Celtics president Brad Stevens is taking plenty of flak for trading Jaylen Brown to the 76ers, but it may not all be about analytics.
Or even if it is, Gordon Hayward doesn’t think Stevens overdoes it. Hayward, now retired, played for Stevens both at Butler and with the Celtics.
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“I think he puts in as much stock (in analytics) as he needs,” Hayward said on NBA Sirius XM Radio. “I think Brad is extremely intelligent. I can tell you from first-hand experience from playing for him in college and the Celtics… I think Brad definitely looks at the analytics, uses the analytics, and then makes the decision based on that and his gut.”
Stevens sent Brown to the Sixers for what’s left of Paul George and draft picks. So, yeah, it seems fairly lopsided — and not in the favor of Boston.
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Granted, all trades deserve time to play out on the court, and Stevens has been a winner wherever he’s gone. Whether that be coaching Butler or Boston, or in the front office.
But while the numbers may back up this move, the initial eye test smells.
The shock over the Celtics’ decision to trade Jaylen Brown has reached one of the biggest names in franchise history.
Hall of Famer Bob Cousy admitted he was caught off guard by Boston’s blockbuster deal that sent Brown to the rival 76ers in exchange for Paul George and draft picks.
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“I woke up to a complicated world today,” the 97-year-old Cousy told the Boston Globe. “It’s difficult to understand this from a Celtic standpoint.”
Cousy questioned the return Boston received for a player entering the prime of his career.
“I’d like to be in Brad Stevens’ mind and understand what his thinking is,” Cousy said. “He didn’t really get anything for Brown to speak of.”
While acknowledging George’s decorated career, Cousy noted that the veteran forward is nearing the latter stages of it.
“Paul George was a superstar but is on the way out, so this could set the Celtics back considerably — especially if Tatum is delayed with his comeback,” Cousy said. “There’s a lot of ‘ifs’ to this and it really surprised me.”
Shaughnessy pointed out that Boston has traded accomplished veterans before — including Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Cedric Maxwell and Danny Ainge — but none were in the middle of their prime like Brown, a five-time All-Star who just completed arguably the best season of his career.
The closest historical comparison, Shaughnessy wrote, dates all the way back to 1956, when Red Auerbach traded six-time All-Star Ed Macauley to St. Louis as part of the deal that ultimately brought Bill Russell to Boston.
This time, however, there is no Bill Russell waiting on the other end.
Instead, the Celtics are betting that George can still help them compete while hoping the future draft assets eventually pay dividends.
Whether that gamble works remains to be seen, but one thing is already clear.
As Cousy’s reaction showed, the trade has stunned not only today’s NBA observers, but even those who helped build the Celtics into one of basketball’s most decorated franchises.
As relayed by Chris Hine of the Minnesota Star Tribune, Minnesota now has 12 players under contract, with second-round pick Isaiah Evans expected to claim another roster spot. That would leave the Timberwolves with one or two openings on the roster as free agency continues.
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The timing is notable.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reported that the Timberwolves firmly believe they are legitimately in the mix to sign LeBron James and have intensified their efforts to land the four-time NBA champion.
Minnesota’s confidence isn’t based solely on wishful thinking.
After trading away Julius Randle and Naz Reid this offseason, the Wolves have an opening at power forward, a position James could help fill.
The team also believes its core of Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert would allow James to focus more on winning another championship while easing some of the nightly workload that has followed him throughout much of his career.
Krawczynski also reported that Minnesota has emphasized another selling point in conversations with James’ camp: the opportunity to deliver the franchise’s first NBA championship. Team officials believe winning a title with the Timberwolves would further strengthen James’ legacy, given the organization’s lack of championship history.
Financially, Minnesota remains limited because of its proximity to the NBA’s second apron, making a veteran minimum contract the most likely path unless additional moves are made. But Krawczynski and others have reported money is believed to be less important to James than finding the right competitive situation.
The Timberwolves’ optimism appeared to receive another boost after James’ agent, Rich Paul, discussed potential landing spots during his “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman.
