John Hollinger: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

NBA’s new lottery gives teams reason to compete, and few reasons to get clever

The NBA can change the lottery. It can flatten the odds, punish the worst records and make it harder for the same franchise to keep collecting premium picks.

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NBA Insider: Cavs, Knicks, Sixers have big expectations, bigger questions

The Cavaliers have spent years trying to establish themselves among the Eastern Conference’s elite. And according to one longtime NBA insider, they should be right there again this season.

NBA News / Hoops Wire / October 15

NBA Insider: Playoffs not in the cards for Warriors, Mavericks

The Western Conference has been the NBA’s stronger half for what seems like forever. But that may be changing, and a couple of familiar franchises could find themselves on the outside looking in.

NBA News / Hoops Wire / October 14

NBA Insider: Heat, Pacers headed for disappointment

The Eastern Conference has spent years playing second fiddle to the West. That may be changing, and not everyone is going to enjoy the results. In fact, two teams with legitimate playoff expectations could find themselves fighting just to get into the postseason.

Milwaukee Bucks News / Hoops Wire / September 24

Cavs, Bucks predicted to beat projected win totals

John Hollinger believes oddsmakers are underselling two Central Division teams, though for very different reasons. In his annual preseason exercise for The Athletic, Hollinger picked the Cavaliers and Bucks among five teams he expects to exceed their projected win totals.

NBA News / Hoops Rumors / September 5

Second Bidder For Seattle Franchise Emerges, Wants To Build New Arena

A second bidder for a potential expansion NBA franchise in Seattle has surfaced with a plan to build a new arena, Christian Clark and John Hollinger of The Athletic report.

Los Angeles Clippers News / Hoops Wire / September 3

NBA essentially gave Clippers maximum punishment allowed under CBA

If it seemed like the NBA threw everything it had at the Clippers, that’s because it pretty much did. John Hollinger of The Athletic notes that the penalties imposed in the Kawhi Leonard salary-cap circumvention case essentially reached the limits permitted by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

NBA News / Hoops Rumors / May 29

NBA Officials Explain Thinking Behind Draft Lottery Changes

After the Board of Governors approved changes to the draft lottery format on Thursday, members of the league office explained on a conference call why the NBA felt those changes were necessary, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic.

Brooklyn Nets News / Brooklyn Nets on SI / May 2

Brooklyn Nets Could Have Interest in CJ McCollum

The Brooklyn Nets could use a veteran to help balance out a young roster. Considering that, the Nets could be among the suitors for CJ McCollum, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic.

Atlanta Hawks News / Larry Brown Sports / May 1

Former NBA No. 1 overall pick may be traded this summer

One former No. 1 overall pick may be speedrunning his Anthony Bennett arc. The Atlanta Hawks could potentially trade away young forward Zaccharie Risacher this offseason, John Hollinger of The Athletic reported on Friday.

Cleveland Cavaliers News / Cleveland Cavaliers on SI / December 18

Everything to know about Cleveland Cavaliers trade opportunities amid recent struggles

NBA fanatics know this time of the year to be especially exciting as the trade deadline looms closer and closer. One of the things that makes this season exciting is when league insiders take a look at each individual team’s situation and breakdown what each team needs.

NBA News / Hoops Wire / December 11

NBA should relax over the occasional questioning of its Cup

The NBA Cup has been fun. The courts are loud, the players seem to care, and the league wanted something to spice up December. Fair enough. But here’s what the league doesn’t seem to enjoy: Questions.

NBA News / Hoops Wire / December 11

NBA pushes back on report linking Cup schedule to injury spike

The NBA pushed back this week against a column by The Athletic’s John Hollinger, who questioned whether the league’s early-season schedule, reshaped in recent years to accommodate NBA Cup knockout dates, has contributed to a rise in soft-tissue injuries.

Orlando Magic News / Orlando Magic on SI / November 7

Why this Magic forward is making a name for himself

There's still a lot of season left, but it would not be an overreaction to say that the Orlando Magic's start to the 2025-26 season has been beyond dreadful for everyone involved.

