Latest news with #ConferenceFinals
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Timberwolves rumors: Minnesota's stance amid Kevin Durant's disinterest
The post Timberwolves rumors: Minnesota's stance amid Kevin Durant's disinterest appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Minnesota Timberwolves' stance on a potential Kevin Durant trade has been revealed. The Timberwolves are coming off another successful season that saw them make a second straight Western Conference Finals. Anthony Edwards is improving each passing year and has consistently elevated his play when his team needed it most. As the 23-year-old continues to develop, the front office is trying to surround him with the best supporting cast available while not doing anything drastic. Advertisement The Western Conference will be an absolute gauntlet next year, and the Timberwolves will need to make some upgrades or certain players on the roster improve to make it back to the Conference Finals. One of the trades that has been floated over the past few weeks is Durant to Minnesota. However, the recent reports have been discouraging. The Athletic's Sam Amick and Jon Krawczynski provided clarity on how the Timberwolves and Suns feel about a potential Durant blockbuster. 'The Suns have made it clear to Durant's camp that they need to prioritize the best return for the team in a deal. What's more, they appear focused on landing the kind of impact players who can help now, as opposed to prioritizing draft picks. The Wolves would seem to have options available to offer, with Rudy Gobert or Julius Randle headlining a package that could give the Suns hopes of contending. With the offers from the Spurs, Rockets, and Heat coming up short to this point, league sources say the Suns are still hopeful that Durant might warm to the Timberwolves possibility. The Timberwolves do not want to make a seismic change to a roster that advanced to the Western Conference finals if Durant is not on board with the move, team sources said. The question now is whether there's any chance of Durant coming around to the idea.' The Timberwolves will need to make a decision on Randle soon. There's a decent chance three-time All-Star opts out of his player option in pursuit of a long-term deal. Randle had a slightly uneven regular season but really hit his stride toward the end. The 30-year-old was mostly terrific this postseason run. Gobert has two more years on his current deal before he's up for a player option as well. Advertisement While the four-time Defensive Player of the Year can be a maddening center to watch at times, he is still a very valuable contributor on this roster and has played a significant role in this franchise's ascent. Trading for Durant is ultimately a move the Timberwolves would need to be sure about, since he is set to be a free agent after next season. It's ultimately not worth it for Minnesota to take a Toronto Raptors-Kawhi Leonard type gamble if that significantly mortgages the future. Related: Timberwolves rumors: Kevin Durant has 'no desire' to play for Minnesota Related: Anthony Edwards, Adidas are releasing new football cleats
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Boston Celtics expected to move G-League coach to new role (report)
Maine Celtics coach Tyler Lashbrook is expected to move to a new role within the Celtics organization for next season according to a new report from Michael Scotto of Hoopshype. Lashbrook joined the Celtics organization before the 2023-24 season as a player development coach before being named Maine Celtics coach before last season. He has also spent time with the Philadelphia 76ers during his coaching career before joining Boston. Advertisement Scotto reported last week that the Celtics are expected to name former NBA point guard Phil Pressey as the new coach of the Maine Celtics later this summer with Lashbrook moving to a new role. Pressey has been a player enhancement coach in Boston for two years following the conclusion of his pro career. He played for two seasons in Boston under team president of basketball operations Brad Stevens at the start of his NBA career. Lashbrook led the Maine Celtics to a 21-13 record in G-League play last year with several pro contributors spending time in Maine including Baylor Scheierman, JD Davison and Boston's two-way players. Maine advanced to the Conference Finals in the G-League playoffs before falling to the Osceola Magic on the road. More Celtics content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Timberwolves Refusing To Include Jaden McDaniels In Kevin Durant Trade
Timberwolves Refusing To Include Jaden McDaniels In Kevin Durant Trade originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The Minnesota Timberwolves have made one thing abundantly clear in their pursuit of Kevin Durant: Jaden McDaniels is off the table. According to The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski, the 24-year-old forward is untouchable in any trade talks involving Durant, a stance that highlights just how highly the franchise values his two-way impact and long-term importance alongside Anthony Edwards. Advertisement "The Wolves are not including Jaden McDaniels in any KD trade talks, per team sources, which means that one of Randle or Rudy Gobert would have to be the primary salary eater in the deal. Randle has a $31 million player option for next season. Gobert makes $35 million." "Including either one of them not only helps in the salary matching portion of the deal, but both veterans would be reliable contributors who could help Devin Booker and the Suns compete now. It does not appear that Phoenix wants to tear down and rebuild as part of this trade.: "Randle and Gobert both figured prominently in Minnesota's run to the conference finals last season. Both are floor-raisers for the regular season at a minimum, and both had big moments in the playoffs before struggling in the conference finals against OKC." Durant is on the trade block after a disastrous 36–46 season in Phoenix, and the Timberwolves are one of several serious suitors, joining the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs in the sweepstakes. Advertisement But while Minnesota is eager to land the 36-year-old future Hall of Famer to pair with Edwards, they are unwilling to sacrifice the defensive heartbeat of their team to make it happen. Matching Durant's $54.7 million salary remains the biggest challenge. With McDaniels off limits, the Timberwolves are reportedly looking to build a package centered around Julius Randle