GoneTrending

The NBA’s rookie scale extension deadline came and went on Monday evening at 6 p.m. ET, and a number of players from the 2018 Draft class cashed in. Max deals were handed out this offseason to Trae Young, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Michael Porter Jr., with others like Mikal Bridges and Jaren Jackson Jr. landing major deals as well.

There were some notable names that didn’t get extensions, most surprising being Deandre Ayton, along with Collin Sexton not coming to terms with a deal in Cleveland. Still, there were some others who were able to get a deal done before the deadline on non-max level contracts, which isn’t always the easiest thing to workout. Non-max rookie deals require the team and player to be seeing eye-to-eye on value, something that’s rare for a player entering their fourth season in the league who isn’t viewed as a max player by both parties.

Three players worked out deals in the final hour that will bolster the rosters of a trio of playoff contenders this season.

Kevin Huerter, Atlanta Hawks: 4 years, $65 million

Huerter’s emergence in the postseason for the Hawks was a major catalyst for their run to the conference finals, and he was rewarded with a $65 million deal. For the Hawks, it ensures that they lock up another core piece long-term after already doling out extensions or new deals to Trae Young, John Collins, and Clint Capela this offseason.

Huerter averaged 11.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game last regular season, and came up big in key moments for the Hawks in their playoff run. With him, De’Andre Hunter, and Bogdan Bogdanovic on the roster, the next very interesting decision for Atlanta will be the future of Cam Reddish, who could end up as the odd man out on the wing eventually.

Landry Shamet, Phoenix Suns: 4 years, $43 million

Everyone but Ayton got paid in Phoenix, and that will only fuel the drama around the Suns big man heading into the season. After trading for Shamet this offseason, they clearly wanted to lock him up long-term, handing out a near $11 million per year deal for the sharpshooter who has some very real questions about playoff viability after the way his tenure in Brooklyn ended. That said, Monty Williams is a big fan having coached him for a year in Philly as a rookie, and it’s clear Phoenix sees him as a rotation piece for a hopeful title contender.

Grayson Allen, Milwaukee Bucks: 2 years, $20 million

A similar deal to Shamet’s, just with two fewer years, the Bucks lock Allen in for the next three years after dealing for him this offseason.

Allen has become a quality 3-and-D wing, and for a team that wants to bolster its depth in that area, it makes sense to bring him in and sign him up long-term. How much Allen helps comes playoff time remains to be seen as rotations shorten, but there’s value in having players who can bring regular season depth even for contenders. On top of that, the Bucks learned last year that having additional help on the wing is never a bad thing after having to make their title run without Donte DiVincenzo.

Last Friday, multi-hyphenate star KYLE dropped a video for his latest single ‘Sunday,’ which follows the singer through dreamy melon-toned visuals of Los Angeles set to a beat that samples Craig David’s “7 Days” and borrows the framing from the song’s chorus to tell a tale of the fleeting qualities of love in 2021.

“Started vibin’ On Monday, then you started trippin’ on Tuesday. And now we makin’ love by Wednesday, and even Thursday and Friday and Saturday. You tell me that we break-in’ up on Sunday.” Sings KYLE, over some plucked Spanish guitar, thumping 808s, and skittering hi-hats.

“Every time I make music I try to discover something new about myself and what I make,“ KYLE tells me over the phone while discussing the origins of the track. “I was listening to a lot of late Garage music, I wanted to make uptempo R & B but I was having a hard time finding that. I made ‘Sunday’ out of complete fandom for Craig David and how smooth his records and vocals were over these really fast-moving tracks.”

Despite being heavily indebted to the source material, KYLE’s ‘Sunday’ presents a different vibe to David’s original, which keeps it from sounding like a straight-up cover. Instead what we get is an expert interpolation of a classic that comes off as smoother and altogether more romantic than the original. For the visuals, KYLE reached out to director Made By James, and the duo attempted to make a video that felt as thematic and stylized as a movie, while still giving a glimpse into KYLE’s personality,

“I was always a fan of early 2000s music videos, especially surrounding r&b culture. Very smooth and about love and sexy — featuring this day in the life storyline that made you fall in love with the artist.”

The result is a dreamlike and slightly eerie video that acts as a companion piece to KYLE’s “Love Me Like You Say You Love Me.” Part of what makes the video so appealing are the visuals that capture the romance of LA driving culture. To better understand things from his perspective, we hit up KYLE for the perfect LA date night, driving routes included.

“It would start early in the morning, right from the jump. We’re going to wake up and the first thing we’re going to do is get some coffee.”

The perfect cup of which can always be found at KYLE’s go-to LA roaster Cognoscenti:

“Cognoscenti on Washington Blvd is the best coffee shop in Los Angeles. We can fight about it, but I’ll win. My go-to order is the Green Matcha Latte Iced, with oat milk, or a half-caff almond milk latte with a hint of agave sweetener.”

