Paul George has joined Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid to form a formidable trio that will bring the Philadelphia 76ers their first title since 1983. Before George, Tyrese Maxey was asked to be patient, and the millions he wanted will come. Perhaps an NBA championship too. Maxey was sceptical a year ago when the 76ers asked their guard; who was not yet an All-Star, had not dropped 50 points in a match three times to wait until this summer to sign a contract extension.  Philadelphia had a solid plan: Maxey would start the offseason with a salary cap hold of $13 million dollars, a low figure by NBA standards. However, this allowed the team to enter free agency with roughly $65 million to spend on building their roster. They added a possible superstart to join Tyrese and 2023 NBA MVP and Olympian Joel Embiid. Enter, Paul George. With money to splurge, the 76ers convinced George to leave the Los Angeles Clippers. He signed a four-year, $212 million contract with them. Philadelphia and team president Daryl Morey did not forget about Maxey, either. The NBA’s Most Improved Player, Maxey was compensated for his patience with a five-year, $204 million extension. The 76ers dedicated over $400 million in salary to two players. They believe places them as the top competitors to defeat the NBA champion Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum. The 76ers gave Maxey his due for the biggest assist of his career. “By being patient, he allowed us to put this offseason together, to really put us in position to be one of the very few legitimate contenders in the league this year,” Morey said. The 76ers believe they were worthy contenders for years, only for a group of second-fiddlers to pass through town with nothing much to show except postseason busts for their time here. Sixers fans can read off the list of lemons easily, from Ben Simmons to Tobias Harris; from Jimmy Butler to Al Horford; from Markelle Fultz to James Harden. George and Maxey both sat for their first formal press conferences on Tuesday at the 76ers’ New Jersey complex. This is complete with ownership, the front office and even the All-Star duo, insisting that next season will be as good as it gets for the team. “I think we are set up,” team owner Josh Harris said. “It’s hard not to be excited about this team. I’ve been here for the last 10 years, 12 years, and this is among, if not the best team, we’ve had since I’ve been here.” Maxey basically took a leap of faith by believing that he would still get the money a year later and the 21st overall pick in the 2020 draft has found a home in Philadelphia. “I understood what the end goal was,” Maxey said. “Sometimes you have to realise that.” George, who has averaged 20.8 points over a 14-year career, wanted to move on from the Clippers and refused a player option in his contract for $48.8 million in 2024-25 that ended a five-year stretch with the team in which he averaged at least 21.5 points each season. George said “Philly was No. 1″ for his top choice in free agency because the 76ers “kind of fit my game and fit where I was at in my career.” Perhaps. Philadelphia, rose to the top spot more because they offered up to $60 million over the Clippers; offer, one that George referred to as “disrespectful.’’ George stated earlier this month on his podcast that he “never wanted to leave LA’’ and would have signed with the Clippers had they given the three-year, $150-million extension they offered Kawhi Leonard. He also wanted a no-trade clause. He said Los Angeles would not give him a four-year, $212-million contract, or any deal without the promise of a no-trade clause. George said on Tuesday there was no “ill will’’ toward the Clippers. He thanked the team for allowing him to play in his home city and for a “legitimate shot to chase a championship every season.’’ He essentially traded a Big Three with Leonard and Harden in Los Angeles for a chance to join Maxey and Embiid and form a triple treat in Philly. “Joel has secretly been one of my closest All-Star Game friends,” George said. “It kind of felt inevitable that at some point, we would link up and be teammates.” George was enticed at his California home by a contingent that included Harris, Morey, coach Nick Nurse and even 76ers legend and Hall of Famer Julius Erving. Weather delays forced a late arrival at George’s home.

