Latest news with #Eurobasket
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Lakers are 'really confident' Luka Doncic will agree to extension
The Los Angeles Lakers may or not may be done making roster moves this summer. But they still have something big to get done before training camp starts in about two and a half months. Luka Doncic will be eligible to sign a contract extension on Aug. 2, and the Lakers can offer him $228 million over four years. He is currently preparing to represent his native Slovenia in the upcoming Eurobasket tournament, and he will not return to the States until very late in the offseason. It isn't necessarily a foregone conclusion that Doncic will agree to an extension before the start of the 2025-26 season, and if he doesn't, he can opt out of his current contract next summer. But Dan Woike of The Athletic told Colin Cowherd during an appearance on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" that the franchise is very confident it will get the superstar to sign on the dotted line soon. 'It's gonna be early August. He's extension eligible Aug. 2. I think they're really confident, Colin. I think they've been in contact with him early in the summer about their plans for the organization. I think when they made the deal to get him, I think they were confident that they would be able to secure him in the long term. There are things about Los Angeles to not like. Nobody likes the traffic here and stuff like this. But the one thing we know about Luka Doncic is, well two things we know about him. One, he loves the big stage, and it's a huge stage. What's a bigger stage than playing at in front of those stars? And I think the second part of it is like, this is like a guy that doesn't necessarily love being famous. And you might think Los Angeles, well it's full of famous people. You can move pretty anonymously as a famous person in Los Angeles should you choose because there's always someone else famous in your circle and stuff like that. I think he's really comfortable there. I'm pretty sure the Lakers are gonna be able to secure an extension, it's just kind of a matter of for how long.' Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists a game and shot 37.9% from 3-point range in 28 regular-season games with L.A. after being traded there on Feb. 1. He has gotten himself into better shape this offseason after facing lots of criticism for his lack of fitness and conditioning, and Woike reported that the superstar has been "Incredibly committed" to his conditioning and diet. This new dedication could result in an enhanced version of Doncic moving forward, and the Lakers could reap the benefits as long as they get him to agree to some sort of extension soon.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lakers Fans Told 'Don't Panic' If Luka Doesn't Sign Extension This Summer
Lakers Fans Told 'Don't Panic' If Luka Doesn't Sign Extension This Summer originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Despite early hopes that a new deal would be finalized this summer, Luka Doncic's contract extension with the Lakers may not come until September. According to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst, there are multiple reasons behind the delay—including Doncic's commitment to Slovenia's national team—and Lakers fans have been advised not to panic if the deal doesn't get done right away. "I would not expect it to happen that early," said Windhorst on NBA Today. "There are various reasons why the timeline would be pushed to September. Don't react negatively, Lakers fans, if you don't see a deal right away, he's playing for the Slovenian national team. Also, it behooves him to take a three-year contract extension. The Lakers can offer 4 and $230, but it makes sense that it would take a three-year extension for long-term reasons. But anything that he would sign would be terrific for the Lakers, they're going to obviously make that their offseason priority.' Lakers fans may still be unfamiliar with Luka's offseason habits, but anyone who followed him in Dallas will tell you this is entirely in character. Typically, when he prepares to suit up for Eurobasket, he puts his NBA business on hold, and that includes any and all extension talks. 'He won the Eurobasket for Slovenia earlier in his career, probably the greatest moment of his career. They play six exhibition games leading up to the start on August 27th. And they could go as late as September 14th, which means he may not be back in the US until late September. McMan will tell you that, in the past, when he's been playing for the national team, he has not done NBA business, including NBA contracts. So he could certainly pledge his intention to sign with the Lakers, but do not freak out if you do not hear from Luka contractually until September.' It hasn't even been a full year since Luka joined the Lakers, but the team is eager to lock in his commitment for the next phase of his career. With his current contract set to expire in 2027 ($48.9 million player option), Doncic could be up for free agency as early as next summer if he doesn't agree to an extension soon. While Lakers fans are expecting Doncic to sign a contract before the start of next season, he's not in any rush to accept a deal, even for the maximum amount of $230 million over four years. Luka is reportedly considering a three-year deal, but any agreement would be a huge win for the Lakers, especially after giving up their championship big man, Anthony Davis, to acquire him in February. The important thing for the Lakers is that Luka clearly still wants to stay, even if he doesn't prove it by signing an extension as soon as he can. In this case, the delay is not a sign of tension, just practical timing. If played correctly, it can sweeten the position of both the Lakers and Doncic for the foreseeable future. Lakers fans may need to wait a bit longer to see the official ink dry, but there's no reason to panic. Luka Doncic remains committed to both his country and his new NBA home, and all signs indicate that a contract extension is coming—it just might not happen until the summer's spotlight dims and Slovenia wraps its Olympic story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Brian Windhorst reveals possible timeline for Luka Doncic extension
