Month: June 2024

The punk-heavy Riot Fest has a new home in Illinois (from Chicago’s Douglas Park to Bridgeview’s SeatGeek Stadium) but the same ol’ kickass lineup.

The headliners for the 2024 edition of the festival, which goes down from September 20-22, 2024, include Fall Out Boy, Beck, Pavement, Slayer, The Offspring performing their 1994 album Smash in full, Public Enemy, and Dr. Dog. Other highlights include Taking Back Sunday, Spoon, Manchester Orchestra, Something Corporate, Tierra Whack, Hot Mulligan, State Champs, Buzzcocks, The Dickies, and three shows from retiring punks NOFX.

Some of the most exciting (and younger) acts can be found near the bottom of the lineup poster, such as Gel, The Armed, Drug Church, Fiddlehead, Sir Chloe, Spiritual Cramp, and Slaughter Beach, Dog.

“Riot Fest will be leaving Douglass Park. And — allow me to be as clear as the azure sky of the deepest summer — our exodus is solely because of the Chicago Park District,” festival co-founder Mike Petryshyn explained about the venue change. “Their lack of care for the community, you, and us, ultimately left us no choice.” He added, “Though our curtains may have closed in Douglass Park, another one has opened. It’s called RiotLand. It’s something like you’ve never seen before. And it’s far overdue.”

You can see the full Riot Fest 2024 lineup below:

Action/Adventure
ALL
Basement
Beach Bunny
Beck
Bright Eyes
Brutus
Buzzcocks
Circle Jerks
Clutch
Cobra Skulls
Codefendants
Cursive
Cypress Hill
D.O.A.
Descendents
Dillinger Four
Doom Scroll
Dr. Dog
Drug Church
Face To Face
Fall Out Boy
Fiddlehead
Games We Play
GEL
Get Dead
GWAR
HEALTH
Heart Attack Man
Home Front
Hot Mulligan
Huge Euge
Jack Kays
Jhariah
L.S.Dunes
Lagwagon
Lamb Of God
Laura Jane Grace + Catbite
Liquid Mike
Lord of the Lost
Loveless
Manchester Orchestra
Mastodon
Nekrogoblikon
New Found Glory
NOFX
Oliver Tree
Pavement
Pennywise
Pixel Grip
Poison The Well
Polaris
Princess Goes
Public Enemy
Rival Sons
Rob Zombie
Saxsquatch
Sincere Engineer
Sir Chloe
Slaughter Beach, Dog
Slayer
Something Corporate
Souls of Mischief
Spiritual Cramp
Spoon
SPRINTS
St. Vincent
State Champs
Strung Out
Sublime
Suicidal Tendencies
Sum 41
Sunami
Sweet Pill
Swingin’ Utters
Taking Back Sunday
The Aces
The Armed
The Chisel
The Dead Milkmen
The Defiant
The Dickies
The Exploited
The Hives
The Lawrence Arms
The Marleys (Ziggy, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani and Damian)
The Mysterines
The Offspring
The Vandals
The Warning
Tierra Whack
Tornillo
Urethane
Verböten
Waxahatchee
Winona Fighter
Zheani

Two-day and three-day passes for Riot Fest 2024 can be purchased on the festival’s website.

Disney has been leaning into its raunchier content lately, but nothing is quite as shocking as a blood-soaked bathroom filled with rusted materials intended to hurt you.

Despite what you might have been led to believe, Saw is a horror movie, not a heartwarming family feature. It’s hard to understand, especially considering how friendly Billy the puppet is, but those films are, in fact, not for children. But who says everything on Disney+ has to be for kids?!

In a slightly confusing move, the first seven installments of the Saw franchise have landed on Disney+’s Hulu bundle. So next time you want to pair Saw III with your nightly rewatch of Bluey, Hulu makes it easy! The collection includes Saw, Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV, Saw V, Saw VI and Saw 3D, aka Saw: The Final Chapter. After you’ve watched all of those kills, Jigsaw, Spiral and Saw X are available to stream through Hulu with its Starz add-on.

Of course, having the serial killing puppet on Mickey’s home streaming network is a little off-putting to some, who were confused but entertained by the idea of Billy the Puppet becoming a Disney princess.

It’s only a matter of time before they replace the ads with this:

You can also stream classic Disney horror on Hulu like Don’t Look Under The Bed and Can Of Worms, if you’re into the real scary stuff.

Metallica is entering the digital universe. Today (June 12) Metallica has revealed that they are taking center stage within the world of Fortnite as part of the fourth season of Fortnite Festival.

They will make history as the first band to play in all of the Fortnite experiences — including Fortnite Festival, Battle Royale, LEGO Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and more. Beginning tomorrow (June 13), Fortnite will introduce special Metallica-themed gameplay.

Additionally, Fortnite players will get a chance to see the band live in a series of concerts in the game’s universe. The series, Metallica: Fuel. Fire. Fury., will run through six of Metallica’s signature songs through gameplay that replicates the energy of a live Metallica show.

The concerts will take place over the course of two days — Saturday, June 22 at 2 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. ET, 11 p.m. ET; and Sunday, June 23 at 10 a.m. ET, 2 p.m. ET, and 5 p.m. ET. These will be the only times to experience the concert live.

During the concerts, fans will have the opportunity to play along with Metallica.

The new season of Fortnite Festival will also introduce Battle Stage, which will see 16 players in a match. The players will play music from the same setlist, with one eventually emerging as the victor.

You can see the Fortnite Festival trailer above.

Your excitement for Stranger Things season 5 is nothing compared to what the cast must be feeling. Once the premiere date is revealed, they’ll never have to answer questions like “when does the new season come out?” or “what happens in the last scene?” ever again. Until then, however, they’ll have to continue to be vague about the final season of the Netflix hit.

The latest interview comes from star Maya Hawke, who spoke to Entertainment Tonight about the “heartbreaking” season at the premiere of Inside Out 2 (she voices Anxiety in the Pixar sequel).

“It’s already starting to be heartbreaking,” the actress admitted. “I mean it’s the end of a really long journey. Longer for some of my castmates, even, than me. So it’s really sentimental.” Hawke continued, “But as a late addition cast member, I feel like it’s my job to be here to facilitate their feelings and just be grateful and excited to have been a part of it at all.”

Hawke joined Stranger Things in season 3, and her character, Robin, and Steve (played by Joe Keery) quickly became the show’s best duo.

“We shoot for a long time,” the actress and singer said about filming the show, “so it’s kind of reinvigorating [to bring] the joy and finding it everyday and making it new. It’s a really fun thing to do.”

Stranger Things season 5 will premiere in 2025.

(Via Entertainment Tonight)

Florida rapper Ski Mask The Slump God has announced the dates for his 11th Dimension Tour supporting his new album of the same name. His openers on the tour will be fellow Floridians DJ Scheme and Danny Towers, while he will also be joined by emerging stars Hardrock and Molly Santana on North American dates.

Tickets will be available beginning Friday, June 14, at 10 AM local time at LiveNation.com. Pre-sale tickets are available now. See below for dates.

Ski Mask The Slump God 2024 Tour Dates

06/15 – Chicago, IL – Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash^
07/05 – Ebreichsdorf, Austria – Rolling Loud Austria^
07/09 – Prague, Czech Republic – Lucerna Music Bar*
07/10 – Budapest, Hungary – Akvarium
07/12 – Munich, Germany – Tonhalle*
07/15 – Krakow, Poland – Studio*
07/17 – Vilnius, Lithuania – Lukiskes 2.0
07/19 – Riga, Latvia – Positivus Festival*
07/25 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
07/26 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
07/28 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
07/29 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
07/31 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
08/01 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
08/04 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore
08/06 – Denver, CO @ Summit
08/09 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
08/11 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
08/12 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
08/14 – San Francisco, CA @ The Midway
08/15 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
08/16 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
08/19 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
08/20 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
08/21 – Austin, TX @ Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater
08/23 – New Orleans, LA @ The Fillmore
08/25 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
08/28 – Miami, FL @ The Fillmore
09/05 – Glasgow, United Kingdom @ SWG3 Galvanizers
09/06 – Dublin, Ireland @ 3Olympia Theatre
09/07 – Birmingham, United Kingdom @ O2 Institute
09/09 – Manchester, United Kingdom @ O2 Ritz
09/11 – London, United Kingdom @ O2 Forum Kentish Town
09/13 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Melkweg Max
09/14 – Cologne, Germany @ Hype Festival*
09/15 – Paris, France @ Le Bataclan
09/17 – Antwerp, Belgium @ Trix
09/19 – Milan, Italy @ Fabrique*
09/21 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Komplex 457
09/22 – Berlin, Germany @ Astra*
09/23 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Vega
09/24 – Hamburg, Germany @ Grosse Freiheit 36*
11/07 – Auckland, New Zealand @ Spark Arena
11/09 – Melbourne, Australia @ Festival Hall
11/10 – Brisbane, Australia @ Fortitude Music Hall
11/12 – Sydney, Australia @ Enmore Theatre
11/14 – Perth, Australia @ Metro City

^ Festival Date

11th Dimension is out now via Victor Victor Worldwide/Republic Records

The wait for more of Prime Video/Amazon’s The Boys has nearly come to an end. The good news is that this season remains debauchery-filled and also excels in storytelling. The slightly worse news is learning that this season is now doing the penultimate thing, but Gen V can pick up that torch, and a few other The Boys spin offs are in development, too. For now, however, it’s Homelander’s showtime.

When Do ‘The Boys’ Season 4 Episodes 1-3 Come Out?

Amazon has been generously bumping up episode release times by way of scheduling them on release day according to the GMT time zone. If they retain that structure for this season of The Boys, that means these three new episodes — which are technically scheduled for a June 13 premiere — will be available to stream on June 23 at 7:00pm EST.

