The Los Angeles Lakers may be ready for their regular-season opener on Wednesday once it arrives, but they may not be prepared. They were never whole in their five preseason games, of which they won only two, and that could hurt them in the early days and weeks of the regular season.
New starting center Walker Kessler didn't play in the team's first three preseason games. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves played in only three games apiece, and therefore, Friday's game, which ended with a 121-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets, was the only game in which the three of them shared the court.
Reaves said after that contest that he knows building chemistry together will be a process that won't be easy, but he also expressed confidence that things will get sorted out in time.
"There's gonna be some growing pains," Reaves said. "Just a lack of reps together so far, but you take guys like that, that are that talented, you are more than likely gonna pick up on it sooner than later. We'll continue to grow that over the next couple days and get ready for opening night."
Kessler seemed to take it somewhat easy in his two exhibition appearances, but he looks poised to give Los Angeles the elite rebounding and shot-blocking it lacked last season. He had a total of 17 points on 6-of-14 shooting, 15 rebounds, five ***** ists, three blocks and two steals in 47 minutes during those two contests.

#season

The Los Angeles Lakers took a gamble on making Walker Kessler the top NBA offseason addition this past summer. Kessler is a tremendous defender, but he's struggled with offense. Health has also been a huge concern after Kessler played just 5 games last season with the Utah Jazz before entering free agency. However, one rival coach believes the Lakers are now a "problem" for the rest of the league with Kessler.
Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman revealed why he has a stronger fear of the Lakers this season:
"It's just a constant thrust on the rim. It's a problem. Obviously, that's how Luka (Doncic) likes to play. You have to get overaggressive with your low man. Because Luka is a problem, obviously, and so is (Austin) Reaves. That's the problem, and what that does is create a secondary problem. You have to over-rotate to guard these guys.
I think their offense is gonna be really, really good this year. They all fit each other really well. And I thought Kessler in Utah, you saw signs of this already, especially when the guys would actually play, their main guard… On the other end, [Kessler] is a problem defensively. I think they were smart to know what they wanted, and they went and got it."
Adelman expects Doncic and Reaves to effectively run the Lakers offense, despite losing LeBron James and other starters. Kessler was then credited for the main reason the Lakers will be better defensively. One of the top West coaches having a fear of the Lakers presenting problems should provide hope for concerned fans.

#adelman #luka

Lakers star guard Austin Reaves has found a home in Los Angeles, in more ways than one.
Reaves signed a four-year, $185 million contract extension to remain with the Lakers this offseason, and is expected to play a key role for the team this upcoming season.
The 28-year-old has also seemingly found an actual home in the area. His girlfriend, Jenna Barber, conveyed as much with a post to her Instagram story on Sunday.
Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves speaks during media day at the team's training center in Los Angeles, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. William Liang for CA Post
The post showed her and Reaves holding hands and walking down a street. It was captioned, "Currently: Got a house / Graduation in Dec. / THREE more months long distance!!!!"

#Lakers #home #year #barber

Sophie Cunningham reveals what she truly thinks of former NBA players Enes Kanter and Royce White declaring for the WNBA Draft.
Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham stirred up one of the biggest debates in the WNBA when she stated that the W should only allow female athletes.
For some reason, this statement had fans divided, and the likes of Enes Kanter and Royce White took advantage of this.
How? Well, they claimed that if the WNBA didn't have a clear transgender athlete policy, they'd like to enter the league next season.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

#fever

Owen Hargreaves couldn't speak highly enough of Kobbie Mainoo ahead of Manchester United's clash with Sabah last night.
The midfielder (unsurprisingly) retained his starting spot for United's Champions League opener and played just over an hour as the Reds cruised to a comfortable win on home soil.
(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Mainoo was eventually replaced by summer signing Andrey Santos in the 64th minute, while Benjamin Sesko simultaneously made way for Joshua Zirkzee for his first appearance of the season.
When United got their Premier League campaign underway last month, the 21-year-old started on the bench for the opening fixture against Hull City.

