NBA

Nikola Jokic reaffirmed his commitment to stay with the Denver Nuggets for his entire career but plans to delay signing a contract extension until next summer. He aims to secure a five-year, $350 million supermax deal and recently led Serbia to a FIBA World Cup qualifying victory with 20 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds. The Nuggets were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs again.

LeBron James will not play for the Los Angeles Lakers next season and is considering multiple teams including Philadelphia, Cleveland, Miami, Minnesota, Denver, Golden State, San Antonio, Dallas, Boston, and New York. His agent, Rich Paul, indicated James is evaluating options based on factors like golf facilities and team competitiveness.

Maria Sharapova prepared for life after tennis by taking business courses, internships, and building her brand during breaks from the sport. She emphasized planning for a second act, using her platform to invest in ventures like Sugarpova and gaining experience at the NBA.

The New Orleans Pelicans rejected multiple trade attempts by the New York Knicks to acquire center Yves Missi after the Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics. The Pelicans view Missi as a key core player and have declared him unavailable for trade. Missi, a 22-year-old rookie, was drafted by New Orleans in 2024 and is entering his third NBA season.

The Boston Celtics traded 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and multiple draft picks. The deal includes two first-round and two second-round picks for Boston, marking another major trade in the NBA's summer moves.

LeBron James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons to play his 24th season with another team. Mike Vorkunov, an NBA and basketball business reporter for The Athletic, discusses the move.

LeBron James will continue his NBA career during the 2026-27 season but has informed the Lakers that they can move on without him. Sources indicate the Golden State Warriors are planning to pursue him.

Ed Davis, a former NBA player who won a national championship at UNC, was arrested in a federal investigation into illegal sports betting. Davis allegedly acted as a gatekeeper for NBA player Malik Beasley, who provided information about his intended game performance to facilitate bets. The scheme involved manipulating outcomes in three 2024 games, including a Hornets-Bucks matchup where Beasley underperformed in scoring as planned.

The New Orleans Pelicans have exercised a third-year option on forward/center Karlo Matković, keeping him with the team for another season. Matković, drafted 52nd overall in 2022, averages 6.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game over 104 games, contributing to the team's frontcourt depth.

Rwanda's RSSB Tigers won the 2026 Basketball Africa League, defeating Angola's Petro de Luanda 90-88 in Kigali. The NBA-backed league attracted record crowds during the event.

The Portland Trail Blazers hired Micah Nori as their new head coach, taking him from the Minnesota Timberwolves where he served as an assistant under Chris Finch. Nori, who has been with the Timberwolves since 2021, previously worked with multiple NBA teams and will now lead the Trail Blazers, a division rival. The Timberwolves are also making roster changes, including trading Julius Randle and re-signing Ayo Dosunmu.

A deer crashed into a Burke County restaurant and was safely guided out. A college basketball coach in North Carolina reportedly declined an NBA job. A man was arrested nine years after a business manager was killed outside a Charlotte shop. Morning showers brought lower humidity ahead of returning high temperatures.

The Boston Celtics are positioned to have an advantage in a potential trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to oddsmakers. This trade is described as the most significant development in the NBA offseason.

The Knicks' victory highlights the value of scarcity, as the NBA team's worth increases due to investors pursuing limited assets.

Gunfire in New York’s Times Square caused bystanders to flee, with police chasing a suspect. One person was hospitalized, and a webcam captured two individuals in black clothing firing handguns in a crowded intersection. A 17-year-old was previously shot in Times Square during Knicks championship celebrations.

The New York Knicks' playoff run culminating in a championship generated an estimated $380 million in economic activity for New York City, including $90 million per home game during the Finals. The team's first ticker-tape parade followed, with over 10,000 NYPD officers deployed for security. This economic impact far exceeded the $57.6 million generated by the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks' championship.

The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg expressed support for the New York Knicks' planned visit to President Trump, stating, 'I want all those black men to stand in our house.' The Knicks are set to be the first NBA team to meet with Trump.

Conor McGregor defends a treatment that included banned drugs. He attended an NBA game in Salt Lake City last year.

Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr underwent surgery for a broken right foot sustained during an offseason workout. The team states he is expected to fully recover before next season. Sarr, the second pick in the 2024 draft, averaged 16.3 points and 7.4 rebounds last season.

The Chicago Bulls have hired Tiago Splitter as their 25th head coach, replacing Billy Donovan. Splitter, a former NBA champion with the Spurs, previously served as an assistant coach in Brooklyn and Portland, where he led the Trail Blazers to a playoff berth this season. Bulls executive Bryson Graham emphasized the need for a coach who is intelligent, a leader, and capable of coaching both offense and defense.

