Latest news with #DanDevine
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Mike Brown's first Knicks season will answer one big question
Yahoo Sports fantasy basketball analyst Dan Titus and NBA writer Dan Devine discuss how New York's new head coach will adjust the team's playing style this coming season and whether the current roster will be ready to adjust. Hear the full conversation on 'Good Word with Goodwill' and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript How much pressure do you see on Mike Brown right now? Do you think he's the right man for the job to potentially take the Knicks to the promised land? Mike Brown is under pressure because the bar that we've set is, if you make the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years, you could still get fired. The Tom Thibodeaux situation is emblematic of the windows are so small and so short, it's opened for such a short period of time, and it's getting narrower and shorter every year, it seems like. And I think the message of 'we're moving on from Tom Thibodeau' is like it's not, that's not a move that you make as an organization if you feel like you're where you are supposed to be. It's a move you make if you feel like you've got a championship roster that isn't being maximized. Mike Brown is, I think, an interesting kind of needle-thread choice because this is somebody who is capable of being conversant in a number of different styles, can bring you a lot of the same, we do not compromise on our defensive principles, period. Kind of you know, hard assery, for lack of a better term, of Tom Thibodeaux, but has shown a willingness to be more flexible, to go deeper into his rotation, to say, I'm gonna take the talent that I've gotten and I'm gonna institute more ball movement, more player movement, more fluidity, more motion, and not just have it be station-to- station basketball where everybody's watching one guy cook. We're gonna find out if the Knicks' more stagnant approach was coaching oriented or star oriented. And I think that's gonna be pretty interesting to find out because we know that Mike Brown, given his druthers, wants to play more passing, more movement, faster into your sets, across half court earlier, get into your actions with, you know, more time on the shot clock, be able to go deeper and spread the floor, all those sorts of things. Now we're gonna find out if Jalen Brunson wants to play that way, and I think he's capable of it. I think guys like Josh Hart and McHale Bridges and maybe a larger role for McHale Bridges. Towns, if he's not sort of minimized as a spacer, all these sorts, like there's opportunities for higher-end offensive creation there, but it's got to come from the top down. And I think if Jalen Brunson shows that he's willing to buy into that, uh, the, the sky could be the limit for the next offense under Mike Brown. Close
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
What does LeBron's 'frustration' mean for his Lakers future?
Yahoo Sports fantasy analyst Dan Titus and senior NBA writer Dan Devine discuss Lebron James's reported "frustrations" with the Los Angeles Lakers and what it means for his immediate future with the franchise. Hear the full conversation on 'Good Word with Goodwill' and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript Unsurprisingly, we saw LeBron make a couple of appearances at Summer League. A report came out from Anthony Irwin, a senior insider at the Lakers, saying that LeBron has become increasingly frustrated. And unhappy with the direction of the team since the Russell Westbrook trade. Is this just noise? What, what are your take on it? Yeah, well, first off, you forgot the main reason he was at Summer League. His son was playing, right? Oh you guys are watching, you gotta watch Bronnie of course last year too, exactly right. Um, and listen, Bronny has given him reason to be excited about watching him play this summer. That's good. It is funny that when you zoom out from all of it, the headline is more like, report, man who opted into contract will stay with team that is paying him. You were absolutely right to point to the notion that it is difficult to trade a $52 million contract. If LeBron James wanted to be anywhere else, he could have opted out. LeBron James isn't gonna go someplace else and sign for, you know, the biannual exception. LeBron James is going to get the, the top possible dollar. The questions moving forward are all about what does this mean like on the court next year? What does this mean when we get to next summer and we revisit this whole question about where does LeBron want to be for the balance of his career? Is he, does he decide that he's done? Does he decide that he wants to play 23 more years? He's gonna stay there to make as much money as he can possibly make right now, because he opted in and said that's what he wanted to do, doesn't seem like a super shock. And then the rest of it is kind of all noise. Yeah, now that the Lakers have new ownership, I'm curious to see where Rob Polinka's place in this standing is. Like, maybe he's bulletproof for a while because he acquired he traded for Luca. Like he got off of that, right? Yeah, yeah, I'm curious to see where this goes. I don't, I don't think this is gonna end up being a midseason trade or anything like that. I think LeBron's gonna play out the final year, and then we'll see what's next. Maybe it's retirement, maybe it's going somewhere else. Close