From there, five more weekly episodes will debut until July 18. And then the wait will begin for The Boys‘ final season. Of course, showrunner Eric Kripke also stepped away after Supernatural‘s fifth season and then watched that show continue for another ten seasons. Surely, there was an agreement that this wouldn’t happen here. As mentioned before, there are many entertaining ways for The Boys universe to move on, but Homelander simply has to die, and they can’t realistically keep the original show going without him.

One of the all-time greats in NBA history died on Wednesday, as Jerry West passed away at age 86. West was the definition of a basketball lifer, becoming an NBA player in 1960 and spending the next 64 years performing at the highest level as a player, coach, and executive.

West, who is literally the NBA’s logo, has a tremendous legacy in the game, and because of his continued work as an executive and advisor into this current era, has impacted the game as much as just about any legendary figure in the sport. After word broke that West had died, NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement highlighting his life and legacy in basketball, noting he’ll become the first person to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as both a player and a contributor later this year.

West wasn’t just a luminary who came to all of the league’s big events, but because he remained an executive and advisor he had some strong relationships with a number of players. That was evident as word of his death became public and players, past and present, remembered West, often with a personal anecdote or photo of them in conversation, including some of the greatest to ever play.

Michael Jordan released a statement referring to West as “like an older brother,” explaining they shared a similar passion for the game and wishing he could’ve played with or against the legend.

LeBron James called West a “dear friend” and “my mentor,” and noted he’d miss their talks.

Many others posted remembrances of West, including a number of players who were impacted directly by West in his tenure as an executive.

Young Jesus’ latest album, The Fool, is something of a character study. For each song, frontman John Rossiter focuses on a different character he has created. He scrutinizes their flawed humanity with a brutally honest clarity. Whether it’s David, a doctor who creepily trawls through his patient’s Instagram on “Moonlight,” or the rotating cast of self-loathing hypocrites on “MOTY,” Rossiter’s memoirist approach to fiction allows these 11 songs to surge with life.

After all, that is the animus behind heartland rock, even if the man making it lives in Los Angeles. The Fool is a shrewd, candid exploration of the emotional baggage we collectively carry. For an album of fictitious character studies, everything feels tangibly real.

Following the record’s release in late May, Rossiter sat down with Uproxx to talk about Beyond Meat, Hole, and basketball in our latest Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Light, dark, loud, quiet.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

As curious, open, inventive.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

I watched the documentary jeen-yuhs while I was really sick with COVID two years ago. Right in the middle of major transitions in my life. Trying to escape from music. Deep self-doubt. He said something to these kids at a benefit along the lines of, “When I say ‘I’m the best rapper alive,’ I mean I believe I am the best rapper alive. And that you should believe the same thing about yourself.” So once I got better I started writing from that place, not from a place of “aw shucks” embarrassment. Why spend my whole life afraid and ashamed?

Anyway if I hear more than 30 seconds of a Kanye West song these days I find it super disturbing.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life and what was it?

I was in a large yet discreet hole in Beverly Hills chowing down on a heaping spoonful of Beyond Meat.

Tell us about the best concert you’ve ever attended.

Hole.

What song never fails to make you emotional?

“The Weight of the Straw” and “Surely Gone” by Ida are really hitting me right now. I have a two month old daughter and when I stand there holding her and watch my parents walk down the steps away from our house, limping a little from just getting older, this music gets it. It’s been a great gift finding this music through my friend Shahzad. And to play with them at Pete Min’s studio a year or so ago through pure serendipity. Also I watched my dad sing my daughter ‘What Child Is This?” and damn. I’ll cherish that for my whole life. He heard that tune at church after my sister was born and I think it was a kind of vision of god for him.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

Altamirano Records.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

This man in the Midwest thought we were the next Nirvana and put us up in his house where he woke us up each day for music lessons at 6 a.m. He said we were rock stars and we were gonna die at 35. And his daughters were going to be neuroscientists, so we should marry them because they would freeze and preserve our brains and bring us back to life.

He had three huge dogs. They could not see each other or else they’d kill each other, so they stayed in different rooms in the house throughout the day, rotating being let outside.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform and what’s the city you hope to perform in for the first time?

Right now it’s Esmont, Virginia, where we recorded that tune “Bully.” They had set up this amazing potluck outside, fires blazing, freezing cold night. They were making stew from roadkill they had harvested and veggies they had grown. It was aligned with what I believe in, and it’s special because so many things in music are so far from that resourcefulness, thoughtfulness, and community these days.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

“How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.”

What’s one of your hidden talents?

Basketball, gardening, running uphill.

If you had a million dollars to donate to charity, what cause would you support and why?

To me the best causes operate outside the system – Food Not Bombs, my buds in the LA Permaculture zone in Altadena – things operating in plain sight that don’t need or want attention to survive. But my friend works at Homeboy Industries in LA, and I love what Black and Pink does.

What are your thoughts about AI and the future of music?

