Knicks’ interest in LeBron James unclear after conflicting reports

LeBron James during a a game played at New York’s Madison Square Garden. | ESPN | ABC

As we enter the fourth day of free agency, the best player available remains on the board and is mulling over his options before ultimately announcing his latest decision to the world.

Amid a LeBron James sweepstakes that points mainly toward one of three potential destinations — Golden State, Miami, and Cleveland — a couple of conflicting reports emerged on Thursday involving the New York Knicks and their level of interest in 41-year-old James.

For context, the 41-year-old announced on the verge of free agency that he would leave the Los Angeles Lakers while announcing he’d be back for a 24th season in the NBA.

James informed the Lakers he would keep playing but continue his career elsewhere, ending an eight-year run that included a 2020 championship. According to LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, James’ decision was driven by a desire to compete for a title and finding “happiness” rather than financial considerations. Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, Paul has received pitches from “a dozen” teams so far.

Before both Jake Fischer and SNY’s Ian Begley chimed in with the latest on the Knicks’ interest or lack of it in LeBron, it was reported that the Philadelphia 76ers have also emerged as a potential option, while teams such as the Denver Nuggets reached out to James, and the Minnesota Timberwolves also expressed interest.

🚨 Knicks have 'shown some interest' in acquiring LeBron James, per @JakeLFischerpic.twitter.com/nJsmE6lQCi

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 2, 2026

Against that backdrop, Fischer reported that New York could be involved in the sweepstakes.

“The Knicks have shown some interest in LeBron James. That is the word we just got back right now.”

Fischer’s comments suggest the defending champions have at least explored the possibility of adding James, although he didn’t confirm if New York had reached out to the player or Rich Paul at the time.

Shortly after, Begley presented a different view of the Knicks’ stance, first with a post on X and then with a full story on SNY’s website.

“Every time LeBron James hits free agency, the big question around here seems to be: ‘Are the Knicks getting LeBron?’ Begley wrote. ”It happened in 2010, 2014, 2018 and again in 2026. When the most recent report (from Fischer) surfaced, I reached out to people on all sides of the situation.

“I gathered that the Knicks should not be seen as a potential destination for James. The Knicks are very happy with the core of their roster coming off the 2026 NBA title.”

The differing reports leave uncertainty around New York’s level of involvement in the James sweepstakes, which seemed to take a step forward late Thursday when ESPN’s Anthony Slater hinted at the Warriors losing ground on the race for the four-time NBA champion.

“The Warriors, meanwhile, have been given indications from James that they remain on his short list, but team sources have expressed a recent belief that they aren’t necessarily at the top of that short list, as James continues to survey the landscape.”

For now, all we know is that “there is no timetable” for James’ decision, although Charania “has a hunch” that James and Paul will give away “hints along the way here the next few days” regarding his destination of preference.

James averaged 20.9 points per game last season while shooting 51.5 percent from the field. He also contributed 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game and dragged the Lakers all by himself into the second round of the playoffs.

You can follow Antonio on Twitter at @chapulana.

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49ers News: Need more George Kittle rookie hazing stories

TAMPA, FL - SEPTEMBER 08: San Francisco 49ers Offensive Tackle Joe Staley (74) in pass protection as San Francisco 49ers Tight End George Kittle (85) begins his route during the first half of the season opener between the San Francisco 49ers and the Tampa Bay Bucs on September 08, 2019, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

49ers’ George Kittle shares hilarious ‘welcome to the NFL’ restroom story featuring Joe Staley
“It’s one of those older, college bar vibes,” Kittle said. “So, the bathroom, it’s exactly what you think it looks like—like a rusty door that doesn’t really close, all that stuff. So, I’m peeing in the toilet in the stall, and there’s another rookie in there, in the other stall, and I just hear the door gets kicked open. And Joe Staley just goes, ‘One of you guys got to move! I got to go!'”

“He literally just takes the door off into my stall, and he goes, ‘Kittle, get out or move over,'” Kittle continued. “And I said, ‘I’ll move over, Mr. Joe Staley.’…..”I was terrified,” Kittle added. “That was like my second week on the Niners.”

49ers’ George Kittle raves: ‘I’m all-in on Mike Evans’
“One thing that I was talking to Purdy about a couple of days ago was that this is our first veteran wide receiver since we had Emmanuel Sanders,” Kittle said. “Like, I had Deebo [Samuel], I had [Brandon] Aiyuk, but they were both like years one through four—Deebo was like year five. 

