NBA 101

Warriors Were Never Close To Trades For Kawhi Leonard, Jaylen Brown

The Golden State Warriors were never close to completing a trade for Kawhi Leonard and were not a significant participant in discussions surrounding Jaylen Brown, according to team sources cited by ESPN.

General manager Mike Dunleavy instead chose to preserve Golden State’s existing assets rather than pursue either star. Dunleavy used the No. 11 pick in last month’s draft to select Yaxel Lendeborg.

The Warriors plan to bring back a roster similar to the group that finished 37-45 last season, banking on improved health for Stephen Curry, better overall play and the eventual return of Jimmy Butler III. Golden State also retains the option to pursue a bigger move closer to February’s trade deadline should LeBron James choose to sign elsewhere.

Golden State remains protective of its future draft picks while addressing its long-term salary situation during this later stage of Curry’s career.

The team will still look to add a couple of free agents this offseason, though available options have narrowed. The Warriors did not meet asking price on a contract for Rui Hachimura and prioritized De’Anthony Melton over Anfernee Simons in free agency.

Leonard was traded by the Los Angeles Clippers to the Toronto Raptors, while the Boston Celtics moved Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jayson Tatum On Jaylen Brown Trade: ‘Abrupt Ending’ To Successful Partnership

Jayson Tatum addressed the Boston Celtics’ trade of longtime teammate Jaylen Brown publicly for the first time Tuesday, calling the situation “weird” as he prepares for next season without him.

The Philadelphia 76ers acquired Brown last week in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round selections, a deal that surprised much of the league. Tatum spoke about the trade during a Q&A promoting an upcoming book, according to CelticsBlog.

“To be honest, it’s weird,” Tatum said. “You play on a team with a guy for nine years. I was fortunate enough to go to the finals with him twice, and win a championship, and push each other to be the players that we are today.

“It’s tough. But it just makes you appreciate the moments and time that we had. Obviously, it came to an abrupt ending, but it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t super successful. Great years, obviously, that he gave to the city and to the organization.”

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens explained Monday that Boston pursued the trade to gain roster flexibility, citing the difficulty of managing the combined salaries of Tatum and Brown.

Tatum acknowledged the emotional difficulty of losing a longtime teammate under those circumstances.

“The NBA is an incredible business; it’s an incredible job, but there are some downsides to the business and moments like this, where you just kind of feel like you’re going to be on the team with somebody, because that’s all you know,” said Tatum. “And then it’s just like, one day you find out that they’re no longer on your team anymore. And, we’re all humans. We feel all those emotions.”

Tatum said he is prepared to welcome Boston’s newly acquired players, including George, Mike Conley and Mitchell Robinson, and move forward with the retooled roster.

While the Celtics aggressively shopped Brown, they completely resisted all trade inquiries they received on Tatum.

Larry Nance Jr., Pacers Agree To One-Year, $4M Deal

Larry Nance Jr. has agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal with the Indiana Pacers.

Nance appeared in 35 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, averaging 3.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 12.8 minutes.

Nance was connected to the potential landing spot of LeBron James, but he will instead sign with the Pacers for slightly above the veteran’s minimum.

Bob Myers Pitches Rich Paul On LeBron James Signing With 76ers During Podcast Appearance

Bob Myers, president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, publicly pitched LeBron James on joining the Philadelphia 76ers during a podcast episode released Wednesday.

Myers appeared as a guest on “Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul,” making his case directly to Paul through the platform.

“If he was (on the podcast), I’d say, ‘I honestly believe this is your best chance to win,'” said Myers. “You have to decide all the other things that are equally important. What I would say is if it’s about winning, ‘Let’s talk about that team because you can win in Philadelphia.'”

James’ free agency decision remains one of the league’s most closely watched storylines. The Sixers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves are considered among his likely landing spots, according to The Athletic.

Paul, James’ longtime agent and business partner, said on the podcast that he is managing meetings with interested organizations, though James will make the ultimate decision.

“We separate church and state,” said Paul. “I enjoy it because he’s worked hard enough to do whatever the hell he wants, which is why I’m fine with him doing whatever he chooses to do.”

Paul added that the discussions surrounding James’ next destination extend beyond winning alone, describing the conversations as complex.