I don’t know.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location it will be held.

The Blue Nile, Thelonious Monk, Derek Bailey, Can, Ida.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on social media?

I don’t know.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

I have one and only one tattoo: it is of the Route 66 road sign. What can I say, I love roads.

What is your pre-show ritual?

Stretch, meditate, drink water a couple hours before, go for a walk.

Who was your first celebrity crush?

Madonna. I remember looking her up on the Encyclopedia Britannica floppy disk program when I was really young. It was hot!

You have a month off and the resources to take a dream vacation. Where are you going and who is coming with you?

I’d like to go to Australia because I went as a kid and it’s always been a place I visit in my dreams. I’d go with my wife and my daughter. But in like 10 years.

What is your biggest fear?

Helplessness.

The Fool is out now via Saddle Creek. Find more information here.

Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) is perhaps the most dynamic, dramatic electronic music festival on earth. The largest electronic dance music festival in North America, EDC Las Vegas is revered for bringing hundreds of dance music icons to its nine stages. Plus, any event that can properly accommodate over 170,000 people per day – surpassing half a million people throughout the weekend – should be given due respect.

Although I consider myself a seasoned veteran of music festivals, I had never experienced this ultimate destination festival until just last month for its 13th edition. Embarrassing, I know, but my editorial duties have always busied up my calendar, preventing me from going.

While it was my first year experiencing the music festival that has influenced nearly every aspect of festival culture throughout the world, I actually found it quite humbling to walk around the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and see firsthand all of its insane programming and offerings.

As someone who enjoys being social while also being alone, it was easy to be both a main character and a fly on the wall throughout the EDC grounds. It’s a crazy feeling to be walking among hundreds of thousands of people knowing you’re also steps away from some of the world’s biggest electronic music stars. On the flip side, if you want to get buried within this LED-painted ant farm of craziness and go with the flow of the crowds, you can do that also.

Fisher explained it best, stating, “EDC is like being in a big beautiful bowl of fruity loops. Colorful and tasty.” To my own observations, it’s essentially a three-day-long tournament of Frogger while on drugs.

Disclaimer: You don’t actually need to be on drugs to feel this way. With the surge of rainbow-adorned people walking towards you in every direction and thousands of people posted up at one of the many stages, your eyes are working overtime to make real-time decisions of where to walk, how to dodge people, where to stand and dance, and mapping out your route to get you to where you want to go.

Personal Highlights:

Max Styler rocked the house and laid down his hypnotic tech house before handing it off to the debut performance of HYPERBEAM (Odd Mob x Omnom) on the StereoBLOOM stage.

“Back pre-COVID, we got together in [Cody’s] old guesthouse and we made a track together. We instantly became mates throughout COVID, but didn’t actually see each other for over a year after that since the world was shut down,” Odd Mob told Uproxx.

“We had so much stuff built up over the years that it didn’t make sense to release them as all collabs. So we decided to make a new project together to get out this music,” Omnom explained.

If you try to say Odd Mob and Omnom together, you’ll find yourself in a tongue twister, which is why the two producers landed on HYPERBEAM – somewhat inspired by the Pokemon attack – as the project’s new name.

I’m a fast walker, and was able to jet from the Circuit Grounds to StereoBLOOM to catch the last couple minutes of the festival’s most stylist DJ, Eli Brown. What a great time to see him throw down his gritty techno while concluding his week of releasing his brand new street wear label, 92 Thing.

“The idea for a streetwear collection came to life pretty organically,” Brown said. “I’ve wanted to create something for my fans that is more connective and tangible for a while now, but I didn’t want to just drop traditional artist merch. I find conformity to be quite boring and – similar to my approach to music creation – I am always trying to find ways to set myself apart from what everyone else is doing and make that space my own.”

“92 Thing is inspired by the spirit and style of the 1992 rave scene in my hometown of Bristol,” Brown continued. “My career was literally born that year in those underground spaces, and the experiences I had continue to inform my artistic vision to this day. It’s a real nod to this massive era in my artistic journey – one which I could have never dreamed where it would take me back in ’92…Overall, the rave scene during this time changed the course of music history. It was a revolution, a time of resistance and rebellion. Acid house was in its infancy, hardcore was growing and the dance culture of the UK had really begun to materialize – It was a ‘92 thing… you just had to be there!”

I also made sure to catch Subtronics’ set. Every time I see Subtronics, there’s no doubt that he loves screaming into the mic to annoy his fans. This time though, he also wanted to surprise us by bringing in special guests Tape B and John Summit for an ultimate collab of Sage The Gemini’s “Gas Pedal.” The crowd went absolutely wild for this.

The Quantum Valley Stage was the best stage at the festival for fully immersive visuals. Infected Mushroom never fails to amaze with their insane visuals. You can be sure to take a deep dive into human consciousness at one of their sets.

Everyone looks so amazing at EDC. Kudos to the ladies who wear platinum heels and boots for the 12 hour day. Let your freak fly here, because everyone else is!

