King me: Believe it or not, LeBron James is a Hall of Famer as a Laker alone

If this is it for LeBron James as a Laker, he can walk away with pride.

After signing in 2018, he played eight wildly successful seasons and became the all-time leading scorer, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 2023. The 41-year-old won an NBA championship in six playoff runs and reached the conference finals twice, all without missing a single playoff game. Individually, he took home a number of accolades, including eight All-Star nods, seven All-NBA appearances and even a 2019-20 assist title by averaging a career-high 10.2 assists per game.

For most NBA players, an eight-year heater like that would be the stuff of dreams. But after the Game 4 loss against Oklahoma City on Monday night, James’ future is uncertain. He is set to be an unrestricted free agent and his days in LakerLand could be in the rearview mirror. LeBron told reporters following the loss: “I don’t know what the future holds for me.”

Even in his age-41 season, James rated as one of the best players in the league, averaging a team-high 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds this postseason for the short-handed Lakers. With Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves (also a free agent) struggling to stay healthy, the need for James’ versatility, leadership and production remains high. He could re-sign with the Lakers or pick up elsewhere with the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers or other title-aspiring teams needing a veteran impact.

But here’s the crazy thing that really puts LeBron’s Lakers tenure in perspective:

If you isolate James’ stint with the Lakers and look at just his age-34 to age-41 seasons, he would almost certainly be a Hall of Famer based on those eight seasons alone.

And we can prove it.
LeBron's career in purple and gold has been more impressive than you might realize. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)ASSOCIATED PRESSThe Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Probability
Think about the hardware that James earned as a Laker. In those eight seasons in purple and gold, he earned more All-NBA appearances than the entire Hall of Fame careers of Jason Kidd, Carmelo Anthony and Clyde Drexler. He won more playoff games than Hall of Famers Mitch Richmond, Bernard King and Yao Ming if you look at just James’ Lakers tenure.

This isn’t just an exercise in cherry-picking stats. We can look at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame voting history for something more comprehensive. The proprietors of the indispensable Basketball Reference studied the numbers and found that when it comes to Hall-worthy player careers, there are a series of key statistics and accolades that are statistically significant. That is, they are predictive barometers of Springfield immortality based on those who are in the Hall and those who are not.

When it comes to NBA careers, Basketball Reference determined there are five significant factors (in no order):

All-Star Game selections

NBA top 10 NBA leaderboard appearances in the following categories: Points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, minutes played

NBA championships

NBA peak win shares

Height (believe it or not, research shows, the shorteryou are, the better chances you have)

Win shares, by the way, is an advanced metric that estimates the number of wins that a player contributes to his team based on their box score statistics. The other stuff is pretty self-explanatory. In the end, it answers the question: If this player retired today, what is the probability he would be elected to the Hall of Fame?

Another thing to keep in mind, this only considers whether a player is Hall of Fame worthy based purely on a player’s NBA résumé. European stalwarts like Dino Radja and Šarūnas Marčiulionis would not have been deemed Hall-caliber based on their abbreviated NBA careers. But LeBron in L.A.? We can pull that up.

Leaderboard appearances? With the Lakers, he was top-10 in points in 2019-20 (8th), and assists in 2019-20 (1st), 2023-24 (6th) and 2024-25 (7th). Title? Check. All-Star appearances? He’s had eight of them. The highest win shares total of his Lakers tenure came in the championship season in which he registered an impressive 9.8 figure.

When we type in James’ résumé and apply the model, we can calculate the Hall of Fame probability based on his production in those eight seasons. So, what was his Hall of Fame probability as a Laker according to Basketball Reference’s handy HOF probability calculator? Would he be a HOF in purple and gold only?

Without further ado …

Yup, Hall of Famer. It’s 86.5%.

A near lock.

We can say with pretty good certainty that James would be a Hall of Famer if we just looked at his Lakers run. That’s a crazy notion on the surface. Then we peel back the layers and realize that, since he turned 33, he has as many All-NBA appearances as Tracy McGrady, Patrick Ewing and Allen Iverson did in their entire careers. And they never won a title.

Another way to illustrate James’ dominance is to compare his Lakers résumé on paper to other full Hall of Fame careers. Take Mitch Richmond, for instance. The Hall of Fame scorer enjoyed a fine 14-year career in the league, achieving six All-Star appearances and regularly appearing among the scoring leaders. James earned more All-Star (and All-NBA) appearances in just his Lakers stint and had a much bigger hand in the Lakers’ championship than Richmond’s 2002 ring with the team. James’ Lakers career also looks favorably compared to Joe Dumars, Jo Jo White and Earl Monroe.

And that’s just a handful of notable comps. This is where it gets even crazier.
LeBron’s not one, not two, not three, but four Hall of Fame careers
If we can establish that James had a Hall of Fame worthy career as a Laker, it means something even bigger. It means he has stacked four separate Hall of Fame careers on top of each other, demarcated by the three offseasons in which he switched teams.

During the 2023-24 season, when I first looked at this possibility, James’ tenure with the Lakers didn’t quite clear the bar. At the time, he had reached “only” five All-Star teams and hadn’t yet finished among the league leaders in assists in 2023-24 and 2024-25. But with the three extra All-Star notches on his belt and those extra leaderboard appearances, Laker LeBron would reach Springfield based on his résumé.

And believe it or not, both his first Cavs stint (with no titles, but just about every other accomplishment) and his second Cavs stint (with a title) were HOF-worthy, as well as his Miami stint in which he raised the Larry O’Brien trophy twice and dialed up his advanced metrics to historic levels. So that leaves us with — count ‘em — four Hall of Fame careers.

When James signed a four-year deal with the team in 2018, no one would have blamed him for hanging it up after that deal. (Well, maybe some people; it’s LeBron, after all.) He had already played 15 seasons in the league, which was as many as Michael Jordan played and more than Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Larry Bird.

And then he played eight seasons after that. Complete with enough glory to earn a Hall of Fame spot alone. His fourth such golden run of his career.

We can’t ask for much more.

Well, there’s one thing: How about a fifth Hall of Fame career?


Season in Review: Royce O’Neale was the hero Phoenix needed and the victim of its flaws

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 22: Royce O'Neale #00 of the Phoenix Suns celebrates a made basket during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Two of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center on April 22, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series, where we revisit every player who suited up during the 2025–26 campaign through the lens of expectation, reality, and what it ultimately meant.

Player Snapshot

Position: SF/PF

Age: 32

2026-27 Contract Status: $10.9 million

SunsRank (Preseason): 7

SunsRank (Postseason): 9

*SunsRank is based on Bright Side writers’ ranking.

Season in One Sentence

Royce O’Neale somehow represented everything the Suns did well this season, but also everything they were missing.

By the Numbers
GPMINPPGRPGAPGSTLFG%3PT%FT%OFFRTGDEFRTG+/- (TOTAL)7828.49.84.82.71.142.1%40.8%71.1%111.4115.1-113
The Expectation

Coming into this season, we expected O’Neale to be one of the Suns’ best 3-point shooters and a positive contributor defensively, as a marginal rotation player.

The Reality

O’Neale was an integral part of the Suns’ rotation this season because of his shooting and connectivity on bot ends of the floor, but his time as a plus defender has faded with age, and his lack of athleticism was exploited because he was asked to play a role he is no longer suited for.

What It Means

Moving forward, the Suns need to find more athleticism than they have from Dillon Brooks and Royce O’Neale on the front line. O’Neale was asked to be a power forward this season despite being another 6’5” player on the roster. If the Suns expect to ascend as a team, filling his role with someone who has more athleticism and defensive capability might be the most important thing to accomplish on the Suns’ checklist this offseason.

Whether that player comes in a trade for an Aaron Gordon or Cam Johnson type player, in the draft, or Rasheer Fleming taking a sophomore leap. O’Neale is another flawed but valuable player the Suns have on the roster and will be on the trading block all summer because of his contract, 3-point shooting, veteran poise, and high IQ.

Defining Moment

O’Neale’s most memorable moment is easy.

ROYCE O'NEALE GAME-WINNER 🎯🎯🎯 pic.twitter.com/QuSN37cUg1
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 27, 2026

Grade: A-

Now this grade might be way, way, way too high and a shock to the system for many of you reading this. I know what the numbers and the advanced analytics say about Royce O’Neale. What the Suns asked him to be this year, compared to his ability, may have been the widest gap on the roster this season. In my grading for O’Neale, I am not going to penalize him for being asked to bite off more than he can chew. For what the Suns are paying O’Neale and at his age, he outperformed expectations this season despite being an obviously flawed player on an obviously flawed team.

