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The buzz linking ESPN analyst JJ Redick with the Los Angeles Lakers' coaching vacancy continues to be "strong," according to The Athletic's Jovan Buha.
"I've been hearing he was initially a slight favorite and that has become stronger and stronger over the last couple of weeks," Buha said at the 6:42 mark in the newest episode of his podcast. "All the buzz around the league is that he is the front-runner to be the Lakers' next head coach."
TNT Sports' Chris Haynes painted a similar picture on The Dan Patrick Show. He effectively said the signs are pointing toward Redick getting the job, and the former NBA sharpshooter is already contacting coaches who could join his staff.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Boston Celtics assistant Sam Cassell and New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego "would be prime targets" to work under Redick.
In addition to his 15 years as a player, Cassell has coached in the NBA since the 2009-10 season. Borrego has had multiple stops as an assistant and was the Charlotte Hornets head coach for four seasons. Both would help to offset Redick's inexperience on the bench.
Regardless of how this will end, a conclusion doesn't appear to be imminent. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Wednesday on NBA Today that Los Angeles is "nowhere close" to making a final decision. The organization is still in the process of vetting candidates.
The search might continue to drag on even if the Lakers decide relatively soon that Redick is their guy.
Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reported his work with ESPN may preclude him from accepting the job before the NBA Finals are over. The Finals could end as early as June 14 and run through June 23 if the series goes seven games.
Bronny James, the son of NBA star LeBron James, will forgo the remainder of his college eligibility and remain the 2024 NBA Draft, his agent Rich Paul confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday. The NCAA deadline is 11:59 p.m. EST.
The 19-year-old declared for the draft in April after one season with the USC Trojans. Upon declaring, it was reported that James also entered the transfer portal. But it appears his sights are set on taking the next step in his basketball career.
A recent mock draft from ESPN had the Boston Celtics selecting LeBron James' son with the 54th pick this summer.
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LeBron James has mentioned before that he either wants to play with his son on the same team, or line up against him before the 39-year-old calls it a career. The Los Angeles Lakers star can opt out of his deal this summer and become a free agent, making him eligible to sign with any team — including the one his son potentially gets drafted by.
Bronny James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25 games (six starts) for USC. The 6-foot-4 guard also averaged 19.4 minutes per game, shooting 36.6% from the field.
In July 2023, Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest during a summer workout at Galen Center. The 19-year-old was cleared to return to basketball in November, and made his debut with USC in December after missing the first eight games.
The 2024 NBA Draft is set to begin June 26, and many eyes will on Bronny James and where he ends up going.
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At least one NBA executive still thinks LeBron James' future is connected to his son.
The executive spoke to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto and said drafting Bronny James could "significantly "improve" the possibility of signing LeBron James in free agency.
"You have to have the conversation internally, especially if you're a team in the West because if you can improve your chances of landing LeBron, it could significantly improve your chances," the exec said.
The idea of pairing LeBron James and his eldest son is nothing new. The Los Angeles Lakers star previously stated his goal was to finish his NBA career playing alongside Bronny, who spent one year in college at USC.
However, LeBron James has since pulled back from those initial comments.
"The idea of them playing together is not a priority. It's not foremost, at least any longer, in LeBron James' mind," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier this month. "Rich Paul's goal here in the pre-draft process for Bronny James is to see if there's the right developmental organization, a place that can take a young player like Bronny James … If he does go in the draft, he very likely would spend next year in the G League.
"That's the priority for them as a family. What's best for Bronny James? If it ends up them together, that would be great, but I don't get a sense it's playing much of any role in LeBron James' decision on next season."
Bronny James, for his part, said he wants teams to view him separately from his MVP father.
"Bronny was just a nickname that I was just given when I was younger," Bronny James said at the NBA combine. "But everything that follows my dad, people just try to link me with that and all the greatness that he's achieved. I haven't done anything yet, so I feel like there needs to be that divide between Bronny and LeBron.
"Everyone's heard this before. I just want to have people know my name is Bronny James and not being identified as just LeBron James' son. I feel like that would great."
Bronny James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 36.6 percent from the field last season. He did not play until December after undergoing surgery for a congenital heart condition that was uncovered when he went into cardiac arrest last July.
On Monday evening, the Boston Celtics played the Indiana Pacers (in Indianapolis) for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.
The Celtics won by a score of 105-102 and they are now headed to the NBA Finals for the second time in the previous three seasons.
All-Star forward Jaylen Brown led the way with 29 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block while shooting 11/22 from the field and 4/8 from the three-point range in 44 minutes of playing time.
After the game, he was named as the MVP of the series.
Via The Boston Celtics: "The second time a Celtic has won the Larry Bird ECF MVP ☘️🏆"
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James sent out a message to Brown on X that had 12,000 likes and 400,000 impressions in less than one hour.
James wrote: "🫡 @FCHWPO!!! Keep going Young 👑! RESPECT!"