#mainoo #last #sabah

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers have announced their promotional schedule for the 2026-27 season, featuring player bobbleheads, championship memorabilia and celebrations honoring some of the franchise's most recognizable figures.
The giveaways begin Nov. 1, when fans in attendance will receive a Luka Dončić bobblehead. The promotion will celebrate Dončić winning the 2025-26 NBA scoring ***** le.
Austin Reaves will receive his own bobblehead night Dec. 27, two days after the Lakers host LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers in a Christmas Day matchup at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers will also introduce the League of Stars program. The new season-long initiative will recognize former players and coaches who contributed to the franchise's history.
Norm Nixon will be the first honoree Dec. 14, followed by former Lakers coach Paul Westhead on Jan. 14 and Kurt Rambis on March 17. Fans attending each game will receive a throwback bobblehead featuring that night's honoree.

#season

Former NBA player Byron Scott won three championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, but he doesn't see this current iteration of the team going all the way. On the latest episode of Byron Scott's Fast Break podcast, Scott was asked whether the new-look Lakers are contenders or pretenders.
"I'm not going to say borderline," Scott said. "They're pretenders… I think they'll make the playoffs, but again, to [Olden Polynice's] point, defense wins championships still in this league. I know we glorify the threes and all the offense and things of that nature, but at the end of the day, you got to get stops, right?
"And [Walker] Kessler at the center position, he better average about eight blocks a game," Scott added. "Because they going to be getting a lot of blowbys, and the guys going to get to that basket."
Walker Kessler is the Lakers' biggest summer acquisition, and they desperately needed a defensive anchor like him. The Lakers gave up two first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps to the Utah Jazz for Kessler and gave him a four-year, $130 million contract as part of a sign-and-trade.
Scott, who also coached the Lakers from 2014 to 2016, believes Kessler will help, but doesn't see too many other good defensive players around him. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are the two other guaranteed starters, and both have had their struggles on that end of the floor.

#kessler #doesn 't

Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves was in Slovenia in August for a minicamp hosted by teammate Luka Doncic, and he has now made another trip abroad in September. Reaves' longtime girlfriend, Jenna Barber, posted pictures on Instagram on Sunday of the couple vacationing in Mexico with their friends.
Barber and Reaves can be seen relaxing on a yacht in a couple of the pictures, and they also spent time at a Señor Frog's restaurant with the group.
This could be Reaves' last vacation this summer, as the Lakers commence their training camp on Sept. 29. It will be time to get back to work pretty soon. That Slovenia minicamp was a bit more of a bonding trip, and it was needed with all the new faces on the Lakers' roster. They'll have close to 10 new players in the rotation.
Bronny James isn't one of the new faces, but he enjoyed the experience and made it clear the trip helped the team. Speaking of Bronny, his father LeBron James left the Lakers this summer for the Philadelphia 76ers.
LeBron's departure puts more pressure on Reaves, who is now the unquestioned second option behind Doncic. Now, the 28-year-old is coming off the best season of his career, having averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.5 **** ists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game in 2025-26.

#Lakers #barber #bronny #made

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - DECEMBER 05: Head football coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and his wife, Joanna, look on during the first half between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Texas Longhorns at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center on December 05, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Getty
The start to 2026 was less than ideal for Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and wife, Joanna Freeman. Marcus sent a clear message about his family after the coach was cleared of any wrongdoing regarding a January 3, incident which took place during his son's high school wrestling match.
Notre Dame released a statement backing the coach and explaining that the Freeman family was "verbally accosted" during the wrestling match.
"Vinny Freeman, head coach Marcus Freeman's son, was verbally accosted during and after his wrestling match by a local wrestling coach," Notre Dame's January statement detailed, per South Bend Tribune. "Marcus and Joanna Freeman intervened and removed Vinny from the situation.
"At no point did Coach Freeman physically engage with anyone. We believe that the police report, which includes video evidence, fully exonerates Coach Freeman and makes clear these accusations are unfounded."

