Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks has agreed a three-year contract extension worth $73m to remain with the NBA franchise through the 2029-30 season.
The fully guaranteed agreement secures a vital piece of the roster who has helped establish a hard-nosed, two-way culture under head coach Jordan Ott.
His agent, Mike George of Klutch Sports, confirmed the lucrative long-term commitment on Wednesday night.
Catalyst for defensive transformation
The veteran defensive specialist played a crucial role in transforming the Arizona team’s fortunes last season.
Operating as the primary wing defender, he helped elevate the team’s defensive ranking from 27th overall in the 2024-25 campaign to ninth last year.
Offensive production also surged, with the versatile forward averaging a career-high 20.2 points during the regular season.
That scoring output increased further during a first-round playoff defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he averaged an impressive 26.0 points.
Ownership commits to luxury tax
Suns owner Mat Ishbia has demonstrated a clear willingness to enter the luxury tax threshold to preserve continuity following a surprise post-season run.
Chief executive Josh Bartelstein and general manager Brian Gregory spent recent weeks negotiating the terms to keep their pivotal stopper on the roster.
This latest move forms part of a wider retention strategy that includes multi-year deals for Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams, and Jordan Goodwin.
The franchise has also bolstered their options for the upcoming campaign by acquiring Miles Bridges and Luke Kennard.
Having reached the playoffs in five of his past six seasons, the experienced competitor will now look to drive his current squad deeper into the post-season bracket.
Federal prosecutors have accused a co-defendant in Terry Rozier’s ongoing NBA betting case of witness tampering, alleging he used rat emojis on social media to intimidate individuals involved in the trial.
The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York filed a motion on Tuesday to revoke the bond of Deniro Laster.
Authorities claim the childhood friend of the NBA guard has repeatedly and flagrantly violated the conditions of his release.
It is alleged that the accused attempted to contact fellow defendants directly and through intermediaries.
Intimidation claims and rat emojis
Court documents state that Instagram accounts linked to Laster posted rat emojis on at least two separate occasions.
Prosecutors argued this behaviour, combined with his reputation for carrying firearms, demonstrated a clear intent to intimidate perceived witnesses.
Revocation of Deniro Laster’s bail is the only means of ensuring that he will comply with the Court’s orders, refrain from further criminal conduct, preserve the integrity of these proceedings, and protect witnesses or perceived witnesses.
A spokesperson for the US Attorney’s Office declined to comment further ahead of a scheduled status conference.
The $70,000 betting scheme
The underlying gambling scandal centres around a March 2023 fixture between the Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans.
Prosecutors allege the basketball star informed his associate that he planned to exit the game early, allowing fraudulent wagers to be placed.
The pair allegedly agreed to a bribe of approximately $70,000 in exchange for the inside information.
However, defence attorneys recently produced a text message appearing to show Laster telling an unidentified person not to tell “Chum”, an established nickname for the former Hornets guard, about the bet.
Federal officials have countered this claim, suggesting they possess evidence proving the text exchange is unrelated to sports gambling.
Wire fraud and money laundering charges
Both men face serious charges including conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud.
The two defendants have pleaded not guilty to all accusations and are currently awaiting a trial scheduled for 8 February 2027.
Legal representatives for the professional athlete have formally requested a judge dismiss the charges against him entirely.
An attorney representing his co-defendant has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the latest tampering allegations.
Former Miami Heat star Chris Bosh has urged San Antonio Spurs centre Victor Wembanyama to strictly manage his blood clot diagnosis to avoid a premature end to his NBA career.
Wembanyama suffered a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder in February 2025, temporarily halting his highly anticipated second season in the league.
The Frenchman eventually returned to action, helping his team reach the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks, but Bosh remains highly cautious about the ongoing risks.
‘I almost dropped dead’
Bosh famously saw his own illustrious basketball career cut short after just 13 seasons following repeated clotting issues that began in 2015.
“Take your medicine,” Bosh told HoopsHype.com.
“Make sure that he’s staying on top of his regimen to make sure that doesn’t happen again, because it only takes one more time.”
