Latest news with #NBA
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Giannis Antetokounmpo's Cryptic Reaction Seems To Mock Trade Rumors As Warriors, Knicks Show Interest
Giannis Antetokounmpo's Cryptic Reaction Seems To Mock Trade Rumors As Warriors, Knicks Show Interest originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga began ever since the Bucks' first-round exit in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. After weeks of rumors and deliberations around his future, he and people close to him finally broke their silence on his future and clarified that he has no interest in leaving the Bucks at the moment. Moreover, he even claimed that he plans to retire with the Bucks. Therefore, seemingly puts a public end to the rumors. Advertisement Yet, according to the NY Post, three new teams have entered the race, beyond previously known interested teams. The Knicks, Warriors, and Heat are reportedly teams interested in trading for Giannis beyond the Spurs, Nets, and the Rockets. Shortly after a social media post on this went viral, Antetokounmpo posted a cryptic message from his X account, seemingly asking teams to "pull up" with multiple laughing emojis. Giannis is seemingly confident in his influence on the Bucks' front office and wants to say that even if these teams come to the front office with their best offers, it will be of no use since he has committed his long-term future to the organization. He is seemingly amused that the rumor mill seems to keep generating these team names and interest rumors without any basis or interest from Antetokounmpo to join those teams. Advertisement Only based on that first impression, several fans even commented on his post, suggesting the potential places where he should "pull up" in the trade market. Hence, we are also going based on the first impression of what he is trying to say, and it may be inaccurate in some way. The Greek superstar averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in the regular season this year. The entire Bucks roster is built around him, and there is no incentive for the Bucks to trade their best player and go into a full rebuild at this point. Antetokounmpo has three years (including a player option) left on his contract with the Bucks, and he fully intends on honoring his commitment. What Can An NBA Team Do To Convince Bucks To Trade Giannis With Damian Lillard out for the foreseeable future with an ACL injury, the Bucks are severely handicapped in terms of putting together a championship-contending roster in the next season without him. Moreover, the Bucks have severely depleted their draft assets, so they do not have much to offer another team in a trade to bring more solid pieces around Giannis. Advertisement Therefore, the Bucks have two options from here: either they trade their superstar Antetokounmpo and go into a full rebuild mode with the assets they get, or they put all the pressure on their one player to carry the team to what will likely be mediocrity. Lillard's injury has seriously hindered the championship window the Bucks had with him and Giannis. To convince the Bucks to trade Giannis, in my opinion, at least two young stars with a high upside and three first-round draft picks, along with additional swaps or second-round picks, should be enough to give the Bucks significant assets to initiate their rebuild. If they trade Antetokounmpo, they will likely show Lillard the exit door next when he becomes trade-eligible. Related: Rockets Still In Sweepstakes For Giannis Antetokounmpo Or Jaylen Brown Even After Kevin Durant Trade This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Prayers Go Out to Dwight Howard After He Shares Heartbreaking News: ‘Who Could Be So Heartless?'
Former NBA All-Star Dwight Howard is mourning the loss of his beloved pet pup, Sunday, who was killed in a hit-and-run accident. The tragic event took place on June 18th in the city of Suwanee, Georgia. 'I'm devastated because you were the dog that never left my side, the dog that stuck to my hip at all times, and the one time you wander off without me being there, someone takes you away from me,' Howard wrote on Instagram. 'Who could be so heartless to do this to such an innocent girl with no remorse?' Howard, an eight-time All-Star and NBA champion, posted several pictures and videos of his best friend faithfully by his side. Dwight Howard shared his grief in an emotional post, describing Sunday as his 'peace' and 'protector' who was always by his side. More than that, however, he asked fans for help in finding who might have hit his dog and then fled the scene without notifying anybody. Or, perhaps getting her to an emergency vet. 'Please, if anyone has any information regarding a Belgian Malinois that was hit by a car on June 18th, 2025, in Suwanee, Georgia, please let me know,' he pleaded. Fans were justifiably dismayed at the news of Howard's loss. 'I'm so sorry,' one person replied. 'What a heartless action to hit a poor dog and not immediately get it to an emergency vet.' 'Dogs are family, like a brother or child to some. Praying for strength in these hard times,' another consoled. 