Brown is in his eighth season in the NBA and has been to the Eastern Conference finals six times (and the NBA Finals twice).
He finished the regular season with averages of 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals per contest while shooting 49.9% from the field and 35.4% from the three-point range in 70 games.
The Celtics had the best record in the NBA (64-18) and beat the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers (in addition to Indiana).
Jan 28, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (7) shoots defended by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports / Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
They will now face off against either the Dallas Mavericks or the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Mavs lead the Timberwolves 3-0 with Game 4 on Tuesday evening in Dallas.
The 2024 NBA Finals are rapidly approaching, and that means the offseason and free agency are right around the corner. Twenty-six of the NBA's 30 teams are already focused on offseason planning, including the 2024 NBA draft and analyzing this year's crop of free agents.
The unofficial start of NBA free agency is June 30, when teams can begin negotiating contracts with players on other teams, and verbal agreements are often reported. Those agreements can become official beginning on July 6.
The 2024 NBA free agent class – including unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents, and players with club or player options – is not as deep or as star-studded as previous years' classes. However, there are still some very big names (potentially) available, including likely future Hall of Famers like LeBron James, Paul George, and Klay Thompson.
In this article, we will take a look at some of the best players available in free agency this offseason, and discuss the ideal landing spots for those players. These are not predictions of where players will end up signing, but rather what teams make the most sense in terms of roster construction, salary cap space, and the ability to compete for a championship. We are also focusing only on free agents and not on potential trade targets, where more big-name players such as Jimmy Butler or Donovan Mitchell could change teams.
Which NBA teams have the most cap space?Before we go too far with matching free agents and teams, it's worth quickly summarizing which teams have the most financial flexibility to pursue free agents this summer. For a more in-depth summary, check out these detailed spending power projections from Spotrac.
According to Spotrac, there are six teams that are currently expected to be under the salary cap when free agency begins. Those teams are the Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, and San Antonio Spurs. The Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors could end up having cap space depending on what decisions they make with some current players.
Those are the most relevant teams to consider as landing spots for the top free agents if they change teams. Outside of those teams, free agents would only get contracts exceeding one of the mid-level exceptions (non-taxpayer or taxpayer) by re-signing with their current teams, although they could end up on a new team via sign-and-trade. It's also possible that other teams could get under the salary cap if they trade, waive, and/or renounce other players, but that would be rather surprising and quite difficult to project.
As such, to keep this exercise realistic, those are the six to eight teams to focus on for any discussion of the top free agent landing spots, along with each player's current team.
Ideal landing spots for top NBA free agentsThere are several good sources to find a complete list of the 2024 NBA free agents, such as Spotrac or NBA.com. Some of the top players include LeBron James, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Klay Thompson. Let's see where the best fit for these star players would be.
LeBron James – Philadelphia 76ersOne of the biggest storylines this offseason will be what King James decides to do about his next team and contract. Whichever team with whom LeBron signs this summer is likely to be the team with whom he ends his historic Hall of Fame career. James has a $51.4M player option he is expected to decline, even if he intends to return to the Lakers. He would likely look to sign a new deal for two or three years of max money, which could end up being his final contract.
The biggest question for James is how he will prioritize competing for his fifth ring versus the other benefits of playing for the Lakers, such as his lifestyle, business, and family interests in the Los Angeles area. We can't pretend to know how James will balance those priorities, nor would we venture to suggest what he should do. But we would at least hope that winning another ring before he retires is his top priority, if only because it would be the most fun and interesting scenario.
If competing for rings remains his top priority, then returning to the Lakers does not look like the best fit. While the Lakers are just one year removed from making a run to the Western Conference Finals, they won only one playoff game this year and have very little flexibility to improve the team. They do still have Anthony Davis and a decent core around their star duo, and the aura surrounding that franchise always helps with attracting talent, but it's still hard to see the Lakers returning to serious contention in the loaded Western Conference.
James signing with the 76ers or forcing a sign-and-trade to another contender in the Eastern Conference like the Cavaliers or Knicks would make more sense to maximize his chances of returning to the NBA Finals. Of those options, joining forces with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia would be the best fit. 76ers general manager Daryl Morey has the cap space to sign James outright to a max contract, while any other contending team would need to shed some of its existing core to make room for James.
With an elite lead guard, wing, and big, the trio of Maxey, James, and Embiid is the picture-perfect core around which to build a champion. The 76ers could use their remaining cap space and draft capital (five tradable first-round picks and additional pick swaps) to surround that core with shooters and defenders, and that team would look very scary to the rest of the Eastern Conference – and the rest of the NBA.
Paul George – Oklahoma City ThunderThe 76ers would also make a lot of sense as a landing spot for George, for many of the same reasons as James. The same could be said for just about every available star this summer, but obviously Morey can only acquire one max player along with Embiid and Maxey, so we need to look elsewhere for the rest of these ideal landing spots.
