Whenever a player who could've helped the Los Angeles Lakers ends up with another team, some fans simply ******* ume that the Lakers didn't go after him. But the team has been aggressive this summer in remodeling its roster after LeBron James left, and that aggression extends to players it struck out on.
On Sunday, Luguentz Dort, who was a key starter for the Oklahoma City Thunder over the last several years, was sent to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team trade. Before that trade went down, the Lakers were reportedly one team that had interest in him, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
"Several teams expressed trade interest in acquiring Dort before he was traded to Atlanta, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, and Miami Heat, league sources told HoopsHype."
Los Angeles has lacked defensive-minded wings, especially those who can also hit open 3-pointers, for a number of years. While Dort shot just 38.5% from the field and 34.4% from 3-point range last season, he could've served as a nice piece for L.A.
About a month ago, NBA insider Jake Fischer wrote that the team had called the Thunder about Dort. Instead, it eventually added two-way wing Quentin Grimes and forwards Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle in free agency. It is also hoping that 6-foot-5 rookie guard Cameron Carr will make it into its rotation and display some legitimate two-way ability.

#Lakers #dort

Republican Sen. Deb Fischer (Neb.) on Wednesday objected to a request from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) for unanimous consent to prohibit President Trump from using taxpayer money to further retrofit a luxury Boeing 747 gifted to the president from Qatar.
The GOP senator blocked Schumer's request to pass his Presidential Airlift Security Act, which would stop the Pentagon from spending more taxpayer money to modify Trump's new jet.
Schumer said Trump's decision to accept the jet to serve as the new Air Force One was another example of what he called "corruption" in the administration.
"Now he wants the taxpayers to fund his palace in the sky as well. Trump's $400 million foreign jet, the biggest gift a president has received from a foreign government ever, is anything but free. Taxpayers will have to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to outfit Trump's luxury jet with the security upgrades it needs to serve as Air Force One," Schumer said on the Senate floor.
Fischer rose to object and pointed out that that Schumer's proposal had already been considered and voted down by the Senate earlier this year.

#president #fischer

During the slow time, the mind wanders. A question from a viewer during the summer run of #PFTPM sent my relaxed brain wandering in one specific direction. And with the annual Packers shareholder meeting coming on Monday, there's no time like now to trot it out.
The seeds were planted, deliberately or not, by Packers president and CEO Ed Policy. In a March 2026 interview with Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, Policy expressed an opinion that the current financial realities of NFL ownership make it harder for the only publicly-owned NFL franchise to compete.
“If you think about any other team, they’ve got deep-pocketed owners, most of them are worth significantly more than that, and they could sell less than 10 percent of their team, give up no controlling interest, and raise a heck of a lot more than that,” Policy said.
“Given the pace that the expenses have accelerated over the past few years, if we find ourselves falling behind, it’s going to be really hard to catch up. So, we have to keep ourselves in a position where we’re not falling behind.”
So what if the Packers eventually do fall behind? What happens if, at some point, the powers-that-be decide that the current business model doesn't work?

#business #current #falling #PFTPM

Connections matter in the NBA. It's become commonplace for former teammates and friends to join forces in the **** ociation (just look at the reigning champion New York Knicks). These bonds don't always lead to an NBA reunion, but they have to at least be considered during the offseason, especially in the case of the Boston Celtics and 3-time All-Star Bradley Beal.
On Tuesday, Bleacher Report insider Jake Fischer discussed how Beal's next landing spot could be tied to his friendship with Celtics star Jayson Tatum. Beal, who's about 5 years older than Tatum, was a mentor for the eventual 2024 NBA champion and the two grew up in St. Louis and both attended the same high school, Chaminade. That relationship that began in Missouri continued in the NBA and beyond, as Tatum even attended Beal's wedding last summer.
"Bradley Beal has got several options," Fischer reported. "I do think there is some Miami (Heat) interest...I wouldn't rule out Boston for Beal because of the connection with Jayson Tatum. I even asked about that today and I was told not to rule out Boston."
Beal played in just 6 games for the Los Angeles Clippers last season before opting out of his player option. A season-ending hip injury prevented the 33-year-old from seeing the court much with L.A. and he hasn't played in more than 60 games in a single season since the 2018-19 campaign.
These injury concerns and the Celtics' current financial situation — the front office could only offer Beal a veteran's minimum contract or the bi-annual exception — make a St. Louis get-together less likely.