'Just remember, all dogs go to heaven.' Indeed, they do. RELATED: Dwight Howard had a memorable championship run with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. As a backup center to Anthony Davis and JaVale McGee, Howard embraced a reduced role, averaging 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game in 18.9 minutes off the bench during the regular season. His physical presence and defensive tenacity proved valuable in the playoffs, particularly in the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets, where he helped contain Nikola Jokić. In the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat that season, Howard's energy and rebounding supported the Lakers' dominant frontcourt, contributing to their 4-2 series win and the franchise's 17th championship. Howard would later claim that LeBron James had him kicked off the team for daring to call him out for being lazy during a practice. After he left, the Lakers finished with a 42-30 record, 12 fewer victories than the previous season, and were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round. Also Read:: LeBron James Slams Media For Focusing on Championship Rings When Discussing a Player's Greatness Related Headlines Utah Jazz reveal if Ace Bailey will actually report to team following NBA Draft drama Chicago White Sox fan Pope Leo makes $16,500 trading card history at auction Detroit Tigers pitcher did something he hasn't done in nearly 2,900 days Dallas Mavericks reveal surprising plan that puts even more pressure on Cooper Flagg to be the new Luka Doncic
USA Today
44 minutes ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Utah Jazz expect No. 5 pick Ace Bailey to join team immediately, per report
The Utah Jazz expect rookie Ace Bailey to report to the team facility on Saturday, June 28, according to a report by ESPN. The 6-foot-10 guard was a highly touted prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft and was eventually selected by Utah with No. 5 overall pick on June 25. His pre-draft process had raised eyebrows across the league when he did not meet with teams for individual workouts. Guard Walter Clayton Jr. (18th overall pick) and forward John Tonje (53rd overall pick) are also expected to be in Salt Lake City for the team's introductory rookie press conference on Sunday, June 29, and at practice on Monday, June 30. All three players are expected to participate for the Jazz during NBA Summer League. 2025 NBA Draft: Jazz draft Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey with No. 5 pick Ace Bailey's pre-draft process Bailey was the only American player who hadn't conducted a single visit prior to the draft to work out for an NBA team. He drew attention after canceling a visit with the Philadelphia 76ers, who held the third overall pick in the draft. Bailey had reportedly declined invitations for a visit from the Jazz and the Charlotte Hornets, who had the fourth overall pick. "I'm glad it's over," Bailey said about his process at the draft. "I'm ready to play some basketball now. It's just been a great journey. Me working hard, pushing myself physically and mentally, just getting prepared for the next level." Omar Cooper, Bailey's agent, had previously addressed the ongoing conversation about his client. 'Every NBA team watched him work out in Chicago,' Cooper told ESPN. 'He did 18 interviews. Everyone got his medical. They watched him run and jump. They got his measurements. They watched him shoot in drills.' Cooper cited similar situations from the 2021 draft, including Davion Mitchell and Evan Mobley, and the lack of conversation that was had during their respective processes. Ace Bailey's college stats Ace Bailey started all 30 games he played in his only season at Rutgers. The point guard averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 33.3 minutes per game. He was named to the All-Big Ten third team and the Big Ten All-Freshman team.
New York Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Naz Reid, Timberwolves agree to 5-year, $125 million contract: Sources
MINNEAPOLIS — Naz Reid is staying home. On Friday, Naz Reid and the Minnesota Timberwolves agreed to a five-year, $125 million contract, team and league sources confirmed to The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski. There is a player option on the last year of the deal. The deal ensures that the former Sixth Man of the Year will remain with the only team he has played for in his career and stay in a city that has embraced him as one of their own. Advertisement Reid averaged a career-high 14.2 points and 4.9 rebounds and shot 38 percent from 3-point range in his sixth season in Minnesota. He is the longest-tenured player on the Timberwolves roster. He was an undrafted free agent out of LSU in 2019 and has become one of the best player development stories in franchise history. Reid did not get chosen in the draft because of concerns about where he fit on the floor. Scouts saw him as too big and heavy to play power forward, but not tall enough to be effective as a center. It didn't take long for the Wolves to know they had a steal on their hands. Before Reid even got to training camp, he had a two-way contract. He spent time with the G-League team in Iowa in his first season, tearing up the competition and showing early signs of the ball-handling and shooting skills he possesses from inside and out. By his second season, Reid was playing 19 minutes per game and a firm part of the Timberwolves rotation. He reshaped his body, dropping about 30 pounds to turn himself into a lean, sleek combo forward with the handle of a guard. The Timberwolves fan base took note, seeing all the work that he put in and combining hit with a dynamic skill set to make him one of the most popular players on the team. Naz Reid towel night is the stuff of legend in Minnesota, a give-away that ended up going for over $100 on eBay. During the 2024 run to the Western Conference finals, a local tattoo parlor inked Reid's name on hundreds of Wolves fans throughout the Twin Cities. Folks in Alabama use 'Roll Tide' as a way to say hello and goodbye, to congratulate someone for getting married or graduating from college, a universal term of approval for any walk of life. In Minnesota, it's 'Naz Reid.' See a Wolves hat on a passerby at the Mall of America? Naz Reid. Driving by a local pizza place on the way home? Naz Reid. This story will be updated.
