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USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Report: Rutgers' Ace Bailey cancels visit with Sixers ahead of draft
Report: Rutgers' Ace Bailey cancels visit with Sixers ahead of draft With the 2025 NBA draft just about a week away, now is the time for teams to get down to the nitty gritty and make their final decisions on prospects as they move forward with the process. The Philadelphia 76ers are no different as they continue preparing for the No. 3 pick. The Sixers will, for sure, meet with Duke guard Kon Knueppel. He stated on "The Bill Simmons Podcast" that he has a Zoom meeting set up with the Sixers, but not a workout. Philadelphia has welcomed Baylor's VJ Edgecombe in for a workout, and had one set with Rutgers star Ace Bailey, but that has reportedly been canceled. Per ESPN's Jonathan Givony: Former Rutgers star Ace Bailey has canceled a visit to the Philadelphia 76ers, sources told ESPN. Bailey, the No. 3 prospect on ESPN's big board, was slated to fly to Philadelphia, owners of the No. 3 pick in the draft, Friday, for dinner with the team's front office and a private workout, but elected to cancel on Wednesday, sources told ESPN. With that being said, Bailey is still an option for Philadelphia. Just because he hasn't come in for a workout doesn't mean the Sixers will not outright select him. President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey has never been shy about making big moves and Bailey qualifies as one when considering the immense talent he brings to the table. Morey selected Jared McCain in the 2024 draft and he did not visit Philadelphia for a workout. Givony added: The Sixers have not ruled out selecting Bailey, despite his refusal to visit Philadelphia, sources told ESPN. The team has scouted him extensively throughout the season, as he plays his college basketball at nearby Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey, and interviewed him in Chicago at the NBA Draft Combine. The team will have final discussions on who to select in the coming week and is unlikely to move down in the draft order next Wednesday, sources said. Bailey averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in his freshman season with Rutgers.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Duke's Kon Knueppel confirms he will met with Sixers ahead of draft
Duke's Kon Knueppel confirms he will met with Sixers ahead of draft The Philadelphia 76ers will have plenty of options to turn to with the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. They will have their options of either Rutgers star Ace Bailey or Baylor's VJ Edgecombe as they sit at the top of the draft board, but there are other options as well. For example, Duke guard Kon Knueppel is certainly making a case that he should be selected with the No. 3 pick. He averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 40.6% from deep in his freshman season for the Blue Devils and will be a guy who the Sixers will consider either at No. 3 or even in a trade down scenario. Knueppel hopped on "The Bill Simmons Podcast" and confirmed that he will meet with the Sixers. He added he won't work out for them, but he has a Zoom interview scheduled with them: I have a Zoom with them this week, but I did not work out with them. Knueppel is a strong choice for Philadelphia at No. 3 as he is somebody who can shoot the heck out of the ball, but he can also put the ball on the floor and use his strength to be able to make an impact from the perimeter. There is a lot of questions about his lack of athleticism and things of that nature, but the Sixers would be able to hide him on defense.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bill Simmons Hints Kevin Durant's San Antonio Move Might Already Be Finalized In Secret
Bill Simmons Hints Kevin Durant's San Antonio Move Might Already Be Finalized In Secret originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The NBA offseason has barely begun, but the smoke around Kevin Durant's next destination is already becoming impossible to ignore. Now, it's Bill Simmons fanning the flames and dropping what could be the biggest bombshell of the summer. Advertisement On a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, the veteran NBA analyst revealed he wouldn't be surprised if a trade between the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs involving Kevin Durant is already completed behind the scenes. According to Simmons: 'I wouldn't be surprised if KD to the Spurs is done already and they just haven't announced it. Basically, they've agreed on specifics, just announce it on the week of the draft." "This goes back to the Giannis thing. I think they trade for KD because it just costs less. They'll be able to be real competitive and maybe go a couple of rounds in the playoffs, but they're also going to keep the No. 2 pick and do it that way, which is my prediction.' While Simmons emphasized he has no official 'inside info,' this lines up with recent reporting from NBA insiders who have linked Durant to the Spurs for weeks. The Suns' asking price for Durant, once astronomical, has reportedly dropped significantly, especially since many teams now view Durant as a one-year rental. Advertisement The 36-year-old is entering the final season of his $54.7 million contract in 2025–26, and several teams are reportedly fine acquiring him without a long-term extension in place. San Antonio, however, offers the ideal mix of youth, cap space, draft capital, and a generational centerpiece in Victor Wembanyama. Durant has privately expressed interest in playing with Wembanyama, and per John Gambadoro, someone close to Durant recently discussed the Spurs as a serious landing spot. It's believed there's 'mutual interest' between Durant and the Spurs to form a new Western Conference power. A potential Spurs package for Durant would not include the No. 2 pick, which they intend to use to select a star backcourt partner for Wembanyama, but may feature the No. 14 pick and two key rotation players such as Keldon Johnson and Tre Jones. Advertisement That would allow the Spurs to acquire Durant while still building around a young core of Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle (their projected No. 2 pick), Devin Vassell, and Jeremy Sochan. For Phoenix, shedding Durant would signify a hard reset after the Durant-Booker-Beal trio failed to yield playoff success. With new head coach Jordan Ott at the helm, the Suns may prefer to retool around Booker with more depth and flexibility rather than another top-heavy, injury-prone roster. With the NBA Draft just weeks away, all eyes are now on San Antonio. If Simmons is right and history suggests he often is when it comes to seismic NBA shifts, then Kevin Durant might already be a Spur in everything but name. The official announcement may simply be a matter of timing. And if that's the case, the Wemby-KD era could be the next superteam rising in the West. Related: 4-Team Blockbuster Trade Idea Pairs Kevin Durant With Anthony Edwards This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bill Simmons questions the role Jalen Brunson's dad will play in Knicks' HC search