#star

A new rumor suggests a three-time All-Star is interested in taking his talents to the Boston Celtics because of his friendship with top star Jayson Tatum.
This has been a very interesting offseason for the Celtics, to say the least. Of course, they made the stunning trade that sent MVP contender Jaylen Brown to the same team that beat them in the playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers. However, they also improved their frontcourt by selecting Chris Cenac Jr. in the NBA Draft and poaching Mitchell Robinson from top rival the New York Knicks. They also brought in greybeard guard Mike Conley.
Well, it looks like they could make another notable addition soon because three-time All-Star Bradley Beal could be headed to Boston, according to a new report from Jake Fischer.
"I do think there's some Miami interest there, and I would not rule out Boston for Beal because of the connection with Jayson Tatum."

#celtics #beal

The Toronto Raptors confirmed last week that their trade with the Los Angeles Clippers centered around Kawhi Leonard won’t be completed before the NBA wraps an investigation that’s captivated the basketball world. The league hired the law firm Wachtell Lipton to probe into a no-work, multi-million dollar endorsement deal the seven-time All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP signed with Aspiration, a now-bankrupt environmental company ensnared in a scandal that revolves around the Clippers potentially circumventing the salary cap.
The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov released a report on Tuesday that divulges more information about the ongoing investigation, which has seemingly grown since its inception. In it, Vorkunov reports that, along with looking into whether the Clippers manipulated the cap by striking a deal with Aspiration for Leonard, Wachtell has inspected if Leonard had a previously unreported endorsement deal with another company.
Plus, the firm has sifted to determine if the Clippers improperly covered expenses for Leonard and weren’t reimbursed for them, according to The Athletic.
If Leonard is punished as a result of the NBA’s investigation, Toronto could back out of its agreed-upon trade, which was first reported on June 30 and is supposed to deliver the 35-year-old Leonard back to the Raptors, with whom he won an NBA championship in 2019. In return, the Clippers have been poised to receive two-time All-Star Brandon Ingram and Gradey ******* as well as first-round draft picks in 2031 and 2033, second-round selections in 2030 and 2033 and a first-round pick swap in 2027, per NBA insider Jake Fischer.
Early last month, at NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s annual news conference leading up to the NBA Finals, he didn’t specify when Wachtell Lipton’s investigation report will arrive on his desk, although he did say it was “close to the point now where I think we need to wrap this up.”

The sentiment I continue to hear from various teams chasing James has not really changed from the way Jake Fischer and I co-reported it below on July 4: A third (and bow-tying) marriage with the Cleveland Cavaliers continues to be regarded as “the scenario to beat” by the the teams pursuing James that have been most frequently mentioned: Golden State, Miami, Philadelphia, Minnesota and Denver. To beat. Not necessarily unbeatable.
marcstein.substack.com
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: A third (and bow-tying) marriage with the Cleveland …

Lakers officially beat out Knicks, Warriors for elite $50 million rebounder, three-time NBA champion originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Lakers have finally completed all of their free agent signings.
With the organization officially outbidding the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks for a $50 million (career earnings) former Golden State Warriors elite rebounder and three-time NBA champion, Los Angeles has move one step closer to rounding out their roster.
"Welcome to the squad, Kevon (Looney)," the Lakers wrote on X/Twitter Monday, which is six days after ESPN's Shams Charania first announced the signing.
Before signing with the Lakers, Looney received significant free agent interest from the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors. On June 28, the Stein Line's Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported that the new NBA champions were eyeing the UCLA product as a potential backup option if Mitchell Robinson departed the franchise (which he ultimately did, signing a multi-year deal with the Boston Celtics.

