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New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
LeBron hints at the end, plus USMNT survives yet again
The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic's daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! Be honest about your workplace today. There was no retirement announcement, no planning of a farewell tour. But yesterday's news that LeBron James opted into the final year of his contract — a first for him — made one thing extremely clear: This is the beginning of the end for maybe the best player to ever grace a basketball court. It's a fascinating double dose of reality, because of course a 40-year-old player entering his 23rd season is about to retire. James will become the longest-tenured NBA player ever this year, by both season total (23, topping Vince Carter's 22) and games played (he's 49 games behind Robert Parish's total of 1,611 games). Advertisement But also … I don't think I ever truly expected James to retire, only because of how unremarkable his longevity has become. His career has spanned seven presidential terms now. LeBron playing in the NBA is just a part of the fabric of our reality. Yet it will come to an end — at some point. A quick explainer on where we are: So what now? We have two options, as Sam Amick expertly explained: This is LeBron's farewell tour, with the Lakers gunning for a title, or James finds a new place to finish his career at 41 years old next offseason. Either way, the beginning of the end. Prepare yourselves. We also had a flurry of NBA free agency news yesterday. Quickly: Let's keep going: Beasley under investigation Free-agent guard Malik Beasley is a person of interesting in a federal gambling investigation, his lawyer confirmed to The Athletic yesterday. Beasley has not been charged with any crime yet, his lawyer added, but the investigation is being conducted by the U.S. District Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, the same outfit that charged six people in the Jontay Porter affair. Read more in our full report. Severino won't back down A's pitcher Luis Severino is, to the objective observer, refreshing. Earlier in the week, Severino lambasted the conditions in the A's temporary Sacramento home, saying the atmosphere and park made it feel like spring training. He didn't backtrack yesterday when asked about it, even after USA Today reported the organization 'can't wait' to trade him. The A's signed Severino to a three-year, $67 million deal in the offseason. Whoops. Also: Severino may have a point, as his home-road splits are wild (6.79 ERA at home vs. 3.23 on the road). See his full comments here. More news 📫 Love The Pulse? Check out our other newsletters. It's been a weird time for the USMNT. The star coach and the star player aren't getting along. There was that awful stretch earlier this month where the Americans couldn't win a friendly. Then the Gold Cup began, and things are … OK. Vibes were back to iffy last night, as the team could not put Costa Rica away. A loss would've meant complete disaster, much like Canada saw in its round of 16 matchup. Then Matt Freese, in a time of uncertain American goalkeeping, did this: Matty 'Ice' Freese 🥶 — Gold Cup (@GoldCup) June 30, 2025 That's three saves in one shootout, which is good for any keeper at any level. Embattled coach Mauricio Pochettino called it 'priceless.' And with it, the Americans advance to play Guatemala in the semifinals Wednesday. Over at the Club World Cup, it was a great Sunday for Europe: Almost done: 📺 Wimbledon: Moller vs. Tiafoe 6 a.m. ET on ESPN Consider this a placeholder, because Wimbledon begins today and ESPN (and ESPN+) will have first-round matches throughout the morning into the early afternoon. We have storylines for both the men's and women's brackets ready for you, including that Coco Gauff-Aryna Sabalenka 'olive branch.' Advertisement 📺 MLB: Padres at Phillies 6:35 p.m. ET on MLB Network These teams are both A) very good and B) very ready to hit the All-Star break. The Padres need some offense, and watching their former prospects batter Padre pitching last week was an interesting sight. Philly needs outfield help. Let's see who limps more here. Get tickets to games like these here. We're in a football lull, so you know what time it is: Our NFL writers picked one lingering question from each NFL team as the summer break begins. See them all here. Aaron Judge is swinging more than ever. That's a good thing, as Ken Rosenthal explained. Achilles tendon injuries are becoming all too common in the NBA of late. Dominique Wilkins knows the pain well — and wants to help fix it. I thought Mark Puleo's write-up of another odd Jake Paul boxing night was great. The fight was meh, but Paul's win opens up his road to facing legitimate fighters. Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: The George Costanza bobblehead. Most-read on the website yesterday: ☝️
