NBA free agency 2024 predictions and live updates: LeBron James returns to Lakers on max contract; latest news and rumors

The New York Knicks need another center, and options are thinning.

Mitchell Robinson will start, but who backs him up? With Isaiah Hartenstein departing for Oklahoma City, let's run through the list of candidates.

Free agents Moe Wagner, Goga Bitadze and Jonas Valančiūnas, and others are now off the board. Those three scaled out of New York's price range, anyway. The Knicks, who still employ Jericho Sims behind Robinson, don't have many resources to acquire someone new.

At the moment, one player who already knows this group could be the favorite to enter next season as New York's backup center.

Precious Achiuwa remains an unrestricted free agent, and the organization has left open the possibility of bringing him back, according to a league source. Achiuwa grew into a favorite of head coach Tom Thibodeau's after arriving from the Toronto Raptors in December. He might not be the conventional shot blocker Thibodeau prefers in the middle of his defense, but the Knicks could send Achiuwa to the perimeter, using him in more switch-happy strategies than they would with their other big men. Thibodeau's ethos is rim protection, but if the team can't find a 7-footer to anchor its defense, he'll deploy other blueprints. Both Achiuwa and Sims will venture out of the paint to guard.

If the Knicks brought back Achiuwa on a modest contract, they could slot the stretchy, 6-foot-8 New Yorker behind Robinson. If Robinson were to miss time, a possibility considering he's played more than 66 games only once in his six-year career, Thibodeau would have to go small.

Beyond Achiuwa, not many viable free agents remain.

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As NBA free-agent market dwindles, which center could the Knicks target?

Reports: LeBron James agrees to 2-year, $104 million deal to stay with Lakers

LeBron James will be back with the Lakers for at least two more seasons, per reports.

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The Los Angeles Lakers and star forward LeBron James have reportedly agreed to a new deal.

Per multiple reports, James and the Lakers have agreed to a two-year, $104 million deal that includes a no-trade clause. The deal, which is the maximum James could get from the Lakers, will keep James on the Lakers until he is 41 if he plays out the full length of the contract.

ESPN reported that the Lakers and James' agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, may agree on a salary slightly less than the max that James could have gotten — a move that could keep the team from reaching the second apron and preserve some roster flexibility going forward.

Either way, the expectation is that James will make around $50 million — give or take a little bit — in 2024-25, pushing his career on-court earnings to around $530 million and making him the first player in NBA history to eclipse the $500 million mark.

His decision to stay with the Lakers was not a surprise as multiple outlets reported James was expected to seek a new deal with the team after opting out of his contract for the 2024-25 season.

The Lakers selected Bronny James — LeBron James' oldest son — in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, putting them in position to have the first on-court father-son pairing in NBA history.

Closer look at LeBron: James was more than outstanding in a season in which he turned 39, playing in 71 games — his most since the 2017-18 season — and became the NBA's first player with 40,000 career points in early March. For as good as James was, though, the Lakers struggled to be consistent and finished 47-35, losing to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.

Injuries and a mediocre defense paved the way for a difficult middle of 2023-24 as the Lakers went 3-10 during the holiday period immediately after the In-Season Tournament. However, the Lakers rallied and went 23-10 to close out the season and beat the New Orleans Pelicans in the SoFi Play-In Tournament to earn the No. 7 seed in the West.

He'll turn 40 in December and will tie Vince Carter this season in terms of most seasons played in NBA history; the 2024-25 campaign will be James' 22nd in the league. He averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists last season — as the oldest active player in the league.

There hasn't been an "oldest player" in the NBA to average even 10 points since John Stockton scored 10.8 per game in 2002-03. James, however, finished with the highest scoring average of any oldest player ever, surpassing Hall of Famer and Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He was the league's oldest player when he averaged 23.4 points in 1985-86.

James led the Lakers to the NBA title in the 2019-20 season after the season restarted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He has won four NBA titles (two with the Miami Heat, one with the Cleveland Cavaliers and one with the Lakers) and has been Finals MVP in each of the Finals series he's won.

Last season, he made history by becoming the first player with 20 All-Star selections, surpassing Abdul-Jabbar. He has made 20 All-NBA teams, won 4 Kia MVPs, 3 All-Star Game MVPs, made six All-Defensive teams and was a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He holds the records for being both the youngest player, and oldest player, to make an All-NBA squad.

James became the youngest to make All-NBA when he was voted onto the team for the 2004-05 season. This past season, he became the first player to be age 39 or older in what became an All-NBA campaign.

Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan were both just a few days from turning 39 when the regular seasons ended in what became their final All-NBA campaigns, Abdul-Jabbar's being 1985-86 and Duncan's being 2014-15.

Aside from having the NBA's all-time scoring mark, James is also No. 1 in field goal attempts, No. 2 in both minutes played and field goals made, No. 4 in assists, No. 6 in games played and No. 8 in both 3-pointers made and steals.

Lakers' offsesaon: The Lakers changed coaches in the offseason, parting ways with Darvin Ham and replacing him with JJ Redick, a former NBA player and ESPN analyst who has never coached at any level. And though Redick is an unorthodox choice, his unlikely ascent is not without some precedent in Lakers lore and recent NBA history.

Pat Riley was a broadcaster for the Lakers in November 1979 when Paul Westhead took over as their coach after Jack McKinney suffered serious injuries in a bicycle accident. Westhead hired Riley as an assistant without coaching experience, and Riley became the Lakers' coach in late 1981 after Westhead clashed with Magic Johnson.

Riley promptly led the Lakers to four championships in the 1980s to begin his incredible career as a coach and executive.

The Lakers were in the Play-In Tournament both seasons under Ham and, while he ultimately led them to the postseason both times, the West Finals run in 2022-23 raised the stakes considerably for L.A. this season.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Lakers News: Shaq sends strong warning to the rest of the NBA about LeBron James' son Bronny

NBA

Shaquille O'Neal, the former Lakers center, has weighed in on Bronny James' entry into the NBA, delivering a powerful message to critics and the league.

By Gianni Taina

July 02, 2024 07:52PM EDT

July 02, 2024 07:52PM EDT

© Megan Briggs/Getty ImagesShaquille O'Neal looks on during the third quarter in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat

LeBron James has long expressed his dream of playing alongside his son, Bronny, in the NBA. That dream is now a reality, as the Lakers selected Bronny with the 55th pick in the draft.

However, the announcement sparked debate among fans and analysts, with many questioning whether the Lakers' decision was influenced by nepotism and whether Bronny had the talent to compete at the NBA level.

Shaquille O'Neal, an NBA legend, addressed the controversy surrounding Bronny's draft selection and came to his defense with a clear and emphatic message.

In the latest episode of "The Big Podcast with Shaq", O'Neal stood up for Bronny James and urged the public to ease off the criticism. "I would like the scrutiny to get off Bronny James," he said.

O'Neal continued, "He's my nephew. He's a boy. A great kid. All he wants to do is play. It's unfortunate for the kids that have to live up to what we've done. I hope he gets a chance to play well. I hope he gets a chance to make a name for himself. I'm sitting watching all this criticism. All that stuff's unnecessary."

With this, Shaq made it clear that Bronny deserves a fair shot and that the undue criticism is unwarranted, emphasizing the young player's potential and the challenges of living up to a legendary legacy.

Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, specializing in soccer, the NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he made his initial strides as a writer. Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like Roland Garros. His ability to report on real-time events and write under pressure has established him as a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, where he covers a wide range of sports, including European soccer, MLS, and the NBA. Gianni earned his degree in Communication from Deportea in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

NBA free agency news, live updates: NBA trade rumors, signings with LeBron James yet to finalize new deal

We're into Day 3 of NBA free agency and plenty of big names have changed teams

Jul 2, 2024 at 3:57 pm ET• 1 min read

We're into Day 3 of NBA free agency, and many of the major dominoes have fallen around the league. Paul George is going to join the 76ers. Klay Thompson's Warriors tenure has officially ended as he heads to the Mavericks. Isaiah Hartenstein is leaving the Knicks for the Thunder. James Harden remains a Clipper, while Chris Paul will be a Spur. Less than 48 hours after free agency began in earnest, only two of the top 14 players on the board have not yet agreed to deals.

Those two players would be LeBron James and DeMar DeRozan. James is widely expected to return to the Lakers, who just drafted his son Bronny with the 55th overall pick in last week's draft. It was rumored that James might take a discount if it helped the Lakers land other players in free agency or trades. That has yet to happen, and Thompson, who was considered a Lakers target, ultimately landed with a Western Conference rival. DeRozan is expected to leave the Bulls after three seasons in Chicago, so perhaps he will join LeBron in L.A.

As we wait for some of the finishing touches on NBA free agency, here's a look at the notable moves to date:

NBA free agency moves

CBS Sports will be keeping track of the biggest moves, rumors, signings and trades as free agency rolls along. Follow along below.

