Jay-Z understands the art of self-promotion and is often seen at US sports eventsCredit: Getty
The Brooklyn-born rap star and business mogul is reportedly being eyed as a key name in the pursuit of Everton, who sit bottom of the Premier League and are already in danger of relegation.
While coach Sean Dyche tries to guide the 0-4 club to its first win of the 2024/25 campaign, American businessman John Textor — who currently owns 45 percent of Premier League team Crystal Palace — could pair up with the Jay-Z, whose net worth has been valued at $2.5 billion and is married to fellow music superstar Beyoncé.
The Sun reported that “Jay-Z could be talked into pumping in some of his … cash to boost Dyche’s squad if Textor seals a deal.”
Jay-Z is often seen at sports events and became the hip-hop world’s first billionaire in 2019.
But with Everton shadowed by points deductions and relegation threats, fans wondered if the author of Reasonable Doubt and The Black Album really wanted to get involved with a club that could fall from the Premier League to the Championship.
“Hasn’t he got enough problems,” one account joked.
“Will be a waste of money,” a second fan posted.
“Definitely needs that extra problem to make it a round 100,” a third playfully posted.
Beyoncé went country and Jay-Z could help his wife expand overseasCredit: Getty
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Sean Dyche and Everton need all the help they can get this seasonCredit: Getty
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Ryan Reynolds was a Hollywood star before he became best known for WrexhamCredit: Getty
Reynolds and McElhenney have revived Wrexham, turning a once-proud club that had fallen into the fifth tier into a streaming TV star filled with football names now recognized around the world.
Ahead of Monday’s game, Wrexham are level with Charlton on 13 points at the top of League One.
Jay-Z was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2021.
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Liquor businesses, fine art, a music catalog, and shares in Block and Uber have helped turn the 54-year-old into a potential financial addition for Everton.
James, The King of the NBA, was ahead of the curve in leaping across the pond to invest in English football.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer invested $6.5 million in Liverpool in 2011 for a two percent ownership stake in the historic club.
In 2021, LeBron converted his stake in Liverpool to a one per cent share in FSG’s global empire, following the Reds’ 2019 Champions League victory and Premier League title a year later.
The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly planning for life after LeBron James and have idenfitifed their next superstar target — Luka Doncic.
The Slovenian superstar, alongside Kyrie Irving, led the Mavericks all the way to the NBA Finals last season, going down to a star-studded Celtics outfit 4-1.
As it stands, Doncic has a player option for the 2026-27 season, but he’s eligible for a supermax extension as soon as the next off-season. That contract could be worth over $340 million ($500m AUD).
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The Mavericks will be desperate to retain him, but according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, the LA powerhouse have their eyes on him.
“I’ve reported on this podcast and on The Ringer how they have their sights set for Luka [Dončić] in the future,” O’Connor said on The Mismatch podcast.
“We’ll see if that works out. Dallas just made a Finals, Dallas is looking better than ever with their supporting cast. That may not work out.
“But the Lakers by not trading their future picks clearly are still thinking long-term at this point. They’re not going all in like you might expect many teams to do with James.”
Bam Adebayo and LeBron James of Team United States attend the Women’s Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day sixteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
James remains the face of the NBA but is in the final stage of an incredible career.
What’s more is his goal of playing with son Bronny James could be achieved in the upcoming season after the Lakers drafted him in the second round.
He signed a $99 million ($145m AUD) two-year contract this off-season, and that includes a player option for the second campaign.
Bulletts part ways with Aron Baynes | 00:50
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Should he achieve his dream of playing in the NBA alongside his son, it’s realistic to believe James could call it quits after the 2024-25 season.
Doncic, meanwhile, is enjoying his time in Dallas and now has a strong supporting cast around him.
Irving has been impressive, while the addition of Derrick Lively was a huge bonus for the Mavericks last season.
Throw in the mix Klay Thompson arriving this off-season and Dallas are only going to be stronger and are one of the leading contenders for the 24/25 title.
According to NBC Sports, Doncic is more than likely going to extend his time with the Mavericks, but the Lakers are reportedly waiting patiently to make their move.
You suspect the likes of LeBron James and Steph Curry were hoping this chapter in USA men’s basketball history would be remembered in the same vein as the 1992 Dream Team, but the truth is it’s been a largely uneventful run for the Americans in Paris.
They’re not going to change the game on a global scale like Michael Jordan and Co did in Barcelona, or be cherished like Kobe and the Redeem Teamers were for returning their country to the top of the basketball world in Beijing.
The Americans will (probably) win gold and (probably) win it comfortably this weekend, but they’ll join the likes of the 2000 and 2016 teams in getting the job done with a minimum of fuss.
The only semi-interesting storylines to this point have been the minor controversy over Jayson Tatum getting a DNP early in the group stage and Joel Embiid getting booed relentlessly by French crowds upset he’s not playing for them.
