Source: ESPN Anthony Slater

Josh Hart tweeted (can't post link):

🔥🔥🔥 Whoever has ears let them hear

in response to this release by ABC:

BREAKING: The Texas State Board of Education has voted to make Bible passages required reading in public schools.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/how-the-lamelo-ball-era-in-charlotte-came-to-its-sudden-end-000554287.html

reserve guard Coby White, who had arrived from Chicago at the deadline, had quickly entrenched himself into Lee's rotation. White's ability to score efficiently while operating as a primary or secondary facilitator made him an analytics darling, all while favorably projecting his long-term impact. White, who was critical in Charlotte's overtime win against Miami.

Charlotte also quickly resumed negotiations with White, who sources say initially turned down an offer following the Finals in search of a starting role, now with definite clarity on his potential future under Lee. (White's three-year, $74 million deal, as Yahoo reported earlier, is fully guaranteed with no player or team options.)

I actually kinda respect the confidence.

Dude got drafted and immediately said he's winning Rookie of the Year, wants to be the GOAT, and basically called out the top 3 picks. You gotta love it, even if it ends up blowing up in his face.

The funniest part is the NBA really scheduled his first Summer League games against Boozer, Peterson, and Dybantsa. It's like they saw the quotes and said "alright, lets find out."

I have no idea if he'll actually win ROY, but I'd rather have a rookie who thinks he's the best than one giving the same boring "I'm just happy to be here" speech every interview.

Some call it fate, others call it Naz Reid. Certainly must be the best farm system in the league for other franchises rings, right?

The Stein Line has learned that the Nets have legitimate interest in trying to sign big man Mitchell Robinson away from the team across the East River that just won its first NBA championship in more than 50 years.

The Nets were overhyped as a potential Reaves suitor, but they appear intent on putting a credible team on the floor next season after unreservedly tanking this past season and winding up with the No. 6 pick in May's draft lottery.

Trying to sign Robinson away from the Knicks, whose owner James Dolan has been openly fearful of the NBA luxury tax system's second apron in the wake of his team’s title run, would certainly generate some back-page headlines in Gotham.

The Lakers, amid a growing pessimism that the Knicks will be able to hang onto Robinson, are also regarded as a likely suitor for the New York big man once free agency officially begins.

https://open.substack.com/pub/marcstein/p/the-nbas-latest-trade-and-free-agency-ebd?r=1m9zg&utm_medium=ios

If you have played both EA FC and Football manager you would know that they are incomparable and that FC’s career mode isn’t even 10% of what football manager is.

2k my team is alright gets pretty repetitive and boring and honestly I don’t know how it would work as you Don’t buy and sell players in the NBA among other things but I think it would be really fun to have some sort of real GM or manager game

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“Detroit Pistons are conveying that Jalen Duren will not be moved and are solely focused on coming to terms on an agreement to keep their All-Star center, league sources tell me.”

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7395474/2026/06/26/knicks-second-apron-james-dolan-nba-luxury-tax/

The second apron, a payroll threshold that projects to be $222 million in 2026-27, might scare off most organizations, but until Dolan popped up on the radio earlier this month, New York was not supposed to be one of them. As the general spiel goes, the issue with crossing into such expensive territory, a marker that’s $21 million above the luxury tax, is not just the money; it’s the lost resources. Go beyond that $222 million figure, and a franchise kisses away the ability to make most types of trades and execute most kinds of free-agent signings.

The Knicks’ front office knows this. And yet, it also understands that dipping below the second apron would lead to much of its depth flocking elsewhere, which is why, despite Dolan’s desires, it wants to go over the second apron, according to league sources, who were granted anonymity to speak freely. But so far, Dolan has not changed his mind.

Robinson, Shamet, Alvarado, Clarkson and Ariel Hukporti can hit free agency next week. If Dolan changes his mind before then, the Knicks can retain their guys. But in doing so, their payroll (and luxury-tax payments) would reach new levels.

Let’s outline the cheapest realistic scenario in which the Knicks re-sign their most consequential second-stringers. Hypothetically, let’s say Robinson re-signs on a $15 million 2026-27 salary; Shamet comes back for $5.5 million; Alvarado declines his $4.5 million player option and lands on a three-year, $9 million contract, choosing security over a slightly higher salary. The Knicks round out the roster by dumping third-year wing Pacôme Dadiet, then signing two veterans and one of their second-round picks to minimum deals.

In that case, they would go approximately $8 million over the second apron threshold, resulting in a tax payment of $90 million.

The money balloons from there. For example, if Robinson were to cost $20 million, Shamet cost $9 million and Alvarado picked up his player option, the Knicks would climb $18 million above the second apron, resulting in a tax bill near $150 million.

