Basketball Wiretap

On the latest episode of the Game Over podcast, Klutch Sports leader Rich Paul said that he doesn't know which team his friend and client LeBron James will play for next season. Paul made one thing clear about the process however, by saying that it won't be a snap decision.

"We're not going to be rushed," Paul said about James choosing his next team. "We're not going to be rushed. It's his choice to make and when he makes the choice, he'll make it."

Paul went on to say that James has all the information he needs to make his decision.

"There's been several people to call and say, 'Hey, Rich, is there anything more we should be doing? We could be doing?'" Paul said. "And my answer is, 'No. We don't need you to go above and beyond about anything. We understand it. It's clear. All the messages have been sent.'"

James said in recent public appearances that, "I won't hold you guys up too much longer." NBA commissioner Adam Silver weighed in to say that he hopes the NBA's all-time leading scorer decides soon, so that the league can finish next season's schedule.

"I saw Adam in New York and we discussed it," Paul said about speaking with Silver. "And like I said, it's still his choice. So, if he doesn't really know, you can't rush it. You can't rush it."

Cameron Boozer said his ability to fill multiple roles on the floor is what sets him apart, pointing to the New York Knicks' championship run as a blueprint for the kind of versatile play teams now covet. The Memphis Grizzlies' first round draft pick spoke to The Athletic about his approach following a standout summer league performance.

"Versatility is the name of the game. That's what teams are looking for," said Boozer. "Teams want five guys who can make plays. Look at the Knicks this year. Everyone on that team was capable of doing more than one thing. Everyone was capable of playing on or off the basketball. That's what I feel like I can do best. I can screen. I can handle it. You can put me in a lot of different scenarios."

Boozer closely studied New York's title run, taking note of how the team shared the ball, moved cohesively on both ends of the floor, and relied on players capable of multiple skill sets rather than a single dominant scorer. Those observations shaped his own vision for how he wants to impact games as a professional.

That approach was on full display during a dominant 10-day stretch at summer league, where Boozer averaged 18.5 points, eight rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game. His performance helped lead Memphis to the Las Vegas Summer League championship game, a narrow loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Selected third overall in the 2026 draft behind AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, Boozer is expected to be a day-one starter for the Grizzlies alongside Cedric Coward, last season's All-Rookie First Team selection. His combination of playmaking, physicality and positional flexibility as a 6-foot-10 forward has drawn comparisons to the multi-skilled roster construction that defined New York's championship approach.

Nancy Walton Laurie and her husband, Bill Laurie, are considering a bid for an NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas, according to three people familiar with the league's process, according to Sportico. The couple, worth $17.8 billion according to Forbes, live just outside Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada.

Walton Laurie is the youngest daughter of Bud Walton, who co-founded Walmart with his brother Sam. She and her sister, Ann Walton Kroenke, split their father's Walmart stock following his death in 1995. Ann is married to Stan Kroenke, whose sports holdings include the NFL's Los Angeles Rams, the Premier League's Arsenal, the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche and MLS's Colorado Rapids.

Monday marked the deadline for interested parties to submit details on capital sources and management plans for a potential Las Vegas franchise. NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the expansion process following the league's latest board of governors meeting.

"Multiple various, serious groups are in the process of presenting plans to our bankers," said Silver. "And those plans not only include who the potential owners would be, but their vision for what Las Vegas basketball could look like: where they would play, how they would present the game. And it's music to my ears."

Walton Laurie and her husband previously owned the NHL's St. Louis Blues before selling the team in 2006 to a group led by Dave Checketts for $150 million. This would not mark the couple's first pursuit of NBA ownership, having previously made unsuccessful attempts to acquire teams in Denver in 1999, Vancouver in 2000 and Charlotte in 2001. Bill Laurie came close to purchasing the Vancouver Grizzlies with plans to relocate the franchise to St. Louis, though the deal ultimately collapsed over relocation complications, and the team moved to Memphis ahead of the 2001-02 season.

Other known bidders for a Las Vegas expansion franchise include a group led by former Disney CEO Bob Iger and Thrive Capital founder Josh Kushner, as well as a bid from Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley. A separate group known as the Las Vegas Jacks includes former Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, former Turner Sports executive David Levy, American Century Investments CEO Jonathan Thomas and Prime Capital Financial chairman Scott Colangelo.

The depth of bidders for Las Vegas contrasts with Seattle where the interest has been softer than expected.

LA Clippers guard Cam Christie has pushed back his contract guarantee date for a second time this offseason. Christie's $2.3 million contract with the Clippers is now set to become fully guaranteed on October 15. Given the proximity of that date to the start of the season, it's unlikely Christie's guarantee date will be pushed back again.

The deal for the third-year guard was originally set to guarantee in late-June. He agreed to push it back to July 20 earlier this offseason. Now, Christie has agreed to push back the decision until just before the start of the regular season.

The Clippers are likely trying to keep as much flexibility as possible with their roster. LA is still waiting for the results of the Kawhi Leonard investigation. A pending trade of Leonard to the Toronto Raptors has been put on an indefinite hold until the investigation is completed.

Oklahoma City Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti described the team trading Lu Dort to the Chicago Bulls as a "financial decision."

"This was a financial decision. The impression I have been given is that the savings generated this summer, and from being out of the tax the last several years, will be re-allocated to future teams," said Presti on Monday.

The Thunder acquired three second-round picks in exchange for Dort.

Presti also mentioned Ajay Mitchell and Cason Wallace as having an opportunity to grow without Dort.

"Losing Lu will certainly have an effect on the team, but I think we are positioned well to reimagine ourselves and continue to find new avenues to win. Cason (Wallace) and Ajay (Mitchell) will have more responsibility, as will others," added Presti.

Dort averaged 8.3 points and 3.5 rebounds last season for the Thunder. 

The Indiana Pacers waived Taelon Peter on Monday, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Peter, who was selected with the No. 54 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, averaged 4.5 points in 38 games for the Pacers last season.

Matisse Thybulle and the Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million contract.

Thybulle is coming off his three-year, $33 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers that was originally signed as a restricted free agent offer sheet with the Dallas Mavericks in 2023 that was matched. Luka Doncic was with the Mavericks when Thybulle signed the offer sheet.

Thybulle appeared in 30 games last season with the Blazers, averaging 5.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals as one of the NBA's best wing defenders.

Thybulle missed most of the 2024-25 season due to right knee tendinopathy.

The Lakers currently have 16 players on guaranteed contracts for the 2026-27 season, which will necessitate additional roster maneuvers before the start of the regular season. 

The Dallas Mavericks have signed Jett Howard to a two-way contract. To create the roster spot, the Mavericks have waived Tyler Smith from his two-way contract.

Howard appeared in 55 games last season with the Orlando Magic, averaging 5.5 points and 1.6 rebounds while shooting 37.2 percent on three-pointers in 12.6 minutes. Howard was the 11th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft out of Michigan. The Magic declined to pick up their fourth year option on Howard last October, which set him up for unrestricted free agency this offseason.

Smith appeared in 12 games last season with the Mavericks, averaging 4.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 13.8 minutes. Smith was also on a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets last season but didn't appear in any games.

Arthur Kaluma and the Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a two-way contract.

Kaluma went undrafted in 2025 out of Texas and spent the 2025-26 season in the G League with the South Bay Lakers. Kaluma averaged 13.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.4 minutes across 40 games.

Kaluma appeared in seven Summer League games, averaging 17.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 22.9 minutes while shooting 38.9 percent on three-pointers.