On Aug. 2, Luka Doncic will be eligible to sign a contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. As it stands right now, he has two seasons left on his current contract, and he can opt out of it next summer. He will become eligible for an extension of up to $228 million over four years, however, it is thought that he may opt to sign a shorter extension so that he could then ink a supermax deal in 2028. There is no indication that Doncic is thinking of leaving the team — if anything, he has dropped at least one hint that he would like to stay put for a while. He has been preparing to represent his native Slovenia in the upcoming FIBA Eurobasket tournament, which will take place later this summer. Brian Windhorst of ESPN reminded people that because of that commitment, Doncic will likely not take care of his contract situation until very late in the summer. "He's playing for the Slovenian national team at the European Championships, frequently called Eurobasket, which is the most, one of the most valuable tournament for the Europeans outside the Olympics," Windhorst said. "And he won the Eurobasket for Slovenia earlier in his career, probably the greatest moment of his career. They play six exhibition games leading up to the start on Aug. 27th and that it could they could go as late as Sept. 14th, which means he may not be back into the U.S. if the Slovenians get all the way to the end until late September. And you know, [Tim] McMahon will tell you that in the past when he's been playing for the national team, he has not done NBA business, including NBA contracts. So, he could certainly pledge his intention to sign with the Lakers. But do not freak out if you do not hear from Luka contractually until September." McMahon added something that may make Lakers fans a little nervous. "This will be an indication of what kind of faith that Luka Doncic has in that Lakers front office," he said. "It's not about when it's signed — if he wants to wait until after Eurobasket, that's fine. But if it's not signed heading into the season, that will loom like a black cloud over the Lakers this season." Doncic is just 26 years of age, so there is the potential for him to be the Lakers' next generational player for roughly a decade. But although the Lakers may have improved a bit so far this offseason, they aren't a championship-caliber team yet. It remains to be seen how much faith he has in the team's front office to help him win his first NBA title, as McMahon alluded to.
New York Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Jonquel Jones is on the cusp of her long-awaited Liberty return
We've got you covered on the Liberty beat Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA. tRY IT NOW Sandy Brondello heard just what she wanted to hear from Jonquel Jones on Tuesday. Her star center said she is feeling '99.9999999999999999 percent' back to full health after the Liberty's practice at Barclays Center. Yes, she listed 16 decimal places, which seemingly leaves little room for error prior to Jones' confirmed return for the Liberty's first game after the All-Star break, July 22 against the Fever at Barclays Center. 'Good. Love that,' Brondello said upon hearing the news about Jones. 'I was hopeful. We've missed her and now it's about ramping her up. She hasn't played for quite some time, but just her impact will give confidence for everybody.' The 2024 Finals MVP participated in five-on-five work for the first time Saturday after being sidelined for eight games with an aggravated right ankle injury suffered after driving to the rim and landing awkwardly in a game against the Mercury on June 19. She suffered an initial ankle injury June 5 that kept her out of two games. Jones was given a timeline of four to six weeks, leaving the Liberty defense to falter without a big center presence as well as an important offensive piece in the paint and from beyond the arc. Without Jones in that stretch, the Liberty went 4-4 and five of those games were without fellow starter Leonie Fiebich, who was playing in the Eurobasket for Germany. Jones has only played in nine games this season, averaging 12.1 points and 9.6 rebounds. 3 Jonquel Jones of the New York Liberty smiles with Ellie the Elephant after the game against the Atlanta Dream on July 13, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images Now, the 2021 MVP said she is feeling 'great' and doesn't really feel her ankle when playing. Yet, warming up is 'the hardest part.' 'Obviously, just getting everything moving mobility-wise. But once I'm warm, I feel great,' she said. 'I feel like we've done a really good job keeping my conditioning levels really high. I've been lifting and conditioning almost every day. I played a lot of five-on-five (Monday) and I felt really good. So, I'm really not worried about that part of it.' Jones went on to describe her recovery, which involves the weight room followed by conditioning and basketball work on the court. 3 Liberty center Jonquel Jones (35) drives to the basket as Phoenix Mercury forward Kathryn Westbeld (24) and guard Kitija Laksa (9) defend. John Jones-Imagn Images Before leaving, she is back in the treatment room for 'hands on' ankle work prior to getting taped up on the way out. 'It sounds like a little bit, but it's a long time in the gym,' Jones said. 'I'm doing more stuff in the gym right now than I would do if I was playing. So I cannot wait to get back on the court.' Given the progress, Jones isn't taking time off during All-Star weekend. She will be flying home to the Bahamas along with a few Liberty coaches and practice players. Covering the Liberty like never before Sign up for Madeline Kenney's Inside the Liberty, a weekly Sports+ newsletter. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters 'I'm still going to be working out and making sure I'm building towards playing after the All-Star break,' she said. 'So, while I'll be home, I'm definitely still going to be in the gym a lot.' Jones, who has been named an All-Star in five of the past seven seasons, including 2024, was initially 'pissed' for not receiving the honor when the starters were announced June 30. There's no minimum games played requirement to be named an All-Star, but Jones knew her injuries were a big factor. She didn't make the 12-player reserve list either, which is determined by WNBA head coaches. 3 Liberty players surround center Jonquel Jones (35) after she is injured during the half of a game against the Phoenix Mercury. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post On Tuesday, she seemed to have accepted that what was once one of her personal goals for the season was scrapped. 'I don't think there's anybody on the list that made the All-Star team this year that I'm just like, 'They don't deserve to be there,'' Jones said. She isn't sure if she will tune in to the game Saturday, saying she is a 'playing it by ear type of person.'