Which, if you know basketball fans, leads to the inevitable habit of crystal ball-gazing. Specifically, about potential NBA trades.
It doesn’t happen every four years but there’s a couple of very famous examples of superstar players joining forces after forging bonds on an Olympic trip.
LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh changed the league by uniting in Miami after winning gold together in 2008.
Redeem Teamers LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan did the same in Brooklyn after living on a yacht together in Rio, albeit with contrasting results.
So hoops fans are looking for any slight indication a player from their favourite team is becoming particularly chummy with one of his US teammates.
James and Curry were in focus when the Americans first assembled.
NBA Finals rivals for four straight years from 2015-18 – a period where there were moments you felt the King really didn’t like the three-point wizard from Golden State – James and Curry have become great buds in recent years.
They spoke often about their excitement at playing together and recent comments by Curry — where he said he wants to be a Warrior for life but “things change quickly” in the NBA — gave some life to the idea of him joining forces with the Lakers veteran.
Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan forged bonds in Rio in 2016. Picture: GettySource: Getty Images
But James and Curry probably make too much money to fit on the same team at this point of their careers.
Outside of those two, Durant and Devin Booker’s situation in Phoenix is far from settled given what their owner is forking out for a team that has so far fallen short. Embiid is another who often hears speculation about his future in Philadelphia.
But the name on the lips of the most NBA fan bases is Anthony Edwards. The breakout star of this year’s NBA playoffs does not exactly play in the most appealing of destinations with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
If you gave every team the ability to sign one young American talent they’d almost all pick the recently turned 23-year-old shooting guard.
Which brings us to this photo.
Anthony Edwards and Bam Adebayo share a laugh together. (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Edwards is a jokester who can make anyone laugh but the chemistry he appears to share with Miami Heat big man Adebayo has the rumour mill running.
To make matters worse for Wolves fans, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is in Paris too serving as an assistant coach under Steve Kerr.
“Anthony Edwards really loves Bam Adebayo and Erik Spoelstra. He loved his experience with them,” NBA media personality Bill Simmons said on a recent podcast.
“Don’t be surprised … story drop,” Simmons added. “Am I dropping it now?”
Both Adebayo and Spoelstra have spoken glowingly about the man leading this USA team in scoring.
“He’s authentically himself,” Adebayo said to The Star Tribune. “He’s not going to change.
“He’s going to be the same person every day, on the court, off the court.
“You see on TV, when some of y’all make these moments go viral. It’s really like, ‘This is just you’. This is one of the things I love about Ant. He’s himself. He’s not going to change.
“He’s one of those guys where he can say something wild, as we heard, but it’s him being himself.”
Anthony Edwards pats Bam Adebayo on the back. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“He wants to win, wants to be a part of winning,” Spoelstra added. “He’s dedicated to the process of it and he’s going to be him, and his personality.
“He’s not going to change just because he’s on a team of this caliber. I think that’s the beauty of his personality.”
Many are rightly pointing out Edwards recently signed a five-year contract extension tying him to the Wolves until 2028.
But a move doesn’t have to happen immediately. Paris might just be planting seeds that blossom down the road.
And it’s not unheard of for NBA players to push their way out of situations early. So remember this photo.
Team USA has completed an epic comeback over Serbia, winning 91-86 in Friday morning’s thrilling Olympics basketball semi-final (all times AEDT) to set up a gold medal clash with France.
After digging themselves into a huge hole, the Americans outscored Serbia 32-15 in the fourth quarter in a fierce rally led by Steph Curry and the 39-year old LeBron James, while Joel Embiid helped slow three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.
Curry led all scorers with 36 points on 9-of-14 shooting from downtown, while James racked up a 16-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, with the superstar duo and Kevin Durant scoring the final 13 points for Team USA.
It included an assertive run down the stretch of the fourth term where Curry’s three-pointer gave USA an 87-86 lead before layups to James then Curry extended that advantage to 91-86 inside the last two minutes.
They never trailed again.
Team USA has completed a bonkers comeback over Serbia in Friday morning’s thrilling men’s basketball semi-final.Source: FOX SPORTS
A pair of Curry free throws with eight seconds left followed by a Bogdan Bogdanovic missed three sealed the Americans’ crazy win.
Jokic led the way for Serbia with 17 points, 11 assists and five rebounds, while Bogdanovic had a team-high 20 points.
Serbia shot out of the gates with a 31-23 lead after the first term and maintained a healthy lead all game.
A wild four-point play from Serbia’s Marko Guduric late in the third quarter extended their lead to 75-61 before Durant cut it to a 13-point game at the end of three periods.
Team USA came storming back in the fourth quarter though after Jokic failed to convert a three-point play early in the term, with the Americans hitting consecutive threes to get within five points at 78-73 with just over seven minutes to play.