I was able to experiment with a whole new look thanks to Volta Beauty Bar in the VIP section next to Kinetic Field, who gave me a total makeover with the braids and sparkly makeup. I love being Rave Barbie.

When I heard rumors of a special guest coming on the Circuit Grounds stage at 11:30 p.m., I made sure to be there. Making this a priority, I found myself in the best dancing space in the VIP section to a surprise hour-long set by Fred Again.

Random Observations:

• Ear protection is sexy. I lost my Eargasm earplugs the first day but scored a pair of EDC-branded earplugs from the merchandise tent the second day. Don’t you want to hear music until you die? Get a pair…like now.
• John Summit should probably try to play more than the same 10 songs throughout his four sets during EDC week and at the festival itself. You can only make us shiver so many times, John. I did love his foray into DnB with Sub Focus though.
• The food and drinks at EDC are only as expensive as you want them to be. Pack (and hide) some snacks in your backpack so security doesn’t find them, so you don’t have to spend a lot of money to stay fueled during your partying hours.
• deadmau5 has no shame in flaming people, no matter who they are. We need more people and artists like deadmau5 who aren’t afraid to capture a drone flying in their face, even if it’s flown by the festival crew themselves.

• There is absolutely no reason to ever try or buy Electrolit. This stuff is loaded with cancer causing ingredients that are actually making you less hydrated. It tastes like medicine that your mom forced down your throat as a kid. Overall, I’d skip this on-site activation.
• EDC could sure use more sitting areas. Maybe it just gets harder raving sober at 27 years old.
• Not sure what’s better: Four Tet playing deadmau5 or Four Tet playing Joy Orbinson or Four Tet playing Avicii.
• Nicki Minaj sounds good remixed into any genre. Subtronics b2b Level Up made this possible.
• Dillon Francis has permission to arrest any of us, at any time.
• Seeing Zedd play “Clarity” helped heal my inner teenager, and it can help heal yours too.
• Sara Landry has the best strobe lights in all the land.
• There’s a reason over half of the festival flocks to Kinetic Field at 3am on the last night. No one wants to miss FISHER or his over-the-top crazy performance he puts on.

The Bottom Line:

People watching at EDC is on its own level. Nothing can beat it. Take some pressure off your feet and take a seat (if you can find one) to look at all the beautiful and passionate people around you. You might also spot Mr. Cool from School of Rock casually walking around the festival.

Check out this full gallery of photos from EDC Las Vegas 2024:

EDC Las Vegas will return to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway May 16th-18th, 2025. A variety of GA, GA+, and VIP tickets can be secured with as low as a $5 deposit here.

The NBA Finals could come to an end this week if the Boston Celtics manage to pull off a sweep of the Dallas Mavericks. But even if the Mavs extend things the distance, the offseason is rapidly approaching and 28 teams are waiting to execute their plans to put together a team for the 2024-25 campaign.

This summer figures to be a fascinating one, particularly after a number of teams that believed they were legitimate title contenders fell short of their goal. Some learned they’re further away than they thought, while others had smaller holes exposed that need to be filled to take that next step. Beyond that, the new NBA tax threshold penalties will begin having a big effect on teams this summer, and we could see some flurries of action on the trade market as teams start thinking about the long-term ramifications of some of their big contracts.

Here, I wanted to pick a unique offseason target for each team that is at least somewhat realistic, either in free agency or on the trade market, and is not a player currently on the team. A lot of teams will spend their summer looking to re-sign their own guys, but that’s not nearly as fun to talk about, so I’m focused on outside additions to the team that’s currently constructed. For some teams, that’s a star. For others, it’s acknowledging their financial reality and trying to find the best guy that fills a need and might take a vet minimum. Some of these are certainly highly unlikely, but each looks to fill a need and, for trades, the team should have assets capable of at least making the other team listen to a call.

EAST

Atlanta Hawks: Brandon Ingram

The Hawks are in a fascinating spot, especially now that they have the No. 1 overall pick. It is widely assumed they’ll be trading one of their top guards. There are a handful of teams that figure to register interest in one or both of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, and the Pelicans should be on that list. Of the players the Hawks could reasonably target (along with picks), Ingram’s the best of the bunch on the teams that will be in the market. He isn’t a perfect player, but would give them some wing scoring while not blocking the development of any pieces of their current young core, headlined by Jalen Johnson.

Boston Celtics: Alex Len

Boston will mostly be in the business of keeping their current group together, but they will probably be looking to bolster their frontcourt rotation behind Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford. Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman are both free agents, and if Kornet were to walk especially, they’d likely be looking for someone that could fill that third big role. You can insert any of the vet min bigs here, but we’ll flag Len as a higher-end possibility for what should be a fairly coveted spot on a championship caliber roster.