“But Mike Evans is a guy, like, just watching him and his savviness—you know the concept, you have coverage in the red zone, one guy has the corner, the other guy has the ‘now’ route underneath it—and the way he sets it up versus a defender with outside leverage and then just gets wide open, and I’m just like, ‘It’s so fun to watch….Just so savvy,” Kittle added. “Catches everything, runs great routes, gives great effort. I’m all-in on Mike Evans.”

Who was the 49ers’ most underrated free-agent addition?
“When offensive line coach Chris Foerster was asked about the options at left guard in the spring, he said, “I don’t know if one person is going to win the job.” Toth didn’t do much during the spring, but Foerster said he’ll be the backup center, whether he starts at left guard or not.

There’s a hope that Connor Colby takes the Year 2 leap, but that is nothing but projection.

Process of elimination brings me to Robert Jones, who has played the position at the highest level in the NFL. Jones has played just under 1,900 career snaps and only committed four penalties. He allowed four sacks as a starter in 2024 but had a blown-block rate of 2.9 percent. For reference, Colby’s and Spencer Burford’s blown block percentage in the passing game was 6.3 percent last season.

Experience should win out.”

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Eagles 2026 most important list: Cam Jurgens

Eagles 2026 most important list: Cam Jurgens originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Over the next few weeks leading up to training camp, we’ll be counting down the top 25 most important Eagles for the 2026 season.

25. Eli Stowers
24. Marcus Epps
23. Dontayvion Wicks
22. Tyler Steen
21. Moro Ojomo
20. Drew Mukuba
19. Jihaad Campbell
18. Nolan Smith
17. Jalyx Hunt
16. Dallas Goedert
15. Makai Lemon
14. Riq Woolen
13. Cam Jurgens

Eagles center Cam Jurgens was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl in 2025 but he clearly wasn’t the same player.

The 26-year-old battled through injuries last season and they took their toll.

So after last season ended with a disappointing loss in the wild card round, Jurgens (and left guard Landon Dickerson) went to Colombia for stem cell therapy. And a few months later, Jurgens said he felt much better.

“Stem cells have been going on for a long time now,” Jurgens said. “I’m not the first one, won’t be the last one. Just a lot of good cases of people going down there and saying it helps me heal. It’s going to help you get into a better position. We’re paid a lot of money to do our job and we have to use all the resources we can.”

Jurgens was awesome in 2024 and somehow played through an extremely painful back injury in the second half of the NFC Championship Game and then the Super Bowl two weeks later. But after the season, Jurgens needed surgery. He then had to rehab and training camp came quickly. He never really got much of an offseason. PFF ranked Jurgens as the 18th-best center in the NFL last season.

The last few months have been key for Jurgens to get his body right; having a real offseason was helpful. And that’s a big deal. Because when Jurgens is healthy, he’s one of the best centers in the NFL.

This upcoming season with be Jurgens’ fifth in the NFL and his third as the Eagles’ full-time starting center. He took over that role when Jason Kelce retired after the 2023 season. Jurgens, a 2022 second-round pick, has definitely been worth that pick.

The Eagles will need him to get back to form in 2026 as they implement a new offensive scheme under new OC Sean Mannion. This wide-zone blocking scheme will accentuate the offensive line’s athleticism. 

“I like the system,” Jurgens said. “I feel like I’ve always liked teams that run it. I feel like it lets you be a little more of an athlete, lets you run around and play free. So I’m excited for that.”

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76ers snatch Jaylen Brown from Celtics in blockbuster steal

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 30: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during a game at State Farm Arena on March 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

When the offseason began, it felt inevitable that Jaylen Brown would spend the summer answering questions about his future, whether it happened in Boston, Milwaukee, or elsewhere.

What nobody expected, however, was that those questions would end with Brown wearing a Philadelphia 76ers jersey.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Celtics traded Brown to Philadelphia in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks.

BLOCKBUSTER: The Boston Celtics have agreed to trade Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/xNcNlIV2mh

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

Now, being entirely honest, the writing was very much on the wall. Just a few days after trying to include Brown in a Giannis Antetokounmpo package, after endless rumors and commentary on the Celtics’ plans to get rid of Brown, and even after Brown himself never said he wanted out of Boston, we all knew where this was going.

Again, waht no freaking body could see coming was a trade that sent the 2024 Finals MVP to the team that knocked it out of the playoffs last May.

If Brown had been traded for Giannis, most people would’ve understood it, and nobody would have batted much of an eye. Instead, Boston pivoted to deal after deal, asked teams for up to four or five first-round picks, and ultimately found no real market for a seemingly overvalued player that ended up near-dumped by the C’s.

