Benny the AllNBANow Burning

Bulls & NBA fan, Tweets from someone who knows a little about basketball, but loves it a lot.

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

So did the Heat end up shifting their focus to Bradley Beal instead of waiting for Klay Thompson's buyout? 🤔

[Fullcourtpass @Fullcourtpass]

The Miami Heat have been in contact with Bradley Beal’s camp in recent weeks, per @Anthony_Chiang

(h/t @TheHeatCentral)

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

Marquese Chriss Signs with Liaoning Flying Leopards

New Team: Agreed to a deal with the Liaoning Flying Leopards in the CBA, marking his third season in the Chinese league.

Previous Background: Selected No. 8 overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, previously spending the last two seasons playing for the Shandong Heroes.

Last Season Stats (2025-26):
Averaged 18.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.
Shot 46% from the field and 85% from the free-throw line.

[Sportando @Sportando]

Marquese Chriss Signs with Liaoning Flying Leopards https://t.co/EpucWuh1jP

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

The Warriors are reportedly interested in Georges Niang & Kelly Olynyk, per @JakeLFischer

[YouSceneThis? @YouSceneThis]

Avengers behind the scenes: What the actors filmed versus what we saw in theaters.

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

2027 NBA Free Agents (Based on Spotrac, ranked by Prev AAV / Top 10 per position)

PG (Point Guard)
Stephen Curry | 39.3 | 62.6M | UFA / Bird
Kyrie Irving | 35.3 | 39.5M | PLAYER / 42.4M
Jrue Holiday | 37.1 | 33.6M | PLAYER / 37.2M
Dejounte Murray | 30.8 | 28.6M | PLAYER / 30.8M
Fred VanVleet | 33.4 | 25.0M | UFA / Bird
Damian Lillard | 37.0 | 13.9M | PLAYER / 14.1M
Davion Mitchell | 28.8 | 12.0M | UFA / Bird
Scoot Henderson | 23.5 | 11.1M | RFA / Bird
Amen Thompson | 24.5 | 10.0M | RFA / Bird
Collin Sexton | 28.5 | 9.6M | PLAYER / 9.8M

SG (Shooting Guard)
Paul George | 37.2 | 52.9M | PLAYER / 56.6M
Zach LaVine | 32.3 | 43.0M | UFA / Bird
Jalen Green | 25.4 | 35.1M | PLAYER / 36.0M
Jordan Poole | 28.1 | 32.0M | UFA / Bird
Tyler Herro | 27.5 | 30.0M | UFA / Bird
R.J. Barrett | 27.1 | 26.8M | UFA / Bird
Norman Powell | 34.2 | 22.0M | CLUB / 22.6M
C.J. McCollum | 35.8 | 21.0M | UFA / Bird
Josh Hart | 32.3 | 20.2M | CLUB / 22.4M
Malik Monk | 29.4 | 19.5M | PLAYER / 21.6M

SF (Small Forward)
Jimmy Butler | 37.8 | 55.5M | UFA / Bird
Kawhi Leonard | 36.1 | 49.8M | UFA / Bird
Kevin Durant | 38.8 | 45.0M | PLAYER / 46.1M
Brandon Ingram | 29.9 | 40.0M | PLAYER / 41.9M
Michael Porter Jr. | 29.1 | 35.9M | RFA / Bird
Miles Bridges | 29.3 | 25.0M | UFA / Bird
Cameron Johnson | 31.4 | 23.6M | UFA / Bird
De’Andre Hunter | 29.7 | 22.5M | UFA / Bird
Dillon Brooks | 31.5 | 21.5M | UFA / Bird
Brandon Miller | 24.7 | 12.3M | RFA / Bird

PF (Power Forward)
Giannis Antetokounmpo | 32.6 | 58.5M | PLAYER / 62.8M
Julius Randle | 32.7 | 33.3M | PLAYER / 35.8M
Jerami Grant | 33.3 | 32.0M | PLAYER / 36.4M
Draymond Green | 37.3 | 25.0M | UFA / Bird
Kyle Kuzma | 32.0 | 22.5M | UFA / Bird
Kristaps Porzingis | 32.0 | 20.0M | PLAYER / 20.0M
Bobby Portis | 32.4 | 14.5M | PLAYER / 15.6M
Rui Hachimura | 29.4 | 14.0M | CLUB / 14.0M
Grant Williams | 28.7 | 13.3M | UFA / Bird
Jarred Vanderbilt | 28.3 | 12.0M | PLAYER / 13.3M

