NBA 101

Jordan Goodwin, Suns Agree To Three-Year, $19M Contract

The Phoenix Suns and guard Jordan Goodwin have agreed to a three-year, $19 million contract. The deal reportedly includes a player option for Goodwin on the final season.

Goodwin is coming off a breakout season in Phoenix. The 6-foot-3 combo guard averaged 8.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals in 22.5 minutes per game for the Suns a year ago.

Phoenix originally claimed Goodwin off waivers after the Los Angeles Lakers waived him last July. Goodwin then went on to play in 70 games for the Suns, with 10 starts. He became an integral part of the backcourt rotation, along with Collin Gillespie, who also recently agreed to a new deal with Phoenix.

CJ McCollum, Hawks Agree To One-Year, $21M Contract

The Atlanta Hawks and veteran guard C.J. McCollum have agreed to a one-year, $21 million contract. McCollum’s new deal will include a $7.5 million trade bonus, according to additional reporting from Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.

McCollum joined Atlanta after a trade where the Washington Wizards acquired Trae Young. The veteran combo guard immediately became a stabilizing force for the Hawks backcourt. Atlanta went 19-4 with McCollum in the starting lineup.

In the Hawks first-round playoff loss to the New York Knicks, McCollum was one of the team’s most consistent producers. McCollum averaged 19.2 points and shot 46.5% from the field in the six-game series.

D’Angelo Russell Exercises $5.96M Option With Wizards For 26-27

D’Angelo Russell has exercised his $5.96 million player option for the 2026-27 season with the Washington Wizards. The Wizards acquired Russell ahead of the trade deadline from the Dallas Mavericks as part of the Anthony Davis deal.

Russell appeared in 26 games last season with the Mavericks, averaging 10.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 19.0 minutes. Russell hadn’t played for several weeks for the Mavericks before the trade and never was required to report to the Wizards after the trade.

Russell was a buyout candidate even in February and that could be revisited now, or he could be used in a trade.

Trey Murphy III More Available By Pelicans During Current Trade Cycle

The New Orleans Pelicans have begun signaling a greater willingness to move wing Trey Murphy III this transaction cycle, with the team seeking to acquire a first-round pick ahead of next week’s NBA Draft, league sources said.

New Orleans has historically held firm on the 25-year-old, but the franchise’s desire to move into the first round has made Murphy more attainable than in previous trade discussions.

Murphy averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 66 games last season, shooting 37.9 percent from three-point range. He is under contract through the 2029 offseason on a four-year, $112 million deal and will earn $27 million next season.

The Golden State Warriors are among the teams that have circled Murphy for years, viewing him as a wing who fits their system and addresses a positional need while helping the franchise get younger. Golden State holds the 11th overall pick and controls its future first-round selections that they can trade.

James Harden Arrested On Misdemeanor Gun Violation

Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden was arrested in the early hours Saturday on a misdemeanor gun violation. Harden was accused of carrying an unconcealed weapon. He was released on a general bond and is scheduled to appear in court on June 22 to face the charges.

Harden was traveling in a group of five vehicles. When one of the other vehicles was stopped by police, Harden pulled up behind it. It was then that the officers noticed a gun in the cup holder of Harden’s vehicle. Harden told the officers that the weapon was his and he was arrested and booked into Harris County jail.

Bucks’ Handling Of Giannis Antetokounmpo Talks At Trade Deadline Slowing Current Activity

The trade market for Giannis Antetokounmpo has been slow to take shape, and rival teams say the Milwaukee Bucks’ handling of trade discussions at the February deadline is a primary reason, according to league sources.

During the deadline period, Bucks general manager Jon Horst opened talks to any team willing to make a pitch for the two-time MVP. As the deadline approached, Milwaukee signaled a genuine willingness to deal its most accomplished player in franchise history. Antetokounmpo ultimately remained with the Bucks, fueling skepticism among rivals about the organization’s true intentions.

Several teams now view that process as a fact-finding mission designed to gauge the market ahead of the summer rather than a sincere attempt to complete a trade. Some front offices are now pressing the Bucks to present concrete terms they would accept, rather than engaging in prolonged back-and-forth negotiations.

Teams are wary of surfacing prominent players in trade discussions only to see those relationships strained if a deal falls apart. The reaction of Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro, who unfollowed the Heat on social media amid trade speculation, illustrates the locker-room risk teams are trying to avoid.

Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam has set the June 23 NBA draft as his target for resolution. Whether rival teams engage more seriously as that deadline approaches remains the central question surrounding one of the offseason’s most consequential roster decisions.

The Bucks have signaled that they expect to acquire additional draft picks and their evaluation of offers will heavily focus on tradeable first round picks.

Jalen Brunson Replies ‘Zero-Zero’ When Asked If It Feels Different Being One Win From Title

During Friday’s media availability, Jalen Brunson was asked whether it feels any different for him going into Game 5 now that the New York Knicks are one win away from the NBA championship.

“Zero-zero,” replied Brunson with the implication that the next game is the only one that matters rather than looking it as the Knicks being up 3-1.

Brunson was also asked how he’s been preparing for Game 5 after the Knicks’ improbable Game 4 comeback win over the San Antonio Spurs.

“I think whenever you win or lose a game, that night, I mean, you’re going to think about it, think about the things you’ve done well or what you did wrong,” said Brunson.

“I’ve always told myself when you wake up the next day, it’s time to turn the page. Yes, we won, but we still have a lot of work to do. We have a lot to learn. We didn’t play our best basketball. We still have a lot to revisit to make sure that we don’t really put ourselves in that position again.”

Sixers Promote Jameer Nelson; Extend Prosper Karangwa

The Philadelphia 76ers have promoted Jameer Nelson to be their executive vice president of basketball operations. Nelson will work under newly hired president of basketball operations Mike Gansey.

In addition to promoting Nelson, the Sixers are extending the contract of assistant general manager Prosper Karangwa. Multiple rival teams had considered Karangwa for roles in their front offices this offseason.

Philadelphia’s current GM Elton Brand will vacate that role. The 76ers parent company, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, is working on a new role for Brand elsewhere in the organization.

NBA GMs, Scouts Don’t Expect Thunder To Target Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been speculated as a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade suitor given their position as a title contender who could put together the most compelling offer to the Milwaukee Bucks without losing too many of their existing pieces.

There is an argument that Antetokounmpo could be a better counter for the Thunder against Victor Wembanyama given the struggles of Chet Holmgren in the Western Conference Finals. But Holmgren is significantly younger and less expensive than Antetokounmpo.

“I’ve got to tell you that no one around the league sees them as a Giannis team,” said Zach Lowe on his podcast this week. “Everybody. Every GM, every scout I’ve talked to would be pretty surprised if they veered in that direction.”

Antetokounmpo is believed to value his chances of competing for a title when considering trade possibilities.

Lowe echoed reporting from The Athletic this week that the Miami Heat are considered the team most likely to trade for Antetokounmpo though that is far from certain.

A resolution to Antetokounmpo’s future is expected to come by the draft on Tuesday, June 23rd.

NBA Opens Investigation Into Jalen Brunson Fan Incident Late In Knicks’ Game 1 Victory Over Spurs

The NBA is investigating an exchange between Jalen Brunson and courtside fans during the final minute of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, sources confirmed to ESPN. The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 Wednesday night.

The incident occurred with 29.4 seconds remaining while teammate OG Anunoby was shooting free throws. Brunson, visibly agitated, spoke twice with crew chief Scott Foster during and after the game. He did not address the matter with reporters postgame.

Chris Haynes of Prime Video first reported the league’s investigation.

The confrontation did not affect Brunson’s performance. He finished with 30 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter without a turnover, as New York erased a 14-point third-quarter deficit. The Knicks have now won 12 consecutive playoff games, 11 by double figures, posting a plus-272 point differential over that stretch, the best in the NBA’s 80-year history across regular season and postseason play.

The investigation arrives alongside a separate fan conduct matter from Game 1. The NBA issued a lifetime ban Thursday to a fan who ran onto the court during play attempting to take a selfie with Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. A second individual also received a permanent ban for their involvement.

Fan behavior has drawn increased league attention in recent years. The NBA distributed a memo to all 30 franchises at the start of this season demanding consistent enforcement of its Fan Code of Conduct.

“It is critical that teams and arenas vigorously enforce the Code of Conduct and not tolerate any misconduct that impacts our players, fans, or otherwise disrupts the game,” the league stated.