Steve Kerr’s side kept surging in a 11-4 run — capped off by a James layup —to tie the scores inside the last four minutes.
“It’s unravelling for Serbia,” Australian legend Andrew Gaze said on Channel 9 as Team USA’s superstars took over in the clutch.
It kept alive the United States’ quest for a fifth consecutive gold medal, facing host France in Sunday’s final.
Durant will go for his fourth gold, which would be a men’s record.
“Gotta get in the hard way. We was preaching that the whole fourth quarter,” James said in an oncourt TV interview.
“Beating a team three times in the last three weeks, we know it was gonna be difficult. We knew Serbia was gonna give us everything they had. Kudos to Serbia, but we came through.
“Chef Curry with a (great) Chef Curry game, Joel was big time for us. And we needed it, we needed it.”
Curry carried Team USA early, with 14 of their first 15 points for a quick two-point lead.
But they coughed up seven unanswered points, a Serbia run capped by Embiid throwing a bad pass for a turnover and uncontested basket going the other way.
The 31-23 deficit after one seemed surmountable, but that’s when Team USA let the game get away from them. They coughed up an 11-2 run to open the second quarter and fell behind by 17.
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Vasilije Micić banked in a three-pointer to push the lead to 39-25. Then, after Jokic blocked James at the rim, Micic found the three-time NBA MVP for an and-one.
That capped an 11-2 blitz and saw Jokic serenaded by chants of “MVP! MVP!” from the Parisian crowd in Bercy Arena.
Team USA trailed 42-25 with 6:25 left in the half, and spent the entire rest of the afternoon chasing.
It took them until the final moments to catch up.
It was sloppiness and turnovers that cost Team USA for most of the contest.
They clawed within 65-59, but they saw Marko Guduric’s 4-point play cap an 11-2 Serbia run and push their deficit back to 76-61 in the final minute of the third quarter.
It was a mountainous hill to climb, but Team USA did it.
After pulling with 84-80, Durant rebounded a Serbia miss and Embiid hit a fade over Jokic with four and a half minutes left.
Earlier, host nation France fought off a late comeback from Germany to win 73-69 on Thursday and reach the final of the Olympic men’s basketball with four-time reigning champions the United States or Serbia lying in wait.
Guerschon Yabusele led Tokyo silver medallists France with 17 points and Isaia Cordinier added 16. Victor Wembanyama finished with 11 points despite another poor shooting performance.
France could meet Team USA on Saturday in a repeat of the final from three years ago if the heavily favoured Americans get past Nikola Jokic’s Serbia in the second semi-final later Thursday.
Germany were one of two remaining unbeaten teams but France set the record straight in Paris’ Bercy Arena after their 85-71 loss to the same opponents in the group stage in Lille.
“The players were just remembering how they were laughing last game, how easy it looked for them,” said Wembanyama.
“I’m sure losing that game in the group phase helped us win today, definitely.” Dennis Schroder led 2023 World Cup winners Germany with 18 points. Fritz Wagner was the only other player in double figures for a team that will seek the consolation of a first-ever Olympic medal in the third-place playoff.
“They were better than us today,” said Schroder. “At the end of the day we wanted to get a medal here and that’s still open.” Germany, just as they did in the previous clash, moved into an early lead with Schroder and Wagner quickly finding their touch.
The Germans moved 28-18 in front after a three from Nick Weiler-Babb to open the second quarter, but France flipped the momentum their way as Wembanyama made his mark.
He opened his account with a shot off the glass and then stonewalled Germany centre Daniel Theis, energising the packed crowd and raising the decibel levels further with a three-point play.
France ended the half with a flourish and Wembanyama’s dunk tied the game at 33 apiece.
Nicolas Batum nailed a three-pointer to put France ahead for the first time to begin the second half, with Yabusele getting into the act as well.
Yabusele, top scorer with 22 points in the quarter-final victory over Canada, carried his team with a series of baskets, but Schroder replied in equal measure.
With the lead switching back and forth in a gripping third quarter, France surged six points clear when Evan Fournier rattled in a shot from beyond the arc.
France went into the final period leading 56-50 and looked to have left Germany in the rear view mirror thanks to a three from Wembanyama followed by a bucket from Mathias Lessort.
Another Wembanyama block on Schroder resulted in Frank Ntilikina knocking down a three in transition to put France 13 points in front.
Germany refused to roll over and France struggled to make the game safe, Wagner netting a long three to slash the deficit to two with just under 40 seconds to play.
Wagner crucially lost his balance though after hauling down a rebound in a one-possession game.
Wembanyama missed the chance to ice the game by hitting only one free throw, but Cordinier was less forgiving from the foul line as France sealed a return to the final to the delight of the home crowd.
