What might LeBron James do next? He has plenty of options for next season and beyond

LeBron James has options.

He could stay with the Los Angeles Lakers. He could decide to join another team. He could even retire and end the longest career in NBA history. He knows all this.

He just doesn't know the answer.

“I don't know what the future holds for me, obviously,” James said.

His 23rd season ended Monday night when the Lakers were eliminated by the Oklahoma City Thunder. At 41, James likely doesn't have many years left to play — if any. And now he'll start the process of figuring out what he wants to do, what his family wants him to do and what's best for all parties involved.

Dwyane Wade, James' longtime friend and former teammate, was on the Amazon Prime broadcast of Game 4 of the Thunder-Lakers series as an analyst. And when the conversation turned to what James is going to do, he had some thoughts.

“That’s the question," Wade said. "And I think if we all know LeBron James, he’s going to take some time off and go drink some wine, go yacht a little bit around the world. He’s going to spend some time with his family. He’s going to sit down and try to make the best decision for the James family at the end of the day.

“And then from there, you've got to look at the picture of the Lakers," Wade continued. "LeBron, Year 24 coming back next year if he does, he wants to play for something. So, are they in a position that he can play for something and compete for something?”

Salary will be another issue. He made nearly $53 million this season. He could command somewhere around $60 million next season if he wanted. If he gives a team a discount to preserve flexibility, he could certainly afford to do so.

Wade doesn't seem to think that's likely.

“History shows that Mr. James ain’t taking a lot of discounts, right? I don’t think no one knows," Wade said. “I think one of the things that him and his entire team have been great at is they hold their cards close to their chest. Decisions are made by LeBron, and they all respect it. And they wait on him to decide what he wants to do.”

A look at some of what James' next moves could be (and for purposes of this exercise, the realities of the salary cap, the aprons, tax ramifications and whatever James will command in salary if he decides to keep playing do not apply):
Retirement
This one doesn't seem likely even though James posted the lowest scoring average of his career — 20.933 points per game, down a teeny-tiny sliver from his 20.937 average as a rookie. Another made free throw this season would have been enough to keep this season's average from being his worst.

The pessimists, or the anti-LeBron crowd, can say — accurately — that his numbers are declining. They are. He averaged 30.3 points in 2021-22, and his per-game scoring average has fallen in every season since, going to 28.9 in 2022-23, 25.7 in 2023-24, 24.4 last season and 20.9 this season.

Of course, his role has changed as well and that has some effect on the numbers. James spent much of this season as the Lakers' third option behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and did so happily.
Stay with the Lakers
To be fair, this wasn't a bad season. Getting ousted in Round 2 by the overwhelming favorite to win the NBA title — the defending champion, too — isn't exactly a collapse, and Doncic not being able to play because of injury almost made the outcome expected.

The Lakers have the seventh-best record in the NBA during James' eight seasons there. Not great, not bad. But the playoffs, even with the run to the bubble championship in 2020, have not been to James' expectations. The Lakers went 32-31 in playoff games during these last eight seasons, and remember, 16 of those wins came in the bubble. Since then, the Lakers are just 16-26 in playoff games.

Good enough? It wouldn't seem so. The Lakers will have to give James reasons to stay. It's simple as that.
Return to Miami
James' jersey will sway from the rafters one day in Miami, assuming he ever actually retires and allows such tributes to finally take place. And there's no question that James still holds many people within the organization — Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra and more — in high regard.

But it's not like James has unfinished business in Miami. He became a champion in Miami; two of his four titles were won with the Heat. He'd be welcome, of course, but it's hard to envision James saying Miami would be the place for his final act.
Return to Cleveland
Northeast Ohio is home and will forever be close to James' heart. He's still (and forever will be) beloved there, and whatever anger existed over him leaving in 2010 was washed away forever when he delivered Cleveland's NBA title in 2016.

Time healed all wounds. If James wants to go the sentimental route, he might go home again. It would likely be contingent on the Cavaliers finding a way to keep a roster that's capable of contention.
He takes his talents to New York
The Knicks have tried and failed before to land James.

They have some serious selling points right now — among them, a good team and Madison Square Garden. That's a place James has always revered.

The bright lights of New York wouldn't scare him off. Then again, wherever James plays, the lights will be bright there, too.
Pair up with Stephen Curry again
James won Olympic gold in Paris in 2024 with Steve Kerr coaching and Stephen Curry starring at the end.

The respect James has for Curry is off the charts, and he's often raved about Kerr as well. Kerr's coming back to the Warriors, and you know Golden State will do anything it can to give Curry one more chance at a title.

Bear in mind, it's highly improbable that this would ever work financially. But if James wants to play there, the Warriors will surely find a way.
The wild scenario: James and Wemby?
The greatest scorer ever teaming up with the game's most prolific defensive player in San Antonio?

Now that would be fun.

James is one of the people who dubbed Victor Wembanyama as an “alien” and did so with the utmost of respect. James is unlike anyone the league has ever seen, and Wembanyama might be thought of in the same way.

And even though Gregg Popovich doesn't coach the Spurs anymore, he's still there and James has always had the utmost respect for the NBA's winningest coach. James would be accused of ring-chasing if he tried this one, but then again, he knows detractors won't like anything he does anyway.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA


Lakers eliminated by Thunder after crushing Game 4 loss as LeBron James suffers rare sweep

The Thunder eliminated the Lakers from the playoffs with their Game 4 win.
Before the Lakers successfully ended their first round playoff series against the Rockets, coach JJ Redick explained what makes close out games so challenging.

“You have to kill them,” Redick said. “It’s difficult to kill someone. Survival instincts say, ‘I want to stay alive.’ So, you got to be able to kill them. That’s what [it takes].”

The Lakers’ sense of urgency in Monday’s Game 4 against the Thunder at Crypto.com Arena, with their season on the line, showed exactly why that’s the case.
LeBron James reacts during the Lakers’ May 11 loss to the Thunder in Game 4. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
But in the end, the Thunder killed the Lakers’ 2025-26 season, with the Lakers falling to the Thunder, 115-110, in Game 4 to be eliminated from the playoffs.

“When the season ends there’s always a whirlwind of emotions,” Redick said. “I am certainly feeling a sense of gratitude for our players, the Lakers, and our fan base. You’ve seen these 3-0 games before; I thought there were two different times during the game where our team could have gave in or let go of the rope. We didn’t.”

Each fourth-quarter bucket from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell were deep gashes into the Lakers’ chest.

The Lakers kept responding, not letting anything take away from their fight, getting big plays from everyone on the floor late.

But there were too many daggers to recover from.

The Lakers didn’t score in the final 30 seconds. And the Thunder got dunks from Chet Holmgren and pairs of free throws from Gilgeous-Alexander and Mitchell to close out Game 4.

Austin Reaves (27 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists), Rui Hachimura (25 points), LeBron James (24 points, 12 rebounds) and Jaxson Hayes (18 points, 5 rebounds) all came up big late.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives to the basket during the Thunder’s Game 4 win against the Lakers on May 11. Getty Images
But the Thunder still delivered. And were simply better for the entire series.

“They’re really f—–g good,” Reaves said.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 35 points and eight assists.

Mitchell added 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting, while Holmgren added 16 points and nine rebounds.
What it means
The Lakers’ season ended with a four-game sweep to the defending champions — just the fourth time in James’ career his team has been swept in the playoffs.

The other times: 2007 NBA Finals against the Spurs, 2018 Finals against the Warriors and the 2023 Western Conference finals to the Nuggets.

The Thunder will face either the Spurs or Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals.
Turning point
When Jared McCain hit a 3-pointer to cut the Lakers’ lead from 89-84 to three with 8:24 left in the fourth.

It provided a screeching halt to the Lakers’ momentum that they carried over from the third quarter, which they won 39-31.
MVP: Gilgeous-Alexander
The reigning league MVP saved his best game for the end of the series.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks to move the ball during the Thunder’s Game 4 win against the Lakers on May 11. Getty Images
Gilgeous-Alexander shot 11-for-22 from the field and 12-for-15 on free throws.

He and Mitchell combined for 19 of the Thunder’s 35 points in the fourth quarter.
Stat of the game: 19
Taking care of the ball was an emphasis entering the series.

The Lakers once again failed to do that, turning the ball over 19 times. Reaves had a team-worst eight turnovers, while Marcus Smart had six.

The Thunder scored 22 points off of the Lakers’ giveaways.
Up next
Exit interviews for the Lakers, with Redick and president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka speaking with reporters on Tuesday morning.

Comprehensive National Basketball Association news, scores, standings, fantasy games, rumors...


The global sand crisis: it’s being used up faster than it can be replaced

It is the most extracted solid material on Earth – but this extraction can threaten ecosystems and livelihoods

Malé is one of the world’s most overcrowded cities, but it faces double pressure. As well as a growing population, the capital of the Maldives is also threatened by rising sea levels. Owing to climate breakdown, its living space is shrinking.

So the justification for a land reclamation project seemed clear. Take sand from elsewhere in the archipelago and use it to build up the land available for Malé’s people. What could go wrong? After all, it’s only sand, right?
 Continue reading...

Latest news, sport, business, comment, analysis and reviews from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice


David Squires on … Arsenal, West Ham and a Royal Rumble for the ages

Our cartoonist on the Premier League title potentially being decided by a lengthy VAR check after grappling

Buy this cartoon here | His favourites from 2025

And his latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now

 Continue reading...