New York Times
an hour ago
- Business
- New York Times
NBA offseason, free agency live updates: Naz Reid staying with Wolves; more news, analysis
The Wolves are re-signing one of their own. And there's new basketball leadership in Toronto. Follow for the latest. Getty Images I realize this isn't the biggest transaction of the cycle, but I'm shocked the Heat picked up Keshad Johnson's team option for $1.955 million. I thought for sure they would decline it and try to bring him back on a 2-way contract, as he made little impact after the Heat signed him to a roster contract midway through last season. Also, since the Heat are once again dancing with the luxury-tax line, note that because Johnson was undrafted, he counts the same as a veteran minimum ($2.296 million) for tax purposes. Matthew Stockman / Getty Images The Denver Nuggets can offer Nikola Jokić an extension this summer for three years and more than $200 million, and they intend to do so, Josh Kroenke, the team's vice chairman, said today. But do they expect Jokić to accept immediately? Kroenke didn't have an easy answer for that. "We're definitely going to offer it," Kroenke said today. "I'm not sure if he's going to accept it or not, because we're also going to explain every financial parameter around him signing now versus signing later. Be completely transparent. That's the way we always are. And then he makes the best decision for himself and his family, and we'll support him." It would likely behoove the Nuggets for Jokić to lock in as soon as possible but Kroenke left the door open that he won't. If he's right, that doesn't mean it suddenly becomes a situation worth watching. Jokić has two years and a player option left on the supermax deal that kicked in prior to the 2023-24 season. But the Nuggets have had a lot of turnover in the last few months. They fired head coach Mike Malone and replaced him with David Adelman. They fired general manager Calvin Booth and didn't directly replace him, instead hiring former Timberwolves exec Jon Wallace as Executive Vice President of player personnel and promoting Ben Tenzer to EVP of basketball operations. Those will represent the new braintrust in Denver and report to Kroenke. Kroenke noted Tuesday that the structure might be "unorthodox" but said that goes in line with how the franchise has gotten to this point. "Most everything that has got us to this point has been unorthodox," Kroenke said. "We've hired first time guys before. And our best player is the 41st pick, and (has) a very unorthodox manner (with) the way he plays the game. So everything about us is unorthodox. I think, from a process standpoint, I think it was important for us as an organization, and myself and my father to really slow down, take stock of what the organization really needed at this point in time, talk to a lot of different people from a lot of different areas, and gain a lot of different perspective, both in the basketball world and out of the basketball world. Really, kind of nailing down what the Denver Nuggets need, and that's the margins on the outside of our roster. And I think that both John and Ben's complementary skill sets are really going to help us address those things in a creative way moving forward." CJ McCollum is expected to add veteran leadership on the Wizards' roster, which team officials deem important with unrestricted free agent guard Malcolm Brogdon likely to sign elsewhere this summer. McCollum, who is more comfortable playing off the ball than Jordan Poole is, also should help enhance playmaking and shot-creation opportunities for the Wizards' young players. McCollum is a lower-usage player than Poole and also has a better assist-to-turnover ratio than Poole. One of the Wizards' priorities is to retain their own first-round pick for the 2026 draft. Because of a trade made in 2020, Washington would convey its 2026 first-round pick to the New York Knicks if it falls outside the top eight. By making today's trade with the Pelicans, the Wizards are giving more player-development opportunities for their youngest players and, in the process, likely will increase the likelihood of retaining their 2026 first-round pick. So, the Wizards made a trade in the summer of 2025 to acquire a bunch of veterans who have contracts that will expire after next season, creating cap space in the summer of 2026, allowing the Wizards to make trades to acquire more veterans on onerous contracts, offering teams financial flexibility/savings in return for draft compensation. You have to love the NBA. After the Jordan Poole-C.J. McCollum trade, the Wizards could have eight players under contract whose salaries add up to only about $51 million heading into the summer of 2026. The salary cap projects to be $170 million in 2026-27. Washington will have massive sway in the market next summer, however it wants to use it. Jordan Poole has two years left on his current deal ($31.8 million next season, $34 million in 2026-27). With this trade, the Pelicans get some additional playmaking with Dejounte Murray sidelined due to an Achilles injury and more draft capital. C.J. McCollum, who averaged 21.1 points per game in his four seasons with the Pelicans, is heading into the final year of his deal. Detroit Pistons team president Trajan Langdon said the Pistons 'aren't going to be super aggressive' this summer. He said Detroit is more interested in improving internally and around the margins. Tim Warner / Getty Images How are West teams adjusting to the idea that it probably takes a 60-win-caliber team to realistically hang with Oklahoma City in a playoff