The Boomers have given Team USA a big scare, rallying back from a 24-point third-quarter deficit to go down 98-92 in the early hours of Tuesday morning (AEST) in Abu Dhabi.
Australia was behind 65-41 early in the third and even trailed by as many as 18 points in the fourth but refused to go away, fighting until the very end.
Josh Giddey was a standout with 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and as the game went on he developed a strong connection with Boomers big man Jock Landale, who was arguably Australia’s best with 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Will Magnay, meanwhile, appears to have the jump for the back-up big man role after a strong showing while both established and emerging Boomers shone as Dyson Daniels and Matthew Dellavedova impressed.
Josh Giddey caught fire in the second quarter and didn’t look back. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)Source: AFP
Australia started the game with Giddey and Patty Mills sharing the backcourt, with Daniels, Nick Kay and Landale rounding out the line-up.
Meanwhile, Team USA, who was without Kevin Durant (calf), started Steph Curry, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James and Joel Embiid.
Landale set the tone for what was a busy opening from the Boomers big man as he hustled on the boards for the first bucket of the game before James drained an open look from deep.
Landale though responded with a 3-pointer of his own as both teams found plenty of success from downtown early, with Edwards hitting his first three attempts of the game while Daniels even confidently sunk a triple.
Australia was well and truly keeping in touch with Team USA at that point, trailing 14-13 as Brian Goorjian made his first changes of the game, bringing in Josh Green, Dante Exum and Magnay for Daniels, Mills and Landale.
It was a well-deserved breather for Landale, who had seven points and four boards at that point, while it was notable that Magnay was the first big to come off the bench ahead of Duop Reath, with the JackJumper impressing in his minutes.
Meanwhile, Edwards continued to be lightning in a bottle for Team USA as he crossed over Magnay and then splashed the stepback 3-pointer.
That brought up 11 early points for Edwards and had Team USA ahead 19-13 as Goorjian called a timeout.
Team USA got a scare. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)Source: AFP
The Boomers responded with a 6-0 run to tie up the game as Exum fed Magnay in the paint for back-to-back buckets before Giddey drove towards the rim to score on Anthony Davis for his first field goal.
It didn’t take long for Team USA to re-establish its lead, kicking back out to 32-21 by the end of the first quarter as Australia’s offence struggled to get anything going late after going scoreless on six of its last seven possessions.
A lot of that came back to dealing with the combination of Bam Adebayo and Davis, who were menaces on the defensive end.
Jack McVeigh saw his first minutes early in the second quarter as Daniels produced a great backdoor cut for the finish to score Australia’s opening bucket of the quarter.
If there was one highlight to come out of the quarter, it was the way Giddey was aggressively driving towards the rim and finding plenty of success, scoring on back-to-back possessions while also crashing the glass on the defensive end.
As much as Giddey is obviously a gifted passer, the 21-year-old’s driving ability is also one of his biggest strengths as the 6-foot-8 point guard developed an effective two-man game with Landale.
Will Magnay was solid. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)Source: AFP
Elsewhere, while McVeigh wasn’t the same outside shooting threat as he was in the warm-up games against China, he found other ways to get involved as he cut to the paint to cap off what was a 7-0 run for Australia.
Team USA still was up 39-30 at that point and quickly added to that buffer with a Steph Curry 3-pointer, going on to take a 53-37 lead into halftime.
Those early 3-pointers for Landale and Daniels were Australia’s only successful attempts of the half, with the Boomers otherwise going 2-for-11 while Team USA made eight of 19 shots from deep.
Australia did have the clear advantage in the paint (28-10) but had only nine bench points compared to 20 for Team USA, which is to be expected given the star-studded depth Steve Kerr has to work with.
Goorjian opened the third quarter by going back to the line-up that started the game as Daniels continued to be a shining light.
First, Giddey found a cutting Daniels for the first bucket of the period before the Atlanta Hawks guard came up with a steal on Davis to dunk it home on the other end.
Mills scored his first bucket of the game a few minutes into the quarter before fellow Boomers veteran Joe Ingles entered the action for the first time in a line-up that included Landale, Exum and Green.
Still, at that point Team USA still didn’t look threatened and led 67-45 before Australia went on a 10-0 run to wrestle back some momentum, with Magnay and Exum heavily involved.
Dyson Daniels made an impact on both ends. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)Source: AFP
A sloppy USA team made back-to-back turnovers which the Boomers turned into quick points as Exum first found Magnay in the paint with a pass before the big man dunked home an Exum miss soon after.
Magnay then outhustled Curry for a loose ball to score his third-straight bucket and cap off the run.
Australia was able to close the gap to 76-61 entering the final quarter and then got within 11 points of Team USA as Giddey scored six quick points, again relentlessly driving to the rim.