O’Neale had a career year in scoring, shot over 40% from the three-point line, and started 67 games for the Phoenix Suns this season. Heading into the season, every Suns fan or team member would have signed up for what O’Neale produced this year, even if we disagreed about him getting minutes over Ryan Dunn and Fleming.

He has his flaws, which were glaring this season when it came to rebounding and defending on the ball. His weaknesses were only exacerbated by a poorly constructed roster that forced him into a role he simply cannot fill anymore. For the Suns to continue to ascend, he will need to have a diminished role next season, but this season, O’Neale was integral to the Suns’ success. There was a reason Jordan Ott continually chose the grizzled 10-year veteran despite his limitations.

The Suns won 10 more games this season than last year and started O’Neale in place of Kevin Durant. That alone locks in a high grade from me.

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


Daniel Gafford was a key piece in the Finals run. Is he still a piece in the future?

SAN ANTONIO, TX - FEBRUARY 7: Daniel Gafford #21 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on February 7, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When Daniel Gafford boarded the plane from Washington to Dallas in February 2024, it was believed he was one of the missing pieces to being a true title contender. The Mavericks witnessed in real time what Luka Doncic could do with a lob threat center in rookie Dereck Lively II, and adding a second threat would solidify the Dallas backcourt. That wet dream came true.

In his first game as a Maverick against the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder, Gafford recorded 19 points and 9 rebounds. Dallas took Oklahoma City to the woodshed in Gafford’s debut, beating them in front of a raucous AAC crowd 146-111. In his first season with Dallas, the big man averaged 11.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, in 21.5 minutes.

During the 2024 title run, Gafford’s size and athletic ability proved to be an advantage for the Mavs, as he was a matchup nightmare for the Clippers, Thunder, and Timberwolves, especially off the bench. However, his inability to defend in space proved problematic against the champion Celtics, and he became all but unplayable.

That high-and-low seesaw has been the soundtrack of the past two seasons for Gafford. His moments of dominance are typically followed by stretches of poor play with frequent injuries sprinkled throughout.
The Nico Harrison vision
When Nico Harrison traded for Anthony Davis, the vision was that the Mavericks would bolster an ultra-big lineup that would be impossible to score on (at least in the paint). Anthony Davis was slated to play the power forward next to either Daniel Gafford or Dereck Lively II. The vision blew up seven games into the season after Lively suffered a season-ending foot injury. Injuries to Dallas big men have unfortunately become the norm, and Gafford was no exception.

Gafford was coming off his 2024-2025 season of playing only 57 games, his lowest since the COVID bubble 2020-2021 season. Fresh off a 3-year/$54 million extension in the summer, Gafford came in with something to prove. Minus Lively, and with the runway of the full season, it was his time to shoulder the load.  He had shown in flashes what he could do with an expanded role. Shortly after Doncic went out (forever) on Christmas Day 2024, Gafford showed signs of excellence.  In January 2025, he averaged 14.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. He was beginning to show signs that he could be a solid and consistent starting center.

But then everything fell apart. Gafford missed the next two months due to a knee injury, only returning for the last few games of the season, as the Mavericks tried to make a play-in run. He wasn’t the same and hasn’t really been the same since.
Season in review
Gafford had a plethora of other nagging injuries this season, the most severe being multiple ankle sprains that have not allowed him to stay on the court consistently. He played 55 games this season. His averages were still near normal for him, at 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. But the eye test said he wasn’t right.

Whether it was the fit alongside Davis, lack of a true point guard, or being bothered by injuries, Gafford had another season to forget. It was probably all three of those factors. He’s an effort and energy guy that the fans love, and players feed off of. But his biggest strength in showcasing his athleticism was largely suppressed this season. Maybe it was the ankle, or the knee, or just mental exhaustion from all the drama (I get it), he just didn’t look the same.

He had stretches once again of good play, with his best game coming on a March 12 win against the Memphis Grizzlies. Gafford posted 22 points, 14 rebounds, and a block. It was the only win for the Mavericks in a span of over a month. March was his best month, putting together averages of 15.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game in 12 games. December was his worst month at 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game in nine games.

After another season riddled with injuries, it’s probably safe to say Gafford is at best a good backup center. He’s a touch undersized for a starting-caliber center, but if he’s healthy, he provides great minutes off the bench. As he proved, he can be a rotation piece on a contending team.
Contract status
If he can stay on the floor, Gafford is a value piece. His 3-year contract extension kicks in this upcoming summer, as he’ll be making $17.2 million in 2026-2027, $18.1 million in 2027-2028, and $18.9 million in 2028-2029. With swirling questions around Dereck Lively II, what the Mavericks do next with Gafford will be interesting. He was a player teams called about at the trade deadline, and if he bumps up his value next season with health, the offers might become too good to say “no” to.
Looking ahead
Not to beat a dead horse (okay, bad pun), but the big question next year for Gafford and Dallas will be his health. He’ll turn 28 in October and is not getting any younger. If he can be on the court back to old Daniel Gafford, he’s probably a piece worth keeping around. If the injuries continue to pile up, Dallas may once again take phone calls. In the era of Cooper Flagg, health and youth are of the utmost importance.
Grade: C+
Gafford played fairly well when he was at his healthiest, but that didn’t happen often enough. The Mavericks need much more from Gafford if he’s on the roster going forward.


Palestine Action activists in Elbit protest could be sentenced as terrorists

Judge’s ruling was not disclosed to jurors in two trials and can only now be revealed after reporting restrictions lifted

Four Palestine Action activists convicted after a retrial over a violent protest at an Israeli arms manufacturer’s UK site face being sentenced as terrorists despite the jury not being told this.

In an unprecedented move in a criminal damage case, the judge, Mr Justice Johnson, ruled before the first trial that there appeared to be a “terrorist connection” to the offences – even though the protest took place before Palestine Action was proscribed – but this could not be told to the jury. The finding and the restriction on telling the jury continued for the retrial.
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Latest news, sport, business, comment, analysis and reviews from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice


Plaid Cymru’s Rhun ap Iorwerth voted first minister of Wales

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Rhun ap Iorwerth has been voted first minister of Wales after Plaid Cymru’s Senedd electoral victory ended 100 years of Labour hegemony and held off Reform UK.

Ap Iorwerth was confirmed after a plenary vote on Tuesday with the support of the 43 Senedd members of his party and two Greens.
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How Hezbollah’s $300 drones are challenging Israeli military

Non-state group learns from Ukrainian warfare to develop cabled drones that evade hi-tech defences of state army

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Footage of the drones hitting Israeli tanks, soldiers and bulldozers in south Lebanon has become increasingly common as Hezbollah puts the weapon at the centre of its guerrilla war against Israel’s occupation of south Lebanon.
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The end of typing? Why workers are suddenly ditching their keyboards

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Name: Voicepilled.

Age: Reid Hoffman first declared himself “voicepilled” in the autumn of last year.
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He hunted for his daughter’s killer for 40 years. Then he got a phone call

Tim Miller’s teen daughter disappeared in 1984, tied to a series of deaths in the Texas ‘killing fields’. After decades, he received a tip that unlocked everything

Tim Miller is good at finding missing people – or rather, their bodies. Four years ago, a stranger called him and left a rambling message claiming that he had important information about an unsolved murder case.

Miller, who lives in Texas and runs a non-profit search-and-recovery organization called EquuSearch, did not treat the message as a high priority. The caller sounded as if he might have been drunk or on drugs. Although tips are vital to EquuSearch’s work, the tip line brings a certain number of hoaxes, cranks and innuendo. Some of the people who leave messages, Miller told me, “probably ought to get their medication checked”.
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Jeffrey Epstein survivors to return to Palm Beach, Florida, for House hearing

Survivors to return to ‘scene of the crime’ for shadow congressional hearing into abuses committed by Epstein

Survivors of r Jeffrey Epstein will return to the “scene of the crime” in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday for a shadow congressional hearing into abuses committed by the late sex offender.