#Wrestling

Barnes cracked a smile as he was joking about the Lakers team and then went on to praise them for building around Luka Dončić. "But again, man, when you've got Luka and AR [Austin Reaves] out there, to me two of the best scoring guards in the league. They added some depth," Barnes said. "To me, I just got to see it. Everyone wants to give a hot take and predict what they feel like they're gonna do."
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: "But again, man, when you've got Luka and AR [Austin …

#hoops

The general expectation around the NBA is that the Los Angeles Lakers will take at least half a step backward this season without LeBron James. Last season, they went 53-29 and finished fourth in the Western Conference, but now, they may not have a true third scorer, and the belief is that they still lack enough plus defenders on the perimeter.
But the Lakers still do have a competitive roster, and in fact, their roster does look more balanced and versatile this time around. Derek Fisher, a guard who won five NBA ****** les with the Lakers back in the day, feels there won't be much of a drop-off this season with James now on the Philadelphia 76ers, via Lakers Nation.
"You think about the few organizations where LeBron has been, you tell me where their record has gotten dramatically better after he left," Fisher said during his show on 97.1 The Fan LA. "So it's not going to fall off that much because Luka [Doncic] is there. I think Luka and Austin Reaves are basically an All-Star backcourt that you can roll out every night, and then Walker Kessler is a young developing almost All-Star-ish type of big in terms of his elite defense and rebounding. So I think you have a chance…45 to 50 wins, a lot of things are going to have to go right, but it feels fair to me."
When James left the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010, they went 19-63 the following season and didn't make the playoffs until he returned for the 2014-15 campaign. The results were similar for the four seasons following James' second departure from the Cavaliers in 2018.
Kessler was L.A.'s big offseason addition, and by himself, he could improve its defense. It also brought in Quentin Grimes and Collin ****** ton to boost its offense and its backcourt, Sandro Mamukelashvili could be a nice utility big man, and Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams could be reliable 3-and-D role players. In addition, rookie guard Cameron Carr could break into the rotation before too long.

#james #fisher #luka #cavaliers

Luka Doncic's leadership for the Los Angeles Lakers gets a spotlight from Collin **** ton originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Now that LeBron James has left the Los Angeles Lakers, the team is now clearly centered on Luka Doncic. He is the superstar now, and he seems to be embracing the leadership role, with the four-time Finals MVP moving east to join the Philadelphia 76ers.
So far, so good for Doncic because he has been taking his new role seriously. In fact, he even brought a lot of his Lakers teammates to Slovenia in the summer. It was a big deal for Luka and his teammates because it shows he is willing to lead them in the 2026-27 season.
It was clear in the 2026 Playoffs that the Lakers would have gone further if they had a healthy Doncic. They managed to make it into the second round, but they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a dominant sweep. James and Reaves tried their best, but they lacked the firepower.
While James has left the Lakers, Doncic is back and healthy. He was the #1 guy for the Lakers since they traded for him in February 2025. Now that LeBron is not on the Lakers, it is time for Luka to step up and be the star while also **** uming the leadership role.

#james #leadership #role #sporting

After a busy summer reshaping the entire squad to fit the needs of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Los Angeles Lakers spent the recent weeks trying to add Jonathan ****** inga, but the 23-year-old forward chose the Timberwolves instead, signing a two-year, $13.0 million deal while rejecting more money from the Lakers.
This team keeps having the same athletic questions now, as they obviously rebuilt the roster around defense for Luka and Reaves, but they still don't have the young athletic forward they hoped ****** inga could become for them. Matisse Thybulle gives them defense, Quentin Grimes helps on both ends, and Ziaire Williams adds some size, but there is still room for another bigger wing who can guard from guards to forwards.
There is another issue too: the Lakers currently have 16 guaranteed contracts, one more than they can carry into the regular season. So unless somebody gets waived, another move is already coming before Opening Night.
That is why a three-for-two trade makes a lot of sense right now. Instead of simply cutting somebody from the bottom of the roster, the Lakers could use that extra body as part of a bigger deal and still attack the hole ****** inga was supposed to fill.
This three-team mock trade with the Bulls and Grizzlies would do exactly that.

