Category: News

The Dallas Mavericks had an excellent season during the first year of Jason Kidd’s tenure at the helm, making a surprise run to the Western Conference Finals behind the magic that Luka Doncic can provide. Despite the fact that the team lost Jalen Brunson in free agency, it was expected they’d go into this summer looking to upgrade around Doncic with the hopes of getting over that hump and returning to the NBA Finals.

Time will tell if they can find someone who can replace Brunson, but according to multiple media reports, Dallas has made it a point to bolster its center rotation by bringing back an old friend. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports that JaVale McGee, who previously suited up for the team during the 2015-16 campaign, is returning to Dallas.

McGee, who suited up for a Phoenix Suns team that the Mavs beat in the playoffs last season, will get the full taxpayer midlevel to join a frontcourt that includes Maxi Kleber, Dwight Powell, and the recently-acquired Christian Wood, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

McGee, one of the most well-traveled centers in the NBA, averaged 9.2 points and 6.7 rebounds on 62.9 percent shooting (69.9 from the line) in 74 games for the Suns last season.

Beyonce has fans of all ages, races, identities, and really any other characteristic used to label someone. This week’s example of her ubiquity comes in the form of a child singing along to her recent single “Break My Soul.” The young man took a break from his cheese puffs to dance with excitement before requesting his Alexa to turn the music up when the upbeat jam turned on. He then went on to sing along to its chorus, repeating “You won’t break my soul” and adding an emphatic “Everybody.” As the male voice in the background sings “Release your mind, release your job,” it appears the young man is trying to free himself of the shackles of whatever job is weighing him down. The kid gets it.

Beyonce released “Break My Soul” on June 20, coincidentally following Drake’s full dance album Honestly, Nevermind, ahead of her upcoming album Renaissance Part 1 which is set to release on July 29. “Break My Soul” featured contributions from The-Dream, Big Freedia, and her husband Jay-Z. Renaissance will mark Beyonce’s first proper solo album release since 2016’s Lemonade, though she did provide Everything Is Love in 2018 in collaboration with Hov plus Homecoming: The Live Album and The Lion King: The Gift in 2019.

Check out the charming young man’s karaoke performance of “Break My Soul” above.

The Brooklyn Nets have a whole lot on their plates this offseason. Despite Kyrie Irving picking up his player option and expressing his intention to play for the team this season, Kevin Durant’s trade request has thrown the team into a state of turmoil. The future of both stars is now up in the air, and there’s no telling exactly what the future holds for a franchise that has aspirations of winning a championship.

Whatever the team will look like next year will include Nic Claxton. The No. 31 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Claxton has turned his special physical tools into an increasingly important role in Brooklyn during each of his first three seasons in the Association. That, unsurprisingly, turned him into a guy who was viewed as someone who could interest teams during the 2022 offseason, as Claxton hit restricted free agency.

Brooklyn decided to not let him get away. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Claxton and the Nets came to terms on a 2-year contract extension that will pay him $20 million over the life of the deal.

Claxton posted a number of career-best marks for the Nets during the 2021-22 season, appearing in 47 games with 19 starts and averaging 8.7 points and 5.6 rebounds on 67.4 percent shooting from the field in 20.7 minutes per game.

Hours before NBA Free Agency was set to open on June 30, future Hall of Fame forward Kevin Durant threw the entire league into chaos by requesting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. No matter where Durant eventually lands, the Nets will command a king’s ransom for his services, but the rest of Brooklyn’s roster is also in a period of uncertainty until the big dominoes fall. In the midst of that odd situation, veteran guard Patty Mills elected to decline a player option that would have paid him $6.2 million for the 2022-23 season, setting up unrestricted free agency. However, Mills will reportedly stick around Brooklyn on a two-year deal that will pay him $14.5 million.