Several members of the Democratic House oversight caucus are scheduled to join the victims and several expert witnesses at the hearing close to Epstein’s former waterfront mansion where he procured girls as young as 14 to perform sexual services for wealthy guests.
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Snookering you again: Big Break to return with Stephen Hendry on trick-shot duties

BBC to bring back classic gameshow after 24 years away

Former world champion to host with Paddy McGuinness

The BBC is re-racking the balls and chalking the cues again after announcing that classic TV gameshow Big Break will return after 24 years away.

Seven-time snooker world champion Stephen Hendry is to co-host the series alongside presenter and comic Paddy McGuinness in a reboot of a show that originally ran for 10 series from 1991 to 2002.
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Trump has a proposal to expand fertility benefits. Here's how that would work

President Donald Trump announced a new proposed rule Monday that would allow employers to provide standalone health insurance coverage for fertility benefits.

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Masto: I'd like to come up with a list of formats, protocols and products that have become defaults for AI work.

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Next for LeBron James? The shorter-than-you-think list of potential destinations

LeBron James may be on the move, and how often have we been able to say that?

In 2010, when he made The Decision to take his talents to South Beach. In 2014, when we had an inkling he would leave the Miami Heat for a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. And in 2018, when all signs pointed to him joining the Los Angeles Lakers.

That’s right: LeBron’s future has not been this uncertain since 2010, so you could have your driver’s license right now and not remember when he joined the Heatles.

It’s been a minute.

An obligatory reminder: James will turn 42 years old in December. He is no longer the game’s best player, though he is still somehow one of its (let’s say …) 25 best, and this season he accepted a role, which made him the NBA’s best third option for a stretch.

He was not that in the playoffs, when the absences of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves demanded he reassume the throne as a primary playmaker on offense, and that was too much for James to handle, at least in a Western Conference semifinal.

On the dais for his media exit interview, after his team was swept by the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, James did not sound ready for retirement, though he did say he was uncertain about his future. That uncertainty probably has more to do with whether he will be a Laker next season and not whether he will be playing.

This begs a question: Will LeBron James accept a salary commensurate with the complementary role he would need to play for a team to be a serious title contender? We may not know the answer to that until he decides for which team he will play.

Still, we can imagine the shorter-than-you-think list of options available to him. Let's run them down.
Los Angeles Lakers
If he re-signs in L.A., it will surely be for more money than the Lakers should be willing to pay for his services. What is James worth? When it comes to selling tickets, there is no cap on what he could command, and the Lakers will take that into consideration.

When it comes to team-building, though, think of Derrick White, a clear-cut third option behind Boston Celtics superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. He will make $30 million next season, and even that will make roster construction difficult when the two highest-paid players on the team each command $60 million annually.

James made $52.6 million this season. Is he going to want to take a $20-something million pay cut to rejoin a team that proved to have a sub-championship ceiling with him as a third option? (No one really thought the Lakers could contend with OKC, even with Dončić, did they?) On the other hand, there isn’t a lot of salary cap space available this summer — at least with good teams — to leverage against the Lakers.

Maybe he convinces himself, if he gives up salary, the Lakers could reallocate those funds to bring in better pieces around him, Dončić and Reaves. More likely, though, the Lakers will end up committing something close to the projected salary cap ($165 million) to Dončić, James and Reaves, who can also be a free agent at season’s end.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles’ front office will be left scrambling to put the proper pieces around them, and it still may not be enough to contend with OKC or the San Antonio Spurs, considering the defensive issues inherent to fielding those three players, and an over-reliance on the health of a highly paid trio, one of whom will be 42 years old.
Cleveland Cavaliers
So, maybe LeBron decides: F*** it, if I’m going to give up $20 million in salary to be on a try-hard contender, why not give up even more to be on a more serious contender?

After all, the man is worth a billion dollars, and if he were to accept, say, a midlevel exception in the range of $6-15 million, he could open his possibilities to every team in the NBA. One of those organizations, of course, could be his hometown Cavaliers, with whom he began his 23-year career, and delivered the team’s only championship.

If we know anything from watching James over the past quarter-century, it is that he would welcome a retirement tour and all the adulation that comes along with it, and what a story that would be in Cleveland. This decision will have its own narrative to it.

Not only do the Cavs have a need on the wing, where James could be paired with Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen on an immediate contender, but they could go even bigger-game hunting, flipping Mobley for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Wouldn’t that be something? Mitchell, Harden, LeBron and Giannis.

It’s possible. We can dream.
Golden State Warriors
Then again, anything is possible, including the union of James and Stephen Curry. Anyone who watched them take on the world for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics could see the appreciation they have for each other’s games, which merge so well.

Make the Bay Area a destination for every player aging gracefully. They already boast Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis, a collection of players whose ages and injury histories have left them all in need of each other.
Steph Curry and LeBron James joining forces? Who else is down? (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)Adam Pantozzi
Maybe by joining forces they can compete with the next generation. Open the doors to all past-their-prime stars; see if they can restore each other. Kawhi Leonard? Kevin Durant? Mike Conley? DeMar DeRozan? Put a call out for one last job. Who’s down?

It’s hard to imagine James venturing too far from home, whether it is Cleveland or Los Angeles, where his business and family are established (including his oldest son, Bronny, who is under guaranteed $2.3 million contract with the Lakers next season).

But maybe San Francisco isn’t so far from L.A., at least in the NBA sense. Curry is there. Draymond is there. Steve Kerr is there. These are all people LeBron respects, and that is a big part of this. LeBron will not join an unknown commodity at this age.
New York Knicks
Then again, James has always been enamored with Madison Square Garden, where the lights are brightest. He once told Dwyane Wade his career would end either in L.A. or New York, and the Knicks might need reinforcements if they fall short of a title.

With OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns already in place, the Knicks do not have much room at a swing position for James, but sometimes you make way for one of the greatest players in the history of the game. He would find his way to fit on the basketball court, so long as all of the egos in New York could mesh off of it.

And that’s another thing (there’s always another thing when it comes to LeBron): James doesn’t just join a locker room. He commands it. The amount of attention he draws, for better or worse, is incredible. Not every city can handle it. New York can.

Detroit Pistons? Denver Nuggets?
Would James dream of choosing a plug-and-play situation in which he could be the missing piece to a contender, because I’m just imagining him in Tobias Harris’ spot.

Now, I doubt he would take his talents to Detroit, but in a basketball sense it follows. Same goes for the Nuggets. Just picture LeBron in place of Cam Johnson, and what magic might he and Nikola Jokić make on a basketball court. Let’s get really crazy.
Oklahoma City Thunder
How funny would that be? Just sign for the minimum, play a few minutes a night, and collect a couple more rings on the other side of a light workload. Anything’s possible.

Most likely, though, James returns to the Lakers, at least according to oddsmakers.


Timberwolves vs. Spurs – NBA Playoffs – Game 5 predictions: Odds, stats, trends and best bets for May 12

The Western Conference series between the Spurs and the Timberwolves is back in San Antonio tonight for Game 5 tonight with the series tied at two games apiece. For those who have yet to hear, Victor Wembanyama has not been suspended by the league for his elbow to the throat of Naz Reid in Game 4. That obviously is a major relief and advantage for the Spurs. They did not wilt but also could not hold off the Timberwolves over the weekend once their leader was sent to the showers. Minnesota wore down San Antonio outscoring them 34-25 in the fourth quarter enroute to a 114-109 win.

Dylan Harper has been a revelation this series. The rookie out of Rutgers has matured steadily throughout the season but his scoring has taken a big step in the postseason. Harper led the Spurs with 24 points in Game 4. Consider taking a look at his point totals for tonight’s game. Rudy Gobert has been a steady presence around the rim for the Timberwolves averaging 10 rebounds and nearly 1.5 blocks per game in the series. He is also averaging 2.5 assists.

It is fair to say the winner tonight will win this series. It may still take seven games, but the winner tonight will take a significant step towards a Western Conference Finals date with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who, oh by the way, have yet to lose a game this postseason. Because tonight is so pivotal, the pressure will be amped up that much more. Which side’s stars can take their team to a new level? Which side’s supporting cast can exceed expectations?

Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Game Details and How to Watch Live: Timberwolves vs. Spurs

Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Time: 8PM EST

Site: Frost Bank Center

City: San Antonio, TX

Network/Streaming: NBC / Peacock

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game Odds: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:

Moneyline: Minnesota Timberwolves (+320), San Antonio Spurs (-410)

Spread: Spurs -10.5

Total: 218.5 points

This game opened Spurs -9.5 with the Game Total set at 218.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
Minnesota Timberwolves

PG Anthony Edwards

SG Ayo Dosunmu

C Rudy Gobert

SF Julius Randle

PF Jaden McDaniels

San Antonio Spurs

PG De’Aaron Fox

SG Stephon Castle

SG Devin Vassell

PF Victor Wembanyama

SF Julian Champagnie

Injury Report: Timberwolves vs. Spurs

Minnesota Timberwolves

Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) has been declared OUT of tonight’s game

San Antonio Spurs

David Jones Garcia (ankle) has been declared OUT of tonight’s game

De’Aaron Fox (ankle) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game

Important stats, trends and insights: Timberwolves vs. Spurs

The Timberwolves are 29-15 at home this season

The Spurs are 31-12 on the road this season

The Spurs are 51-39-2 ATS this season

Minnesota is 43-49 ATS this season

The OVER has cashed in 40 of the Spurs’ 92 games this season (40-52)

The OVER has cashed in 42 of the Timberwolves’ 92 games this season (42-50)

Victor Wembanyama (ejected)played just 12 minutes in Game 4

Julius Randle has scored 12 points in each of the last 3 games in this series

Ayo Dosunmu was 3-12 from the field in Game 4

Dosunmui is 7-28 in the series from the field

Julian Champagnie had two steals in each game in Minnesota

De’Aaron Fox is averaging 4 assists per game in this series

Terrence Shannon Jr. was just 3-12 from the field in Game 4

Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Timberwolves and Spurs’ game:

Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline

Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Timberwolves +10.5 ATS

Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 218.5

Player Prop: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Spurs’ Dylan Harper 12+ Points (-112).

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

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LeBron James’ future: What ‘The King’ should do next

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks to the media during a press conference after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder 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
Despite leading late in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of their playoff series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were unable to fend off the sweep at the hands of the defending NBA champions. Without Luka Doncic, and for much of the previous series, Austin Reaves, James once again carried the load of his team on his broad shoulders.

It wasn’t enough, and now attention turns to the future for “The King,” who, at 41 years old, could have just played his final NBA game.

Following the contest, James was his usual measured self in his media session, noting that he would take time to think and make any decision about his future:

"No sé qué me depara el futuro. Me juntaré con mí familia, recalibraré y hablaré con ellos. Una vez que tenga una decisión, la sabrán".

LeBron James en conferencia de prensa tras la eliminación de los Lakers. pic.twitter.com/qe18gcXqXl
— Isolation (@IsolationNBA) May 12, 2026

This offseason could see a lot of changes around the NBA, including with James, which could leave the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with a variety of options. With Giannis Antetokounmpo likely on the move, LeBron may not even get the majority of the headlines this offseason.

No one knows what James will decide to do. Many believe his most realistic options are to return to Lakers, go back home with the Cleveland Cavaliers for one last run, join his friend Steph Curry, along with Steve Kerr, with the Golden State Warriors, or retire. Let’s predict what’s next for LeBron.
LeBron gets the ultimate retirement tour in Cleveland
James should have one of the greatest farewell tours we’ve ever seen in professional sports. It just doesn’t make sense that it would happen on the Lakers, not when Luka Doncic is trying to write his own legacy with the franchise. The most sensible place for LeBron’s farewell tour is of course in Cleveland. I’ve predicted this since the start of this season, and then there was an ESPN report in January that the Cavs are potentially open to it. Beyond being a great story, James could actually help Cleveland on the court with a veteran team that has needed a big wing. I remember reading about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar getting a rocking chair on his farewell tour. LeBron should get similarly fun and extravagant gifts along the way. Cleveland actually feels like a better basketball situation than the Warriors or Lakers to me, and we already know what LeBron does when he’s in the East. I predict LeBron has one more season left before retirement, and the most sensible place for it to happen is in Cleveland. — ROD
LeBron enjoys the “bleacher years”
I spend more time than I should scrolling Instagram mindlessly.

Such is life in 2026.

Thanks to an odd intersection of interests, my algorithm is approximately 25% Interstellar clips, 25% Project Hail Mary clips, 25% dance competition videos (thanks to the ones my daughter shares in our family chat) and 25% high school baseball clips (thanks to our son).

It is that last 25% that is on my mind right now.

We’ve reached May on the calendar, which brings wit it the end of many high school baseball careers. Here in Maryland, the state baseball tournament is underway, with teams already being eliminated. That means for some seniors, their last baseball game is now behind them, and their baseball journey is over.

And for their parents, the end of the “bleacher years.” Those years spent traveling to games, supporting their children, cheering them on, and holding them tight when they’re hurting.

And how you never get those bleacher years back.

LeBron, you’ve accomplished everything there is on the court. Your legacy is secure.

It’s time to enjoy the bleacher years.

You’ve earned them. — MS
LeBron deserves a retirement tour unlike anything we’ve seen before
There will be plenty of time to argue about legacies, who is the GOAT, and pore over the metrics to determine the pecking order on NBA’s Mt. Rushmore, but from my estimation LeBron is both the second greatest player of all time, and the second greatest player I will have seen in my lifetime after Michael Jordan.

I see the vision of LeBron returning to Cleveland, helping them win one more title, and riding off into the sunset as the conquering hero of the NBA — but in reality, I’m not sure it will play out like that. If he joins a championship-caliber Cavaliers team and they falter, the failure will be blamed on the distraction of James’ retirement tour. There’s also the reality here that while LeBron is from Akron, and best identified as a Cavaliers legend — his legacy belongs to multiple NBA teams.

So here’s what we do:

LeBron James signs with the Cleveland Cavaliers and plays the first 25 games of the season with them. Enough to get the hero’s send-off, not enough to take away from the goal at hand of winning a championship.

LeBron is then traded to the Miami Heat, where he plays up until the NBA trade deadline. It’s a chance to team up with Eric Spoelstra again, the coach he won two championships with in 2012 and 2013. Here he can give the Heat a mid-season boost to their playoff odds, then depart as well.

Closing out his retirement tour, LeBron returns to the Los Angeles Lakers. A team that should be in the playoff hunt thanks to Luka Doncic regardless, and this achieves two goals. Firstly, it allows for the bright lights of Los Angeles to be his final stop, allowing him to be the hottest ticket in town — and he still gets to help the Lakers in crunch time of the season as a glue guy, without it feeling like he abandoned the team.

It’s weird, it’s unusual, and it’s the perfect ending to King James’ reign. — James Dator
LeBron James + the Mecca of Basketball
Let me say up front, as a lifelong Cleveland sports fan (cheap plug for my Cleveland Browns site, Dawgs By Nature), LeBron coming home seems most likely, most fitting, and the best storyline. While I want and expect LeBron to come home, and have heard there are some details already in motion for if/when that happens, that would be the homer and obvious pick for me.

Dator’s idea ended up blowing mine out of the water for creativity. I thought I was going to be the curveball.

James has talked about Madison Square Garden with such reverence over the years that a farewell tour centered in New York City makes all the sense in the world. In this scenario, the New York Knicks get taken out in the Eastern Conference Finals this year (maybe by the Cavs) and are desperate for that one piece to take them over the top. LeBron can not only spend a ton of time in another huge market, but also end up being a hero type for four different teams if the Knicks can win the NBA Championship in 2027 while hosting “The King’s” farewell tour.


Would you trade Jaylen Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo? (Staff Roundtable)

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 02: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball against Hugo González #28 of the Boston Celtics during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum on March 02, 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If there’s one question that has captured the attention of Celtics fans and the greater NBA this month, it has been this one (see title). So I thought I’d pose it to the writers of your favorite Celtics site. Here’s what the staff came up with.

Ian Inangelo

I don’t think I would trade Jaylen Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo and I don’t think it happens. Brown is at the peak of his value right now after having a First-Team All-NBA level season and it could be smart for the Celtics to sell high on him right now. Giannis is one of the few players in the NBA that I would be willing to trade Jaylen Brown for just because of how talented he is and I think a lineup of Tatum at the 4 and Giannis at the 5 would be an incredibly overpowered duo.

However, for as much as I love the idea of Tatum and Giannis on the floor together, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Brown and Tatum have built in chemistry with years of playing together that could take time to develop with Giannis. Giannis is also on a 1-year deal so Boston would have to give him an extension and the Celtics could be in the same place they are now cap wise with two max contracts and not a lot of depth.

