

Phoenix Suns trade:

• Johnny O’Bryant
• Robin Lopez
• Hakim Warrik

Phoenix Suns receive:

• Wesley Johnson
• Jerome Dyson
• Brad Miller
• 2016 2nd round pick (Rade Zagorac)
• 2017 2nd round pick (Semi Ojeleye)

The Johnny O’Bryant trade tree is the one we start with. It is also the one with the least interesting branches. In reality, O’Bryant did not bring in much, if any, value to this trade. This was mostly a trade for restricted free agent Robin Lopez, who was at that point a mediocre backup big who could eat up 10-12 minutes per game for a team.

Jerome Dyson and Brad Miller were waived after the trade went through and the two seconds were shipped out later for 40 games of Brandan Wright, who then left in free agency. Because of O’Bryant’s low value in this partial trade, we aren’t going to count Brandan Wright’s games in our final total.

The one player the Suns did get in this trade that contributed at least a little on the court is Wesley Johnson. Johnson played 50 games for Phoenix and poured in a few points and a few rebounds.

This trade isn’t all that notable. Let’s move on to our next branch.

---

June 27, 2013

Phoenix Suns trade:

• Nemanja Nedovic

Golden State Warriors trade:

• Archie Goodwin
• Malcolm Lee

I want to start with Malcolm Lee. Lee would go on to be traded by the Suns in October of 2013. He was one part of a package with Marcin Gortat, Shannon Brown, and Kendall Marshall that brought back Emeka Okafor and a 2014 1st round pick that went on to become Tyler Ennis. While Ennis himself only played eight games for the Suns, remember his name. It will come up again before we are done.

That said, Lee was waived after this trade. The Wizards were trading for Gortat, not Lee. We aren’t going to count Okafor or Ennis towards our final totals.

Archie Goodwin, on the other hand, played 150 games for the Suns across three seasons before being cut in October of 2016.

This ends the first two branches of the Steve Nash trade tree. I am glad these two trades were up first. The O’Bryant and Nedovic picks brought back the Suns by far the worst returns out of the four. So far, our totals tracker looks like this:

---

July 12, 2014

Phoenix Suns trade:

• Alex Oriakhi

Sacramento Kings trade:

• Isaiah Thomas

This is a trade that the world should be shocked by. Isaiah Thomas had already been a 20 ppg scorer for Sacramento when they traded him for a 6’ 9” PF that spent four years in college and never made the leap to the NBA.

In 2014-2015, Isaiah Thomas would achieve a second-place finish for Sixth Man of the Year. In 2016-2017 he finished fifth in MVP voting. A truly remarkable career for one of the biggest underdogs in NBA history.

Of course, none of those accolades were achieved in Phoenix, as IT was traded to Boston just 46 games into his Phoenix Suns career. As it turns out, three-point guard lineups don’t work very well.

In his time in Boston, he also took part in one of my favorite moments as a Suns fan, even though it was one of the smallest plays in NBA history.

For all intents and purposes, the Oriakhi trade tree has become the Isaiah Thomas trade tree. So, let’s see what else we find.

---

February 19, 2015

As part of a three-team trade between the Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, and Detroit Pistons:

Phoenix Suns trade:

• Isaiah Thomas

Phoenix Suns receive:

• Marcus Thornton
• 2016 1st round pick (Skal Labissiere)

Marcus Thornton did very little for the Suns. He played a whopping nine games for Phoenix before moving on in free agency. But, the 2016 1st round pick was very important because on draft night in 2016, the Suns pulled off another trade.

June 23, 2016

Phoenix Suns trade:

• Skal Labissiere
• Bogdan Bogdanovic
• Georgios Papagiannis
• 2020 2nd round pick (Xavier Tillman)

Sacramento Kings trade:

• Marquese Chriss

That’s right! There is a direct chain between Steve Nash and Marquese Chriss.

