The Atlanta Hawks' third home game of the season at State Farm Arena initially drew attention for forcing the Atlanta Dream to move Game 6 of the WNBA Finals earlier on Thursday to a 12:30 p.m. ET start.
Thankfully for Atlanta and the fans who rearranged their plans on short notice to attend a daytime game, the Dream won 80-69 to force the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history and give themselves an opportunity to win the franchise's first championship.
However, the Hawks also won their first home game of the season after the arena staff changed courts with a 114-111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night.
Onyeka Okongwu scored 29 points (shooting 4 of 6 on 3-pointers) and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Hawks, who improved their season record to 2-3. Nickeil Alexander-Walker followed with 25 points and Aaron Wiggins provided 20 off the bench, hitting 4 of his 7 3-point attempts.
Playing their second of back-to-back games following a 129-117 loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday, the Hawks initially looked tired out. The Cavs ran out to a 28-16 lead after the first quarter with James Harden scoring nine points and Sam Merrill adding eight.

#season #finals

ATLANTA (AP) — Onyeka Okongwu scored a season-high 29 points and had 12 rebounds, leading the Atlanta Hawks to a 114-111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night.
Atlanta snapped a three-game losing streak to improve to 3-3, and halted Cleveland's three-game winning streak. The Cavs are 3-2.
Donovan Mitchell cut Atlanta's lead to one on a driving layup with 20.6 seconds remaining. Nickeil Alexander-Walker made two free throws with 15.3 left to take the lead back to three and Mitchell got two potential tying looks off on the final possession, but misfired on both.
Alexander-Walker added 25 points for Atlanta, and Aaron Wiggins scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting off the bench.
James Harden led Cleveland with 24 points, followed by Mitchell with 22. Sam Merrill shot 4 of 8 from 3-point range for the Cavaliers.

#atlanta

Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to the UK, the Royal Family's response, or a lack thereof, has drawn plenty of attention. Prince William and Kate Middleton, however, have said nothing in public about the Sussexes. While some reports describe that silence as indifference, one PR expert reads it very differently, and her view shifts the focus from feelings to observable behaviour.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to the UK in late August with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Since then, Prince William and Kate Middleton have stayed quiet, and according to reports, the brothers have no contact, despite living in the same country again.
It had earlier been reported that the Prince and Princess of Wales have "stopped caring," and are practicing indifference. The same report states that Kate is not "sitting around talking about Meghan." It stresses that this does not mean a reconciliation has taken place.
Now, PR specialist Grayce McCormick of Lightfinder Public Relations has offered a different reading to The Mirror. She cautions against calling the couple "indifferent." Doing so, she says, ******* igns an emotional state to people "based largely on unnamed sources and outward behavior." McCormick explains that silence can signal "boundaries, discipline, fatigue, acceptance or simply a decision not to participate publicly." It does not reveal what someone feels privately, she adds.
The expert also draws on her own client work. According to her, responding to every headline gives a story "more oxygen." McCormick points to the "illusory truth effect," in which repeated information can become more believable through repetition. She believes that in royal coverage, speculation can often harden into perceived fact.

#kate #mccormick

Every 3% or 5% single-day pop in technology stocks and high-beta market darlings is being hailed by retail momentum chasers as the definitive return of the bull market. I'm a natural skeptic, hardened by decades of seeing markets cycle up and down. And I just don't see the bull market returning in force for a while… and maybe a long, long while.
To be clear, it doesn't prompt me to "exit the market," no more than it would prompt me to "pile into stocks" when the coast looks clearer. To me, investing in the stock market is never about "do I" or "don't I." It is always about "how much do I allocate?"
Billionaire Charlie Munger, Who Died at 99, Skipped Insurance on His Mansion Since He Could Just Write a Check to Rebuild — 'All Intelligent People Do It My Way'
Why It's Time to Load Up on Nvidia Stock
The Case for Selling CrowdStrike Stock

#stocks

Lakers predicted to sign $15M explosive former first-round pick to revive career around Luka Doncic originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Former first-round pick Cam Whitmore is simply looking for an opportunity to play for the right team in the right situation. He still does not know exactly where that will be, but he is hoping to find the right fit soon.
Whitmore was on the roster bubble with the Washington Wizards before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland ultimately waived him to make room for James Harden.
"The Cleveland Cavaliers have waived Cam Whitmore, league sources told hoopshype. Whitmore, the 20th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, has averaged 10.5 points on 45% from the field and 35% from 3-point range in 17.3 minutes during three NBA seasons with the Rockets and Wizards," HoopsHype's Michael Scotto wrote.
Whitmore still has time to develop into the player many believe he can become. Fadeaway World's Fran Leiva believes the Los Angeles Lakers could be the team to give him that opportunity.

