Agreed, I think we are getting one of the old chaps - 60% Tobias 10% LeBron 30% we just strike out bc someone will give Tobi too many years

TheNotoriousP.I.P. said:

---

Agreed, I think we are getting one of the old chaps - 60% Tobias 10% LeBron 30% we just strike out bc someone will give Tobi too many years

---

Add Kenrich Williams

I have no idea what the Chicago Bulls are doing, it seems as if they've decided to make themselves just good enough to be the 7 or 8 seed in the East, and while tanking has lost some appeal with the new lottery odds, they really needed to figure out a way to get another star to Chicago. They would have been a perfect place for Jaylen Brown.

But now they signed Norman Powell and it seems they are going to run with

Giddey
Powell
Buzelis
Wilson
Claxton

I just don't understand what they think the upside of this roster is.

They think Essengue is going to be a player. He apparently had a shoulder injury for several years and had it fixed last year, which is why he missed the season. He also grew 1-2 inches since he was drafted. He's still just 19.

I like Caleb Wilson a lot, but not sure he is going to be a real star.

Seems like a lot of good not great players.

Also Claxton is ass.

It's always possible you get some great development out of a guy and they make a star turn, but it seems like all they've done is recreate a new version of the play-in level roster they've had for the last 7 or 8 years.

I do like some of their pieces individually, but the sum of the parts doesn't really make sense. Claxton can't shoot and has become less engaged defensively every year. Giddey got played off the floor with OKC in the playoffs, he's going to have to prove that he is not that guy anymore. Powell is a decent scorer, but there is a reason he's a journeyman. Buzelis flashes potential but I think he's more of a complimentary piece. Wilson should be great defensively, but what can he give you offensively in the next 2-3 seasons? I think they need to figure that out by giving him a high usage rate, but with the way this roster is built that means guys like Giddey and Powell have to defer to him.

Essengue is a guy I like a lot, but until he actually plays, I'm not sure I'd be planning the future around him. We discussed him here and he looks like he is a Giannis starter kit, but it took Giannis until his 4th year to really figure out how to use his tools, I'd be shocked if Essengue doesn't have a similarly long runway to becoming an effective scorer.

Giddey shoots well now though. 37% in Chicago.

Bulls also have the $9.4M Room exception to use. They are out of cap space, though.

I think this team is kind of in the MidLanta 38-45 win range. Not sure if they can get out with Wilson, Matas, or Noa breaking out.

Before we drafted Reed AND Quaintance, this is who I wanted at the end of the bench. I think he will be a legit rim protector/rebounder. Glad the Knicks lost him.

Free agent center Ariel Hukporti has agreed to a one-year, $3.4 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. Hukporti departs the Knicks after playing a reserve role on their title team, and gives the 76ers frontcourt depth and a high-motor, athletic big man. pic.twitter.com/dghYXm9Ly6

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

Giddey shoots well in the regular season.

As a couple of guys on our team learned during the postseason, there is a difference in intensity and pressure.

Giddey actually shot 35% from 3 in his last playoff run with OKC, the problem wasn't all in his shooting (although teams definitely dated him to shoot), it was more that he had a Chet like passiveness that saw his numbers go from 13/6/5 in the regular season to 8/3/2 in the playoffs. OKC bailed on him because it looked like he couldn't handle being an alpha when it mattered.

That's why I say, Giddey has to prove that he's not that guy anymore. Also, while his 3pt% has risen, his overall FG% has sunk to 44%. (In 2022 it was 48%) This speaks to less rim pressure and more dumb shots. Maybe Tiago can unlock him as a new version of Deni though? Who knows.

And he was also 21 then.

I dont think he is going to be a star, but I think he is a quality player on a team friendly contract.

Cant stand Dusty, but thanks for clipping these clips together for us.

If LeBron James is truly chasing a fifth championship over one last payday, it’s hard to make a stronger basketball case than San Antonio.