It seems like the writing is on the wall for Paul George and the Clippers to part ways this summer, mainly because the Clippers have had opportunities to extend George and have not yet done so. If the trio of George, James Harden, and Kawhi Leonard could stay healthy for an entire season (or more importantly, postseason), then returning to the Clippers might still be George's best chance to compete for the ring that has eluded him throughout his career. But that's a pretty big "if," and returning to L.A. might just not be an option.
The Thunder are the only other team that is a legitimate title contender and also has the financial flexibility and assets to pursue a max player like George. They would need to clear some additional cap room to create a max slot, which they could do by moving on from players like Josh Giddey and Kenrich Williams. That should not be too difficult, so it's realistic to think the Thunder could pursue a max player this summer.
The bigger question is whether it makes sense for Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti to stray from his organic team-building philosophy by consolidating assets for a player like George. The Thunder are already way ahead of schedule in their development, and there is good reason to think that another year of growth from players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams is enough improve on this season's Western Conference Semifinals exit.
The argument for the Thunder signing George is simple: no matter how bright the future may look, or how wide open the championship window might seem, nothing in this league is ever guaranteed. A major injury, an off-the-court issue, a disgruntled player – plenty of things can premature close a championship window. This Thunder team could be just one player away from winning a title as early as next season, and it's hard not to aggressively pursue an opportunity like that, especially when it might not cost much in terms of long-term flexibility.
Sliding Paul George into Josh Giddey's spot in this lineup would be a significant upgrade to this team, especially in the playoffs, where George's shooting and defense would be a perfect fit alongside OKC's young core. George also could flourish in a situation where he doesn't need to be a team's first or even second option, especially as he enters his mid-to-late 30s.
Tyrese Maxey – Philadelphia 76ersLet's keep this one simple – Tyrese Maxey is not going anywhere but Philadelphia, nor should he. His ascension in Philadelphia has been meteoric. In his first season as the team's lead guard in 2024, he made his first All Star team, won the Most Improved Player award, and proved to be the best running mate Joel Embiid has ever had in his career. Those two have a strong relationship, and Maxey is beloved by the passionate fanbase in Philadelphia. His infectious energy, playing style and personality is a perfect fit for that city, which has not seen a lead guard like him since the great Allen Iverson.
The 76ers also own Maxey's bird rights and can pay him more than any other team. Even if he tried to sign elsewhere as a restricted free agent, the 76ers would almost certainly match any other contract offer he received. Maxey will likely sign a five-year max contract worth north of $200 million, and there is no reason to consider any other scenarios for him. The emerging 23-year-old star is likely to supplant the aging Embiid as the 76ers best player during the course of that five-year contract.
Pascal Siakam – Indiana PacersPascal Siakam is another player whose best fit is to return to his current team. He has been a great fit alongside Tyrese Haliburton, helping take the Pacers' elite offense to an even higher level and leading Indiana on an improbable run to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pacers are also very unlikely to let Siakam walk away this summer after making a big trade to acquire him at the trade deadline this season.
If Siakam wanted to leave Indiana, there could be some other intriguing fits like the Thunder, Orlando Magic, or San Antonio Spurs. The Thunder would be the most intriguing of those teams, for similar reasons as discussed above with Paul George. The Spurs are still in rebuilding mode, so signing Siakam doesn't really fit their timeline. Staying in the Eastern Conference also makes more sense if Siakam wants his best chance to return to the NBA Finals during his prime. The Magic would be a less ideal basketball fit given their glut of forwards including Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Given those other options, and Siakam's seamless fit with the Pacers this season, re-signing with Indiana makes the most sense.
OG Anunoby – New York KnicksThe narrative for OG Anunoby is similar to the one for Siakam. He proved to be a perfect fit in New York after the Knicks swung a mid-season trade to acquire him. The Knicks were 20-3 in the regular season in games Anunoby played, and 6-2 in the playoffs (ignoring Game 7 against the Pacers, when he only played 4:41 because of injury).
The biggest knock on Anunoby, of course, is the injuries. He missed 27 games during the regular season and five in the playoffs (including that Game 7). Anunoby has dealt with injuries throughout this career, and has only played more than 50 games once in the last four seasons. But that should not stop the Knicks from committing to him long-term.
Anunoby is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He was an All-Defense Second Team member last season who likely would have made another All-Defense team this season if he played enough games to qualify. He is also a solid offensive player and floor spacer who has shot over 38% from three on over five attempts per game in each of the last two seasons.
Anunoby is a perfect fit for the Knicks' play style and team personality under Tom Thibodeau. That fit and the Knicks' performance with him on the court is too good for him to walk away.
Klay Thompson – Orlando MagicThis one is definitely the most "out there" player/team fit on this list so far, so let's dig into the thinking behind it.