#pick #cavaliers

Victor Wembanyama gets a big shout-out from French UFC fighter Ciryl Gane originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Over the past decade, it has become clear that basketball is one of the biggest sports in the world. The rise of international players is a testament to this because there has not been an American regular-season MVP since James Harden's MVP in 2018.
Players like Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been dominant as non-American players. However, it seems San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama is ready to carry the torch moving forward as the best player to come out of France, a country that's well-known for producing some elite athletes.
As the current UFC interim heavyweight champion, Ciryl Gane knows what it's like to succeed. He is, in fact, a two-time holder of that **** le, so he is quite successful in his mixed martial arts career. The orthodox heavyweight striker stands out in the UFC with his natural talent and light feet despite being a 6'4" fighter.
Just like Gane, Wembanyama shares some traits with his fellow Frenchman. Being a giant who can move light on their feet is certainly a good trait to have, but it matters the most in a sport like basketball.

#ciryl #fighter

The league is also taking away five first-round draft picks from the Clippers in 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033. The 76ers still have some Clippers draft capital from the trade that sent James Harden to Los Angeles in 2023, but that will be unaffected by the league's punishments, a source confirmed.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: 76ers' Clippers draft capital from James Harden trade is safe from NBA penalties

#clippers #trade #angeles #hoops

Second-year safety Zack Harden was the talk of the town for Gophers football in the offseason. He played just 14 defensive snaps last season as a true freshman, but the departure of Koi Perich left a golden opportunity for a young player to ******* ume a bigger role. Harden was getting plenty of hype in the spring and summer, and he showed why on Thursday night against Eastern Illinois.
Harden started at safety alongside Kerry Brown. He played 12 snaps at strong safety, six at slot cornerback and nine at free safety. He produced with four total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries. Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave him a 79.2 defensive grade, which was the best in Minnesota's secondary.
Sep 3, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Zack Harden (4) celebrates during the second half against the Eastern Illinois Panthers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Hailing from Covington, Georgia, Harden was heavily pursued as a high school prospect. He was just a three-star recruit, but he held notable top offers from programs such as Auburn, USC, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and many more. He was the Gophers' 11th-highest-rated signee in their 22-player class in the 2025 cycle, according to the 247Sports Composite, and he has hit the ground running.
Minnesota has had a long history of producing elite safety talent since P.J. Fleck arrived at the school in 2017. Antoine Winfield Jr., Tyler Nubin, Jordan Howden and Koi Perich have all produced at an elite level. Brown has established himself, but Harden has all the traits to be the next star at the position.

#safety #minnesota #brown

Former Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons has not played in the NBA since the 2024-25 season when he finished with the Los Angeles Clippers. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 draft took a year off after a tumultuous couple of seasons in the league, but is now set to make his return.
Simmons will reportedly sign a 1-year deal with the Sacramento Kings and look to continue his career after such a strong start. Simmons was a 3-time All-Star with the Sixers, won Rookie of the Year in 2018, and made the All-NBA Third Team in 2020. Then injuries took over and the ugly break up in Philadelphia sent him to the Brooklyn Nets in the James Harden deal.
Just in: Three-time All-Star Ben Simmons has agreed on a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings, his agents Max Wiepking, Sean Tribe and Ryan Arney tell me and MarcJSpears. The one-time All-NBA star is back in the NBA for a 10th season after sitting out 2025-26. pic.twitter.com/xj5X7lr3op
Simmons will look to unleash his elite playmaking and defensive ability in Sacramento and get his game back on the right track. When he was right with the Sixers, he was a fantastic player as he averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.7 ******* ists. The Kings offer him an environment where he can find his game again and come along slowly in order to get back at it.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Former Sixers star Ben Simmons to return to NBA, signs deal with Kings