Pairing LeBron with Victor Wembanyama and one of the NBA’s deepest young cores gives him a legitimate path to another ring (or two). At the… https://t.co/NMW3n58kTU pic.twitter.com/Y7XT2mqrJN

— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) July 1, 2026

It'll be interesting to see if Robinson comes back. If not, suddenly the center spot for the Knicks is looking pretty shallow.

ThenamesAg said:

---

It'll be interesting to see if Robinson comes back. If not, suddenly the center spot for the Knicks is looking pretty shallow.

---

Knicks are at 213M for 11 players and won't break the 2nd apron. 2nd Apron is 221M. They dont have enough to keep Robinson. Filling out the roster will be it.

Free agent center Nikola Vucevic has agreed on a one-year, $3.9 million deal to return to the Orlando Magic, sources tell ESPN. Vucevic -- who started his career in Orlando as a sophomore, spent nearly nine years with the Magic and has maintained a home there since -- turned down… pic.twitter.com/e2mT6pyXxm

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

Vooch only gets 3.9.

Free agent guard Mike Conley Jr. has agreed to a one-year deal to sign with the Boston Celtics, sources tell ESPN. Conley becomes only the 14th player in NBA history to reach 20 seasons. pic.twitter.com/RjZT8jhTzm

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

Surprised he didn't go to Miami.

Would have taken him to replace McLovin

Detroit is apparently waiving Duncan Robinson.

I would take him over Rui. Pretty much same defense and rebounding, but better name.

Sign him and Kenrich and call it a great off-season

The rumor I read was that they could rework KAT's contract to make it possible to get him back. It definitely weakens their team if Robinson walks.

ThenamesAg said:

---

The rumor I read was that they could rework KAT's contract to make it possible to get him back. It definitely weakens their team if Robinson walks.

---

Free agent center Mitchell Robinson has agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million deal to sign with the Boston Celtics, with a player option in third season, sources tell ESPN. Robinson departs the Knicks after serving a key role on the historic championship team. pic.twitter.com/tl3R6nlU1m

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

Players can't renegotiate their contract for a lower value of they don't opt out or have a team option. It's not like the NFL. KAT didn't have an option to do that this year

Robinson too Boston

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Lakers are acquiring Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030, sources tell ESPN. Kessler will sign a massive four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/rt8b17fEQZ

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

Screws both teams

Ainge did get the Lakers to pay more for Kessler than they did for Luka, though

Guitarsoup said:

---

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Lakers are acquiring Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030, sources tell ESPN. Kessler will sign a massive four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/rt8b17fEQZ

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

Screws both teams

---

Woof. Talk about emptying the cupboard. They can't have that many picks left to make other moves

HummingbirdSaltalamacchia said:

---

Guitarsoup said:

---

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Lakers are acquiring Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030, sources tell ESPN. Kessler will sign a massive four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/rt8b17fEQZ

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

Screws both teams

---

Woof. Talk about emptying the cupboard. They can't have that many picks left to make other moves

---

They now have zero picks. They can reswap swaps

Guitarsoup said:

---

Lakers have 23 million in space below the hard cap to sign their last 5-6 white guys to compliment Luka, Reaves, Knecht, LaRavia and Kessler

---

Just in: Free agent F/C Sandro Mamukelashvili has agreed to a four-year, $52 million deal to sign with Los Angeles Lakers, with a player option for the fourth season, sources tell ESPN. Big fully guaranteed deal for George Roussakis and Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports. pic.twitter.com/dN7L6K7SQm

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

Guitarsoup said:

---

Guitarsoup said:

---

Lakers have 23 million in space below the hard cap to sign their last 5-6 white guys to compliment Luka, Reaves, Knecht, LaRavia and Kessler

---

Just in: Free agent F/C Sandro Mamukelashvili has agreed to a four-year, $52 million deal to sign with Los Angeles Lakers, with a player option for the fourth season, sources tell ESPN. Big fully guaranteed deal for George Roussakis and Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports. pic.twitter.com/dN7L6K7SQm

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

---

Ok, it was funny at first, but now I'm starting to wonder...

