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Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Raptors rumors: Brian Windhorst hints at possible ‘big fish' trade
The post Raptors rumors: Brian Windhorst hints at possible 'big fish' trade appeared first on ClutchPoints. With the basketball world coming up with possible trades involving the Toronto Raptors and Giannis Antetokounmpo, some people wonder what the offseason plans are for the team. While the Raptors are headed into a crucial offseason, ESPN's NBA insider Brian Windhorst hinted that it could be an exciting summer for the franchise. Advertisement Led by team president Masai Ujiri, he and the team will look to vastly improve the roster after finishing with a 30-52 record, which put them 11th in the Eastern Conference. Windhorst would say on 'The Hoop Collective' show that the team has begun to 'make noise within the league about looking for a big fish.' 'I don't want to get too far afield from this, but since this has come up, the Raptors are a team that is starting to make noise within the league about looking for a big fish,' Windhorst said. 'If you're an Eastern Conference team that's in the middle of the pack, you're looking at the teams in front of you going, 'Some of them may not be able to come together, may be able to stay together.' 'Boston is hurt, and so there are some teams that sniff the ability to make a move, and I think Toronto is one of those teams,' Windhorst continued. 'And so naturally, any team that wants to make a move this summer, especially a team in the Eastern Conference, you're going to have Giannis on the board.' Raptors could be a part of an 'explosive summer' in the NBA offseason Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images As the Raptors' vision seems unclear at the moment, Windhorst says that he has heard around NBA circles that the team is expected to make their names known around big players that could be available. The biggest name seems to be Antetokounmpo, but he has not officially requested a trade, but even Windhorst said that this offseason could make for an 'explosive summer' with Toronto being one of the teams included in that. Advertisement 'But Toronto, I think, is going to try—from their initial conversations, teams in the league are getting the impression that Toronto is going to try to do something,' Windhorst said. 'I had an executive tell me yesterday that he thinks this could be—could be, could be—an explosive summer. You know, just as Shams [Charania] said the other day, but like, this—you know, this is the whole league.' 'People are saying that this—the amount of activity and calls happening in the league right now is at a much higher volume than has been in years past,' Windhorst continued. 'I know it does not mean it's going to happen, but Toronto is one of those teams that is sitting there on the balls of its feet, which is interesting.' Whomever they try to get, one imagines that the goal is to pair alongside Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, though the latter has experienced an immense amount of bad injury luck.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Team Without Playoff Win Since 2021 Labeled Cooper Flagg's Ideal Home
The NBA's worst-kept secret these days is that Duke star Cooper Flagg could be the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft in June. The only question now, of course, is where he will land. The annual NBA draft lottery is set on Monday, with the Utah Jazz, the Washington Wizards and the Charlotte Hornets all having a 14% chance to earn the top overall selection. Advertisement The 18-year-old Flagg remains on top in almost every single mock draft, as many observers view him as the most NBA-ready among the talented young prospects. While Flagg could make an immediate impact for any squad, ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst explained the perfect situation for Flagg. Duke forward Cooper Flagg shoots the ball against Deutsch-Imagn Images "The team where I think Cooper Flagg might have a remarkable lane would be if Washington wins (the lottery) because that's a franchise that has been in the wilderness for a long time and is basically a dead market right now," said Windhorst on "The Hoop Collective" podcast. "If he goes there, he has the potential to create (something)." Advertisement His co-host, fellow ESPN reporter Tim Bontemps, mentioned the Brooklyn Nets as another good destination for Flagg. Windhorst, however, disagreed. "The Nets' karma is not really on their side," added the veteran reporter. "The Wizards haven't had anything happen for them for decades." Washington hasn't been to the playoffs in four straight seasons. The team's last postseason win came in 2021 in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Wizards lost the series, 4-1. They haven't moved past the opening round since 2017. Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks in his one-and-done stint with the Blue Devils, leading them to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament. Advertisement If he ends up in Washington, he would team up with Jordan Poole, Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly and form a very young core. Related: Ex-NBA Star Doesn't Hold Back on Cooper Flagg Amid Rumors: 'I Got News For You' Related: Former NBA Rookie of the Year Gets Roasted Over Wizards Take