#sacramento #time #back

Julián Álvarez ended the summer window still on Atlético Madrid's books, but that outcome has settled almost nothing. Barcelona spent the entire market chasing the Argentine, Atlético publicly rejected the pursuit in increasingly hostile terms, and ******* nal explored an offer of their own while the whole thing threatened to boil over. The question now isn't whether the saga is over – it plainly isn't – but which of the three forces at play, Atlético's contractual leverage, Barcelona's valuation, or Álvarez's own stated preference, actually decides what happens next.
Álvarez himself gave the clearest signal of intent back in June, telling ESPN after Argentina's World Cup win over Austria that a transfer to Barcelona was the best thing for everyone and that he wanted to fulfil his dream. Those words were music to Joan Laporta's ears and poison to Atlético's dressing room. Everything that has followed, including deadline day passing without a deal, sits downstream of that one public admission.
Álvarez's Atlético contract runs until June 2030 and carries a release clause of around €500 million – a figure so far beyond market reality that it functions purely as leverage, not a genuine asking price. Barcelona say they made a €100 million bid; Atlético sources initially denied receiving any offer at all before later confirming one had arrived, structured across six yearly instalments and worth that same €100 million.
On July 30, with the dispute already curdling, Atlético reported Barcelona to the Spanish Football Federation over their pursuit of the player. No public update from the federation had followed by the time The Athletic's reconstruction of the saga was published. Álvarez remained at the Metropolitano when the window shut, and reports suggest he is expected to stay at Atlético at least until the January window reopens the conversation.
Before the summer even began, senior Atlético sources indicated the club would let Álvarez leave for €150 million provided a deal closed by July 20. That deadline passed with no agreement, and Atlético's position hardened dramatically. By late June, chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín was drawing a line that had nothing to do with valuation gaps.

#window #federation #summer #nothing

The Western Conference has undoubtedly dominated the 21st-century NBA. But after blockbuster trades and free agency moves, the Eastern Conference appears to be historically stacked.
Now, with newly emerged "super teams" like the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks, the fully healthy Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics, and true contention from the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and the Detroit Pistons, how can the Cleveland Cavaliers rise to the top?
Once again, Cleveland is coming into the season with a big four of stars. This time, though, Darius Garland is out, and James Harden is in for his first full season as a Cavalier.
Next to Harden are the three veteran Cavs' All-Stars: Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.
The core left a lot to be desired in their Eastern Conference Finals run last season, and things have arguably gotten worse for their future.

#season

Practices were delayed at several schools this week due to extreme heat.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Maurice Harden heads up the football program at Xenia High School.
He said this week the Buccaneers aren't the only thing bringing the heat.
"We do a good job as a coaching staff of trying to shift and punt and make adjustments so that our kids are safe and we're also getting the preparation that's required to have success," Harden said.

#harden #whio #xenia

As the 2026-27 NBA season approaches this fall, Bleacher Report released an interesting list, as they ranked the best players by each age. Unexpectedly, there were multiple Houston Rockets players who earned that distinction.
Beginning with the more surprising of the two, Amen Thompson was named as the league's best 23-year-old. Last season, Thompson took a huge jump, playing 79 games and averaging a career-high 18.3 points to go along with 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 ******* ists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks. Although he was snubbed from an All-Defensive selection, Thompson did finish eighth in Defensive Player of Year Award voting. Other notable 23-year-olds that Thompson was selected over include Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero and Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller.
As readers may have expected, Kevin Durant (age 37) was the other Rockets forward listed, as Alperen Sengun fell short to Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham among players at the age of 24. A season ago, Durant averaged 26 points per game, tying him for 10th in the league. He also averaged 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 ******* ists, 0.8 steals and 0.9 blocks. James Harden, a former MVP in Houston, was the only other 37-year-old in the same realm as Durant, averaging 23.6 points and eight ******* ists between the Clippers and Cavaliers.
For more NBA content, check out the BasketBaltes podcast:
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#year #durant #forward