or Rudy Gobert, both of whom hold contracts that exceed $30 million for next season. Gobert, who struggled in the Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder but was instrumental in Minnesota's run throughout the year, is the likeliest candidate to be moved. Phoenix, meanwhile, has little interest in a teardown. That makes veterans like Randle or Gobert, both proven floor-raisers and playoff contributors, logical targets to help the Suns remain competitive around Devin Booker. Advertisement Still, the Timberwolves' refusal to include McDaniels is telling. Drafted in the same year as Edwards, McDaniels has grown into one of the league's premier perimeter defenders. His stats may not jump off the page, but his ability to guard multiple positions, contest shots without fouling, and anchor the team's defensive schemes makes him indispensable to Chris Finch's system. He's also just scratching the surface offensively, showing flashes of shot creation and playmaking. The Edwards–McDaniels pairing represents Minnesota's long-term core, and team president Tim Connelly seems intent on keeping it that way. Even for someone as transcendent as Durant, the Wolves are holding firm. But the Wolves are calculating. With McDaniels deemed untouchable and Edwards off-limits, their offer will likely hinge on a combination of Gobert or Randle, salary fillers like Donte DiVincenzo, and multiple first-round picks. Whether that's enough for Phoenix remains to be seen. Advertisement As trade talks accelerate ahead of the July 6 window, one thing is clear: Minnesota wants Durant, but not at the cost of its defensive cornerstone. If the Wolves can pull this off without giving up McDaniels, they could emerge from the West not just as contenders, but as favorites. Related: Former NBA Player Feels Anthony Edwards Would Go "Supernova" With Kevin Durant On The Timberwolves This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘One person can save them' – NHL boob flasher urged to ‘help' Edmonton Oilers beat Florida Panthers in Stanley Cup
THE Edmonton Oilers tied up their tense Stanley Cup finals match-up with the Florida Panthers - and have been urged to bring back their 'good luck charm.' Kait Flynn has gained significant online notoriety in the past year after going viral for her boob-flashing role in the Oilers run in last year's post-season. Advertisement 5 Kait Flynn went viral for flashing her boobs at a game 5 Flynn flashed her chest in front of the crowd and the millions who saw across the internet 5 The viral moment landed her a deal with Playboy 5 NHL boob flasher Flynn enjoyed her newfound fame after going viral before going back to work In last year's playoff run, Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars match in game five . The Oilers fan was spotted celebrating in the stands throughout the game before flashing her chest by lifting her team shirt. Then she began to shake her chest from side-to-side, before dropping her top and turning to face the camera in amusement. the : "We were all going crazy. It wasn't planned or anything - it just kind of happened ." Advertisement She would follow up her newfound fame with a Though not spotted at last season's Final as the Panthers would edge past their Canadian rivals to claim their first ever Holy Grail, the 35-year-old has been urged to appear in this year's edition. The Edmonton club are aiming to end a 32-year Cup drought after coming back in Game 4 overtime to level up proceedings. Fans joked they need her good luck again with Barstool Sports sharing a picture of Kait projected in the sky in the way Batman is summoned. Advertisement Most read in Sport The caption read: "Only one person can save the Oilers." One said: "They need here more than ever bros." A second said: "You know it!" Another added: "Definitely can't hurt." Advertisement Two of the Oilers' next three games will be played at home - maybe she might make a special appearance as the city of Edmonton continues to be enthralled by the Finals. 5 The Edmonton Oilers tied up the Stanley Cup finals series to remain within the conversation of ending the Canadian drought
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ex-NBA Player Makes Bold Claim About Nikola Jokic's Superstar Status
Ex-NBA Player Makes Bold Claim About Nikola Jokic's Superstar Status originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The season came to an unfortunate end for the Denver Nuggets, as they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games in the Western Conference semifinals. Some around the NBA were surprised the Nuggets made it as far as they did, considering they fired head coach Michael Malone just days before the end of the regular season. Advertisement Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic did his best to carry the Nuggets to the Conference Finals, especially with injuries to Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon, but ultimately ran out of gas down the stretch. Mar 8, 2019; Oakland, CA, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) attempts to dribble past Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins (0) in the third quarter at Oracle Arena.© Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Ex-NBA player makes bold claim about Nikola Jokic Former NBA players DeMarcus Cousins and Chandler Parsons were discussing what makes someone a superstar on Run It Back on FanDuelTV, and some Nuggets fans might not agree with Cousins' take. "Obviously, it's the on-court performance. I think that's the No. 1 thing," Cousins said. "Are you marketable? Can the league sell you? Do people like you? Global impact as well. Once you start having that global impact, obviously, you're going to that superstar status. Advertisement "As great as Jokic is, you can't sell him. You can't market him. He's not this great personality. I had the opportunity to be teammates with him. He doesn't care about the spotlight. He doesn't want to be that type of guy." Many might disagree with Cousins regarding this topic, particularly on the fundamental level of what defines a superstar. It's hard not to consider a five-time All-NBA First Team member and three-time Most Valuable Player award winner a superstar. While Jokic might not be hosting his own podcast anytime soon, that shouldn't exclude him from the conversation about superstars. The Nuggets will likely have an interesting offseason as they look to keep their championship window open and surround Jokic with more reliable pieces. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