Sky News AU
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Sky News AU
NBA reporter slams Draymond Green after Warriors star's 'angry Black man' comments
NBA reporters shared their blunt reactions to Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green's plea to the media to stop painting him to be an "angry Black man" after Game 2 of the team's NBA playoffs series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Green made his comments in the locker room. He picked up what was his fifth technical foul of the playoffs. He said there was an "agenda" to portray him as an "angry Black man." ESPN reporter Tim McMahon made pointed comments on an episode of "The Hoop Collective" after Game 2 was finished. "Oh, God. You know what? Go away, Draymond. Shut up, dude. Do not play victim here. Don't play the victim here. Stop doing flagrant stuff. We're sick of it. We're sick of you doing stupid, flagrant crap on a regular basis. It's not an agenda, Draymond," McMahon said. "You get break after break after break after break, and you keep on pushing the line. "It was not an agenda to make you look angry when you punched your teammate in the face. It was not an agenda to make you look angry when you grabbed Rudy Gobert and put him in a sleeper hold. It was not an agenda to make you look angry when you punched or smacked, or whatever you want to call it, Jusuf Nurkic upside the head." McMahon also pushed back on the notion that Green had leaned into counseling off the floor. "Draymond is full of crap. He's just so full of crap that his breath stinks. Like what are we talking about here, dude? Please," he added. Green was hit with the technical foul in the second quarter of Game 2. "I'm not an angry Black man. I am a very successful, educated Black man with a great family, and I am great at basketball and great at what I do," he said after the game. "The agenda to try to keep making me look like an angry Black man is crazy. I'm sick of it. It's ridiculous." He had two points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals in the Game 3 loss. He fouled out with 4:38 in the game. Green has a long history of flagrant and technical fouls in the NBA. He put Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold during the 2023-24 season. In the same season, he swung and hit Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face. He punched Jordan Poole in a Warriors practice in 2022. He was suspended for Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron James engineered a comeback to win the championship. Originally published as NBA reporter slams Draymond Green after Warriors star's 'angry Black man' comments
USA Today
06-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NBA writer proposes trade that would give Lakers the center they need
NBA writer proposes trade that would give Lakers the center they need The Los Angeles Lakers' biggest roster need this offseason is obviously a starting-level center. Their lack of such a player was never more evident than it was during their loss in the first round of the NBA playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who manhandled them inside and outrebounded them badly. The Lakers lost the series in five games, and general manager Rob Pelinka readily admitted their need for an upgrade at the 5 spot afterward. There will surely be plenty of rumors and proposals over the next several weeks as far as what they may do to address this deficiency. Veteran NBA reporter Tim MacMahon suggested on the "The Hoop Collective" podcast that the franchise team up with a friendly general manager who already gave them a huge gift three months ago by proposing that it acquire Daniel Gafford from the Dallas Mavericks. 'Let me throw one at you. This is pure hypothetical, me trying to be GM, figure out things that might make sense,' MacMahon said. 'The Mavericks quietly sniffed around the value of Daniel Gafford before this deadline. It certainly would make sense for them to do that this summer.' The Mavs and executive Nico Harrison obviously sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles at a low price, and Harrison has a friendship with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka that goes back many years. MacMahon's reasoning from the Mavs' perspective is that they will not be able to keep all of their key big men. 'Dereck Lively is a year away from getting an extension, Daniel Gafford is entering the final year of his contract, Gafford reasonably and rightly wants to get starting center money,' MacMahon explained. 'You can't have AD (Anthony Davis) on a max, Lively on a big contract and pay Gafford starting center money.' The reporter then proposed what type of package the Lakers could send to Dallas for Gafford. 'I could at least put something together that would at least be intriguing for the Mavericks. 'Rui [Hachimura], all those picks that they've got to give up, a swap or two, I can put something together to make sense to both sides.' Gafford would be a very solid get for Los Angeles. At 6-foot-10, he isn't the tallest center around, but he weighs 265 pounds and is a true shot-blocker. This season, he averaged 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 21.5 minutes a game. He shot an incredible 70.2% from the field, mostly because 69% of his field-goal attempts came from within three feet of the basket. But he had 113 dunks in 57 games and is the type of lob threat and rim runner who the Lakers need in the middle offensively. Of course, Gafford spent some time playing with Doncic, so the two already have a bit of chemistry together. He will make just under $14.4 million next season, so it shouldn't cost a lot of trade capital to get him, and at age 26, he could be a member of the Lakers for years to come.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