#Lakers #still #instead #team

Dominik Livakovic is one of many signings Barcelona have made this summer and at least on paper, it is the one which has generated the least amount of buzz as the goalkeeper will merely be serving as a backup for Joan Garcia.
That being said, Livakovic has had to sacrifice a great deal in his bid to join Barcelona this summer, notably declining a lucrative offer from Dinamo Zagreb, a club he was playing for on loan last season.
According to Croatian newspaper Jutarnji List (h/t SPORT), the option of rejoining Dinamo Zagreb was seriously considered by Livakovic if Barcelona had truly struggled to give him a registration guarantee.
Livakovic brings a wealth of experience to the table. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Croatian outfit were supremely impressed by Livakovic's performances last season and wanted to sign him permanently from Fenerbahce this summer.

#summer #least #last #season

Enes Kanter has been asked how many points he thinks he would be scoring in the WNBA if he were allowed to compete.
Kanter declared for the 2027 WNBA draft over the summer and has now spoken to Piers Morgan about the league and the ongoing transgender athlete debate.
When doing so, he suggested he could destroy the current NBA single-game scoring record, which is held by Wilt Chamberlain.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Morgan asked: "I mean just in pure cold hard reality if you were to play in the WNBA in an average game, how many points do you think you'd score?"

#enes

Cross denies history making Beau Greaves in dramatic Budapest encounter originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Rob Cross overcame Beau Greaves in an incredible opening round tie at the Hungarian Darts Trophy, as reigning champion Niko Springer enjoyed a winning return in Budapest.
The 2026 European Tour season resumed with a **** per day of action at the MVM Dome, as Cross denied Greaves a dream debut in the Hungarian capital.
The three-time Women's World Matchplay champion — the first woman to compete in a European Tour event — averaged 104.88 and posted five 180s in a superb all-round display, only to succumb in a dramatic decider.
CHECK OUT DARTSWORLD'S DEDICATED WOMEN'S DARTS AREA

#greaves #beau

Owen Hargreaves, former Bayern Munich player and Englishman, says Harry Kane is the rightful winner for the Ballon d'Or but also named another player he wouldn't mind winning:
"There are a few contenders, but you can't say which one of them clearly stands out", Hargreaves started." (Christopher Michel as captured by X account iMiaSanMia). "Harry Kane played incredibly well for FC Bayern and, of course, won the league. His goalscoring record was simply unbelievable – the number of goals he scored. Of course, he also had a very, very good World Cup, a strong World Cup where he scored a lot of goals. England finished third in that tournament – I mean, who else could it be?
"I thought Rodri was outstanding" the 45-year-old added. "He won both cup ******* les with Manchester City (FA Cup and Carabao Cup). He won the World Cup and was probably the best player in the tournament. If I were to vote, it would come down to these two players."
Harry Kane came off a blistering season for club and country in the 2025/26 season. He helped Bayern Munich to a league and cup double and spearheaded England's run to a bronze medal in the 2026 World Cup. Rodri's trophy haul might look more appealing, but Kane could make a case for himself with the impact he has on Bayern and England.
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#harry #player #hargreaves #course