series? A 50-win Denver team and a 48-win Memphis team fired their coaches in the final weeks of the season; Memphis then traded Desmond Bane for four first-round picks in a bid to remix a core that wasn't going to be good enough in the Age of Thunder. The Houston Rockets, meanwhile, bravely went the other way, pushing some chips in on a young team to acquire Kevin Durant after a first-round playoff defeat. Even after acquiring Kevin Durant, the Rockets feel like they're one move away from being on Oklahoma City's level. In a related story, they still can trade five future first-round picks. GO FURTHER With Thunder on top, NBA's 'wide-open' Western Conference is a thing of the past Michael Reaves / Getty Images The Ace Bailey question has taken the draft world by storm this week, after he canceled a workout with Philadelphia. However, Bailey's evaluation is complicated, and this has been true for months, not days or weeks. The intel that NBA teams have on Bailey, from having spoken with over a dozen sources throughout the season and pre-draft process, is that his teammates enjoyed being around him. He has a lot of infectious energy. But he's a bit immature and can struggle with focus, those sources said. His pre-draft interviews with teams at the NBA Draft Combine did not go particularly well, as it seemed like he went into them a bit ill-prepared for what was being asked of him, according to sources. They weren't so bad as to knock him off of anyone's board, but they raised further questions about what exactly has been happening with his pre-draft process, as he's largely been shielded from teams. It's easy to chalk this up to Bailey being a teenager, and it's completely reasonable to think that he'll mature as he gets older. You can also chalk up the lack of preparation for interviews to questionable representation, and there are certainly many scouts and executives around the NBA who have questions about how effectively he's been repped. Right now, we're down to two possibilities. Either Bailey's agent Omar Cooper — whose lone experience repping a potential top-five pick was with Isaac Okoro in 2020 before Okoro left to be represented by Excel — is effectively steering Bailey toward a desired location, or he's bungled the process and will cause an unplanned slide for Bailey on draft night. The reality is that he just might not be for everyone. Read more intel in my latest NBA mock draft. GO FURTHER NBA mock draft 2025: Why Ace Bailey is the mystery man of draft week Kirby Lee / Imagn TNT Sports analyst and former NBA player Grant Hill will join NBC Sports' NBA coverage as a game analyst for the 2025-26 season. 'I'm incredibly excited to join NBC Sports as part of their NBA coverage. The NBA has been such a meaningful part of my life, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue sharing the game I love with fans across the country,' Hill said in a release. 'To be part of NBC's return to the NBA — a network with such a rich basketball legacy — and its debut on Peacock is truly an honor. I can't wait to get started this fall.' Hill will continue his role at TNT Sports as a college basketball analyst for the men's NCAA Tournament as well as TNT's Big East and Big 12 basketball coverage. GO FURTHER Grant Hill joining NBC's NBA coverage as analyst for 2025-26 season Matthew Stockman / Getty Images The value of these finals, of the success of the Pacers and Thunder, is depth. This might seem axiomatic: having a lot of good players is important. Duh. But it's never that simple. A salary cap league, especially one with the newish apron constraints imposed in 2023, demands choices and opportunity costs. The Oklahoma City and Indiana front offices understand this — the Thunder had five players who averaged 13 or more minutes per game this postseason while taking up less than 10 percent of the cap; the Pacers had six. 'Depth, in general, is really important,' Thunder GM Sam Presti said at preseason press conference. 'I think depth relative to the parity in the league that we see now is directly linked, because the teams are so deep.' Depth is probably more valuable than ever. It's harder to put a roster together with more than two max players, so the strength of a team can no longer tilt heavily in favor of top-heavy talent. That means organizations not only have to hit on picks in the draft — i.e. Cason Wallace and Jalen Williams — but they also need to establish a player development program that can make contributors out of second-round picks, undrafted players and waiver wire finds like Lu Dort, Kendrich Williams, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Developing these kinds of players will become increasingly important for the Thunder if and when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams sign expensive contract extensions. But it's also important because teams need depth to hang in the NBA now because of the move to a faster pace and to withstand the increased physicality that has come out of looser refereeing. Depth keyed the Pacers' finals run, as they used a deep rotation to funnel in players who can run fast, play hard and beat up the opposing team. Indiana has accomplished their own mix of strong drafting and player development, from finding a key player in the second round (Andrew Nembhard) to optimizing 'second draft' acquisitions (Obi Toppin and Aaron Nesmith). Here are several other lessons teams should learn from these two NBA Finalists. GO FURTHER Pacers and Thunder provided an NBA Finals blueprint. Can other contenders copy it? Matthew Stockman / Getty Images Imagine being one of the