I gave up coffee and acquired a Pro Plus habit – now I have the energy of a 15-year-old | Zoe Williams

With my usual espressos off the menu, I was looking at a future of sluggishness and headaches. Then I embraced an alternative caffeine delivery system

For reasons purely related to vanity, I’ve had to give up coffee. It’s not for ever, unless it takes me for ever to get my teeth whitened, so I’m not minded to wean myself off caffeine entirely. But it’s not for a short enough time that I can simply stop whining and weather the low-level headache, the mental sluggishness and the frankly unbearable taste of water.

No problem, I thought: I will survive on energy drinks. What’s embarrassing about that? What could possibly be shameful about going into a Tesco, picking up a black and neon green can of Monster Energy, its name in a satanic font, at 8.05am? What could conceivably make anyone give me the fish eye, that I’m setting off the age-verification flashing light, and a dude is having to come over and attest that I am indeed over 16? All of that social opprobrium was before I’d even opened an energy drink and had to taste it.
 Continue reading...


Bryson DeChambeau could give up golf for YouTube in his athletic prime. Is he right?

The two-time major champion has mused about life as a full-time streamer. But sport should be more than just a platform to grow an athlete’s brand

Golf: a feeder sport for aspiring YouTubers? When Bryson DeChambeau, faced with the expiry of his LIV Golf contract at the end of this year and the implosion, possibly even sooner, of the now Saudi-less LIV Golf, mused last week that he might give up life on tour to focus on his YouTube channel, most professional golf watchers scoffed. This was just a bluff, a move to gain leverage as DeChambeau, like every other LIV player, contemplates an uncertain future and negotiates the fraught path back to the PGA Tour.

“I think, from my perspective, I’d love to grow my YouTube channel three times, maybe even more,” DeChambeau said. “I’d love to do a bunch of dubbing in different languages, giving the world more reason to watch YouTube. And then I’d love to play tournaments that want me.”
 Continue reading...


Nobu review – story of obsession and loss that lies behind the luxury sushi empire

This affectionate portrait of chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa finds surprising emotional depth beneath the glossy surface of the Nobu brand – with a cameo from Robert De Niro

In Japan, the sushi bar where the chef chops fish for the clientele is a kind of stage. In which case all the world’s a sushi bar for Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, whose deluxe Nobu chain has taken root in dozens of cities across the globe. Matt Tyrnauer’s chirpy documentary charts the rise of this affable but restless pioneer, motivated since the start of his career to break out of insular Japan and shake up its cuisine. Signature dishes like his iconic black cod with miso – made with Alaskan sablefish – or Peruvian-influenced yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno veer well off the sushi-restaurant template. But don’t call it fusion, Tyrnauer’s film says early on; it’s still Japanese food, just open to foreign ingredients and techniques.

After a rocky start in life, in which a young Matsuhisa was placed on probation after reckless driving, he got “lost in sushi”. After stints in Peru and Alaska, it was setting up Matsuhisa restaurant on Los Angeles’ La Cienega Boulevard that made his name, introducing a sense of the unexpected and the lavish to the burgeoning western yen for sushi. Robert De Niro was one convert, making an offer to set up a New York branch that Matsuhisa refused; it was something he felt he wasn’t ready for. Several years on, they finally partnered to set up the first of the eponymous eateries. One of De Niro’s acquaintances questioned how Matsuhisa could be a master if he just had to chop raw fish. “Nobu wouldn’t like to hear you say that,” was the actor’s testy reply.
 Continue reading...


Youth mobility scheme disagreement hampering reset of UK-EU relations

Deal was expected by end of month but talks hit buffers over cap on number of people entering UK and tuition fees

UK politics live – latest updates

Europe live – latest updates

Significant gaps remain in negotiations on the reset in relations between the UK and the EU despite Keir Starmer’s latest pledge to put Britain “at the heart of Europe” after last week’s election drubbing.

The UK wants to limit the number of young people from the EU who come into the country as part of a post-Brexit youth mobility scheme to below 50,000, it has emerged.
 Continue reading...

Latest news, breaking news and current affairs coverage from across the UK from theguardian.com


More than 110 Nobel laureates call on Iran to release gravely ill activist Narges Mohammadi

As human rights advocate is treated in Tehran hospital after transfer from Zanjan prison, prize winners demand her freedom

More than 110 Nobel laureates have called for the immediate and unconditional release of Narges Mohammadi, the imprisoned Iranian human rights activist and Nobel peace prize laureate, after she was transferred to hospital amid concerns over her rapidly deteriorating health.

In a statement released on Tuesday, 112 Nobel laureates urged the Iranian authorities and the international community to act “without delay” to secure Mohammadi’s release and ensure her continued access to medical treatment.
 Continue reading...


The car park that changed British art: Bold Tendencies at 20

Two decades after it opened in a multi-storey in Peckham in London, the space has redrawn the map for how to present art – with rooftop cocktails and the pink staircase that launched a thousand selfies

It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when rooftop bars weren’t really a thing. A time before pop-ups and contemporary outdoor sculpture parks. A time even, if you can bear to think of it, before immersive art. Way back in 2007, there was none of that – the UK was an experiential art wasteland. And then Bold Tendencies showed up, chucked a whole load of sculptures in a multi-storey Peckham car park, painted a staircase bright pink, built a cocktail bar on the roof, and changed everything.

Now going into its 20th summer season, Bold Tendencies is celebrating two decades of sometimes sun-drenched, often windswept and drizzly arts programming. In that time, it has welcomed more than 3 million visitors into its concrete edifice behind Peckhamplex cinema, commissioned dozens of new artworks, hosted countless recitals and performances, built an auditorium and a concert hall, and drawn the roadmap for countless art experiences that have come in its wake.
 Continue reading...


Lotus boss calls for UK government support as it commits to Norfolk plant

Sports carmaker extends lifespan of petrol-engined Emira, made in Norfolk, to continue to cater for US market

Business live – latest updates

The boss of the luxury sports carmaker Lotus has called for government support for its UK factory as the Chinese-owned company insisted it will not abandon its British roots.

Lotus said it had extended the lifespan of the £80,000 Emira petrol-engined sports car, made by 900 employees in its factory in Norfolk, in order for the brand to continue to serve the US market.
 Continue reading...


Farage faces questions over failure to declare use of donor’s helicopter

Reform UK leader has used the helicopter to attend rallies across the country, most recently on Friday

Nigel Farage is facing questions about why he did not declare his use of a donor’s helicopter to travel around Britain for rallies.

The helicopter, which was used by Farage as recently as Friday after local elections across Britain, is the property of a company owned by Lorenzo Zaccheo, a businessman who gave Reform £25,000 last year.
 Continue reading...


WHO head warns countries to prepare for more hantavirus cases

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praises Spain’s ‘compassion and solidarity’ in evacuating virus-hit cruise ship

The head of the World Health Organization has warned countries to prepare for more hantavirus cases after the outbreak onboard the MV Hondius, and thanked Spain for the “compassion and solidarity” it had shown by taking in the stricken cruise ship and evacuating its passengers and crew.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged countries to follow the WHO’s advice and recommendations, which include a 42-day quarantine and constant monitoring of high-risk contacts.
 Continue reading...


Sicily police investigate illegal race with horse-drawn carts and Kalashnikovs

Horses seized and several people questioned after animal rights activist shares video of race along country roads

A video showing an illegal horse race in Sicily, with spectators firing pistols into the air and brandishing Kalashnikov rifles, has prompted a police investigation that has led to the seizure of the animals.

The clip, reportedly filmed last Friday, shows two jockeys driving horse-drawn carts at breakneck speed along country roads in the town of Palagonia, near Catania, in eastern Sicily. Behind them, dozens of people follow on scooters, firing shots into the air. The footage was posted on social media by an animal rights activist named Enrico Rizzi.
 Continue reading...


History makers Brighton are shaking up old order and not hiding ambition

Seagulls are in their first Women’s FA Cup final but their coach, Dario Vidosic, is determined to keep aiming higher

As Brighton’s old song goes, “Hark to the merry bugles”, because there is something in the air in Sussex by the sea. A purpose-built women’s team stadium is in the offing, a second consecutive top-half Women’s Super League finish is on the cards and the women’s side are heading to Wembley for the first time. The fans have never had it this good.

It took something special for Brighton to overturn a two-goal deficit in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final victory at Liverpool and they left it late – very late – as Nadine Noordam settled a classic, five-goal thriller with her 95th-minute winner, but reaching this final is something the club have been building towards. In 2022, Brighton set out a bold vision to become a “top-four WSL club” and last summer the head coach, Dario Vidosic, was unafraid to discuss even higher targets, speaking in a determined, bullish and unwaveringly ambitious tone during an interview with the Guardian.
 Continue reading...


European ministers to discuss sending rejected asylum seekers to third-country hubs

Exclusive: Council of Europe to meet in Moldova on Friday, with human rights body expected to recognise countries’ right to control borders

Europe live – latest updates

European ministers will this week discuss plans to send thousands of rejected asylum seekers to third-country hubs, the head of the continent’s human rights body has told the Guardian.

Alain Berset, the secretary general of the Council of Europe, said discussions about the removal of people who arrived in Europe by irregular routes would take place “at a multilateral level” at a meeting in Moldova on Friday.
 Continue reading...


In the 1979 hostage crisis, why did Iran free 10 Black Americans before the others?

