NBA 101

Trey Mullinax suspended 6 months for violating PGA Tour Anti-Doping policy

The PGA Tour announced on Wednesday that Trey Mullinax has been suspended for 6 months for violating the Tour’s Anti-Doping policy.

Here is their official statement.

The PGA TOUR announced today that Trey Mullinax has violated the PGA TOUR Anti-Doping Policy’s ban on the use of performance-enhancing substances for testing positive for a substance prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). As a result, he is suspended for six months and eligible to return on January 16, 2027.

Mullinax has cooperated fully with the TOUR throughout the process and accepted his suspension.

Trey Mullinax released a statement of his own as well.

To my fans, I want to address the news regarding my failed anti-doping test and the suspension that followed. I take full responsibility for what happened. At the end of the day, it is my responsibility to understand and follow the PGA Tour’s Anti-Doping Policy and all of its rules and regulations. I failed to do that, and that is on me.

I recently used a medication to treat a condition I was originally diagnosed with in college without seeking approval under the Tour’s Anti-Doping Policy.

My lack of knowledge is not an excuse. It was my responsibility to know the rules before taking any medication and I failed to do so. I want to be absolutely clear – I have never taken any substance with the intention of gaining a competitive advantage. Anyone who knows me knows how much I respect this game and the values it represents.

I accept the consequences of my actions and will use this experience as a lesson. Golf has given me so much, and I never want one mistake to define the respect I have for the game or for the people who support me. Thank you to everyone who has supported me, and I look forward to competing again in 2027.

As noted Trey will be eligible to return early in the next calendar year.

Draymond Green Waived Implicit No Trade Clause In New Deal With Warriors

Draymond Green is waiving his implicit no trade clause and will receive a 15 percent trade kicker as part of his new one-year, $27.7 million contract with the Golden State Warriors. The contract will function the same as it did as if he never declined his option for the 2026-27 season.

Green became a free agent to give the Warriors the flexibility to sign LeBron James had he chosen the team. The Warriors intended to sign Green to a three-year, $60 million contract had they reached an agreement with James.

The Warriors have no intention to trade Green this season, but they maintain the ability to do so should they choose. Green was involved in trade rumors at the deadline when the Warriors pursued a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Green and James are both represented by Rich Paul. Green is the second longest tenured player in the NBA behind only teammate Stephen Curry.

Luka Doncic Hosting Four-Day Minicamp For Lakers In Slovenia

Luka Doncic is hosting the entire Los Angeles Lakers’ roster in Slovenia for a four-day minicamp in August. The Lakers will conduct workouts, golf and bonding in the Ljubljana area ahead of training camp in September.

Doncic, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Bronny James, Chris Manon, Dalton Knecht and Adou Thiero arÄ™ the only holdovers on the Lakers’ roster.

Draymond Green, Warriors Agree To One-Year, $27.7M Deal

Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors have agreed to a one-year, $27.7 million contract. The deal doesn’t contain a no-trade clause, but it will function as one because he is on a One-Year Bird, which gives him veto power.

Green turned down his $27.6 million player option with the Warriors for the 2026-27 season on the eve of free agency to give the team flexibility in case they could reach agreement with LeBron James. James decided last Friday to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, which paved the way for this agreement between Green and the Warriors to be reached.

Green’s future with the Warriors was uncertain in February amid trade conversations with the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Warriors didn’t circle back around to those talks this offseason.

Green has spent the past 14 seasons with the Warriors, which only trails teammate Stephen Curry for the longest active streak with one team in the NBA.

LeBron James Found Warriors ‘Appealing For A Time’ But Needed Anthony Davis Trade

LeBron James found the Golden State Warriors “appealing for a time” when he was considering his free agency options, but it was contingent on the team trading for Anthony Davis.

James would have had the opportunity to team up with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green with the Warriors after playing against those stars in four consecutive Finals between 2015 and 2018. James and Curry were also teammates for Team USA in 2024 and have developed a fondness for each other years after the peak of their rivalry.

The Washington Wizards have maintained a high asking price for Davis that the Warriors were not prepared to meet as they balance out the final seasons of Curry’s career along with the next chapter following his retirement. The Warriors also would have had to include the expiring contract of Jimmy Butler, who is recovering from a torn ACL.

James chose to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers last week where he gets to compete in the Eastern Conference alongside a trio of All-Stars in Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid, along with second-year guard VJ Edgecombe.