Klay Thompson surely wants to stay in Golden State with his 'splash brother' Stephen Curry, but there is no guarantee that can happen unless Thompson takes a significant paycut. He made $38 million last season on the last year of a five-year, $190 million max deal he signed in 2019. Given his age and injury history, nobody is going to give him a max deal this time around, even on a short-term deal. Thompson reportedly turned down a two-year, $48 million contract offer by the Warriors before the 2023-24 season, and he might not get a better offer this summer.
Thompson certainly could return to the Warriors on a very team-friendly deal and take a "hometown discount" to finish his career with the only team for which he has ever played. That is the more sentimental outcome and probably the most likely outcome. But the Warriors haven't exactly been serious title contenders for the last two years (even if injury played a big part in that), and could anyone really blame Thompson for leaving the Warriors to get a lot more money somewhere else?
Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) drives the ball past Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball, game Sunday, April 7, 2024, in San Francisco.AP
That's where the Magic could be an intriguing fit, surprising as that move might be. Orlando has the cap space to offer him something close to the two-year $24 million per year deal that the Warriors reportedly offered. A two-year deal would also fit the Magic's current timeline. They will have to extend two of their young building blocks – Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner – next offseason and then Paolo Banchero the following summer. Committing big money to a veteran free agent for more than two years could complicate those deals.
Thompson also fills arguably the Magic's biggest need, which is three-point shooting. They ranked 24th in three-point shooting this season at 35.2% and they were the only playoff team ranked in the bottom 10. Their three-point shooting also dropped to 30.9% in the playoffs when the defense gets ratcheted. They desperately need floor spacers to make life easier for Banchero and Wagner, and Thompson remains one of the most lethal outside shooters in NBA history. He would also bring a veteran presence and championship pedigree to the fourth-youngest team in NBA last season.
If returning to the Warriors isn't an option, which feels like a real possibility, then elevating an ascending young Magic team in the less competitive Eastern Conference might be Thompson's best alternative.
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Who would be the five best players to represent America in a Team USA vs Team World five-on-five game? Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has his five best players selected, but his answer may get LeBron James' fans mad.
During the newest episode of Lonzo Ball's The WAE Show, he discussed who his best five Team USA players are to put against a Team World consisting of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama. It's important to note that Ball considers Joel Embiid a part of Team USA since he joined USA in the Olympics.
"KD, Ant, Steph, Embiid, and I'm going AD," Ball said. "Do you think LeBron is top five in the NBA right now? He's not top five in the NBA right now."
Lonzo Ball reserved his fifth spot in Team USA for Anthony Davis over LeBron James and Jayson Tatum. When asked about why LeBron James is no longer a top-five player, Ball had a simple answer.
"He's not a top five player in the NBA anymore," Ball said. "He got bounced in the first round."
At this point, it may be a bit of a toss up between Kevin Durant and LeBron James for that fifth spot. Both players were bounced in the first round, but LeBron may have more impact than Kevin Durant at this stage of their careers.
JJ Redick Fires Back at Former NBA Star Over Viral Michael Jordan Statement
The NBA free agency class could get a lot more interesting if Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James opts out of his $51 million player option.
James' agent Rich Paul alluded to that idea in a recent TNT broadcast.
"LeBron is a free agent," Paul said during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on TNT to insider Chris Haynes. "I don't know what he's gonna do. We're gonna do what we do every year. We're gonna evaluate the situation and we're gonna make the best decision."
If LeBron is seriously considering an exit to the Lakers, could he change coasts and join the New York Knicks?
The Knicks would obviously love the prospect of adding the league's all-time points leader to a team that nearly made the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks have made it no secret that they want to add a star, so adding the league's biggest and brightest would likely align with their desires.
The good thing about signing LeBron instead of trading for a player like Donovan Mitchell or Kevin Durant is that it wouldn't cost as much. As a free agent, the Knicks could simply bring him on board, though it's more likely that the team would use the sign-and-trade method.
The Knicks could trade for LeBron after he signs a new deal with the Lakers and trade Julius Randle back to the team that drafted him to open up his spot in the starting lineup. This would also give the team more flexibility to sign OG Anunoby and/or Isaiah Hartenstein, both of whom are free agents.
The Knicks would also be able to hold on to their future assets for a deal down the line that would allow the team to extend their championship window after the 39-year-old eventually departs.
Having LeBron on the Knicks may only be a one-year project, but all 30 teams would take a single season with him over nothing. The Knicks could even entice LeBron further to join the team by using one of their two first-round picks on his son, Bronny James.
Simply put, if the Knicks have the opportunity to truly bring LeBron to the Big Apple, they should explore it.
LeBron James (Photo via @SpeakContext/Twitter) Lebron James' wife, Savannah, left fans speculating after a recent appearance with the NBA star.
LeBron and Savannah are constantly praised for their relationship dynamics, especially since the former has maintained a squeaky-clean reputation throughout his career.
However, folks have noticed that there are always some strange interactions taking place when she's around nowadays, with the latest occurring while LBJ was dapping up Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine at a recent game.
The video below shows LaVine approaching James and greeting him with a bro handshake while Savannah avoids even looking in his direction, staring straight ahead, and instead icily at that.