Sgt James Hughes was one of the hostages released early. With US-Iran relations once again in the spotlight, he talks about being ‘handcuffed, under armed guard’

Since the United States launched a joint military campaign with Israel on Iran in February, many commentators and historians have revisted a chapter of modern history: the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.

On 4 November, a student demonstration outside the US embassy in Tehran erupted into an all-out assault on the compound, and 66 Americans were taken hostage. It was the culmination of decades of tension, beginning with the US and Britain’s role in installing the Shah of Iran to safeguard energy interests, and ending with a popular uprising that toppled his oppressive regime and drove him into exile.
 Continue reading...


Palestine Action trial lawyer wins appeal against contempt of court charge

Rajiv Menon KC was accused of breaching judge’s directions with his closing speech at trial of six activists

A leading human rights barrister has won an appeal against his referral for contempt of court over his closing speech during a trial of Palestine Action activists.

Rajiv Menon KC was accused of breaching the judge’s directions in the trial of six people for a 2024 direct action protest at an arms factory of the Israeli subsidiary Elbit Systems UK in Filton, near Bristol.
 Continue reading...


Boiler Alert Podcast – NBA Draft Combine Updates – How Tall is Braden Smith?

Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) passes the ball before it goes out of bounds during a NCAA Tournament game against the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. Purdue fell to Arizona 79-64. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The NBA Draft lottery just happened which means we are one step closer to the actual NBA Draft. There are events going on all around the NBA to prepare the next crop of stars. Guys like Braden Smith are getting weighed and measured, how tall is he anyway? TKR is playing in the G-League Combine and doing a great job, enough to even move up a level in the combine hierarchy. Fletcher Loyer even showed up some of his skills at that same event. So what does this mean for the three Purdue seniors? We chat about that on this episode of the Boiler Alert podcast.

Then, we look at Daniel Jacobsen and I ask Ryan about Jacobsen’s impact for next season and if he’s the biggest question mark of all the returning players. DJ did some great things this season but I think many of us came away disappointed with his play, but was that on our expectations or his play? We discuss on the latest episode.
View Link


LeBron James relishes leading Lakers. Would he accept lesser role again?

LeBron James talked about steps he’ll take before deciding whether to play again next season, but is there one missing from the list?

Spending time with his family. Talking to his 12-year-old daughter; his 19-year-old son; and his wife. Reflecting on this past season and deciding what’s in his best interest. And ...

What he didn’t cite explicitly is how his role changed this past season, during which he averaged 20.9 points, the fewest since he averaged the same in his rookie season.

Opinion: If this is it for LeBron James, appreciate how unprecedented he was

"I'm not looking at my year as a disappointment, that's for damn sure," James, 41, told reporters after the Lakers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 115-110, Monday, May 11 and got swept in the Western Conference semifinal playoff series. "Especially, I was put into some positions that I've never played in my career before, actually in my life.

"I've never been a third option in my life."

This season, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves emerged as the NBA’s highest-scoring backcourt, and in March, Lakers coach JJ Redick officially asked James to accept the role of the team’s third scoring option.

He agreed.

With James in that role, the Lakers thrived.

That is, until Doncic suffered a hamstring injury in February and Reaves strained his oblique muscle April 2, during 139-96 loss to the Thunder.

Suddenly James was the Lakers’ No. 1 option again, and he led them past the Houston Rockets in their first-round playoff series.

"So to be able to thrive in that role (as the team’s third option) for that period of time and then have to step back into the role that I've been accustomed with over my career, over my life ... that was pretty cool for me at this stage of my career," he said.

More: Has LeBron James' tenure with the Lakers been a failure? Fans weigh in.

But would it be cool to go back to being the third option next season, which would be his 24th in the NBA?

It could be a complex assessment.

When asked about the love for the game, James said, "I don't think it ever goes away."

More imporantly, James said, is maintaining his love for "the process." That entails arriving for games 5 1/2 hours early to start getting ready. And arriving three hours before practice.

"...giving everything I got, diving for loose balls and doing everything that you know that it takes to go out and play," he said.

James played a co-leading role Monday night, finishing with 24 points and 12 rebounds while Reaves had a team-high 27 points along with seven rebounds and six assists.

James took 18 shots. Reaves took 16 shots. Luka remained sidelined.

The highlight of James' eight-year tenure with the Lakers, he said, was leading the Lakers to the NBA title in 2020. He mentioned competing for championships again Monday.

“I think that's a motivating factor, it's always been since I've – probably the first time I touched the postseason in ‘06 – was like, how can I compete for a championship?" he said.

Does accepting the role of third option give James and the Lakers third best chance to win an NBA title?

 Is it something he thinks is in his best interest?

Would he still love showing up 5 1/2 hours before games and three hours before practices?

The process of figuring it out all out has officially begun.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is LeBron James willing to be Lakers’ third option again?


Luka Doncic opts out of FIBA World Cup to spend time with daughters

After the Los Angeles Lakers were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals on Monday night, Luka Doncic took to Instagram to announce he will not be joining the Slovenian national team this summer. Instead, he shared that he plans to devote his time to his daughters.

The message, initially written in Slovenian and later translated into English, emphasized that being a father to his two daughters is his top priority. Doncic explained that over the past eight months, it has been challenging to spend time with them as he works toward a joint custody agreement with his ex-fiancée, Anamaria Goltes. The couple shares a three-year-old daughter, Gabriela, and a five-month-old daughter, Olivia.

“I love my daughters more than anything, and they will always come first in my life. As I continue working toward joint custody of my daughters, I have been forced to make a difficult decision between traveling and playing for the Slovenian national team and being with my daughters this summer,” Doncic wrote in the post. “Unfortunately, it has been made extremely difficult for me to see them over the past eight months.”

Luka Dončić shares on his Instagram story that he will not play for the Slovenian national team this summer: pic.twitter.com/nLyNnzpY6J
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) May 12, 2026


NBA Draft Lottery a mixed blessing for Rockets

For the first time in five years, the Houston Rockets had no direct stakes in the NBA Draft Lottery.

Sure, indirectly, they’re affected by the Brooklyn Nets’ pick slipping to sixth. Rockets fans will be rooting against the Nets throughout 2026-27. Even if the league flattens the draft odds, a bleaker future for the Nets means a brighter one for the Rockets.

The Nets will likely take whoever the fifth-overall Clippers pass on between Keaton Wagler and Darius Acuff Jr. They’re both fine prospects, but they’re not on the level of an AJ Dybansta, who FanDuel has as the favorite to be taken by the Wizards (number one) at -550. Even being positioned to take Dybansta (or Cameron Boozer, or Darryn Peterson, or Caleb Wilson) would have made the Nets a more attractive destination for win-now veterans looking for a new home.

So, the Rockets did benefit from the draft. Still, it was a foreign feeling for the lottery to shake out without the Rockets’ name being called. For context, here’s the full lottery order:

Washington Wizards

Utah Jazz

Memphis Grizzlies

Chicago Bulls

Los Angeles Clippers (via Pacers)

Brooklyn Nets

Sacramento Kings

Atlanta Hawks (via Pelicans)

Dallas Mavericks

Milwaukee Bucks

Golden State Warriors

Oklahoma City Thunder

Miami Heat

Charlotte Hornets

If you’re a pessimist, there’s a negative to be found here. The Grizzlies are likely to walk away with Boozer, and if not, they’ll land Peterson. That means there will be another team in the Rockets’ division with a young player who’d arguably be the Rockets’ crown jewel.

Moreover, the Jazz are suddenly positioned at least as well as Houston. The Clippers got exceedingly lucky here. The Western Conference is an arms race, and the Rockets had better hope they get some weapons via the Nets next summer.

In the meantime, they can still add some intriguing young players.
Rockets set to draft in second round
The Rockets have a pair of second-rounders, with the 39th and 53rd overall picks.

Does that amount to much? History says no. Still, if Rafael Stone is crafty, he can make some hay here. If there’s a guy he especially likes, he could try to package these picks to move up in the second round.

Let’s be honest: This is a side quest. The Rockets are exceedingly unlikely to bring in a franchise-altering talent in this class. Walking away with a solid role player would be a tremendous win.

It feels weird, doesn’t it?


Israeli MPs back special tribunal with death penalty powers for alleged 7 October attackers

Knesset approves plan for livestreamed trials in military court, drawing comparisons to 1962 Adolf Eichmann trial

Israeli lawmakers have approved setting up a livestreamed special tribunal with the power to sentence to death Palestinians convicted of taking part in the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 that triggered the war in Gaza.

The measure was passed by 93 votes to none in the 120-seat Knesset, Israel’s parliament, reflecting widespread support among Israel’s Jewish majority for punishing those found responsible for the deadliest single attack in Israel’s history. The remaining 27 lawmakers were absent or abstained from voting.
 Continue reading...


Andy Burnham can save Labour and defeat Reform. He should be the next prime minister | Neal Lawson

Put plainly, the Greater Manchester mayor is electoral gold dust. The Labour party machine must not stand in his way to becoming an MP

Neal Lawson is director of the cross-party campaign organisation Compass

The madness has to end. The progressive side of politics in the UK faces two crises. The first is the possible decimation of the Labour party after the next election. The second is a prospective Reform-led government – and a Trumpian future for the country.

The best-placed figure in Britain to lead Labour away from these twin disasters is the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham. The Labour party must now do what it takes to ensure that Burnham is available to be the next leader of the party and the country. This must start with an urgent statement from its ruling national executive committee (NEC) saying that if Burnham wanted to fight any direct vacancy then he would be allowed through for local members to decide whether they wanted him as their candidate, alongside a timetable that allows him to enter the contest.