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Damian Lillard is back with the Trail Blazers: Good move or bad move? Plus, other NBA reunions we'd like to see
It's Dame Time again in Portland. Damian Lillard has agreed to a 3-year deal to return to the Trail Blazers, after the Bucks waived the star guard earlier this month. Lillard, who is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, spent his first 11 seasons in Portland and is expected to be ready for the 2026-27 season. What should we make of the reunion? Let's break it down. Good move or bad move for Dame? Dan Devine: Great move for Dame. Lillard returns to the franchise where he's a legend, to the city where he's a made man and, most important of all, to the home where he can be with his three children each and every day — a massive quality-of-life improvement for a player who'd been very vocal about the difficulties of being away from his family during his two years in Milwaukee. Oh, and Dame will get the Blazers' full $14.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception on a three-year deal. That comes with a player option for 2027-28 — potentially allowing him to re-enter unrestricted free agency for one more big score at age 37 — and a full no-trade clause. So: Between his waived-and-stretched deal with the Bucks and the new agreement with the Blazers, Lillard's in line to make $141 million over the next two seasons; to take the entirety of next year off to rehab his surgically repaired Achilles; to do it from the comforts of his own home; to put a regrettable period behind him; and to return to a city that adores him. Nice work if you can get it. Ben Rohrbach: Great move. Who doesn't like a grand reunion? It didn't even seem like Lillard was ever fully sold on the idea of leaving Portland, the future Hall of Famer loved it so much. To have the chance to finish his career where it started, shepherding the next generation of great Blazers, is storybook stuff. In the meantime, he gets paid handsomely to rehab his torn Achilles tendon. What, exactly, is not to like? Dan Titus: Good move, for sure. Sometimes it's deeper than basketball. Lillard returns to a beloved fan base and franchise that has supported him throughout his Hall of Fame career. He could've chased rings, but instead, Lillard chose family. At the end of the day, he's getting paid a ridiculous amount of money over the next two seasons to rehab an Achilles injury in which we don't know how he'll look when he returns. Lillard joins a young, ascending team, has earned himself a no-trade clause and will retire as the best Blazer in history. Sounds like a win across the board. Good move or bad move for the Blazers? Rohrbach: Meh? Lillard will sell tickets in Portland upon his return, but will the Blazers really want to hand the keys back to a high-usage 36-year-old who has rehabbed from a devastating injury a season from now, when the franchise will be years into the process of trying to emerge from Lillard's shadow? That depends on whether Lillard is willing to accept a diminished role behind any emerging young talent. Titus: With Paul Allen's estate announcing it's selling the team, I understand the decision to reacquire a star who can help drive revenue during a sale. The Blazers also wisely drafted Yang Hansen, who gives broader appeal to global audiences. Optically, it's the right move. Basketball-wise, it's more of a wait-and-see. I'm not sure how bringing back Dame accelerates Scoot Henderson's development. It probably stifles it somewhat, but overall, I like how Portland has reshaped its roster and is moving closer toward a contender than a pretender. Devine: First thing's first: It's good for Portland no matter how it works on the court. I'm not sure anyone involved here ever really wanted Dame to leave; now, all parties involved get a second chance, and the Blazers get to give their paying customers the gift of a heart-swelling reunion. Even in a results-based business like professional basketball, championships aren't the only thing that matters. The way this stuff feels is important, too. And this, near as I can tell, feels really friggin' good in Portland. There are reasonable on-court questions to consider. What will the Blazers' backcourt look like in the fall of 2026, with Lillard ready to return, Jrue Holiday owed $34.8 million for his age-36 season, Shaedon Sharpe perhaps starting the extension for which he's eligible now, and Scoot Henderson becoming extension-eligible himself? How will the introduction of a post-Achilles Dame alter the infrastructure and operation of a Blazers team that began to develop a defense-first identity last season? Is any of this enough to put Portland in position for the kind of postseason contention it's been chasing since before the pandemic? Those questions, and others, will find answers soon enough. The bet here, though, is that what the Blazers gain in bringing Dame home — emotionally and spiritually, if not necessarily practically — far outweighs what they might lose on the court in the bargain. What's another NBA reunion you'd like to see? Titus: Kevin Durant to Oklahoma City. It'd be cool to see KD, one of