In my mind though, I just don’t think this move happens unless Brown comes out and requests a trade on his own accord. I feel like he’s so intertwined with the city of Boston and the culture of the Celtics that Brad Stevens would only move him if it was a mutual decision. But maybe I’m wrong, Stevens has shown in the past he doesn’t make deals off of emotion (i.e. Marcus Smart) so if its the right decision to improve this Celtics team I think they would trade Brown.

Mark Aboyoun

No. I think we’re being a little too emotional after the elimination. Jaylen hasn’t helped his standing with some poorly timed streams, but trading Brown isn’t the answer, even if it’s for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
When Brown and Tatum are both healthy, they’ve proven they’re good enough to win a lot of games together, including a championship. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and I don’t think this situation is dead enough to justify moving on from him.

Grant Burfeind

Why does this feel like I’m being asked whether I’d trade my childhood home for a mansion? You’ve made fun of the mansion for years. Scoffed at it as you walked by. A saltwater pool and a hot tub? Tacky much? But then a real estate agent comes knocking and says, with your childhood home and a few other assets, the mansion could be yours. You’d be ridiculous not to consider it, but the childhood home has brought you memories and joy to last a lifetime. You don’t just shrug that off because the other place has a nicer kitchen.

Okay, I’ve taken this analogy as far as it can go. Back to basketball. I love Jaylen, and there are maybe nine or ten players in the world I’d even consider moving him for. Giannis is one of them. My general trade philosophy is a popular one: in a superstar deal, I want to walk away with the best player. At his best, Giannis is the best player in any realistic version of this conversation.

It would hurt. Brown was the Finals MVP of Banner 18, just had an MVP-caliber season and has become part of the fabric of this era of Celtics basketball. But if Brad Stevens is serious about finding more rim pressure like he said in his end-of-season presser, Giannis is the final boss version of that idea. I tried to rearrange the letters in “we need a gosh darn rim attacker” into Giannis Antetokounmpo and got nowhere, but spiritually, it checks out. Pairing Giannis’ rim-pulverizing, transition-wrecking force with Tatum’s smoother, jazz-like offensive skillset would give Boston a different ceiling than the Tatum-Brown pairing, as painful as that is to admit.

So yes, I’d do it if the framework is Brown plus a couple first rounders (I’m not trying to lose any other pieces this summer if JB is leaving in this hypothetical), especially if the alternative is watching Giannis land with another East contender. The injury concerns are fair, but fear of what might go wrong can’t outweigh the chance to add one of the 75 greatest players ever while Tatum is still in his prime. I wouldn’t trade Jaylen just because the playoffs ended badly. I wouldn’t trade him for a collection of solid role players. But I’d trade him for Giannis.

And for those wondering what you can spell with all the letters of the Greek Freak’s name: “To tie a sunk moon: no gain.” Let that sink in.

Rich Jensen

We’re herd animals, and once there’s a sufficient level of buzz around, say, buying a pet rock, people stop talking about how stupid the idea is, and start talking about what they’ve named their pet rock.

But that doesn’t change the fact that buying a pet rock is stupid.

So it goes with the sudden flood of Jaylen-Giannis trade speculation. Talk of various trade packages has saturated the air so much so that people have seemingly stopped looking closely at where Giannis is at this point in his career, and are exclusively focused on what trade packages for him should look like. The unspoken assumption is ‘well of course, you’d trade for Giannis.’

There are real concerns with Giannis. He missed 46 games last season with a variety of injuries, he seems to have developed a bit of an attitude problem, and I have questions about how well he’d fit on the Celtics.

That’s what I’m focused on, and for that reason, I don’t think dealing for Giannis is the right move for Boston.

Mike Dynon

No, I wouldn’t make that trade. There are the obvious reasons: Giannis’ age (31, vs. Jaylen, 29); his many injuries in recent years; and the fact that even with Giannis on the roster, the Bucks haven’t won a single playoff series in the past four seasons.

So let’s focus on a different reason: How the Celtics are perceived across the league. It wasn’t too long ago that Isaiah Thomas had that heroic season in which he was top-five in MVP voting, persevered through the death of his sister just as the playoffs began, and led the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals. At that point, a hip injury ended his season – and then he was traded to Cleveland during the summer.

The Celtics franchise was widely criticized as being untrustworthy, doing wrong to a player who had given his all for Boston. Soon after, the father of superstar Anthony Davis used that episode as the reason his son – who then was trying to force a trade out of New Orleans – would not consider Boston as a potential destination. It was a bad look for a franchise that honestly has never been a magnet for available talent.

Now, after the All-NBA season of leadership that Jaylen just delivered, trading him could harm the “Different Here” Celtics’ culture. Critics (logical or not, there are always critics) could again question the loyalty of the franchise. Some might say that’s superficial, but the Davis episode demonstrated the real consequences. Plus, the actual splitting up of the Jays would let all the hot-takers win, and I’m too stubborn to accept that. Jaylen says he wants to play in Boston for another 10 years, and I believe him. Let’s make that happen.

Jack Anderson

I would trade Jaylen for Giannis. I think what the Sixers series and then Knicks sweep of the Sixers showed us is that the Celtics aren’t good enough as it. Brad Stevens even said so in his press conference.

This is Giannis Antetokounmpo, man. He makes you better than Jaylen Brown makes you. I love JB, he is an awesome player and he and Tatum have had awesome results.

However, the Celtics have to get better, the window is open as long as Jayson Tatum is Jayson Tatum. You have to strike when given the chance.

Trading Jaylen would be sad and I wouldn’t deal him if Antetokounmpo isn’t an option. Yet, if Giannis is an option, I think Boston needs to strike.

Nirav Barman

If I had it my way, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown would be Celtics for the entirety of their careers. At this point, I don’t see any realistic trades that would make me change my mind on that, including trading JB for Giannis. Giannis is the better player – you won’t find any argument from me on that. That being said, big swings like this don’t always yield the expected results.

Giannis, as exceptional as he is, hasn’t had a fully healthy playoff run since 2022. In fact, he’s only played 8 total playoff games since then, 3 in ’23 and 5 in ’25. Playing as physical of a game as Giannis does, and that too as a freak athlete of a near 7-footer, is bound to have some harsh wear and tear over the course of a season, and over the course of a career. He will be 32 next year, He will also be expecting a contract extension while making $58.5M in 26-27 and holding a $62.8M player option in 27-28. The extension would probably be in the range of $65M-70M per year going into his year 36 season. That’s a hell of a gamble to take.

More than Giannis, I think Jaylen’s value on the Celtics is severely understated. We’re talking about trading the longest-tenured player on the team. The guy who has made enormous efforts to take his team to new heights, while also making his mark on the city of Boston off the court. He studied his teammates’ birth signs to learn how to better communicate with them. He takes accountability after each loss, and takes every opportunity to uplift his teammates, whether that be praise or direct coaching. He has made his commitment to the team and its success very clear.

We already know Jaylen fits into the Celtics, including right next to Tatum, who Boston is most definitely focused on building around. Why break up a good thing when you don’t need to? The Celtics over-achieved this season, and fell due to some inefficiency and a lack of experienced depth, or at least a lack of willingness to use it. They can get back to serious contention by tinkering around the edges instead of making drastic changes.

I say no JB for Giannis trade.

Robby Fletcher

As tempting as the prospect of a Giannis-Tatum pairing is, I still don’t see a reason for Boston to break up the Jays. Maybe there’s a time to consider a trade as seismic as that, but I definitely don’t think we’re there yet.

The play of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum this postseason was not my primary concern after the 3-1 collapse to the 76ers, and I don’t think it’s Brad Stevens’ either. We’ve seen a range of extreme highs and stunning lows with Brown and Tatum leading the way, but we know the right supporting cast automatically makes them a contender together in the East.

True, the needs of this current roster align with what Giannis presents: a stronger two-way presence inside the paint. But I don’t anticipate Boston taking that big of a swing to address it. With some wiggle room to evade the repeater tax, along with draft assets and tradeable contracts to work with, the Celtics can still be active this offseason to improve what’s already a pretty promising roster.

I’m mostly expecting a similar core outside of a few new additions in the middle of the rotation. Pair that with a healthy Tatum ready for opening night, and Boston still looks like a legitimate contender entering next season.