The Washington Commanders have until 6:00 p.m. Sunday to trim their roster from 90 to 53 players. The work has already begun, as Washington reportedly released five players on Saturday.
Of the first five moves, none were surprises. Washington released two safeties, two linebackers and an offensive lineman. The Commanders are deep at the first two positions, and Nicholas Petit-Frere, the offensive lineman released, was always a long shot when he signed during training camp.
Washington made its most surprising cut last week, releasing veteran safety Will Harris. However, if you'd been to Commanders training camp or watched Harris in action, it wasn't much of a surprise. He had struggled. His release likely means Washington is set at safety with Nick Cross, Jeremy Reaves, Quan Martin, Tyler Owens and Percy Butler.
Speaking of surprise cuts, could the Commanders move on from 2024 third-round pick Luke McCaffrey? Washington had six receivers inactive for the preseason finale at Baltimore on Friday, which usually indicates a player is safe. Two players competing for a spot at receiver, McCaffrey and Van Jefferson, were active. What does it mean? It means McCaffrey isn't 100% safe, despite a solid training camp.
Let's look at four potential surprise cuts on Sunday and why it would be a surprise.

#surprise #released #camp

LeBron James and Austin Reaves formed a great bond during their time as teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers, but it turns out the former might not have been too pleased about deferring to the latter last season. James became the third option on the Lakers behind Reaves and Luka Doncic, and The Athletic's Law Murray revealed his internal struggle during a Reddit AMA.
"Covering LeBron James last season, he had an internal conflict going on with how much he had to defer to Austin Reaves (even Bron understood that Luka was the top dawg in any circumstance)," Murray stated. "Bron was very pleased with being able to still be the lead option in a postseason setting, particularly a winning one against the Rockets."
Doncic is a generational talent at the peak of his powers, while Reaves is an undrafted guard who has improved with each passing year. It would have been a lot easier to defer to one of them.
As for how James found himself in that position, the Lakers were struggling a bit in the first half of the 2025-26 campaign when he, Doncic, and Reaves were all on the floor together. There was some improvement over time, but it was only when the pecking order changed that they really took off.
It was around March 2026 that Reaves took over as the second option and James, who has now left for the Philadelphia 76ers, settled for third for the first time in his career. The 41-year-old said then that he was willing to sacrifice if it benefited the team. It sure did.

#reaves #lebron

Caitlin Clark has had a lingering back issue that saw her potential involvement in the Indiana Fever's most recent game cast into doubt.
Prior to this week's meeting with the Connecticut Sun, the Fever put out an update on X/Twitter that said: "Caitlin Clark, probable (back)."
Clark's back issue has been a problem throughout much of the season, but she was able to feature against the Sun and ended up having an impressive game which saw her score 30-plus points and provide 10-plus **** ists for the second game in a row.
Now, she has been asked to give a health update in the post-game press conference.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

#indiana

Sky Sport Italia reports that Franck Kessié has decided against joining Juventus and has informed the Serie A giants about his decision.
Former Milan and Atalanta midfielder Kessié won't join Juventus this summer.
TORONTO, ONTARIO – JUNE 20: Franck Kessié #8 of Cote d'Ivoire celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E match between Germany and Cote D'Ivoire at Toronto Stadium on June 20, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Ivory Coast international is available as a free agent after his contract with Al-Ahli expired this past June.
Juventus had been in talks with his entourage for over a month, with the two parties even meeting face-to-face in Milan earlier this week.

