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Come Fan with UsFriday, June 26, 2026

All hail Dion Waiters, the new king of Florida

Good morning. We have that and more in Tuesday’s NBA newsletter.

NBA: Golden State Warriors at Miami Heat
NBA: Golden State Warriors at Miami Heat
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

SPEND SPRING BREAK ON WAITERS ISLAND: What’s Dion Waiters up to for the quite bad Miami Heat? Oh, just dropping 33 on the best team in the NBA, sticking a game-winner in Klay Thompson’s teeth, and celebrating with an epic pose. Waiters Island is open for business!

FREE TRADE: Mo Williams has now been on four different teams due to trades and waiver weirdness. He has yet to play a single minute this season.

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PUT JOEL EMBIID IN THE DAMN ALL-STAR GAME. In the unlikely event anyone cares, here are my full All-Star reserve picks: Kyle Lowry, Isaiah Thomas, Kevin Love, Kristaps Porzingis, Joel Embiid, John Wall, and Kemba Walker in the East; Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Boogie Cousins, Draymond Green, Marc Gasol, Gordon Hayward, and Klay Thompson in the West. Don’t at me.

C’EST NE PAS UN STEPH CURRY SHOOTING SLUMP. UN STEPH CURRY SHOOTING SLUMP N’EXISTE PAS!

THE KNICKS SEASON, IN ONE HORRIBLY AIRBALLED JOAKIM NOAH FREE THROW. (The Knicks did win this game, however.)

SCORES GALORE ...

Wizards 109, Hornets 99
Spurs 112, Nets 86
Clippers 115, Hawks 105
Warriors 102, Heat 105
Kings 109, Pistons 104
Rockets 114, Bucks 127
Cavaliers 122, Pelicans 124
Knicks 109, Pacers 103
Thunder 97, Jazz 95

UTAH FOREVER: Gail Miller put the Jazz in a “legacy trust,” essentially ensuring that the team will remain in Salt Lake City for the foreseeable future.

THE CLOCK STARTS ... NOW: What it’s like to actually get called up on a 10-day contract. It sounds like a logistical nightmare.

WELP: NBA TV had some #AlternativeStats jokes on Sunday night.

WHY NOT? In The Ringer’s midseason awards, Jason Concepcion makes the case for Sam Hinkie as Executive of the Year.

YIKESVILLE: The Cavaliers lost their fifth of seven games, and LeBron isn’t happy.

KAWHI FROM THE BLOCK: Zach Harper on Kawhi Leonard’s deadly post-up game.

WELL THEY DID PLAY IN A FOG: The Pistons accidentally turned on the smoke machine during the middle of play.

HOW TO DJ AN NBA GAME.

FAIR: Steve Kerr criticizes players for all of the joke votes after winning a piece of the NBA All-Star ballot.

Z-YO: Zach Randolph paying 100 families’ utility bills.

D-LEAGUE COMIN’: The Grizzlies are launching a new D-League team in Mississippi. The Timberwolves bought the Iowa Energy. These moves will get us to 23 teams for the 2017-18 season — the Hawks have announced an expansion team, too, but aren’t launching it until 2019-20.

NEXT UP: NBA TV has Spurs-Raptors (7 p.m. ET, the Cory Joseph Bowl!). On League Pass we have the Celtics vs. the Wizards, a true petty modern rivalry, at 7 as well.

AND FINALLY: To everyone who tells Gregg Popovich, any athlete or, hell, me, to stick to sports? No. One should not stick to sports.

Be excellent to each other.

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