A trade notification involving Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo would immediately enter the conversation as one of the most franchise-shifting deals in Celtics history. Do I expect this offseason to produce that reality? Probably not. But it’s intriguing to think about. We’ve seen plenty of summer trade rumors surrounding JB over the years. I’m ready to add this one to the file.

Ryan Paice

As much as it would hurt, I would trade JB for Giannis — if there is some kind of guarantee that he signs an extension to stay in Boston long term. The Greek Freak’s current contract is only guaranteed through the 2026-27 season, as he has a player option for 2027-28 that he will likely decline to seek what could be his last max contract. If the Lakers or Heat play it right, they could have max slots open to sign him when that happens and — no matter how much I think Giannis would like playing in Boston — the pull of LA and Miami on free agents is too strong to ignore when considering moves like this. So, if the Celtics are going to part with their 2024 Finals MVP to get Giannis, Brad better make sure that he’s staying in Boston when his current contract expires.

Cost-wise, I think the C’s can and should do whatever it takes to facilitate a JB for Giannis swap as long as the deal does not exhaust the team’s flexibility moving forward. JB, Max Shulga and a pair of first round picks would work for me. Boston would be able to maintain its shooting depth (as opposed to the White/Hauser/Pritchard idea) and keep a FRP to potentially add onto the newly souped-up core. Despite the fact that Giannis would definitely see time as a 5 under Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics may still need another center — hopefully one who can wrestle with trees like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic — so maintaining assets for such a deal is important.

Overall, the potential in trading for Giannis is just too high to pass up on, even if that means trading one of my favorite players of the last decade. He’d add a much needed interior scoring dynamic, bolster Boston’s defense and make the team an instant title favorite. What more could you ask for?

Jeff Clark

Admittedly, I go back and forth on this topic daily. I would like to say that my final stance is that I would not do it because I want Jaylen to retire a Celtic (but if it happened I would talk myself into it in about .034 seconds). But I don’t think it is that simple.

Sure, we’ve seen Jayson and Jaylen win a title together, so we know that formula can and does work. We’ve also seen them get bounced pretty early in 3 of the last 4 playoffs. So maybe the formula is a little more unstable than we’d like to believe. I very much trust Joe Mazzulla and his system, but also recognize that he’s not flawless and has some work to do on his own game. I think Brad Stevens has a good feel for what this team needs and he thinks we need to put more pressure on the rim. Perhaps that can be accomplished with a focus on play style and a few interchanged pieces. However, it is hard to deny that adding Giannis to a roster with Tatum (who can play with anyone) would unlock a lot of what Brad is trying to accomplish.

The freak sized caveat is “if he’s healthy.” The leg injuries should scare anyone considering this investment. Are we just signing up for the death rattle of his career? Or are the next few years of his prime worth the risk? Can we count on a KG type of impact? Or is it more of a Kemba Walker situation?

Ultimately if I had to choose, I would say I do want to trade for Giannis (but if it doesn’t happen, I’ll be perfectly happy keeping Jaylen). It is a gamble, but fortune favors the bold. Unless it doesn’t. You can see now why I’m a blogger, flip flopping my opinion even in the course of writing one down, and not the GM of our favorite team.

So now the question goes to you fine folks. Would you trade Jaylen for Giannis?


Fire up the Furby synth! Meet UK Eurovision entry Look Mum No Computer at his mind-boggling music museum

Sam Battle is a retro audio tech obsessive. Our writer gets a tour of his museum just as he unleashes his prized exhibit: a 1,000-oscillators-strong Megadrone!

‘I didn’t really plan to do Eurovision at all,” muses Sam Battle as he takes me round his museum, pushing a shock of ever-so-slightly mad scientist hair from his youthful face and coaxing drones out of abstract metal boxes as we go. “I was chatting to Johnny, my friend who works here, and we were saying wouldn’t it be funny to do it. So, we sent an email to the BBC asking, ‘Is there any way we can get on it?’ and they said, ‘Well this guy might be interesting …’”

Known to his fans as Look Mum No Computer, Battle has built a cult following with his wild fusions of music and esoteric technology. The persona started life as a side project when he was lead singer with the indie could-have-beens Zibra in the mid 00s. When the band split up in 2016, Battle threw himself into the world of Look Mum No Computer, filling his YouTube with videos of him rejigging everyday technology into weird and wonderful new shapes, whether that be by turning Sega Megadrives into working synths, or Henry vacuum cleaners into flame-throwers. In this world, nothing was thrown away, and any amount of lead could be transmuted into the gold of a song.
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Live Results: Nebraska midterm state and congressional primaries

One of the more notable matchups in Nebraska's state primary on Tuesday features two Democratic contenders for U.S. Senate who accuse each other of being "fake" candidates with no intention of competing to win the general election.


BBC staff fear meagre pay rise after bosses forgo own increase

Workers told to be realistic about outcome of union talks as corporation aims to make savings with job cuts

BBC staff have been told their bosses will forgo a pay rise this year but fear the freeze will lead to a meagre increase for the rank and file, who have been urged to be realistic about the outcome of union negotiations.

Employees have been told that the corporation’s executive committee – its 12 highest-paid bosses including the director general, who were paid almost £5m in total last year – will have their pay frozen this year amid a £600m cost-cutting drive.
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Broadcasters must react to threat from ‘creator journalism’, says ex-head of BBC News

Deborah Turness, who resigned last year, says traditional news in danger of being replaced by personality-led content

Broadcasters must urgently adapt to an existential threat from “creator journalism” that is causing audiences to shun traditional television news, the former boss of BBC News has said.

Deborah Turness, who resigned from the BBC alongside the then director general, Tim Davie, last year, said consumption was “collapsing” for traditional television news, which was facing “a profound moment of disruption”.
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More than 100 Labour MPs sign statement against Starmer leadership challenge

Supporters of PM say it shows he has majority backing after more than 80 MPs call on him to quit

UK politics live – latest updates

Who are the main threats to Starmer’s leadership?

More than 100 Labour MPs have signed a statement saying this is “no time for a leadership contest” – as Keir Starmer told his cabinet he would not stand down while a formal leadership contest had not been triggered.

The letter, coordinated by backbenchers, has been signed by 103 MPs, including parliamentary private secretaries. Organisers say it did not come from No 10, though MPs said it had been circulated by government whips.
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2026 NBA Mock Draft: Fantasy basketball implications of potential landing spots for loaded rookie class

With the NBA Draft order now set following Sunday's lottery — the Washington Wizards landed the top pick in one of the most anticipated drafts in recent memory — Kevin O'Connor dropped his Mock Draft 5.0 on Yahoo Sports, mapping out how every pick could play out now that the board is locked in.

We used KOC's projections as the framework to break down the fantasy implications of each landing spot, because where a player goes matters just as much as who the player is. Here's a look at the first 14 picks and what they mean for your dynasty and redraft boards.

Pick 1. Washington Wizards — AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU

An ideal landing spot for Dybansta, as his size, skillset and scoring ability fit right alongside Trae Young, Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis (for now). Selecting Dybansta hurts Bilal Coulibaly and, to some degree, Tre Johnson’s fantasy values, but Dybansta in Washington should be the top pick in dynasty —with considerable redraft potential heading into next season.

Pick 2. Utah Jazz — Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas

Peterson steps into a loaded Jazz roster that needs a starting shooting guard. Peterson is that guy, a two-way talent who’ll thrive off-ball with Keyonte George running point. There will be a lot of mouths to feed in fantasy production; however, in dynasty, Peterson should be a top-5 pick despite the injury concerns. For a redraft, I would temper expectations beyond that of an efficient scorer drafted outside the top-90.

Pick 3. Memphis Grizzlies — Cameron Boozer, F, Duke

There’s room for Boozer to contribute right away in Memphis. Between club options for GG Jackson, Oliver Maxence-Prosper and a few others on expiring deals, the reigning Naismith College Player of the Year would enter his rookie season with a strong fantasy profile. He’s proven he can score efficiently at three levels, rebound and generate steals. He’s also a decent passer. He’s a high-floor dynasty to pick who should go in the top-5, and also carries some appeal in redraft formats.

Pick 4. Chicago Bulls — Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina

Chitown would be a smash spot for Wilson. The center and power forward spots are among the league's weakest, giving Wilson an immediate chance to cook. His jumper is his biggest question mark, but I’d love to see how he flows with Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis. I see the fantasy potential on both sides of the ball and he’d be a draftable guy across leagues.