Paul included Minnesota among a select group of teams he believes make sense for James, praising the organization’s roster, president of basketball operations Tim Connelly and ownership group.
Whether the Wolves ultimately land James remains to be seen. But by keeping one or two roster spots available after adding Lyles, Minnesota appears intent on preserving as much flexibility as possible while one of the NBA’s biggest free agency decisions remains unresolved.
Writing for the Press-Enterprise, Alexander reflected on Leonard’s seven-year run with the Clippers following his trade to the Raptors, arguing that the championship vision introduced during Leonard’s celebrated arrival in 2019 never came close to becoming reality.
Alexander recalled owner Steve Ballmer’s memorable declaration at Leonard’s introductory event that “the only thing that matters is the Larry O’B.,” a reference to the Larry O’Brien Trophy awarded to NBA champions.
That trophy never arrived.
Despite pairing Leonard with Paul George and entering multiple seasons as championship contenders, the Clippers won only three playoff series during the Leonard-George era and reached just one Western Conference Finals.
Alexander suggested the aggressive trade that brought George to Los Angeles ultimately helped transform the Thunder into a powerhouse while leaving the Clippers with little to show after injuries repeatedly derailed Leonard’s tenure.
Now, with Leonard returning to Toronto and the Clippers rebuilding their stockpile of draft picks, the organization is beginning a new chapter, Alexander wrote.
He also questioned whether the pursuit itself was flawed from the start, pointing to Leonard’s recurring injury issues, the franchise’s handling of his availability and the rise of load management as defining themes of the era.
As written by Alexander, what began with enormous expectations in the summer of 2019 ultimately ended as another reminder of how difficult it has been for the Clippers to reach the NBA’s mountaintop.
I’ve covered every major LeBron James free agency.
The first one broke the internet. The second one practically lived on Twitter.
This one? It’s happening on X, and honestly, I’m not sure anyone can hear anybody anymore.
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Back in 2014, Twitter felt like a newsroom. There were a handful of reporters you trusted. Adrian Wojnarowski. Brian Windhorst. Marc Stein. Chris Broussard. A few others. You refreshed your timeline because you knew the next tweet might actually move the story.
It was information.
Now it feels like trying to follow one conversation in the middle of a packed sports bar while everyone is yelling at the televisions.
Everybody has “sources.” Everybody has an opinion.
Everybody has a graphic announcing where LeBron is supposedly signing.
Half of it is wrong before you even finish reading it.
The funny part is there has never been more information available. Yet I’m not sure there’s ever been less certainty.
That’s what makes this LeBron free agency feel so different.
LeBron hasn’t changed nearly as much as the conversation around him has.
He’s 41 now. He’s no longer the guy who can single-handedly drag almost any roster into contention. Those days are probably behind him.
But he’s still really good. He still sells jerseys. He still moves television ratings.
He’s still the biggest basketball celebrity we’ve seen since Michael Jordan.
And wherever he signs will instantly become the biggest story in sports.
I’ve noticed something else this time around.
Back in 2014, I was covering LeBron at Fox Sports Ohio. I was writing maybe two stories a day. I had more time to report, make calls and think about what came next.
Now I’m running Hoops Wire.
Some days I’m writing or editing 15 stories before I even think about dinner.
That’s not a complaint. It’s just what my job has become.
It has evolved from breaking news to keeping up with it.
Some days it feels like I’m less of a writer and columnist than I am a typist and curator, trying to sort through everyone else’s reporting, separate the real stuff from the noise and present it in a way that actually helps readers.
That’s the modern internet. It’s also why this LeBron chase feels different.
Even Woj is gone now, trading NBA scoops for the general manager’s chair at St. Bonaventure.
Twitter became X. The media landscape changed. The algorithms changed. The conversations changed.
One proposed framework reportedly involved a three-team deal that would have sent Durant to Detroit, Sengun to Boston and Jaylen Brown to Houston before Brown was ultimately traded to Philadelphia.
The Rockets never showed interest in that concept, however, and discussions never gained traction.
Detroit also explored a direct pursuit of Durant, but those talks likewise failed to produce anything meaningful.
