Bu Bu

[Kalshi Hoops @KalshiHoops]

Khris Middleton has agreed on a three-year, $17.6 million deal with the Washington Wizards via sign-and-trade, per @ShamsCharania.

Potential 2026-27 Wizards Depth Chart:

PG: Trae Young / Tre Johnson
SG: Kyshawn George / Bub Carrington / Jamir Watkins
SF: AJ Dybantsa / Bilal Coulibaly / Khris Middleton
PF: Alex Sarr / Will Riley / Justin Champagnie
C: Anthony Davis / Deandre Ayton / Tristan Vukcevic

Where will the Wizards finish in the East next season?

[Yahoo Sports @YahooSports]

“He definitely has a favorite in his head.” 👀

@WindhorstESPN on where LeBron could land during free agency.

(via Yahoo Sports Daily)

[ClutchPoints NBA @ClutchPointsNBA]

An interesting NBA parallel:

Kevin Durant blew a 3–1 lead, then joined the Warriors.

Jaylen Brown blew a 3–1 lead, then ended up with the Sixers.

Different circumstances.
Same twist.
The league has a funny way of bringing stories full circle.

[Dustin Dopirak @DustinDopirak]

Pacers have a coaching staff change. Per coach Rick Carlisle through PR staff, Johnny Carpenter has accepted a position with the Bucks as assistant coach and head of player development. Bryce Taylor will take over as head coach of the summer league team.

[Evan Sidery @esidery]

The LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges trades are not yet finalized as the Hornets are combining them in a larger framework.

The Hornets, Bulls, Suns, Timberwolves, and Nets are set up to be involved in a five-team package that will be announced later this week.

[NBA Courtside @NBA__Courtside]

Danny Green on what would it take for Donovan Mitchell to win a championship:

“It’s going to take LeBron. Pretty simple. I mean, you get LeBron James and you get James in the postseason to play like we know James can play, you have a really good damn shot, like obviously Evan Mobley too, if he continues to grow, but they have a good setup. They have a good team. They have good pieces.”

(Via @NFGShow)

[Dru @dru_star]

“If you have a team & LeBron is your secondary playmaker…” - @RichPaul4

“But he's kind of too good to be.” - @maxkellerman

“But still, but when he is, you are in….” - @RichPaul4

“He's kind of better as the primary playmaker.” - @maxkellerman

“I agree with you.” - @RichPaul4

[Ballislife.com @Ballislife]

"He told me the date he was was going to tell the Lakers and then he told me where he was going to go and not to tell. I know the whole plan. Me, him and Rich Paul have been talking." 🤣

[Dru @dru_star]

“I thought the [Lakers] would’ve functioned better had Luka dribbled a little less, LeBron been playing point more…I felt like [LeBron] needed to assert himself a little more.” @maxkellerman

“You're not wrong…Obviously, I'm not the 3rd option, we know that, no day” @RichPaul4

[Shams Charania @ShamsCharania]

The Golden State Warriors decided not to match Quinten Post's three-year, $30 million offer sheet with the Grizzlies, allowing the 7-footer to join Memphis, sources tell ESPN. The Grizzlies add Post to a reshaped frontline that includes No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer, Zach Edey, Isaiah Stewart and Jerami Grant.

[Oh No He Didn't @ohnohedidnt24]

Shams:

"Late July (of this year), they had a decision to offer Jaylen Brown a 2 year/$145M max extension. Before it got to that point where if that time came and they didn't offer him the extension this could have gotten even uglier between these two sides"

[CantGuardBook @CGBBURNER]

Mark Williams on Devin Booker taking his number this year:

“We’re in negotiations, we’ll agree on something here soon, i’m not worried about that. He said he got me and i’m taking his word for that.”

(Via, @PHNX_Suns)

[Polymarket Hoops @PolymarketHoops]

LeBron James says never winning DPOY in his career bothers him:

“That's the only award that I don't have in my house… That kind of stings. It doesn’t make sense. The year I finished second in Defensive Player of the Year, the guy who won didn't even make First Team All-Defense.”

“I also had an opportunity to be the first unanimous MVP, where I got all 120 votes, but I got 119. It was the one vote, and he voted for Carmelo. It was a writer from Boston, of course. I know his name too, but I ain't going to give him that light just yet.”

“Why are they voting? That doesn't make sense. I don't know the answer, but why are they voting if you're not watching the game, you're not studying the game, and you're not listening to the peers in the game who are telling you, ‘He’s the best player.’”

(via @uninterrupted)

[BBQ Chiefs @BBQChiefs]

Charles Barkley declined an invite to Travis and Taylor's wedding.

"I did get an invite, and I politely declined. I love Travis and Jason, and I have only met Taylor once. But I said that is just too much. I just want to hangout and play golf, and I don't want to dress up. But I appreciate the invitation it was pretty special."

[SM Highlights @SMHighlights1]

The Timberwolves Know LeBron Coming To Minnesota Would Be A Long Shot, But Have Been Very Assertive To LeBron’s Camp. Per, @JonKrawczynski

“They know luring James to the Twin Cities for what could be the final chapter of his career is a long shot. But they have been very aggressive in their pitch to James’ camp.”

[Arslan @0xarslan]

Stephen A. Smith says anyone who thinks the Lakers are better off without LeBron James is "smoking something"

"If you think that the Lakers are going to be better off without him, you smoking something. I believe this is a devastating blow for the Los Angeles Lakers"

"LeBron James at the age of 41 approaching 42, I will remind y'all 13 years older than Austin Reeves, 14 years older than Luca Doncic. It was LeBron James who was healthy for the playoffs"

[Noa Dalzell 🏀 @NoaDalzell]

6-year-old Gio also got to give Jaylen Brown his hand-written letter today:

[NBA on Prime @NBAonPrime]

Jaylen Brown replied to this emotional young fan after he was traded to the 76ers and then linked up with him in person 6 days later ❤️

(via gio_thetiger, @FCHWPO, @NoaDalzell)

[GreenRunsDeep @CelticsGRD]

Caught up with Jaylen Brown today at MIT

[Daniel Donabedian @danield1214]

Jaylen Brown on what it will be like to play against Celtics fans rather than for them:

“I don’t know. I’m probably gonna smile, laugh.”

“It’s probably gonna feel weird. It’s still weird...My brain is like, ‘Philly? Of all places? Why would you do that?’”

(Via @CelticsGRD)