DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — A court on the Indonesian resort island of Bali sentenced a Swiss tourist on Thursday to one year in prison for insulting a sacred Balinese Hindu observance.
Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, was found guilty of violating Indonesia's new criminal code by posting social media messages about the Day of Silence, when people are required to stay home and are urged to remain silent and meditate.
The Denpasar District Court determined that he posted the messages even after staff at the villa where he was staying informed him of the restrictions.
"What the defendant did offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage," said presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima. "The defendant must be held accountable for his actions."
The Day of Silence, locally known as Nyepi, usually falls in March. For a day, the island's world-famous beaches and streets are empty of people except for special patrols meant to ensure silence is observed. The airport in Bali, a predominantly Hindu island in Muslim-majority Indonesia, shuts down and the internet is switched off. The restrictions apply to everyone regardless of religion or nationality.

#hindu

Chuck Liddell is accusing his ex-wife Heidi of abducting their oldest child.
Liddell filed an emergency custody order in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday asking for full custody of his 14-year-old daughter Guinevere.
Liddell alleges his ex-wife abducted their daughter after realizing her efforts to relocate both Guinevere and their 13-year-old daughter Charlie to Newport Beach, Calif, would not be granted before the school year began, according to court documents.
The alleged abduction took place the day before the first day of school. According to LIddell, his ex-wife had "no intent to return her."
The former UFC light heavyweight champion also accused Heidi of violating other court orders including not using a co-parenting communication app and failing to bring Guinevere to extracurricular school activities.

#daughter

A Russian court on Monday convicted a prominent opposition politician for speaking out against the war in Ukraine and sentenced him to 11 years and one month in prison in the latest crackdown leading up to next month's parliamentary election.
The verdict against Lev Shlosberg, a senior member of the Yabloko party, was another step by the Kremlin to stifle dissent since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022. Yabloko is the only official political party overtly opposing the war.
Shlosberg, 63, is Yabloko's deputy chairman and served in the regional legislature of Pskov from 2016-21. He stood trial in the city of Pskov, some 600 kilometers (370 miles) northwest of Moscow, on charges of "discrediting" and spreading "false information" about the Russian military.
The charges stemmed from a debate in which he called for ending the war and from posting on his Telegram channel a British tabloid front page featuring an image of a bloodied woman next to one of Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the headline: "Her blood ... his hands." Shlosberg has rejected the charges as unfounded.
It was the second trial for Shlosberg in the last two years. He has also been designated a "foreign agent," a label that carries strong pejorative connotations in Russia and brings additional government scrutiny. He was convicted of violating the foreign agent regulations.

#russian #Russia #next #party

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Officials in Akron, Ohio, have fired a police officer who shot and killed 15-year-old boy while also announcing Friday that the city has agreed to pay $4.75 million to the teen's family.
The settlement, which still needs a judge's approval, came after the family filed a lawsuit against the city.
Police have said that Jazmir Tucker was carrying a loaded weapon when he was shot in November 2024. They said two officers heard gunshots, later spotted Tucker and ran after him before one fired multiple times.
Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said Officer Davon Fields was fired for multiple policy violations, including failing to properly provide medical aid and violating the department's policy for body-worn cameras. The mayor also cited other issues related to a separate criminal allegation involving Fields.
"The loss of life and the circumstances in this case were absolutely tragic, with enormous human and financial costs," Malik said in a statement. "We have a responsibility to make policy changes that reduce the likelihood of cases like this happening in the future."

#malik #mayor

Aug 15 (Reuters) - Prediction market operator Kalshi accused Nevada's gaming regulator of violating federal ‌law in a statement on Saturday after ‌it sought daily penalties of $120,000 a day over the firm's alleged failure to comply with a geofencing order.
• Board investigators successfully placed nine trades on Kalshi's mobile application while connected to cellular networks in Nevada, ‌a day after ⁠a court-ordered deadline for the company to have a complete geofencing solution in ⁠place, according to a court filing seen by Reuters.
• Kalshi in a statement said it hired GeoComply, a vendor licensed by Nevada's gaming regulator at the ‌state's request, and that it kept the state updated throughout.
• Nevada investigators misrepresented their residences to Kalshi, violating federal law, and at least one circumvented the company's own blocking measures, Kalshi's lawyers ‌said.
• A judge in the western U.S. state of Nevada in April issued a preliminary injunction barring Kalshi ‌from offering such contracts in the state without obtaining a gaming license.

