The NBA is formalizing media rights contracts with ESPN, NBC and Amazon this week with sources telling the Sports Business Journal that it is the final stage of negotiations. Deals with the three providers are expected to return over $7 billion per year for the NBA.

ESPN will pay $2.8 billion annually, which is up from an initially reported $2.6 billion for the NBA's "A" package. That package includes the NBA Finals, a conference final, weekly primetime games, the WNBA and likely shared international rights.

NBC's "B" package is believed to be worth $2.6 billion annually would probably include a "Basketball Night in America" on Sunday nights following the NFL season, a total of two primetime windows a week, conference semifinals and a conference final. 

Amazon's deal is believed to be worth between $1.8B and $2B and would likely include the Emirates In-Season Tournament, the SoFi Play-In Tournament, first-round playoff games, the WNBA and international rights.

The final changes to the deals have been fluid and changing, but expected to be finalized in the coming days or week. Once the written bids are ratified, the NBA will take NBC's contract to Warner Bros. Discovery to see if they can match it in "total value."

WBD may enact legal action over the rights. It's believed that the TNT parent company could contest its right to match the NBC deal. The NBA and WBD apparently have different definitions of what matching a deal would consist of.

TNT is on the verge of losing the NBA after the 24-25 season with Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal reporting on how Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav mishandled negotiations with the league.

While ESPN was firm on wanting to retain the "A" package and not letting it go to the open market by doubling its old rights fees from $1.4 billion per season to $2.8 billion, Zaslav believed he would only have to pay between $1.8 billion and $2.1 billion to retain the "B" package and refused to double it to $2.4 billion.

WBD entered negotiations believing they could ultimately match any offer the NBA received for the package, but the league's contention is they cannot necessarily match it on a dollar-for-dollar basis. 

The NBA subsequently agreed to a $2.6 billion deal with NBC that virtually make it impossible for TNT to equal.

WBD is believed to be preparing to sue the NBA over the issue. 

Kristaps Porzingis could return rom his calf injury as early as Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Porzingis has been making progress with the injury and accelerating his on-court ramp up.

Porzingis suffered the injury in Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs.

The Boston Celtics will maintain a conservative approach with the return of Porzingis.

The New York Knicks announced that Jalen Brunson and Bojan Bogdanovic have both undergone successful surgeries for their respective injuries.

Brunson had surgery on a fractured left hand. He'll be re-evaluated in six-to-eight weeks. This injury and subsequent surgery will likely keep Brunson from being a potential injury replacement for Team USA at the Summer Olympics.

Bogdanovic underwent surgery for ligament damage in his left wrist. Bogdanovic is also recovering from surgery on his left foot. He'll be re-evaluated in six-to-eight weeks after the wrist surgery. Bogdanovic is likely to miss the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in early-July for the Croatian National Team.

The NBA has announced its 23-24 All-Defensive Teams, headlined by Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama.

NBA All-Defense First Team
• Rudy Gobert
• Bam Adebayo
• Victor Wembanyama
• Anthony Davis
• Herb Jones

NBA All-Defense Second Team
• Alex Caruso
• Jrue Holiday
• Jaden McDaniels
• Jalen Suggs
• Derrick White

The Houston Rockets are monitoring the potential availability of Donovan Mitchell should he decide not to sign an extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

The Rockets are believed to be more interested in a star of Mitchell's quality rather than other potentially available players such as Brandon Ingram and Mikal Bridges.

The Rockets are well-positioned to make a major trade with their rostered young players and future draft capital, both in terms of their own picks and those belonging to the Brooklyn Nets. The Rockets also own the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft via the Nets.

Mitchell can become a free agent in 2025 and has most strongly been linked with the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat if he ends up not signing long-term with the Cavaliers. 

The Orlando Magic have interest in signing D'Angelo Russell this offseason, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

Russell has an $18.7 million player option for the 24-25 season with the Los Angeles Lakers that he is expected to decline.

Russell outperformed expectations with the Lakers this past season and would give the Magic a point guard capable of playing off the ball as a spot-up shooter.

The New York Knicks can offer Jalen Brunson a four-year, $156 million contract extension this offseason and Newsday reports he is expected to sign it.

The extension will remove the fourth season from his current deal and tie him to the Knicks for the next five seasons.

Brunson could alternatively wait one offseason and sign a five-year, $270 million extension in the summer of 2025.

The Knicks signed Brunson during the 2022 offseason on a four-year, $107 million deal.

The San Antonio Spurs are believed to be high on Stephon Castle of UConn, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

The Spurs own the No. 4 and No. 8 pick in the draft.

Castle is considered a high upside defensive player with good shot creation off the dribble. Castle will need to develop his perimeter shooting to reach his overall potential. 

A Charlotte-area family is suing LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets, after Ball drove over and broke a young fan's foot. The incident occurred in early-October at the Hornets Purple and Teal fan event.

Angell Joseph, at the time 11 years old, approached Ball's car to ask him for an autograph. Ball didn't respond nor sign anything, and then drove off. In the course of doing so, he drove over Joseph's foot, which left the young fan with a broken foot.

The family would have attempted to work through insurance, but the police report from the incident was missing information identifying Ball and his insurer. The family is also suing the Hornets for not providing enough measure to protect fans at the event.