“If there are Chicago Bulls fans watching this game, they’ve got to be excited about Josh Giddey,” play-by-play commentator Jason Benetti said.
“He has been willing to put his body into Team USA all day.”
Dellavedova also saw his first minutes of the game in the opening stages of the fourth and operated as the primary ballhandler with Giddey off the court, making an immediate impact as he found Mills for a 3-pointer before forcing a steal that turned into a Daniels bucket.
Suddenly, the Boomers were in business with Team USA only leading 86-80 after missing its last seven shots, but a Tyrese Haliburton 3-pointer helped re-establish their cushion.
Australia then turned it over on the next possession after committing a shot clock violation before Haliburton knocked down another triple to put Team USA ahead 92-80 with just over two minutes left.
It looked like it was essentially game over at that point, although there were still a few final highlights — and reminders of what is to come — as Giddey first found Landale with a precision pass and then with a pinpoint inbounds pass.
Speaking of which, here are some quick hitters on what we learned from the loss to Team USA.
SOME QUICK TAKEAWAYS…
GIDDEY-LANDALE COMBINATION FIRES
The 3-point shots weren’t falling on Tuesday but if there was one consistent source of offence for the Boomers it was through the Giddey-Landale pick-and-roll.
Landale was the early standout and while Giddey only really started to heat up in the second quarter, it was noticeable when he did.
Simply, he looked more confident driving towards the rim instead of always looking for the pass first, although when it presented itself — especially in the form of Landale — Giddey found him.
Otherwise, Giddey was also looking comfortable looking for the finish himself and while it didn’t always come off it was good to see the 21-year-old leaning into that part of his game.
Landale’s absence was felt at last year’s World Cup but with the Boomers big man healthy and Giddey firing in his Olympic debut, Australia looks to have found a key part of its offensive identity.
PATTY MILLS DOES NOT
Obviously Australia’s poor 3-point shooting is not down to Mills alone but if the veteran guard is to have a significant role in Paris, he desperately needs to find his shot.
Mills made one 3-pointer late in the piece on Tuesday but otherwise struggled, going 1-for-5 from deep and 2-for-8 from the field to finish with five points and just as many turnovers.
What makes Mills’ performance particularly concerning though is the fact it isn’t a one-off. He wasn’t able to get into any sort of rhythm in the warm-up games against China too.
If the shots aren’t falling for Mills, it is hard to see him playing a significant role in Paris and instead it may end up making more sense for him to get limited minutes off the bench.
DYSON’S DEFENCE IMPRESSES
The young Atlanta Hawks guard was one of the bigger surprises to come out of Tuesday’s game.
We all know Daniels has the tools on defence to make an impact but he was also getting involved on the other end of the floor, making an early 3-pointer and cutting to the basket to finish the game with 14 points.
Now, Daniels’ ability to get stops (three steals) and spark transition buckets could once again pose the question as to why Matisse Thybulle was left out given he has similar strengths that would have been valuable to the Boomers in their Paris campaign.
But regardless, it was promising to see a more confident and composed Daniels impress in his first significant minutes under Goorjian, who was reluctant to play him at last year’s World Cup.
MAGNAY THE BACK-UP BIG?
That is what it looks like if you consider the fact it was Magnay and not Reath who replaced Landale when the Boomers’ starting big man got his first rest.
Now, that would not have been set in stone had Magnay not put in the performance he did, scoring eight points to go with three rebounds, two steals and a block.
That was just in 11 minutes too. The hustle and willingness to fight for every possession and take it to a physical USA team packing plenty of size was noticeable.
WHAT ROLE WILL INGLES AND DELLY HAVE?
For Ingles, it looks like Goorjian is definitely not compelled to guarantee the Boomers veteran much playing time unless the 36-year-old is absolutely needed, giving him just three minutes on Tuesday.
Dellavedova only saw four minutes but he made the most of his short stint in the fourth quarter, running the team with Giddey on the bench and adding a much-needed spark on both ends of the floor.
A photo of the 12-man squad was shared to social media and it’s an image that should leave every other nation shaking in their Nikes.
With an outrageous talent pool to pick from, Team USA will head into the 2024 Olympics with a team that has achieved everything on offer in the NBA.
Led by LeBron James, the squad features a group that have a combined 8 MVP trophies, 2 Defensive Player of the Year awards, 84 All Star appearances and 15 NBA titles.
The 12-man roster consists of James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Kawhi Leonard, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Devin Booker and Jrue Holiday.
The group are set to cash in for the 2024/25 season with their combined contracts coming in at an outrageous $809 million (AUD).
To put the staggering wealth into context, the entire Australian Boomers squad will earn around $81 million.
Curry single-handedly will earn more next season with a whopping $82.4m contract for the Golden State Warriors.
Team USA are going to torch the OlympicsSource: SuppliedTeam USA in a practice session. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Team USA are chasing a fifth straight Olympic gold medal, in a run of dominance that has seen them win seven out of the past eight Olympics.
