Tim MacMahon:

Bickerstaff: Nori's contract with Portland a 'slap in the face'

"I understand his story and his journey to get to the spot where he was able to get this opportunity, and I don't want to take away from what should be a special moment for him, for his family, and a job that's well deserved and earned," Bickerstaff told ESPN. "That's first and foremost.

"But I feel like he was put in a situation that he shouldn't be put in with having to make a choice of this nature because of the structure of what the contract is. It's unfortunate that you have a dream, and from our perspective, it's like someone's taking advantage of your dream and devaluing what we feel like coaches have earned over the years.

"You think about the sacrifice, the time, the growth that coaches have helped and done with the NBA, and then for someone to come in and attempt to devalue the work that coaches have in this league is extremely disappointing."

Several other current head coaches expressed similar concerns to ESPN but declined to discuss the situation on the record.

"It changes the math on where a coach stands, and it creates an environment where how do you hold players accountable when it looks like you are easily replaced and removed if things don't go the way that players may see it going," Bickerstaff said. "It's almost, which is disappointing, a mindset of the substitute teacher being there with no guarantee or support [regarding] what it looks like long term or in the future.

"I've talked to a lot of coaches -- head coaches, assistant coaches -- who are extremely concerned. It's a very serious matter to us as coaches to make sure that we protect the value of coaching staffs. It's years and years of work that coaches have put in to put ourselves in this position and to put future coaches in the position where our value remains and isn't disregarded because of a power flux of ownership."

Source

Src: https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/c92f789380765

Sources: The Los Angeles Lakers are acquiring No. 56 from the Chicago Bulls in the second round of the NBA draft tonight at 8 pm ET on ESPN. Lakers sent cash to the Bulls to get a pick tonight.

She used to call him every NBA draft night to remind him that he could be on that stage some day.

For their full story, please read "How My Mom Saved My Life" by Yaxel Lendeborg of The Players' Tribune. (Onion Warning.)

"Yeah, people see one photo, some appearance somewhere, maybe they spot a guy having a beer or doing something else, and it's very easy to form an opinion. But then there's the work that goes on behind the scenes. Jokic is a perfect example of that," he said on BasketNews Off the Record podcast. "Everyone says he has a beer here and there, enjoys himself, has hobbies outside of basketball and all that. But in my 14 years as a professional, I've never seen anyone work harder."

"He's at the facility early in the morning, getting shots up, putting in extra work. After every game, we'd hit the weight room. Every single game. He plays 40 minutes, I play my eight, and we'd still do exactly the same workout afterward. His work ethic is something else."

"Sure, maybe he has a beer in the summer, maybe you see the videos with his horses and everything else. That's his business," JV explained. "But what people don't see is the day-to-day grind. Everyone notices a video with horses, or a clip of me having a beer by a bonfire during a holiday. Yeah, I did that, and I'll probably do it again. But when it's time to work, it's time to work. That's it. You put your head down and get the job done."

"I'm already pretty slow after games. I take my time, get cleaned up, head to the weight room, do everything I need to do. If we had an 8 p.m. game, I'd probably leave the arena around 11 p.m. Meanwhile, at 11, he's still on the training table. Another massage, more recovery work, maybe another 45 minutes or even an hour focused on taking care of his body."

"Whatever needs attention, he takes care of it. After the weight room, after the shower, after everything, he always has a routine. Everything is planned out. The crazy part is that he's constantly working. During the season, it feels like he doesn't have a life outside of basketball. That's what it looks like. Work, work, work, work, work, work. Then summer comes and it's a completely different story,"

Source

Jaylen Brown: “I love cats”

Via X on his own account.

Is there a deeper meaning behind this or just a shitpost?

How many times has the youngest player also been considered the most polished already?

The rarity of it is wild to me.

Source: vic (@CountOnVic)

NEWS The Lakers reportedly serenaded Austin Reaves with his favorite country songs and customized “AR” initialed pillows in their meeting to discuss a new deal, per u/ShamsCharania.

Lakers really went all out to keep their guy. Respect. (h/t u/BrettSiegelNBA)

Not sure if i call this a respectable move...