From there the date would continue on through the city:

“Then we’re going to head to the Culver City stairs. We’re not going to run up the stairs, we’re going to drive up and take in the view.”

The stairs offer a great panoramic view of the downtown Los Angeles skyline and served as an obvious inspiration for some of the scenes in the video.

“After we do that we’re going to get some bunch, probably somewhere on Melrose. Sitting out on the street, people watching. Before we know it It’ll be nighttime when we’ll head to Javiar’s in Century City, and maybe catch a movie after.”

But to really capture the vibe of the song, your best bet is to jump in a car, blast ‘Sunday’, and just enjoy the sights that driving in LA always provides. If you’re looking for the best experience, follow KYLE’s route.

“You want to start somewhere in Mid-City, head toward West Hollywood. Take that down until you hit PCH, and take that to Malibu so you can sit on the beach, throw on ‘Sunday’ again, and take in the sights before you head home.”

Watch the video for ‘Sunday’ above, and then watch the companion piece “Love Me Like You Say You Love Me.”

For years, Deandre Ayton was harshly and unreasonably compared to what he wasn’t: Luka Doncic and Trae Young. Then, suddenly, he became an integral member of the Western Conference-winning Phoenix Suns. He authored two-way dominance against the reigning champs, Los Angeles Lakers. He posed issues for MVP Nikola Jokic. He feasted inside against the Los Angeles Clippers’ small-ball brigade.

By the second half of the season, Ayton was a marvelous pick-and-roll defender, an elite play-finisher, and excellent rebounder. For the betterment of the team, he sacrificed counting stats and starred in his role, the latter of which emerged as a tagline of sorts for him down the stretch. Many top picks whose play is juxtaposed with All-Star ball-handlers racking up nightly double-doubles might not embrace that.

And yet, the reward for his admirable selflessness and growth is to play out the final year of his rookie contract, and pursue a new deal next summer. Every night, he will suit up and risk injury without the safety net of another contract, all because he’s beholden to the financial preferences of an exorbitant billionaire.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Ayton and the Suns ended extension talks ahead of Monday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline without reaching an agreement. Ayton rightfully wanted the max. Owner Robert Sarver refused to grant it. Sure, Ayton will probably receive a max contract next summer, whether it’s Phoenix outright or the organization matching another team’s offer, but this is a matter of principle and acknowledging the human aspect of sports. Sarver is disregarding relationships. He’s jeopardizing an environment that has been lauded for its culture since head coach Monty Williams took over following years of dysfunction fueled in part by Sarver’s previous ineptitude.

Ayton took a backseat and welcomed the grunge work of NBA basketball. He posted career-lows in points per game (14.4) and usage rate (16 percent). After frequenting midrange jumpers his first two seasons, perhaps in the hope of stretching out beyond the arc, he largely excised those shots from his profile. He guarded three top-10 superstars across four playoff series. He played his absolute tail off to try and deliver the Suns a title.

Some may try to justify this move by referencing Ayton’s struggles in the NBA Finals. Maintaining such prolific impact in that context simply cannot be threshold for a 22-year-old in his third season, tasked with containing Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is en route to one of the greatest careers in league history. If that’s the bar, almost every player in the NBA fails to meet it.

What’s more is even if you don’t deem Ayton to be the caliber of guys at similar price points, which is roughly the 40th-highest-paid player, he has another year to reach that level (at worst, he’s already close). Given how much he’s developed and altered his game since entering the NBA, future growth should be expected. He recently turned 23. Who he was in July 2021 will not be who he is in October 2022 when a new deal begins.

Sarver should reward Ayton for his vast, difficult improvements and commit to him long-term. Affirm your belief in him and the team’s title aspirations. Relationships matter and this was a golden chance to strengthen one. Sarver bungled it, seemingly because of greed.

Bypassing an extension for Ayton does not and will not free up significant money to be applied elsewhere and mitigate his potential departure in restricted free agency during this era of Suns championship contention. This “saved” money does not translate to the open market. Phoenix had avenues to retain its key players like Chris Paul and Mikal Bridges because of provisions in the CBA that allowed them to go over the cap to re-sign them. Ayton, even if he came off the books completely next summer, wouldn’t create any space for Phoenix to replace him. This is predominantly use it or lose it money that exists only within this context.

In re-signing Paul and extending both Bridges and Ayton, Sarver and the Suns had a chance to help maintain or accentuate the rosy vibes cultivated last season. Instead, this story line will lurk in the shadows. That’s not to say it will derail anything this year, but it’s an unnecessary risk motivated by relatively mild financial gain.

The Suns will not reach their goals without Ayton. He deserves his money. This was a disheartening misstep in which an owner wielded too much power over a player. Pay the big fella, he’s done everything possible to earn it.