Draft night 2016, what a disaster for the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix used two top-10 picks on power forwards and neither of them worked out for Phoenix. One year later they would blow it again, drafting Josh Jackson with another top-5 pick. Imagine if the Suns had landed these picks. Some combination of three of Domantas Sabonis, Jamal Murray, De’Aaron Fox, Lauri Markannen or Jakob Poetl could have been theirs next to Devin Booker. Instead, we got Booker next to Bender, Chriss, and Jackson. The quartet (sometimes including Tyler Ulis) was christened “The Timeline.”

But I digress, we aren’t here to discuss what could have been. We are here to discuss what actually was, which was bad. How bad? Let me remind you of this lowlight:

In the moment, I was upset that Chriss clearly just had a temper tantrum after he missed a dunk basically uncontested. Now that Rubio has since played for the Suns and been one of my all-time favorites, I am furious that Chriss had the nerve to push our beautiful bubble point guard.

For now, let’s end the Isaiah Thomas trade tree here. We will come back to it, but there is more information you need first, which comes from our final branch.

With just two trades left to discuss, here is where we stand now:

---

February 19th, 2015

We go back one year before the Suns drafted Chriss for our penultimate trade.

Phoenix Suns trade:

• 2018 1st round pick (Mikal Bridges)
• Tyler Ennis
• Miles Plumlee

Milwaukee Bucks trade:

• Brandon Knight
• Kendall Marshall

The Mikal Bridges pick combines with Tyler Ennis and Miles Plumlee to bring in one of the bigger disasters of the 2010s for the Phoenix Suns, Brandon Knight.

Kendall Marshall, who the Suns traded away to the Wizards earlier, comes back in this trade but is waived immediately after.

Brandon Knight wasn’t bad for the Suns. He averaged 15 points across 117 games for Phoenix. The problem was that Knight got in the way of Devin Booker. With Eric Bledsoe already on the team, the Suns found themselves, once again, with three starting guards.

Unfortunately, Knight was also on a big contract at the time, making him hard to move. Eventually, the Suns did dump him in our last trade of the day.

---

August 31, 2018

Phoenix Suns trade:

• Brandon Knight
• Marquese Chriss

Houston Rockets trade:

• Ryan Anderson
• De’Anthony Melton

Who remembers being excited about Ryan Anderson? I remember being excited about Ryan Anderson. Unfortunately, he was a massive disappointment for the Suns.

This trade did, however, give the Suns an opportunity to get rid of their two biggest problems in Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss. 

This is where we are going to stop counting our partials through the trade tree. From here, the values of the players that can be linked back to Steve Nash are too diluted.

It is interesting to note, however, that if you continue following down the path that this trade tree sends you, you will eventually find yourself face-to-face with Royce O’Neale and the current Phoenix Suns roster.

Final Tracker

And so, the final tally for on-court value returned for Steve Nash looks like this.

This might be a hot take, but I think the Suns did all right with this return. Did they get any stars? No, they didn’t. But Nash was 38 years old when he went to the Lakers in this sign-and-trade. That isn’t the sort of deal where the old team gets a lot back.

What they did get back was a collection of role players and some assets that went towards acquiring a top-10 pick. They also got a look at Isaiah Thomas, but then traded him away right before he became an all-star.

What have we learned? The transaction log is wildly interconnected. You never know what some small, seemingly meaningless transaction could turn into. The portion of the transaction that netted the Suns both Isaiah Thomas and some of the pieces to go out and get Marquese Chriss was the second round pick that became Alex Oriakhi.

With the draft rapidly approaching, the Suns may be making seemingly minor moves here or there. Don’t underestimate what those moves could someday become.

The Boston Celtics dangled Jaylen Brown in their trade offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Milwaukee Bucks chose to ultimately accept a better package from the Miami Heat, and now Boston either has to mend fences with their 2024 NBA Finals MVP, or find another trade partner.

Brown is coming off arguably the best season of his career, where he earned Second-Team All-NBA honors for powering the Celtics to 56 wins despite top teammate Jayson Tatum missing most of the season. The Celtics apparently think they need to go in a new direction after a first-round playoff exit, and Brown’s age and contract might also have something to do with it. Brown turns 30 years old in October, and he has three years, $183 million left on his deal.