Spectrum, which is owned by Charter Communications, has decided to make another significant workforce change as it continues to battle mounting customer losses in its cable TV and internet business.
Charter revealed in its latest earnings report that Spectrum lost 120,000 internet customers and 60,000 cable TV customers in the first quarter of this year. Amid these losses, the company's revenue dipped by 1% year over year.
The decline in customers comes after Spectrum increased the monthly prices of its TV Select packages by $5 and several older internet plans by $2 in July last year. On social media platform Reddit, customers have also flagged what they see as stealthy price hikes for Spectrum's internet service this year.
"The operating environment for new sales, in particular internet, continues to be competitive," Charter Chief Financial Officer Jessica Fischer said during an earnings call in April.
She also said Charter is betting on its $34.5 billion acquisition of ****** Communications, which received approval from the Federal Communications Commission in February, to help repair its business.

Marc Stein on Lakers pursuing Jonathan **** inga: ‘They would need Jarred Vanderbilt to be in the trade, and we know the Hawks have shown resistance to it…’ Jake Fischer: ‘I also don't think the Lakers are just like trying to shop Jarred Vanderbilt around the league. I haven’t gotten that sense, either.’
Bleacher Report
The Lakers have been willing to trade Vanderbilt, according to multiple sources who spoke with the Post who were granted anonymity so they could speak freely, as well as other players on the roster in order to create more roster-building optionality. The Cavaliers also have strong interest in **** inga, a source said. — 7/8/2026 New York Post
A source told the Post the Hawks are willing to execute a sign-and-trade with the Lakers around the framework of Jonathan **** inga going to L.A. and the Hawks receiving Jarred Vanderbilt and the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick swap– the lone option the Lakers have of trading a first-round pick this summer. **** inga’s contract would have to be for at least three or four seasons (not including option seasons), and the first season must be fully guaranteed, if the Lakers acquired him in a sign and trade. — 7/8/2026 New York Post
The fourth Laker on our list, over one-quarter of the trades logged into our trade machine of late have included Jarred Vanderbilt, a 27-year-old defensive-minded forward. Vanderbilt has two years left on his contract, worth $25.7 million, with a player option on the second year. That's not a grossly offensive salary, but it's also not some major value deal, either, not with the way Vanderbilt produces. — 7/5/2026 HoopsHype

Jake Fischer: The Lakers are clearly still looking at Jonathan ******* inga as being their starting wing. So if that deal doesn’t come to a fruition, ******* inga does have several other options on the table including going back to Atlanta.
Bleacher Report
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Lakers are clearly still looking at Jonathan ******* inga …

Marc Stein on Lakers pursuing Jonathan ****** inga: ‘They would need Jarred Vanderbilt to be in the trade, and we know the Hawks have shown resistance to it…’ Jake Fischer: ‘I also don't think the Lakers are just like trying to shop Jarred Vanderbilt around the league. I haven’t gotten that sense, either.’
Bleacher Report
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Lakers not shopping Jarred Vanderbilt

While the NBA free-agency circuit has quieted down, DeMar DeRozan remains one of multiple high-profile players still on the open market after being waived by the Sacramento Kings last week.
The six-time All-Star wing's next move is reportedly heavily tied to the biggest domino yet to fall, LeBron James, with numerous contenders viewing him as a quality consolation prize. DeRozan has also been linked to one of his former teams, the Toronto Raptors, with his ex-coach Dwane Casey among those most hopeful to see a reunion.
Upon being selected No. 9 by Toronto in the 2009 NBA Draft, DeRozan helped elevate the franchise from an Eastern Conference bottom-feeder into a perennial playoff team. He developed from an athletic wing prospect into one of the league's premier midrange **** assins, leading the Raptors to five straight postseason appearances alongside Kyle Lowry, with Casey on the sidelines.
Unfortunately for DeRozan, his Toronto squads repeatedly couldn't get over the hump and into the NBA Finals, suffering three straight exits against the James-led Cleveland Cavaliers before his 2018 trade to the San Antonio Spurs, just over two months after Casey's firing.
Eight years later, DeRozan could have an opportunity to return north of the border, with NBA insider Jake Fischer reporting on the 36-year-old's "interest" in such a move amid connections to multiple James suitors.