C (Center)
Anthony Davis | 34.3 | 58.5M | PLAYER / 62.8M
Nikola Jokic | 32.4 | 55.2M | PLAYER / 62.8M
Karl-Anthony Towns | 31.7 | 55.1M | PLAYER / 61.0M
Rudy Gobert | 35.1 | 36.5M | PLAYER / 38.0M
Santi Aldama | 26.5 | 17.5M | CLUB / 17.0M
Isaiah Stewart | 26.2 | 15.0M | CLUB / 15.0M
Jock Landale | 31.8 | 14.1M | UFA / Early Bird
Day’Ron Sharpe | 25.7 | 10.0M | CLUB / 10.0M
Moritz Wagner | 30.2 | 9.5M | MUTUAL / 9.7M
Brook Lopez | 39.3 | 9.0M | UFA / Early Bird

• UFA: Unrestricted Free Agent
• RFA: Restricted Free Agent
• PLAYER: Player Option
• CLUB: Team Option
• MUTUAL: Mutual Option

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

2026 NBA Free Agency Fact vs. Fiction
part 2

@BobbyMarks42 breaks down 10 major offseason trends under the current CBA.
Key Points

6. Apron rules will be amended soon (Fiction)
The players’ union wants changes, but Adam Silver said no adjustments will happen until the next CBA (starting 2030-31).

7. Teams structured contracts more conservatively (Fact)
With lower projected cap growth, many deals lack second-year guarantees or feature smaller raises.

8. Bucks–Gary Trent Jr. salary cap circumvention (TBD)
Milwaukee gave a large contract to a player coming off a down year, raising eyebrows. The league is investigating.

9. Restricted free agents remain at a disadvantage (Somewhere in the middle)
Teams can still match any offer, but limited cap space means very few offer sheets. Signing the qualifying offer and waiting for unrestricted free agency is becoming a common leverage play.

10. The East has gotten stronger (Fact)
Giannis to Miami, LeBron and Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, the Knicks keeping their core, and other Eastern upgrades have shifted the balance of power.

One-sentence takeaway:
The current CBA (especially the second apron) has sharply limited free agent movement, pushed teams toward trades and depth management, and left the Eastern Conference looking stronger overall.

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

2026 NBA Free Agency Fact vs. Fiction
part 1

@BobbyMarks42 breaks down 10 major offseason trends under the current CBA.
Key Points

1. The CBA has significantly reduced free agent movement (Fact)
Only 35 free agents switched teams. More extensions and limited cap space are the main reasons. Trades were more active, with 41 players moved.

2. The apron existed before the 2023 CBA (Fact)
The first apron was already in place but with fewer restrictions. Excessive luxury tax spending led to the much stricter second apron we have now.

3. The second apron is acting like a hard cap (Depends on the franchise)
Some teams (like the Knicks) treated it as a hard ceiling. Others (Hawks, Pistons) took advantage of teams dumping salary. The league praises the parity, while the players’ union says it forces non-basketball decisions.

4. Maintaining depth was the real priority (Fact)
Oklahoma City traded Dort, Joe, and Wiggins to create financial flexibility. Boston swapped Jaylen Brown for Paul George to better manage depth and future flexibility.

5. Wembanyama’s extension sets a precedent? (Case-by-case)
Wemby signed a 5-year, $252 million deal without the full escalators, giving the Spurs more cap room. Some stars take discounts (like Brunson did), but most max players still take the maximum.
l

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

2026 NBA Free Agency Fact vs. Fiction
part 1

@BobbyMarks42 breaks down 10 major offseason trends under the current CBA.
Key Points

1. The CBA has significantly reduced free agent movement (Fact)
Only 35 free agents switched teams. More extensions and limited cap space are the main reasons. Trades were more active, with 41 players moved.

2. The apron existed before the 2023 CBA (Fact)
The first apron was already in place but with fewer restrictions. Excessive luxury tax spending led to the much stricter second apron we have now.

3. The second apron is acting like a hard cap (Depends on the franchise)
Some teams (like the Knicks) treated it as a hard ceiling. Others (Hawks, Pistons) took advantage of teams dumping salary. The league praises the parity, while the players’ union says it forces non-basketball decisions.

4. Maintaining depth was the real priority (Fact)
Oklahoma City traded Dort, Joe, and Wiggins to create financial flexibility. Boston swapped Jaylen Brown for Paul George to better manage depth and future flexibility.

5. Wembanyama’s extension sets a precedent? (Case-by-case)
Wemby signed a 5-year, $252 million deal without the full escalators, giving the Spurs more cap room. Some stars take discounts (like Brunson did), but most max players still take the maximum.
l

[Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42]

A 2026 Free Agency of Fact or Fiction

Examining all the the hot topics from this summer

https://t.co/cn0aGrV02X

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

@Fullcourtpass @Jimenez7Diego No major NBA insider has confirmed this yet

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

D-77

[NBARetweet @RTNBA]

77 days until NBA basketball is back 🙏

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

The 40 highest-scoring players across 102 published rankings

TIER 1 · #1–3
No Further Questions
1. Michael Jordan — 100.0
2. LeBron James — 87.0
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — 82.3

