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Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
NBA Scout Brutally Rips Into Lakers' LeBron James for Offseason Drama
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. LeBron James has been the talk of the NBA offseason over the last couple of weeks. As his situation with the Los Angeles Lakers continues to develop, things have gotten very strange between the two parties. Some reports have suggested that the Lakers would love to move on from James. Others have stated that James has major issues with Los Angeles. No one knows what the full true story is, but things are not great between the two parties. LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a free throw against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter of Game Four of the First Round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center... LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a free throw against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter of Game Four of the First Round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center on April 27, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. More Photo byEarlier this offseason, James decided to opt in to the final season on his contract with the Lakers. He will be paid over $52.6 million for the 2025-26 campaign. Read more: Report: Lakers May Face Luka Doncic Threat From Western Conference Rival Since he opted in, reports and updates have not stopped coming in. Plenty of trade rumors have surrounded James. Teams have called Los Angeles with potential interest in acquiring the 40-year-old superstar. However, his contract will make any deal difficult to execute. That being said, an NBA scout has now ripped into James for the offseason drama that he has caused. As shared by Sam Amico of Hoops Wire, the scout did not hold back at all when talking about James and how he has been handling things this offseason. "He's too old to be doing this," the scout said. "I admire LeBron the player and the person. But enough is enough, dude. The NBA is soon going to march on without him, very soon. And it will indeed move on and it will flourish. I just think it's time for LeBron to take a backseat to the guys who are the new faces of the league. I think fans are getting sick of hearing about him, especially when it's all just nonsense." Read more: Knicks Linked to Potential Blockbuster Move for New Star James is coming off of a 2024-25 NBA season that saw him continue playing at a high level. He played in 70 games, averaging 24.4 points per game to go along with 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and a steal. James also shot 51.3 percent from the floor and 37.6 percent from the three-point line. Expect to continue hearing reports and rumors surrounding James in the coming days. It's likely that he will play out the upcoming season with the Lakers and then make a decision on playing another year with a different team or retiring. For more on the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James, and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.


Newsweek
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Report: Warriors' Interest in Potential Trade Target Gets Major Update
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Golden State Warriors have not had a very active NBA offseason thus far. While they were considered the front-runner to sign veteran free agent center Al Horford, he still hasn't signed with a new team. It is clear that the Warriors need help at the center position. Kevon Looney signed a two-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans earlier this offseason. Should Horford choose to sign with a different team or retire, Golden State would need to pivot quickly. One potential name that has come up quite often as a possible Warriors' option is Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic. Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Target Center on May... Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Target Center on May 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. More Photo byVucevic has been rumored to be on the trade block over the last couple of years. However, the Bulls have yet to make a move with him. Read more: Knicks Linked to Potential Blockbuster Move for New Star Could Golden State consider pivoting to Vucevic and pursuing a trade for him? A Jonathan Kuminga deal with Chicago could make that happen. While it's an intriguing option, a new update has come out regarding the Warriors' stance on Vucevic. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Golden State does not seem to have any interest in trading for Vucevic. "There's the thought that Nikola Vucevic would be a potential outgoing piece in a sign-and-trade that the Warriors have had some interest there. I don't think the Warriors have much interest in Nikola Vucevic," Fischer said. "I really don't. I'm not so bullish that there will be a sign-and-trade between Kuminga and Chicago that includes Vucevic." At 34 years old, Vucevic's trade value has seemingly been low over the last couple of years. There have been some teams with rumored interest in him, but the fact that a deal hasn't been made shows that the Bulls do not like the return they're being offered. Read more: Shaquille O'Neal Reveals Strong Concern About Lakers During the 2024-25 NBA season with Chicago, Vucevic played in 73 games. He averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, while shooting 53 percent from the floor and 40.2 percent from three-point range. As the offseason moves forward, the Warriors will have a decision to make. Horford has been their clear top target, but if he doesn't choose Golden State then the team will need to get aggressive elsewhere. Even though Vucevic has been viewed as a potential option, it sure doesn't sound like the Warriors want to head that direction. For more on the Golden State Warriors and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.