Warriors' Draymond Green reportedly going all-in for $101M ex-Laker four-time NBA champion originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Golden State Warriors know their championship window with Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and head coach Steve Kerr is beginning to close. The core has won multiple NBA championships together and wants a legitimate opportunity to compete for one more ****** le before their careers come to an end.
Throughout the offseason, the Warriors have been heavily linked to four-time NBA champion LeBron James, who remains the biggest name on the free-agent market. The Stein Line's Jake Fischer provided insight into where Golden State currently stands in the pursuit.
"I do think the Warriors are still as involved as any team. I want to say that too. As much as the reunion with Cleveland and Miami would be storybook, this new all star team, traveling team USA kind of circus, high entertainment value thing that would exist is GS, is something that is still very much on the table," Fischer said.
Green has also been spending time with James, where he has reportedly made his pitch for the superstar to join Golden State.

Nearly two weeks into the NBA's free agency period, forward Jonathan ******* inga remains a man without a team. While he has his question marks and concerns, his athleticism and natural ability are undeniable, and the Los Angeles Lakers have been in pursuit of him.
They have been hoping they could land him on a two-year, $20 million contract, per Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times, but that looks unrealistic. There was a report from Khobi Price of the California Post that the Atlanta Hawks, ******* inga's former team, are open to a sign-and-trade where they would acquire forward Jarred Vanderbilt and a future first-round pick swap for the 23-year-old. However, insider Jake Fischer said that Atlanta hasn't considered taking Vanderbilt in such a deal.
Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports wrote that the ******* inga saga may not be resolved until LeBron James chooses his next team, which may not happen for several more days.
"The expectation is that James will decide this week, and that should free up the market for the rest of the top players.
"Among those top players is Jonathan ******* inga, who is still expected to land with the Lakers, though it is a matter of when and how–and how much money he gets. A sign-and-trade would require that ******* inga gets at least three years, though there can be options and non-guarantees after the first year. That's most likely how this plays out–Kuminga might want to be able to get back into free agency if he plays well next season."

Jonathan ***** inga gets new Lakers three-year sign-and-trade update involving LeBron James originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Los Angeles Lakers fans should get used to the franchise being involved in informative sign-and-trade rumors with Jonathan ***** inga and the Atlanta Hawks.
Kuminga is undoubtedly the Lakers' top free agent target. According to Heavy's Sean Deveney, the ex-Golden State Warriors NBA champion could find himself securing a three-year deal or better with Los Angeles via sign-and-trade (Jarred Vanderbilt and a 2032 pick swap would have to be featured in the deal, but the Lakers might have to locate another team willing to take Vanderbilt off their hands, per The Stein Line's Jake Fischer).
Interestingly, though, Deveney noted that the free agent market likely won't improve until former Los Angeles Lakers phenomenon LeBron James chooses his next destination.
"The expectation is that James will decide this week, and that should free up the market for the rest of the top players," Deveney wrote Sunday. "Among those top players is Jonathan ***** inga, who is still expected to land with the Lakers, though it is a matter of when and how–and how much money he gets."