Brooklyn Nets: Aaron Wiggins

I have no idea what the Nets will do this summer. They seem determined to run it back to a degree, but some in their fanbase hope they blow it up and fully rebuild. They’ll be getting calls about a lot of guys on their roster, and it’ll be interesting to see who they’re willing to discuss in a trade and who they aren’t — to this point, all reports indicate they’ve turned down every overture for Mikal Bridges. They should be in the business of looking to add some promising young talent, especially in the backcourt, and if I were them, I’d be on the horn with Sam Presti to see if the Thunder are interested in any of their veterans and might be willing to part with Aaron Wiggins, who has shown that he deserves to step into a more prominent role.

Chicago Bulls: Andrew Wiggins

The Bulls are going to try and trade Zach LaVine again, but I don’t really think they can be really picky in trade talks given LaVine’s gigantic contract. They might just need to settle for splitting up that long-term money. The goal in Chicago remains being competitive, and whether that’s the right choice or not, it seems they’ll look to re-sign DeMar DeRozan, elevate Coby White, and look to shuffle the deck a bit with a LaVine trade (and maybe still hope Lonzo Ball comes back). In terms of the possible LaVine destinations, I think Golden State is their best bet to get something decent in return, with Andrew Wiggins representing a connective piece on the wing who provides a theoretical fit for what the Bulls need. The problem, of course, is Wiggins has, aside from 2022, always been better in theory than on the court, but again, Chicago won’t be able to really be picky here.

Charlotte Hornets: De’Anthony Melton

The Hornets could use a solid veteran in their backcourt (particularly one that plays defense) as they continue to retool with a hopeful core group of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. Melton would fit the bill and they could try to structure a larger-money, short-term deal that gets him a little money. Plus, they could probably trade to a contender in a year-plus if they are still rebuilding and Melton wants to go to a playoff team. Plenty of teams could use Melton, but the Hornets are uniquely positioned to be able to blow him away with a big contract.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Trey Murphy III

The Cavs are reportedly indicating to teams they don’t want to trade Darius Garland, even if they re-sign Donovan Mitchell, but I’m guessing that’s mostly trying to ensure other GMs don’t try to low-ball them on offers. There are a number of teams that need point guard help and Garland should garner a lot of interest, even if the Cavs don’t actively shop him and simply answer the phone. The Pelicans are on the list of teams looking for point guard help and the first name I’m asking for, before Brandon Ingram or anyone else, is Trey Murphy III. He is a guy I think has star potential but is in a bit of a weird situation with the Pelicans roster glut on the wing. I’m not sure New Orleans would be willing to part with him, but that’s the guy I’d move Garland for (along with the requisite salary-filler) if I was Cleveland.

Detroit Pistons: Tobias Harris

The Pistons have a ton of money but aren’t a very appealing destination right now. Tobias Harris had a dreadful year in Philly and just never panned out as the third star there. A return to Detroit could be a soft landing spot for Harris and has some value for both sides. He would be a significant upgrade on the wing for the Pistons and would give Cade Cunningham an actual adult to play with who can hit shots, and Harris might just need some time back in a place without the pressure of expectations to re-find his form.

Indiana Pacers: Kelly Oubre Jr.

The Pacers big focus will be re-signing Pascal Siakam, but they should also be on the hunt for some more defensive versatility on the wing. Oubre Jr. was fantastic for the Sixers, and while Philly will probably look to bring him back, the Pacers should make some overtures and see if they can’t bring him in. Oubre showed his growth as a defender and was excellent cutting to the basket, which would fit well with how Indiana likes to operate.

Miami Heat: Naji Marshall

Miami doesn’t have much in the way of money and they’ll probably try to make a superstar trade again — and, perhaps, will be forced to if Jimmy Butler pushes his way out. However, I don’t know what name they can go land with what they have to offer. Of the free agent options, Naji Marshall makes a ton of sense as a Heat Culture type of guy (Willie Green once referred to him simply as, “a knife”) and given New Orleans’ cap crunch, he might be available.

Milwaukee Bucks: Jeff Green

The Bucks need guys they can play in the playoffs, and those are hard to come by. Jeff Green went and got the bag last year from the Rockets — and who can blame him — but if they decline their team option on Uncle Jeff, the Bucks should be trying their best to bring him in as a trusted veteran to bolster their frontcourt rotation.

New York Knicks: Karl-Anthony Towns

I think the most likely course of action for the Knicks is to bring back OG Anunoby, try to re-sign Isaiah Hartenstein, work some on the margins, and hope for better health next year. But, this is the Knicks and they’re always connected to a pursuit of a star, so I can’t help myself here. They are loaded with picks and can make the Wolves an offer that provides some financial flexibility, which they might deem important depending on their ownership situation, and the draft capital to go after a different star they might feel is a better fit. Again, I do not expect this to happen, but with some real uncertainty at the ownership level, the way things ended in the WCF, and that second-apron looming, it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility that the Wolves would answer the phone.