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't blow up anything after getting swept by the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, and I think that was the right call, because this team was already pretty close. Cleveland finished 52-30, ranked sixth in offensive rating at 119.2, and reached its first Conference Finals since 2018, so the answer wasn't starting over, it was finding better pieces around a core that still has the talent to win the East.
The front office basically doubled down on that idea during the summer. Donovan Mitchell signed a four-year, $273.0 million extension, James Harden came back on a three-year, $97.0 million deal after arriving for Darius Garland at the deadline, and the Cavaliers made their biggest outside move by landing Peyton Watson in a five-team sign-and-trade. Max Strus, Dennis Schroder, Dean Wade, and Keon Ellis are among the players gone, while Mario Hezonja also returned to the NBA after several seasons in Europe.
That leaves Cleveland with a very clear bet for 2026-27: The Big Four have to be good enough to carry most of this. There isn't another superstar coming, and they have the pieces to win, because Mitchell averaged almost 28 points last season, Harden can still run an elite offense, Mobley is entering his prime, and Allen remains one of the better centers in the East.
The problem is that we already saw this group hit a wall in the playoffs. Cleveland scored only 107.9 points per game during the postseason, Harden dropped to 19.2 points and 5.5 **** ists while shooting 29.9% from three, and the Knicks beat them by 37 points in Game 4 to finish the sweep.
This season isn't really about proving the Cavaliers are good. We already know about their talent, now they have to prove this Big Four can actually finish the job in a stacked Eastern Conference.

#cavaliers #points #eastern #finals

Defensive lineman Jack Pyburn was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday and could be the latest player who tries to go back to college after spending time in an NFL camp.
Pyburn was among the cuts on the day NFL teams reduced their rosters to 53. He could now try to get a fifth year of eligibility if he is not claimed on waivers by another team Monday. He'll become a free agent if he's not picked up and is among the players granted a temporary restraining order by a Louisiana court earlier this month that would make them eligible to return to college athletics. Pyburn's likely landing spot would be LSU.
Four other players who spent time on NFL rosters this offseason before being cut were also part of the case: former LSU running back TJ Harden, former Mississippi tight end Dae'Quan Wright, former Ole Miss defensive lineman Zxavian Harris and former Oregon State running back Anthony Hankerson.
These players all entered the NFL draft process because they had used up their four years of eligibility. The NCAA announced a rule change in June allowing players who began college in 2023 or later to have five years to play five seasons.
That rule didn't apply to these players because they entered college in 2022. They have sued the NCAA, arguing they're being deprived of education and potential name, image and likeness benefits by being excluded from the rule.

#rule

Spurs' Dylan Harper predicted to make James Harden-like leap & win NBA 6MOTY originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The San Antonio Spurs dynasty is largely built on big men, yes. David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and Victor Wembanyama are all astounding leaders who are capable of winning the biggest awards. On the other hand, they also have a great supporting cast that helps them chase 60 wins or more and deep postseason runs. This is where legends like Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili come in. Dylan Harper is on that similar trajectory. ESPN even boldly predicts that he will become a frontrunner for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, all while he is expected to emulate a jump like that of James Harden.
Dylan Harper was a revelation for the Spurs during their postseason run en route to the NBA Finals. He may have finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, but his invaluable numbers helped Coach Mitch Johnson's squad stay afloat when Victor Wembanyama looked wonky. His postseason numbers saw him average 11.8 points on a 50.5% field goal percentage while racking up 3.4 rebounds, 3.9 ***** ists, and 0.8 steals.
The 2026-27 NBA season is set to be a big year for Harper. Heading into Year 2 of his career, ESPN projects that he will become a frontrunner for the NBA 6MOTY award.
1. Alex Caruso

#sporting

With the recent change in eligibility rules for the NCAA spurring a controversial series of lawsuits by members of the Class of 2022 recruiting cycle seeking the fifth year of eligibility they have been denied, some NFL players who exhausted four seasons of eligibility are now seeking to return to the collegiate level for an additional year if they are cut or waived by their current teams.
It's sparked an outcry among college sports fans, and college conferences such as the Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC have either already finalized or are in the process of finalizing policies to prevent such moves. And the NFL is also reaching out to clubs to make sure its rules on the matter are clear.
Adam Schefter reported on Wednesday that the league will not allow any player who goes back to play collegiate football in 2026 to sign another contract with an NFL team this year. Under league rules, any player signed to an NFL contract who is subsequently cut is a free agent. They are allowed to sign with another NFL team, sign with a CFL or UFL franchise, or return to college – but those players will be considered free agents and cannot be selected in a future draft.
The move comes after former Ole Miss tight end Dae'Quan Brown, who was signed by the Cleveland Browns this preseason, is seeking to return to the college level and follow former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin to LSU.
He, along with 15 other players, including former Ole Miss defensive lineman Xzavian Harris (signed with the Saints as an UDFA), Oregon State running back Anthony Hankerson (played during preseason with the Seahawks), and SMU running back TJ Harden (played during preseason with the Seahawks), was granted a temporary restraining order in court for an additional year.