Phoenix Suns News / Phoenix Suns on SI / July 27, 2025

Suns Rookie Among Summer League's Top Disappointments

The Phoenix Suns are hoping to get a lot of production out of teenage center Khaman Maluach, who was chosen with the No. 10 overall pick out of Duke in last month's NBA Draft.

UConn Star Receives New Ranking Before 2025 NBA Draft

Former UConn Husky Liam McNeeley expects to hear his name in the first round of the NBA Draft this week. Whether that’s as early as the late lottery picks on the high end or falling towards the final picks of the night remains to be seen.

Brooklyn Nets News / Brooklyn Nets on SI / June 17, 2025

Two Nets Ranked Among Best Upcoming NBA Free Agents

The Brooklyn Nets will be the most important team in this year’s free agency. The Nets are the only team in the NBA with substantial cap space right now.

Houston Rockets News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 10, 2025

Rockets Have Trade Assets Galore For Blockbuster Deal

The Houston Rockets are a team to watch this offseason with all of the trade assets they have to make a big move. The Athletic insider John Hollinger believes they are the likeliest team to make such a trade this offseason.

Los Angeles Lakers News / Los Angeles Lakers on SI / April 19, 2025

John Hollinger Offers Surprising Prediction For Lakers vs Timberwolves Series

After finishing a very busy 2024-25 season with a 50-32 record under first-year head coach JJ Redick, the Los Angeles Lakers will kick off their playoff journey on Saturday, with a 3-6 matchup against the 49-33 Minnesota Timberwolves.

Portland Trail Blazers News / Portland Trail Blazers on SI / January 12, 2025

Blazers' Current Season Trajectory Sets Them Up For Massive Failure Down the Line

Are the Portland Trail Blazers making a massive error this year? That's the overarching thesis of John Hollinger of The Athletic, who posits that the Trail Blazers' reticence to part with several of their extant veteran players — many of whom are at least fairly appetizing trade chips — could prove brutally costly to their long-term success.

Boston Celtics News / Yardbarker / July 20, 2024

Celtics have tough decision to make on Sam Hauser's future

Boston is a second-apron luxury tax team and is on course to pay the repeater tax, so an extension for Hauser is more complicated than meets the eye.

Warriors owner weighs in on possibility of Celtics bid

The greatest NBA sixth men of all time

The 'Boston Celtics coaches' quiz

Los Angeles Lakers News / Los Angeles Lakers on SI / March 1, 2024

John Hollinger Calls Trade For All-Star This Summer A 'Perfect Storm' for LA

The Los Angeles Lakers' decision to stand pat at the trade deadline this season seemingly will have more of an impact on their options this coming offseason than many realize.

Los Angeles Lakers News / Los Angeles Lakers on SI / February 25, 2024

Executive Offers Low-Ceiling Scout On Bronny James

The Athletic's John Hollinger offered up an NBA player comparison for Bronny James that, all things considered, doesn't reflect well for LeBron's son. Hollinger compared Bronny to Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris -- a solid, but unspectacular, journeyman role player.

USC Trojans News / USC Trojans on SI / December 19, 2023

USC Basketball: Draft Expert Disappointed By Isaiah Collier's Deficiencies

USC Trojans guard Isaiah Collier joined the program as the nation's top recruit this season. As such, he carried lofty expectations. Many scouts had Collier

NFL News / Yardbarker / September 13, 2022

Former NBA exec: Broncos HC Hackett should play video games to refine coaching

Former NBA exec: Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett should play video games to refine late-game coaching

Nothing is stopping Nathaniel Hackett — or any NFL coach for that matter — from changing the settings in 'Madden' to hard, changing the game time to a realistic 15 minutes, and then making decisions regarding play-calling as well as timeouts as they happen.

'Clueless in Seattle': Hackett skewered for FG decision in loss to Seahawks

Hackett on FG call: 'Looking back at it, we definitely should have gone for it'

Broncos QB Russell Wilson did not think field goal attempt was the wrong decision

The biggest wish for every NFL fanbase in 2022

The '60-yard field goals' quiz