Ex-Lakers star LeBron James gets major free agency decision timeline amid Warriors rumors originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With LeBron James' stint with the Los Angeles Lakers coming to an end earlier this summer, many are wondering where the four-time NBA champion will spend his 24th season in the big leagues.
Per a Friday night report from ESPN's Shams Charania, the Warriors are among the five teams (Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Philadelphia 76ers) that have a realistic chance of signing James before the start of the 2026-27 campaign.
Additionally, the Stein Line's Jake Fischer noted that the Warriors are 'still involved as any team', confirming that the seven-time NBA champions are firmly in the mix for the 22-time All-Star.
On Sunday, Heavy's Sean Deveney revealed when James is expected to make his highly anticipated free agency decision.

Lakers get major Jonathan ******* inga multi-team sign-and trade news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Things may have just gotten a bit more complicated for the Los Angeles Lakers this summer.
According to The Stein Line's Jake Fischer, the franchise's potential Jarred Vanderbilt-focused sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks for former Golden State Warriors lottery pick Jonathan ******* inga may not be limited to just two teams after all.
"It's believed that the Lakers hope to package their lone tradeable first-round pick swap left over in 2032 along with Jarred Vanderbilt in a sign-and-trade proposal for ******* inga," Stein wrote Friday. "Sources say Atlanta, however, has not considered taking back Vanderbilt in a deal that sends out ******* inga."
"There are said to be multi-team scenarios that the Lakers could pursue that offload Vanderbilt to a different team than Atlanta. That would help the Lakers provide ******* inga with an offer richer than the two-year, $20 million deal that sources say they originally presented him."

It seems that a team looking to acquire LeBron James may have to keep a roster spot open for another player. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, 6-foot-10 forward Kevin Love could be James' plus one in free agency. Love is an end-of-the-bench veteran who may not have much to contribute on the court but would be a solid locker room presence, similar to former Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Kevin Love is considered as a plus 1 to any team that acquires LeBron James," Fischer said on Bleacher Report's stream on Saturday.
Love and James played on the Cavaliers from 2015 to 2018. Love was a key contributor in the frontcourt as the third option. His only championship win came in 2016, when James spearheaded Cleveland's historic 3-1 comeback against the Golden State Warriors.
The duo has remained close over the years and recently took a trip together with other players from the Cavaliers' 2016 championship team. James would benefit from having another veteran who can not only keep him, but also other players, accountable.
LeBron James could reunite with Miami or Cleveland, two frequently mentioned landing spots. If Kevin Love tags along, it would be a reunion for him, too. Love honed his role as a locker room leader with the Cavaliers and Heat between 2022 and 2025.

A lot of baseball players childhood dreams will come true this weekend in the 2026 MLB Draft.
The selections will take place in Philadelphia as The Show will bring in a new class of talented ball players and future stars. There are some players from the Jersey Shore that are likely to get selected this weekend.
AJ Gracia is a left-handed hitting outfielder that played his high school days at Ranney School in Tinton Falls. He's projected to go in the first round of the draft according to the MLB.com prospect list. This past season for Virginia, he batted .354 and had 14 home runs and 48 RBI. Prior to Virginia, he spent two seasons at Duke. As a Blue Devil, he set a new program freshman home run record with 14 and freshman RBI record with 58.
MORE: Wall's Andrew Fischer, Central's Cam Leiter go early in MLB Draft with 6 from Shore picked
Another is Reece Moroney out of Rumson-Fair Haven High School. He was invited to the 2026 MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field in Phoenix where the Diamondbacks play. He became a standout at the University of Rhode Island in the Atlantic 10 Conference. In May, he broke the single season record for most hits with 88. He's an infielder and just finished his junior season.