#year #rules #seeking #sign

Princess Diana's younger brother reportedly penned his latest book to uncover a major truth about her. The memoir will mark the first time the 9th Earl Spencer has spoken openly and at length about his late sister. Born just three years apart, Diana and her brother Charles Spencer shared a deeply protective, intertwined bond forged in childhood at Althorp House.
In a personal new memoir, Princess Diana's brother Charles Spencer confronts what he describes as long-standing falsehoods about her life, marriage, and death. As reported by RadarOnline, Spencer will release the book, Swan Song, ahead of the 30th anniversary of the late Princess' death at age 36 in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997.
The memoir traces their early years, Diana's turbulent 15-year marriage to now-King Charles, and the aftermath after her passing, when an outpouring of public grief swept Britain. Speaking exclusively to the outlet, a publishing insider said, "[Spencer] feels that three decades of books, documentaries and commentary have allowed certain claims about Diana to harden into accepted history."
The source noted that Spencer "had a uniquely close view of her life" and thus he "believes this is his opportunity to put his own account permanently on the record – including what she endured during her marriage and what happened after she died." According to the insider, "His intention is to finally set the record straight about what he sees as the truth about his sister's life."
Meanwhile, 62-year-old Earl had shared, "With the 30th anniversary of Diana's tragic death on the skyline, I've been inundated yet again with requests for interviews about my sister. This has convinced me to write down my own thoughts and memories, once and for all, rather than having the discomfort of again reading the opinions of others, many of which are based on untruths that have become accepted over time."

#spencer #death #earl

Solo retirement in The Villages runs roughly $60,000 a year, and with Social Security covering about $24,000 annually, the required portfolio falls somewhere between $900,000 and $1.03 million.
Survivor rules pay only the higher Social Security benefit, cutting roughly $19,000 in annual income while The Villages' fixed costs stay nearly unchanged.
Delaying Social Security to age 70 adds between $700 and $900 monthly and trims the required portfolio by roughly $200,000, hardening the plan against bad market years.
Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAsset's free tool can match you with a financial advisor in minutes to help you answer that today. Each advisor has been carefully vetted, and must act in your best interests. Don't waste another minute; learn more here.
The pitch for The Villages is almost always drawn as a couple. Two people in a golf cart, matching polos, a shared front porch. Financial planning tends to follow the same picture: joint Social Security, one homeowner's insurance policy, food and utilities split between two. Then life edits the plan. A spouse dies, a marriage ends, or the move happens years after being widowed, and the same house, the same amenity fee, the same square footage now has one person paying for it. The question is what that actually costs and what portfolio makes it work.

#financial #required

The Miami Heat have already undergone one of the largest NBA improvements this offseason after winning the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes. However, the Eastern Conference franchise is at it again with another former league champion, Klay Thompson.
The former Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks star is embarking on a new chapter for the 2026-27 season with Miami. In many ways it's a perfect situation for a veteran player joining a team with a lot of young talent.
ESPN's Sham Charania broke the news Friday as Thompson clears waivers following his time in Dallas. The franchise opted for a contract buyout for the league veteran after spending two seasons with the Mavs.
Meanwhile, Thompson won't be expected to be the main scorer given Giannis' presence as well as other players like Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell.
MORE: James Harden joins exclusive club in NBA career earnings

#thompson #heat

NBA star James Harden joined an exclusive club on Thursday.
The veteran guard is now among just four players in NBA history to eclipse $500 million in career earnings. His new three-year, $97 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers pushed his career earnings past the milestone.
MORE: James Harden contract talks with Cavaliers nearing resolution, NBA insider says
Harden joins LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry in the half-a-billion earners club.
The No. 3 pick of the 2009 draft is one of the league's all-time ***** ist leaders and averaged 8.0 ***** ists per game last season. His ability to score and create offense has defined his career. The new contract keeps the 11-time All-Star's career going in Cleveland. The deal also includes a player option for 2028-29 and a trade kicker.