The best things come to those who wait, and that goes extra for Succession heads. Fans of the HBO show about one evil family of wealth monsters went two whole years without a new episode, the series having to go on hiatus thanks to a certain once-in-a-century public health crisis that still hasn’t been licked. They were rewarded with a predictably excellent season 3 premiere. In that time the show even picked up more supporters, because Sunday’s numbers were (allegedly) a series record.
Variety reports that HBO says the show’s belated season premiere netted some 1.4 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max. That’s a 21% increase from the Season 2 finale, back around this time in 2019. It was also, they say, the best premiere-night performance of any HBO show since HBO Max went live in May of last year. And it had the biggest digital premiere of any HBO show since Season 2 of Big Little Lies in June of 2019.

Mind you, this is all from HBO, which, like Netflix, tends to only report numbers when they’re very good. They’re also saying that, in the lead-up to Sunday night’s premiere, a ton of people were catching up (or catching back up) with older Succession episodes. So it’s (allegedly) more good news for the unimaginably rich fictitious family that once indifferently destroyed a media company called “Vaulter.”

(Via Variety)

Country musician Travis Tritt wants to make his stance on performing shows during Covid-19 known — he’s against any and all protections that keep his fans and crew safe from the disease. In a statement released today, Tritt announced that he was canceling shows at any venues that had restrictions in place regarding vaccination status, testing, or mask mandates.

“I’m putting my money where my mouth is and announcing that any venue or promoter mandating masks, requiring vaccinations, or pushing COVID testing protocols on my fans will not be tolerated. Any show I have booked that discriminates against concert-goers by requiring proof of vaccination, a COVID test, or a mask is being canceled immediately. Many people are taking a firm stand against these mandates around the country, and I wholeheartedly support that cause. I have been extremely vocal against mandates since the beginning. This is a sacrifice that I’m willing to make to stand up for the freedoms that generations of Americans have enjoyed for their entire lifetimes. There are plenty of promoters and venues around the country that appreciate fans and the freedom of choice in this great country, and those are the promoters and venues that I will be supporting. I’m sorry for any inconvenience this situation creates for anyone who had purchased tickets to these shows. We will try to reschedule unrestricted shows in these areas as soon as we can.”

Though guidelines for protecting Americans from Covid-19 have sparked debate, Tritt’s stance is a fairly radical one. Most artists are happy to have restrictions like testing or vaccination in place, along with masks. Another musician in the country space, Jason Isbell, was one of the most outspoken artists about having guidelines to keep fans safe in place. It will be interesting to see how fans and peers react to Tritt’s decision. If you’re unfamiliar with Tritt’s music, check out a live performance of one of biggest hits, “It’s A Great Day To Be Alive,” above.

As we all know pretty much know by now, the reopening of travel is happening on a country-by-country basis and depends greatly on which passport you hold. There are a million variables that we won’t get into here. But there was one slice of sunshine in the travel news this week and it’s a nice one, to be sure.

Thailand is reopening to vaccinated travelers from some countries, starting November 1st. The backpacker-friendly nation had already started a “Sandbox” travel system on October 1st. That system was put in place in very popular destinations around the country. Basically, if you were vaccinated and traveling from a low-risk country, you could go to Phuket or Ao Nang, for instance, but you had to stay there for seven days — a sort of quarantine in paradise. The success of that scheme has led to the government announcing that the country would fully reopen to vaccinated travelers from “low-risk” countries starting November 1st, 2021.

According to a press release from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the country will welcome vaccinated travelers from “10 low-risk countries, including China, Germany, Singapore, the UK, and USA” starting in November. They plan to expand the list of ten countries on December 1st and again on January 1st. You’ll also be required to show a PCR test before you board a flight to Thailand and get a test once you arrive. If you’re negative when you arrive, you’ll be allowed to travel around the country.

While November 1st is right around the corner, the same press release also notes that “consumption of alcoholic beverages in restaurants as well as the operation of entertainment venues under appropriate health precautions would be allowed from 1 December.” So that gives you about a month to chill in Thailand before the party crowd returns in earnest.

It goes without saying that any part of this or all of it could be reversed as the Thai government sees fit. Still, it’s a ray of hope for any traveler looking to get in on a slice of paradise in one of the best food countries on earth before 2022 arrives.

Until then, here are some Instagram shots from Thailand to whet your appetite.

Billy Porter, star of Pose and progressive fashion pioneer, is not a fan of Harry Styles’ Vogue cover look, despite the forward momentum it generated in the movement for breaking down arbitrary gender barriers in fashion. For what it’s worth, though, his skepticism for Styles’ cover comes as much from his own experience being castigated for his daring red carpet looks as for anything Styles’ dress did.