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA power rankings: What's got the Phoenix Mercury rolling?
This is the halfway point of the WNBA calendar, the 60th day out of 119 during the regular season. And if you noticed a flurry of transactions over the weekend, it is because every contract in the league is guaranteed for the rest of the season as of Monday. Even players on unprotected deals (which include the first three years of all rookie contracts) will receive their full-season paychecks if they are waived beyond this point. Though a couple of current lottery teams made cuts to the end of their rotations (Connecticut waived Jaelyn Brown and Haley Peters and Los Angeles dropped Mercedes Russell), the more interesting moves were made by contenders. Phoenix, which has been toggling players in and out of its 12th spot all season, waived Kiana Williams, leaving an open roster spot and about $75,000 in cap space. New York parted ways with Marquesha Davis, a first-round pick in 2024, to create an opening; the money was almost immaterial as the Liberty already have just about enough cap space for a pro-rated max contract. Minnesota also waived its 2024 first-rounder Alissa Pili for a roster opening, and the Lynx now have enough cap space to sign a player to a veteran minimum contract. Rosters are legally allowed to sit at 11, so the Sun will have to add one player within 24 hours of waiving Peters and Brown, but the other teams are in no rush to make a corresponding move. They can keep an empty spot to allow for an imbalanced deal (i.e. two players for one) at the trade deadline, add a player later, or simply save the cap space — teams can use that money to give players time-off bonuses during the offseason. Advertisement The major free agent who could change the balance of power among the top three teams is Emma Meesseman, the 2019 WNBA Finals MVP who last played in the league in 2022, when she was an All-Star for the Chicago Sky. Meesseman most recently starred for the Belgian national team at Eurobasket, when Belgium won its second consecutive title. As a power forward, Meesseman likely would come off the bench behind superstars such as Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier and Alyssa Thomas, but she had the same role for much of the 2019 postseason behind Elena Delle Donne. As we await more transactions before the trade deadline on Aug. 7, the important takeaway is that the contenders have created flexibility to make further moves. There isn't enough separation at the top for anyone to be satisfied with their current position. Three standout performances 1. Tina Charles paying it forward After going ring chasing in 2022, Tina Charles has spent this latest chapter of her career embracing the role of veteran mentor. She regained her love for the WNBA in Atlanta in 2024 and then signed up for what she had to know would not be a winning situation in Connecticut this year. But it's fun to see Charles become beloved by the new generation. Advertisement Cameron Brink debuted against Charles in 2024 and got tips from Charles on how to post up and use her spin move. The Sun's rookies have effusively praised Charles, and she clearly loves them just as much (look at how she lifts up Leila Lacan after a game-sealing play). Rayah Marshall said if it wasn't for the love she got from Charles and the rest of Connecticut's staff, going through training camp would be like 'trying to drink out of a fire hydrant with a straw.' Saniya Rivers said Charles checked on her regularly after her mom died. 'She was just in my ear, texting me every day, if I needed food, if I needed a hug, whatever, she was there,' Rivers said. 'When I came back, she reminded me to give myself grace, so just been trying to do that.' It doesn't hurt that Charles has provided an offensive fulcrum for the Sun, especially with Marina Mabrey missing the last few weeks. Charles turned back the clock with 29 points and 11 rebounds in Connecticut's win over Seattle on Wednesday, when in classic Charles fashion she supplied a series of jumpers, hook shots and floaters. Eleven of those points came in the fourth as the Sun overcame an eight-point deficit. Charles followed that performance by becoming the second player in WNBA history to reach 8,000 points, the latest in a long line of all-time accolades. Watching her teammates celebrate her is a testament to the impact she is already having on their young careers. As Rivers said, 'I know she's a little bit older and bones be hurting, but I'm just glad she wakes up everyday for us and herself and just continues to push.' Advertisement 2. Alyssa Thomas enters the MVP discussion The WNBA's triple-double queen can put up ridiculous stat lines, like the 15-point, 10-rebound, 15-assist triple-double she notched against Dallas on Monday, the first of its kind in