The two-time NBA champion revealed the terrifying reality of the condition by disclosing a recent near-fatal medical emergency of his own.
“I had an episode in January, I almost dropped dead, pretty much, and came back to life,” he explained.
Wembanyama’s ongoing health battle
Deep vein thrombosis is traditionally managed with blood-thinning medication, a treatment that frequently prevents athletes from participating in full-contact sports.
Despite the frightening initial setback, the towering prodigy made a successful return to the court, playing 64 games during the most recent campaign.
However, the San Antonio talisman has openly admitted that the severe medical diagnosis took a significant emotional toll on him.
“When I first learned the news, I broke down. I didn’t know how long I was going to be out for,” he told Love Magazine.
The former number one overall draft pick now relies on a dedicated team of medical professionals to rigorously monitor his physical condition.
The NBA investigation into whether the LA Clippers circumvented salary cap rules to compensate Kawhi Leonard could potentially stretch into 2027 if the involved parties fail to reach a settlement.
The dispute centres around allegations that the Western Conference franchise used a third-party endorsement deal to funnel additional payments to the forward.
The league began its probe nearly 10 months ago following reports regarding a $28m (£21.5m) contract the two-time NBA champion signed with green banking firm Aspiration in 2022.
Aspiration also held a separate $300m sponsorship agreement with the California-based team.
Arbitration threat looms
Sources close to the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) indicate the union is fully prepared to take the matter to arbitration.
They will mount a vigorous defence if the league attempts to impose penalties without substantial proof of wrongdoing.
The franchise has vehemently denied the allegations since the inquiry first opened.
NBPA executive director David Kelly recently addressed whether independent investigators had uncovered any actionable evidence against the team.
“Not from anything I’ve seen,” Kelly replied when asked if the probe had found anything worthy of punishment.
Complex legal process
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has acknowledged the investigation is a highly complex process involving reluctant witnesses and bankruptcy courts, given Aspiration’s current financial status.
Cap circumvention represents a severe violation of the collective bargaining agreement, which is strictly designed to maintain competitive balance across the league.
Silver hopes to conclude the inquiry before the start of the next basketball season.
“It needs to be wrapped up before the beginning of next season,” Silver told reporters.
“It has gone on longer than I would have hoped, there’s no question about that.”
Binding appeals procedure
If the league, the team, and the players’ union cannot agree on the findings, a jointly appointed neutral arbitrator will intervene.
This arbitrator would possess the authority to compel witness testimony and mandate the production of crucial documents.
Any subsequent ruling would then be subject to a final, binding decision by a three-person appeals panel.
This extensive procedural timeline is the primary reason why a final resolution could easily be delayed until 2027.
However, if investigators present indisputable evidence of circumvention, a swift settlement could still be reached to avoid a protracted legal battle.
Four-time NBA champion LeBron James has joined the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, committing to a historic 24th season in the league after a 24-day deliberation.
The 41-year-old evaluated his options for over three weeks before finally selecting the Eastern Conference franchise.
His agent, Rich Paul, initially held discussions with 27 teams before narrowing down the list of finalists.
Accidental hint sparks fan frenzy
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer inadvertently teased his decision during an appearance at Fanatics Fest in New York last week.
Discussing his ideal environment, he mentioned wanting an organisation that focused on “trusting the process more than anything”.
That specific phrase has been the unofficial rallying cry of the Sixers since former general manager Sam Hinkie initiated a radical rebuild over a decade ago.
I want to join a franchise that kind of shares the same motto as myself and that’s practicing championship habits every day, but trusting the process more than anything.
Representatives for the veteran forward insisted the comment was merely a coincidence.
Chasing further championship glory
By moving to Philadelphia, he aligns himself with former league Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid, who famously adopted ‘The Process’ as his own moniker.
The 22-time All-Star will now break his own longevity record when he takes to the court for the upcoming campaign.
He previously spent stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers, securing titles at every single stop.
Philadelphia fans will now hope this blockbuster arrival can propel them past their recent playoff struggles and deliver a first championship since 1983.
Draymond Green has agreed a new one-year contract worth $27.7m to remain with the Golden State Warriors, extending his stay into a 14th season.