#violating

While the Tennessee ***** ans were busy going through the tape of Thursday night's preseason victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the organization and one of their players got some bad news from the NFL.
On Friday, the NFL announced that defensive back Nazeeh Johnson will be suspended for the club's first six regular-season games without pay for violating the NFL's Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy. Johnson can finish training camp and preseason with the team, but will go onto the suspension list beginning August 30 and be eligible for reinstatement on Monday, October 19.
The 28-year-old cornerback entered the league as a seventh-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2022 NFL Draft after his college career at Marshall, and spent the entirety of his career in Kansas City before leaving as a free agent this offseason. Although he dealt with multiple injuries with the Chiefs, he developed into a solid backup and core special teamer, recording 66 tackles and one sack in 29 career games, making six starts over that span.
The ***** ans signed Johnson in late July to add some veteran competition in the secondary, and he made his debut against the 49ers, recording five total tackles (four solo). Now, after entering camp late and already on the bubble, it will be interesting to see how general manager Mike Borgonzi and head coach Robert Saleh handle his pending suspension.
This article originally appeared on ***** ans Wire: ***** ans' Nazeeh Johnson suspended six games by the NFL

#suspended

The NFL has suspended Tennessee ******* ans defensive back Nazeeh Johnson for the first six games of the 2026 season for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances (PES) policy.
The NFL announced the decision as part of its daily transaction wire on Friday, Aug. 14, outlining how the suspension will affect Johnson.
"[Johnson] is eligible to participate in all preseason activities, including games," the league's statement read. "His suspension will take effect as of the roster reduction to 53 players."

#johnson #tennessee

Former Tennessee football defensive end James Pearce, entering his second year with the Atlanta Falcons, will serve an eight game suspension to begin the 2026 NFL season for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
Pearce did not appeal his suspension, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said Aug. 14.
He will be eligible to return to action when the Falcons play the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid, Spain, on Nov. 8.
Pearce, 22, is facing multiple felony charges for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing police and resisting arrest, plus a misdemeanor stalking charge. They stem from an incident on Feb. 7 involving former girlfriend Rickea Jackson, a forward for the Chicago Sky who starred for the Lady Vols during her college career at Tennessee.
Pearce was arrested in Doral, Florida, on Feb. 7, according to the police report obtained by Knox News. Jackson told police that that Pearce had followed her in his car and, at a red light, got out of his vehicle and attempted to open her car door.

#james

The Atlanta Falcons received some big news ahead of Friday's preseason opener against the Denver Broncos. Edge rusher James Pearce Jr. has been suspended for the first eight games of the season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, the league announced on Friday.
While the suspension was expected, it's still a major blow to an Atlanta defense that just lost Jalon Walker for the season with a torn ACL. Pearce is still allowed to play in all three preseason games, and is expected to be out there for Friday's opener against the Broncos.
"James Pearce Jr. of the Atlanta Falcons is suspended for the club's first eight regular season games without pay for violating the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy," the league wrote in a statement. "The suspension will begin on August 30 and he will be eligible for reinstatement on Monday, November 2."
Let's take a look at how those around the NFL reacted to Pearce's suspension on social media.
Posts by AdamSchefter

#atlanta #falcons #Broncos

Aug 13 (Reuters) - The Los Angeles County sheriff's department agreed to speed up licensing for people who want to carry concealed ‌weapons, to settle a U.S. government lawsuit accusing it of systematically ‌and unconstitutionally denying Californians' Second Amendment rights.
A settlement of the U.S. Department of Justice's lawsuit was filed on Thursday in Los Angeles federal court, and requires a judge's approval. The sheriff did not admit wrongdoing in agreeing to settle.
While Republican President Donald Trump's administration is regularly at odds with officials in Democratic-led California, ‌its lawsuit last September ⁠focused more on bureaucracy issues than policy differences.
Los Angeles officials were accused of violating citizens' right to bear arms ⁠by typically waiting nine months to review license applications, and sometimes more than two years to interview applicants.
According to the complaint, the sheriff received 3,982 applications for new concealed carry licenses between January 2024 and March 2025 but approved ‌just two.

