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Kris Dunn is smart business for the Clippers
The L.A. Clippers have spent the opening weeks of the offseason re-tooling their roster. Since losing Paul George to the Philadelphia 76ers, Lawrence Frank has been constructing a roster that can develop a defensive identity.
According to Chris Haynes , the Clippers acquired Kris Dunn from the Utah Jazz via trade on Friday. As part of the deal, Russell Westbrook is heading to Salt Lake City.
Westbrook is expected to agree on a contract buyout with the Jazz, clearing the way for him to eventually join the Denver Nuggets after clearing waivers, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/ld4gsMPUhl
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 18, 2024
Dunn is an elite point-of-attack defender. At 6-foot-3, he's tall enough to switch between both backcourt positions. He's also coming off a strong season with Will Hardy's team. Dunn averaged 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 47 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three-point range. He also finished the season in the 90th percentile for Defensive Estimated Plus/Minus, making him one of the most impactful team defenders in the NBA.
The Clippers' addition of Derrick Jones Jr. is another sign of their renewed focus on the defensive end. As such, Ty Lue now has a team capable of executing his game plan on both ends of the floor.
Assuming Kawhi Leonard is healthy, the Clippers could be one of the best defensive teams in the league next season. For reference, they ranked 16th last season.
While Dunn may be seen as a downgrade from Westbrook in terms of sheer talent, his fit on the Clippers roster makes perfect sense. He brings defense and low-usage scoring, and he can create for his teammates when given the opportunity. Frank has done well in pivoting from the blow of losing George. Suddenly, the Clippers appear to have a genuine identity. They should be a legitimate threat in the Western Conference next season if they can remain healthy.
More must-reads:
- Russell Westbrook nearing ideal landing spot with Western title contender
- 2024 NBA Summer League: Rookies making waves in Las Vegas
- The 'Most three-pointers made in 2021-22' quiz
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Knicks Rumors: Mikal Bridges, Future Cap Issues, James Nnaji, and Assistant Coach Search
The New York Knicks have had a pretty busy last few days. The Knicks extended Mikal Bridges’ contract a few days ago. Now, there are rumors surrounding James Nnaji and Mike Brown‘s search for an assistant coach. Knicks Rumors: Mikal Bridges, James Nnaji, and Assistant Coach Search As expected, the Knicks and Bridges worked out a massive extension shortly after the 28-year-old became eligible to sign one. Bridges inked a four-year, $150 million and one dollar extension on August 1. He will earn $37.5 million in each season, starting in 2026-27, through 2029-30, with the last season being a player option. With the extension, Bridges — the archetypal 3-and-D wing — will see a substantial increase in his salary. Bridges is earning $24.9 million this upcoming season, so that equates to a $12.6 million bump starting in 2026-27. However, there is a belief around the league that Bridges left money on the table as his new deal is $6 million per season less than the max. “Prior to this agreement, some league executives who spoke to The Athletic thought Bridges, given his history of never missing games, might play next season on an expiring contract and attempt to get closer to $200 million on the open market next summer. ” — Fred Katz and James L. Edwards of The Athletic wrote. Why Bridges Was Given a Huge Extension Bridges had an excellent season in his first year with the Knicks. Bridges was pretty consistent as well offensively, producing 14 points a contest in all seven months of the season. However, he did struggle during the Knicks’ postseason run. Bridges averaged 17.6 points and a career-high 3.7 assists this past season. The archetype 3-and-D wing also knocked down a pair of three-pointers at a 35.4% clip. He produced one double-double while also defending the opponent’s top offensive perimeter player. “His abilities on both sides of the court in every game made him a vital part of our team’s success last season,” team president Leon Rose said of Bridges. “We look forward to his continued growth and development as part of the Knicks family for years to come.” Bridges will be counted on along with Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson, and