Neal Lawson is director of the cross-party campaign organisation Compass
 Continue reading...


Frank and Postecoglou going head to head as BBC and ITV pundits for World Cup

BBC to add Giroud to regular panel, including Frank

Postecoglou will join ITV, who show England opener

Former Tottenham managers Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank will go head to head in the TV studio this summer as rival World Cup pundits. The Guardian has learned that Frank has signed a deal with BBC Sport as one of their main analysts, with Postecoglou having agreed to work for ITV.

The BBC is also understood to have added former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud to their regular punditry panel that includes Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart and Alan Shearer, with ITV recruiting Andros Townsend to join Gary Neville, Ian Wright and Roy Keane.
 Continue reading...


LeBron James unsure on what’s next after Lakers swept in playoffs: ‘My future? I don’t know’

Thunder beat Lakers 4-0 in Western Conference semis

41-year-old just finished his 23rd NBA season

LeBron James isn’t ready to make a decision about his NBA future in the wake of the Los Angeles Lakers’ season-ending loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.

The visiting Thunder prevailed 115-110 to sweep the teams’ Western Conference semi-final series despite James registering 24 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
 Continue reading...


Trump to head to China for high-stakes talks with Xi – US politics live

Meeting comes amid tentative trade truce but Iran, Taiwan and tensions over global supply chains will be complicating factors

Sign up for the Breaking News US email

On the Iran war, Donald Trump said the ongoing fragile ceasefire was “on life support” after dismissing Tehran’s peace proposal as “totally unacceptable”.

“I would call it the weakest, right now, after reading that piece of garbage they sent us – I didn’t even finish reading it,” he told reporters in the Oval Office yesterday.
 Continue reading...


Tony Worthington obituary

Labour MP who served as a Northern Ireland minister in the run-up to the Good Friday agreement and was active on behalf of asbestos victims

The Labour MP Tony Worthington, who has died aged 84, served as a minister in the Northern Ireland Office at a crucial time – in the run-up to the Good Friday agreement – and won widespread respect for his campaigning on behalf of victims suffering from asbestos-related diseases.

Having been an opposition spokesperson under Mo Mowlam, he was appointed to her ministerial team when Labour came to power in 1997, with community relations as part of his portfolio. With a personality that exuded calm reasonableness, Worthington was well qualified to earn trust in that role.
 Continue reading...


Tuesday’s Brotherhood Playoff Notes & Links

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles against Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
 In Monday night’s Brotherhood Playoff Action, Cleveland took out Detroit, 112-103, behind a dstunning 22-0 run. Tyrese Proctor got in at the end, but did not score. The series is now tied 2-2.

In the nightcap, Oklahoma City eliminated Los Angeles, 115-110. Jared McCain scored 13 points and had 2 assists for OKC, while Luke Kennard finished his season with 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists.

At 8-0, the Thunder look increasingly inevitable, and may push the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers. When someone asked Moses Malone how his team would do, he famously said, “Fo’, fo’, and fo,” meaning the Sixers would not lose in the playoffs.

Close: Philadelphia finished 11-1 in the postseason.

On Tuesday, The T-Wolves and the Spurs tangle in Game 5. Mason Plumlee is on the Spurs’ roster, but he’s essentially depth at this point, and we don’t expect to see him going forward.

Inside the third quarter Cavalanche that turned Rocket Arena into chaos for Detroit

Pistons allow 22-0 run in loss to Cavs; series tied 2-2

Tyrese Proctor Drops Duke Mt. Rushmore, Leaves Out Natty-Winning Legend

Thunder sweep Lakers after stunning ending to Game 4

Luke Kennard with the great assist!

Luke Kennard’s time with the Lakers may have ended at the hands of the Thunder

Jared McCain is always having fun

LeBron James, Lakers Eliminated from NBA Playoffs, Fans React as SGA, Thunder Complete Sweep

Report: Joel Embiid was not happy with 1 trade by the 76er

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line


6 Giannis Antetokounmpo trade packages after Bucks’ ultimatum to superstar

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 05: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks works out before the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on April 05, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Giannis Antetokounmpo has an ultimatum from Milwaukee Bucks ownership: either sign a contract extension this summer, or get traded. The long-rumored divorce between the two sides might finally come to fruition as the NBA prepares to enter the offseason, and the Bucks are making it known they’re ready to hear offers.

The Bucks are “open for business ”on Antetokounmpo trade offers, and the team is reportedly seeking  “young blue-chip talent and/or a surplus of draft picks,” according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Charania’s report comes on the brink of the 2026 NBA Draft Combine, historically a place where early trade conversations happen as the entire league is gathered in Chicago. Antetokounmpo essentially asked out of Milwaukee ahead of the trade deadline, but a deal never materialized, and the trade landscape feels different this time.

The San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Oklahoma City Thunder were reportedly not interested in a Giannis trade at the deadline. Does that change for Houston after a first-round exit? Will San Antonio or OKC also change their mind on a potential trade if they fall short of a championship? The Boston Celtics are another team to watch in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes now after a first-round exit in the 2026 NBA Playoffs when they were supposed to be the favorites in the East.

Here are six potential Antetokounmpo trade packages that make sense, plus two darkhorse surprise teams at the end.
Miami Heat’s best Giannis trade offer
Bucks receive: Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, No. 13 overall pick in 2026 NBA Draft, 2030 first-rounder, 2032 first-rounder

Heat receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Taurean Prince

It will be tricky to make the salaries match, but there’s a framework in place for the potential Giannis trade to the Heat this summer. Miami has three first-round picks available to trade, including No. 13 overall this year, where we have Karim Lopez projected in our mock draft. Kel’el Ware had a solid second season even if he falls short of the “blue chip” prospect Milwaukee covets. If Mikal Bridges and Rudy Gobert were traded for five first-round picks, why is Giannis only fetching three? Well, it’s a different trade landscape these days, and Antetokounmpo’s constant late season injury issues feel like a real problem at age-31. The Heat are also chasing stars, and at this point it feels like they’ve maximized their current group. An all-in trade for Giannis makes sense for Miami, and it might be the best package Milwaukee can get.
Cavs’ best Giannis trade offer
Bucks receive: Evan Mobley, Sam Merrill, 2030 and 2032 first-round picks

Heat receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

This trade is not currently legal because the Cavs are in the second apron, and thus cannot aggregate salaries to match Giannis’ massive deal. It’s possible Cleveland can get under the apron for this deal during the summer, and subbing in Jaylon Tyson for Merrill would make it even more appealing if they can square the salaries. Mobley is potentially the best young player on the market for Milwaukee. The big man turns 25 years old next month, and feels like he stagnated a bit offensively this season. He remains an incredible defender as a mobile 7-footer, and Milwaukee could probably flip him for a ton of assets if they wanted a longer view of their upcoming rebuild. Those Cleveland picks could be pretty valuable too with an older core in place should the Cavs do this deal.
Celtics’ best Giannis trade offer with Hawks to form 3-team deal
Bucks receive: No. 8 pick in 2026 NBA Draft, Celtics’ first-round picks in 2027 and 2032, Zaccharie Risacher, Hugo Gonzalez, Corey Kispert

Celtics receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Hawks receive: Jaylen Brown

This is admittedly a rough draft what a three-team trade would look like between the Celtics, Hawks, and Bucks. The general framework would have Jaylen Brown landing in his hometown of Atlanta, Giannis going to the Celtics, and the Bucks getting Atlanta’s No. 8 overall pick and more future first-rounders. The salaries do work out in this deal according to the trade machine, so something like this could make sense. Risacher was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but he already lost his spot in the Hawks’ playoff rotation, so this doesn’t feel like too much to give up for Atlanta to get Brown. The Celtics upgrade from Brown to Antetokounmpo and push for a championship next year. The Bucks land a second top-10 pick in this trade, and Gonzalez would be a nice get after a surprisingly strong rookie year.
Wolves’ best Giannis trade offer
Bucks receive: Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo, 2032 first-round pick

Wolves receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis

The Wolves were reportedly interested in Giannis at the trade deadline, and they could have interest again this summer should they fall short in the playoffs. This package features neither a blue chip young player or a bundle of picks, but it would give the Bucks a lot of flippable assets. McDaniels will be 26 years old next season and is one of the best wing defenders in the league. Gobert is still a defensive stud, and he’s on a more affordable deal now. DiVincenzo is out for the year sadly with an Achilles tear. Milwaukee could flip McDaniels and Gobert for 1-2 more future first-round picks each if they take this deal, and that Minnesota 2032 first-round could be spicy down the line.
Blazers’ best Giannis offer
Bucks receive: Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson, Yang Hansen, 2028 and 2030 Bucks swaps returned, 2032 Blazers first-round pick

TrailBlazers receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

New Blazers owner Tom Dundan said the team has a big trade offer available at the trade deadline that the team chose to not pull the trigger on, but that things might be different under his watch. Was he talking about Giannis? The Blazers have always felt like a natural trade partner for Giannis because they own two future Milwaukee pick swaps. This deal has Portland unloading bad money in Jerami Grant, and cashing in Scoot Henderson and Yang Hansen, while returning the swap rights to Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo. Henderson is starting to come on lately even if he hasn’t yet lived up to his draft hype, and he’s exactly the type of player who could intrigue Milwaukee. This is probably too much to give up for Portland, but it could potentially win a bidding war.
Knicks’ best Giannis trade offer
Bucks receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Miles McBride, Tyler Kolek, 2032 first-round pick

Knicks receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma

The Knicks seem very likely to go to the Finals, but I won’t put a trade like this past them if they get smoked by the Thunder or Spurs once they get there. I do think it’s too much to give up for New York given Giannis’ injury history. Milwaukee wouldn’t get a pick surplus or any good young players from this haul, but it could immediately turn around and trade Anunoby and KAT for value.
Two surprise teams who could trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo

Orlando Magic: How about a Paolo Banchero for Giannis package as a starting point? I don’t think that’s going to solve Orlando’s shooting and injury woes, but it would be an instant talent upgrade for a team that’s already all-in on the present.