It feels like the Celtics are motivated to trade Brown, and there should be a robust market for his services. Here are six fake trade ideas to get Brown to a different home.

Portland Trail Blazers

Celtics get: Donovan Clingan, Jerami Grant, Kris Murray, 2027 first-round pick

Trail Blazers get: Jaylen Brown

The Celtics reportedly want a big man in return for Brown. Would Donovan Clingan be good enough to suffice? Clingan is much younger and cheaper at 22 years old with two years left on his rookie contract. He’s one of the best young rim protectors in the game, but he doesn’t have a lot of offensive utility outside of crushing the glass, and he hasn’t been able to handle a heavy minutes load dating back to his college career. Grant feels like a bad contract, but he could give the Celtics some of what they’re losing in Brown in the short term. I kind of like this trade.

Houston Rockets

Celtics get: Alperen Sengun, Dorian Finney-Smith

Rockets get: Jaylen Brown

There aren’t many bigs better than Alperen Sengun who could potentially be attainable this offseason. Sengun is already a proven scorer as he enters his age-24 season, and he’s started to make some strides as an outside shooter and defender. Sengun is also on a very team-friendly contract for the next four seasons. This trade would also reunite Brown with his former coach Ime Udoka. Houston probably has to include a first-round pick here, but I’d like this deal a lot for Boston if the Rockets were willing to play ball.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Celtics get: Evan Mobley, Max Strus

Cavs get: Jaylen Brown, Baylor Scheierman

The Celtics would do this trade yesterday if Cleveland would accept it. I’m thinking the Cavs say no here. Mobley hasn’t really taken an offensive leap like I thought he would the last two seasons, but he remains one of the best and most versatile 7-foot defenders in the league. Mobley just turned 25 years old, and I’m still not ready to rule out him taking an offensive leap one day. If the Cavs think Jarrett Allen can hang as the lone big on the floor, this trade would make some sense, but I just don’t think Cleveland wants to trade Mobley yet.

Washington Wizards

Celtics get: Anthony Davis, Tre Johnson, 2031 first-round pick

Wizards get: Jaylen Brown

Anthony Davis is still one of the better bigs in the world … when he’s healthy enough to play. Davis is 33 years old, and his contract is similar to Brown’s but one year shorter. The Wizards also include last year’s No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson in the deal. Johnson is a wicked shooter off the ball who would likely feel at home in Joe Mazzulla’s system. Let’s throw in a future first-round pick, too. The Wizards already have No. 1 overall pick A.J. Dybantsa, and probably don’t want a similar, older player in Brown. Still, Washington is clearly trying to win now after the ridiculous Trae Young extension, and this could be a good value play with Davis’ constant injury issues.

Phoenix Suns

Celtics get: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Khaman Maluach, 2033 first-round pick

Suns get: Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser

I was super high on Khaman Maluach entering the 2025 NBA Draft, but he had a very quiet rookie season. If the Celtics believed in Maluach’s future, this would be the type of high risk, high reward move that could set up Boston well for its next era. Dillon Brooks could immediately slot into Brown’s role on the wing, and Jalen Green adds some volatile offensive firepower with two years remaining on his deal. Throw in a 2033 first-round pick, and I feel like this is a somewhat realistic match, although it’s probably not enough for the Celtics.

New Orleans Pelicans

Celtics get: Trey Murphy III, Derik Queen, Dejounte Murray

Pelicans get: Jaylen Brown

This trade gets the Celtics a young big man with real upside plus one of the best wing shooters in the league. Trey Murphy is a coveted offseason trade target for a lot of teams because of his off-ball scoring, and he would be a nice get in any potential Brown trade. Derik Queen is a young big man with on-ball creation potential and three years left on his rookie deal even if he’s a poor defender right now. Dejounte Murray is included to match salaries, and he was a good player at his peak who might finally be fully healthy next season. I’m not sure if New Orleans would be willing to include Queen after mortgaging their future to get him a year ago, but I think it makes some sense for both sides.