OG Anunoby — all four players acquired in trades over the last few seasons — to lead New York to the next step. The Knicks’ 51 victories this past season were their most in over a decade, and they reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. While the Knicks still have roster work to do this season, with one or two open spots on the 15-man roster, their future has gained a little more clarity. Bridges, Brunson, Towns, Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Miles “Deuce” McBride are under contract for the next two seasons. Knicks Future Salary Cap New York is hard-capped at the second apron this season while needing to add two players to their 15-man roster. The Knicks are hard-capped at the second apron, where they are under $3 million below the limit. They can add a veteran on a minimum contract and a rookie. Here is the problem: with the Knicks’ six core players under contract, they project to be in the same position as Boston was this summer and Cleveland figures to be next year, which is in trouble with the salary cap. The Knicks have nine players under contract for 2026-27 with salaries totaling $210.75 million, meaning they are just a little more than $11.7 million below the second apron. Therefore, the Knicks would either have to deal one of their core players or be a projected second-round team next season. Mitchell Robinson is slated to be a free agent next summer, while Guerschon Yabusele has a player’s option. The Knicks’ cap situation forecast is even worse in 2027-28. The Knicks project to have seven players under contract in the summer of 2027 with a salary cap hit of $214.7 million, putting them $6.4 million under the luxury tax. As a result of their recent trades, New York has just four of their own draft picks. The Knicks own their 2026 and 2032 first-round selections. They also have their 2027 and 2032 second-round picks. James Nnaji, Joining The Knicks? According to the Spanish Club Barcelona, Nnaji has opted out of his deal. Nnaji, the No. 31 pick in 2023, had an option to leave Barcelona before the agreement ended. The 23-year-old center is now a free agent. While Nnaji’s exit means he won’t play for Barcelona, it doesn’t mean the 20-year-old center is headed to the NBA. However, Johnny Askounis reported to Eurohoops that his attention was on exploring his NBA options. Nnaji is an athletic, wide-body post player. The 6-11, 250-pound center has demonstrated the ability to be highly efficient, yet very limited, offensively during his international and summer league campaigns. He is also an outstanding rebounder and rim-protector. Turnovers and defense are issues. Nnaji played for the Knicks’ Las Vegas summer league squad in July. Nnaji saw limited time overall, with his best outing being the final contest, where he tallied four points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 24 minutes of action. Overall, Naji produced 3.2 points, 3.6 boards while shooting 100% from the field (5 of 5), though he just made 54.5% of his free throw attempts. This is an excellent time for Nnaji to come over for the Knicks as they need to fill out their roster. New York has two open standard contracts available and up to two 2-way deals available. Depending on the ultimate status of Mo Diawara and whether Kevin McCullar Jr. signs his qualifying offer. Filling Out Mike Brown’s Staff Brown has been busy working out his coaching staff. Stefan Bondy of The New York Post previously reported that Brown wasn’t bringing back four of Tom Thibodeau‘s assistants. Brown had filled two of those spots with Charles Allen and Riccardo Fois, both of whom worked under Brown in Sacramento. Rick Brunson, a former NBA point guard and Jalen Brunson’s dad, along with newly hired defensive coordinator Brendan O’Connor, is expected to fill two of the Brown’s front-of-bench seats, per NBA Insider Marc Stein. According to Frank Isola of The New York Post earlier today, Charlotte Hornets assistant Chris Jent has emerged as the leading candidate to join Brown’s staff as offensive coordinator. Jent has been an assistant coach since 2003-04 and led the Hornets to the Las Vegas summer league title in 2025. The 55-year-old appeared in six NBA games, including three for the Knicks during the 1996-97 campaign. The New York Post’s Ian Begley added that the Knicks have also been in contact with Indiana assistant Mike Weinar for a spot on the bench. Greg St. Jean from the Los Angeles Lakers and Patrick Mutombo from the Memphis Grizzlies are also reportedly candidates.
