Basketball Wiretap

Luka Doncic is in constant communication with Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick this offseason, with the six-time All-Star expecting the front office to deliver on a championship-caliber roster they have long promised would come in the summer of 2026, sources told ESPN.

"Luka wants to be a championship team yesterday," a source close to Doncic said. "Ever since the trade, they've always told us: 'summer of '26. We'll show you in the summer of '26.' So, we are so excited that the summer of '26 is here."

Doncic, who led the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points per game last season before a Grade 2 left hamstring strain ended his regular season and playoffs, was cleared for basketball activities May 28 and is healthy entering his offseason training program in Slovenia.

"He's in full go mode," one source said.

The 27-year-old has communicated one clear roster priority to Pelinka and Redick, the same request he made upon arriving in Los Angeles 16 months ago.

"Luka's first and foremost desire is an A-list center," a source said.

The preference reflects both offensive and defensive considerations. A rim-running big man would expand Doncic's already potent offensive arsenal, while a capable defensive presence at the position is viewed as necessary to compete with the Western Conference's elite, including Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic, who both finished ahead of Doncic in MVP voting this season.

Current centers Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes both face uncertain futures. Ayton holds an $8.1 million player option he must exercise by June 29 or become an unrestricted free agent. Hayes, also an unrestricted free agent, is in line for a raise after playing near the veteran minimum.

Doncic has remained in contact with LeBron James and Austin Reaves since the season ended but has not actively recruited either player, sources said. Most conversations with teammates have centered on golf, a sport Doncic took up in February.

While there has long been an expectation that the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo, whether with the Milwaukee Bucks or via trade, would be resolved by the NBA Draft, growing reporting suggests the situation may remain unresolved well beyond next week and into free agency beginning June 30.

The Bucks have been in talks with the Miami Heat for several months but have signaled they are unwilling to accept what has been offered for Antetokounmpo.

"So far, from what I've been told, the Bucks have yet to receive an offer they are willing to accept for Giannis Antetokounmpo," said Brian Windhorst on Thursday's episode of Get Up. "Which is somewhat mirroring what happened at the trade deadline last February. Where they had the market open, didn't agree to a deal, and ended up keeping Giannis.

"While there is this deadline of the draft, and I'm told they intend to trade him by the draft, I think it's possible, there's some percentage chance, that they don't find a deal that they like.

"Miami has been the team most aggressive in trying to get him. But they have seven or eight different pieces that they can trade, none of them that I consider super-premium and I think the Bucks probably want all of them."

The Portland Trail Blazers faced a similar stalemate with Miami in 2023 over Damian Lillard, a negotiation that began in July and dragged into September before Lillard was eventually dealt to Milwaukee.

The Bucks remain motivated to complete a deal before the draft, as any 2026 picks acquired in a trade must be executed by next week for Milwaukee to make those selections.

The Boston Celtics are the other team that has been most closely linked with a potential trade for Antetokounmpo. 

"Have the Celtics and Bucks talked? I believe that they have," said Windhorst. "If they consummate a deal, would it involve Jaylen Brown? I believe that it would."

The Boston Celtics are growing frustrated with the process of potentially acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks, according to Jake Fischer of The People's Insider.

The team is "weary" of the rumors surrounding Jaylen Brown getting sent to the Bucks in exchange for Antetokounmpo.

Sources also add that rumors of Brown getting sent to a third are premature.

It was reported earlier in the week that Antetokounmpo will sign a contract extension with the Celtics should he get traded. 

The Blazers, Rockets, and Hawks are among teams with a rumored interest in Brown.

Trae Young plans to decline his $48.97 million player option for the 2026-27 season with the Washington Wizards and enter free agency Monday, sources told Andscape's Marc Spears Wednesday.

Washington remains the front-runner to retain the four-time All-Star, though multiple teams are expected to pursue him, sources said.

Young, who has averaged 9.8 assists over his eight-year career, was acquired by the Wizards from the Atlanta Hawks in January. The Wizards later acquired Anthony Davis from the Dallas Mavericks. Washington envisions Young and Davis as an All-Star pairing capable of returning the franchise to playoff contention along with the top overall pick in the draft.

Young appeared in just five games for Washington after the trade, limited by a sprained right MCL sustained in the fifth game of last season. He averaged 17.9 points and 8.0 assists across 15 total appearances split between Atlanta and Washington.

The Hawks dealt Young after identifying Jalen Johnson as their cornerstone, receiving CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert in return. Young had entered the season seeking to demonstrate his value for a four-year, $229 million maximum extension.

Washington also believes Young can accelerate the development of a young core that includes Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Will Riley and Bub Carrington. The Wizards have lost 64 or more games in each of the past three seasons.

Earlier this week, there were reports that Young could be a potential trade candidate  for the Miami Heat should they be unsuccessful in their attempts to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

Young is represented by Aaron Mintz, Rayford Young, Austin Brown and Drew Morrison.

New York Knicks owner James Dolan was a recent guest on The Carton Show on WFAN on SNY. Dolan talked about his team winning the 2026 NBA Finals. The Knicks owner was also asked about running it back and keeping the team together for another Finals run.

"If we could bring back the whole team, exactly as it is, why wouldn’t you? But I don’t know if we’re going to be able to," Dolan said. "We’re willing to stretch, but there’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do and we’re not going to do those. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron. But that's up to (president of basketball operations) Leon (Rose). I tell him how big of a check that I'll write. I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron."

The Knicks starting five is under contract for next season, but key backups Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet are unrestricted free agents. Robinson is expected to garner interest from teams around the league at the $15 million Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception amount. Shamet is expected to get offers that surpass the veteran minimum contract he played under last season.

At the start of the offseason, New York projects to be roughly $10 million under the second apron. Re-signing Robinson and Shamet, as well as bringing back players like Jordan Clarkson, Jeremy Sochan, Mohamed Diawara and Ariel Hukporti, would push the Knicks well over the second apron.

The Denver Nuggets are interested in adding wing Bogdan Bogdanovic in free agency. The LA Clippers hold a $16 million team option for Bogdanovic that they are expected to decline. The 33-year-old veteran wing would then be an unrestricted free agent.

Denver would like to add Bogdanovic to play with fellow countryman Nikola Jokic. The two have a strong bond from their time together with the Serbian national team.

Bogdanovic struggled through injuries in what was a lost season a year ago. For his career, the 6-foot-5 wing has averaged 14 points per game and has shot more than 38% from behind the arc.

The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to include Bobby Portis in any Giannis Antetokounmpo deal, according to Jake Fischer of The People's Insider.

Portis has two years left on his deal worth slightly over $30 million, with the second year a player option.

It was reported on Wednesday night that the Celtics have become frustrated with the process of acquiring Antetokounmpo.

The Bucks also want to add as many as three first-round picks in the draft. 

The Orlando Magic hired Mfon Udofia and DJ Bakker as assistant coaches on Sean Sweeney's staff on Wednesday.

Udofia was most recently the head coach of the Long Island Nets last season.

Bakker was an assistant for the Hornets and head coach of the Greensboro Swarm. 

The Phoenix Suns are in discussions to potentially trade into the first round of the upcoming draft, sources told Jake Fischer of The People's Insider.

The Suns currently have the No. 47 pick in the second round. 

It was reported earlier this week that the team have opened negotiations with Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin.