NBA Basketball 3 Days

Last updated: July 12, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

Player Signings and Extensions Shake Up Leagues

Gary Trent Jr. has officially agreed to a four-year, $64 million deal to remain with the Milwaukee Bucks. This move comes as the Bucks' general manager, Jon Horst, described the decision to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo as "very difficult". Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs have finalized a five-year, $252 million maximum rookie-scale contract extension, making it the third-largest rookie extension in NBA history. Trae Young expressed his excitement about his long-term future with the Washington Wizards after re-signing. The Wizards are also bringing back veteran Khris Middleton on a three-year, $17.6 million contract via a sign-and-trade deal signed a veteran.

Free Agency Frenzy Continues Amidst Trade Speculation

The free agency period remains active as teams court LeBron James, with some resorting to voice memos to make their pitch. James' potential destinations are being analyzed, with teams like the Spurs, represented by center Luke Kornet attempting to recruit him with humor, and the Warriors, where Stephen Curry acknowledged the "allure" of teaming up with James acknowledged the allure. Andre Iguodala suggested James' interest in Golden State is a tribute to Stephen Curry's consistent play called it a tribute. The trade involving Kawhi Leonard between the Clippers and Raptors is currently on hold pending an NBA probe into potential salary cap circumvention put the trade on hold. The NBPA executive director, David Kelly, voiced concerns that the league's "second apron" is forcing teams into decisions driven by cost control rather than basketball strategy, negatively impacting players and fans.

Rookies Shine and Offseason Decisions Loom

Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson delivered a strong summer league debut, scoring 35 points, the second-most in a Las Vegas debut since 2004. The NBA's top prospects from the 2026 draft, AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, faced off in the Las Vegas summer league, with Peterson showing instant chemistry with Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George. The Mavericks finalized a six-team trade, signing prospect Tarik Biberovic and acquiring Santi Aldama and Marcus Sasser.

Player Movements and Off-Court Developments

Ja Morant is ready to "start fresh" with the Portland Trail Blazers following his offseason trade from the Grizzlies, aiming to dispel his "bad guy" image. In a peculiar incident, Morant seemed to forget his new jersey number when signing an autograph. The NBA offseason still has several significant decisions to make, including Jalen Duren's new contract and the eventual landing spot for Kawhi Leonard. Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro were involved in a physical altercation in Las Vegas, where Adebayo reportedly struck Herro involved in altercation. Former Heat player Tim Hardaway Jr. is returning to Miami and has been assigned his father's former No. 10 jersey.

Market Trends and Historical Sales

A rare Victor Wembanyama trading card, a 2024 1-of-1 Panini Revolution vertical green Kaboom!, sold for an impressive $1,443,133 sold for $1.4M. Jalen Brunson's jersey from Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals also commanded a high price, selling for $1,024,000 at Sotheby's sold for $1M. In a legal development, a judge denied Terry Rozier's request to loosen his bail conditions, preventing him from practicing or playing with potential witnesses.

Front Office and League News

The Dallas Mavericks are facing internal disputes, with Mark Cuban alleging that governor Patrick Dumont is engaging in "adversarial business practices" concerning a potential team relocation. Former ESPN senior NBA writer Tim Bontemps has joined the Atlanta Hawks in a front office role joined the Hawks. Landry Fields, formerly the Atlanta Hawks' general manager, will lead the men's basketball operations for Project B, a new global league. Charles Barkley is facing extremely long odds, 500-1, to win the annual celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.