From a financial standpoint, this is a success for Mills, adding salary for 2022-23 and locking in another year for the 33-year-old. Though it remains to be seen what the roster will be like around Mills, the 6’1 veteran remains an incredibly valuable offensive player. Mills connected on 40 percent of his three-point attempts a season ago, boosting his career mark to 38.9 percent, and Mills averaged 11.4 points per game while appearing in 81 contests.

While Mills is somewhat duplicative with Seth Curry as smaller perimeter shooters with defensive questions, the $7.25 million average annual salary is certainly appropriate for what he brings. Mills is also a steadying presence that is well-liked in the league, and the Nets are bringing at least some modicum of stability to a chaotic situation by bringing him back into the fold.

Few guys have taken a more unique path to the NBA than Houston Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate. After four years at Ohio State, Tate spent time in Belgium and Australia before the Rockets decided to take a chance on him in the lead-up to the 2020 campaign. It’s paid off for them in a big way, and as a result, Tate is getting paid.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Tate and the Rockets came to terms on a new 3-year deal that will pay him $22.1 million.

Tate, who was a first-team All-Rookie selection at the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign, hit restricted free agency this offseason, and as Charania noted, is set to make get quite the raise on what he was in line to get if stayed on his old deal.

Tate’s strength and tenacity on the defensive end of the floor have made him an interesting piece on that end of the floor for the Rockets, while he’s managed to provide some scoring, rebounding, and playmaking. He appeared in 78 games last season with 77 of those coming in the starting lineup, averaging 11.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 0.9 steals in 26.4 minutes per game while connecting on 49.8 percent of his attempts from the field.

As the San Antonio Spurs officially embrace a complete rebuild after trading Dejounte Murray for picks, their top free agent, Lonnie Walker IV found himself seeking a new team after the Spurs rescinded their qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Walker appeared in 70 games for the Spurs last season with six starts and averaged 12.1 points per game, a career-high, on 40.7 percent shooting from the field and 31.4 percent shooting from three, showing some positive signs on both ends of the floor. The Los Angeles Lakers, who lost Malik Monk to the Kings in free agency, decided to swoop in on Walker and replicate the success they had in a similar situation with Monk last year after the Hornets failed to extend him a QO. However, this time it cost the Lakers their only real way of improving the roster significantly, as they’ll bank heavily on Walker being a key contributor by giving him a one year deal for the taxpayer mid-level exception.

That’s certainly showing their belief in Walker to bring them some much-needed assistance on the wing, and while he won’t provide the shooting of Monk, he’s a terrific athlete and on a team with aging veteran stars, that’s incredibly valuable for the Lakers. The rest of L.A.’s moves now figure to be via minimum deals and, potentially, a trade to shake things up.

The Detroit Pistons got the chance to see what Marvin Bagley III looked like on their team during the final stretch of the 2021-22 season. The former No. 2 overall pick got the chance for a fresh start in the Motor City after things had run their course for him as a member of the Sacramento Kings, and at the conclusion of the season, the Pistons had to make a decision on how they were going to approach Bagley’s foray into restricted free agency.

While Bagley’s time in Sacramento very much grew stale, the 23-year-old forward looked comfortable alongside Cade Cunningham and co., and even though the team acquired Jalen Duren in a draft day trade and Nerlens Noel as part of New York’s quest to free up cap space, it’s not hard to see how the young big man could fit into their team.

The team decided that it’s worth keeping him around for the next few years. According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Bagley will stay in Detroit on a 3-year deal worth $37 million.

Bagley appeared in 18 games for the Pistons after the team acquired him, with eight of those coming in the starting lineup. He averaged 14.8 points and 6.8 rebounds on 55.5 percent shooting from the field in 27.2 minutes per game for Detroit.

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Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. Last week was full of silhouettes that get less frequent colorway updates which was nice and refreshing, but this week, as fire as it is… is not that. You’re not going to get a lot of random silhouettes and left-field collaborations this time, but if you’re a Jordan and Dunk fan, it’s going to be hard to find a better week all summer.