For context, Brown averaged career highs in 2026 with 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while leading the Celtics to 56 wins, even with Jayson Tatum missing most of the season recovering from his Achilles injury. He finished sixth in MVP voting and made Second Team All-NBA.

In exchange for that Brown, all the Sixers sent the other way was a package centered around a 35-year-old Paul George (who missed ample time last season with a suspension and is more injured than not) and four future draft picks (definitely not the ones the Celtics wanted).

There’s been nonsensical trades this season, but this one puts the cherry on top of the poop sundae Boston has been carefully preparing. Shout-out, Philly, you got a good one here.

George is still a very good player when he’s available, but availability has become an inevitable part of the PG8 equation. He played just 37 games last season, only more than 56 once since he left OKC in 2019, and he’ll turn 36 before next year’s playoffs. Will the draft picks help Boston? Probably, but this is most definitely not another KG-Nets-like trade for the C’s.

For the Sixers, not only do they get rid of Paul George and replace them with a younger, ten-times better player, but Brown also gives them another star capable of carrying the offense when Joel Embiid isn’t on the floor, which they know will happen at some point during both the regular season and the playoffs.

Brown also joins VJ Edgecome and Tyrese Maxey, none of whom will need to create that much by themselves anymore, let alone after Brown proved he can be a 1A leader after becoming Boston’s primary option last year. The former Leprechaun has also played at least 63 games in each of the last five seasons, a bill of health Philadelphia isn’t accustomed to seeing around those places.

As for the Knicks, this trade feels a little like a wash. I wouldn’t call it a win, but with a little bit of time to let it marinate, I might end up leaning that way.

For one, Boston signed Mitchell Robinson from the Knicks on Wednesday, and the lineup was looking complete with a healthy Tatum ready to go. Now, the PG-Celtics are definitely worse than they were 12 hours ago. Not only that, but the Celtics have replaced a player smacked right in the middle of his prime with one nearing the end of his.

The Sixers, on the other hand, are definitely much better. But there’s always a but, and we all know what the but is here. Maxey is a budding star. VJ is another one. Embiid was one. Brown is a superstar. Have you seen all Sixers play together for more than two games in a row? I bet you’ve not. Let’s see how the joints hold up heading into April and go from there.

I was going to write a bit about the impact of the trade in the broader Eastern Conference picture, but I’m doing that in a separate post because this one is running too long.

Let me finish with this. The Knicks are 7-3 against the Celtics in the last two seasons. They are 14-2 against Philly. I just don’t see those records flipping any time soon.

You can follow Antonio on Twitter at @chapulana.

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LeBron James has governors, the NHL and the NFL waiting for his free agency decision

MIAMI (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made his sales pitch. So did DJ Khaled, the New York Jets and the Winnipeg Jets. Even the PGA Tour took a swing, trying to appeal to someone who has quickly become obsessed with golf.

“We're waiting for you Bron,” the tour posted on social media.

Get in line. Every team and every league, it would seem, wants LeBron James.

The waiting-for-LeBron game is on, with the entire basketball universe — and, evidently, the political, entertainment, football, hockey and golf universes as well — waiting to hear what the greatest scorer in NBA history will decide about the 2026-27 season. All that is known so far are two things: He isn't retiring yet, and he won't be playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

James let the world know on Tuesday that he's coming back for at least one more season and that he's decided to move on from the Lakers, those decisions becoming known a few hours before the start of free agency. What happens next, and when it will happen, is anyone's guess. The oldest active player in the NBA is still a guy who moves the needle, and it's not even clear if he knows how long this process will take.

“LeBron James, come on, let's do it again,” DJ Khaled, a regular courtside patron at Miami Heat games, said in a video posting in an effort to recruit James back to the place where he won his first two NBA titles. “Come on, man. Let's do it again. After the game, we'll go play golf. You know Miami's the best city in the world.”

A person familiar with James' planning told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he wanted his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, to take meetings with interested teams — actual NBA ones, which means it doesn't look good for other online suitors such as the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and soccer's Minnesota United — before reporting back.

For the most part, James and Paul went into this process knowing much of what the teams would say. Cleveland's pitch would be that Northeast Ohio is home, that his career started there and that it would make sense to end it there. Miami's pitch would be that he won two titles there, that it's known he loves the city, that it just landed Giannis Antetokounmpo and James still has deep ties to coach Erik Spoelstra and the front office. Golden State's pitch would include playing with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, two guys who click with James on multiple levels.