Guitarsoup said:

---

Lakers have 23 million in space below the hard cap to sign their last 5-6 white guys to compliment Luka, Reaves, Knecht, LaRavia and Kessler

---

Seems like an all-in move on a player that maybe isn't a final piece to a championship.

Contrary to speculation, the Detroit Pistons will not be waiving marksman Duncan Robinson, league sources tell me.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2026

There goes that idea

5am …yeah aight pic.twitter.com/GNoyPnDaOT

— The Black Sheep 🇺🇸 (@TheBIackSheep) July 1, 2026

Our new PF playing in the snow

Average Joe said:

---

Guitarsoup said:

---

Guitarsoup said:

---

Lakers have 23 million in space below the hard cap to sign their last 5-6 white guys to compliment Luka, Reaves, Knecht, LaRavia and Kessler

---

Just in: Free agent F/C Sandro Mamukelashvili has agreed to a four-year, $52 million deal to sign with Los Angeles Lakers, with a player option for the fourth season, sources tell ESPN. Big fully guaranteed deal for George Roussakis and Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports. pic.twitter.com/dN7L6K7SQm

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

---

Ok, it was funny at first, but now I'm starting to wonder...

---

Yeah, same.

Rui and Bron have a close friendship.

Spurs don't want to give anyone a 4 year deal.

But if Bron demands us to give Rui 4y64M (max MLE) and he will come for the BAE...

I hope the James thing isn't a distraction for us.

He's setting up documentaries, etc. he ain't coming to SA.

It's going to be going home to Cleveland as the prodigal son returns storyline or going up the coast to SF and hooking up with the VC / Hollywood folks on Space Jam 3 or Goat 2.

Yeah I think both are now likely but he's not going to Cleveland to play with Harden. He wants a Jaylen Brown deal there or something. I don't think that Cavs team can win even with him. Plus they have cap issues thanks to Wemby 's blood clot and Mobley getting his contact kicked to 30%.

But the Wizards can hold GSW over the knee because GSW makes no sense without getting the band back together.

His only legit chance to win with a serious team is us and we can afford to being in his buddy Rui. No one else can

Have zero interest being a part of the Lebron retirement circus.

Wemby doesn't really strike me as a guy who does either.

Certainly don't want to help him tie Duncan with Ring 5 either.

The Clippers will create a trade exception by helping facilitate John Collins’ sign-and-trade to Detroit, sources say.

Collins’ three-year, $51 million contract with the Pistons is only guaranteed for the first season, as @omarisankofa reported.

I’m told Detroit wasn’t…

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) July 1, 2026

Detroit only giving Tobias a 1y deal offer too... I hope he takes the Spurs on that

All the Lakers had to do was sign Kessler to an offer sheet and dare the Jazz to match lol. Then tell the Jazz you'll do two pick swaps for him and if they decline you go sign Duren to an offer sheet and dare the Pistons to match.

It ties up your money, but we're not talking about signing a franchise altering player, we're talking about Walker Kessler...The swaps likely don't mean much, but the unprotected 1st's are a killer to give away. Just can't happen, and especially not for a guy that is only a couple of steps above a scrub IMO.

AggieEP said:

---

All the Lakers had to do was sign Kessler to an offer sheet and dare the Jazz to match lol. Then tell the Jazz you'll do two pick swaps for him and if they decline you go sign Duren to an offer sheet and dare the Pistons to match.

It ties up your money, but we're not talking about signing a franchise altering player, we're talking about Walker Kessler...The swaps likely don't mean much, but the unprotected 1st's are a killer to give away. Just can't happen, and especially not for a guy that is only a couple of steps above a scrub IMO.

---

This can't be overlooked. Who do they have guard Wemby, Vanderbilt? Mamu?