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NBC Sports
an hour ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
NBA Trade Rumors Roundup: Latest Kevin Durant trade rumors, Lakers search for center, more
With the NBA Finals going seven games, don't bet on a resolution to the Kevin Durant trade circus before Monday — the league does not want a trade upstaging Game 7. Not that a deal was imminent anyway, but with the NBA Draft on Wednesday, it's becoming a small window. Let's get into the latest trade buzz, starting with the latest on Durant. Kevin Durant trade latest Let's break down all the KD news via bullet points. • 'Game of Chicken' between Suns, Durant suitors. The Phoenix Suns are not going to trade Durant away for a lowball offer. They know they aren't going to get back what they gave up to get him, but they still expect a quality return. The teams Durant wants to go to — the Rockets, Heat, and Spurs — have yet to meet that threshold. ESPN's Shams Charania summed it up well as a 'game of chicken.' 'I had one team tell me today it's kinda a game of chicken at this point. From the Houston Rockets to the Miami Heat to the Minnesota Timberwolves, it's literally one or two pieces away, either which way, that can get a deal done. ... My understanding is they are in talks with those three teams specifically.' Along the same lines, the Rockets are betting that the price the Suns are asking for Durant will drop, reports ESPN's Brian Windhorst. This is how negotiations work. The question is, who blinks? Or does something else change that breaks the deadlock? • Does Durant want Timberwolves? Minnesota is one of those teams mentioned to be in talks with Phoenix, but it's not one of the teams on Durant's original list of preferred landing spots. Therein lies the conflict in getting a deal done, report Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. "[The Timberwolves] are said to be reluctant to go ahead with a trade unless they know Durant would embrace it.' By all accounts, Durant has no interest in the Timberwolves. Would Minnesota follow the path Toronto did with Kawhi Leonard and roll the dice on trading for him and hope he stays (Leonard didn't)? Minnesota seems unlikely to take that risk, considering their roster has made the Western Conference Finals consecutive years, but nothing is settled. • Grizzlies not pursuing Durant. Memphis landed four first-round picks in the Desmond Bane trade, which led to some speculation that they might try to flip those and insert themselves into the Durant sweepstakes. That's not happening, reports Fischer and Stein, which seems somewhat obvious. I feel like the Grizzlies saying they are not in the running for Durant is a lot like me saying I am taking myself out of the running to date Sabrina Carpenter. Still, the rumor persisted. Along those same lines, forget the rumors that the Grizzlies are going to trade Ja Morant or Jaren Jackson Jr. and rebuild. As previously reported here, league sources shot that idea down to NBC Sports. Or, take Morant's word for it. talkin bout the grizz more than the finals😂 wit these 🧢 ahh sources DeRozan becomes Durant fallback? There will be losers in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, and Stein and Fischer suggested that some of those teams could turn their attention to Sacramento's DeMar DeRozan, who is considered available. DeRozan will be 36 next season, but is still a midrange assassin who averaged 22.2 points and 4.4 assists per game last season. If the Kings trade DeRozan in the coming days, it will likely be for a draft pick (and matching salary). They do not currently have a first-round pick, but are reportedly seeking one. Lakers talking to teams about centers The Buss family selling the Lakers: Surprise. The Lakers are reaching out to other teams about their centers: Opposite of a surprise. The worst-kept secret in the league is the Lakers looking for a rim-running center, so it's no surprise that Anthony Irwin of Clutch Points reports the Lakers have reached out to the Nets about Nic Claxton, the Jazz about Walker Kessler, and the Trail Blazers about Robert Williams III. All three of them have been linked to the Lakers in the past and are rumored to be available — as is another Lakers' target (and the best fit of that group), Daniel Gafford of Dallas — but because everyone knows the Lakers need a five other GMs are going to ask for the moon. Expect this to take some time to play out. The Lakers can keep the idea of signing Clint Capela or Brook Lopez to the taxpayer midlevel exception in their back pocket, but they should aim higher. 76ers want to move up from No. 3 pick in draft A report came out this week that the 76ers plan to run it back next season with Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey, betting on better health. Of course they are, they don't have another choice. They are not going to trade the young Maxey. George is close to untradeable, considering his contract and his play last season, and the market for Embiid would not be what they hope for, either. Daryl Morey is also hoping he could move up one spot — from No. 3 to No. 2 in the draft, reports Marc Stein. That rumor has been circulating for a while, but it would take something very enticing to persuade the Spurs to part with the second pick and Dylan Harper, and the 76ers don't have that on their roster. Whatever happens with the No. 3 pick, don't expect it to be Ace Bailey, who is falling down draft boards around the league and cancelled a workout with Philadelphia. Bucks to be aggressive in upgrading roster The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talk has tied down, and what Antetokounmpo told Brazilian publication Coast to Coast only seems to confirm that (translation by Eurohoops). 