#lawsuit #carry #concealed

The Buffalo Bills will be without Phidarian Mathis for the first three games of the 2026 NFL season.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the league has suspended Mathis for violating the NFL's Substances of Abuse Policy. Mathis is eligible to play during the preseason but will sit out the first weeks of the Bills' season, without pay:
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Bills defender hit with three-game suspension from NFL

#three

Atlanta defensive end James Pearce Jr. will be suspended eight regular-season games in 2026, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
"ESPN source: Falcons DE James Pearce Jr. is being suspended eight regular-season games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy," Schefter announced. "Pearce was arrested in February, in Doral, Florida, after a domestic dispute involving his ex-girlfriend, Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea Jackson."
The 6-foot-5, 243-pound former Vol was a rookie with the Falcons in 2025. He recorded 26 tackles, 10.5 sacks, five pass deflections and one forced fumble in 17 games last season.
Pearce Jr. played at Tennessee from 2022-24. He totaled 71 tackles, 29.5 tackles for a loss, 19.5 sacks, one interception, one touchdown, three pass deflections, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery with the Vols.
Pearce Jr. was selected by Atlanta in the first round (No. 26 overall) of the 2025 NFL draft.

#pearce #atlanta #suspended

Tennessee **** ans defensive back Nazeeh Johnson has been suspended by the NFL for the first six regular-season games for "violating the NFL's Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy," according to a statement from the league.
The **** ans signed Johnson near the start of this training camp, waiving cornerback Latrell McCutchin in the process. Johnson was credited with five tackles during the opening preseason game in San Francisco, tying for the most on Tennessee's team. He also reportedly had an interception during the **** ans' joint practice with the 49ers,
Johnson, 28, played college football at Marshall before becoming a seventh-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022. He played in 29 games for the Chiefs over the past four years. He started six games in 2024.
Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi, clearly, was familiar with Johnson from his time in Kansas City.
Johnson remains eligible to participate in preseason practices and games. If he makes the **** ans' roster out of training camp, he'd be first eligible to play in the Oct. 25 game against the Cleveland Browns.

#training

Atlanta Falcons linebacker James Pearce Jr. has been suspended for the team's first eight regular season games, the NFL announced Friday.
He was suspended without pay for violating the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy.
Pearce was arrested in Florida in February following a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend and WNBA player Rickea Jackson.
He later agreed to enter a pre-trial intervention program to avoid a trial on three felony charges.
In July, police have released the body camera video of Atlanta Falcons linebacker James Pearce Jr.'s arrest.

#linebacker

Atlanta Falcons edge James Pearce Jr. has been suspended for the first eight games of the 2026 NFL season for violating the league's personal conduct policy, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Friday afternoon.
"Falcons DE James Pearce Jr. is being suspended eight regular-season games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy," wrote Schefter. "Pearce was arrested in February, in Doral, Florida, after a domestic dispute involving his ex-girlfriend, Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea Jackson."
Pearce led all rookies with 10.5 sacks last season and finished as a finalist for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. His absence is another major blow to a defense that just lost starting edge Jalon Walker for the season with a torn ACL.
The Falcons have been preparing for Pearce's suspension, signing veteran edge rushers Azeez Ojulari and Samson Ebukam to one-year deals in free agency. Both players have starting experience and should have no trouble filling in for Pearce and Walker in defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's defensive scheme.
"Whether a guy gets fined or hurt, there are always so many things at play at this level," Ulbrich recently said regarding Pearce's potential absence. "The guys that are here today are the ones we're going to ride with and develop and feature. We're just going to coach the guys we have the best we can and go from there."

#schefter

By Parisa Hafezi
DUBAI, Aug 12 (Reuters) - There have been no talks on extending a ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. under an interim deal, with Iran saying that Washington ‌must return to the pact and define a timeframe to implement its commitments, a senior ‌Iranian source told Reuters on Wednesday.
The source's comments came after Turkey's Anadolu news agency, citing Pakistani government sources, reported that Tehran and Washington had agreed to extend a 60-day ceasefire under their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
"One of the issues that is being discussed via mediators is the U.S. returning to the interim agreement and defining a timeframe for implementing its commitments. There has been absolutely no progress on this issue," the source said.
The interim deal ‌signed in June between Tehran and ⁠Washington declared an "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts", but quickly unravelled, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying on July 7 that the ⁠pact was "over". Tehran has repeatedly accused Washington of consistently violating its commitments.