Aside from the three new Jordan I colorways we rounded up this week, we’ve also got a collaboration between Nike and Paris-label Jacquemus, as well as new Dunks, and a couple of fire New Balance drops. Yeezy fans, this isn’t your week, but be patient big things are coming. Let’s dive into this week’s eight best sneaker drops.

Jacquemus x Nike Air Humara

Fans of luxury-leaning sneakers rejoice! Nike is teaming up with the Paris-based label Jacquemus for two new colorways of the Air Humara. The Air Humara is a weird choice of a silhouette to be given the luxury treatment as the sneaker is primarily known as a rugged trail shoe, but Jacquemus managed to give it a revamp that gives it a completely different look and vibe.

The sneaker drops in two warm colorways, brown and beige, with detail workout throughout the design that manages to soften the shape of the Air Humara, giving it an elegant vibe where it is normally rugged and utilitarian. Rounding out the design is a metallic mini swoosh, branded lace tabs, and nylon straps that recall the Adidas Continental 80 (don’t tell Nike), which had an extra layer of luxuriousness to the design.

It’s hard not to fall in love with this collaboration, more Jacquemus Nikes, please!

The Jacquemus x Nike Air Humara in Beige and Brown are out now for a retail price of $170. Pick up a pair at the Jacquemus webstore.

Air Force 1 Mid Our Force 1

After three weeks straight of fire drops, I guess Nike decided to make the summer or 2022 AF-1 Mid Season, and we’re not mad about it. The mid-rise version of this silhouette is underrated, but if Nike keeps dropping colorways like this week’s Our Force 1 it won’t be long until the mid is just as ubiquitous as AF-1 Low.

The Our Force 1 feature a textured leather upper, embroidered oversized AF-1 branding on the asked strap, and a patterned tongue in two different colorways on the left and right shoe. It’s a future classic!

The Air Force 1 Mid Our Force 1 is out now for a retail price of $110. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Nike Women’s Dunk High Denim

The Denim Dunk is the stuff of legends and now the sneaker is finally getting a smaller size, much to the whining of anyone over size 10 1/2. We won’t hold it against the big-footed whiners though, who wouldn’t want this sneaker? It’s simple, classic, and just looks like the perfect sneaker colorway for the summer.

The Dunk High Denim features a white leather upper with faded denim-inspired overlays and a habanero wraparound swoosh. If you fit in the size run, this is a must-cop.

The Nike Women’s Dunk High Denim is set to drop on June 29th for a retail price of $125. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Air Jordan I Low Mystic Navy

It was only a week ago when I was celebrating the fact that there weren’t any Air Jordans in our weekly roundup and how I was “getting tired of seeing the same silhouettes every week in new colorways” but… I take that all back. Clearly, I’m not tired of it because I mean just look at these Mystic Navy Jordan Is!

This sneaker features a premium leather upper in black with navy accents on the toe box, heel panels, branding, and wrap-around swoosh with a matching outsole and a white midsole. Hard not to feel like this isn’t the release of the week.

The Air Jordan I Low Mystic Navy is set to drop on June 30th for a retail price of $130. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.

Nike Air Jordan 1 Bleached Coral

As if the Mystic Navy Jordan I wasn’t enough, Nike just had to go and drop this dope Bleached Coral high-top Jordan 1 this week as well. This colorway combines elements from several coveted AJ-1 colorways, like the Black Toe and the Grey Fog, built over a white leather upper with a black wraparound swoosh and Bleached Coral accents on the branding and insoles.

It’s like a greatest hits package of Jordan colorways, it’s not a classic but every element is a hit.

The Nike Air Jordan 1 Bleached Coral is set to drop on July 2nd for a retail price of $170. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Nike Air Jordan 1 Low Bleached Coral

I’m not entirely sure why the low-top version of the Bleached Coral utilizes the coral accents on the outside of the sneaker, while the high-top keeps it hidden, but the low features a much better design, that’s for sure. Featuring a cracked leather upper with suede accents and coral accents on the toe box, heel, insole, and branding, the Bleached Coral Low features a weathered aesthetic and a brighter color palette that jumps out at you and makes the high-top version look bland in comparison.