The veteran forward’s new agreement does not include a no-trade clause, following negotiations led by Klutch Sports chief executive Rich Paul.
He had previously declined a $27.6m player option earlier this summer in a move designed to create financial flexibility for the franchise.
LeBron James pursuit and trade rumours
That initial contract decision allowed Golden State to aggressively pursue LeBron James, but the four-time NBA champion ultimately opted to join the Philadelphia 76ers.
With their primary free-agency target heading elsewhere, the Western Conference side moved quickly to secure the defensive specialist’s return.
His future in San Francisco had appeared deeply uncertain earlier this year after he was involved in trade discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“There was a second of me at the deadline that felt like, ‘Damn, they really going to do that to me?'”
“But I understand this business probably as good as any player. Like, yo, this is Giannis Antetokounmpo, they are not just about to trade me for a bag of peanuts.”
A changing role under Steve Kerr
The Warriors eventually abandoned their pursuit of the Greek star and declined to revisit those conversations during the off-season.
The four-time All-Star now boasts the second-longest active streak with a single NBA team, trailing only his team-mate Stephen Curry.
Curry is currently preparing to enter an astonishing 18th campaign with the organisation this October.
Despite his production slowly dipping during a campaign where he averaged 27.5 minutes across 68 appearances, the Michigan native remains a crucial rotation piece.
He has even voiced a willingness to transition into a bench role if head coach Steve Kerr deems the tactical adjustment necessary.
Dallas Wings standout Paige Bueckers and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark will headline opposing teams as the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game tips off at Chicago’s United Center.
Legends Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon take the reins as general managers for the marquee exhibition event.
Bueckers secured her place on Team Coop after finishing as the leading vote-getter in this year’s All-Star balloting.
Meanwhile, the second-most popular choice among fans, Clark, has been assigned to lead Team Spoon.
MVPs and rising stars share the stage
The showpiece fixture features a formidable lineup of established talent, including three former Most Valuable Players and eight previous WNBA champions.
Las Vegas Aces talisman A’ja Wilson joins New York Liberty duo Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones on the court.
That celebrated trio has remarkably combined to win the last six regular-season MVP trophies.
A glimpse into the league’s future will also be on display, with current Rookie of the Year favourite Olivia Miles earning a selection.
All-Star weekend festivities
The main event follows an action-packed Friday night of skills competitions in the Windy City.
Sharpshooter Azzi Fudd already claimed early bragging rights by winning the prestigious 3-point shooting contest.
Fans and analysts alike are now poised for a thrilling contest between the meticulously assembled squads of Team Coop and Team Spoon.
LeBron James has signed a two-year veteran minimum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer attempts to win a championship with a record-breaking fourth different franchise.
The veteran forward has committed his final two seasons to the Eastern Conference franchise in a deal worth approximately $3.9m per year.
This represents a staggering financial sacrifice for the four-time NBA champion, who earned nearly $53m during his previous campaign.
By accepting a rookie-level salary, the 22-time All-Star has made his singular championship intentions undeniably clear.
Chasing unprecedented NBA history
The Akron-born superstar already holds the league’s all-time scoring record and boasts unmatched longevity as he enters his 24th professional season.
However, securing a championship ring with a fourth distinct organisation remains an unwritten chapter in the sport’s history.
The basketball icon previously led the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers to the sport’s ultimate prize.
Sentimental returns to Cleveland or Miami, alongside a potential pairing with Stephen Curry at Golden State, were all rejected in favour of this final challenge.
A franchise starved of championship success
“I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”
Rejecting those comfortable options, the American chose an organisation that matches his desperate hunger for victory.
“I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind.”
Philadelphia provides an environment desperately craving the success that has followed the future Hall of Famer throughout his decorated career.
The Sixers have not hoisted a championship banner since 1983, a year before their new marquee signing was born.
Furthermore, the Pennsylvania franchise has notoriously failed to progress past the second round of the playoffs since 2001.
Partnering the game’s most prolific scorer with a hungry Sixers roster could prove to be the ultimate bargain in modern sports history.