“All I would say as someone representing a team is win,” said Myers. “This is the best chance to win.”

Paul acknowledged that Philadelphia’s recent acquisition of Jaylen Brown could factor into James’ decision-making process. Paul also represents Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey and former point guard Ben Simmons through Klutch Sports Group.

James has been spotted in Cleveland in recent weeks, appearing at workouts, golf outings and social gatherings, though he has not yet met formally with any teams.

Lakers In Active Pursuit Of Jonathan Kuminga; Hawks, Cavs Remain In Mix

The Los Angeles Lakers remain in active pursuit of unrestricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga but have yet to present an offer strong enough to secure his commitment, league sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

Kuminga became a free agent after the Atlanta Hawks declined his $24.3 million team option on June 29. He met virtually with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick the following day, who outlined a vision of Kuminga playing significant minutes alongside Luka Doncic.

Pelinka and the Lakers subsequently committed most of its available cap space to Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton, limiting what remains for a Kuminga offer.

Despite the financial constraints, the Lakers have continued pursuing him. Pelinka has stayed in contact with Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, gradually sweetening the offer while emphasizing Kuminga’s potential role and a likely starting spot, sources said.

Kuminga and Turner have not committed, believing stronger opportunities may still emerge as free agency progresses.

A sign-and-trade involving the Hawks remains possible. Atlanta is open to facilitating a deal that preserves Kuminga’s Bird Rights, though Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh would need additional incentive to engage.

The Lakers could package contracts belonging to Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht or Jaden Hardy to increase their offer, though doing so would likely require attaching draft assets as well.

The Cleveland Cavaliers also maintain interest, sources said, given Kuminga’s familiarity with Kenny Atkinson from their years together with the Golden State Warriors. Cleveland’s focus on pursuing LeBron James has left the Lakers as Kuminga’s most aggressive suitor for now.

The Sacramento Kings have also checked in on Kuminga’s interest but face salary cap restrictions that would require a sign-and-trade to make a deal work.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Admits Fear Over Leaving Bucks For Heat

Giannis Antetokounmpo released farewell messages to the Bucks and the city of Milwaukee Monday, expressing gratitude alongside candid admissions of fear about his move to the Miami Heat.

The trade became official Monday, sending Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, the No. 13 pick and future draft considerations to Milwaukee in exchange for Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.

In a YouTube interview with longtime Bucks broadcaster Jim Paschke, Antetokounmpo opened up about the uncertainty of leaving the only NBA home he’s known.

“I’m scared,” said Antetokounmpo. “I’m scared of change. I’m scared that the grass is not always greener. I’m scared of, like, people love me here. People respect me here. People allow me to be myself in the city and I’m scared that I might never find that again.

“But this is something that I wake up every single day or when I take my showers at night and I think, maybe I’ve waited too long. I see guys playing deep into the playoffs and I think maybe if I switch teams and I go somewhere else and I have a better opportunity, I can play deep into the playoffs, I can go try to chase another championship because I really want that.

“And I’m scared that if I don’t take that decision, that when I’m going to be 37, 38 years old and I’m retiring, I’m going to be like, ‘Why? Why didn’t you take that risk?’ And people don’t understand, it’s a risk.”

Antetokounmpo spent 13 seasons with Milwaukee, arriving from Greece at 18 years old and leading the franchise to its first championship since 1971 in 2021.

Bucks general manager Jon Horst released a statement thanking Antetokounmpo for his contributions to the organization.

“There are few players in the history of professional sports who have elevated a franchise, a city and a fan base the way Giannis Antetokounmpo has for Milwaukee and the Bucks,” said Horst.

Antetokounmpo also released a separate video message directly addressing Milwaukee fans.

“No matter where I am, Milwaukee will always be my city, my team, my family,” said Antetokounmpo.

DeMar DeRozan Set For Free Agency After Being Waived By Kings

The Sacramento Kings will waive DeMar DeRozan, which will allow him to become an unrestricted free agent. The Kings were unsuccessful in their attempts to trade DeRozan, but he is expected to receive interest from multiple contending teams as a free agent.

DeRozan had a partial guarantee on his contract for only $10 million of the total of $26.74 million.