league history. But when the game demands Thomas to eschew her playmaking instincts and become a scorer, she can do that, too, as she did with her career-best 29 points to beat Minnesota on Wednesday. Thomas' 24 shot attempts were also a career-high. After attempting double-digit field goals 14 times in the 2024 season, she's already done so 12 times for Phoenix at the halfway point. Usually, when Thomas runs a pick-and-roll, she is the ballhandler and creates for teammates out of the screening action. But down the stretch against the Lynx, the Mercury had Sami Whitcomb handle and Thomas screen. Thomas willingly rolled to the basket and scored off dump-offs, but more surprisingly, also shot on pick and pops, confidently draining jumpers from the free-throw line. Thomas generally gets her buckets off assists or in transition. But Minnesota was giving her space, so Thomas called her own number, again and again. Advertisement Despite missing five games, Thomas is sixth in the league in win shares and the engine of the second-best team in the standings — and a team that's first in this week's power rankings, even without a healthy Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper. The Mercury have a monstrous stretch coming up: at Golden State and at Minnesota before the All-Star break, and then Atlanta and New York right after. They'll need Thomas to be every bit this effective to continue this momentum. 3. The Lynx need their legs The Lynx have been grinding. They're in the midst of eight games in 14 days, including two back-to-backs, and two games still to play before the All-Star break. This string of games also followed the Commissioner's Cup final, which doesn't show up on the schedule but is absolutely evident in their legs. Prior to this stretch, Collier was shooting 39.6 percent from 3-point range; she is 3 of her last 23 to drop to 31 percent. Kayla McBride has made 13 of her last 41 3s, and a miserable 7 of 25 from 2-point range during that span. McBride had two single-digit clunkers this week against Phoenix and Los Angeles, the former costly in Minnesota's eight-point loss. The Lynx are still first in the league in 3-point percentage at 34.6, but in a near dead heat with the Liberty, Storm and Sparks. Only Diamond Miller has been effective from long range of late, and Minnesota doesn't yet trust her to close out games. The fatigue showed up on the glass against Chicago on Saturday, as the Lynx were out-rebounded 45-28, though the two teams average 37 and 33 rebounds, respectively. Advertisement The pace of play slows down for the Lynx after the All-Star break, when they have one instance of two games in three days over the next month. That relaxed stretch should reveal whether Minnesota actually has a depth problem, or if the schedule has overtaxed its rotation. At that point, the Lynx can figure out what to do with that newly created roster spot. Rookie of the week JJ Quinerly, Dallas Wings The Wings went 0-fer in the win column this week, but JJ Quinerly still showed a commanding presence as starting point guard. Even when Arike Ogunbowale returned to the lineup, Dallas kept Quinerly in the starting five over first-round pick Aziaha James. In double-digit losses to the Sky and the Fever, Quinerly was plus-3 in Chicago and minus-2 in Indiana, not yet the driving force for wins, but also not shouldering the blame for defeat. Advertisement Quinerly landed in the WNBA because of her defense, and she even got into Caitlin Clark's body despite being about six inches shorter than the Fever guard. Where Quinerly has also impressed at the pro level is her entry passing; she is getting really good at an arcing lob entry into the post, placing it right where only her intended target can catch it. Defenses sit back on Quinerly on the perimeter because they don't want to get blown by, and she takes advantage of that space to angle her passes. You think of Quinerly as a player who increases the pace, so it's useful for her to be able to slow down and affect the game in the half court. Game to circle Golden State at Seattle, 3 p.m. (ET) Wednesday Seattle has been one of the league's most inconsistent teams this season, but the one constant is the Storm's difficulty with the Valkyries. Seattle has beaten the Lynx, Liberty, Mercury, Dream and Aces in 2025 but is 0 for 2 against Golden State, the latest defeat coming by 27 points. Both losses came in San Francisco, where the Valkyries enjoy a special homecourt advantage. Seattle and Golden State are only one loss apart in the standings, and one more Valkyries win would clinch the tiebreaker for Golden State. This is an important opportunity for a Storm squad with three All-Stars to figure out the league's youngest team. Advertisement This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries, WNBA 2025 The Athletic Media Company
