Luol Deng: As for Gilbert’s comments, they were certainly more disrespectful and cruel. Personally, I don’t care much. I would never trade places with anyone; being African is special. However, for young African and African American kids who admire and listen to Gilbert, these comments can make you think less of yourself and make the rest of the world think less of Africans. Those who are easily misled may make comments that reflect self-hate more than pride. There is nothing about our history that we should run away from.
Trade Rumors
As it stands now, the Celtics are currently projected to be close to $25 million over the second apron. Starting this season, teams who finish the season over the second apron will begin to have their future draft picks frozen (thus unable to be traded) as part of the penalties to prevent heavy spending over long periods of time. But if the Celtics were to subtract just one of the big salaries from their books moving forward, and replace it either with draft picks or players on inexpensive, rookie-scale contracts, it would quickly become very plausible for Boston to get below the second apron, giving the Celtics flexibility to continue adding to the roster. By comparison, the Suns are in a much different place. Bradley Beal is owed $160 million over the next three years and has a no-trade clause. The Suns’ players on midrange salaries, Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and Nassir Little, all have limited trade value, league sources told ESPN.
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Spurs showed interest in Darius Garland, Andrew Nembhard
The Spurs will be one team to monitor for Andrew Nembhard moving forward, sources said, after San Antonio registered trade interest in Nembhard this offseason. Before San Antonio brought Chris Paul to organize the Spurs’ offense around Victor Wembanyama, sources said San Antonio called various teams around the league exploring veteran guards who have still yet to enter their primes. Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland was another talented ball-handler the Spurs called about, sources said, although Cleveland has rebuffed any inbound trade interest for Garland to date.
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Lakers still interested in Bruce Brown
The Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks are two teams that showed interest in Brown last season, sources said, and Los Angeles maintains interest in him this offseason. One team whispered to have interest in Brown and was quietly mentioned as a possible suitor months ago is the Golden State Warriors. While unlikely to occur, the Warriors have the ability to move Andrew Wiggins, who is making more than $26 million this season, in a package from Toronto that includes Brown and other assets. This would open up more financial flexibility for the Dubs moving forward.
DeMarcus Cousins on Kobe Bryant when he reach out about his injury: It was dope man, it’s Bean at the end of the day bro. So if you’re even on his radar bro you doing something right, like straight up. Even before the injury me and Kobe were in contact at the time where I was supposed to be traded to the Lakers. I think this was, I want to say 2014 or 2015, it might have been ’15 but I was supposed to get traded to the Lakers. The deal ended up not happening and they ended up firing Mitch Kupchak that summer.
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Brian Windhorst: 'I wouldn't rule out Jonas Valanciunas eventually ending up a Laker'
Brian Windhorst: Do we think Jonas Valanciunas will be on offer from the Wizards midway through the season? I wouldn’t rule out Jonas Valanciunas eventually ending up a Laker this year, that’s all I’m gonna say.
While Johnson is entering the second year of a four-year, $94.5 million extension, it de-escalates after next season to just 13.91 percent and 13.85 percent of the salary cap in the final two years, making it team-friendly. “I’ll just let whatever happens, happens. Obviously, I think we have a pretty good group in Brooklyn that we can really start to grow something,” Johnson said. “If I’m staying in Brooklyn, then I’m all-in, excited to play, excited to grow this group, and that’s where my head’s at right now.