A little earlier this week, Khobi Price of the California Post reported that the Los Angeles Lakers and forward Jonathan ****** inga have mutual interest and that the Atlanta Hawks, ****** inga's last team, are open to a sign-and-trade deal. Price wrote that the Hawks are willing to do a trade "around the framework" of Jarred Vanderbilt and a 2032 first-round pick swap coming in from Los Angeles.
But NBA insider Jake Fischer is saying something different about the situation. He wrote on "The Stein Line" Substack that while the Lakers are hoping to land ****** inga for Vanderbilt and a pick swap, that's not what Atlanta wants in return, and that a third team may have to get involved.
"While ****** inga and his representation have held ongoing dialogue with the Lakers about a potential role alongside Luka Dončić, sources say that the Hawks are seeking more than the Lakers can offer to this point," Fischer wrote.
"It's believed that the Lakers hope to package their lone tradeable first-round pick swap left over in 2032 along with Jarred Vanderbilt in a sign-and-trade proposal for ****** inga. Sources say Atlanta, however, has not considered taking back Vanderbilt in a deal that sends out ****** inga.
"There are said to be multi-team scenarios that the Lakers could pursue that offload Vanderbilt to a different team than Atlanta. That would help the Lakers provide ****** inga with an offer richer than the two-year, $20 million deal that sources say they originally presented him.

The Los Angeles Lakers may believe P.J. Washington is an ideal fit next to Luka Dončić.
The Dallas Mavericks, however, appear to have little urgency to move him.
Speaking Friday during Bleacher Report's NBA Summer League livestream, NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer responded to a viewer's question about Washington and indicated that while Dallas is willing to listen to offers, the Mavericks would likely prefer to move other veterans before parting with the versatile forward.
"If the Mavs could operate at their preference," Stein said, "it would be trading one of those two," referring to Daniel Gafford and Klay Thompson.
That distinction could prove significant for the Lakers as they continue searching for another starting-caliber forward after spending much of the offseason pursuing Jonathan **** inga.

ESPN Cleveland: "The only rightful farewell tour would be with the Cleveland Cavaliers," - Charles Barkley on LeBron James.
x.com
Jake Fischer: Chris Finch confirmed, from the Wolves' perspective, what we've been reporting all week, that Klutch Sports has not yet told any team interested in LeBron James they're out of the bidding for his free agency. — 7/10/2026 x.com
Dru Star: "We definitely believe that there is some real affinity for going back to Miami and kind of making things right."- JakeLFischer on LeBron James — 7/10/2026 x.com

Shams Charania: BREAKING: San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama has signed a five-year, $252 million maximum rookie-scale contract extension, with a player option in the fifth season, sources tell ESPN.
x.com
Jake Fischer: There has been word this morning in Las Vegas that Victor Wembanyama is considering signing less than his maximum rookie scale extension to provide San Antonio greater financial flexibility. Victor Wembanyama: Spurs family, I'm here to stay. Whatever it takes? — 7/10/2026 x.com
Heat Central: Neon: Who you got in a 1v1 you or Wemby? Giannis: Me. All day. All day — 7/6/2026 x.com

Shams Charania: Victor Wembanyama decided on the 25% maximum instead of the 30% supermax escalators to $303M, after he and the Spurs went through multiple frameworks. A major decision for the All-NBA star and Defensive Player of the Year entering his fourth season. San Antonio worked in close partnership with Wembanyama and his representatives, offering the full super max and different variations of extensions. But Wembanyama ultimately chose a contract sacrifice rooted in giving him and the organization increased ability to build a sustained ******* le contender around him.
x.com
Jake Fischer: There has been word this morning in Las Vegas that Victor Wembanyama is considering signing less than his maximum rookie scale extension to provide San Antonio greater financial flexibility. Victor Wembanyama: Spurs family, I'm here to stay. Whatever it takes? — 7/10/2026 x.com
Heat Central: Neon: Who you got in a 1v1 you or Wemby? Giannis: Me. All day. All day — 7/6/2026 x.com

