It’s June 21, and it’s that time of the year. Text alerts for NBA news breakers get turned on. We’re all fueled by trade and free agency rumors. Like Drake, you can’t take naps. It’s not that you’re connected to your money — it’s something akin to FOMO, except replacing “missing out” with “missing a trade.”
The 6 best things that happened in the NBA on Tuesday
Tuesday felt like the first real day of the NBA offseason. Let’s make sure you’re caught up.
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On Tuesday we had our earliest dose of free agency injected directly into the veins. There were two trades — smaller ones not including huge stars, but still — and an enormous helping of rumors. We also saw a hairstyle change, free T-shirts, and much more.
Here are the highlights.
Three important things that happened
1. Dwight Howard’s “late” career as a journeyman continues
Dwight Howard — a Hall of Fame lock and still perfectly capable NBA center — will be playing for his fourth team in six years next season. The big man actually had a great season with the Hawks, but Atlanta dealt him away (plus the 31st pick) for Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli, and the 41st pick.
Why Howard can’t lock down a team probably isn’t something that can be boiled down to a single issue. It’s a combination of his declining production, weird locker room vibes, and possibly his continued requests for low-post touches that everyone has tried to tell him isn’t his game. But he’s in Charlotte now, and maybe that makes more sense for him.
2. D’Angelo Russell is headed to the Nets
Another deal dropped on Tuesday night — D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Brook Lopez and the No. 27 overall pick. It’s a steal for Brooklyn, who has limited resources for acquiring young, talented players, and quickly jumped on the Lakers’ offer of Russell, an expendable young player. For Los Angeles, it’s clear that this was an early step in their pursuit of Paul George and even LeBron James.
3. Trade rumors keep flying
Kristaps Porzingis is on the market, the Paul George trade is a ticking time bomb, and now the Cavaliers are gunning for Jimmy Butler. We live for this stuff and they’re not dying off anytime soon.
Three things that happened that maybe only we care about
1. The biggest news of the night: Kawhi Leonard cutting his braids!?
The end of an era. Kawhi had rocked those braids since 2004!
2. Dwight Howard’s trade went down minutes after this tweet
Howard specifically asked for people 2B-Nice and they went off and traded him, isn’t that some trash?
3. Paul George merchandise was going for free in Indiana.
Yikes.
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