Charlotte Hornets: The Hornets could offer a huge package of picks, and they certainly need more physicality inside. Charlotte already had the best net-rating in the NBA after Jan. 1. Would they really empty the clip to trade every available pick for Giannis? Miles Bridges, Tre Mann, and Josh Green would match salaries.


Is this what other fanbases do?—The Week in Green

Boston, MA - May 6: Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens speaks at the team's end-of-season press conference on May 6, 2026. (Photo by David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
So not much happened in official Celtics news last week. Brad Stevens gave a press conference which, while not quite promising the Wyc Grousbeckian “fireworks” of 2014 that never quite materialized, suggested that the team would be looking to address shortcomings that revealed themselves in the playoff series against Philadelphia.

On the CelticsBlog Slack, there were a host of Jaylen Brown trade scenarios pitched, along with trade scenarios for Derrick White and Sam Hauser. Jayson Tatum even made a surprise appearance.

And I had to ask myself, “Is this what other fanbases do?”

Because I didn’t particularly enjoy it.

Barring injury, the Celtics have been consistent Eastern Conference contenders for almost ten straight years now. They’ve been to the Finals twice, have won once, and have been the most consistently good team in the NBA since Danny Ainge made the widely panned moves to draft Brown and Tatum in back-to-back years.

In short, we have been spoiled. We have been very, very spoiled.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 24: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics warmup before the game against the LA Clippers on January 24, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
A long summer stretches out before us, with very little to engage our attention as fans. Shoot. We couldn’t even get excited about the lottery, and with the fourth best record in the league, draft chatter is going to be hard to get into, at least for me, because the farther down the draft you go, the harder it is to rank players.

There may be a consensus #1, but there is never a consensus 27th pick, and basically the predictions at this section of the draft are white noise. This is the part of the draft where I tend to think that ‘character counts,’ and that comes down to interviews and one-on-one sessions that draft predicters aren’t part of.

For example, the Celtics apparently saw something in Baylor Scheierman that suggested he would be a far better defender than writers who focused primarily on clips of his role and style of play at Creighton for their evaluations. That ‘something’ didn’t show up on film from a program where Scheierman was asked to do very little on the defensive end of the court.

So I can’t really get into draft predictions.
Boston, MA – March 12: Boston Celtics PG Derrick White contests a shot by Oklahoma City Thunder SG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the second half. (Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
The rest of the playoffs are a rather flavorless affair for me as well. Perhaps that’s a knock against me as a basketball fan. To be sure, if my Dad were still around, he’d still be watching, and my younger brothers are both still watching, but even the most amazing plays sort of stop at the back of my eyeballs when I’m watching other teams. I can appreciate good offense and good defense up to a point, but it just doesn’t move me the way watching the Celtics does.

Plus, I really don’t like the Thunder. They’ve taken the place of the Warriors as a team to dislike because of their combination of dirty play and favorable whistles. The difference is that they’ve basically ratcheted the whole thing up to eleven. Lu Dort is…well, let’s just say that he makes Draymond Green look like St. Francis of Assisi, and SGA’s whistle is not to be believed at this point in time.

As Celtics fans, we’re on the outside looking in at both sources of entertainment at this point in the season.

It’s an odd place to be.

As I said earlier, we’ve been spoiled.

Boston’s management has been rock solid—they’ve made moves when moves are necessary, they’ve drafted exceptionally well, and they’ve given us plenty to get excited about.

I’m confident that they know what they’re doing, that they—along with Mazzulla—have a pretty good idea what went wrong against Philadelphia, and they’ll find the right combination of patience and action to move the team forward for next season.

But in the meantime, we as fans have to choose between building castles in the air and twiddling our thumbs. We can either cook up crazy trade scenarios that never really pan out, or we can dive deep into the middle of this year’s draft class to see if we can suss out which player the Celtics are likely to land on with their pick, or we can basically mark time until the draft, free agency, and the summer league give us something concrete to talk about.

The C’s might make a couple trades around the draft, but the reality is that the league year ends on June 30, and the team is so dang close to the tax line that any moves they make will have to be very tightly constrained in terms of salary, and in any case, the draft is still six weeks away.

One of the weirder aspects of the abrupt end to this season is that when it comes to improving the team, we’re now talking about trading guys that we spent the past eight months cheering on.

It was a bit understandable last season when the salary cap situation meant that the C’s were going to have to part ways with a lot of money.

It’s another thing when you’re looking at a guy who deserved legit MVP consideration for what he did for the team and saying, “Yeah, but can we get Giannis if we trade him?”

This is where I have to wonder what it’s like for fans of other NBA teams that get caught in this limbo.

Do they really spend months speculating on roster moves that don’t happen and draft picks that don’t get made?

It all seems rather strange to me. Like, how do you go from rooting for Jaylen Brown to shopping him for Giannis and then, when that doesn’t pan out, back to rooting for him next season?

Perhaps I’m too wedded to the concrete, and I need to spend more time using my imagination—perhaps that’s the key to being a fan of a team that isn’t regularly a contender. Perhaps you have to have the ability to imagine your team being a contender because, in reality, they don’t have much of a shot.

That might be my problem.

I haven’t had to imagine the Celtics being contenders. They’ve just been contenders, period.


LeBron James is unsure about returning for a 24th NBA season after Lakers' exit originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

LeBron James says he has no idea whether his 24-point performance in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ season-ending playoff loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night was the final game of his NBA career.

The top scorer in league history stuck to the strategy he has taken into the past several summers when he declined to announce his future immediately after the Lakers’ final postseason defeat.

He hasn’t ruled out retirement or a return to the Lakers, and he said nothing about the possibility of moving to another team as he contemplates an unprecedented 24th NBA season.

“I don’t know what the future holds for me, obviously, as it stands right now tonight,” the 41-year-old James said. “I’ve got a lot of time now. I think I said it last year after we lost to Minnesota. I’ll go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them and spend some time with them, and then obviously when the time comes, you guys will know what I decide to do.”

James’ record 23rd season ended with a heartbreaking 115-110 loss, completing a four-game sweep of the short-handed Lakers by the defending NBA champions. Los Angeles began the playoffs without NBA scoring champ Luka Doncic and second-leading scorer Austin Reaves due to injury, yet James led the Lakers to a first-round upset of Houston before running into the league’s best team in the second round.

“It’s amazing what he’s doing out there at this age,” Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s very impressive. It’s hard to put it to words. He’s not very old in the grand scheme of life, but for the NBA, he’s pretty old, and he doesn’t seem like it out there. He was a force. He was the top of the scouting report all series. His size gave us issues at times. He was impressive out there. I’m not sure we’ll see anything like that again, his longevity and his greatness.”

James has played in more games, won more games, scored more points and taken more shots than everybody else who ever put on a uniform, but he has never put a limit on his time in the game.

Instead, he repeated his oft-stated declarations that he’ll figure it out with his family over a few glasses of wine in the next couple of months.

“Nobody has any idea what the future holds, and I don’t either,” James said. “I’ll take time to recalibrate and look over the season and see what’s best for my future, and when I get to that point, everyone will know.”

James showed only marginal signs of age’s encroachment in his 23rd season, continuing to play versatile basketball at an elite level throughout the Lakers’ successful regular season.

Injuries forced his largest compromises: He missed training camp and the first 14 games of the season with sciatica, and he missed eight additional games during the regular season, eliminating him from consideration for inclusion on the All-NBA teams for the 22nd consecutive time.

With Doncic winning the NBA scoring title and Reaves emerging as a legitimate top-level NBA scorer, James willingly assumed a supporting role as the No. 3 option in the Lakers’ offense — and it worked.

His 20.9 points per game were his fewest since his rookie season, largely because his 3-point shooting accuracy declined to 31.7%, and his 33.2 minutes per game were his fewest ever. Yet he contributed 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds with another season of steady performances — and when the Lakers needed him to step up, he did it repeatedly.

“It was so many different seasons in one season with our ballclub,” James said. “Obviously injuries played a big part in it, but as far as our identity, I thought it was super-resilient.”

James was chosen for the All-Star Game for the 22nd time, and right before the midseason break, he became the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double. He surpassed Robert Parish’s record for the most regular-season games played in late March.

The Lakers picked up steam down the stretch in the regular season, winning 16 of 18 heading into April and kindling hope of being a dark-horse candidate to give trouble to the Thunder or Spurs in the playoffs. But that’s when Doncic and Reaves both incurred major injuries, sidelining both indefinitely.

James handled the disappointment by stepping up and coolly taking charge of the Lakers’ offense again. While nearly every NBA observer wrote off Los Angeles’ chances of any playoff run, James and his supporting cast improbably knocked off the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets in six games in the first round, sending the Lakers into the second round for only the second time since 2020.

“For our group to have the moment that we had when Luka goes down with the hamstring and AR goes down with the oblique and we’re staring down the barrel of a playoff series with Houston, I thought our guys responded and were just super-resilient,” James said. “To win that series was big-time for the group that went out there.”

James’ reasons to prolong his career in Los Angeles would be multifold.

He has spent the past two seasons playing alongside Bronny James, his oldest son and a backup guard for the Lakers. They even got significant playoff minutes together this season, allowing LeBron to live another dream.

His family loves living in Southern California — and while his sons are both out of the family home, he has spoken frequently of his desire to watch the progress of his 11-year-old daughter, Zhuri, a competitive volleyball player.

And the Lakers’ outstanding play down the stretch suggested they could be among the NBA’s best teams with full health for Doncic, James and Reaves — who is expected to sign a massive contract to stay with the Lakers this summer.

Whether the Lakers can actually contend for a championship next season will be one factor that James must weigh, but finding a true title contender to join at this stage of his career would be difficult even if the Thunder and the rising San Antonio Spurs didn’t appear to be head and shoulders above the rest of the league.

For now, James will take time off to enjoy life away from the daily grind that has allowed his career to reach unprecedented lengths — and if he decides not to come back, he doesn’t appear to have regrets about how this season ended.”

“I left everything I could on the floor,” James said. “I control what I can control, and I can leave the floor saying even though I hate losing, I was locked in on what we needed to do.”


Chasing Utopia review – renegade Google exec Mo Gawdat searches for ethical AI in alarming insider warning

Delivering much information about the scale of what’s coming, documentary also follows Gawdat’s campaign to get the programs with empathy

Another day, another warning about AI; vis-a-vis the reality we all know, this has roughly the same reassuring effect as a plane fuselage ripping off mid-flight. Starting off with familiar criticisms, such as putting the world out of work and handing over power to tech barons, Alex Holmes and Lina Zilinskaite’s film blasts an concentrated stream of AI concerns in its 83-minute runtime. By the time it is talking about current efforts to create computers out of human brain cells, potentially integrable into our own craniums, and implying this might be a good thing, it is (ironically) hard to know how to process all of this.

The Cassandra at the film’s centre is Mo Gawdat, former chief business officer at Google X, now a touring cautionary voice trying to get the world to listen about the perils of AI. Once overseeing advanced projects for the tech giants, his biggest moonshot lies ahead: to introduce a moral dimension into a tech race that looks increasingly like the frenzied season finale of late capitalism. He talks about feeling parental pride in watching Google’s AI-driven robotic arms learn to grasp objects, as children do. And he feels that humanity’s capacity for benevolence is exactly the training resource needed by neural networks in order to prevent the technology ushering in catastrophe.
 Continue reading...


‘We must keep her name alive’: Cesária Évora, the captivating Cape Verdean who went from restaurant singer to global star

After a lifetime of poverty, Évora found huge success aged 51 with 1992 album Miss Perfumado. As Cape Verdean singers celebrate her morna ballads on stage, those who knew her recall her power, pride and constant smoking

Cape Verde, an archipelago nearly 400 miles off the coast of Senegal, is home to around 800,000 people: about the same population as Leicester, and for decades the country’s music was very little known beyond its borders. Then, in 1992, Cape Verdean singer Cesária Évora released her album Miss Perfumado.

The album became a crossover hit across Europe, selling 500,000 copies in France alone, while in the US, Évora became the biggest selling African artist of the 20th century. Miss Perfumado showcased Évora’s sublime voice – smoky, weary, bruised yet seductive – singing Cape Verdean mornas: mournful ballads sung in the Kriolu language which blends old Portuguese with west African languages, with backings that have the same cross-cultural mix. A concert at London’s Barbican next month will celebrate Évora’s legacy with morna performed by rising Cape Verdean singers (Ceuzany, Elida Almeida, Lucibela, Teófilo Chantre) and Mayra Andrade, a celebrated vocalist who was mentored by her. “These concerts honouring her are important,” Andrade says. “She put Cape Verde on the map and we Cape Verdeans are determined to keep her name and music alive.”
 Continue reading...


Rugby sevens star Kevin Wekesa: ‘I am not blaming Europeans but I must highlight climate injustices’

The Kenyan player has been recognised for his advocacy and grassroots work to tackle sport’s carbon footprint

“Most well-known people who talk about climate change are in North America and Europe,” says Kenyan rugby sevens star Kevin Wekesa, “but for us this is a very relevant conversation. It is not only about future tournaments or big international pledges. In Kenya, we see the effects in rising heat, cracked pitches and changing weather in communities where young athletes are growing up.”

A year before competing in his first Olympic Games at Paris 2024, Wekesa responded to Kenya’s relegation from the top tier of international sevens by offering free rugby coaching in schools across Kenya. After travelling to a school in Kirinyaga on the slopes of Mount Kenya, a wet and verdant region, Wekesa found an unplayable dry field and was forced to cancel the session. One of the students told Wekesa that conditions had been similar for two months, while another suggested the unfamiliar weather was because of climate change.

This is an extract from our newsletter, The Hotspot. To subscribe just visit this page and follow the instructions.
 Continue reading...


I’m vegetarian. How can I get enough iron? | Kitchen aide

The answer is probably more about absorption than quantity, say our panel of experts

I’ve been advised to increase the iron in my diet but, as a vegetarian preoccupied with getting sufficient protein, I’m at a loss.
June, by email
Last year, a study by Randox Health found that almost one in three women who attended its UK clinics have an iron deficiency, which is to say that June isn’t alone. Yes, there are good sources that vegetarians can tap into, but we first need to address a few key points: “The heme iron you get from animal sources – red meat and darker poultry, say – is in a form that’s slightly better absorbed than non-heme iron, which is found in the likes of beans, tofu and leafy greens,” says Dominique Ludwig, nutritionist and author of No-Nonsense Nutrition. This is where vitamin C is your friend: “When we eat non-heme iron and vitamin C together, it increases absorption, so it might be a case for having peppers or tomatoes with your tofu.” But there’s another potential hitch: “On a vegetarian diet, some of that iron can be blocked from absorption because of things such as phytates [a plant compound found in whole grains, legumes, etc], or tannins in tea and dairy,” Ludwig adds, so it’s not simply about how much iron you’re getting, but how good your absorption is.

“Women aged 19-49 should aim for 14.8mg iron a day, but after menopause that drops to about 8.7mg, which falls in line with men’s requirements,” Ludwig says. “If you’re vegetarian, then, you can’t just be having pesto pasta, you need to be eating beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, soy products, and leafy greens, too.” Tofu can have 3-5mg iron per 100g, cooked lentils 3-4mg, chickpeas 2½-3mg, cashews 6-7mg and sesame seeds 14-15mg. So, much like getting dressed, layering is important.

 Oats in the morning are a no-brainer: “A 40g serving will give you 2mg iron, so have them with milled flaxseed and berries for the vitamin C,” Ludwig advises. The same principle applies to the likes of a tofu scramble: “Throw in some kale and tomatoes [again, for the vitamin C] and serve it with wholemeal bread, and you’re looking at about 7mg iron,” Ludwig adds. In other words, your day is getting off to a good start.

Got a culinary dilemma? Email feast@theguardian.com
 Continue reading...


Greg Sankey backs March Madness expansion — with a caveat

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey revealed where he stands on NCAA Tournament expansion.

At the APSE Southeast Region meeting in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Sankey answered whether he thought expanding the men's and women's basketball field from 68 teams to 76 was necessary.

“Addition seems appropriate...” Sankey said.

Opinion: NCAA Tournament expansion won't kill March Madness but will make it worse

'Why and who cares?' Rick Pitino questions expanded March Madness pushback

The new opening round will grow from eight teams to 24, be played Tuesday/Wednesday prior to the first round for men and Wednesday/Thursday for women and feature at-large teams and automatic qualifiers.

Sankey’s said the NCAA Tournament should feature ”the top 50 analytically, committee-determined teams.”

“You know, there’s a combination eligible to participate. What we do is give away spots for automatic bids, because that’s the ethos of the term. It seems a reasonable balance,” Sankey said. “And I think all the criticism and negativity, that’s the way social media rolls.”

The move has been anticipated since conversations began in 2025 as NCAA president Charlie Baker has strongly vouched for expansion. Multiple college athletic directors and coaches confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on April 28 there’s an “expectation” for it to grow.

“The apple cart hasn’t been upset, burned, thrown down the hill and discarded,” Sankey said.

“It’s a bit of a change.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey backs NCAA Tournament expansion to 76 teams


LeBron James is unsure about returning for a 24th NBA season after Lakers' exit originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

LeBron James says he has no idea whether his 24-point performance in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ season-ending playoff loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night was the final game of his NBA career.

The top scorer in league history stuck to the strategy he has taken into the past several summers when he declined to announce his future immediately after the Lakers’ final postseason defeat.

He hasn’t ruled out retirement or a return to the Lakers, and he said nothing about the possibility of moving to another team as he contemplates an unprecedented 24th NBA season.

“I don’t know what the future holds for me, obviously, as it stands right now tonight,” the 41-year-old James said. “I’ve got a lot of time now. I think I said it last year after we lost to Minnesota. I’ll go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them and spend some time with them, and then obviously when the time comes, you guys will know what I decide to do.”