Newsweek
16 hours ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Report: Celtics Still Considering Two More Offseason Trades
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics have been busy this offseason. Due to the torn Achilles injury suffered by Jayson Tatum and the team's luxury tax situation, the Celtics were forced to trade away two of their main pieces early on in the offseason. First, the team made a big trade with the Portland Trail Blazers to ship out veteran star guard Jrue Holiday. Boston received Anfernee Simons in return as the centerpiece of the deal. After that move, the Celtics made a trade to send Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks. Georges Niang was the main piece received back in that trade. Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics looks on against the Brooklyn Nets in Game One of the First Round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center at Barclays Center on May 22,... Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics looks on against the Brooklyn Nets in Game One of the First Round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center at Barclays Center on May 22, 2021 in New York City. More Photo byWhile those two moves were major changes for the franchise, they might not be done yet. Read more: Report: Celtics Miss Out on Top-Tier Offseason Target According to a report from NBA insider Jake Fischer, Boston is still showing interest in two other potential trades this offseason. "As we discussed, I think the Celtics are still very active in taking trade calls—maybe even making trade calls. There was some conversation last week between Memphis and Boston about something. We're still looking to track down more info on that. But rival teams are definitely still under the impression that Boston is looking for deals involving both Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang," Fischer said. Simons is currently owed over $27.6 million in the final year of his contract. He could be moved to save more financially, but Stevens did speak out recently and talk about the 26-year-old's future and potential fit with the team. "Anfernee is a guy people out here probably don't see as much because of the time that they play," Stevens said. "But his ability to score, to shoot the ball, make really hard shots, is pretty elite. And you look, a guy that's 26 years old and averaged 20 a game for three straight years." Read more: Report: Lakers May Face Luka Doncic Threat From Western Conference Rival As for Niang, he has just one year left on his contract as well worth $8.2 million. Of course, no one truly knows what a team is going to do. The Celtics could very well head into the 2025-26 season with both Simons and Niang on the roster. Expect to continue hearing rumors surrounding Boston. At the very least, the Celtics are a team worth keeping an eye on as a franchise potentially still open for business. For more on the Boston Celtics and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.


Newsweek
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Clear Favorite Emerges In Potential LeBron James Trade
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. It's known that LeBron James will play in 2025 and push off retirement for at least one more season, but where he'll play is still up in the air. The 40-year-old forward has expressed his desire to win one more NBA championship before he calls it a career, and his agent Rich Paul admitted that he and James are watching the Lakers' offseason moves closely to decide whether or not L.A. is the place James feels he can accomplish that goal. "We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future," Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania. "We do want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what's best for him." James exercised his $52.6 million player option for next season, meaning he'll be on the Lakers' roster unless he's traded elsewhere or the two sides agree to buyout that would make him a free agent and free to sign with another team of his choosing. The most-likely scenario, according to Dan Woike and Joe Vardon of The Athletic, is James stays put and the Lakers see how far they can get next season with a core of James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura, plus free-agent additions Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia. More Basketball: Los Angeles Lakers Get Concerning Luka Doncic Update LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter of Game Four of the First Round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center on April... LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter of Game Four of the First Round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center on April 27, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Lakers 116-113 to take a 3-1 series lead. MoreMore Basketball: Caitlin Clark Makes Major WNBA All-Star Game Announcement But if James were to be traded, there's a clear frontrunner to acquire his services. According to DraftKings, the Lakers have the best odds (-550) of being James' team next season, but if he does play elsewhere, the Dallas Mavericks have the next-best odds of being the team James plays for (+300) followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers (+550), Golden State Warriors (+1500), and New York Knicks (+2000). Per ESPN's Dave McMenamin, four teams have recently reached out to Paul to express interest in trading for the four-time NBA champion. Fellow NBA insider Scoop Robinson reported that those four teams are the Cavaliers, Mavericks, Warriors, and Los Angeles Clippers. Though the Cavaliers have been heavily linked to James, a recent report from Hoops Wire indicated they're only interested in a reunion with the 21-time All-Star in a buyout situation. Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.


New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
James Harden won't speak to Joel Embiid anymore after ugly 76ers breakup
Joel Embiid revealed he's had a falling out with James Harden since the pair's days in Philadelphia. In an interview with ESPN, the star 76ers big man said he and Harden, who spent a season-and-a-half alongside Embiid before an ugly breakup with the franchise, are no longer on speaking terms. 'No one knows this, but even James [Harden] is not talking to me,' Embiid told the outlet. 'That's the part I don't like about being 'that guy,' because it puts you in the middle of those situations. Because if you ask James, he probably believes I had something to do with him not being here. And I'm just like, 'I won the scoring title. You won the assists title. We had a pick-and-roll that was unstoppable.' Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts while on the court in the first half of game 4 of the Eastern Conference first round at the Wells Fargo Center, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Philadelphia, PA. 'It hurts when you feel like you haven't done anything wrong. When you think you have a relationship like that with somebody … you lose a lot.' Harden was acquired by the 76ers at the 2022 trade deadline from the Nets for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks. The move put the Sixers in the inner-circle of championship contenders, but the team disappointed in two playoff runs with Embiid and Harden, falling in the semifinal round in back-to-back seasons. Despite early playoff exits, the Embiid-Harden pairing appeared to be a fruitful one, with the former winning the NBA MVP award in his only full season with the future Hall of Famer setting him up to score. Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) warms up prior to game four of round one of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at Intuit Dome. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect After the 2023 playoff run, Harden became disgruntled with the franchise and 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey for the lack of a long-term max contract offer and requested a trade. In August of that year, Harden called Morey 'a liar' and stated that he would 'never be a part of an organization that he's a part of' before he was dealt to the Clippers a few months later. The nasty Philadelphia exit apparently ruined his relationship with Embiid as well.