Pick 5. Los Angeles Clippers (via Indiana) — Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois

Let’s see what the Clippers decide to do with Kawhi Leonard (expiring deal) and Bennedict Mathurin (UFA), but the 6-foot-6 guard, pairing with Darius Garland, offers playmaking upside that was lacking after James Harden’s departure. Wagler won’t have to create offense right away, which suits his ongoing development at 19. As one of the best freshmen in the country, he was effective in the following categories: points, 3s, rebounds and assists, but it’s uncertain how that will translate to the NBA. He’s a safer top-10 dynasty pick and a wait-and-see in redraft.

Pick 6. Brooklyn Nets — Kingston Flemings, G, Houston

I don’t want the Nets to draft another guard, but if they do, I’d rather it be Darius Acuff than Flemings. The Nets also selected four-ish guards in the first round last year, so even though Flemings is the best of the crop, I could see the Nets continuing to use a deep rotation where everyone settles in around 20-25 minutes per night. Flemings is a good point guard, but let's hope there’s another destination in his future.

Pick 7. Sacramento Kings — Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas

I’m concerned about any player going to Sacramento because there are far too many veterans to feed in the pecking order. That said, Acuff’s fantasy value with the Kings is promising, as he plays the one position that appears vacant: point guard. Hopefully, Russell Westbrook doesn’t re-sign in free agency.

Pick 8. Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans) — Aday Mara,  C, Michigan

The most interesting destination in this exercise, KOC has Mara ranked higher than consensus draft analysts. If the Hawks go with Mara, it would make sense given their quest for a big man to pair with Onyeka Okongwu. He could crack the rotation and be an effective fantasy asset for blocks, boards and assists for a center in 20 minutes a night.

Pick 9. Dallas Mavericks — Mikel Brown, G, Louisville

I’m down with Brown joining the Mavericks. It’s a wise succession plan with Kyrie Irving and he can play right away. The Mavs lack a scoring threat at shooting guard and Brown can take on some playmaking responsibilities as well. He should be a top-10 pick in dynasty, especially playing with Cooper Flagg and Irving.
Check out the 2026 NBA Draft Guide.
Pick 10. Milwaukee Bucks — Nate Ament, F, Tennessee

With a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade looming, Milwaukee’s roster is set for major changes. Whenever a deal happens, Ament would enter a favorable spot on a team lacking quality wings.

Pick 11. Golden State Warriors — Karim López, F, New Zealand Breakers

The second pick that had me go, “Hmm.” López played meaningful minutes in the NBL Australian Basketball League, which is hard to do at his age (19). The Warriors certainly need help on the wing with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody recovering from knee injuries. The Mexican forward has a versatile skill set that could mesh well with the Warriors' system, predicated on frequent actions and ball movement.

Pick 12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers) — Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan

The only thing that can hold the Thunder back at this point is injuries and the aprons. Injuries are random, but OKC’s front office always stays ahead of the curve. They’ve drafted and traded their way into stockpiling buy-low players and value picks. If they land Lendeborg, they’d get a forward who can contribute to their championship window. I think the Thunder will ultimately go in a different direction, but if Lendeborg goes this high, I’d limit drafting him to dynasty leagues.

Pick 13. Miami Heat — Dailyn Swain, F, Texas

Swain would be a cool pick for the Heat. He can put pressure on the rim, unlike most on their current roster and he’s a physical defender who ranked 83rd percentile in steals in the NCAA. The lack of 3-point shooting is a concern, so he’ll need to show improvement there if he doesn’t want to get schemed off the court. Realistically, it's hard to predict anything with Miami because they will surely be in on the Giannis sweepstakes.

Pick 14. Charlotte Hornets — Brayden Burries, G, Arizona

I don’t like this spot for Burries, with Coby White likely inking a new deal as Charlotte’s sixth man. There isn’t enough room for meaningful minutes in this scenario. I’d rather the Hornets select a power forward to replace Miles Bridges, since he will be on an expiring deal after next season. Burries is nice, I just don’t see the immediate path to playing time if he ends up in Charlotte.


The Oklahoma City Thunder say they aren't perfect. The champs' 8-0 playoff record is spotless anyway

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder insist they haven't been perfect during their NBA title defense.

Their record at the playoffs' halfway point disagrees.

The Thunder completed their second straight series sweep of the spring Monday night when they held off the resilient Lakers 115-110 in Game 4 of the second round. Oklahoma City went 8-0 against LeBron James and the Lakers this season — and the defending champs are also 8-0 in these playoffs after back-to-back routs of Phoenix and Los Angeles.

Sure, coach Mark Daigneault can see areas for improvement and problems to be solved. MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander warns that the job is far from finished.

Yet the Thunder are unquestionably the class of the sport with this playoff streak following their dominant regular season as they seek the NBA's first back-to-back championships since Golden State did it 2017 and 2018.

General manager Sam Presti's merciless machine is looking fairly unbeatable as it heads to the Western Conference finals for the second straight year and the sixth time in the past 16 seasons.

“We’ve done our job so far, that’s all it really means,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We’ve gone out there, we’ve executed, we played at a high level and we’ve been able to win eight tough games against really good opponents. That’s all it really means. And nothing is guaranteed. In the playoffs, no two games are the same, especially when you change opponents. So the challenges are all coming up, I guess you can say.”

The next challenge is a date with either the San Antonio Spurs or the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference finals — after several more days of rest than those teams, which are tied heading to Game 5 on Tuesday night.

But whoever emerges from that rock fight of a series will face the NBA's biggest challenge in the smooth, relentless Thunder, who appear to be operating on an even higher level than they reached last season while winning the title.

“We’ve been very, very good,” Daigneault said. “I thought we had more lapses tonight than we had had in previous games, so we have to learn from that. Obviously we have to play better in more of the 48 minutes, but I also think the wind is going to be in your face in a playoff game for different reasons at different times, and you’ve got to be able to recenter. I thought we did that exceptionally well.”

The Thunder had never swept back-to-back playoff series, and neither did the Seattle SuperSonics before them.

The Lakers got blown out by Oklahoma City three times before managing one close game. The Thunder trailed in a fourth quarter for the first time in these playoffs, and their five-point win was the smallest of the spring.

But the Thunder rallied, as they almost always do.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored nine of his 35 points in the fourth quarter. Ajay Mitchell, the backup guard who has become a star in Jalen Williams' injury absence, poured in 10 of his career playoff-high 28 in the same period. Chet Holmgren had arguably the biggest baskets of all, including a go-ahead dunk with 32.8 seconds left.

The Thunder celebrated a closeout quarter that seemed to feature a big play from everybody who touched the court. A few minutes later, they were back to business.

“Everything that we’ve done so far is behind us,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We still have a huge target on. We have two more series to win to reach our ultimate goal, and that’s what we’re focused on.”

Los Angeles coach JJ Redick and his staff appeared to have a surprising, effective game plan to harass the Thunder’s scorers — and yet it didn’t make much of an impact on the scoreboard at all.

Daigneault found teachable moments during his team's demolition of the Lakers, who sent double-teams at Gilgeous-Alexander and other ball-handlers at a rate they hadn't seen since the Thunder's playoff series with Denver a year ago.

In perhaps the most dismaying aspect of this series for the Thunder's future opponents, they've learned and improved from the Lakers' meager successes.

“It really had us having to sharpen our attacks, but I thought we did a great job of that,” Daigneault said. "Down the stretch, we had some big-time plays (with) high-lows, traps, and we had a dunk for Chet. That was a great attack, and I just thought we showed great execution of that. So I think we’re a lot better in that area than we were coming into the series.”

___

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


LeBron James unsure of what future holds for him after a 23rd season unlike any other

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James has said it consistently all season long: He doesn't know what's next for him.

He doesn't know if he will play another season, and if so, whether it will be with the Lakers or another team. He — and the people around him — have consistently said he had not come close to making that decision.

Minutes after his 23rd season ended, that hadn't changed.

"I don't know what the future holds for me, honestly, as it stands right now tonight," LeBron said after his Lakers were swept out of the playoffs by the Thunder. "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 when the time comes, obviously, you guys will know what I decide to do."

LeBron is now a free agent and faces two major questions: Whether to return to the NBA, and if the answer to that is yes (as many around the league expect), will it be with the Lakers or another team?