'The Finals are different, I hope to be back soon with the Bucks.' The Bucks were not close to making the Finals this season, and it's hard to picture how that changes next season with Damian Lillard out for most of it due to a torn Achilles. Still, they're going to try, reports Bobby Marks at ESPN. 'Sources confirmed to ESPN that Milwaukee will be aggressively exploring options in free agency and trades to complement Antetokounmpo.' The Bucks have the money to use the full $14.1 million midlevel exception, but they don't have much cap room if they plan to re-sign backup center Bobby Portis (and with Brook Lopez a free agent, they are expected to). Milwaukee can try to find a trade for Kyle Kuzma, but the return there would not be great. That said, look for the Bucks to try and do something, they need to show Antetokounmpo they are trying.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Report: Suns Trying to Direct Kevin Durant Toward One Possible 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. Over the last couple of weeks, the NBA rumor mill has been on fire with news and speculation surrounding Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant. At this point, it seems to be a foregone conclusion that Durant will be playing elsewhere during the 2025-26 season. While there is a chance that could change, the Suns seem motivated to trade Durant and the 36-year-old superstar seems to want a new place to play. With that being said, Phoenix will still need to find a trade that it likes and Durant will need to be willing to play with and stay with that team. Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns looks on in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Arena on March 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns looks on in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Arena on March 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Photo byCurrently, the most likely destinations that Durant would like to play for are the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs. However, the Suns are not liking the trade offers they're receiving from those teams. Read more: Spurs Linked as Suitor for Blockbuster Trade With Celtics There is one team that Phoenix does seem interested in working with. That team is none other than the Minnesota Timberwolves, but there is one problem. Durant has been very clear that he's not interested in playing for the Timberwolves. Despite his lack of current interest in Minnesota, the Suns are reportedly trying to direct him towards having interest in playing for the Timberwolves. Minnesota has been in the Western Conference Finals in each of the last two years. According to a report from NBA insider Sam Amick, Phoenix would like Durant to open up to a trade to the Timberwolves. "(They Suns) clearly don't like what they're hearing from San Antonio, Houston and Miami. Kevin has made it clear in different conversations that, at times anyway, that he was really focused on the Spurs. They're not showing a ton of incentive to get a deal done," Amick said. "Phase two, to me, of these talks is that the Suns clearly like what they could possibly get out of Minnesota, but the Wolves are not gonna play that game at all unless they are confident that Kevin wants to come. Phoenix is almost trying to nudge him in that direction. ... I still feel like we're a little ways away." Read more: Pacers' TJ McConnell Makes Massive NBA Finals History Durant would be a huge step towards contention for any team that acquires him. He's still one of the best scorers in the NBA. During the 2024-25 season with the Suns, he averaged 26.6 points, six rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game, while shooting 52.7 percent overall and 43 percent from three-point range. It will be interesting to see what the coming days and possibly weeks have in store when it comes to Durant. For now, the talks are ongoing with no clear direction. For more on the Phoenix Suns, Kevin Durant, and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
7 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
NBC Sports
9 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers Game 7: TV/stream info, date, time for 2025 NBA Finals