While Durant isn’t considered completely untouchable, there has been no indication Houston plans to move him before the start of next season.
The contract is worth the veteran’s minimum, giving New York an experienced rebounder after losing Mitchell Robinson to the rival Celtics in free agency.
Drummond, 32, averaged 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds in just 19.5 minutes over 63 games with the 76ers last season. The former All-Star remains one of the league’s most productive rebounders on a per-minute basis and even showed some range, shooting 35.6 percent from beyond the arc.
The move comes after New York lost both Robinson and reserve center Ariel Hukporti in free agency, leaving Karl-Anthony Towns in need of an experienced backup.
Drummond doesn’t offer Robinson’s rim protection or mobility, but he should help replace much of the rebounding production while allowing the Knicks to stay below the second tax apron.
Pistons
One of Detroit’s biggest remaining offseason priorities is figuring out a long-term deal with center Jalen Duren.
According to Siegel, Duren’s camp believes the 22-year-old has earned a maximum contract after making an All-NBA team, while the Pistons are hoping to keep any extension closer to an average annual salary of roughly $35 million.
Technically, Detroit could offer Duren as much as five years and $287 million. A rival team could only offer four years and about $177 million, and no franchise currently has enough cap space to make that kind of offer anyway.
That leaves the Pistons with significant leverage as negotiations continue, though there’s little doubt the organization still views Duren as a major part of its future alongside Cade Cunningham.
The move comes just days before Nance’s $2.5 million salary for the 2026-27 season would have become fully guaranteed.
Nance, 26, appeared in 47 games for Milwaukee last season, averaging 5.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 15.7 minutes while shooting an impressive 51.5 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc.
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The 6-foot-9 forward went undrafted out of North Carolina in 2023 after beginning his college career at Northwestern. He spent part of his rookie season with the Cavaliers and later had a stint with the 76ers before joining the Bucks on a two-way contract in February 2025.
Milwaukee rewarded Nance with a standard NBA contract in March, but the deal remained fully non-guaranteed until this weekend. By waiving him now, the Bucks avoid guaranteeing his salary for next season.
Despite the move, a return to Milwaukee hasn’t been ruled out.
Nance was included on the Bucks’ Summer League roster earlier this week, suggesting the organization may still have interest in bringing him back under a different contract. He also remains eligible to sign another two-way deal.
Nance is the son of Cavaliers legend Larry Nance and the younger brother of free agent forward Larry Nance Jr., who returned to Cleveland last season. Pete starred at Akron’s Revere High School before continuing his basketball career at Northwestern and North Carolina.
Given his age, shooting ability and positional versatility, Nance is expected to draw interest as teams continue filling out their training camp and regular-season rosters.
Valanciunas remains under contract with the Nuggets, though Denver must decide by next Wednesday whether to guarantee the remaining $8 million on his deal. Around the league, the expectation has been that the Nuggets will move on.
The Lakers have also been linked to Valanciunas as they continue searching for a backup behind newly acquired Walker Kessler, meaning New York could have company if the veteran big man reaches free agency.
Raptors
Toronto’s work may not be finished after bringing Kawhi Leonard back north of the border.
According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet, the Raptors’ financial flexibility will largely depend on what Leonard decides to do with his trade bonus once the blockbuster deal becomes official.
If Leonard agrees to reduce or waive part of that bonus, Toronto would gain additional breathing room beneath what is expected to be a first-apron hard cap, giving the front office more flexibility to round out the roster.
The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade with Miami can’t become official until Monday, but Milwaukee is already acting as though the talented young guard is part of its future.
According to BasketNews, new coach Taylor Jenkins and assistant general manager Milt Newton are expected to travel to Italy this weekend to watch Jakucionis, who is representing Lithuania during 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying.
The 2025 first-round pick impressed in Lithuania’s win over Great Britain, finishing with 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, the veteran forward has agreed to a one-year contract with the Timberwolves after spending last season with Real Madrid.