DeRozan, who is represented by Aaron Goodwin, appeared in 77 games last season with the Kings and averaged 18.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.1 assist.

DeRozan will be playing in his age-37 season.

LeBron James Was ’80 Percent’ Sure He’d Stay With Lakers Until Handling Of Free Agency Led To Exit

The way the Los Angeles Lakers approached the free agency of LeBron James was the deciding factor in why he decided to leave the franchise this offseason. James remains undecided on which team he will sign with in free agency.

Sources close to James told ESPN that the way the Lakers handled his re-signing process mattered more than the money involved. James reportedly would have accepted less than the $52.6 million he earned last season had the Lakers clearly explained its plan to reallocate that money.

That explanation never came, according to sources, and James never met face-to-face with the organization before making his decision.

One Lakers team source acknowledged the franchise may have fallen short in recognizing what James sacrificed this past season by stepping into a reduced role alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

“Honestly, I don’t know if we did enough to acknowledge the sacrifices he made in being willing to give the keys over to Luka and AR this year,” said the staffer. “Of course he has a big ego and people can say what they want about that. But he’s also the No. 1 scorer in the history of basketball and he really tried to do what was best for the team to win.”

A separate team source described the financial dynamic as a disadvantage tied to James’ existing ties with the franchise. Even an offer $10 million to $15 million above market value could have felt like a pay cut, since another team could offer its full allotment, the source explained.

The Lakers held Bird rights that would have allowed them to exceed offers from other teams. Instead, sources indicate the front office spent weeks debating internally how to present a reduced offer without appearing disrespectful toward James’ legacy and contributions.

James ultimately made the decision before the Lakers could formalize their approach, ending an eight-year tenure that included an NBA championship in the 2020 Florida bubble.

This represented a sudden change of mind as a few weeks before the start of free agency, James told Rich Paul that he was “80 percent” sure he would stay with the Lakers for another season.

Josh Bartelstein To Sign Extension As CEO Of Suns, Mercury

Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein is close to finalizing a contract extension, according to owner Mat Ishbia. Ishbia confirmed the news to ESPN on Monday, reinforcing his continued partnership with Bartelstein across both franchises.

Ishbia praised Bartelstein’s role in shaping the organization’s culture since taking over ownership.

“From day one, I knew Josh was the right person to help build the culture and organization that I envisioned in Phoenix, on and off the court,” said Ishbia. “He is my trusted partner in every aspect of our basketball operations [Suns and Mercury] and business side as well.

“His knowledge of basketball, care for our players and the strong relationships he has across the NBA and WNBA have been invaluable in building our success and will continue to shape our future. His leadership has elevated our entire organization.

“He is one of the best CEOs in all of sports, and happens to be one of the youngest, too, and I’m excited to keep working next to Josh as we continue to build on our success.”

Bartelstein, who turns 37 next week, became Ishbia’s first hire after he purchased the franchise in 2023. He has since played a central role in rebuilding both the Suns and Mercury organizations.

The extension arrives as Phoenix looks to build on last season’s playoff run, which came after significant coaching and roster turnover.

Before joining the Suns, Bartelstein rose quickly through the Detroit Pistons front office. He served as executive vice president of business and basketball operations under Palace Sports and Entertainment vice chairman Arn Tellem.

A former walk-on at the University of Michigan, Bartelstein is the son of Mark Bartelstein, a prominent player agent and CEO of Chicago-based Priority Sports and Entertainment.

Tari Eason’s $81M Deal Guarantees More Than Rejected $100M Extension Offer From Rockets

Tari Eason was offered a four-year, $100 million contract extension by the Houston Rockets before the start of the 2025-26 season, but ultimately signed a five-year, $81.5 million deal in restricted free agency.

The $100 million offer, however, had $65 million in guaranteed money and the new contract at $81.5 million has more guaranteed money. Eason also has a player option and a 10 percent trade kicker.

Eason was the 17th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft out of LSU and is one of the NBA’s better perimeter defenders.

In 60 games last season, Eason averaged 10.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25.8 minutes. Eason shot 35.8 percent on three-pointers.

Eason is represented by Thaddeus Foucher and Chafie Fields.