#james #harden #million #time

James Harden has joined an elite list of NBA players featuring LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant after signing a $97 million deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Harden has returned to the Cavaliers on a three-year contract that includes a player option for the third year and a trade kicker. During his previous stint with the team, Harden appeared in 26 regular-season games, averaging 20.5 points, 7.7 **** ists and 4.8 rebounds.
The 11-time All-Star will now earn an estimated $32.33 million per year under the new contract.
Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
With the deal, Harden becomes only the fourth player in NBA history after James, Curry and Durant to eclipse $500 million in career earnings.

#durant

The overlooked clause in James Harden's $97 million Cavaliers agreement originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
James Harden joined the Cleveland Cavaliers in a February trade that sent Darius Garland and a 2026 second-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers. He appeared in 26 regular-season games with Cleveland, averaging 20.5 points, 7.7 ****** ists, and 4.8 rebounds, helping push the team to a 52-30 finish.
With him on the roster last season, the franchise made its first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2018. However, they were swept by the New York Knicks in four games.
Harden is officially locked in to stay in Cleveland for the foreseeable future. The 11-time All-Star has agreed to a new three-year, $97 million contract to return to the franchise, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. It includes a player option for the third year alongside a trade kicker attached to the deal.
The trade kicker in his contract acts as a built-in insurance policy for Harden. If Cleveland ever trades him, his salary immediately jumps by 15%, with the new team forced to pay the difference.

#games

Following the Cleveland Cavaliers' swift and painful Eastern Conference finals exit at the hands of the eventual champion New York Knicks, an awkward offseason cloud hung eerily in the atmosphere. Not only was there a strong sense of doubt as to whether that iteration of the team could return to that stage from a basketball standpoint, but its future altogether was in question.
Three months later, at least one of those questions has been answered. Donovan Mitchell committed his future to the franchise, signing a four-year, $273 million extension. His running mate, James Harden, agreed to a three-year, $97 million fully guaranteed contract Thursday, sources told Yahoo Sports. And as of Wednesday night, another reinforcement arrived.
In the latest installment of the "Anything but the Knicks" campaign, the Cavaliers reportedly acquired restricted free-agent wing Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade deal involving the Nuggets and Clippers. Sharpshooter Max Strus was sent to L.A.. and a 2031 unprotected first along with a 2032 second-rounder headed to Denver. Upon joining Cleveland, Watson will sign a four-year, $88 million contract.
(According to sources close to Harden, the veteran, having seen how rival teams in the conference had beefed up, is fully onboard with Watson's arrival and decided to delay his negotiations to give Cleveland the opportunity to upgrade its scoring and defense — while also keen to avoid a previous situation with the Clippers with non-guaranteed money on just a two-year deal.)
We'll get into what this all means for Cleveland shortly, but I can't quite grasp how fascinating this is from a Nuggets perspective. Typically, restricted free agents don't hold much leverage over their incumbent teams when it comes to negotiations (see Jalen Duren, Bennedict Mathurin, Tari Eason, the list goes on). But how and why Watson's situation played out differently is worth mentioning. The whispers of the 23-year-old's unhappiness with how Denver valued him, believing he should have been on par with teammate Christan Braun (earning $25 million annually) grew louder as the offseason dragged on, as well as the list of suitors eagerly waiting in the wings for an opportunity to capitalize. This, in conjunction with the Nuggets' limits on their financial flexibility and desire to generate some breathing room — thanks in large part to oddly matching a $12 million offer sheet for Spencer Jones and a realization of their own ceiling — created an environment in which Watson could land in a desired spot.

#knicks

As expected, James Harden isn't going anywhere.
The 11-time All-Star agreed to a three-year, $97 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers Thursday, August 20, a person with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The deal includes a player option in the final season – 2028-29 – and a trade kicker.
The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss terms of the deal. ESPN was first to report the news.
Harden, who will turn 37 on Aug. 26, was a key piece of Cleveland's operation last season after the Cavs acquired him in a February trade. In 26 games with Cleveland last season, he averaged 20.5 points, 7.7 **** ists and 4.8 rebounds per game. He starred alongside Donovan Mitchell and helped lead Cleveland to the Eastern Conference finals, where the Cavs were swept by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks.
CAVALIERS: Acquire Peyton Watson from Nuggets in multi-team trade

#harden #Cavs #james

NBA's $500 million club: How James Harden's latest deal puts Cavs star in exclusive company originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
James Harden has mastered the art of earning money.
The Cavaliers guard is renowned for his on-the-floor gifts. Those have brought serious off-court gains for the soon-to-be 38-year-old, who agreed to terms on a three-year deal to remain in Cleveland on Thursday, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Harden's latest contract propels him to a different plane for NBA players; he'll now take his place as one of the league's few $500 million men. The list is as exclusive as it is gaudy, featuring just four players in total.
With that, here's what you need to know about Harden's latest contract figures, as well as where he stands on the NBA's all-time earnings list.