A new NBA champion will be crowned this Sunday, June 22, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder go head-to-head with Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center. It all comes down to Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. Tip-off is at 8:00 PM ET on ABC. RELATED: Resiliant Pacers will not go away, force Game 7 after 108-91 Game 6 win vs. Thunder The Indiana Pacers forced Game 7 with an aggressive 108-91 win on home court on Thursday night. Obi Toppin led the way for Indiana with 20 points, Andrew Nembhard added 17, and Pascal Siakam scored 16 points with a team-high 13 rebounds. Haliburton, playing through a strained calf injury, contributed 14 points. 'We did our job to take care of home court and we've got to be ready to compete in Game 7,' said Haliburton. The Pacers' defense forced 21 Thunder turnovers, including 8 from Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting. 'It was collective. It wasn't one guy. We were not where we needed to be on either end of the floor for much of the game. We have to be a lot better before Game 7,' said Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. 'The way I see it is, we sucked [in Game 6]. We can learn our lessons. We have one game for everything — for everything we've worked for — and so do they,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'The better team Sunday will win.' RELATED: Pacers, Thunder players feel weight of Game 7: 'One game for everything you ever dreamed of' Kurt Helin, How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers Game 7: Date: Sunday, June 22 Time: 8:00 PM ET Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma TV Channel: ABC When is Game 7 of the NBA Finals? Sunday, June 22, at 8:00 PM ET on ABC. What channel is the Thunder vs Pacers game on? The Thunder vs Pacers series will take place on ABC. Thunder vs Pacers Series Scores and Schedule: *All times listed are ET Game 1: Pacers 111, Thunder 110 Game 2: Thunder 123, Pacers 107 Game 3: Pacers 116, Thunder 107 Game 4: Thunder 111, Pacers 104 Game 5: Thunder 120, Pacers 109 Game 6: Pacers 108, Thunder 91 Game 7: Pacers at Thunder - Sun, June 22, 8 PM on ABC Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for each game of the Thunder vs Pacers series! Oklahoma City Thunder's Path to the NBA Finals: The Thunder are seeking their first NBA title since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008. The last time the franchise reached the Finals was in 2012, dropping their series against LeBron James' Miami Heat in 5. Here is how they advanced to the NBA Finals: Oklahoma City swept the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies in the First Round, eliminated the No. 4 Denver Nuggets in 7 in the Conference Semifinals, and defeated the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves in 5 in the Western Conference Finals. RELATED: Times, they are a changin' - Thunder vs. Pacers Finals highlights generational change sweeping NBA Indiana Pacers' Path to the NBA Finals: The Indiana Pacers are seeking their first NBA title. The team's last Finals appearance was in 2000, when they lost to the Lakers in 6. Here is the team's path to the Finals: Indiana eliminated the No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks and the No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers in 5 games, before knocking out the No. 6 New York Knicks in 6 to advance to the Finals. Head to for the latest news, updates, and storylines!
USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Laker Vlade Divac got injured after falling off motorcycle
Former Laker Vlade Divac got injured after falling off motorcycle From 1989 to 1996, Vlade Divac was a fairly productive center for the Los Angeles Lakers. They drafted him in the first round of the 1989 draft following the retirement of legendary center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and he became a serviceable player for them as they rebuilt during the 1990s. He returned to the team for one more go-around in 2004. However, a back injury limited him to 15 games that season, and he called it quits shortly afterward. On Thursday, Divac, who is 57 years of age, reportedly broke his hip in a motorcycle incident. Via ESPN: "Former NBA center Vlade Divac underwent emergency surgery after breaking a hip in a fall from his motorcycle in Montenegro, doctors said Friday. "The accident happened Thursday on a road near the Montenegrin Adriatic Sea coast. Hospital officials said Divac sustained a fracture and that an artificial hip was implanted." Luckily, the 7-foot-1 Serbian is said to be doing OK. "During the day, a surgical procedure was performed," said Ljubica Mitrovic, a spokeswoman of the hospital in the town of Risan. "He is in a stable general and physical condition and is under a careful supervision of the medical staff." Divac was one of the first serviceable European players to enter the NBA. He was somewhat ahead of his time as far as his skills, as he could not only score out of the low post but also pass the ball effectively, hit perimeter jumpers and even handle the ball and run the fast break. He was so versatile that, at the time, some felt his natural position was forward. But he continued to play at the 5 and finished with career averages of 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 blocks a game. The Lakers traded him for the draft rights to a 17-year-old Philadelphia-area native named Kobe Bryant in 1996. Ironically, that trade almost came back to bite them, as Divac went on to become a pivotal member of those free-wheeling Sacramento Kings teams of the early 2000s that came within a fingernail of defeating L.A. in the 2002 Western Conference Finals. Following his retirement, he accepted a job with the Lakers as a liaison to help them scout players in Europe. He was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