#interim #Iran #ceasefire #deal

Former Cincinnati Bengals draft pick Cam Taylor-Britt has been officially suspended by the NFL.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, it's a one-game ban for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.
A second-round pick by the Bengals in 2022, Taylor-Britt struggled down the stretch of his tenure in Cincinnati, going from a possible No. 1 option to being benched. Injuries and multiple alleged off-field legal issues all but guaranteed the franchise wouldn't bring him back.
Since, Taylor-Britt signed with the Indianapolis Colts, reuniting him with former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Former Bengals draft pick suspended by NFL

#britt #suspended

In 2022, then-Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was suspended six games for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drugs policy. The decision helped derail a Cardinals' season that began with promise, as Arizona finished 4-13 and lost Kyler Murray to a torn ACL.
Four years later, Hopkins is launching a bold accusation, saying that his suspension was not what it seemed.
Hopkins published his message in response to an Instagram post from Tony Robinson, a financial well-being influencer, accusing former Cardinals general manager Steve Keim of being connected to a fraud scheme. It is not clear what evidence connected Keim to the scheme.
"I got set up when I played for his team and lost 13 million," Hopkins wrote. "Skeme Slime was my GM, contaminated drug test go figure how that happened."
Hopkins' comment now appears to be deleted.

#scheme

The European Union and the United States took one ultra-laborious step forward in ratifying their bilateral trade deal in late June. Now, the trading partners may be taking several steps back from the hard-fought truce, which took nearly a year to complete.
That's due to an European Commission announcement on Thursday that American tech juggernaut Google will be fined 890 million euros (close to $1 billion) for allegedly violating the trade bloc's Digital Markets Act.
More from WWD
Trump's USTR Imposes Double-Digit Duties on Dozens of Nations Under Forced Labor Probe
Could EU's Clothing Destruction Ban Change How Fashion Overproduces?

#united #commission #american

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said American companies should be free to use Chinese open-source artificial intelligence models, positioning himself against Trump administration officials and U.S. AI labs that have sought to restrict them.
"These Chinese models are excellent," Huang told Axios on Tuesday. "Open-source models that are excellent should be used." He said companies should "absolutely" be allowed to use them.
The remarks came as the release of Kimi K3, a model from Beijing-based Moonshot AI that combines near-frontier performance, lower prices, and open weights, has rattled chip and AI stocks, reviving concerns that cheaper models could undercut the case for large AI infrastructure spending. Huang argued Wall Street has the situation backward. "Free AI should be great for hardware," he said. "Free AI should be great for chips. Free AI should be great for data centers." Cheaper and more accessible models draw more people into AI ecosystems, he argued, and that broader adoption ultimately drives up demand for the chips and data centers that Nvidia provides.
Huang also rejected the argument that downloaded Chinese models create a security backdoor to Beijing. Companies can customize those models and run them inside secure environments, he said, and openness makes AI more secure because outside researchers can inspect models and identify weaknesses. "If everything just becomes one single model, one single point of attack, one single source of failure, I think the world is much, much more vulnerable," he said.
His comments came hours after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business that the administration is examining Chinese AI models for evidence of stolen U.S. intellectual property and considering sanctions. "If we see ... that overseas models are stealing from our great companies, we have the ability to sanction them because of this theft," Bessent said, according to Axios. Huang said companies should still face consequences for violating privacy or contracts, but he argued the response should target misconduct, not the models themselves. "Distillation, learning from AI, learning from other sources of knowledge, is fundamental to intelligence," he said.

#Companies

The 2026 Cowboys defense will take the field with a heavily-overhauled roster of players and an all-new coaching staff, running a brand-new scheme with nearly 50% new personnel in an attempt at a massive turnaround from a dismal 2025 campaign.
Tuesday they learned they'll also be doing it short-handed at a key position to start the season.
Defensive end Charles Snowden, who is listed as an outside linebacker in the Cowboys' new 3-4 alignment, has been suspended by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. Snowden, who was signed by Dallas in June after two years with the Raiders and one prior to that with the Bears, will be required to miss the Cowboys' first three games of the regular season.
Per a statement from the league, Snowden "is eligible to participate in all preseason activities, including games; his suspension will take effect as of the roster reduction to 53 players."
The punishment stems from an incident that occurred over a year and a half ago.