The post Bill Simmons questions the role Jalen Brunson's dad will play in Knicks' HC search appeared first on ClutchPoints. Following the New York Knicks' surprising decision to fire head coach Tom Thibodeau earlier this week, questions have emerged about the influence of Jalen Brunson's father, Rick Brunson, in the team's search for a new leader on the sidelines. On the latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Bill Simmons highlighted growing speculation around internal dynamics within the Knicks organization and how they may affect the head coaching search. Advertisement 'Knicks coach drama, boy there's been some buzzing, boy there has been some tidbits and things being talked about,' Simmons said. 'Sources are saying stuff. It just seems that Knicks team was a lot more dysfunctional than I think. I heard hints, I heard rumors, but man a little Game Of Thrones over there.' Simmons pointed to an incident earlier in the season when Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo was seen shouting toward the Knicks bench during a game against the Timberwolves. According to Simmons, the confrontation appeared to be directed at Rick Brunson, raising questions about his role and authority on the coaching staff. 'So Jalen Brunson's dad is one of the coaches of the team and worked with Thibs for a long time and Donte DiVincenzo was yelling at him for some reason and seemed like he had felt betrayed by him,' Simmons continued. 'And there's always rumors that he had an outsized voice with Leon and those dudes. If you're the next coach, do you want your own staff or do you want to inherit this staff that felt like it got a little Game Of Thrones down the stretch there?' Rick Brunson's role adds complexity to Knicks' coaching search after Tom Thibodeau's firing © Brad Penner-Imagn Images ESPN's Zach Lowe also addressed the situation on the podcast, noting the general surprise across the league regarding Thibodeau's dismissal. Advertisement 'When you talk to people around the league, there's a lot of skepticism that there would be a change made because he is Jalen Brunson's father,' Lowe said. Simmons added, 'I think skepticism is underrating it. I think people think he will be on the bench.' Rick Brunson's presence within the Knicks' coaching staff and his long-standing connection to Thibodeau made the firing even more unexpected. The two coaches shared a relationship that dated back decades, making it seem likely that their partnership would continue, especially after a successful season that ended with the Knicks reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Complicating matters further is Leon Rose's connection to the Brunson family. Rose, the team's president, previously served as Rick Brunson's agent during his playing days and is also Jalen Brunson's godfather. The overlapping relationships contributed to the assumption that Thibodeau's job was safe following the Knicks' deep postseason run. Advertisement Having a player's parent on the coaching staff is a rarity at the NBA level, more often associated with college or high school programs. As the Knicks begin their search for a new head coach, the extent of Rick Brunson's influence — both in the front office and potentially over the incoming staff — remains a central storyline. Related: Knicks rumors: How player input factored into New York's decision to fire Tom Thibodeau Related: NBA rumors: Knicks expected to make Jason Kidd request after Tom Thibodeau firing
New York Post
09-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Bill Simmons thinks a Kevin Durant blockbuster trade could be ‘done already'
Could Kevin Durant's next basketball home already be a done deal? Bill Simmons thinks so. 'I wouldn't be surprised if KD to the Spurs is done already and they just haven't announced it,' Simmons said on Monday's episode of his self-titled podcast. 'Like they've agreed on the specifics and they'll just announce it the week of the draft.' 4 Bill Simmons believes that a Kevin Durant trade could already be a done deal. The Bill Simmons Podcast While Simmons said he doesn't have any real 'inside info,' Durant and the Suns have been working together to find a landing spot for next season — and the Spurs have been one of the teams atop the list of those interested. San Antonio has also been rumored to be pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo, though the soon-to-be 37-year-old Durant entering the final year of his contract would certainly be a less steep price for the Spurs to pay in a trade. 4 Kevin Durant is more than likely heading out of Phoenix this offseason. Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images 'It goes back to the Giannis thing, I think they're just gonna trade for KD,' Simmons added. 'It'll cost a lot less, they'll be able to be really competitive, go a couple rounds in the playoffs but they're also gonna keep the No. 2 pick and do it that way.' The Spurs' top assets in a trade (aside from the untouchable Victor Wembanyama) would widely be considered to be this 2024-25 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and the No. 2 overall draft pick — which is likely to be Rutgers guard Dylan Harper. 4 Victor Wembanyama missed most of last season with a blood clot. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post San Antonio also owns the No. 14 pick and plenty of other young pieces. While trading for Antetokounmpo would mean certainly parting ways with most of the assets the Spurs own aside from Wembanyama, acquiring Durant could look like a package of Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and the 14th pick. Durant is entering the final year of his contract and will make about $55 million this season. With his age and no guarantee of him re-signing, a Vassell/Johnson/No. 14 deal could very well do the trick. The Washington D.C. native played his college basketball at Texas — so a move to San Antonio would be a bit of a reunion. 4 Keldon Johnson, Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell could all be potential targets for teams trading with the Spurs. NBAE via Getty Images If the Spurs are truly set to land Durant, they'd be pairing him with an already strong core of Wembanyama, Castle, De'Aaron Fox and (likely) Harper. The Rockets and Timberwolves are the other main teams to keep an eye out for in the Durant sweepstakes.