Walz wanted James to see a newspaper clip touting that Minnesota has the best quality of life when compared to other states. The New York Jets pointed out that James wore green and white in high school, matching their color scheme. The Winnipeg Jets simply offered to change their name to LeWinnipeg Jets.

“Never say never,” the Bills posted.

Jokes aside, James is obviously worth all the effort that some team will make to get him signed.

He still plays at an All-Star level, even at his age — there have been 24 instances, including playoffs, of someone in his 40s scoring 30 or more points in an NBA game, and James is responsible for 17 of those. No player had averaged more than 15 points per game in a season after turning 40; James averaged 24.4 points in 2024-25 and 20.9 points this past season, even while often being the Lakers' third option.

Plus, James' next home will see an immediate rush of activity.

Season ticket packages, if any are available, will get gobbled up quickly. James' Lakers jersey was the fifth-hottest seller in the league at the end of this past regular season, based on sales from NBAStore.com, Fanatics.com and Fanatics partner sites; his next jersey (even if it is a Cavs or Heat jersey again) will fly off the racks as soon as they can be printed. And it'll probably make fans in that city, whichever city it is, truly believe they have a real shot at the 2027 NBA title.

Only James knows when the waiting game will end.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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Predicting NFL stars who could be groomsmen at Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift wedding

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is soon set to marry global pop icon Taylor Swift in what is expected to be one of the weddings of the century.

Details about the wedding have been sparse, as the couple has been keeping a tight guard on information related to the event.

That said, the latest rumors indicate that Kelce and Swift are going to be married July 3 in a ceremony at Madison Square Garden. That speculation remains unconfirmed, but either way, the expectation is the duo will be wed at some point this summer.

"Swifties" will be looking for every shred of information about the wedding, while NFL fans may have a mild curiosity surrounding which notable players will be in attendance for the big event.

Surely, plenty of Kelce's contingent will be invited to what could be a large wedding party if the reports that it is being staged at MSG are accurate.

But who will be among those stationed closest to Kelce during the event? A handful of figures with NFL ties stand out as potential groomsmen for the wedding. Here's a breakdown of who might serve in that role during the ceremony.

Jason Kelce

OK, let's start with the obvious one. The Kelce brothers are close, as they host a podcast together and have frequently spent time together, especially since Jason's retirement from the NFL following the 2023 season.

It would be shocking if the elder Kelce brother wasn't a part of his little brother's wedding party. It will also be interesting to see whether he is given the opportunity to deliver what could be a legendary speech celebrating his brother's marriage to Swift.

Patrick Mahomes

Kelce and Mahomes have played together for nine years and won three Super Bowls together. They are also close off-the-field, as Kelce and Swift have often been photographed hanging out with Brittany and Patrick Mahomes.

Travis was a groomsman at Mahomes' wedding in 2022. That makes Mahomes the most likely among Kelce's current Chiefs teammates to be included among the groomsmen.

Andy Reid

Mahomes may not be the only long-time Chief to join the groomsman list. Reid – who has coached Kelce for the tight end's entire 13-year NFL career – may also play a part in the wedding party.

Images of the 68-year-old coach wearing a tuxedo circulated on the Internet on June 12, a marked departure from Reid's typical attire, which mostly includes Hawaiian shirts.

Could Reid be sporting the tuxedo as part of the wedding dress code? Sure, but it's also possible he's a groomsman. After all, he's not only close with Kelce; he also has a relationship with Scott Swift, Taylor's father, dating back to his time with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kelce credited Reid with playing a "Cupid" role in his relationship with Swift, so perhaps rewarding Reid by making him a groomsman could be on the table.

Ross Travis

Travis hasn't suited up in the NFL since 2021, but the Penn State product enjoyed a seven-year career as a role player. Three of those seasons (2015-17) came with the Chiefs, and he became close friends with Kelce during that time.

Travis is considered one of Kelce's inner-circle friends, so it would be a surprise if he isn't included in the wedding.

George Kittle

Kittle has been more willing than most to share details about the Kelce-Swift wedding. Obviously, hasn't revealed its location, but he did share that the couple has told the attendees there are "absolutely no gifts" associated with the wedding.

Could Kittle's knowledge of the wedding be a sign that he's involved with the wedding party? Possibly, as he and Kelce have grown closer through their work with "Tight End University."