Stephen Curry leads with 24 points as Team USA beat Nikola Jokic and Serbia in a showcase game. Curry was somewhat quiet offensively during the U.S Olympic team’s first two exhibitions before the Paris Games.  He became more assertive on Wednesday with his official Olympic debit less than two weeks away. Curry scored 24 points, Bam Adebayo contributed 17 and Team USA beat Serbia 105-79 to boost 3-0 in its five-game slate of exhibitions ahead of the Paris Olympics. Anthony Davis finished with seven points, six rebounds and six blocks, leading the U.S. defensive effort that stunted Serbia throughout the game. Anthony Edwards scored 16 points. LeBron James added 11. Team USA led by as much as 31 points in the last of a pair of warm up matches in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The American team now travels to London to play two more matches before heading to France for the Olympics. The first will be on Saturday against South Sudan, followed by a matchup with Germany on Monday at London’s O2 Arena. The U.S. first had an uneven start before using a 16-2 run in the second quarter to take a 56-42 advantage and led 59-45 at halftime. The Serbian basketball team was propped up by performances of some of its star players. Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic scored 16 points and 11 rebounds for Serbia. Aleska Avramovic added 14 points. Serbia was appearing for its second match in two days, after losing to Australia on Tuesday where it rested captain Bogdab Bogdanovic. Wednesday’s game was a pivotal preview for the Serbians and Team U.S.A, which will both feature in Group C at the Olympics. They begin their battle for gold against each other on July 28th. After almost blowing a huge lead in its slim win over Australia on Monday, Team U.S.A was lucky enough to avoid that type of performance this time. They led by 25 after three quarters and rapidly increased that number to 30 in the final quarter.

The Chicago Bulls Executive Vice President – Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas announced on July 13th the updates below and additions within the team’s basketball operations department ahead of the 2024-24 NBA regular season. “These changes are steps toward ensuring the progress of the Bulls organization,” said Karnišovas. “We have brought in talented and well-respected people who have high standards and share our vision for success. Moreover, we have alignment and support between the front office and ownership, and we are all committed to bringing together a team that our fans can be proud of.” Wes Unseld Jr. will join the Bulls as an assistant coach after serving three seasons (2021-2024) as the head coach for the Washington Wizards. Before his time with the Wizards, Unseld was assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets (2015-21), Orlando Magic (2012-14) and Golden State Warriors (2011-12).  He started his NBA career in 1997 as an advance/pro scout with Washington before being promoted to assistant coach status with the Wizards (2005-2011). Preceding his professional coaching career, Wes played collegiately at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Dan Craig joins Chicago as an assistant coach after four seasons as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers (2020-2024), which was preceded by 17 campaigns with the Miami Heat (2003-2020). After he started his career as video intern with Miami in 2003, Craig spent 15 seasons as an assistant coach for the Heat and one season as the head coach of the team’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce (2015-16).  During his tenure with the Heat, Craig was part of three NBA Championship teams (2006, 2012, 2013) and was named 2015-16 G League Coach of the Year. He played college basketball at Plymouth State University before his professional coaching career started. Eric Waters, a veteran athletic trainer and in the sports performance fields, returns to the Bulls as director of player health and performance for a second stint with the team. Waters was the assistant athletic trainer from 2000-2004. Most recently, he was the head athletic trainer for the Utah Jazz (2017-24), which succeeded 12 seasons (2004-16) as head athletic trainer for the Washington Wizards.  During his time with the Wizards, Waters was named the NBA’s Athletic Trainer of the Year in 2010 by the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association (NBATA).  He has degrees in exercise science and psychology from the University of Iowa and a master’s in exercise science from Boise State University. Besides his daily NBA experience, Waters has also held athletic training roles for the USA Men’s National Basketball Team, the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Program and NFL Europe.  He is certified and licensed as an athletic trainer (ATC), strength and conditioning coach (CSCS), corrective exercise specialist (CES) and performance enhancement specialist (PES). John Byrant has been promoted to the front of the bench after joining the Bulls as an assistant coach in 2020. Henry Domercant will take over as an assistant coach on the second bench, transitioning from his role as head coach of the Windy City Bulls. Billy Donovan III has been promoted to head coach of the Windy City Bulls.

Kemba Walker, the all-time leading scorer in Charlotte Hornets history and four-time All-Star in his 12 NBA seasons, announced that he will be retiring from basketball on Tuesday. Walker, who played for AS Monaco in the Euroleague last campaign, spent eight seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets (2011 -19), two seasons with the Boston Celtics (2019-21), and one season with the New York Knicks (2012-22) and Dallas Mavericks (2022-23) in his NBA career. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Walker will join new coach Charles Lee’s staff as a player enhancement coach. In his social media post, Walker wrote: “Basketball has done more for me than I could’ve ever imagined, and I am super thankful for the amazing journey I’ve had. With that, I’m here to share that I am officially retiring from the game of basketball. “This has been a dream. When I look back, I still can’t believe the things I achieved in my career.” The 6-foot guard was a three-time NBA All-Star for the Hornets, and then in his first season with the Celtics in 2019-20. But Walker missed valuable time recently due to knee issues. He also missed 37 matches with New York in 2021-22 and only nine matches with the Mavericks last season. Walker will retire as the Hornets’ top scorer and ranks in their top three in matches played, assists and steals. He also holds the team record for 3-pointers made and attempted, field goals made and attempted and free throws made and attempted. Kemba averaged 19.3 points for his 12-year NBA career, which came after a remarkable college career at UConn where he led the school to a 2011 national title. He was named the most outstanding player of the Final Four that year. Walker played for most of the pandemic-altered 2019-20 season, the last of five consecutive seasons where he averaged at least 20 points per game.