CNN's Abby Phillip called out Republican outrage over "attacks" against Caitlin Clark as "seemingly" being fueled by the simple fact that Clark is white.
On Saturday's Table for Five, Phillip and her panelists discussed Republican lawmakers sending a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, in which they demanded protection for Clark from possible "racially motivated" attacks.
Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) shared the letter on X, which was signed by a total of 11 Republican lawmakers.
"I led my colleagues in demanding accountability from WNBA Commissioner Engelbert after MULTIPLE attacks against Caitlin Clark, a player who is transforming women's sports and inspiring a new generation of young girls to participate in athletics," he wrote. "I'm putting the league on notice that if it keeps letting the violent targeting slide, they could find themselves facing a DOJ and EEOC crackdown for violating federal civil rights law."
Sports broadcaster Cari Champion dismissed the lawmakers and accused them of being ignorant of the game, calling the "bullying" on the court a "rite of passage:"

Conor McGregor spent the last few years bragging about his "big fridge" physique and how "quality Irish produce" helped transform him into "190 pounds of granite." He left out the part about anabolic steroids and human growth hormone (HGH), according to a new report from NY Times.
Yes, the same publication that went after him for performance enhancing drug (PED) use back in June.
Sounds like Jose Aldo wasn't the only one with spies in his camp.
McGregor, who turns 38 in just a few days, makes his Octagon return against Max Holloway atop the UFC 329 fight card on Sat. night (July 11) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Prior to the booking, "Notorious" served a whereabouts suspension for violating the promotion's drug testing program.
There was also his war with United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) back in 2023.

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier wants to play in the NBA while he fights sports gambling charges that sidelined him last season. Bail conditions that bar him from contact with certain players and limit his travel could complicate his potential return.
U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall on Wednesday denied a defense request to modify Rozier's bail conditions so he can practice and play with potential witnesses as long as they don't talk about the case. The judge said it would be impossible to police Rozier's on-court conversations.
She admonished Rozier for already violating the no-contact provision of his $3 million bond by sending a text message to a person he was told not to communicate with. Rozier was contacting the person to tell the person he was on the no-contact list, DeArcy Hall said.
"What that tells me is that he believes he knows better than the court," DeArcy Hall said at a hearing in Brooklyn federal court. Rozier, she said, "violated the court's trust with that text message."
Rozier averaged 3.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 ***** ists per game in 10 NBA seasons, four and a half of which he spent with the Charlotte Hornets before he was traded to Miami in 2024. He remains a free agent after the Heat released him in April. An arbitrator ruled in February that the Heat had to pay Rozier his $26.6 million salary for last season.

Public universities and school districts have agreed to pay more than $2.7 million to educators disciplined over social media posts about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, including a $1.9 million settlement approved last week, as lawsuits alleging First Amendment violations continue to mount.
NBC News reported Friday that public records show at least five educators have reached settlements with their employers over the past year totaling more than $2.7 million, with a newly approved agreement accounting for the largest share.
Former University of Tennessee professor Tamar Shirinian is set to receive $1.9 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the school of violating her constitutional rights after officials sought to discipline her over social media posts criticizing Kirk following his ***** assination.
Charlie Kirk's Parents, Widow To Attend Tyler Robinson's Preliminary Hearing Next Week
Knox News reported on June 29 that the University of Tennessee System Board of Trustees approved a $1.9 million settlement for Shirinian after she called Kirk, who was ***** assinated Sept. 10 during his "American Comeback Tour" at Utah Valley University, a "disgusting psychopath."

Erica Denhoff/AP
Texas Congressman August Pfluger (R-TX) shared a letter he appears to have sent to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to demand “accountability” from the league in response to “multiple attacks” against Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.
“I led my colleagues in demanding accountability from WNBA Commissioner Engelbert after MULTIPLE attacks against Caitlin Clark, a player who is transforming women’s sports and inspiring a new generation of young girls to participate in athletics,” Pfluger wrote on X. “I’m putting the league on notice that if it keeps letting the violent targeting slide, they could find themselves facing a DOJ and EEOC crackdown for violating federal civil rights law.”
Mediaite has reached out to the WNBA for comment.
In his letter, Pfluger describes Clark as “the face of your league” and notes she has “significantly increased fan interest, driven record television ratings, and attracted new corporate sponsors for the WNBA.” There are millions of people who watch Indiana Fever games to see Clark, he insisted. “Unfortunately, what they too often witness is not simply aggressive competition, but repeated acts of unnecessary physical hostility and violence.”