TIER 2 · #4–10
Somebody’s Mount Rushmore
4. Magic Johnson — 75.2
5. Wilt Chamberlain — 69.2
6. Bill Russell — 68.4
7. Larry Bird — 67.3
8. Shaquille O’Neal — 65.7
9. Kobe Bryant — 65.6
10. Tim Duncan — 63.6

TIER 3 · #11–23
Top Ten on a Good Day
11. Hakeem Olajuwon — 53.3
12. Oscar Robertson — 49.8
13. Stephen Curry — 45.9
14. Jerry West — 45.6
15. Moses Malone — 44.8
16. Karl Malone — 44.4
17. Julius Erving — 44.4
18. Dirk Nowitzki — 42.9
19. Kevin Durant — 42.4
20. Kevin Garnett — 41.9
21. David Robinson — 39.9
22. Charles Barkley — 38.6
23. Elgin Baylor — 38.4

TIER 4 · #24–40
Never Cracked a Top Ten
24. Dwyane Wade — 35.9
25. Scottie Pippen — 35.7
26. John Havlicek — 34.4
27. John Stockton — 33.7
28. Isiah Thomas — 33.5
29. Bob Pettit — 33.4
30. Chris Paul — 31.7
31. Allen Iverson — 31.3
32. Steve Nash — 30.9
33. Patrick Ewing — 30.9
34. Clyde Drexler — 29.5
35. Jason Kidd — 29.5
36. Rick Barry — 29.3
37. Walt Frazier — 28.9
38. Giannis Antetokounmpo — 27.8
39. Kevin McHale — 27.6
40. Bob Cousy — 27.6

Meta-score, leader = 100, grouped into four tiers by natural breaks in the scores rather than by hand. The gap below Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the gap below Tim Duncan are the two real discontinuities in the ranking. Tier names describe the players in them: each is a claim the figure checks before it draws.

🧐

[John B. Holbein @JohnHolbein1]

The greatest NBA players of all time, according to the experts.

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

Kuminga to Minnesota…?

I almost fell for that. 🤣

[Shams Charania @shamscarani]

Free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga has agreed to a two-year, $23.3 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves, agent Aaron Turner tells ESPN. Deal includes a team option in the second year.

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

According to @TheSteinLine

• The Portland Trail Blazers have no interest in signing DeMar DeRozan.

• The Blazers will not buy out Jrue Holiday and plan to keep him on the roster even after acquiring Ja Morant.

• Holiday himself had previously expressed a desire to remain in Portland.

[RealGM @RealGM]

Blazers Not Pursuing DeMar DeRozan, Looking To Keep Jrue Holiday https://t.co/KqX24zycuC

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

From @AmicoHoops

Could Ben Simmons Return to the 76ers on a Minimum Contract?

According to a report from Spanish outlet @BlogDeBasket , the Philadelphia 76ers are considering Ben Simmons for their final roster spot on a one-year minimum-salary contract.
(No major NBA insider has confirmed this yet.)

Why it makes some sense:
• Simmons and LeBron James share the same agency (Klutch Sports)
• The Sixers could use another player who can defend multiple positions, rebound, and create for others behind Joel Embiid
• The financial risk would be very low at the minimum salary

The key condition:
Simmons would have to accept a completely different role — not as the primary ball-handler, but mainly as a screener, defender, passer, and occasional small-ball center.

Obstacles:
• He didn’t play last season due to ongoing physical issues
• His first stint in Philadelphia ended poorly after the 2021 playoffs and led to a trade
• No strong confirmation from established sources yet

Bottom line:
It’s a low-cost gamble that has some logical appeal, but for now it remains just an interesting rumor.

[Sam Amico @AmicoHoops]

Could Ben Simmons return to 76ers on minimum contract? https://t.co/3sSJEzv2FU

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

@POK252 Hell No 😈

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

Watson and Strus, huh?

That's a really interesting idea, and I wonder what Cavs and Nuggets fans would think about it.

I feel like the Nuggets might ask for more than just a first-round pick swap right, but given the urgent situation the Nuggets are in, this kind of return seems reasonable. I wonder if this trade could actually happen.

[Evan Sidery @esidery]

A potential sign-and-trade trade framework between the Cavaliers and Nuggets involving Peyton Watson:

Cleveland: Watson

Denver: Max Strus + 2030 swap

[Benny the AllNBANow Burning @JMartellNBA]

From @JakeLFischer

The Kings are considering acquiring Russell Westbrook and Victor Oladipo.

“Among tonight’s items, sources say the Kings are considering adding one of various veteran guards to help mentor No. 5 pick Darius Acuff, to where Sacramento is now considering a return for Russell Westbrook, in addition to signing Victor Oladipo”

“Russell Westbrook and Victor Oladipo rank as two of several veteran guard options Sacramento will continue weighing for a late-summer back court addition, sources say. The Kings were among several teams that observed Oladipo workout in Las Vegas during Summer League.”