Bronny James says the chance to play professionally alongside his father LeBron James had no role in his choice to join the NBA draft. Now that he has been chosen by the Los Angeles Lakers, Bronny says he can still deal with all the extra attention and expectations as the James family makes basketball history. “I’m … trying to get my name out for myself,” Bronny said Tuesday. “I just want to come in and get my work in and get better every day. I never really had a thought of me going to play with my dad. That’s always there to take part of, but it wasn’t a main focus of mine. online pharmacy buspar for sale with best prices today in the USA ” The Lakers formally introduced Bronny James and their first-round pick, Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht, in a news conference at their training complex. They chose home with the 55th overall pick last week, creating the potential for an NBA first. No father and son have ever played in the NBA at the same time, let alone on the same team. Bronny repeated that he did not join the NBA because his 39-year-old father is still an active player. online pharmacy vilitra for sale with best prices today in the USA He acknowledged that he did not share his father’s oft-stated dream of playing in the league together. He also knew that he could not control where he was drafted, despite that he read on social media recently about the Lakers’ being a nepotistic effort to keep LeBron James with them for the rest of his career. Bronny James said he is ready for the challenges ahead of him because of “stuff that “stuff that (LeBron) has been telling me my whole life. online pharmacy bactrim for sale with best prices today in the USA Just having that work ethic, and coming in and getting your work in, and listening to your coaches and being coachable, stuff like that he’s driven into my head my whole life.” He smartly answered questions about everything that he will face after jumping straight to the NBA from one short season of college basketball. He played inconsistently last winter at USC after recovering from a terrifying cardiac event in July 2023. “The time that I had off, I feel like I could have been perfecting my game more,” Bronny said. “I just feel like I’ve been given the opportunity to showcase what I can really do, because I wasn’t given that much of an opportunity at SC. So I’m excited for what it’s going to be.” Rather than spending another year in college, Bronny said he expects to improve his game in the Lakers’ player development system new coach JJ Redick is setting up. Redick, emphasised the necessity of developing talent from within the organisation after general manager Rob Pelinka hired him last month. “Rob and I did not give Bronny anything,” Redick said. “Bronny has earned this through hard work. For us, prioritising player development, we view Bronny as Case Study 1, because his base level of feel, athleticism, point-of-attack defender, shooting, passing, there’s a lot to like about his game. As we build out our player development program holistically, he’s going to have the opportunity to be an excellent NBA player.”

Klay Thompson has accepted a three-year $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks, ending his epic 13-year run with the Golden State Warriors. Sources told ESPN this on Monday. Thompson’s contract was significantly influenced by the chance to compete for a fifth title with the Western Conference champions Mavericks. Greg Lawrence of Wasserman (Thompson’s agent) negotiated the deal, it required a multiteam sign-and-trade that sends Dallas guard/forward Josh Green to the Charlotte Hornets and two second-round picks to the Warriors.  The Mavericks will send their 2031 second-round pick in the deal including the least favourable of the 76ers or Nuggets’ second-round pick in 2025, a source said. Lawrence and Thompson met Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison and VP Michael Finley at the Bottle Inn in Hermosa Beach, California, to delve into the details of a Thompson-Mavericks partnership. The Los Angeles Lakers were enticing to Thompson, but how much money he would save from living in Texas over California and the fact the Dallas Mavericks were three wins away from an NBA championship were major factors in his decision.  In the last season of Klay’s noteworthy 13-year run with the Warriors, his relationship with the franchise became strained due to contract discussions and his impending free agency. His departure became more apparent as the season progressed. His sadness grew as his role with the Warriors changed throughout the campaign; highlighted by him being removed from the closing lineup in early February and moving to a bench role later that month. Thompson, 32 averaged 17.9 points last season, his lowest since 2012-13. Klay’s tenure with the Golden State earns his place in the franchise and NBA history solidified. Curry, Thomposon, and Draymond Green contributed 518 victories in the regular season and playoffs, sixth most by a trio all time. Their 98th playoff victory together is third in NBA history and their four titles are tied with Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, and Tony Parker for the most by an All-NBA trio over the last 50 seasons. The Warriors wished Thompson well in a statement released on Monday, saying they look forward to retiring his No. 11 jersey. “The amount of joy and happiness that Klay provided Warriors fans, Bay Area natives and Dub Nation supporters all around the world has been immense and cannot be minimised,” the statement read. “His penchant for delivering in pressurised situations on the biggest stage, including many Game 6 heroics, has helped define a career. “Klay’s legacy will live on forever and we look forward to the day we can retire his #11 jersey at Chase Center where he will join a host of Warriors immortals, including those who helped shape this recent dynasty — himself included. “We thank Klay for his contributions and wish him the best as another chapter in his journey is written.”