It’s the one instance where the low-top version of an AJ-1 is the superior choice.

The Nike Air Jordan 1 Low Bleached Coral is set to drop on July 2nd for a retail price of $130. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like Flight Club.

New Balance 990v3 Made in USA Moonbeam Macadamia Nut

New Balance is killing it, with the Made in USA imprint of the brand, every time NB drops a new colorway — and compared to Nike, that’s not that often — it’s a must-cop, this week’s Moonbeam Macadamia Nut 990v3 is no exception.

Featuring a mixed hairy suede, pig suede, and mesh upper in an understated but elegant grey colorway, the 990vs sports an ENCAP midsole, a synthetic suede sockliner, and subtle reflective accents outlining the branding.

The New Balance 990v3 Made in USA Moonbeam Macadamia Nut is set to drop on June 30th for a retail price of $199.99. Pick up a pair at New Balance.

New Balance 550 Summer Colorway Pack

The 550, which was brought back by Aime Leon Dore’s fantastic New Balance collaborations, is my favorite NB silhouette, hands down, so I’m feeling a little spoiled with this four-colorway summer pack that drops on Friday. Each of the colorways in this set are built upon a leather upper with color coming by way of the paneling and accent work. The Sea Salt offers a monochromatic white look, the Au Lait added splashes of light brown, the Castle Rock offers a colder take with tones of grey throughout, and the Black Sea Salt is a simple color inverse of the white model.

The New Balance Sea Salt, AuLait, Castlerock, and Black Sea Salt are set to drop on July 1st for a retail price of $109.99. Pick up a pair at the New Balance.

Chris Boucher has carved out a nice role with the Toronto Raptors over the last few years. After breaking into the league as a member of the Golden State Warriors, Boucher joined as a raw-but-interesting member of the roster that brought a championship to Toronto and has turned into an important member of the Raptors’ frontcourt rotation, a long and rangy defender who is able to hit shots on the other end of the floor.

Boucher was slated to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, but within an hour of players and teams being able to come to terms on contracts, the Raptors made it a point to keep him around. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Toronto came to terms on an extension with Boucher that will keep him north of the border for the next three years for $35.25 million over the life of the deal.

There’s no word on whether or not the entire deal is guaranteed or if there are any team or player options. Boucher appeared in 80 games for the Raptors last season and earned a spot in the starting lineup in nine of them. In 21.1 minutes per game, Boucher scored 9.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks while shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 29.7 percent from three.

For years, Joe Ingles was one of the steady hands for the Utah Jazz, providing three-point shooting and secondary ball-handling on the wing for the perennial playoff squad. Last year, though, Ingles was dealt at the deadline after suffering a torn ACL, as Utah sent him to Portland where he rehabbed in an effort to get another piece to help their playoff chances immediately.

As Ingles prepares for a return to the court next season, he will join a different playoff contender, this time venturing East to Milwaukee where he will join the Bucks on a one-year deal worth $6.5 million (the taxpayer mid-level) as was made public by the most reliable of sources: his wife, Renae.

Ingles averaged 7.2 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.9 rebounds on 40.4/34.7/77.3 shooting splits in 45 games prior to his injury in Utah last season, and given that he suffered the injury on January 30, one would expect he won’t play for the Bucks until close to the midseason mark, if not wait until after the All-Star break.

It’s a strong fit between player and team, as the Bucks are not in particular need of Ingles’ services in the regular season to get themselves in strong playoff position, but as this past postseason showed, are very much in need of another shooter and scoring threat on the wing come playoff time. Ingles figures to provide that and is a bit of insurance for if Grayson Allen once again struggles come playoff time, as the Bucks mostly are running it back after re-signing Bobby Portis, Jevon Carter, and Wesley Matthews.