Stephen Curry On LeBron James’ Decision: ‘You Don’t Envision Anything Until It Happens’

Stephen Curry addressed LeBron James’ decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers rather than the Golden State Warriors, speaking Saturday from Moses Moody’s youth camp.

“That’s why you don’t envision anything until it happens,” said Curry. “There’s a lot of moving parts.”

Curry had hoped James would choose Golden State, believing the Warriors had a legitimate chance to land him. Once the decision went the other way, he quickly returned to the reality the team has faced for much of the past four seasons where they have been beyond the circle of realistic title contenders.

Curry pointed to the injuries suffered by Jimmy Butler and Moody as the real factor shaping the Warriors’ outlook, regardless of what happened with James.

“The through line,” said Curry, “which is hard on anybody in this situation, especially with us keeping this thing together, is knowing that when Jimmy got hurt and Moses got hurt, the whole calculus of everything changes. How do you get through their absence and still stay at a certain level? And then how that goes into this year. It’s the same deal. So, I’m a realist on that.”

Curry acknowledged the front office explored various options to build the best possible roster around him, but said those injuries ultimately reshaped what was realistic heading into the season.

“Sure,” said Curry, “I’m hopeful for all the creative ideas of getting the best team possible. We had those conversations. But when you have injuries at the top like that, it’s always gonna change.”

Mario Hezonja, Cavs Agree To One-Year, $2.8M Contact

The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to a one-year deal with wing Mario Hezonja for $2.8 million. Hezonja returns to the NBA with Cleveland after spending the last six seasons playing for teams in Greece, Russia and Spain.

The 6-foot-8 last played in the NBA during the 2019-20 season with the Portland Trail Blazers. Hezonja started his NBA career with the Orlando Magic and also played for the New York Knicks.

Last season, Hezonja averaged 15 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists for Real Madrid. The 31-year-old helped Real Madrid to the EuroLeague championship game, where they fell to Olympiacos.

Wizards, Mavericks Had No Interest In Trading Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving

There had been reporting that LeBron James was interesting in teaming up with one of his former teammates when he picked a new team. The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers were linked to Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, respectively.

However, neither Davis’ current team, the Washington Wizards, nor Irving’s current team, the Dallas Mavericks, had any interest in trading either player. In addition, James, nor his agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, made no demands of teams that they must trade for Davis or Irving to get the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

Ultimately, James picked the Philadelphia 76ers for the upcoming season. It’s expected that both Davis and Irving will start the season with the Wizards and Mavericks, respectively.

Spencer Jones, Thunder Sign Two-Year, $12M Offer Sheet

Spencer Jones and the Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to a two-year, $12 million offer sheet.

The Denver Nuggets will have the opportunity to match the offer sheet as Jones is a restricted free agent.

Jones appeared in 64 games last season with the Nuggets, averaging 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 22.1 minutes while shooting 39.6 percent on three-point shooting.

The Nuggets also have Peyton Watson in restricted free agency this offseason.

LeBron James May Remain Genuinely Undecided On Free Agency Decision

LeBron James still had not announced a decision on his next team, 24 days after confirming he would not return to the Los Angeles Lakers fort he 2026-27 season. A source close to James offered a candid assessment of the situation.

“Nobody knows right now except LeBron,” the source told The Athletic. “And I’m not even sure LeBron knows.”

The prolonged wait has left the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers all in limbo as they wait to see whether James will sign or whether they need to pivot toward strengthening their rosters elsewhere. James addressed the timeline last Thursday during an appearance at Fanatics Fest in New York.

“I won’t hold you guys up too much longer,” said James.

James’ agent, Rich Paul, has said he has already communicated everything necessary to the five teams considered front-runners for James’ services. Paul addressed his approach during an appearance on his own podcast this week.

“Is there anything more we should be doing? We could be doing?” said Paul. “No. We don’t need you to go above and beyond about anything. We understand it. It’s clear. All the messages have been sent.”

Speculation has continued to swirl in the absence of concrete information, including reports of a since-deleted Heat YouTube link referencing a July 27 press conference, which the team described as an honest mistake. Sources close to James also dismissed rumors that he had reversed a prior decision, calling those claims false.

Only two teams have made roster moves directly tied to pursuing James. Warriors forward Draymond Green, also represented by Paul, declined his player option in late June in coordination with Golden State’s front office to create flexibility for potentially signing James and trading for Anthony Davis. Sources said there were no guarantees attached to that move. Meanwhile, James Harden has remained unsigned as part of a plan to preserve Cleveland’s ability to sign James, a strategy Harden has publicly confirmed as the team’s goal.