the staples of the franchise, give it one more go with the franchise that raised him. The expiration date has likely passed since OKC became the best team in basketball and is set up for success for years to come. Still, I think it'd be a good send-off for KD's illustrious but complex career. Devine: Let's get Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan back for one last lap in Toronto. They helped turn the Raptors into a consistently competitive, serious organization; Lowry reaped the fruits of those endeavors with the 2019 NBA championship, but DeRozan, sent to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard, never did. It'd be cool to see them get a season's full of flowers thrown at their feet north of the border before they both exit stage left. Rohrbach: Give me LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers — somehow, someway. They would have a real chance to compete for a championship with him in the mix on the wing, and wouldn't that be some full-circle moment for arguably the greatest — and certainly the longest — career in the sport's history? True or False: When Dame faces Milwaukee for the first time as a Blazer again, Giannis will still be a Buck. Titus: True. I expect Dame to return for the 2026-27 season. It may be wishful thinking, but Giannis has consistently displayed loyalty to Milwaukee. Barring a terrible upcoming season, Giannis will be a Buck until his $62M player option comes up in 2027-28. Rohrbach: False. While I also do not anticipate Lillard's return until the 2026-27 campaign, it is already in the best interest of both Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks to negotiate a blockbuster trade. For now, it seems like both parties are open to finding a path forward together, but sooner or later — as soon as it becomes clear to them he cannot win another title in Milwaukee — they should pave his exit. Devine: True. Every year, we talk about Giannis leaving, and every year, he doesn't. At this point, I'll believe he's going when I actually see him holding up a new jersey in a press conference.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Should 76ers move on from BOTH Embiid & Paul George? + reacting to Beal joining Clippers & BIZARRE Malik Beasley story
Subscribe to The Big Number Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube On this episode of The Big Number, Tom Haberstroh and Dan Devine react to Paul George's latest injury. Do the Philadelphia 76ers have serious reason for concern here, especially after the disaster that was PG13's debut season with the team? And the guys wonder if the team is better off trading both George AND Joel Embiid — should Morey embrace the youth movement and move forward with the core of Maxey and Edgecombe? Would Philly fans riot if Embiid was moved?? PLUS — Tom broke the internet on Tuesday with his in-depth reporting on the Malik Beasley investigation. Don't miss his further sleuthing on that insane story involving "Moose NBA." Lastly, before the buzzer Tom weighs in on the news that Bradley Beal was finally bought out by the Phoenix Suns and is now a member of the LA Clippers. What is their ceiling now with Beal? It's all ahead. (2:09) The Big Number: 15 Sixers big three games played together (19:15) Little Numbers: Jared McCain shooting (25:06) Little Numbers: Quentin Grimes impact (30:11) Little Numbers: VJ Edgecombe potential (35:16) Little Numbers: Joel Embiid plus-minus (40:50) Malik Beasley gambling allegations (57:26) Bradley Beal agrees to buyout with Suns 🖥️
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA free agency 2025: Best and worst deals so far, plus the moves we'd still like to see
We're only a few days into NBA free agency, but there is much to break down. Our writers weigh in on the best and worst deals so far, plus the moves they'd still like to see this offseason. What's the best free agent move so far? Tom Haberstroh: I'll go with Memphis signing Ty Jerome for three years and $28 million. That's an absolute steal. Advanced metrics suggest that last season he was the best shooter in the league based on shot quality, in the same realm as guys like Nikola Jokić and Kevin Durant. I love his game. No doubt he struggled in the Indiana series, but Jerome is a certified bucket and will be beloved in Memphis. Advertisement Morten Stig Jensen: It's tough to ignore the Ty Jerome signing. Less than $10 million per year for a guy who was discussed as a future $20 million player last season? That's a solid bit of business there for Memphis. And let's stick with the Grizzlies, because Santi Aldama getting $17.5 million annually is also a rock solid deal. He might not be starting, but he's a starting caliber player, and getting any type of talent to return to your team at that price is a win. [NBA free agency 2025: Live updates, news, rumors] Dan Devine: The Rockets recognizing the leverage they held with the team option on the final year of Fred VanVleet's contract and using it to turn a one-year, $44.9 million deal into a two-year, $50 million pact. That dropped Houston's 2025-26 payroll by enough to sign Dorian Finney-Smith — a quality 3-and-D veteran to round out what, after the Kevin Durant blockbuster, looks like a rotation capable of making a serious run at Oklahoma City atop the West. In exchange, VanVleet still