LaVine then walks right past her without acknowledgment before greeting Anthony Davis. Check it out:
"Savanna doesn't like any of LeBron's friends," one user joked.
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"its not that how you gonna dap up Lebron and not say hello or even an hi to his wife and she sitting right there and Lebron ain't even said you ain't seen my wife bruh or she gave him the excuse me you don't see me look," another wondered.
Check out some more reactions below:
Exactly how she should be
— Billy Rod Thornton (@_RealHairPuller) May 23, 2024Rule number 1, you're girl only cool with you and you only.
— XRP_King (@XRPKing16) May 23, 2024That's not how that works in real life. If you dab someone up you respect and they are with their wife, you acknowledge and greet them too. Her energy here is rude and plain disrespectful though. It's kinda like they had a history together or something and wants it suppressed..🤔
— 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤄.𐤁𐤍.𐤔𐤌𐤅𐤀𐤋 (@whoqid) May 23, 2024I know that scene all too well he that one friend who always bringing bimbos around LeBron😂😂😂
— 🔱SOHO🔱 (@SpazDAngelo) May 23, 2024Women 🤦🏾♂️
— Kool Relax (@RelaxRevitalize) May 23, 2024😂😂😂low key she may just be super respectful to Lebron. On that ole school game of eyes down when another man is around.
— Old_Crow (@Kherty_Nati) May 23, 2024Also Read: "I'm Tryna Help You"- Savannah James Goes Viral After Turning Into Make-Up Artist for LeBron James
Meanwhile, another recent appearance from LeBron James has led to him getting dragged online as someone caught the veteran star using StreamEast to watch a playoff game while at his son Bryce's game.
Lebron could well afford a League Pass subscription but is also notoriously cheap when it comes to paying for online content. We can't be sure he even has Netflix.
they really gonna have streameast taken down because of u smh
— BarnesMuse (@MuseBarnes) May 25, 2024Fans were not happy about the fact that he's brought attention to the site as they're worried it might get shut down now.
Thanks a lot, LeBron…
Also Read: VIDEO: LeBron James Caught Red-Handed Performing Illegal Activity At His Son Bryce's Game
Bojangles is a staple in the south, especially in North Carolina. Could the southern-inspired fast-food chain influence one of the greatest players in NBA history to play his final year or two in the Queen City?
No. That's not happening...let's just go ahead and put that to rest.
But Ryan McGee of ESPN shared a pretty funny story about LeBron's love for Bojangles during today's episode of The Pat McAfee Show.
"I'm a Hornets guy, come on down to Charlotte," McGee said. "Did you know that LeBron James loves Charlotte? The reason he loves Charlotte is because Bojangles...I'm not making this up, Bojangles chicken. I wrote a story about this in ESPN, the magazine. When LeBron James was a rookie, the deal was he would leave games at the old hive and the takeaway food to go get on the plane after a game for the visiting team was a little two-piece box of fried chicken from Bojangles. LeBron would become so obsessed with Bojangles he would send the clubhouse attendant to go buy one of these tailgate packs to take back to Cleveland with him. Bronny and LeBron, come on. You can get all the Bojangles you want, LeBron. Come on. I can make that happen. I know people."
Well-respected NBA insider Shams Charania was also on during this part of the show and crushed McGee's optimism, stating "I'm not holding my breath on Charlotte," with a laugh.
While the Hornets are not a realistic landing spot for LeBron James, they could be a team that takes a chance on his son, Bronny, with their second round pick.
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ShareNUEVA YORK (AP) — LeBron James es ahora el jugador más joven –y el más viejo también-- que ha integrado un equipo ideal de la NBA. Por su parte, Luka Doncic de Dallas y Shai Gilgeous-Alexander de Oklahoma City están en posición de devengar alrededor de 1 millón de dólares por partido dentro de unos años.
Nikola Djokic de Denver y Gilgeous-Alexander fueron los únicos seleccionados en forma unánime al primer equipo All-NBA en esta temporada. La liga anunció a los integrantes el miércoles por la noche.
Ese primer equipo se completó con Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo de Milwaukee y Jayson Tatum de Boston.
El segundo equipo está conformado por Jalen Brunson de Nueva York, Anthony Edwards de Minnesota, Kevin Durant de Phoenix, Kawhi Leonard de los Clippers de Los Ángeles y Anthony Davis, compañero de James en los Lakers de Los Ángeles.
Un tercer equipo incluye a James, Stephen Curry de Golden State, Domantas Sabonis de Sacramento, Tyrese Haliburton de Indiana y Devin Booker de Phoenix.
La NBA cambió las reglas a partir de esta temporada. La votación para el equipo All-NBA incluye sólo a jugadores sin tomar en cuenta sus posiciones. Una fórmula utilizada desde la década de 1950 incluía a dos bases, dos aleros y un pívot en cada uno de los equipos.