Lyles averaged 13.3 points and shot 44.3 percent from three-point range while helping Real Madrid reach the EuroLeague title game. Before heading overseas, he appeared in 650 NBA games with the Jazz, Nuggets, Spurs, Pistons and Kings.
Minnesota had been looking for frontcourt depth after moving on from Julius Randle and Naz Reid earlier this offseason, making Lyles a logical veteran addition.
The signing also doesn’t change anything regarding the Timberwolves’ reported interest in LeBron James.
76ers
Philadelphia continued adding young backcourt depth by agreeing to a two-way contract with Caleb Love, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Love spent last season with the Trail Blazers after starring at North Carolina and Arizona. He averaged 10.4 points in 49 games as a rookie and earned praise for his defense and playmaking despite inconsistent shooting.
Miller averaged 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season after earning a larger role in the Clippers’ rotation.
The former second-round pick was eligible for restricted free agency after Los Angeles declined his team option, but the two sides quickly worked out a new deal. According to The Athletic, only the first season is fully guaranteed.
Miller joins Kobe Sanders among the Clippers’ restricted free agents who have already agreed to return, while Bennedict Mathurin remains unsigned.
LeBron James may not be talking publicly about his free agency.
His agent is.
Rich Paul appeared on the latest episode of the Game Over podcast with Max Kellerman and, while he never came out and said where James is headed, he dropped plenty of hints about what matters most. Oh, he even used a whiteboard.
Anyway, here are the biggest takeaways:
Cavs very much in mix
Paul acknowledged that Darius Garland‘s departure hurts the Cavaliers’ case, noting that LeBron “loves Garland like he loves (76ers guard) Tyrese Maxey.”
Even so, Paul spoke glowingly about the Cavs’ roster, James’ fit alongside Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, and pointed to assistant general manager Brandon Weems — one of LeBron’s closest longtime friends — as another positive.
Nothing sounded like a team being crossed off the list.
Rich Paul’s white board for LeBron’s next team with realistic destinations 👀
Some fans noticed Golden State wasn’t front and center on Paul’s whiteboard. Paul quickly shot that theory down.
He indicated the placement of the teams meant nothing and reiterated that LeBron playing alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green would obviously appeal to James.
In other words, don’t read too much into the optics.
Rich Paul on the Positives and Negative of LeBron going back to Cleveland 👀
Positives: Big X factor, Brandon Weems. Brandon Weems is basically LeBron’s brother… That is a big feather in the cap
Negative: The negative is, no knock to Harden, but no Garland. He loves Garland… pic.twitter.com/RZo0UwApCk
The overwhelming consensus from NBA sources on the landing spot of LeBron James is simple:
No one has any idea.
The Cavaliers? The Warriors? The 76ers? The Heat? The clues are many. The clues are few. He played this game in 2010. Again in 2014. And, to a lesser extent, in 2018. Now he’s doing it all over again.
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Those who have spoken to Hoops Wire say they again cannot get a feel for what James might do. Some are leaning Cavs. Others are leaning Warriors. Some say the 76ers are the favorites after landing Jaylen Brown in a trade with the Celtics.
Now, agent Rich Paul actually opened up about all this on the Game Over podcast. Paul dropped some hints. He offered some pros and cons on the Cavs, Sixers, Timberwolves, Heat and Nuggets. He mentioned the Warriors, Mavericks, Knicks, Spurs and Celtics.
So much for the idea that LeBron’s camp is operating in total secrecy. Nothing wrong with what Paul did there. But he knew people would read a lot into his comments. It was a clear attempt to keep LeBron in the conversation, to keep everyone guessing.
As if Paul and James needed to try any harder.
The difference this time is James is 41 years old. He is still very good, occasionally amazing. But he alone is no longer changing the course of your franchise. He’s helping — a lot. He’ll move merchandise. He’s still basketball’s biggest celebrity. But as far as putting, say, the Pelicans on his back and leading them to amazing things?
Yeah, probably not.
Nevertheless, he is still the player everyone is waiting on. The Cavs and Warriors, for instance, seem to have put their entire offseasons on hold until James makes an announcement.