got paid — this time with a player option for 2026-27, if he wants to test the market next summer — and gets to stay on the ball with a shot at a second NBA championship. Pretty decent stuff all around. Vincent Goodwill: The Rockets, again, signing Jabari Smith Jr. to a long-term deal. Perhaps it's subtle or maybe not, but they didn't mess around with this kid and risk getting into his head with a critical season coming. He fills so many areas of need and development for the Rockets even with Durant coming in. The continuity, the opening of the wallet without any consternation or delay, signals a franchise that is serious about winning even beyond the bigger moves. I'm in. What's the worst free agent move so far? Jensen: It hasn't happened yet, but I'm already penciling in the Josh Giddey deal here, when that's announced. Until then, I didn't love the Spurs spending $41 million on Luke Kornet, but in particular I disliked the four years he got. It doesn't align with any extension that Victor Wembanyama is likely to sign. And do they really have a major need at backup center, to the point where they had to spend that much? Seemed a bit desperate, and I say that as someone who actually likes Kornet quite a bit. Advertisement Haberstroh: Dennis Schröder to the Kings for three years, $45 million. They moved off of De'Aaron Fox so they could pay Schröder. That's the big plan? Honestly, I'd rather give the keys to Malik Monk and Keon Ellis than Schröder. But the new regime in Sacramento evidently loved what they saw from Schroder in … checks notes … Detroit, Golden State, Brooklyn, Toronto, LA Lakers, Houston and Boston since 2021-22. That's a lot of teams that bailed quickly on Schröder. Goodwill: The Golden State Warriors not freeing Jonathan Kuminga from their clutches. It clearly hasn't worked, he doesn't fit there, they aren't enamored with him (for good reason sometimes), but the hope is that someone steps up with an offer that gets both sides a clean slate. Maybe it's the whopping seven-team deal that, according to my sources, isn't out of the question. Devine: I don't think I hate any of them? I guess I'd say that, in the fullness of history, Sacramento going from having De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton to paying Schröder $45 million through his age-35 season doesn't feel awesome. The Kings did need a point guard, there weren't a ton available, and the reporting suggests they'll absorb Schröder into an existing trade exception to keep their full non-taxpayer midlevel exception available, so it's not like it jams them up horrendously. But flipping Jonas Valančiūnas (a legit good backup center!) for Dario Šarić (not that!) to create the financial flexibility to do it, then signing Drew Eubanks (also not really that!) to back-fill the roster hole, lends it all to a real 'rearranging deck chairs' feeling. What's the most intriguing free agent move so far? Goodwill: Minnesota deciding to not just bring back Naz Reid but also Julius Randle. We all thought it would be one or the other, but the Wolves are banking on continuity and putting big money where their intentions are. Reid at $25 million off the bench? Who cares! Randle not having a sterling conference finals after a stellar two rounds? Pay him because we believe in him. Believing in your system and your players in a league that no longer values continuity warms a cold heart. Advertisement Devine: Let's go with 'The Whole Myles Turner Thing.' I think Milwaukee deciding to pull the biggest waive-and-stretch in NBA history to move on from Damian Lillard so they could sign Turner to replace Brook Lopez's floor spacing and rim protection next to Giannis Antetokounmpo is fascinating. I think the Bucks heading into next season betting that $115 million worth of Giannis, Turner, Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma up front is enough to offset a pretty dire backcourt and keep them competitive in a ravaged East is fascinating. I think the multiple post-mortem reports that Indiana's offer to retain Turner topped out at around three years and $60 million-$70 million are fascinating. Haberstroh: I'll go with Houston trading for KD and signing Clint Capela and Dorian Finney-Smith, while going long with Jabari Smith Jr. and Steven Adams. Did they forget they have an All-Star center in Alperen Şengün? Individually, I really like every move Houston did. But collectively, I'm a little nervous. Intrigued is the right word. Jensen: This is between Tyus Jones (to Orlando) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (to Atlanta) to me. Jones flies under the radar, but he's good. He practically never turns the ball over, he's become a frighteningly good shooter, and he just knows how to run an offense. He fills a huge need for the Magic. As for Alexander-Walker, he too provides the Hawks with something they have a need of: quality two-way play at the wing position. He isn't shot-hungry, so he can easily adapt within an offensive scheme that's tailored around Trae Young and Jalen Johnson. He takes open 3-pointers, and generally plays within his own limitations, while giving his all defensively. He's the type of guy who can play a vital role in leveling up the Hawks. What move would you still like to see happen? Haberstroh: LeBron going back East. Something's up in