Asimismo, los jugadores debieron aparecer en un número mínimo de partidos, en la mayoría de los casos, para ser elegibles por un panel de 99 periodistas de medios electrónicos y escritos.
Para James, quien fue el jugador más joven en integrar un All-NBA en la campaña 2004-2005, otra selección simplemente abultó su lista de logros.
Su vigésima inclusión en el All-NBA amplió su récord. Supera ahora por cinco selecciones a Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan y Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
Evidentemente, sus 20 selecciones consecutivas son otro récord. Y James es el primer jugador de 39 años o más en ser elegido.
Abdul-Jabbar y Duncan fueron seleccionados unos días antes de cumplir los 39 años.
Para Doncic y Gilgeous-Alexander, las designaciones implican que podrían obtener extensiones "supermax" en sus contratos en 2025. Con ello, devengarían montos sin precedentes.
Doncic puede firmar un convenio por un lustro y unos 347 millones de dólares, comenzando con unos 60 millones en la campaña 2026-27 y concluyendo con unos 79 millones en 2030-31.
Gilgeous-Alexander sería elegible para suscribir una extensión de cuatro años por unos 294 millones de dólares. Iniciaría en 2027-28, con unos 65 millones y concluiría en 2030-31, con poco más de 81 millones de dólares o casi un millón por partido.
Sería la primera vez que el salario anual de un jugador de la NBA llegue a los 80 millones.
How Music Got Free, the Paramount+ docuseries produced by LeBron James and Eminem highlighting the rise of Napster and Internet piracy in music, will debut June 11.
Founded in 1999, Napster was a peer-to-peer file sharing service that created arguably the biggest change in music industry history. Decades of a structured progression, starting with records, moving to cassettes and finally CDs, went poof overnight as anyone with an internet connection and computer could download files and then burn them onto CDs.
Soon after, music began leaking onto Napster before its planned release, causing album sales to plummet. The music industry swiftly took action, and Napster folded in 2002—just three years after it was founded.
However, the proverbial toothpaste was out of the tube and sales for physical copies of music never recovered. Copycat peer-to-peer sites popped up all over the internet, and eventually people were able to download full albums via torrents.
The introduction of music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music has largely crippled piracy, but the finances of the music industry never recovered. Fans once paid $10-15 to buy one album; they now have the entire music catalog of every artist on the planet for the same price.
Streaming revenue for artists also pales in comparison to album sales; most musicians now make their money off of touring and merchandise, rather than by releasing albums.
Kendrick Perkins, Austin Rivers, Bobby Marks, and Adrian Wojnarowski discussed Bronny James' potential in the NBA. The ESPN panel explores the chances that the former USC Trojan will get picked at the 2024 NBA draft this June.
Bronny has had some encouraging workouts in recent weeks, e arning a measure of respect from NBA draft evaluators. However, Bronny was well down the list of prospects before the NBA draft workouts began. Even if these positive showings have improved his overall position, it remains that his position probably still isn't that high on the big board. Bronny very likely still has a lot of work to do, roughly five weeks before the NBA draft occurs.
Kendrick Perkins, part of the ESPN panel mentioned above, thinks there's a place for Bronny James in the NBA, but that's hardly a unanimous verdict. It doesn't even mean Bronny is failing in any real sense, either. He just hasn't had enough time to develop his game. He didn't get a full summer of offseason workouts in 2023 because of his heart attack suffered in early July. Bronny needs time to develop his body and his game. That's part of why Kendrick Perkins is optimistic about Bronny as an NBA prospect.
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Los Angeles Lakers star and children's book author LeBron James warms up prior to Game Four of the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles in May. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Eminem will join James as an executive producer of the two-part docuseries.
The trailer for LeBron James' newest project has just dropped.
Paramount+ released a preview of "How Music Got Free," a two-part documentary series executive produced by James and Marshall "Eminem" Mathers, on Monday. The series "details the fascinating, and often funny, inside story of the technology-driven disruption that changed music during the late-'90s and early-2000s. File-sharing technology, combined with the insatiable demand for new music, created both the means and the motive for millions of young people to participate in outright theft — and be celebrated for it," according to a press release.
"How Music Got Free" will feature interviews from some of music's biggest names, including Eminem, 50 Cent, Timbaland, Jimmy Iovine, Rocsi Diaz, Rhymefest and Steve Stoute, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Alexandria Stapleton directs the documentary with James' SpringHill Company, Eminem's Shady Films, Interscope Films, and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television producing.
"As a filmmaker, I wanted to challenge the narrow lens of who we regard as tech innovators," Stapleton told THR. "'How Music Got Free' is a story that proves brilliant minds can be found in unlikely places, like the rural, forgotten factory town of Shelby, North Carolina."
Recommended StoriesStapleton executive-produces the docuseries along with Stoute and Stephen Witt. SpringHill's Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson and Philip Byron will join James as executive producers, while Paul Rosenberg from Shady Films will join Eminem.
