[Charania] Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is declining his $27.7 million player option to become a free agent, sources tell ESPN. This move gives the Warriors flexibility to pursue LeBron James in free agency and Anthony Davis via trade to form a Big 4.
[Charania] Nine-year NBA veteran Malik Beasley has been indicted on federal charges for gambling related to a sports betting scheme, such as point shaving and prop bets, his attorney Steve Haney tells ESPN. The government is coordinating a voluntary surrender of Beasley this week.
[Charania] The LA Clippers and Toronto Raptors are seriously engaged in trade talks for All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard, sources told ESPN.
[Charania] Cleveland Cavaliers’ James Harden is declining his $42.3 million player option for 2026-27 and the sides are working through a new multiyear deal together, sources tell ESPN.
[O’Connor] The Warriors are attempting to trade for Wizards big Anthony Davis and then sign Lakers free agent forward LeBron James, according to multiple league sources.
[Charania] Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine is opting into his $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN.
[Grange] According to sources, the 35-year-old (Kawhi) is unlikely to get an extension from the Clippers and is open to finding a team that would extend his deal beyond the upcoming season. “The Clippers aren’t going to commit to anything with him, so it looks like he’s trying to strong-arm his way
[Charania] Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet is opting into his $25 million player option for the 2026-27 season, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN.
The athleticism of prime Blake Griffin
[Charania] Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton is opting into his $8.1 million player option for the 2026-27 season, sources tell ESPN.
[Vorkunov] Ed Davis, a former lottery pick who spent 12 seasons in the NBA, has also been indicted, the source told The Athletic.
Windhorst: “It’s been communicated to me that the number one thing for LeBron next season is happiness, not money… I have clearance to use this quote attributed to Rich Paul, ‘The Lakers are not and will not annoy us.’”
[Plaschke] “Kawhi was the worst free-agent signing in LA sports history. He has abused an organization, alienated a fan base and basically collected nearly $300 m of Ballmer’s money and burned it. He has been injured, apathetic,entitled, disconnected and generally nothing but a pain in the backside”
In his 12 years in Phoenix, Devin Booker has played for more coaches than the Jazz have had since relocating to Utah in 1979
Bill Russell asks Magic Johnson: “Well, Magic, after playing a whole year with Kareem, 100 games, what did you learn from him?”
-Magic Johnson: “Give him the ball.”
And Bill Russell burst out laughing.
October 10, 1980 - On opening night of the 1980-81 season.
[Charania] “The Clippers and the Raptors are seriously engaged in trade talks surrounding Kawhi Leonard.”
[Goodwill] The LA Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Denver Nuggets are among the teams that have expressed interest in Jaylen Brown, with one executive telling ESPN the Clippers “want Brown bad”.
[Amick] The Mavericks and LA Clippers have discussed a deal that would send the seven-time All-Star Leonard to Dallas for a package that would include P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson and draft picks, league sources said.
[Koreen] Canada Basketball has announced that NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be among those playing for Canada this coming weekend (along with NAW, Brooks, Nembhard brothers)… Several players are with the team but won’t play, including Dort, Mathurin, Barrett, Edey, Powell, Olynyk
[Charania]BREAKING: The Charlotte Hornets are trading Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and a 2033 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN.
[Haynes] LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers still have yet to have a conversation regarding his future but that’s expected to change in light of Golden State Warriors’ strategic maneuvering to position themselves as a landing spot, sources tell me.
[Charania] Brooklyn Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe intends to sign a new two-year, $20 million deal to return to the franchise, sources tell ESPN. Nets declined Sharpe’s team option to do a new contract, just as they did with Josh Minott.
[Amick] The Boston Celtics have been asking for up to four first-round picks in return for Jaylen Brown and the Portland Trail Blazers are seen as the front-runners to acquire him.
[Charania] Toronto Raptors big man Sandro Mamukelashvili is declining his $2.8 million player option for 2026-27 to become a free agent, George Roussakis and Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tell ESPN. Mamukelashvili will have a strong developing market in free agency.