James’ record 23rd season ended with a heartbreaking 115-110 loss, completing a four-game sweep of the short-handed Lakers by the defending NBA champions. Los Angeles began the playoffs without NBA scoring champ Luka Doncic and second-leading scorer Austin Reaves due to injury, yet James led the Lakers to a first-round upset of Houston before running into the league’s best team in the second round.

“It’s amazing what he’s doing out there at this age,” Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s very impressive. It’s hard to put it to words. He’s not very old in the grand scheme of life, but for the NBA, he’s pretty old, and he doesn’t seem like it out there. He was a force. He was the top of the scouting report all series. His size gave us issues at times. He was impressive out there. I’m not sure we’ll see anything like that again, his longevity and his greatness.”

James has played in more games, won more games, scored more points and taken more shots than everybody else who ever put on a uniform, but he has never put a limit on his time in the game.

Instead, he repeated his oft-stated declarations that he’ll figure it out with his family over a few glasses of wine in the next couple of months.

“Nobody has any idea what the future holds, and I don’t either,” James said. “I’ll take time to recalibrate and look over the season and see what’s best for my future, and when I get to that point, everyone will know.”

James showed only marginal signs of age’s encroachment in his 23rd season, continuing to play versatile basketball at an elite level throughout the Lakers’ successful regular season.

Injuries forced his largest compromises: He missed training camp and the first 14 games of the season with sciatica, and he missed eight additional games during the regular season, eliminating him from consideration for inclusion on the All-NBA teams for the 22nd consecutive time.

With Doncic winning the NBA scoring title and Reaves emerging as a legitimate top-level NBA scorer, James willingly assumed a supporting role as the No. 3 option in the Lakers’ offense — and it worked.

His 20.9 points per game were his fewest since his rookie season, largely because his 3-point shooting accuracy declined to 31.7%, and his 33.2 minutes per game were his fewest ever. Yet he contributed 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds with another season of steady performances — and when the Lakers needed him to step up, he did it repeatedly.

“It was so many different seasons in one season with our ballclub,” James said. “Obviously injuries played a big part in it, but as far as our identity, I thought it was super-resilient.”

James was chosen for the All-Star Game for the 22nd time, and right before the midseason break, he became the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double. He surpassed Robert Parish’s record for the most regular-season games played in late March.

The Lakers picked up steam down the stretch in the regular season, winning 16 of 18 heading into April and kindling hope of being a dark-horse candidate to give trouble to the Thunder or Spurs in the playoffs. But that’s when Doncic and Reaves both incurred major injuries, sidelining both indefinitely.

James handled the disappointment by stepping up and coolly taking charge of the Lakers’ offense again. While nearly every NBA observer wrote off Los Angeles’ chances of any playoff run, James and his supporting cast improbably knocked off the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets in six games in the first round, sending the Lakers into the second round for only the second time since 2020.

“For our group to have the moment that we had when Luka goes down with the hamstring and AR goes down with the oblique and we’re staring down the barrel of a playoff series with Houston, I thought our guys responded and were just super-resilient,” James said. “To win that series was big-time for the group that went out there.”

James’ reasons to prolong his career in Los Angeles would be multifold.

He has spent the past two seasons playing alongside Bronny James, his oldest son and a backup guard for the Lakers. They even got significant playoff minutes together this season, allowing LeBron to live another dream.

His family loves living in Southern California — and while his sons are both out of the family home, he has spoken frequently of his desire to watch the progress of his 11-year-old daughter, Zhuri, a competitive volleyball player.

And the Lakers’ outstanding play down the stretch suggested they could be among the NBA’s best teams with full health for Doncic, James and Reaves — who is expected to sign a massive contract to stay with the Lakers this summer.

Whether the Lakers can actually contend for a championship next season will be one factor that James must weigh, but finding a true title contender to join at this stage of his career would be difficult even if the Thunder and the rising San Antonio Spurs didn’t appear to be head and shoulders above the rest of the league.

For now, James will take time off to enjoy life away from the daily grind that has allowed his career to reach unprecedented lengths — and if he decides not to come back, he doesn’t appear to have regrets about how this season ended.”

“I left everything I could on the floor,” James said. “I control what I can control, and I can leave the floor saying even though I hate losing, I was locked in on what we needed to do.”


Good morning sports fans!

Dave Winer, OG blogger, podcaster, developed first apps in many categories. Old enough to know better. It's even worse than it appears.


A Frida Kahlo opera and a robot croupier: photos of the day – Tuesday

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world
 Continue reading...


Yesterday I learned about JSONL, and was of course intrigued. It's a really simple thing, even simpler than RSS and does basically the same thing. And even better, it's the way the AI industry hooks things together. So If we can get RSS to serve as a source of JSONL feeds, it's possible that the AI industry will find it useful. My goal is to get every standard of the web hooked up to AI, quickly, before the silos realize they're leaving out something important. Once they figure it out, they'll have no choice but to add real RSS support. So I put together a quick demo app that hooks into FeedLand and posts to a JSONL feed new items from one of a small set of feeds I chose basically at random. And here is the JSONL feed. If you're a developer in AI-land could you try reading this into your JSONL-ingesting app, and let me know if I got it right. Here's a place to comment. BTW, that URL is temporary just for this quick demo.


Should we be worried about Matt Able at the NBA Combine?

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Matt Able (3) shoots in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
When Juke Harris met with UNC head coach Michael Malone and staff at a restaurant in Salisbury a month ago, Harris seemed determined to test the NBA waters in the combine. UNC decided to shift its attention to a different option, Matt Able, a rising sophomore who put together a promising freshmen season at NC State.

The good news: Able looks to be a promising, NBA-bound talent. The bad news: that NBA destination may be calling sooner rather than later.

ESPN released its latest mock draft, and their prognosticators speculate Able might land with the Houston Rockets at pick 39. That’s the upper third of the 2nd round, which last year earned those picks guaranteed two-year contracts similar to first round picks. Bonus: Able accepted an invitation to work out at the NBA Draft Combine, which runs this week.
View Link
You will note that Juke Harris does not appear in that mock draft. Juke opted to forego the NBA Combine and sign with Tennessee, for a number rumored to be as much as $5 million. So, we passed on Juke because we couldn’t wait for the Combine. Instead, we signed a talent who’s going to test the combine, with at least one major media outlet placing him in the portion of the draft where players get two guaranteed years.

Other major mocks don’t mention Able at all, although it’s unclear if they don’t deem him a draft pick or they expect him to return to UNC. Both would be good news for Tar Heel fans. Rookie Scale, which averages results from reputable mocks, lists Able at pick 56. The Athletic (free article) excludes Able completely, perhaps due to an emphasis on not projecting picks who might return to college. The ESPN mock draft for the time being remains a significant outlier.

In all probability, Able gets a combine under his belt to gain experience for next year and plays for UNC next season. A couple of outstanding workouts and scrimmages, however, could muddy the waters considerably. So, should we be worried about Able being at UNC next season?

As a lifelong Tar Heel fan, I rarely miss an opportunity to worry, so, for me: yes.

How about you?


With the Mavericks at the ninth pick in the NBA Draft, we turn our eyes toward Mike Schmitz’ record

BRISTOL, CT - NOVEMBER 18: NBA Draft Analyst, Mike Schmitz looks at his phone during the 2020 NBA Draft on November 18, 2020 in Bristol, Connecticut at ESPN Headquarters. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When Mike Schmitz was hired as the Dallas Mavericks’ new general manager under the newly minted head man Masai Ujiri, he was hailed as a master talent evaluator.

Now, with the Mavericks landing the No. 9 overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft after Sunday’s Draft Lottery, we turn our eyes toward some of the moves he had a hand in as assistant GM for the Portland Trail Blazers and some of his hotter takes on incoming NBA talent during his time analyzing the draft for DraftExpress and ESPN.

This year’s draft is full of electrifying, potentially franchise-shifting talent at the top, but there are tiers. It’s levels to this shit, as a wise man once said. The Mavs will not be operating on the tippy top level if they keep the ninth pick and select from the leftovers after the top two tiers are all but gutted. It is, on its face, a disappointing result given the season Mavericks fans just endured.

As Ujiri himself said in a recent sit-down interview with Mavericks Chief Comms Officer Gina Miller, “[The NBA Draft Lottery is] a moment where we’re all human beings. You feel it. You know what the odds are, but you still feel like you are the one [to move up].”

And when it doesn’t happen, like for the Raptors in 2025 or for the Mavs this year, you may find yourself kicking rocks with your head hung low on a lonesome stretch of highway as a tumbleweed drifts by.

But at the very least, there are smart people in charge now. They are formulating a plan. These are people who have an actual vision; they’re not manufacturing one for spin after dropping a nuke on the thing you love.

So here are some of Schmitz’ Greatest Hits. Play these on repeat as you wonder how the Mavericks deal with the 2026 offseason.
The 2018 NBA Draft
Schmitz was all-in on Luka Dončić in the run-up to the 2018 NBA Draft, as he worked as an analyst for ESPN. The headline clipped and shared across social media in the days since his hiring in Dallas reads, “There has never been an NBA draft prospect like Slovenia’s Luka Dončić.”

The first-round draft results from that year are pure comedy with the benefit of eight years’ hindsight. The great debate for many was Ayton or Dončić at No. 1, which has proven over the last eight years to be a complete laugher.