The question is not can he still help a team — he answered that emphatically this season. LeBron, at age 41 and in his unprecedented 23rd NBA season, showed he is still one of the top players in the game and an All-Star. For the season, he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists a night, shooting 51.5% from the floor.

"It's amazing what he's doing out there at this age," Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It's very impressive. It's hard to put into 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."
This season was unlike any other for LeBron: He battled more injuries, missing the first 14 games with sciatica and only playing in 60 total (ending his record streak of making 21 All-NBA teams), and for much of that season playing as the Lakers' third option behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. LeBron also got to share the court again with his son Bronny, including playing in the playoffs together.

With Doncic (hamstring) out for the playoffs and Reaves (oblique strain) missing most of it, LeBron stepped back into the role of primary shot creator and led the Lakers in an upset of the Houston Rockets and into the second round. In the playoffs, he averaged 23.2 points a game with 6.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game.

"I was put into some positions that I never played in my career before. Actually, in my life," LeBron said of this season. "I've never been a third option in my life. So to be able to thrive in that role, for that period of time, and then have to step back into the role that I've been accustomed with over my career or my life playing the sport, and be able to thrive under that, and just my teammates allowing me to lead them under extreme circumstances, that was pretty cool for me at this stage of my career."

On the podium after the emotional loss, LeBron sounded like many great, aging athletes before him, including Lakers' legend Kobe Bryant: His love of the game is still there, but his decision whether to retire or continue is more about his whether he remains willing to put in the incredible and increasing amount of work it takes to get his aging body ready to play at this level for another season.

"I think for me, it's about the process," LeBron said. "If I can commit to still being in love with the process of showing up to the arena five-and-a-half hours before a game and start preparing for a game. Give everything I got, diving for loose balls, doing everything that you know that it takes to go out and play. Showing up to 11 o'clock practice, I'm here at eight o'clock, preparing my body, preparing my mind, preparing to practice, to put the work in.

"So I think for me, I've always been in love with the process and not the aftermath. Okay, we won that game, or won a championship, like I've always enjoyed the process more than the outcome. So that will be a big factor.

"And also, have a conversation with my 12-year-old daughter, that's a big factor; my 19-year-old son entering his second year at Arizona and my wife as well. So they're a huge factor in any decision I've made, so they'll be a big part of it as well."

LeBron isn't going to be rushed into a decision, but it's also one he essentially needs to make in the next couple of months, while teams are still shaping and forming their rosters for next season. By the middle of July, that process is largely finished for teams.

He just doesn't know what that decision is yet.


What the Bucks can learn from this year’s playoffs: Eastern Conference First Round

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MAY 03: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons shoots the ball against Jalen Suggs #4 of the Orlando Magic during the first quarter in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 03, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Having checked in with the Western Conference, it’s time for the Bucks to look in their own backyard. Comebacks, upsets, and tougher-than-expected series defined the first round. But what does this all mean for Milwaukee? Let’s dive in.
Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic
What happened?

For two weeks, the NBA time-travelled back to the early 2000s: total scores struggling to surpass 90, field goal percentages in the 30s, and offensive ratings in-line with tanking teams. To put it blankly, these teams struggled to put the ball in the hoop. Orlando stole Game 1 on the road, then won both at home to take a commanding 3-1 lead over Detroit and looked primed to become just the seventh eight-seed to beat a one-seed. But after the Pistons prevailed in a Game 5 showdown where Cade Cunningham and Paolo Banchero put up 45 points apiece, the Magic seized up. And when they turned a 22-point half time lead in Game 6 into a 14-point loss, the series was all but over.

What matters?

Shot creation is what matters. The Pistons nearly lost to an eight-seed that shot less than 40% for the series thanks to its roster construction, one that relies almost entirely on Cunningham to create looks. It took its toll too, with Cunningham totalling a staggering 41 turnovers (to just 50 assists). The Bucks will have Ryan Rollins back next season, and Ousmane Dieng can do some secondary playmaking, but with a huge question mark surrounding Giannis’ future with the team—and a smaller one with Kevin Porter Jr.’s—the Bucks have a lot of work to do to ensure they have enough legitimate creators. Heck, even with Giannis and KPJ there’s work to do, as this season proved.
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
What happened?

Joe Mazzulla said it best: “What changed in this series was Joel Embiid came back and they’re a completely different team.” Yes, Joel Embiid, notorious for playoff letdowns, flipped this series on its head. After getting routed in his Game 4 return, when they clearly struggled to reintegrate him into their play, the 76ers won three in a row to snatch the series and end the Celtics’ Cinderella season. Embiid had 34 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists in the clincher, while running mate Tyrese Maxey put up 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. It was just the third time the 76ers have beaten the Celtics in their nine Game 7 matchups—and the first time Embiid has won a Game 7 matchup (previously 0-3).

What matters?

This series speaks three truths. One, it reaffirms that redemption isn’t just solely for the movies. For Milwaukee, think Myles Turner. After an underwhelming season that was arguably his worst as a pro, with a new coach and system—one that might actually play to his strengths—Turner has a legitimate shot at reminding the world how much of a real difference-maker he can be. It’s not all on coaching and system, though, Turner needs to be better. Flat out.

Two, regular season depth—and trust—isn’t the same as playoff depth (and trust). Especially when it comes to Game 7s. Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza, Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr., and Jordan Walsh—regulars all season long (save, perhaps, Harper)—combined for just 53 minutes of action and 0/12 from the field. Nikola Vucevic, who the Celtics acquired in exchange for Anfernee Simons, was a DNP-CD. The Bucks then, must be particularly mindful how they assess their own regular season minute-eaters and not overvalue their play, especially in a losing season. This goes for Cormac Ryan, Pete Nance, Jericho Sims, and even Ousmane Dieng.

Three, over-rely on the long ball at your own peril. The Celtics ranked fourth in the league during the regular season, taking 46.7% of their shots from three. In the playoffs, they upped this to a league-leading 52.5%. However, their accuracy regressed, dropping from 36.7% to 33.7%, and in Game 7 a whopping 49 of their 93 shots came from long range, yet they hit just 13 of them (26.5%) as they lost by nine. So, once again, shot creation matters. The Bucks need shooters, yes, but they don’t need one-dimensional ones (if we didn’t already know).
New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks
What happened?

After Atlanta went up 2-1—with each win coming by just one point—New York’s depth of talent finally shone through, smacking Atlanta about over the next three games (including a winning margin of 51 in Game 6). The Hawks were relying on the 34-year-old CJ McCollum as their main source of offence, which was only ever going to work for so long, while Jalen Johnson was a huge disappointment on both ends. Crucially, the Knicks also switched KAT’s matchup after Game 3, putting him back on Okongwu instead of getting cute with it and trying to hide him on non-shooting wings like Dyson Daniels or Jonathan Kuminga, which freed up guys like Josh Hart to have more of an impact as on-ball defenders.

What matters?

I think this one is simple: you can win with smoke and mirrors in the regular season, but you need bona fide stars to win in the playoffs. Atlanta’s post-deadline resurgence was a nice story, but it should be mentioned that they had a long run of cupcake games down the home stretch. And don’t get me wrong, the Hawks played a solid brand of basketball on both ends, but once they ran into a team with legit, proven contributors in the postseason, it was over. They still have a ways to go.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors
What happened?

After lookung uncompeteteive in Games 1 and 2, the Raptors found their identity (and it was classic Raptors): a big, athletic, imposing team that will suffocate you. The home team won every game in the series, which not many people predicted. Although Toronto’s offence sputtered in certain games, the defence never waivered (well, until the second half of Game 7, when they lost hold of the rope).

What matters?

From a Cavs POV, I think it says a lot about team-building. I really like Cleveland’s team—they have skilled, unselfish role players and are deep in almost every position—but their stars, Mitchell and Harden, needed to lead the dance, which, by and large, they did not. Both players looked completely flummoxed by the Raptors’ defence, which pressured them relentlessly in the halfcourt and fullcourt, leading to a high turnover rate. I think what matters here is that finding an identity is the first step to becoming good; the Raptors know what they hang their hat on, and crucially, what they don’t. Although a few bad contracts may limit Toronto’s flexibility somewhat, they seem ripe for improvement if they can get better offensively. Under Taylor Jenkins, the Bucks’ first step will be finding that identity—with or without Giannis.

Do you agree with our assessments, or is there something we missed? Add your two cents in the comments.