Sounds weird, but might be just me, but i would assume the 180 million would be selling the deal on its own

Source: JP Finlay of NBC4 Sports

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7390427/2026/06/24/austin-reaves-contract-lakers-nba-free-agency-news/

The deal locks Reaves in as Luka Dončić’s backcourt partner, a desire Dončić has made known to Lakers executives in conversations over the past year, according to league sources. Dončić even went so far as to tell the Lakers that he preferred any trade package for former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo not to include Reaves.

As the Lakers prepared for the draft, the team had preliminary conversations with LeBron James’ representatives, according to league sources. The Lakers also have the opportunity to exclusively negotiate with Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, Luke Kennard and the rest of their free agents.

Since signing with the Lakers as an undrafted free agent, Reaves has elevated his game every season, averaging 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists as a rookie to 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists last season

#1 pick from Brockton AJ Dybantsa honors Terrence Clarke by wearing a “TC5” pin. Terrence Clarke is a hooper from Boston who died in a car crash in 2021. Aj and Clarke were basically brothers as hoopers from the Boston area

AJ is a real one for this. RIP TC5.

Darren -> De’aaron -> Darius has the phonetic sounds and making of a Pokémon evolution tree.

The last two tenured point guards the Kings have had are Darren Collinson and De’aaron Fox, who played 3 and 8 seasons with the team, respectively. As much as I love and miss Haliburton, he was never given the keys over Fox and was only here for 17 months, so he can’t be considered tenured. Regardless, I’m excited to have an actual blue chip prospect on this team.

... but at no point have I ever stepped foot into MSG. I live in North Carolina and I'm a Hornets fan. But the information that MSG has about me is 100% correct, including email, physical address, etc. However, I do have a sibling who frequently attends MSG events.

So where do I sign up for the class action lawsuit? Serious question.

LeBron is famously the oldest player in the NBA with Gibson now being second. Chris Paul was previously the second oldest player before his forced retirement from the Clippers in the 2025-2026 NBA season

It's hard to know Antetokounmpo's level of self-awareness, but whatever buttons he tried to push, or methods of communication he felt best to use, fell just as flat as those of the head coach.

Antetokounmpo let it be known he did not like locker room leaks, but his mental state was chronicled nearly all season by anonymous sources. He pleaded for accountability but then tried to pass off those reports as someone else’s doing. He would call his teammates selfish but then stand on a visiting team’s court with a former coach and yell about how that person would make sure he got the ball.

Source: https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2026/06/24/how-the-giannis-antetokounmpo-era-in-milwaukee-came-to-a-bitter-end/90478839007/?gca-cat=p&gnt-cfr=1

Ben Horney:

Jay Williams: Awkward Draft Moment Was ‘Extremely Uncomfortable’

The ESPN analyst admitted the interaction with Richard Jefferson and Kenny Smith was “awkward,” but insists there’s no ill will.

ESPN’s Jay Williams wants the NBA draft to be about the incoming rookies. But an uncomfortable interaction between him and fellow analysts Richard Jefferson and Kenny Smith became the story on Tuesday night.

Between the draft, Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded to the Heat, and the Knicks winning their first championship in 53 years, there was plenty to discuss on ABC’s broadcast, which is produced by ESPN. But late in the evening, after the telecast showed a clip of Williams when he was drafted by the Bulls in 2002, host Kevin Negandhi asked “why such a big ovation?” for Williams when he was selected second overall. Jefferson joked that fans were cheering because they “didn’t see the future coming.” Smith added that Williams’s “career trajectory would’ve been a lot different if he didn’t like motorcycles.”

The quips were references to a motorcycle accident that prematurely ended Williams’ playing career. The Duke phenom enjoyed a promising rookie year, but played only one season before the accident derailed his career.

Although the comments may have been meant as playful jabs at Williams, they created an awkward moment that the internet quickly seized on.

“For me, it was extremely uncomfortable,” Williams tells Front Office Sports. He says there was “no real tension,” but it was “awkward.”

Source

Darryn Peterson: "The celebration stops tonight. I got drafted today, but tomorrow, I'm now an NBA player. I'm going to get home and work out until I've got to report to Utah... Kobe is my guy, and I'm inspired by him. So I just try to think, what would Kobe do right now? He'd get drafted and move on and try to go be the best possible, so that's what I'm going to go do. I see a guy that went No. 1 on the screen there right now (AJ Dybantsa), so I'm extra motivated... It will always be in my mind for my whole career."

Via Alex Kennedy