New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Bobby Portis, Bucks agree to 3-year, $44 million extension: Sources
Forward Bobby Portis and the Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to a three-year, $44 million extension with a player option in 2027-28, a league source confirmed to The Athletic on Sunday. Portis, 30, has been among the league's highest-scoring bench players since joining the Bucks as a free agent in November 2020. The veteran forward played a major role in the Bucks' championship run in 2021 and averaged 13.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game last season. Sam Amick contributed to this story. This story will be updated.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Boston Celtics trade rumors: Potential Jrue Holiday deal hits obstacle
The Celtics trade rumor mill is starting to heat up with the NBA Draft less than a week away. Boston is expected unload some salary to get below the second apron ($207 million) for next season, which makes high-priced talent like Jrue Holiday potential trade options for the team. The veteran guard has already been connected to teams with interest in the guard like the Mavericks and Clippers in recent weeks, but one other team on the hunt for a point guard is the Sacramento Kings. Multiple reports in the past week have indicated that the Kings have registered interest in trading for the 34-year-old guard. However, the extent of that interest remains unclear to this point. Sam Amick of the Athletic provided some more clarity about the Kings' perspective in a radio interview on SacTown Sports 1140. Advertisement 'I do have indications that they are looking at a lot,' Amick said of the Kings offseason plans. 'I don't know how much they are going to overhaul the roster but I think they are looking at big stuff and small stuff. The point guard pursuit is very real. I don't know where they will land on that front. It's kind of, 'If only Jrue Holiday was five years younger' type thing. I think that type of option has been considered and explored, but is imperfect because of his age.' The Kings traded away star point guard De'Aaron Fox to the Spurs back in February, creating a massive void for the team in the backcourt. With no true point guard on the roster for next year and plenty of offensive-minded guards and wings under contract (Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, DeMar DeRozan), a need for a player like Holiday is real. Holiday's age and salary makes the fit a bit tricky for Sacramento, a team that took a step back last season and has a new general manager in Scott Perry. The Kings could look elsewhere for a point guard on the free agent market or via trade if they aren't willing to absorb Holiday's big long-term deal or opt for a younger option. . If the Kings end up trying to work out a deal with Boston for Holiday, a simple construction could be based around DeMar DeRozan ($24.5 million) and salary filler, which would fit the financial parameters. DeRozan is reportedly available in trade talks, but it's difficult to envision him being an ideal fit for the Celtics offensive system given his career arc of living the midrange offensively. Advertisement A potential answer to that problem could be some type of 3-team construction, with DeRozan making his way to a third team with Boston taking back lesser salary or draft assets and Holiday heading to the Kings. Whether there are enough parts changing hands to satisfy all parties involved is another matter. Either way, look for Holiday trade rumors to continue to swirl with the NBA Draft approaching on June 25. More Celtics content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA rumors: Insider reveals Rockets-Suns Kevin Durant trade call that ‘didn't go well'
The post NBA rumors: Insider reveals Rockets-Suns Kevin Durant trade call that 'didn't go well' appeared first on ClutchPoints. As the NBA Draft approaches, the biggest question still remaining in the NBA offseason is where Kevin Durant will land. Ever since the end of the Phoenix Suns season this year, it has felt like Durant is on the way out and was likely to be traded. Advertisement A few weeks into talks, it was revealed that Durant prefers to play for the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets or Miami Heat. All three could desperately use Durant and have different but intriguing packages to send back to Phoenix for the disgruntled star. However, that doesn't mean everything has been going smoothly. Specifically on the Rockets front, there has been a disconnect between what the Suns think Durant's value is and what the Rockets seem to want to give up for him. NBA insider Sam Amick detailed the state of talks between the two teams on a recent episode of The Athletic NBA Daily. 'I was told (Thursday) that Houston hadn't talked to Phoenix since last week, and that call didn't go particularly well,' Amick said. 