Caitlin Clark on the Indiana Pacers: 'They do things the right way'
WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark talked about her excitement watching the Pacers run to the NBA Finals on Friday ahead of her return from injury.
Chloe Peterson
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Devin Booker Becomes Eligible For $150M Extension As Suns Plan To Build Around Him
Devin Booker Becomes Eligible For $150M Extension As Suns Plan To Build Around Him originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Devin Booker is set to become one of the highest-paid players in NBA history, and the Phoenix Suns are wasting no time ensuring he remains the face of the franchise for years to come. Advertisement According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Booker will become eligible for a two-year, $150 million contract extension on July 6, a deal he is widely expected to sign. The extension would make him the highest-paid player on a per-year basis in NBA history, with an annual salary of $75 million. Booker, 28, is entering the second year of a four-year, $220 million deal, which already has over $180 million remaining. If he signs the extension, it would keep him in Phoenix through the end of the 2029–30 season, solidifying his place as not just the Suns' franchise cornerstone but their all-time leading scorer and longest-tenured player. Despite the disastrous 2024–25 season that saw Phoenix finish 11th in the Western Conference with a 36–46 record, Booker remained one of the lone bright spots. He averaged 25.6 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game and continued to show he's among the league's most complete offensive weapons. However, the season also marked the collapse of Phoenix's much-hyped 'Big Three' experiment with Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal. The trio never clicked, and the Suns missed even the Play-In Tournament. Advertisement Now, the Suns are shifting gears. With Kevin Durant expected to be traded this summer as his departure was reportedly discussed during the team's head coaching search and with the organization trying to move off Bradley Beal's cumbersome contract, Booker stands alone as the centerpiece of a new era. And the Suns are doing everything to show him he's their guy. Booker played a key role in the team's coaching hire, joining the search process in the final stages. That led to the appointment of Jordan Ott, a rising name in NBA circles with ties to team owner Mat Ishbia's alma mater, Michigan State. The message from the front office was clear: Devin Booker is not only the franchise player, he's also part of the inner circle shaping the team's future. The Suns are not entering a rebuild; they are entering a reset, and Booker is the focal point. With Durant's trade likely to bring back key rotation players and draft capital, Phoenix is hoping to restock its depth and give Booker a better-balanced supporting cast than the top-heavy roster they fielded last year. While Beal's future remains murky due to his no-trade clause and declining production, Booker's commitment could help stabilize the situation and attract complementary talent. Advertisement Booker has spent a decade in Phoenix, taking the team from lottery irrelevance to the 2021 NBA Finals and back to contention. The next step for him is delivering a championship and the Suns are betting big that he's the man to do it. A new contract. A new coach. A new chapter. Phoenix belongs to Devin Booker now. Related: Big Problem For The Phoenix Suns: Mat Ishbia Is Reportedly Out Of Money This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
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Kevin Durant Calls Out Stephen A. Smith For Playing Solitaire In The Arena Instead Of Watching Pacers-Thunder
Kevin Durant Calls Out Stephen A. Smith For Playing Solitaire In The Arena Instead Of Watching Pacers-Thunder originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Stephen A. Smith was in attendance for the Oklahoma City Thunder's 111-104 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday. While the game proved to be quite fascinating, Smith appeared to be playing Solitaire on his phone during it. A picture of him doing so went viral on social media, and Kevin Durant called out the ESPN analyst for this act. Advertisement "Cmon, Steve." Credit: Kevin Durant/Instagram This was not a good look, to say the least, on Smith. It's his job to watch the games, and he was put on blast online for playing Solitaire instead. With this picture spreading like wildfire, Smith felt the need to respond. He claimed on X that he can multitask and was playing during timeouts. "Yep! That's me. Who would've thought….I can multi-task. Especially during TIMEOUTS! Hope y'all are enjoying the NBA Finals. This is going 7 games now, peeps!" Fans weren't buying that, however. One of them accused him of lying and shared a video from another angle. To be fair to Smith, it does look like he's watching the basketball game there. Sure, you can see the game on his phone, but he's not playing Solitaire in the clip. Advertisement With the backlash not stopping even after he put out that post, Smith felt compelled to send out another. He shared a screenshot to supposedly show that he was playing Solitaire and watching the game at the same time on his phone. Credit: Stephen A. Smith/X Considering you can't really see the basketball game on Smith's phone in the viral picture or video, he might just be digging himself into a hole here. Also, why watch the action on the phone when you're in the arena? Regardless, Smith has given more ammunition to his critics, and there is a good chance Durant brings this up at some point in the future. These two have had their differences in the past and don't really get along. During an interview with The Athletic in 2024, Durant called Smith a clown. Advertisement 'Yeah, Stephen A., I don't understand how people even listen to Stephen A. I've been in the league for 18 years. I've never seen Stephen A. at a practice, or a film session, or a shoot-around. I've never seen him anywhere but on TV talking s— about players. … He's a clown to me. He's always been a clown. You can write that, too.' Smith later fired back at Durant by calling him sensitive. He then proceeded to rip him for his failures since leaving the Golden State Warriors in 2019. Durant is now set to be on the move again, as the Phoenix Suns will be trading him. NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the trade could take place in a few days and named the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, and Minnesota Timberwolves as the frontrunners to secure his services. Durant would be hoping he gets to play in the NBA Finals instead of watching it next year with whichever team he ends up with. As for these Finals, the Thunder have now tied up the series at 2-2 and regained home-court advantage. Advertisement Related: Kevin Durant Drops One-Word Reaction As Stephen A. Smith Predicts End Of NBA All-Star Weekends This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
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44 minutes ago
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Loyd has breakout game in Aces' victory over Wings after slow start this season
LAS VEGAS — This is the Jewell Loyd the Aces traded for in January , the addition Las Vegas counted on to remain a WNBA championship contender. She scored 21 points, including a 3-pointer with 28.3 seconds left that put the Aces ahead for good, in their 88-84 victory over Dallas on Friday night.