Schmitz called Dončić a “unicorn.” He called the Mavericks the “clear winner” of the draft after all the cards were turned in. He referred to Dončić as a “historic” prospect with unparalleled skill, basketball IQ, and winning experience for his age. He heard the criticism of Dončić’s athleticism and tried to convince the masses that it didn’t matter.

He was 100% right. The deceleration move that Dončić befuddled better athlete after better athlete with has been mimicked and copy-catted to death in the years since.
The 2020 NBA Draft

Morning after draft hot takes:

-LaMelo will be the best player to come out of this draft

-Okongwu will be the best big

-Avdija will be the best INTL

-Tyrese Haliburton went way too low

-Maxey will go top-10 in a re-draft

-Bolmaro will be the 2nd best INTL from 2020 pic.twitter.com/E2G1M3fhdr
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) November 19, 2020

Schmitz’s soothsaying after the 2020 NBA Draft should be a case study for talent evaluation. He nailed it all in the above post on what was then Twitter (ah, simpler times), save for underselling Anthony Edwards and Franz Wagner a little bit.

LaMelo Ball has proven out. Deni Avdija has proven out, and Schmitz’s hand in bringing Avdija to the Trail Blazers will be covered later. Okongwu has proven out, fresh off a season where he averaged 15.2 points and nearly eight rebounds a game. The Tyrese Haliburton nod was downright psychic. The specificity with which he described Tyrese Maxey’s potential may be the most impressive item on his list, and these last two citations should encourage Mavs fans the most. Picking from a less-than-optimal spot, Schmitz can spot the dog among more highly touted also-rans.

This unique talent could also serve Dallas well at the 30th pick.
Early Wembanyama adopter
Schmitz is such an international talent geek, it’s delicious. Mavs fans in particular, what with the team’s penchant for going and getting great players from overseas, should be salivating at the thought of his finger anywhere near the trigger.

He was among the earliest adopters of one Victor Wembanyama, releasing the following assessment in 2020, three years before The Alien was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs: “The prototypical NBA center is shrinking as the league gets smaller. But Wembanyama is different. Not only does he put a lid on the rim like Rudy Gobert, he also shows the floor-spacing potential of a young Kristaps Porzingis, with a far better handle and passing feel.”

Wembanyama was just 16 at the time Schmitz wrote that. It’s a bit harder to miss Wembanyama, what with his singular frame and skillset, but Schmitz still gets points for being one of the first to recognize the paradigm shifting nature of his potential arrival on the scene.
Spot-on assessment of Jalen Williams

Really enjoyed breaking down film with Jalen Williams. Impressive feel for the game with a really unique trajectory. Undersized PG in high school. Was only 6-3 when he arrived at Santa Clara. Now one of the biggest sleepers in the draft at 6-6 with length and a refined skill set. pic.twitter.com/79UT3K0DjA
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) May 11, 2022

Schmitz called Jalen Williams the steal of the 2022 draft a month before the picks were in.

“Easy to see him generating substantial 1st round buzz during the pre-draft process,” Schmitz said of the 6-foot-6 prospect with a 7-foot-2 wingspan. He did exactly that and has since proven to, indeed, be the steal of that draft class.

He just seems to have a track record for being in on guys who go on to over-achieve. Schmitz is a seeker. He’ll find you a dude.
Bringing Avdija and Camara to Portland
As then-assistant GM, Schmitz theoretically had at least some input into the trade that netted the Blazers Avdija’s services in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, the 14th pick in the 2024 draft (which ended up being Bub Carrington), a 2029 first-round pick and two second-rounders. This was highway robbery.

Avdija’s jump in production during the 2025-26 season is something many predicted after a couple of seasons playing in Washington. Many Mavericks fans and analysts wished the team could have put together a package for Avdija rather than Daniel Gafford on deadline day in 2024. But Schmitz not only predicted Avdija’s ascension years earlier, he was also part of the team that put together a package to fleece the poor Wizards of the prospect he knew was about to arrive. Chess moves.

A year earlier, following Damian Lillard’s request for a trade after 11 seasons in Portland, Schmitz & Co. were still able to command a substantial haul when the Trail Blazers obliged him. They did not, in retrospect, get held over a barrel in the process. They got Deandre Ayton, Jrue Holliday and Toumani Camara, who was considered at the time something of a throw-in piece but has since developed into one of the best defensive stoppers in the league. He was a second-team All-Defensive Team selection a year ago after being drafted 52nd overall in 2023.
The Yang Hansen of it all
Schmitz’s detractors will point to his role in trading for Yang Hansen, whom the Memphis Grizzlies selected with the 16th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, as evidence that he takes too many risks on international prospects that he likes over surer shots on the draft board. Schmitz was suspended for two weeks without pay by the NBA in April after the team self-reported that Schmitz and his fellow co-general manager, Sergio Oliva, made illegal contact with Yang in 2023, two years before the youngster from China was eventually drafted by the team. The NBA also fined the Blazers $100,000 for that self-reported violation.

That deal may well go down as a mistake, but the Blazers also secured a first-round pick and two second-rounders in the deal. The jury is still out on Yang, who is just 20, by the way. The concern here is that the Mavericks don’t have a bunch of draft capital to experiment with in the next few years. They don’t fully own their first-rounders in either the 2027 or 2028 drafts.

Now that we know where the Mavs stand in the draft order, visions of trade scenarios like Yang-for-Coward will no doubt begin to dance in our collective heads? What could the Mavericks get for, say, P.J. Washington and No. 9? How far could the Mavs move up if they found someone interested in Dereck Lively II and the ninth pick?

The onus is on Ujiri and Schmitz to get it right this year. Good thing they’ve both shown a talent for wheeling, dealing and making the pieces fit.


I am enjoying continuing these test posts.


WATCH LIVE: Hegseth, Caine testify on Capitol Hill as Trump says Iran ceasefire is weak

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing a new round of questioning from lawmakers over the Iran war Tuesday, including some Republicans who have expressed concerns over the length of the conflict and its lack of congressional approval.

Recent political news, analysis and reporting.


Irish TV to air Father Ted instead of Eurovision final in protest against Israel’s inclusion

National broadcaster RTÉ accused of antisemitism for decision to screen satirical 1996 Eurovision episode in boycott of contest

It is considered one of the funniest episodes of a beloved sitcom, but the Father Ted storyline about Eurovision has been dragged into the row over Israel’s participation in this week’s song contest.

Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTÉ, which is boycotting the competition in protest against Israel’s inclusion, will instead broadcast the 1996 episode A Song for Europe, in which the characters Father Ted and Father Dougal perform their song My Lovely Horse and earn nul points.
 Continue reading...


‘He’s inspired generations’: Stormzy to produce biopic about football great Ian Wright

The Crystal Palace, Arsenal and England striker says his life story – now in development with the rapper’s Merky Films – has ‘hard-hitting moments, but in the end I want it to give people hope and joy’

Stormzy has announced he is to produce a biopic of former Arsenal, Crystal Palace and England striker Ian Wright.

Wright, who successfully transitioned to TV punditry after a distinguished playing career that included becoming Arsenal’s highest ever goalscorer, before he was overtaken by Thierry Henry, said he wanted the film to “give people hope and joy”.
 Continue reading...


Matching Gary Oldman’s Krapp with a teenager’s take on Godot is a masterstoke

The Royal Court is presenting the Slow Horses star’s version of one Beckett masterpiece alongside 19-year-old Leo Simpe-Asante’s riff on another. They combine beautifully

Where does the time go? It’s a year since Gary Oldman performed Krapp’s Last Tape in York, returning him to the Theatre Royal where at the age of 21 he played a sleepy panto cat. Now, Samuel Beckett’s play has a homecoming of its own. Oldman has brought the production – directed and designed by himself – to London’s Royal Court, where Krapp had its premiere in 1958, starring Patrick Magee. The Court is also where Oldman cut is teeth in the 80s. “I find it difficult to fully grasp, but four decades have passed,” he writes in the programme.

The sentiment is fitting: Krapp’s Last Tape is indeed an old man’s play. Beckett was 52 when it was first staged and Krapp is 69. He “heaves great sighs” as he shuffles around his den, reeling in the years through diary recordings made 30 years earlier, in which he reflects on his late 20s. But for this Royal Court run, Krapp is accompanied by a teenage voice. The evening begins with a short new work by 19-year-old Leo Simpe-Asante, a winner of the theatre’s inaugural Young Playwrights award. It’s an audacious and generous bit of programming that signals huge confidence in the newcomer, should serve to inspire other first-time playwrights and retains the theatre’s mission to produce new writing while reviving a classic. It’s also a reminder that Krapp itself was originally a curtain-raiser – the main event in 1958 was Beckett’s Endgame.
 Continue reading...


Tell us: what are your top three novels of all time?

Find out how we compiled our list of the 100 best novels published in English – and nominate your favourites

See 100-81 on the list here

This week, we reveal our list of the 100 greatest novels published in English, as voted for by authors and critics around the world. We polled 172 authors, critics and academics for their top 10 novels of all time, published in English, and asked them to rank their choices in order of preference. We scored the titles according to how often they were voted for, and then added a weighting based on individual rankings to produce the overall list of 100 greatest books.

What would be at the top of your list? Which authors do you think should be there? What are your favourite novels of all time?
 Continue reading...


‘Paranormal Activity’ to Haunt Broadway This Summer

Inspired by the popular film series, the play has already run in Britain and in four U.S. cities. It arrives in New York in August after a Boston stop.