'That could have changed by now, again that's as of (Thursday). They would love to have KD, but it's on their price.' The Rockets have a set offer to Phoenix for Durant, likely centered around Jalen Green and some of their other young pieces. However, the Suns still want more from them and are clearly set to hold out until they get it, from either the Rockets or someone else. Advertisement Of course, a big part of the disconnect on Durant's value likely comes from his contract situation. The 36-year old can be a free agent next summer if he chooses not to sign a contract extension with whichever team he is traded to this offseason, which drives down his price on the market. Durant has also had durability and injury concerns as he has gotten older, which surely makes teams reluctant to give up the farm to bring him in. Still, the chance to trade for one of the truly elite players in the history of the game and immediately vault into championship contention will be too enticing to pass up for one of these teams in the coming weeks. Related: Kevin Durant trade grades for Rockets, Suns after blockbuster deal Related: NBA rumors: Nuggets tried for Nikola Jokic-Kevin Durant team-up
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA rumors: Timberwolves playing hardball in Kevin Durant trade talks
The post NBA rumors: Timberwolves playing hardball in Kevin Durant trade talks appeared first on ClutchPoints. As the 2025 NBA Finals near a potential conclusion Thursday night with Game 6, trade rumors surrounding Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant continue to intensify. One of the latest developments involves the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are reportedly taking a firm stance in discussions with Phoenix. Advertisement According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Minnesota is unwilling to commit to a significant trade package unless Durant signals a clear interest in joining the Timberwolves. On Wednesday, Amick reported the franchise is standing by that condition. 'Minnesota is not gonna play ball until they get signal Kevin wants to play there,' Amick wrote. This sentiment echoes a Tuesday report from Amick and Timberwolves beat writer Jon Krawczynski, which outlined the delicate nature of the trade talks and both teams' respective positions. 'The Suns have made it clear to Durant's camp that they need to prioritize the best return for the team in a deal,' the report stated. 'What's more, they appear focused on landing the kind of impact players who can help now, as opposed to prioritizing draft picks.' Advertisement Phoenix's current trade strategy centers on maximizing Durant's value by targeting players who can contribute immediately, rather than entering a rebuilding phase centered on future assets. In that context, Minnesota is viewed as a viable trade partner due to its depth and win-now roster. Timberwolves resist major roster shakeup without Kevin Durant's commitment amid Suns' high demands Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports Names floated in connection with a potential Timberwolves package include Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle, the latter likely as part of a broader multi-team construction. Gobert, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, remains under contract and could appeal to the Suns as a frontcourt anchor alongside Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. Advertisement However, despite their potential to meet Phoenix's return criteria, the Timberwolves remain cautious. Sources close to the team indicate that Minnesota does not want to disrupt the core of a roster that reached the Western Conference Finals unless Durant is fully aligned with the move. With offers from the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Miami Heat reportedly falling short of Phoenix's expectations, league sources say the Suns are still holding out hope that Durant may warm to the idea of Minnesota as a destination. Durant, 36, averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists during the 2024–25 season, shooting 52.7% from the field and 43% from beyond the arc. He is entering the final guaranteed year of his contract, worth $54.7 million. The Timberwolves, led by rising star Anthony Edwards and a deep supporting cast, are seeking to build on their postseason breakthrough. But internal consensus remains firm: unless Durant expresses a clear desire to join, Minnesota will not mortgage its future or overhaul its conference finalist roster. Advertisement As Phoenix weighs its options, all eyes are on whether Durant signals openness to a Timberwolves partnership — or whether another suitor will meet the Suns' steep demands. Related: Ranking Suns' 4 best realistic Kevin Durant trade packages Related: Chris Finch's 2-word mic drop on Julius Randle, Naz Reid's Timberwolves future