#franck #Milan #ontario #cote

Going into 2026-27, Austin Reaves is the undisputed No. 2 option for the Los Angeles Lakers behind Luka Doncic, and that will change the expectations around him once again. He averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 ******* ists, and 4.7 rebounds last season while shooting 49.0% from the field, 36.0% from three, and 87.1% from the line, and those numbers don't really show how good he looked before injuries started derailing his season.
Before a left calf strain forced him to miss 19 straight games, Reaves was averaging 26.1 points, 6.0 ******* ists, and 5.2 rebounds and looked like he was heading toward his first All-Star selection. The injury basically killed that chance, and later physical problems limited him to only 51 games overall. Now LeBron James isn't taking a huge share of the offense anymore, the Lakers gave Reaves a four-year, $180 million contract, and there really isn't any doubt about his importance to the team.
An All-Star appearance should be the first goal, but an NBA award isn't impossible either. MVP isn't happening with Doncic on the same roster, Defensive Player of the Year obviously isn't his game, and Sixth Man of the Year doesn't fit somebody getting paid more than $40.0 million per season to start. Most Improved Player and Clutch Player of the Year are much more interesting if Reaves jumps into the 26.0 or 27.0 PPG range, improves as a creator, and helps the Lakers finish at the top of the West.
Reaves also wouldn't be the first undrafted player to get some individual hardware. The list is actually pretty short, which shows how hard it is to go from being out of the league on draft night to becoming one of the best players in the NBA.
Already a known NBA player by the time he won Sixth Man of the Year, John Starks went undrafted in 1988 out of Oklahoma State, had a short first stint with the Warriors, and eventually earned his big chance with the Knicks. By the middle of the 1990s, he had already become an All-Star, an All-Defensive player, and one of the most important guards on a contender.

#year

Enes Kanter wants to bring more attention to his courtside altercation with Natasha Cloud by suing the Chicago Sky.
Kanter and Cloud had a heated verbal exchange during the Sky's game against the Indiana Fever, following which the former NBA player was kicked out of the Wintrust Arena.
However, Kanter is now claiming that he did nothing wrong and was kicked out for no reason, suggesting that he would be taking the legal route.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Speaking on his second appearance on Fox News this week, former NBA star Enes Kanter addressed his ejection from the Chicago Sky WNBA game.

#enes #kicked #indiana

Kentucky Derby and Belmont champion Golden Tempo headlines a stellar field in the Travers Stakes. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Kentucky Derby champion and Belmont Stakes winner Golden Tempo will look to complete his own version of the Triple Crown when he competes in the Travers' Stakes at Saratoga. As it enters its 157th year of existence, the "Mid-Summer Derby" is the oldest Stakes race specifically for three-year-old horses in the United States. The prestige and $1.25 million in purse money usually brings out a star-studded field of entrants and 2026 is absolutely no different. Nine other accomplished runners will challenge Golden Tempo including Kentucky Derby runner-up and Jim Dandy Stakes winner Renegade. Let's take a look at the ten runners and provide a thought on each in what should be an excellent betting race for the speculating public. The runners will be listed by post position with trainer, jockey, and morning line provided. Carded as race 13, the Travers has an expected post time of 6:35 pm eastern time.
Son of Candy Ride won the Louisiana Derby in his second career start but was 10th in the Kentucky Derby and 5th in the Belmont Stakes. Inside draw will be a challenge and not sure how strong this Market is here. Invest elsewhere.
Unbeaten in two career starts and won the Indiana Derby in his last start. Will this son of Gun Runner be a bit too wet behind the ears for a race like this? Conditioner is top notch, but this is awfully big step up in competition. Not so sure this Change will be leading at the end.
LAUREL, MARYLAND - MAY 16: Napoleon Solo #10 ridden by jockey Paco Lopez celebrates after crossing the finish lne to win the 151st Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park on May 16, 2026 in Laurel, Maryland. For the first and only time, Laurel Park is hosting the Preakness Stakes which is the second race of the Triple Crown jewel due to the traditional home of the race of the Pimlico Race Course undergoing complete renovations. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

#stakes #golden #runners

In the end, Jonathan ***** inga was willing to take less money per year to get back on the market sooner rather than take a longer contract with more guaranteed money.
After intense recruiting from Anthony Edwards and others, ***** inga has agreed to join the Timberwolves on a two-year, $13 million contract, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. ***** inga stepped into the taxpayer mid-level exception the Timberwolves still had available.
This is a recruiting coup for the Timberwolves, who put on a full-court press in the last month, Charania reported. That included Edwards and other players, as well as team president Tim Connelly, who reportedly had a four-hour meeting with him. ***** inga is expected to step into the starting lineup at the three next to LaMelo Ball, Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert.
The Lakers had been pursuing ***** inga to become a starter next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and they were trying to work out a sign-and-trade with Atlanta, but that would have required ***** inga to sign at least a three-year contract instead of the two in Minnesota. Plus, the Lakers and Hawks struggled to come close to a trade that worked for both sides for a variety of reasons (such as the Hawks wanting picks but not taking on players).
Kuminga did not find as robust a market for his services as he expected this summer. Atlanta chose not to pick up his $24.3 million team option, and ***** inga initially hoped for a deal in the ballpark, or at least north of $15 million. Eventually, it became about the shorter contract and the opportunity to play on a team with big expectations and to prove his value in that setting that lured him to Minnesota.