Sales for New York Knicks merchandise have surged following the team's NBA championship win, with fans anticipating a citywide celebration. The increase in gear sales is expected to continue ahead of the upcoming parade.

Knicks fans set a World Cup shuttle bus on fire during chaotic celebrations following the team's NBA win. The incident occurred amid public festivities for the New York Knicks' victory.

The article discusses President Trump's discomfort with aging at 80 and mentions his recent attendance at the NBA Finals in New York.

The NYPD is preparing for potential fan chaos following the Knicks' potential Game 5 victory, which could secure their first NBA title since 1973. The article notes historical patterns of street celebrations but leaves uncertainty about the scale of this year's fan behavior.

Over 60 people were taken into custody and 10 police officers were injured after a chaotic incident at Madison Square Garden following the New York Knicks' comeback win against the San Antonio Spurs in an NBA game.

Sports are becoming increasingly expensive for fans due to high streaming subscription costs, prohibitive ticket prices, and stadium shifts toward luxury customers. The article highlights challenges like navigating multiple platforms to watch games and soaring FIFA World Cup ticket prices, arguing that commercialization risks alienating the fan base that sustains the industry.

South Carolina Democratic voters selected Jermaine Johnson, a former basketball player turned state lawmaker, as their nominee for governor. The state has not elected a Democratic governor since 2002, and Johnson defeated two other candidates in the primary.

Donald Trump was booed by fans at Madison Square Garden during an NBA Finals game when his image was displayed on screens, though he claimed the reaction was 'mostly cheers.' The event featured chants of 'U-S-A!' during the national anthem, followed by boos when Trump was shown giving a military salute, with cheers resuming when the U.S. flag and New York Knicks players were displayed. Enhanced security and public confusion were reported due to Trump's attendance.

Former Sen. Bill Bradley, a two-time NBA champion with the New York Knicks, discussed President Trump's planned visit to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Bradley joined CBS News to comment on the event.

President Trump dismissed claims that the conflict with Iran contradicted his 'no new wars' campaign message as tensions escalated between Israel and Iran. He also confirmed attending an NBA Finals game in New York, prompting enhanced security measures. A federal lawsuit seeks to block a UFC event on the White House South Lawn.

The New York Knicks have announced enhanced security measures, including a no-bag policy and TSA-style screening, for Game 3 of the NBA Finals due to President Donald Trump's attendance. Fans are advised to arrive two hours early, and prohibited items cannot be stored at Madison Square Garden.

The Senate passed a $70B immigration enforcement bill after delays and backlash over a settlement fund. Trump announced Bill Pulte would not be his permanent choice for director of national intelligence due to bipartisan pushback and confirmed plans to attend an NBA Finals game as a New York Knicks fan. Water refilling began at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after Trump's renovation project.

Rwanda’s RSSB Tigers won the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Championship, marking a record-breaking season for the NBA-backed league. The victory, alongside record crowds and 1.1 billion social media views, has spurred investor interest, with $50 million pledged by the International Finance Corporation and Proparco to Helios Sports and Entertainment, a sports-focused private equity fund.

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry signed a 10-year shoe deal with Li-Ning, a Chinese athletic apparel company. He previously wore Li-Ning shoes against the Houston Rockets, and teammate Jimmy Butler also uses Li-Ning products.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals as the Oklahoma City Thunder lost to the San Antonio Spurs, ending their NBA title reign. The Thunder had home-court advantage but struggled with injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. Both teams are positioned as long-term contenders, with the Spurs defeating the Thunder despite Gilgeous-Alexander's strong performance.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are favored at home in Game 7 against the San Antonio Spurs, who have a first-year coach (Mitch Johnson) and a young core led by 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs have pushed the defending champion Thunder to the brink despite their inexperience, but the Thunder's championship status and home advantage are seen as key factors.

Tilman Fertitta's holding company, which owns the Houston Rockets and Golden Nugget casinos, is acquiring Caesars Entertainment in an $18 billion deal. The transaction involves a significant investment in Las Vegas-based Caesars.

Oura introduces rings for cuffless blood pressure monitoring, a health tech innovation covered in STAT's Health Tech newsletter. The article briefly mentions the NBA finals and AI in sports officiating as a lighter aside.

BetMGM is offering a promotional bonus code NYPNEWSGET that provides up to $1,000 in no-sweat tokens over a 10-day period for the Knicks vs. Cavaliers matchup. This offer is designed to incentivize new or existing customers to place bets on the NBA game.

Memphis Grizzlies player Brandon Clarke has died at the age of 29. He was a professional basketball player in the NBA. The cause of death is not specified in the report.