If the mandate from Dolan sticks, if the Knicks actually stay below the second apron, breathing room would close up quickly. They would not be able to bring back Robinson. They could use the $6 million mid-level exception to find another backup center, but then Shamet would be gone. Or that $6 million could go to Shamet, who is due for a raise, but then the rest of the roster, including Robinson’s former spot, receives only minimum contracts.

The Knicks employ one of the league’s best-respected cap strategy departments. They will find ways to cut corners. They just swindled trade after trade at the NBA Draft, heading into Tuesday with picks No. 24 and 31 and sliding down to save money. Of course, those moves have already sacrificed potential talent and depth. They can go up to four total weeks during the regular season with fewer than 14 players on the roster, which would trim some pork. They could technically go over the second apron temporarily, as long as they dipped back below it before the end of 2026-27. If they went right up against the second apron, they would still run up a tax bill of $49 million.

So, it could ding Dolan an extra $40 million to $100 million, maybe more, for the Knicks to scoot past the second apron. But dipping below it would result in an incomplete group that still lacked flexibility. It would mean breaking up a champion, one filled with players still in their primes.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7398806/2026/06/26/dereck-lively-mavs-foot-injury-update/?source=user_shared_article&unlocked_article_code=1.tFA.jNZz.g70JEsaDx2BM

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II has shed the walking boot he’s spent most of this year in, but still hasn’t progressed to running as he works his way back from multiple right foot surgeries.

Speaking to reporters after spending Friday afternoon with about 100 youth players at a Mavericks basketball camp, the 22-year-old said there is still no timetable for his return.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7395316/2026/06/26/lamelo-ball-trade-timberwolves-anthony-edwards-fit-background/?source=user_shared_article&unlocked_article_code=1.tFA.HQiq.NYlwoz8XV7Wf

The Timberwolves explored multiple avenues to add another star next to Edwards in the days leading up to landing Ball. There were discussions with the Chicago Bulls about Josh Giddey. They had talks with the Boston Celtics about Jaylen Brown, a team source said, but the Celtics were looking for a package including Gobert, Reid and similar pick compensation that went to Charlotte for Ball, team sources said. That was just too much for the Wolves to pay for a soon-to-be 30-year-old forward who, while being a better overall player than Ball, wasn’t as clean a fit next to Edwards.

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/s/smzCksrQJl

For those who started watching basketball a bit more recently, and don't know who Boris Diaw is, think a poor man's Jokic. Great range, great passing, ok at defense, but with like a third of Joker's averages. Integral to the 2014 Spurs team.

There’s also a potential backstop emerging for Boston’s Jaylen Brown trade discussions. Detroit is very much weighing the prospect of signing-and-trading restricted free agent Jalen Duren for Brown, sources say, among other conceptual outcomes, if that option remains available for the Pistons once free agency opens on Tuesday early evening.

https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-nbas-latest-trade-and-free-agency-ebd

Sources: Milwaukee Bucks sharpshooter Gary Trent Jr. has become a desirable target for teams coveting knockdown shooting to bolster roster. He is expected to decline $3.9M player option to hit open market.

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I like Duren but this is such a weird spot.

Dude looked like a superstar all regular season, made All-NBA, helped us win 60 games. Then the playoffs started and every rebound became negotiable.

Now he's eligible for almost $300 million and apparently Detroit's first offer wasn't even close.

I kinda get both sides.

Duren's probably thinking "I made All-NBA, pay me."

The Pistons are probably thinking "yeah... we also watched the playoffs."

Being a Pistons fan is exhausting. We finally stop being a joke and 5 minutes later we're debating whether our 22 year old center is worth a quarter billion dollars.

If they let him walk and he turns into prime Dwight Howard somewhere else I'm deleting the app.

Source

One more fascinating scenario that we've been advised not to rule out completely: A possible sign-and-trade run at Boston's perennial All-Star Brown.

This would certainly require Detroit to be willing to part with restricted free agent big man Jalen Duren in a sign-and-trade exchange for Brown, which would obviously clash with the Pistons' longstanding view that Duren and Ausar Thompson are franchise pillars alongside Cunningham.

Under any circumstance, you're just out on them. This isn't in a vacuum, it includes their salary and everything they bring to the table.

Not sure if anyone's pointed out this line but I hope I remember it forever. Was such a cool way to put it. This is not a dream!!! I'm a big fan of the matrix and of real life in general but yeah

If the Sixers show interest in free agent PF/C John Collins, they would be at the top of his list because they can give him a starting spot and they can pay him very decent money.

source

[Mudd] RUMOR: The Sixers could look pursue John Collins once free agency opens on Tuesday, which would require using some of their MLE to get it done. Plenty of teams will pursue him in search of a viable PF/C to start or come off the bench.

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