Dan Sacks and James Chapman for Warner Bros. Unscripted Television/Telepictures; Steve Berman, John Janick and Anthony Seyler for Interscope films; and Bruce Gillmer and Michael Maniaci for MTV Entertainment Studios round out the list of executive producers.
"How Music Got Free," which premiered at SXSW in March, will be available to stream on Paramount+ on June 11 in the U.S. and Canada. The doc will be released on June 12 in the U.K., Australia, Latin America, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"How Music Got Free" is the latest of newly announced projects from James' SpringHill banner. The NBA superstar will also produce documentaries on Jesse Owens and Jim Thorpe, and an upcoming basketball docuseries for Vice TV.
Watch the "How Music Got Free" trailer below:
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Bronny James was clear: "I would be happy about getting to the league instead of me thinking about playing with my dad. That's not my mindset or not at all… I just want to have people know my name is Bronny James and not being identified as just LeBron James' son. I feel like that would great."
LeBron James' agent, Rich Paul, has made it clear to teams that they should not draft Bronny expecting LeBron to follow. Shams Charania of The Athletic said, "That's not a given. That's not something that's going to be preordained."
Those words haven't stopped teams from thinking that way.
Bronny could even be taken in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft if a team believes LeBron will follow, reports Dan Woike at the Los Angeles Times.
Forget second-round evaluations, multiple NBA executives told The Times their teams have discussed drafting Bronny James in the first round in an effort to lure his father to their team in free agency.
"If you're a contender and you're not having those conversations, it's irresponsible," said one executive, who like other NBA personnel spoke on condition of anonymity because teams don't share their draft strategy.
The question becomes, even in the face of voices telling them it's not going to happen, is there a team that will draft Bronny hoping all that was just talk and LeBron would come? It's at least being discussed, Woike notes in the LA Times.
The more likely outcome this summer is LeBron re-signs (or extends) with the Lakers regardless of who drafts his son — the Lakers are among the teams considering drafting Bronny — and if Bronny is drafted it will be in the second round (where contracts for rookies are not guaranteed).
All this news comes out of the NBA Draft Combine, where Bronny took part and tried to walk his own path out of his father's shadow. How Bronny did at the NBA Draft Combine last week depends upon who you ask, but none of it is overwhelmingly glowing. There were positives with his athleticism — he had a 40.5-inch vertical leap — and he had a 6'7" wingspan and 210-pound frame, all of which helped compensate for him measuring 6'1 ½" in socks. He also shot the ball well in a 3-point shooting drill (19-of-25 from 3), but that did not translate to the scrimmages, where he struggled from the floor. Scouts who watched those scrimmages and spoke with NBC Sports said he was not generally one of the more aggressive players, did not look like a pure point guard, and didn't show much of a left hand.
What Bronny looked like at the Combine was a project, a guy needing time in the G-League to develop his game at the professional level. Teams drafting him should expect that — his shot may not be there yet but his form is good, as is his basketball IQ and work ethic. He can develop into an NBA rotation player, but it will take time.
A team drafting him should understand that and know his father is not automatically walking through that door.
But the draw of LeBron — the still All-NBA level player at age 39, the team culture setter, and the business opportunity for whatever team he plays for — casts a shadow over everything with Bronny, at least in the minds of NBA front offices. It's going to take time for Bronny to get out of that shadow.
In the 2023-24 NBA season, only one of the Top 15 paid players from this season made the Final Four. Rudy Gobert is the sole player from that list to continue. Of the top 15 contracts, 11 belong to players on the West conference and only four on the East (Joel Embiid, Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jimmy Butler). Including Gobert, only Nikola Jokic played in the conference semifinals, and looking at the top 20, only Luka Doncic would join Gobert.
The list's top 15 players belong to 10 teams. Let's take a look at some reasons of why the highest-paid players, who are theoretically the best, haven't reached the conference finals.
There could be many excuses, such as injuries (Kawhi, Giannis), others not reaching the expected level (Beal, George), or not having the team to compete (LeBron, Davis). The point is that none of them reached the goal or even came close (Stephen Curry), and in a way, it doesn't reflect well on the league when your best players are in Cancun resting when the best basketball is being played. We'll see if they have a thirst for revenge because the new generation of players is already dominating the league.
As for the four remaining teams here's how they look in the list of the top paid players.
In the Eastern Conference finals are the Pacers, runner-up of the first in-season tournament, their highest-paid player is Myles Turner ranked 64th this season. Pascal Siakam (71), acquired via trade in January follows, and T.J. McConnell (154) completes the top three. This is because the Pacers are, on average, a young team, as they started the season as the eighth youngest in the league.
The're led by Tyreese Haliburton, who earns just under 6 million this year and is still on his rookie contract. Haliburton signed a 5-year, $204,450,000 contract with the Indiana Pacers, including $204,450,000 guaranteed, making him one of the top 35 highest-paid NBA players for next season.
