The Cavs have $190 million committed to five players — the core four of Mitchell, Mobley, Allen and Darius Garland, plus Jaylon Tyson — in 2027-28 on a projected second apron of $251.4 million. By then, all complementary players such as Hunter, Max Strus, Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro will no longer be under contract. Should the Cavs fight to retain their four biggest players, they will effectively need to rebuild the entire roster around them. That’s where scouting and development become so crucial.
February 21, 2025 | 5:37 am EST Update
Lonnie Walker IV agreed to a two-year, $3 million deal to play for the Sixers on Tuesday after buying out of his contract with Lithuania’s Basketball Club Žalgiris. However, the Reading native, who played AAU basketball for Delaware County-based Team Final, has yet to join the team.
The Sixers are signing third-year wing David Roddy to a two-way contract following the expiration of his 10-day contract, a source told PhillyVoice on Thursday night.
First Take: . @WindhorstESPN says the pressure is on the Lakers between now and August 2nd “to get Luka to sign that extension.” “He never said, ‘I want to be a Laker.’ … He’s gotta see how they build this team around him.”
“I think everybody was surprised, because I’ve been around Bobby, and I know he’s not a guy that ever takes any illegal substance,” said Giannis Antetokounmpo. “Had the opportunity to talk with the team and coaching staff, and they explained to me – and also Bobby, that it was an honest mistake. “Sometimes you’re in that position. You have people around you that you trust blindly, and they might want the best for you, but they can make a mistake. So he made a mistake, and I think he understands that. And I believe, because I know Bobby, that he feels, probably that he’s letting the team down. And, he probably, maybe, he might be embarrassed.”
“Because at the end of the day, there’s a banned list, which gets updated every single year,” said Antetokounmpo. “And things that (weren’t) banned last year are banned this year. So you just got to be very, very aware of things that you consume. We are professional athletes, so we have to take that serious. “We love Bobby. Can’t wait for him to come back with the team and get the ball rolling again.”
Bobby Portis failed drug test around Thanksgiving
A source told the Journal Sentinel that Portis failed the drug test around Thanksgiving, and coach Doc Rivers said on Thursday that the issue had been on his radar for awhile.
Officials for the NBA may have privately felt empathy for Portis’ situation, but they were not willing to make an exception to his 25-game suspension by taking Portis’ word for it that it was a mistake.
Duane Rankin: “It’s kind of the normal course of the game.” Mike Budenholzer on his interaction with Kevin Durant during Suns loss to Spurs. On Durant coming out during 1st quarter and Devin Booker playing entire 1st and Booker coming out during 3rd and Durant playing entire 3rd: “He’s never happy when he comes out. That’s the beauty of Kevin Durant. I think he would play 48 minutes if you let him and he and Book, probably one of them is going to play the whole first quarter and one of them has to come out. Neither one is very happy about it but that’s what makes them great.” #Suns
Austin Reaves on LeBron James: 'He really doesn’t have anything else to prove. And if people say he does, then they’re Jordan fans'
Dave McMenamin: Austin Reaves on LeBron James’ 40 point game tonight on the 2nd night of a back-to-back at 40 years old: “He really doesn’t have anything else to prove. And if people say he does, then they’re Jordan fans”
LeBron shot 4-for-8 from three and 14-for-24 overall, but it was his all-around contribution that kept the Lakers in the game. Lakers coach Redick couldn’t help but praise the 40-year-old superstar. “He’s a billionaire and he’s playing on the second night of a back-to-back at 40 after 22 years with every freaking record and accolade,” Redick added. “And the kids will say I’m glazing him. He’s one of the greatest competitors.”