ESPN reporter hints at drama between ‘turned off' Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks in Luka Doncic fallout
Dirk Nowitzki; Nico Harrison; Luka Doncic The fallout from Mavericks GM Nico Harrison's decision to trade away superstar Luka Doncic has created a rift with franchise legend Dirk Nowitzki, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. During an appearance on ESPN's 'The Hoop Collective' podcast on Wednesday, MacMahon explained that Nowitzki, as well as Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban, are distancing themselves from the organization following Harrison's comments at the invite-only media roundtable held Tuesday in Dallas . Advertisement 'First of all, Dirk is completely turned off by this franchise,' MacMahon, who attended the press conference, said. '… I asked, 'Hey, why not seek Dirk's input? Why not seek [Mark] Cuban's input? Dirk Nowitzki attends day four of the 2025 Dallas Open at The Ford Center at The Star on February 6, 2025 in Frisco, Texas. Getty Images 'He basically said, 'If they're not in the building, they don't know what's going on.' 'Stay tuned for the reason Dirk's not in the building and the reason Cuban's not in the building. Because Nico made sure he got his butt kicked out of basketball operations once that trade went through.' Cuban sold a majority stake in the Mavericks in Nov. 2023. Last June, MacMahon reported that Cuban no longer had control of basketball operations and that his role was diminished. Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a basket during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at Arena on April 11, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images Cuban, who has a close relationship with Doncic and Nowitzki, is a regular at Mavericks games. Advertisement Nowitzki recently attended the Mavericks-Lakers game — Doncic's first game in Dallas since the trade — on April 9. The Lakers beat the Mavericks 112-97. Disgruntled Mavericks fans have publicly expressed their disappointment in Harrison's decision to trade away All-NBA guard Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis in February. It came just one season after Doncic led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals and was playing at a MVP level. Nico Harrison, center rear, the Dallas Mavericks general manager watches the team play against the Toronto Raptors in the second half of a game in Dallas, Friday, April 11, 2025. AP A sign on a truck near American Airlines Center said to fire general manager Nico Harrison or sell the team before a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. AP Following the blockbuster, which Doncic and Davis said they were blindsided by, Mavericks fans booed Harrison at games and petitioned for him to be fired. 'This thing is dark in Dallas and it's only going to get worse,' MacMahon said. Advertisement During Tuesday's press conference, Harrison reiterated his stance that defense wins championships and said he has no regrets about the Doncic trade. 'My obligation is to the Dallas Mavericks, it's what's the best interest of the Dallas Mavericks, and that's the most important thing,' Harrison said. 'Some of those decisions are going to be unpopular maybe to Dirk and maybe to the fans, but my obligation is to the Dallas Mavericks.' Taking to X, Cuban defended Nowitzki and the Mavericks' fan base ahead of the team's NBA play-in tournament game against the Kings on Wednesday. Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban looks on during the second half against the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Center on April 11, 2025. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect 'Dirk is the Dallas Mavericks,' Cuban wrote. 'Then, now and forever. No one should ever forget that. That statue will be here forever. Loyalty never fades away. Advertisement '… I am a Mavs fan. I will always love and cheer for everyone who puts on our uniform. Tomorrow night and how ever many games we have left this season and in every future season, whether I'm in the stands, in front of the TV, or following every play online, my heart and soul is committed to rooting for the Mavs to win. 'That will never change. I know fans are upset. But don't be upset at the players. Support them. Root for them. Rally behind them.' Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki of Germany holds a key to the city after receiving it from Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings at halftime during a game against the Nets at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, in November 21, 2018. EPA The Mavericks will play the Grizzlies in Memphis on Friday for a spot in the playoffs after Dallas beat the Kings, 120-106.