other 14 teams in the West. How on Earth are you supposed to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder? Reminder: The Thunder won the conference by 16 games in 2024-25 and still may not have come into the best version of themselves. The entire logic of team-building in the West for the last half-decade has been that 'it's wide open.' Get yourself to a win total in the low-to-mid 50s, and then anything can happen in the playoffs. Veteran teams with title experience, like the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, could talk themselves into being contenders with a middling playoff seed as long as there wasn't a scary, dominant team in the conference that required a higher level. That's been the case the last few seasons, as the previous three Western Conference finalists before the Thunder won 53, 53 and 50 regular-season games, respectively. Now, that entire logic is flipped upside down; it's definitely not wide open, unless your desired endgame is losing in five in the conference finals. For those who aspire for more, it's either get to the Thunder's level or go home. What does a higher bar do to change the logic in an already cutthroat conference? Read the rest of my story here. GO FURTHER With Thunder on top, NBA's 'wide-open' Western Conference is a thing of the past Eric Hartline / Imagn The Trail Blazers briefly acquired Jrue Holiday in the 2023 trade that sent Damian Lillard to Milwaukee, but redirected Holiday to the Celtics less than a week later. During the brief period Holiday was technically on the Portland roster, he and Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups connected over what Billups has called 'a great conversation.' Billups, who was traded by the Pistons four years after helping them win the 2004 championship, helped Holiday deal with getting blindsided by the Bucks' decision to trade him. During that chat, Holiday also expressed that he would prefer to be moved to a contender. Billups wanted to help the veteran reach 'a great position and a great spot' for him. 'It meant a lot,' Holiday told The Athletic in 2024. 'Being able to see a coach that has my best interests (in mind). And you could see it and you could hear it, which a lot of times maybe some players don't get a chance to see that from a coach. So he definitely had my best interest (at heart) from the beginning. And he just always looked out for me.' This time, the Blazers appear to intend to keep Holiday, and he could help them with his defense and leadership. Dealing away Anfernee Simons also appears to clear the path for Scoot Henderson, the third pick in 2023, who only started 10 games in his second season. Simons started all 70 games he played. Read more on what this trade means for the Blazers and Celtics here. GO FURTHER Celtics trade Jrue Holiday to Blazers for Anfernee Simons, second-round picks: Sources Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said on Indiana's 107.5 The Fan that re-signing Myles Turner this offseason remains a priority. Of course, Carlisle noted that he wouldn't get into contract numbers or anything like that. But he expressed complete faith in the front office. Brian Fluharty / Getty Images Even after trading Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Celtics still need to trim nearly $20 million to get under the second luxury tax apron and another $20 million beyond that to escape the luxury tax entirely. Because of that, league sources believe the Holiday trade will be only the first domino to fall for Boston. The Celtics are still shopping other players, including Kristaps Porziņģis, with an eye on alleviating their salary-cap dilemma, according to league sources. Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Anfernee Simons can help replace some of the lost scoring with Jayson Tatum out for next season with a torn Achilles. He's a very talented scorer and an underrated playmaker. He's not quite a lead guard, but he does a good job of taking care of the ball, moving it and stretching the floor. He's a career 38.1 percent 3-point shooter, and more than half of his shot attempts last season came from 3-point range. That fits in very well with the Celtics' brand of offense that puts up a ton of 3-pointers and tries to bury your defense with them. Simons is not shy to let it fly. The question will be whether he fits defensively. He's not nearly the defender Jrue Holiday is, even compared to last season's slowed-down version of the six-time All-Defense selection, who battled injuries. That will be Joe Mazzulla's challenge: Getting Simons to move as necessary for Celtics guards to maintain teamwide intensity. Even though we are seeing the Celtics shed some salary, it doesn't mean they're going to be bad. They'll still compete and be a playoff team. They just won't look like a 60-win monster. Read more on why I gave this trade a B for the Celtics. GO FURTHER NBA trade grades: Does Anfernee Simons maintain Celtics' status as East contenders? C. Morgan Engel / Getty Images The New York Knicks will interview Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori for their head coaching job, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. ESPN was first to report the news. Nori, 51, has been a longtime, respected assistant coach at several stops. I covered him while he was with Dwane Casey in Detroit. He's a great basketball mind and better personality. Nori ran the offense in Minnesota while Karl-Anthony Towns was there. There isn't a player who will say a bad word about him. GO FURTHER Knicks head coach search: Could a new name enter the conversation?