They will line up in Group C at the Olympics where they’ll go up against Puerto Rico, South Sudan and Serbia.
Group B consists of Brazil, France, Germany and Japan while Group A has Australia, Canada, Greece and Spain.
Chicago’s questionable trade for Josh Giddey was the “final straw” that pushed DeRozan to decide he would leave the team in free agency this off-season, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
DeRozan has yet to find a new home but is one of the top available free agents, ranked fourth entering free agency by the New York Post.
The 34-year-old had been considering a potential return to the Bulls after three seasons in Chicago, but several events ultimately shifted his view.
The Chicago Sun-Times noted coaching changes and “behind-the-scenes personnel decisions” as two factors that resulted in DeRozan “quickly having second thoughts”.
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Former Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. and Clippers assistant Dan Craig are joining Billy Donovan’s staff in place of assistants Chris Fleming and Josh Longstaff.
The Giddey trade ultimately broke the camel’s back.
The Bulls traded away Alex Caruso, a defensive whiz with a championship pedigree, for Giddey, a younger player coming off a disappointing end to the season with the Thunder.
Giddey was also accused of an alleged relationship with an underage girl, although charges were never pressed.
DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls. Photo by Michael Reaves / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFPSource: AFP
“DeRozan realised he was not in the Bulls’ plans, and he really no longer wanted to be,” the outlet reported.
The 15-year veteran is now free to join a team that likely is closer to contending than the Bulls, who made the playoffs just once in his three seasons.
Chicago’s season ended with a loss to the Heat in the Play-In Tournament.
DeRozan averaged 24 points per game on 48 per cent shooting this past campaign, to go along with 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
He averaged 25.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.1 rebounds during his three seasons in Chicago.
The Lakers, who await LeBron James’ re-signing with the team after he opted out of his contract, are considered a possible destination, per the report.
DeRozan spent the first nine years of his career with the Raptors before being traded to the Spurs in the Kawhi Leonard deal that helped Toronto win its first title.
This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission
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Elsewhere, Klay Thompson is also set to leave Golden State and is not short of suitors, with the Sixers, Lakers, Nuggets, Magic and Clippers all reported to have shown interest.
The Mavericks, however, are said to be the leading contender and it could mean Australian Josh Green is on the verge of being traded to the Warriors.
Follow along in our live blog below for the latest updates as the free agency window opens!
There is also a full list down the bottom of every deal as it happens.
Lakers select… Bronny! Joins dad in LA | 01:48
KLAY THOMPSON
It looks like the end of an era for Thompson.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Sunday that there has virtually been no talks between Thompson and the Warriors in recent weeks and that the sharpshooter is “determined to find a new home”.
Charania wrote that according to team and league scores, “Thompson and the Warriors have had close to no communication since the negotiating period opened for incumbent free agents nearly two weeks ago and no offer has been made”.
“Warriors, after other business, have wanted to circle back and negotiate with Thompson. But he isn’t expected to be there waiting as a willing secondary priority in their summer plan, with his side feeling that the Warriors’ interest in a reunion has been disingenuous,” he added.
With that in mind, who shapes as the likely candidates to land Thompson?
Well, the Magic and Nuggets had been linked to him but it seems like the Mavericks and Lakers are at the top of the list.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski also reported that Thompson plans to have discussions with the Clippers and 76ers.
Stein reported that “barring an 11th-hour resuscitation of Thompson’s relationship with the Warriors”, Dallas and L.A. “projected to be the two teams at the forefront of Thompson’s thinking”.
Stein wrote that LeBron James could be willing to take a paycut if what Chris Haynes described as one of the “right targets” was happy to take the Lakers’ $13 million midlevel exception.
In spite of that, league sources told Stein “there will be strong mutual interest between Thompson and the Mavericks”, with Dallas expected to free up enough money to make a competitive offer after trading Tim Hardaway Jr. to Detroit.
The Mavericks may have to offload Australian Josh Green for salary matching purposes in the event of a sign-and-trade with Golden State.
That would elevate Quentin Grimes into a more prominent role after the Mavericks traded for him as part of the Hardaway Jr. deal.
If Green was dealt he would become the third Australian to be traded this summer after Dyson Daniels was moved to Atlanta and Josh Giddey was sent to Chicago.
The Mavericks had hoped to keep Derrick Jones Jr. too but he plans to sign a three-year, $30 million deal with the Clippers according to Shams Charania.
Klay Thompson has several suitors. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
THUNDER ARE MAKING MOVES
The Oklahoma City Thunder were one of the biggest risers last season, finishing the regular season as the top seed in the West before coming up short in the conference semi-finals.
Only a few weeks have passed since the end of the season and already Thunder general manager Sam Presti has made it clear the team is not playing around.