The Brooklyn Nets made one of the bigger moves this offseason when they reportedly acquired forward Julius Randle and the No. 28 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft via trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Brooklyn still officially doesn't have Randle or Iowa State Joshua Jefferson (the No. 28 pick) on the roster due to the deal still pending, but there appears to be another reason as well.
"Brooklyn does still possess the cap ******* e to furnish Watson with an offer sheet in his desired salary range, but I'm told that the Nets have been internally ******* sing how to utilize their available spending power before officially completing their multi-team trade," NBA insider Jake Fischer wrote on the Nets for The Stein Line. Brooklyn is one of just a few teams that can offer Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson the kind of money he's looking for in restricted free-agency.
Whether the Nets are pursuing Watson in free-agency will depend on how much they're willing to pay him to bring him in the building following his breakout season. NBA salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan reported on July 6 that Brooklyn had nearly $25 million in cap ******* e after signing center Day'Ron Sharpe, forward Josh Minott, and guard Keon Ellis. Watson reportedly is looking for his next deal to average $25 million per year.
"They could spend it, then go over the cap to sign Moe Wagner (room mid-level) and trade for Julius Randle (expanded TPE)," Gozlan wrote on X explaining the options that the Nets have at that moment. "That amount will be reduced if they do any of those two transactions first. They won't have much time to use it, since they probably can't hold up the four-team Nets-Hornets-Wolves-Bulls trade for too long."
At this point in free-agency, Watson is considered one of the best free-agents on the market that is a realistic target for the Nets along with players like Los Angeles Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin and Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan ******* inga. Brooklyn still pending transactions involving Randle and Orlando Magic center Mo Wagner, but it seems like they're to maximize what they can do with their cap ******* e at the moment.

The Los Angeles Lakers still want free agent forward Jonathan ****** inga, and according to a recent report by Khobi Price of the California Post, ****** inga also wants to join the Lakers. But the math doesn't seem to be mathing for either side.
The Lakers are thought to prefer to give ****** inga a two-year contract for a total of $20 million. They could either clear the requisite salary cap ****** e by trading away a couple of players, such as Jarred Vanderbilt and Dalton Knecht, and not taking any salary back, or they could execute a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks, the team ****** inga finished this past season with.
But it looks like ****** inga is looking for much more than the Lakers may be able or willing to offer him. During a livestream in Las Vegas, where the NBA's main summer league is being held, insider Jake Fischer revealed the dollar amount ****** inga and his agent are seeking (h/t Heavy Sports).
“I do believe that ****** inga is looking for something more than that $25 million ballpark that he landed last year from Golden State,” Fischer said.
That would be a dollar amount that would probably not be feasible for Los Angeles. However, Fischer also added that it may not be a feasible dollar amount for ****** inga himself.

The New York Knicks’ pursuit of Jonas Valančiūnas may no longer hinge on convincing the veteran center to choose them over another NBA team.
It may come down to convincing him not to go home.
Speaking Thursday during Bleacher Report’s livestream from the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer said Valančiūnas has a standing offer from Lithuanian powerhouse Žalgiris Kaunas as he weighs whether to continue his NBA career or return to Europe after 14 seasons.
“It’s his native Lithuania to play next season,” Stein said. “If he wants it, it’s there sitting on the table for him from Žalgiris Kaunas.”
Stein emphasized that he does not know which direction Valančiūnas is leaning, but acknowledged that a homecoming has become a legitimate possibility.

It's hard to argue with the Brewers' recent draft results. Jacob Misiorowski is already a two-time All-Star, while Cooper Pratt, Braylon Payne, Blake Burke, and Andrew Fischer have emerged as some of the organization's brightest young stars. Milwaukee will look to add another name or two to that list this weekend as the 2026 MLB Draft gets underway. Here's everything you need to know before the Brewers are on the clock Saturday afternoon.
Milwaukee has three picks in the first three rounds. They only have two picks in the top 101, their fewest top-100 picks in the last eight years.
First round:
No. 25
Second round:

‪Marc Stein‬: I'm told that six-team trade involving the Pistons, Clippers, Grizzlies, Bucks, Wizards and Mavericks is on course to be made official and announced shortly. More NBA from jakelfischer.bsky.social and me: tinyurl.com/5b4w9jws
bsky.app
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Stein‬: I'm told that six-team trade involving the …