Miami Heat Legend Dwyane Wade Silences Critics Of Bronny James Getting Drafted

Former Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade defended Bronny James during an appearance on the TODAY show Monday.

Wade said James has put in enough work to get drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round. Critics have said he was chosen solely because his father, LeBron, plays for the Lakers.

"I think that a lot of people don't have a chance to see the work that athletes put in," Wade said. "They haven't seen Bronny James get up at 5:00 in the morning to go live his dream out and put in the work behind the scenes."

The duo is set to make history as the first father and son to play in the NBA. Wade said the key for Bronny is blocking out the criticism because his dad has done that throughout his 21-year career.

"So, you can't listen to that," Wade said. "Like I said, if you're not there with me every day, if you're not going through the moments where you gotta embrace the suck - when you not going through the moments where you don't - you wanna quit because it's so hard. If you're not in this with me, you can't - I can't listen to you comment about me. And so, hopefully Bronny has his headphones on."

Wade said their debut will mark one of the greatest events in league history.

"I love it. I love it. It's history," Wade said. "LeBron has been incredible for this game. Incredible is not even a big enough word....I remember the day Bronny was born and now to see that he has the opportunity to play in the NBA."

Scott Salomon is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at scottsalomon67@gmail.com.

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Nike LeBron 21 ‘Grandma’s Couch’ releasing July 2024

It's been a massive few weeks in the James household as the Los Angeles Lakers made history in drafting Bronny James, joining LeBron James as the first father-son duo to ever play for the same team. With LeBron James having one of the most successful Nike Basketball signature lines in the company's history, is there a chance we see Bronny follow in his father's footsteps and join Nike? For now, we'll stick to what's in front of us as we see yet another Nike LeBron 21 colorway releasing soon.

Check out our Sneakers news for more upcoming releases and breaking content!

The Nike LeBron 21 will soon be superseded by the upcoming Nike LeBron 22, which LeBron James himself has already teased on social media. Still, we'll see new colorways of the popular Nike LeBron 21 release throughout the summer months. This upcoming colorway pays homage to LeBron James' grandmother, who helped raise him, and the familiar material we've all seen grace our grandparents' furniture.

The two-shoe pack, titled "Grandma's Couch" will be released alongside each other in the coming weeks of June.

We see initial looks of two contrasting colorways operating under the same floral stitched upholstery theme. The first colorway a light mint green over a sail midsole. The embroidered designs are done in vibrant pinks and greens, featuring extremely precise stitching and detailing throughout the uppers. The Nike Swooshes are done in the same cream color from the midsole and the outsole is finished in pink.

The second pair features a darker composition, anchored in a primarily navy blue base and set on a gum outsole. This pair features the same green texturing from the first pair, but turns with darker red roses for a contrasting look. The Nike Swoosh and LeBron logos are done in "Green Strike," offering another added layer to the floral vibes of this shoe. The final detail, uniform for both pairs, features a set of praying hands with LeBron's Championship rings on the insoles.

All in all, both are great looking sneakers and it's nice to see a new mix of materials get added to the Nike LeBron 21. These will undoubtedly pop when worn on the court and they serve as a reminder to be thankful for our grandma's while we have them.

The Nike LeBron 21 "Grandma's Couch" has been set for a July 12, 2024 release date and we should see a formal drop on Nike SNKRS app and select Nike retailers. The price tag is set at $225, putting these on the higher-end of basketball sneakers due to their premium use of materials. We should see a rather exclusive release, so be sure to set your alarms early and stay updated.

What do you think of these? Will you be marking this release for your calendar?

Klay Thompson Rumors: Lakers' LeBron James Called Warriors Icon at Start of NBA FA

Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images

LeBron James appears to be on the recruiting trail.

During an appearance on SportsCenter Sunday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that James was in conversation with Klay Thompson as the unrestricted free agency period opened up.

"I'm told LeBron James called Klay Thompson right when free agency opened," Wojnarowski said. "... These conversations, this negotiation will go into tomorrow. There probably will not be a resolution tonight."

Technically, James is also a free agent currently. However, he is expected to re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers and is even considering taking less money in order to help the team sign another quality player.

Thompson would be a great option for that role. He averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 77 games for the Golden State Warriors in 2023-24. More importantly, he is a five-time All-Star and a four-time NBA Champion.

He could be the spark that helps the Lakers take a step forward in the Western Conference. Los Angeles went 47-35 in 2023-24 and fell in the first round of the playoffs.