The Brooklyn Nets are trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks, where he will join Jalen Brunson and reunite with his other former Villanova teammates. Two people who know about the details reported on Tuesday. The first trade between these two New York rivals (Nets and Knicks) will place Bridges in a lineup alongside Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. These players helped the Wildcats win two NCAA championships. They were the soul of a Knicks squad that advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals last season. New York will pay a huge sum to get him, with ESPN reporting they are sending Bojan Bogdanovic to the Nets. Bogdanovic will get four unprotected first-round picks and one-protected pick. The Associated Press confirmed the deal under condition of anonymity as it is not yet official. Knicks receive: Mikal Bridges 2026 2nd-round pick Nets receive: Bojan Bogdanovic unprotected 1st-round pick in 2025 unprotected 1st-round pick in 2027 unprotected 1st-round pick in 2029 unprotected 1st-round pick in 2031 unprotected pick swap in 2028 top-four protected 2025 1st-round pick via Bucks 2nd round pick in 2025 The Brooklyn Nets got Bridges from the Phoenix Sun in the deal for Kevin Durant in February 2023 and he went ahead to average 26.1 points for the rest of that campaign, helping the Nets reach the playoffs. He scored 19.6 per game in 2023-24 but the Nets fell to 32-50 and missed the postseason. While his team was struggling, Bridges noticed how much fun his friends were having only a few miles away. Brooklyn signed Brunson in the summer of 2022, traded for Hart in the 2022-23 season and then signed DiVincenzo last summer. The Knicks have advanced to the second round in both campaigns. The four players helped Villanova win the 2016 NCAA title, while Brunson, Bridges and DiVincenzo were still playing for the Wildcats when they won the title again in 2018. They cannot wait to reconnect. “This is crazy lol,” Bridges wrote on the social media platform X after the deal was reported. Hart posted a picture of what appeared to be the four players smiling during a group video call. Bridges was runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 and is presently the NBA’s most durable player, which should make him an instant favourite with Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. He has played in all 474 matches in his career and never missed a game in college, either. He led the NBA in minutes played in both 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Jaylen Brown received the title of NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in the recently concluded matchup between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks. Brown’s Celtics destroyed the Mavericks four games to one to win a historic 18th championship. “It was a full team effort,” Brown said as he accepted the Finals MVP trophy named for Celtics legend Bill Russell. Brown averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in five Finals matches and delivered a solid defensive effort against Mavericks star Luka Doncic, the regular-season scoring leader. “I share this with my brothers and my partner in crime Jayson Tatum – he was with me the whole way so we share this together,” Brown said. Boston secured their first title since 2008. They had advanced to the finals in the 2022 season only to lose to the Golden State Warriors and last season they failed to get back to the championship race, losing to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. With victory on their mind this season, the Celtics won a league-leading 64 regular-season matches.  Boston swept the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals; Brown also won MVP honours in that series.  Brown, in his first year of colossal fiv-year, $286 million contract extension with the Celtics, received his third All-Star nod, but Tatum, not him, was often recognized as the club’s top star. Overlooked for All-NBA honours and by selectors for the US Olympic basketball team for Paris, Brown now finally has the honour he really wanted, an NBA title and the Finals MVP to complement it. Jaylen, who was chosen third overall in the 2016 draft, shared a long, heartwarming hugh with Tatum as the last moments of the 106-88 deciding match counted down.  Brown said he had let go of doubts from past play-off misses for this season. “I never hung my head,” he said.