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The international governing body for chess on Friday suspended former world champion Vladimir Kramnik for at least a year after he leveled unproven allegations of cheating against fellow players, including Daniel Naroditsky, who died last year at age 29.
Kramnik accused Naroditsky of cheating last year and continued to share suspicions on social media. Naroditsky, a prodigious chess player and American grandmaster who helped usher in the game's online boom with educational YouTube videos and livestreams, denied the allegations.
Kramnik said in an email to The ***** ociated Press that he plans to appeal the suspension.
"I am absolutely confident that this unlawful verdict will ultimately be overturned, and I intend to pursue all necessary instances to the very end in order to restore justice and, in particular, my reputation," Kramnik said in a social media post.
The chess federation said Kramnik publicly alleged cheating without "adequate evidentiary support," violating its rules against cyber bullying.

Addison Rae's dad, Monty Lopez, does not want his famous daughter involved in his mess!
The singer's dad has expressed his desire to limit his estranged wife, Kaitlyn Lopez, from sharing any content about his daughter for public consumption as they continue to navigate their divorce.
Addison Rae's dad dashed to court to pull the plug on their marriage in May, barely a year after they tied the knot in Las Vegas, a month after cops showed up at his home.
Monty, in his latest filing, asked that the judge intervene and order his ex to desist from posting about his famous daughter amid their nasty divorce. In the legal document, Monty accused his ex of violating a temporary protective order by reaching out to him multiple times, hence defying the court order.
The most pressing issue for Addison's father is the exposure her daughter is getting from Kaitlyn, which he wants reduced to the barest minimum. He emphasized that his ex has done it multiple times and even posted photos of Addison on her Instagram Story and added her songs to her social media post.

The Boston Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night. In exchange they got Paul George and a couple draft picks. The initial reaction to this deal was not favorable for the Celtics who just a few days ago were considered to be in the running to land Giannis Antetokounmpo.
One initial reaction we did not get was that of Bill Simmons. More than 12 hours after the trade was announced and we still do not know whether Simmons likes the trade or not. We can ***** ume he’s against the Celtics’ decision to trade an All-NBA performer in his prime for a 35-year-old coming off a season where he was suspended for violating the league’s drug policy, but until he goes live on Netflix on Thursday morning, you never really know.
Simmons mostly tweeted about soccer in the wake of the Brown-George trade. Though he did give a short explanation of why he wasn’t going live saying, “We have other Ringer pods in motion tonight.” Reading that you might think that there weren’t any producers or Ringer personalities available on Wednesday. Maybe no one was available to record a podcast about one of the biggest, most surprising moves of the NBA offseason.
The only problem is Zach Lowe recorded a podcast last night. And you know it was an emergency podcast because the ***** le of the episode is literally, “Emergency Pod! The Celtics Trade Jaylen Brown to the 76ers!” Not to mention he opens the show by saying, “Didn’t expect to be doing another Zach Lowe Show this week!”
This seems like the kind of story where Lowe could have jumped on Simmons’s pod. At the very least he could have recorded last night and released the episode this morning. Instead someone decided he should save it for a live show on Netflix on Thursday morning. The fans were not happy.

One day shy of two months after the Philadelphia 76ers ended Jaylen Brown’s season, they did what so many pundits had tried and failed to do over the last half-decade. They split up the Jays.
They found one ******* of a way of doing it, too: by trading for Brown, in a day that scarcely anybody saw coming amid breathless prognostication over what would constitute an appropriate return for a five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.
In the end, it wasn’t Giannis Antetokounmpo, or "four and even five first-round picks.” It was Paul George — 36 years young, two years removed from his last All-Star nod, having played fewer than 60 games in six of the last seven seasons, with a 25-game suspension for violating the terms of the NBA’s anti-drug program this past campaign, and owed $110.7 million over the next two seasons — an unprotected 2031 Sixers first-round pick, a 2028 first whose potential outcome is “kind of complicated,” and second-round picks in 2028 and 2030 that have already been multiply swapped (and could turn out to be pretty good).
Whether that return sounds to you like a lot or a little likely depends on whether you grew up in South Boston or South Philly. (You’re not going to believe this, but Celtics fans and Sixers fans have A LOT OF BIG FEELINGS about this one.) And on what you think of George, who was excellent defensively (when available) in Philly and who showed up in a major way against Boston in the playoffs, but whose contract was largely considered to be such a negative ******* et that it would require some draft-pick incentivization to get another team to take it on. And on how highly you rate Brown — which, in case you hadn’t heard, is a whole friggin’ thing.
Oh, also, on how optimistic you are that Brown, who turns 30 in October, will produce at an All-NBA level through the balance of the supermax contract extension he signed in 2023, which will pay him $183 million over the next three seasons.