Notice how the word used there wasn’t a “decision”? That’s because many around the NBA believe his mind is already made up.
Which team that is, though, remains anyone’s guess. And that’s precisely the way LeBron wants it.
The NBA’s next major business move may have nothing to do with free agency or trades.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, league officials are targeting 2027 as the year to consolidate most local television rights under a single media partner as regional sports network revenue continues to decline.
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The issue has become one of the league’s biggest financial concerns.
Although the NBA’s salary cap increased this offseason, it rose by just 6.7% — well below the maximum 10% annual increase allowed under the league’s current collective bargaining agreement with the players’ union.
A shorter postseason contributed to the smaller increase, but Windhorst reported that falling local television revenue remains the larger long-term factor.
The NBA helped offset those losses by signing 11-year national media rights agreements worth more than $77 billion with ESPN, NBC and Amazon two years ago. Those deals dramatically increased national television revenue and prevented a more significant financial slowdown.
Still, local TV money continues to shrink.
According to ESPN, even the Knicks accepted a 28% reduction in payments from MSG Networks last year, resulting in roughly $41 million less annual local television revenue. Similar declines are taking place around the league.
League officials reportedly believe the best long-term solution is to bundle most local media rights together once the majority of current agreements expire in 2027.
“It’s one of the most significant financial things going on in the league right now,” one team president told ESPN. “It’s played at least some role in moving forward with expansion.”
The move comes just days after the Lakers landed Walker Kessler in a blockbuster sign-and-trade with the Jazz, making it clear Kessler will be the franchise’s starting center moving forward.
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Charania added that the Lakers will now turn their attention to finding a veteran backup behind Kessler. Among the names under consideration are Jonas Valanciunas, Andre Drummond and Kevon Looney.
The deal also continues what has been one of the busiest offseasons in the NBA.
Ayton, 28, spent just one season in Los Angeles after signing as a free agent in the summer of 2025. He originally joined the Lakers on a two-year contract after being recruited in part by Luka Doncic.
While his stay proved brief, Ayton had several memorable moments, including a dominant January performance in which he scored 25 points on a perfect 10-for-10 shooting while grabbing 13 rebounds in a win over Toronto. He also earned the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for his hurricane relief efforts in Jamaica and community work in Los Angeles.
Financially, the move also provides the Lakers with additional flexibility. Ayton was entering the 2026-27 season on an $8.4 million contract, while Hardy is owed approximately $6 million.
For Washington, the trade adds another experienced big man to a frontcourt that already includes Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr. The Wizards were relatively quiet during the opening days of free agency before making this move.
Meanwhile, the Lakers appear intent on continuing to remake their roster around Doncic and Kessler, with another veteran center likely to be their next addition.
The deal sends Memphis’ 2027 second-round pick, along with Houston’s own second-rounders in 2028 and 2033, to Charlotte.
Finney-Smith signed a four-year contract with the Rockets last summer but never found his footing after returning from ankle surgery. The veteran averaged just 3.3 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 33.3 percent from the field in 37 games.
The move gives Houston considerably more financial flexibility after agreeing to deals with Tari Eason, Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic earlier in free agency.
The Rockets are now expected to open enough room to use the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception rather than the taxpayer version, giving the front office more flexibility as free agency continues.
Charlotte, meanwhile, continues stockpiling draft assets. The Hornets now control 20 second-round picks over the next seven years while taking a low-risk chance on a veteran three-and-D wing.
Lakers
Even after overhauling much of their roster this week, the Lakers reportedly aren’t finished.
Stein and Fischer also reported the Cavaliers and Bucks have discussed potential sign-and-trade scenarios involving Kuminga, while Atlanta has not ruled out bringing him back despite declining his option earlier this offseason.
Timberwolves
Minnesota also made a run at veteran forward Kenrich Williams before he agreed to return to the Thunder.
According to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SKOR North, the Timberwolves were among the teams attempting to sign Williams before Oklahoma City retained him on a one-year, $5 million contract.
The Wolves remain in the market for frontcourt help after moving on from both Julius Randle and Naz Reid earlier this offseason.