Of course, it's also entirely possible Kittle could just be an invitee to the wedding and not a groomsman. But hey, either way, it will be fun to see what kind of outfit the long-bearded San Francisco 49ers star wears to the wedding.

Noah Gray

Is Gray as likely as some of Kelce's hometown friends – including Aric Jones and Kumar Ferguson – to be included in Kelce's wedding party? Probably not.

Even so, Gray has been a part of the Chiefs' tight end room since being selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft and has spoken glowingly about Kelce as a person. They appear to have a great relationship, so perhaps Kelce would consider including Gray among the groomsmen, if he has a large contingent.

More likely, Gray will simply be among those invited to the wedding. ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio reports "many tight ends from throughout the league" are invited to the wedding, so it will be intriguing to see how many make the guest list cut.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Predicting NFL stars who could be groomsmen at Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift wedding

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Dianna Russini didn’t FaceTime NFL coach to get out of ticket — but she did name-drop two

Dianna Russini looks on during the NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers on September 16, 2018 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh PA.

Former NFL reporter Dianna Russini never FaceTimed an NFL coach to get out of a traffic ticket, as she once claimed during an appearance on a radio show earlier this year. 

Russini, who has been at the center of controversy since Page Six published a series of photos showing the married NFL insider too close for comfort with married Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, told the story in February when she was on the “Stugotz and Company” show.

Russini, who resigned from her insider job with The Athletic in April amid the controversy, claimed during the appearance that she had video-called an unnamed NFL coach of the favorite team of the cop who pulled her over and it helped get her out of a ticket. 

The story resurfaced in a lengthy piece published by the New York Times last week exploring the controversy surrounding Russini. 

Dianna Russini looks on during the NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers on September 16, 2018 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh PA. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

But police body cam footage of the traffic stop now shows a different version of events going down — and that Russini clearly embellished the encounter. 

The body camera video shows the stop playing out over a seven-minute and 10-second span and at no time does Russini FaceTime anyone, let alone an NFL coach. 

What she did do, the video showed, was share that she had been texting with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and showed the cop the texts. 

The stop happened in Ridgewood, N.J., after Russini was stopped for using her phone while driving.

Russini already appeared to know why she had been stopped when the officer approached her vehicle. 

“I’m an NFL reporter, and I just broke that [coach] Sean McDermott got fired from the Bills. And that I what I was just sending to send, a tweet,” she told the officer. “I was gonna pull over, because I have to make calls. I know you don’t care, but I’m just letting you know my reason why. It was a work thing and it was an emergency for what I do.” 

The officer notes that she had been on her phone “for a while” before he stopped her and that he did “understand you’ve got a job.”

Patriots coach, Mike Vrabel, and reporter Dianna Russini at Ambiente Sedona hotel, Arizona on Saturday, March 28, 2026. © Page SIx

Russini does move the conversation back to football, telling the cop that she was on the phone with former Giants coach Brian Daboll and that he “wants the job” in Buffalo. 

After asking if he was a Jets or Giants fan and the cop revealing he was a Vikings fan, she then showed him the texts with O’Connell. 

Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini kissing and chatting at Tribeca Tavern March 10th 2020. © Page Six

She also said that the Vikings’ “quarterback sucks.”

Eventually the officer lets her know that she won’t be getting a ticket. 

“I’m gonna cut you a break on the cellphone. I understand your job requires you to be on the phone a lot. Just try to wait ‘til you get home, OK?” he said. 

Head coach Brian Daboll of the New York Giants is greeted by head coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings after the Giants defeated the Minnesota Vikings 31-24 in the playoffs. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

It would seem that while Russini’s job did help her get a little goodwill, the story wasn’t as dramatic as originally told. 

Ridgewood Police have also issued a statement from Chief Forest Ross Lyons about the encounter. 

“On January 19, 2026, at 9:40 am, a Ridgewood police officer conducted a motor vehicle stop on Godwin Avenue involving Ms. Dianna Russini for the use of a handheld cell phone while driving,” he said in the statement to Pro Football Talk.

Dianna Russini attends the 2019 ESPY Awards at Microsoft
Theater on July 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. WireImage

“After following department protocol during the stop, and reviewing Ms. Russini’s driving history, the officer exercised his professional discretion and issued a verbal warning to Ms. Russini.

“The use of officer discretion in determining whether to issue a warning or a citation is consistent with Ridgewood Police Department policy and longstanding practice. Police officers are encouraged to use their judgment and, when appropriate, provide motorists with warnings as part of the Department’s commitment to fair, impartial and community-oriented policing.”

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