#kuminga #timberwolves #Lakers

While discussing Klay Thompson's move to the Miami Heat, one ESPN ******* yst had some choice words for Enes Kanter.
Kanter has made himself one of the central figures in the recent controversy surrounding the WNBA, with his recent push to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft.
These public antics from Kanter have not been received well by many in the NBA world, as one ESPN ******* yst used a recent signing to take shots at the former Boston Celtics star.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
During the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN ******* ysts Brian Windhorst and Tim McMahon discussed Klay Thompson signing with the Miami Heat.

#klay #enes

The Chicago Sky have become the first WNBA franchise to announce they are banning Enes Kanter following his recent courtside antics.
Enes Kanter has become a lightning rod for controversy within the WNBA. His decision to become a central figure in the debate surrounding trans athletes has led to escalation after escalation.
Kanter recently attended a game between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky. During the third quarter of this clash, the former NBA player got into a heated exchange with Sky star Natasha Cloud.
Following that, there have been calls for the 34-year-old man to be banned from attending future league games. While Kanter has said he didn't break any rules, it seems the Sky hierarchy has seen enough.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

#indiana

Veteran forward LeBron James has sparked concerns among the Philadelphia 76ers fanbase with his insightful remarks on the aging process.
James, who turns 42 in December, has revealed that he feels like an 87-year-old man by 9 p.m. every night after an intense day of workouts and training.
"Aging is weird.
On paper, I'm 40.
In the gym, I feel 25.
At 9 PM, I'm 87."
The words were accompanied by laughing and shoulder-shrugging emojis.
To James' credit, he averaged 38.4 minutes for the Los Angeles Lakers through 10 playoff games earlier this year, including a team-high 38.7 in the six-game series against the Houston Rockets in the first round. In the series against the Rockets, James essentially turned back the clock and carried his team to a victory while playing without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves (for the first four games).

#lebron

Lakers attempting to part ways with $18M former first-round letdown in Jonathan **** inga trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Lakers are still looking to add to their roster despite making plenty of moves this summer. Their starting lineup is expected to look almost entirely different, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves being the only returning starters.
LA has pursued several targets throughout the summer and has been successful with many of them. However, one name the Lakers have been chasing for months is Jonathan **** inga, and there appears to be mutual interest between the two sides.
"There is mutual free agent interest between Jonathan **** inga and the Lakers, per Jovan Buha. Los Angeles continues to work behind the scenes to secure **** inga's commitment as their new wing addition," NBA reporter Evan Sidery wrote.
With the pursuit lasting nearly the entire summer, **** inga's options have dwindled, leaving only a few potential destinations. As things stand, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lakers are the two finalists to land him in free agency.

#Lakers #jonathan #angeles #only

Natasha Cloud got into it with Enes Kanter at a Chicago Sky game recently. And while the former NBA player has made his point of view clear, Cloud also had a message of her own for trans people.
The WNBA controversy around transgender athletes shows no signs of abating. Things have only escalated in the past week with former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom not backing down.
Kanter has been incredibly vocal about wanting to play in the W, although the league has said that he, and others like him, are ineligible.
Matters came to a head when he attended the recent game between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky. He got into it with WNBA star Natasha Cloud, who has made her stance on the situation clear since.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

#kanter