Instead, Oklahoma City has made aggressive moves to put itself in an even stronger position to contend in what once again shapes to be an extremely competitive Western Conference.
First, the Thunder traded Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso and then in free agency added free agent big man Isaiah Hartenstein on a three-year, $87 million deal according to multiple reports.
OKC didn’t stop there though, re-signing key role players Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins on shrewd deals to complete what looks like one of the deepest rosters in the NBA next season.
Joe extended on a four-year, $48 million deal while Wiggins is coming back on a five-year, $47 million contract.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK
While Westbrook picked up his $4 million player option with the Clippers, it appears he is poised for a sign-and-trade as opposed to staying put in Los Angeles.
And the Nuggets look the likely landing spot for him.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported Westbrook was a potential target for the $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception and the Nuggets are said to be looking to part ways with Zeke Nnaji in under to get under the second tax apron and open up their MLE.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Denver “has shown a level of interest” in Westbrook, who the Clippers are said to be “actively working on trades to move”.
OTHER SITUATIONS TO WATCH
* Chicago took a big step towards a rebuild, or at least a re-tooling of sorts, by trading Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey. So, what does that mean for DeMar DeRozan, the team’s top scorer and free agent, who turns 35 in August?
* LeBron James has opted out of his deal with the Lakers, declining a $51.4 million player option, but is expected to agree to a new contract that could create financial flexibility to help the team target more players to bring to L.A.
* Tyrese Maxey is tipped to sign a five-year extension worth in excess of $200 million as Philadelphia looks to go all-in this summer.
* The Orlando Magic are declining Joe Ingles’ $11 million team option according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, but both sides are expected to continue dialogue in free agency next week, opening the door for the Australian to potentially return.
EVERY REPORTED DEAL SO FAR
* Paul George has agreed on a four-year, $212 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Chris Paul has agreed on a one-year, $11 million-plus deal with the San Antonio Spurs, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Derrick Jones Jr. plans to sign a three-year, $30 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, per Shams Charania
* Isaiah Hartenstein plans to sign a three-year, $87 million deal with the Thunder, per Shams Charania
* Jonas Valanciunas has agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with the Washington Wizards, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Naji Marshall has agreed on a three-year, $27 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Isaiah Joe has extended on a four-year, $48 million deal with the Thunder, per Shams Charania
* Aaron Wiggins has agreed to a five-year, $47 million contract with Oklahoma City, per Shams Charania
* Tobias Harris has signed with the Detroit Pistons on a two-year, $52 million deal, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Kelly Oubre Jr. has agreed on a two-year, $16.3 million deal to stay with the Philadelphia 76ers, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Kentavious Caldwell-Pope set to sign a three-year, $66 million deal with the Magic, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Andre Drummond to return to Sixers on a two-year deal worth around $10 million, per Shams Charania
* James Harden to re-sign with Clippers on a two-year, $70 million deal, according to Shams Charania
* Kevin Porter Jr. has signed a two-year minimum contract with the Clippers, per Law Murray
* Obi Toppin extends with Pacers on a four-year, $60 million contract, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN
* Kevin Love staying with the Heat on a two-year deal worth over $8 million, per Shams Charania
* Luke Kornet is returning to Boston on a one-year deal, per Jared Weiss
* OG Anunoby staying put in New York on a five-year, $212.5 million contract, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN
* Neemias Queta is remaining in Boston on a multi-year deal, per Shams Charania
* Eric Gordon has agreed to a deal with the 76ers, per Shams Charania
* Mason Plumlee has agreed on a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN
LIVE BLOG:
Follow the latest NBA free agency news below! Can’t see the blog? Click here!
The rumour mill has already been heating up and now the NBA’s 2024 free agency period is officially here, with a number of big names potentially on the move.
Teams will be able to start negotiating with free agents at 8am on Monday morning [AEST] but can’t officially sign them to contracts until 2.01am on Saturday.
In the meantime though, all eyes will be on Paul George and Klay Thompson, with the pair both looking likely at this stage to be on new teams next season.
Follow along in our live blog below for the latest updates as the free agency window opens!
In case you missed it, here is a rundown on where things stand with some of the potential superstar free agents this summer.
The Clippers declined his $48.7 million option on Sunday and will enter free agency, ruling out the possibility of a sign-and-trade.
The Golden State Warriors were holding out on the hope of landing George via trade so you can rule them out of the race for his signature, with the Magic and 76ers expecting to be the biggest threats to the Clippers re-signing the nine-time All-Star.
At this point though it looks like the only chance of George remaining in Los Angeles is if he settles for a three-year deal, having held out for a four-year contract to this point.
Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank signalled in a press conference after the NBA Draft that the team would not be budging from its three-year offer.