Orlando Magic: Malik Monk

The Magic are connected to Paul George and Klay Thompson, but I go in a bit of a different direction here and have them go after more of a microwave scorer in Malik Monk who fits their long-term timeline and allows them to add more elsewhere if they desire. I’m not sure Orlando is going to be able to sway a star like Paul George to come there just yet, and I also don’t think giving Klay Thompson a big, long-term deal is the right answer for them. Monk’s been terrific in Sacramento, and the Magic really could use an injection of life into their offense in the form of a guy that can create his own shot from the guard spot. Monk does that and has become an improved passer in Sacramento.

Philadelphia 76ers: Paul George

The Sixers really do make all the sense in the world for George if he’s ready to leave Los Angeles. Joel Embiid is an MVP, Maxey is a budding star, and they really need more out of their third star on the wing than Tobias Harris has provided. The Sixers have one shot at bringing in another star before they’re capped out once Maxey signs his max deal this summer, and they will make an all-out push for George to be that guy.

Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry

Toronto will be shopping Bruce Brown to contenders and should be looking for shooting in return there. In free agency, they need some point guard help and why not bring in an old friend to serve as the shepherd for the rebuild. I’d venture a guess that the only place Lowry would consider outside of Philly is Toronto, and he’d honestly be a great fit to fill both an on-court need and a veteran leadership need for the Raptors.

Washington Wizards: Markelle Fultz

Speaking of teams that need adults in the room, it’s the Wizards! They could use a bit of everything, but don’t have much money right now. If Tyus Jones leaves, the point guard situation goes from bad to rock bottom, and as such, they should take a peek at Markelle Fultz. His defensive abilities would be a welcome addition, as would his rim pressure on the offensive end. Playing next to Jordan Poole would mitigate some of the shooting concerns, and Washington could use a veteran point guard who has recent experience helping a young team grow. It would also give Fultz, a Maryland native, a chance to go back home.

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Dallas Mavericks: Lonnie Walker IV

Dallas should be quiet for once this summer. I’d expect them to explore options to get off Tim Hardaway Jr.’s expiring deal like they did with Davis Bertans last year at the Draft, but otherwise, I think they’re mostly set with what they have. Bringing back Derrick Jones Jr. will be the biggest challenge, but either way they should be on the lookout for vet min options who can hit threes and hope they hit again. Lonnie Walker IV shot 38.4 percent from deep last year in Brooklyn and might be one of their best options to try and bolster their roster coming off of a Finals run.

Denver Nuggets: Mason Plumlee

I think Denver should explore the trade market for Michael Porter Jr., just to see if there’s anything great they can get in return there. I don’t think that perfect return is out there, though, so I’ll go with an old friend here as a depth addition to their frontcourt, which is desperately needed. Mason Plumlee was helpful as a backup for the Clippers a year ago, and knows how to provide backup assistance to Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets don’t have anyone behind Jokic they can really lean on, especially for playoff minutes, and maybe they can convince Plumlee to take a minimum to get a shot at a ring.

Golden State Warriors: Zach LaVine

The Warriors have to try and take a swing this summer. Their future cap sheet is already a mess, so adding LaVine is just another log on the fire. If the goal is to try and give Stephen Curry a chance at one more real run at a title, they have to find some real scoring pop to help him. LaVine has his flaws, but he can get buckets and doesn’t need someone else to create them for him. The Warriors need that and while I don’t think it makes them a top contender, it would certainly give them a fighting chance if everything breaks right. That’s the best they can really hope for, and we’ll just see if they’re willing to pay the price to do it.

Houston Rockets: Mikal Bridges

Houston’s desire to add Bridges has been well reported, and while they were rebuffed at the deadline, I would expect them to be right back in the mix with Brooklyn, trying to pry Bridges away from the Nets. He makes a ton of sense for what they want to do and is a better fit in a place where he doesn’t have to be the primary guy on offense. Whether it’s Bridges or someone else, I’d be pretty surprised if Houston doesn’t try to make some kind of splashy trade this summer, as they seem determined to take another leap into the playoff picture next year.

Los Angeles Clippers: Wendell Carter Jr.

The Clippers are expected to re-sign James Harden and will try to bring Paul George back as well. How successful they are with that second point will determine exactly what they do this summer, but I think the frontcourt needs to be a focal point for them. Getting someone that can space the floor and protect the rim should be a priority, and I’d see if Orlando would part with Wendell Carter Jr. given their glut of frontcourt options (and the re-emergence of Jonathan Isaac). They can offer some needed backcourt shooting help in the form of Norman Powell, and in return get themselves another option at center.

Los Angeles Lakers: Dejounte Murray

The Lakers are going to try to get somebody, and we know they chased Murray at the deadline. I’d expect them to rekindle those talks this summer, and while Murray’s reputation as a defender with some is out of touch with reality, his offensive creation would be a boost for an L.A. team that simply lacks it. There aren’t going to be a ton of options for L.A. (maybe LaVine) with what they have to offer, and for the need they have in terms of on-ball creation, I think Murray does make sense and might not cost too much.

