Weekly Friday Self-Promotion and Fan Art Thread
Timofey Mozgov on the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers reunion: “No one wrote or called me. If I’d been invited, I’d have gladly joined. I would have loved to be there too”
[Charania] Just in: Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Hartenstein intends to sign a new three-year contract to return to the Thunder through 2028-29 that brings his total earnings with the franchise at five years and $134 million guaranteed, sources tell ESPN.
For the second NBA draft in a row, no player with the name “Jalen” or a variant of it has been selected.
Fred VanVleet reveals on his podcast that his 2025 pre season knee injury was worse than previously reported: “What was probably never disclosed was, I did ACL and both meniscus, so my whole knee exploded…POW”
[Siegel] Warriors firmly believe that they are the frontrunners to land LeBron James if he left the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. Once again, Golden State is pursuing LeBron, and this will be their best chance yet
[Charania] New York guard Jose Alvarado is declining his \(4.5 million player option and intends to sign a new three-year, \)14-plus million deal to return to the Knicks, sources tell ESPN. Knicks made it a priority to retain the NY native who played key role on a historic championship team.
Knicks star Josh Hart posts approval of Texas State Board of Education passing law to make Bible passages required reading in public schools.
Shannon Sharpe going scorched earth on Isaiah Thomas and the 2018 Cavs. An all-time rant in sports media.
[Stein] Lonnie Walker IV is a candidate to return to the NBA this summer, league sources say, after the scoring guard played in the EuroLeague last season. The seven-year NBA vet (10.0 PPG) has an NBA out in his Maccabi Tel Aviv contract until July 15 and is expected to draw interest.
[Highlight] ‘26 ROTY Cooper Flagg tape
[Slater] Yaxel Lendeborg on his early conversations with Steve Kerr: “He doesn’t normally play rookies as much. He has a history of that. But the way the team is looking right now, I’m going to have a really good chance to play, maybe even start.”
Ja Morant athletically eviscerates Jakob Poeltl at the rim (2022)
The King of New York saying goodnight
[Stein & Fischer] League sources say that Marcus Smart, who is expected to draw interest from Houston and possibly other teams in free agency, is very much giving consideration to declining his $5.4 million player option for next season with the Lakers.
12 years ago a young man from Sombor, Serbia was drafted.
Adding two expansion teams is the perfect time to reduce the number of regular season games
Can we take a second to appreciate how lit NBA ‘26-27 is about to be?
KD on the Knicks: “Strike while the iron’s hot. This is a time New Yorkers or the Knicks aren’t gonna get back… You don’t know if this will come around. It’s been 53 years. It could be another 53 year wait.”
Some of the best second year leap in recent memories
[Charania] Just in: The Oklahoma City Thunder are trading sharpshooter Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons for two future second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.
[Clark] Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II has shed the walking boot he’s spent most of this year in, but still hasn’t progressed to running as he works his way back from multiple right foot surgeries.
NBA Leaders in total miles run on the court this season
[Haynes] New Orleans Pelicans are expected to decline the $8M team option on veteran center Kevon Looney, making the 3-time NBA champ an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell me.
If you’re going to be delusional, at least commit like Caleb Wilson
The Pistons really have to decide if Jalen Duren is worth $287 million after that Cavs series
Patrick Williams in his 6th season: 7/3/1.5 on 49% TS. Williams has 3 more years and a player option left on his fully guaranteed 90 million dollar contract
Trading Aaron Wiggins and Isiah Joe (both ~\(10M/year contracts) just saved OKC nearly \)200M on their tax bill for this season.
[Stein & Fischer] The Los Angeles Clippers are weighing the possibility of pursuing Peyton Watson if they choose to operate as a cap-room team this Summer.
Every George Mikan fadeaway we have footage of.
The Heat have extended a two-way qualifying offer to second year center Vlad “The Impaler” Goldin, per @Anthony_Chiang.
Michael Beasley threatens two civilians he’ll give them a bucket
[Hine] Jaylen Clark re-signing with the Timberwolves on a 3-year deal worth $10 million, per a source.
The Sacramento Kings are completely out of the Ja Morant trade market.
[Haynes] Sources: Milwaukee Bucks sharpshooter Gary Trent Jr. has become a desirable target for teams coveting knockdown shooting to bolster roster. He is expected to decline $3.9M player option to hit open market.
Why does Evan Turner have a $27m cap hold on the Timberwolves next season?
[Amick] 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.
Who is the best player in the league that you don’t want on your team?
Tiago Splitter’s first assistant coach hire should be obvious.
As a lifelong Minnesota sports fan, I already know what’s going to happen.
[Smith] By moving Isaiah Joe without taking salary back, the Oklahoma City Thunder now projects to be \(14.8M under the luxury tax, \)22.8M under the first apron and $35.8M under the second apron.
This is without anything on the books for Lu Dort, Hartenstein or Kenrich Williams. OKC creating 2A room
The nba needs a ”football manager” typa game
Charania: The Boston Celtics are, in some cases, asking for at least four 1st round picks (Giannis went for 3).
[Highlight] Lamelo Ball hits the game-winning shot in his final home game as a Charlotte Hornet
[Haynes] Detroit Pistons are conveying that Jalen Duren will not be moved and are solely focused on coming to terms on an agreement to keep their All-Star center, league sources tell me.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sold 4 championship rings, MVP award and other items for $2.8 million. All going to youth education programs. “When it comes to choosing between storing a championship ring or trophy, or providing kids with an opportunity to change their lives, the choice is simple. Sell it all”
[Fischer] There is definitely a lot of belief around the leagues, around Los Angeles stemming out of Klutch Sports, that LeBron has so many outcomes on the table here. It might even be more likely than not, that he leaves Los Angeles than stays with the Lakers
[Jones] If the Sixers show interest in free agent PF/C John Collins, they would be at the top of his list because they can give him a starting spot and they can pay him very decent money.
Correcting The Narrative: “Wilt Chamberlain stopped shooting free throws underhand in 1962 despite success due to ego” (plus many other Wilt free throw related myths)