[Windhorst] The Clippers will have “serious demands” from the Raptors for Leonard. Leonard’s request to land in Toronto creates an exclusive negotiation, but his willingness to sign an extension and eliminate concerns about him being a rental will help LA secure an “extra piece or two” in a trade.
[The Athletic] The Rockets will be the team most likely to land Marcus Smart once free agency opens on June 30 thanks to a multi-year deal. Smart played for Rockets coach Ime Udoka in Boston.
Kyrie Irving goes up against young fan who believed he can guard him
[Goodwill & Holmes] No public evidence has emerged that conclusively proves the primary allegation that the Clippers’ circumvented the cap to compensate Leonard, and it’s unclear whether any such evidence has emerged in the investigation, either.
[Stein] It’s believed that the Clippers, furthermore, would have interest in Toronto’s offer because adding Ingram — who earned All-Star status last season — should be able to help keep LA sufficiently competitive in the West
Bill Russell asking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: “Is there anyone that, today, that gets you up at all?”
Kareem: “Ted Stepien.”
Bill Russell cannot stop laughing. May, 1982.
Ted Stepien was widely considered one of the worst and most incompetent owners in NBA history.
[Charania] Brooklyn Nets forward Josh Minott intends to sign a new two-year, $9 million to return to the franchise, with a team option in second season, sources tell ESPN. The Nets declined Minott’s team option to clear the way for a new contract.
The newest face of the Kings franchise, Darius Acuff Jr., touches down in Sacramento this afternoon, greeted by Scott Perry, BJ Armstrong & a bunch of fans at the airport. The former Arkansas star shook hands with each fan who showed up on his way out.
Steph Curry chopping it up with Lebron James and Anthony Davis postgame 2 years ago
[David West] You guys are not good at basketball, trust me my computer said so.
[OC] What is the average name of an NBA player in 2026? (+ Other fun name stuff)
James Dolan on the second apron - “There’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do.. One of them is called the second apron. We cannot go into the second apron. I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron.”
No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick and Massachusetts native AJ Dybantsa tossed the first pitch at the Red Sox game
Bill Russell composes himself and interviews after winning his 11th championship ring in 1969, in his last NBA season as an active NBA player (was a coach-player).
May 5th, 1969.
Windhorst: “(Lakers) reached out to LeBron, to LeBron’s representative, to Rich Paul, and said, ‘We’d like to have LeBron back, OK?’ But there have been no further talks… as of today, when I got this update. LeBron has not, you know, made himself available to meet with the Lakers yet.”
Bill Simmons: “There’s a lot of smoke billowing around Denver in general. Some I believe some I don’t believe. Murray and Cam Johnson for Jaylen and Hauser which would save Denver ten million dollars this year.”
NBA Champion OG Anunoby throws out the first pitch at the Mets game
Other than Steph, are there any active players who will most likely retire having only played for one team?
[Haynes]: LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers still have yet to have a conversation regarding his future but that’s expected to change in light of Golden State Warriors’ strategic maneuvering to position themselves as a landing spot, sources tell me.
[Jeremias Engelmann] No player in the NBA lowers the points that his teammates score, while on the court with him, more than Jaylen Brown. He lops off 4 points, per 100, from each of the 4 teammates that share the court with him.
Something people aren’t realizing about CHA trading Ball and Bridges
Jerry West and David West are the only NBA All-Stars to wear their name on the front and back of their jerseys.
Was the 1/5/1950 Sheboygan Redskins defeat of the Minneapolis Lakers the biggest upset in NBA history?
[Fischer] The Raptors and Clippers have held real trade conversations this weekend on sending Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto, according to league sources. Sources say Toronto has expressed a preference in dealing Brandon Ingram to Los Angeles, as opposed to RJ Barrett.
Isn’t Julius Randle just better than Miles Bridges?