LakerLand and I suppose there will be fallout in the coming days (weeks?). Given that Cleveland and New York were capped out, it makes some sense that LeBron would opt-in and pressure the Lakers to trade him to his destination of choice with his no-trade clause in hand. The fact that the Knicks hired his former coach Mike Brown, who is reportedly pursuing his longtime associate Phil Handy, simply can't be ignored. Whether it's Cleveland, New York or some other team (Dallas!?), I think LeBron beginning a new chapter elsewhere would be fascinating. Goodwill: Chris Paul to Milwaukee. Exorcise those Giannis demons from the 2021 NBA Finals! Reunite with Doc Rivers one more time to help this franchise keep its head above water and exceed expectations! Doesn't it feel like we're in store for an overachieving season from Rivers? Of course Chris Paul wants to play close to home, so this particular exercise is fantasy. If you really wanna get nuts, send Russell Westbrook and all of his madness to Milwaukee with Giannis! Advertisement Devine: Let's get Chris Paul back to Phoenix. The vibes in the Valley, it's fair to say, have seen better days. Three combo guards does not one point god make; Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Jalen Green could all use somebody to get them easier shots. So, for that matter, could a remade frontcourt rotation of Mark Williams, rookie Khaman Maluach and rising sophomores Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn. Who better to teach them how to screen-and-roll their way into a handful of easy buckets a night than the dude who's been spoon-feeding big men of all stripes for literally two decades? Jensen: Can we get Jonathan Kuminga to a place where he'll have the green light? I just want to see it at this point. He fancies himself a future All-Star, and perhaps he's right. We genuinely have no idea how he'll do in another system. He could be a 25-point scorer on elite efficiency, or he could be pretty much the same player he is now. But in order to find out, we need to see him elsewhere, and preferably on a team that gives him the starting power forward position and tells him to go nuts. Who's winning the offseason so far? Devine: Gimme Atlanta. The Hawks took advantage of the Celtics' misfortune to land Kristaps Porziņġis, then leveraged the Timberwolves' need to pay Naz Reid and Julius Randle to pry away Nickeil Alexander-Walker — adding two huge, high-quality defensive players who can shoot. Advertisement Atlanta will now enter next season with Porziņġis joining Onyeka Okongwu up front, Alexander-Walker joining Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher on the wing, Luke Kennard as an ace marksman/complementary playmaker in the second unit, and first-round pick Asa Newell and Mouhamed Gueye as athleticism-and-energy bigs off the bench. That's an awful lot of size, length, shooting and defensive talent surrounding Trae Young — a group that feels like it could (should?) turn in the first above-average defense of Trae's tenure in Atlanta. The last time the Hawks even approached league-average on that end, they came within two wins of the Finals. Oh, and they also turned the No. 13 pick in the 2025 NBA draft into an unprotected 2026 first-rounder from either the Pelicans or Bucks — whichever lands higher! — in a transaction that sounds like it beggars belief. Not bad for just-promoted general manager Onsi Saleh's first crack at running a team. Haberstroh: Houston. There may be some questions about on-court fit, but the Rockets are big winners from a big-picture standpoint. They added all this talent and still sit in pole position in case the Giannis Antetokounmpo derby begins for real. They have a tantalizing mix of young players, star vets and golden assets. I can't believe they got KD without giving up any of the Phoenix picks they own or Reed Sheppard, my favorite player of the 2024 draft. Brilliant work by Rafael Stone. Advertisement Jensen: The Hawks and Magic are up there for sure, and the Clippers are also doing pretty well, by keeping everyone together, and even adding Brook Lopez. The Rockets need a mention here, with Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela joining the program, although I wonder if they'll consider one more major consolidation move before the season. The Lakers are making some noise with Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia as well, but they could use one more piece before I throw them up there. However, this is Denver's offseason so far. They give up their 2032 pick, yes, but look at their options! Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr, and enough future flexibility to extend Christian Braun. This team finally looks deep again. Goodwill: Atlanta looks like a serious outfit, for the first time in decades if not ever. But let's go with Denver here. Getting off Michael Porter Jr.'s max deal and getting Cam Johnson for almost $20 million less, is a steal and win for the new front office brass. Coming in as a new management group and getting the OK to make a move like that, then bringing back Bruce Brown, trading for Jonas Valaciunas and signing Tim Hardaway Jr. on the vet minimum? That's making fire out of paper towel, to give Nikola Jokić a chance, a reasonable one, to get back to the Finals while still in his prime.
