National Basketball Association

National Basketball Association

Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the universe. Before Sunday afternoon, I did not think it metaphysically possible for the New York Liberty's season to get more unpleasant than it has been for several injury-riddled months now. But a few minutes into overtime of New York's first-round Game 1 against the Phoenix Mercury, there was Breanna Stewart's left knee to show up my puny imagination.

The Atlanta Hawks are trading guard Kobe Bufkin to the Brooklyn Nets for cash considerations, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Monday. Bufkin, Atlanta's No. 15 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, is due $5.4 million this season and has a $6.9 million team option for 2026-27. The move opens roster flexibility for the Hawks -- and gives them a $4.5 million trade exception -- while providing the 21-year-old guard a fresh opportunity in Brooklyn.

Opportunity is a big thing, and it's a big factor in this league and I've been grateful to have an opportunity to play and compete, Burton told the Bay Area News Group earlier this season. I've had a coaching staff and teammates that instill a lot of confidence in me, and that goes a long way in terms of success on court, and so just a lot of work and repetition. But also just opportunity and trust as well.

The Washington Wizards future rides on the development of the team's young core. Washington has taken several swings on potential over the last few years and up to this point, none of those swings have resulted in the team finding the cornerstone player they've been looking for. At least, not yet. However, Washington has yet to let discouraging results limit their rebuilding strategy and with general manager Will Dawkins continuously looking for ways to improve the roster.

Jovic finds himself in a similar situation to Moody last summer. The hope was that Moody was going to take another leap in his individual game, and the Warriors believed so much in that, they wanted to lock him up before forcing him into a contract season. That's exactly what they managed to do with the team-friendly extension. The Heat should feel the same about Jovic.

The Harlem Globetrotters have always been more than a basketball team. For nearly 100 years, they have combined athletic excellence, comedy, and cultural influence to create a one-of-a-kind global experience. As the team prepares for its historic 100th anniversary, the Globetrotters have revealed a new set of uniforms that will debut during their 2026 World Tour. Designed in collaboration with Los Angeles-based fashion designer Jeff Hamilton, the three-uniform collection honors the team's rich past while pointing toward a bold future.

Hamby grounded her. "Hey, I won eight games last year," Hamby responded. "So this looks different to me." Despite finishing under .500 for the fifth consecutive season and falling just short of making the playoffs, the Sparks easily more than doubled last year's win total. Hampered by a slew of injuries that stunted momentum, they greatly improved with the league's fourth-best record after the All-Star break.

Magic president Jeff Weltman was adamant this summer about wanting to win now, and he struck early by acquiring Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane in the summer's first big blockbuster. Bane is a significantly improved ballhandler and decision-maker while also averaging 20.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals on 40.7 percent shooting from 3-point range over the last four seasons. In translation: He's very good at basketball.

until I hear differently, that's the direction we're going to move, is that she's on the roster.

Hey, if you can do it, you can do it! If you get away with it, you get away with it. But I tell you this - where there's smoke, there's fire. If the NBA thinks that you are wrong about doing stuff like that. They're gonna get you, they're gonna get you. I say this - I'm not for sure. I'm not sure.

On Aug 22, the Raptors 905 traded their 2026 first-round NBA G League draft pick to the College Park Skyhawks in exchange for Joiner's rights. A potential waiving of Joiner could also occur, similar to Guerrier and Key's situations in recent days. The purpose of this move would be to give Joiner a roughly $80,000 bonus to join the Raptors 905, presumably.

In theory, the Heat would accomplish their goal of landing a star player by signing KD next summer. There's one big problem with that. If KD doesn't sign an extension with the Houston Rockets before next summer arrives, he's likely going to be looking for one more big payday before the over-38 NBA rule comes into play. That's the CBA provision that discourages teams from extending contracts to players over the age of 38 for four years or more.

From being waived, spending countless hours in the G-League hoping to impress one of the 30 teams in the league and finally getting the call to show what he has to offer in D.C., Champagnie has a chip on his shoulder that only drives him to prove he belongs. However, proving he belongs isn't where his journey comes to an end and if it is, it would only go to show the chip on his shoulder wasn't big enough.

Coming off a 48-win season, the Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated in the first round for the third-straight season, losing in five games to the Indiana Pacers. As a result, questions about Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the organization flooded headlines. He never formally requested a trade, and the Bucks were reportedly not willing to trade him. But when you're desperate to keep your superstar, you make desperate decisions.