Brewers issue update on Jackson Chourio rehab timeline
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio was tearing it up in July before he strained his hamstring legging out a triple. He was placed on the injured list, and it only got worse from there. Less than 24 hours later, manager Pat Murphy said Chourio would be out beyond the 10-day minimum and possibly at least a month. On Saturday, beat reporter Curt Hogg shed another tidbit of light on the slugger’s timetable. It’s not necessarily worse news, but Hogg’s update probably does not illuminate much. Fans already knew Chourio was going to be out a while after Friday’s report, so this latest info isn’t surprising. It isn’t all that encouraging, either. It certainly suggests no expedited return schedule. Not to make assumptions, but the emphasis on the location of the damage versus evaluating its severity seems to indicate the Brewers are just hoping Chourio avoided a worse-case scenario. In that case, caution would indeed be first in the order of operations. Only after ascertaining clarity would it make sense to seriously estimate a recovery timetable. That he won’t be ready to immediately resume baseball workouts further points to a slow, methodical recovery process. For however long he remains out, the lineup will miss him badly. Chourio’s 17 home runs rank second on the team behind Christian Yelich, as do his 67 RBI. His .786 OPS leads the offense among qualified hitters. In 90 at-bats in July, he hit .367/.408/.600. The Brewers are resilient everywhere, but without one of their few genuine power threats and hottest bats, plus an everyday outfielder, they are courting a potential offensive slump. The most fans can hope for from Chourio is that he returns fully healthy by the first week of September. Until then, Blake Perkins and trade pickup Brandon Lockridge should see plenty of playing time while Yelich takes more reps in the outfield after getting most of his at-bats this season as the designated hitter.
'Superman' VOD Home Streaming Date Confirmed and It's Shockingly Soon
In a move that seems faster than a speeding bullet, the new 2025 Superman movie will be available to watch at home just over a month after it hit theaters on July 11. According to multiple outlets, including World of Reel, the new Superman reboot movie will be available for video-on-demand (VOD) purchase starting very soon. In fact, the movie will almost certainly still be in theaters when you can watch it at home. Superman Streaming/VOD release date DC Studios' Superman, directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet, will be available for purchase digitally starting on August 15, 2025. This means that just over 30 days after its first theatrical release, the new Superman is coming home. To be clear, this is not the same as streaming on HBO Max, but it does mean you'll be able to pony up a certain amount of money (close to the price of two movie tickets) to watch the movie at home. Purchase of VOD movies generally happens on iTunes, Amazon, and other platforms. DC vs. Marvel VOD releases If this home video release seems quick, it is. For comparison, the last two Marvel superhero movies had nearly two months, not one, between theatrical release and VOD release. Thunderbolts* hit theaters on May 2, and was on VOD on July 1. Meanwhile, Captain America: Brave New World was in theaters on February 14, and on VOD on April 15. Both of those films were deemed, in the eyes of box office pundits, to be failures, while Superman is generally considered to be a success.
Elliotte Friedman Confirms Sidney Crosby's Trade Fate This Summer
Sidney Crosby's name has been hot in trade talks as of late, but now top NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman confirms where the Penguins star will be playing next season. For months now, fans, reporters and insiders have been speculating on the future of Sidney Crosby, with many seeing the final few years of his career as an opportunity to chase another Stanley Cup elsewhere, especially after the Penguins have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for three straight seasons. So much so that some top Insiders have speculated he could leave the Penguins for his home country of Canada, but as of right now, there's no indication that he has any intention of leaving soon. Now, Elliotte Friedman has provided a final and definitive update, revealing on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast episode that Crosby is listed as a member of the Penguins on the media tour info ahead of the 2025/26 season, meaning that he won't be moved before the season begins. After months and months of constant updates, predictions and shock headlines, this should finally put an end to all of that, with Crosby slated to be in Pittsburgh for the start of the year, and unless something drastic changes, he's likely to remain there for the foreseeable future. Ultimately, there's always the chance that Crosby decides to request a trade to chase one final Stanley Cup with the long-time captain nearing 38 years of age, but as of right now, his commitment remains to the team that he's been with for the past two decades, and until something changes, that commitment will continue to remain strong.
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