#james #deal #year #contract

Michael Scotto: Sources: James Harden and the Cavaliers have agreed to a 3-year, $97 million fully guaranteed deal, including a third-year player option and 15% trade kicker. Harden's agents, Mike Silverman, Troy Payne, and Brandon Grier worked with Cavs officials to finalize the deal. ESPN 1st
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: James Harden's new contract with Cavaliers fully guaranteed

#james #deal #scotto

James Harden agreed to a three-year, $97 million contract to remain with the Cleveland Cavaliers, two people close to the situation told The ******* ociated Press on Thursday.
They spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced. It includes a player option for the 2028-29 season as well as a trade kicker.
Harden declined his $42.3 million player option for the upcoming season, but he indicated after the Cavaliers were swept in four games by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals that he would like to return. He also wanted to wait until the Cavaliers were done making a couple moves before his new agreement was in place.
The 36-year-old Harden will be going into his 18th NBA season. He averaged 10.7 points and 1.7 turnovers for the Cavaliers in 26 regular-season games after being acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers for Darius Garland on Feb. 4.
Harden averaged 19.7 points in the postseason, but his turnovers also went up to 4.7 per game, including five or more in 10 of Cleveland's 18 games. He also struggled on defense.

#year #points

After spending his first four NBA seasons with the Denver Nuggets, former UCLA Bruin Peyton Watson will switch teams for the first time in the NBA. On Wednesday, the Nuggets sent Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for a 2031 first round pick and a 2032 second round pick. In the deal, the Cavaliers sent out guard Max Strus to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The move doesn't come out of thin air, as Watson and the Nuggets were locked in contract negotiations all summer long. Cleveland made the trade and immediately extended Watson on a four-year $88 million extension that will keep Watson in Cleveland for the rest of the decade.
Watson won an NBA ****** le in his rookie season with Denver, with the Los Angeles native playing alongside MVP Nikola Jokic to begin his NBA career. Now he'll be joining a Cleveland team that's desperate to take the next step after consecutive deflating playoff losses.
In Cleveland, Watson will be joining All-Stars Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. The defense of a Watson-Mobly-Allen lineup would be incredible but the Cavaliers will be hoping for Watson to keep knocking down his jumpers. Watson played in just 54 games last season but shot an impressive 41% from deep on 3.6 attempts from three per game.
Before his NBA days, Watson played one season with the Bruins. During the 2021-2022 season, Watson played in 32 games for UCLA and he came off the bench in every single one. Watson scored just 3.3 points per game in his 12.7 minutes per night but Denver wasn't phased, selecting Watson with the 30th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

#cavaliers #season #first

Recent Hornets trade acquisition Dennis Schroder spoke about joining Charlotte this offseason as the 2026-27 season approaches. Although the Cavaliers and Hornets just finalized the deal last week, it had been in the works for a long time, as Cleveland had been aiming to free up cap ******* e.
Officially, Schroder was dealt to the Hornets along with $4 million for Tre Mann, Charlotte's backup point guard. For Schroder, the move continues what has been a well-traveled career for the German international. ******* uming he suits up with the Hornets, Schroder will have played for 12 different franchises in 14 NBA seasons. Additionally, Schroder is the second-most traded player in NBA history, having been dealt nine times.
Following the move, Schroder opened up about his new fit and his time with the Cavaliers, saying, "I've known for a month (about the trade). I think it's a better situation for me because I can play the way I normally play. (Behind James Harden and Donovan Mitchell) you somehow have to be effective in a different way, an extremely difficult role."
Behind Coby White, Schroder will provide plenty of experience as a backup. He'll also be able to continue mentoring two of his current German national teammates, rookies Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson Jr.
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#schroder #cavaliers #dealt #move