On the other side, the top-seeded team, the Boston Celtics who have reached six of the last eight Eastern Conference finals but have no players in the top 20. Their four stars are all within the top 45, indicating a good distribution of the salary cap by General Manager Brad Stevens. New to the team this season, Kristaps Porzingis (22) and Jrue Holiday (27) are the highest paid on the team, followed by the "Jay's" Jayson Tatum (35) and Jaylen Brown (43). Brown signed the richest deal in NBA history ($303.7M) before the season started, which will take effect next season. Brown also will be the seventh highest-paid player in the 2024-25 season.
In the Western Conference, the Timberwolves have Rudy Gobert at 13, the 4-time Defensive Player of the Year, known for his defense as he averages just over 12 points per game in his illustrious career. Next is 2015 Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns (22), and veteran Mike Conley (55) complete the top 3. The team's star, Anthony Edwards, like Haliburton in Indiana, is finishing his rookie contract and will both be at place 31 next season. Anthony Edwards signed a 5-year, $204,450,000 contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves, including $204,450,000 guaranteed which will start next season.
The Dallas Mavericks have Luka Doncic at 16 and Kyrie Irving at 21, undoubtedly the best-paid and, in my opinion, the most complete offensive star pair remaining. Two veterans eager to showcase their quality and silence the haters. Tim Hardaway Jr. (79) completes the top 3 for the Texan team.
The Los Angeles Lakers have a pivotal offseason ahead of them as they need to find players to help them close the gap between them and the top-tier teams of the league.
Offensively, the Lakers were able to hit their stride during the 2023-24 season but their defense was middling at best. Despite a strong season from Anthony Davis, Los Angeles struggled to get stops especially in the postseason against the Denver Nuggets.
LeBron James has seen just about every defense imaginable throughout his career and has had his fair share of postseason battles with players. On the "Mind the Game" podcast with JJ Redick, James named Stanley Johnson as one of the more underrated defenders he faced during their playoff series in 2018:
"I think it was my first year back in Cleveland on a return and it was our first-round opponent, I think we played Detroit, if I'm not mistaken. I think KCP was on that team, (Andre) Drummond was on that team, a couple of other guys was on that team, obviously Moose (Greg Monroe) was on that team, I believe. I think Stan (Van Gundy) was coaching, if I'm not mistaken. I think Stan was coaching that team. But back to your question, Stanley Johnson he earned my respect in that first-round series. Stanley Johnson, he had the lateral movement, he had the physicality. You can tell the coaching staff told him 'Don't worry about the schemes.' I feel like the same thing with Dort, don't worry about the schemes yet. Everybody's switching but you. You get through every screen. If you weakside lowman, you have no responsibility, you don't pull in. You're basically playing a box-and-one. There's a lot more guys, obviously, I would give credit to defensively but that's t he one guy off the top of my head. It's not recent memory, it's 10 years ago but it's recent enough. But Stanley definitely possessed those skills in our league, for sure."
A former lottery pick, Johnson became known as a rugged defender who could guard 1-4 and held his own against James, who was still near the peak of his powers in 2018. The two later became teammates in Los Angeles and Johnson's previous experience defending James earned himself some respect from one of the greatest players of all time.
Considering Johnson has struggled to stay in the league in recent years, maybe this vote of confidence from someone like James will help land him a job this summer.
LeBron James will be beloved in Cleveland forever after he helped deliver the franchise's first championship. James was recently sitting courtside for the Cavaliers' Game 4 against the Boston Celtics and got a standing ovation from the crowd and tribute video from the organization.
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LeBron James has unfollowed Sean 'Diddy' Combs on Instagram, following the surfacing of a video allegedly showing Diddy physically assaulting singer Cassie Ventura. This development adds to a series of controversies surrounding Diddy, who has been embroiled in multiple legal issues.
The unfollowing was first noted by an LA Lakers fan page, sparking a wave of reactions online. Many fans praised Klutch Sports, the agency representing LeBron, interpreting the move as a stand against Diddy's actions. Some considered it a strategic public relations decision, while others applauded LeBron for taking a moral stance.
P Diddy's daughters on vacation with LeBron James' son amid rapper probeTwitter
Whether the decision to unfollow Diddy was LeBron's personal choice or advised by Klutch Sports, it has been widely viewed as a positive move by his supporters.
"Klutch is too fast man," a fan wrote.
Another added: "That's why he's the GOAT"
The allegations against Diddy have attracted significant media attention. Cassie Ventura's initial lawsuit opened the floodgates for several others to come forward with accusations against the music mogul.
Amidst the scandal, an Instagram Live video featuring LeBron James gained traction, where he mentioned, "there's no party like a Diddy party." This has fueled further speculation about his stance on the issue.
Following that comment, boxer Ryan Garcia took to social media to ask James for an explanation.
"Yo wtf Lebron you good?" he wrote on X.
"I don't think lebron would take part in any of the atrocities that diddy was involved with.
"But we need to hear your story and have you clarify what this is???"