“I feel like the fashion industry has accepted me because they have to,” Porter observed in an interview with The Sunday Times excerpted by Rolling Stone. “I’m not necessarily convinced and here is why. I created the conversation [about non-binary fashion] and yet Vogue still put Harry Styles, a straight white man, in a dress on their cover for the first time. I’m not dragging Harry Styles, but he is the one you’re going to try and use to represent this new conversation? He doesn’t care, he’s just doing it because it’s the thing to do. This is politics for me. This is my life. I had to fight my entire life to get to the place where I could wear a dress to the Oscars and not be gunned now. All he has to do is be white and straight.”

While Styles’ dress — and the numerous androgynous looks he’s pulled off over the years — have drawn fire from angry conservatives looking to preserve their own worldviews, he’s also found his fair share of defenders and imitators.

Don Toliver is currently one of the hottest names in rap, with his new album Life Of A Don debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard albums chart. It’s no surprise, though, as he’s signed to Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack label, sharing with his mentor a certain level of cool-kid clout — enough to warrant a look from perennial streetwear favorite A Bathing Ape, which teamed up with Toliver to release a new line of exclusive co-branded merch. In addition, Toliver’s listening party for Life Of A Don was held at BAPE’s New York store and captured for posterity in the video above.

The merch line consists of four T-shirts combining the streetwear brand’s trademark logos with Don’s name and the album title. The shirts are all $129 and can be purchased either at A Bathing Ape’s website or on Don Toliver’s online shop with album bundles.

Seeing Don Toliver teaming up with A Bathing Ape makes perfect sense when you consider Travis Scott’s propensity for licensing his likeness to practically any brand looking to raise its profile among young spenders: Travis counts Sony, McDonald’s, and more among his partnerships, even as he insists he’s not looking to be a “brand” of his own. Don’s following in his footsteps and well on his way, although he’s making sure to balance savvy money moves with fan-favorite singles like “Flocky Flocky” and “Drugs N Hella Melodies.”

Life Of A Don is out now via Cactus Jack and Atlantic.

Well, folks, it looks like we’re going to have to wait a bit longer to see the dark fantasy world Dark Souls creator Hidetaka Miyazaki and Game of Thrones writer George R. R. Martin have been cooking up for us: Elden Ring has officially been delayed. The good news is, as far as delays go this one should be a piece of cake to wait for — especially for anyone who followed Cyberpunk 2077 hellish development cycle. While Elden Ring was originally scheduled to release on January 21, 2022, the upcoming action RPG has been moved just about one month later to February 25. Developer FromSoftware announced the decision in a tweet shared from the official Elden Ring Twitter account earlier today, explaining the team has pushed the date because “the depth & strategic freedom of the game exceeded initial expectations,” thus requiring more time to perfect.

Following the announcement, FromSoftware was quick to soften the blow with the reveal of an upcoming “Closed Network Test” that takes place November 12-14 via PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. According to publisher Bandai Namco’s official site, “the network test is a preliminary verification test in which the selected testers play a portion of the game prior to the full game launch,” where “various technical verifications of online systems will be examined by conducting large-scale network load tests.” All interested players are encouraged to sign up for a chance to test the game out, with registration closing on November 1.

All this comes shortly following the gameplay of Elden Ring leaking on Twitter, showing off the game’s open world, HUD, and overall aesthetics. While we’re sure the upcoming title will have many of the qualities that make Demon Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro such beloved titles, it’s worth pointing out just how much Elden Ring differs from its predecessors in how vast and open its world will be, with dungeons scattered throughout the realm and a map, compass, and waypoints to guide you. For those who aren’t able to get a look at the game during its network test, Elden Ring will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, and PC on February 25.

After Drake’s reluctance to allow his Degrassi character Jimmy to be paralyzed after an episode about a school shooting became public, his portrayal is now being praised by the leader of an organization dedicated to kids with mobility issues for helping normalize wheelchairs. Madeline Robinson, executive director of Wheelchair 4 Kids, told TMZ that Drake’s role — however reticent he initially was to play it — gave kids in wheelchairs confidence. “When was the last time you went to a mall and saw a kid in a wheelchair hanging out with other kids?” she wondered, saying it’s rare.

“It is great when we see our kids being represented,” Robinson asserted. That was the logic that the show’s producers used to get Drake on board with the character development when the actor threatened to quit after seeing the script, worried that it would have a negative effect on his then-nascent rap career. In AV Club’s oral history of Degrassi: The Next Generation, writer James Hurst recalled telling Drake, “Aubrey, there’s some kid somewhere in a wheelchair, who’s completely ignored, who’s never on television, never gets represented. I need you to represent this person. You’re the coolest kid on the show, and you can say there’s nothing wrong with being in a wheelchair.”

Drake is now arguably the biggest star in hip-hop, so it’s clear he’s surmounted his worries, however well-founded they may have been.