Memphis Grizzlies: Malik Beasley

Memphis had such a disastrous year with injuries that they’re just going to throw out everything from the past year aside from the positive developments of young guys like GG Jackson. Everything bad gets flushed and they’ll hope to be right back in contention with Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. leading the way. However, they were always going to be looking for shooting and Malik Beasley will be a free agent. The Grizzlies don’t have money and might get outbid with their taxpayer mid-level given how well Beasley shot last year, but that should be the starting point in their free agent search for more spacing.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Aaron Holiday

The real offseason target here is clarity on the ownership front, but on the court, I’d expect Minnesota to mostly run it back. I do think they’ll need to look at some point guard depth, as they’re heavily dependent on Mike Conley, who turns 37 in October. Perhaps Monte Morris returns, but if not, Aaron Holiday might be the best option at the vet min level. There’s the slimmest of chances they make a big change (and, as noted above, a couple teams should give it the old college try), but if the plan is to run it back, they’ll need to be very savvy (and lucky) about finding help on the vet min market.

New Orleans Pelicans: Darius Garland

I know the Cavs aren’t talking Garland trades just yet, but the Pelicans should be first in line there. I think he’d be a great fit for New Orleans, especially with the pace I think they want and need to play at to maximize Zion Williamson. This summer should be when they look to cash in some of their future firsts and the point guard trade market should present some real options. They also will probably call up the Hawks to see what they’re asking for Murray (and Young), but I like the Garland fit better for the Pelicans, although the asking price will be steep.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Isaiah Hartenstein

The Thunder need more size, that was pretty evident in their loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The good news is, they’ve got money to make that happen, and while they could be a landing spot for a number of big men, there’s already rumblings they could take a run at Hartenstein to pry him away from the Knicks. He would bring them a lot of what they need from rebounding to shot blocking to screening to rim-running. They have the cap space to make the Knicks flinch in a bidding war, and they won’t have to pay any of their young guys just yet, plus the cap’s about to go on a steady rise with the new TV deal anyway.

Phoenix Suns: Kris Dunn

The Suns, like some of these teams, are in cap hell and their only real recourse is to go after vet min guys. Aaron Holiday probably will be on their list as well, but I’ll go with Kris Dunn as the ideal point of attack defender for Phoenix. It’s possible Utah just pays Dunn and gives him a little more than the vet min to stay, but the Suns should be starting there and then working down the list of available point guards for someone that can dribble and defend.

Portland Trail Blazers: A 2025/26 First Round Pick

I tried to figure out a player for the Blazers for a long time and I have to be honest, I was struggling, as they’re one of the few teams in the Western Conference who should focus on developing their young core while their eyes are on the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes next season. I think they’ll be listening to offers on a handful of guys, but in the immediate, acquiring draft capital will be top of mind in any move they make. This team is still a ways away and still has to figure out what they have with young guys. As such, the focus should be making a move to bring back another first round pick for next year (or the year after). They added picks long into the future with the Damian Lillard trade, but I think they’ll explore ways to bolster their draft capital in the immediate this summer.

Sacramento Kings: Bruce Brown

The Kings took a small step back this year, but in the West, that’s enough to get overtaken by a bunch of teams. As such, I don’t think running it back can be the plan once again, and a shakeup might be needed. The Raptors should be shopping Bruce Brown and the Kings can offer some needed shooting in the form of Kevin Huerter, who might be a touch redundant on the Kings as currently constructed. Brown would give them some needed defensive versatility as well as some more playmaking alongside De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. I think Brown could be very fun with the Kings and if the goal is to bounce back into contention, he’s the exact kind of player Sacramento should be pursuing, even with the understanding the risk of Brown potentially being a one-year rental.

San Antonio Spurs: Trae Young

The Spurs should absolutely be swinging for the fences when it comes to their pursuit of a point guard this summer. I don’t think they should settle for an upgrade, and should only really be interested in parting with their treasure trove of picks for a legitimate star. Trae Young, while not a perfect player, is a legit star, and he and Victor Wembanyama would be an insanely fun duo. Wemby can’t be fully unlocked until he has a point guard that can get him the ball on time in his spots, and there’s not many (if any) in the league better at that than Young. Wembanyama can cover for some of Young’s defensive deficiencies, and to Young’s credit, he’s taken some strides on that end in terms of effort over the last year or two. Garland is the other intriguing name on the market, but beyond those two, I don’t think it’s worth it for the Spurs to take half measures here, and I would make Atlanta give me a firm no before considering other options.

Utah Jazz: Anfernee Simons

The Jazz could do anything this summer. They could continue selling to add more picks even though I don’t think they need any more. They could hold firm and eat up cap space by being a salary dump location. They could also try to make a splash and add a young player that could emerge as a star, which I don’t think would completely preclude them from still being at the top of the lottery next year. If I were Danny Ainge, I’d give Portland a call about Anfernee Simons to see what their asking price is, because Utah could really use an upgrade in the backcourt and Simons has some genuine longterm potential. I don’t think this is likely, but it’d make some sense for both sides.