“This is a business and the reality of the new CBA impacts teams like us,” he said.
“When your better players are in their 30s and you’re trying to build a sustainable roster, it impacts it. Like if there was no CBA, with Steve Ballmer, it would be carte blanche.
“With the new CBA, it’s not even about the money as [much as it] is how are you going to build a sustainable roster [and] maintain your tools to have transactional flexibility? And with that comes really, really hard decisions.”
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Sixers are willing to offer George a four-year deal and also have more than $60 million in projected cap space to make a big play for the 34-year-old.
Stein also reported the Magic are in the mix too, having made George’s “three-team shortlist of finalists for face-to-face meetings” which will start on Monday.
Paul George could be on the move. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
KLAY THOMPSON
It looks like the end of an era for Thompson.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Sunday that there has virtually been no talks between Thompson and the Warriors in recent weeks and that the sharpshooter is “determined to find a new home”.
Charania wrote that according to team and league scores, “Thompson and the Warriors have had close to no communication since the negotiating period opened for incumbent free agents nearly two weeks ago and no offer has been made”.
“Warriors, after other business, have wanted to circle back and negotiate with Thompson. But he isn’t expected to be there waiting as a willing secondary priority in their summer plan, with his side feeling that the Warriors’ interest in a reunion has been disingenuous,” he added.
With that in mind, who shapes as the likely candidates to land Thompson?
Well, the Magic and Nuggets had been linked to him but it seems like the Mavericks and Lakers are at the top of the list.
Stein reported that “barring an 11th-hour resuscitation of Thompson’s relationship with the Warriors”, Dallas and L.A. “projected to be the two teams at the forefront of Thompson’s thinking”.
Stein wrote that LeBron James could be willing to take a paycut if what Chris Haynes described as one of the “right targets” was happy to take the Lakers’ $13 million midlevel exception.
In spite of that, league sources told Stein “there will be strong mutual interest between Thompson and the Mavericks”, with Dallas expected to free up enough money to make a competitive offer after trading Tim Hardaway Jr. to Detroit.
Klay Thompson has several suitors. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
OTHER SITUATIONS TO WATCH
* The Warriors and Chris Paul agreed to push back the date to Monday to guarantee the $30 million on his 2024-25 contract as Golden State explores a potential trade.
* Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope declined his player option and will become an unrestricted free agent. The Nuggets sharpshooter is expected to draw plenty of interest, with both the Mavericks and Magic linked to the championship-winning guard.
* New York’s Isaiah Hartenstein is another player who is expected to be a player in demand and the Knicks, who acquired Mikal Bridges and re-signed OG Anunoby to a five-year deal, are tipped to struggle to match rival offers.
* Chicago took a big step towards a rebuild, or at least a re-tooling of sorts, by trading Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey. So, what does that mean for DeMar DeRozan, the team’s top scorer and free agent, who turns 35 in August?
* LeBron James has opted out of his deal with the Lakers, declining a $51.4 million player option, but is expected to agree to a new contract that could create financial flexibility to help the team target more players to bring to L.A.
* Tyrese Maxey is tipped to sign a five-year extension worth in excess of $200 million as Philadelphia looks to go all-in this summer.
* The Orlando Magic are declining Joe Ingles’ $11 million team option according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, but both sides are expected to continue dialogue in free agency next week, opening the door for the Australian to potentially return.
LIVE BLOG:
Follow the latest NBA free agency news below! Can’t see the blog? Click here!
The 34-year-old star is expected to meet with teams — including the Clippers — on Sunday night, per the outlet.
He now immediately becomes one of the top players available as free agency begins Sunday.
The Fresno State product played in 74 games during the 2023-24 regular season, the most he tallied in five seasons with Los Angeles.
He averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and shot a career-high 41.3 per cent from 3-point range.
George was an All-Star the last two years after playing in only 31 games in 2021-22 due to a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm.
ESPN’s NBA insider Brian Windhorst offered on “Get Up” on June 24 that George had a “different menu of options,” including opting into the final year to facilitate a trade.
However, that’s now off the table.
Paul George is set to become one of the hottest free agents. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
One of those options included a new long-term deal with the Clippers, which did not come to fruition before the opt-out decision, although not for a lack of effort from the franchise.
Rumours had circulated about George potentially landing with the Knicks if he opted into his contract with Los Angeles, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
The 76ers were also a potential free agent landing spot since before the playoffs ended, but interest had seemingly faded, per The Athletic.
This past season, he worked alongside Kawhi Leonard and James Harden to help the Clippers secure the Western Conference’s No. 4 seed before losing in the first round to the Dallas Mavericks.
Since George’s arrival in Los Angeles in 2019, the Clippers have made the playoffs in four of five seasons, but they have yet to advance beyond the Western Conference Final.
This story originally appeared on the New York Post and has been reposted with permission
