Kevin Durant in Houston feels like a hand-in-glove fit. The Rockets wanted Durant, and Houston was on his short list of places he wanted to be traded. When asked about the organization, Durant praised the Rockets. He fills the need for a half-court scoring threat that will open up their offense.
The only question is the money on Durant’s contract extension.
Durant is in the final year of his current contract at $57.4 million. The Rockets can offer him a max two-year, $122.1 million extension (no team can offer Durant more than two years because of the over 38 rule). There was always an expectation that Durant would take a bit of a haircut off that max number, but that cut may be deeper than just a haircut, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Brian Windhorst on the Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip Hoopshype).
MacMahon: “By all appearances and by what I’ve heard, they’re not going all in on an extension for Kevin Durant. Now, doesn’t mean it won’t happen, but there’ve been rumblings of KD not going to push for the full max. I don’t know that the Rockets are going to put anything on the table that’s close to the max.”
Windhorst: “I think the Rockets are like it’s not ideal, but I don’t think they would panic if they go into the season with Kevin Durant just on the contract that he’s on just on the on the expiring deal… I’ll say this, Rafael Stone, since he’s been the GM of the of the Rockets, he’s signed quite a few giant contracts, but a lot most of them have been short.”
The contract has to be short in this case, but what is a fair number for the future Hall of Famer? One source who spoke to NBC Sports during Summer League suggested KD might dip to about the $100 million mark for two years, around $10 million a season below the max but still $50 million a season. However, maybe that number is too high. Maybe Durant will take less — he has the right to make whatever choice he thinks is best for him, his legacy and his family.
Maybe everyone is comfortable going into the season without an extension and seeing how things play out. That said, we are more than a month out from the start of training camps, and a lot of deals get done right around the beginning of camp. This is all just something to watch.
The offseason appears all but wrapped up for the Knicks, coming off some housekeeping items in filling out their coaching staff and signing Mikal Bridges to an extension.
They still don’t have a full roster, however, with an open spot to sign one of their second-round picks and another to add a veteran on a minimum deal. The latter has been cause for speculation, with a few intriguing targets available and multiple needs the Knicks could potentially address.
Here are their options for the last veteran’s minimum spot and who might be the most valuable this season…
Ben Simmons
According to ClutchPoints’s Brett Siegel, the Knicks are favorites to land Simmons, the former first overall pick, Rookie of the Year and perennial All-NBA Defensive First Team selection.
Unfortunately, fans expecting that level of production are likely to be disappointed, as Simmons hasn’t been the same since his back issues and holdout season.
In fact, he hasn’t been a fraction of his former effectiveness. In his three seasons since, Simmons hasn’t eclipsed 51 games played or seven points per game in those games, totaling twice as many turnovers as free throws.
Simmons can still push the ball off a defensive rebound and bring it up in the half-court, but has lost all aggressiveness on offense. He rarely looks to drive and when he does, it’s rare he actually attacks the rim with any real intent to score or draw in the defense.
He can screen and make connective plays from there, a tantalizing prospect under Mike Brown’s Domantas Sabonis playbook — but this and some decent defense won’t make him anything more than a spot minutes specialist.
Even his defense has slid off a cliff, lacking the foot speed to stay with quicker guards and the verticality and imposition around the rim to protect it. There’s a reason his playoff minutes quickly descended to multiple DNP’s as the Clippers learned of his decline the hard way.
That said, none of the available options are the swing piece between the Knicks winning a championship and falling short, and Simmons represents the highest upside and biggest frame of the bunch, which makes his case viable.
Malcolm Brogdon
New York beefed up its guard position with the addition of Jordan Clarkson, rounding out their rotation of Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride and Tyler Kolek. Kolek looked the part as a break-glass-in-emergency point guard last season, and is in line to fill that role as the team’s fourth guard this year.
If the Knicks have any reservations, signing Brogdon would be a nice insurance policy on their backcourt options. Like Simmons, he’s likely past his prime but can provide some reliable playmaking.
Unlike Simmons, he’s only two years removed from winning Sixth Man of the Year and currently has some more credible NBA skills. Brogdon is a career 38.8 percent shooter from three and has evolved into more of a distributor in his last few seasons.
His numbers have been otherwise unimpressive as of late, but he’s spent two years mired in unclear roles in rebuilding situations. Putting him in position to help more sporadically for a championship chaser may be just the thing he needs to have a strong year.
This minimum contract may be better utilized at a position of more value or need, as the Knicks can always lean on Kolek or their non-guards to facilitate. If they’re dead-set on a guard, Brogdon isn’t their only option.
May 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) runs down the court after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half during game one of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Russell Westbrook
Westbrook looks like a long shot, given rumors don’t tie him to New York and there’s no clear path to consistent minutes in this rotation. With that being said, he’s proven much more impactful than Brogdon or Simmons in recent years, and would be an absolute firecracker of an add if the Knicks pulled it off.
What Westbrook’s lost in athleticism and scoring efficiency, he’s learned to make up for with his defensive tenacity and high-motor play. He does not take a play, let alone a game, off, and is always full tempo when he’s on the court.
These are valuable things to bring off your bench, especially in a limited role on a small deal, it’s just unlikely Westbrook takes one with three guards ahead of him on the depth chart. Fun to think about, especially in the context of a slower Knicks team, but not much else to consider here.
Thomas Bryant
One position the Knicks may want to heavily consider using this spot for is the center spot. Their current rotation is made up of Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti, and if they start the double-big lineup, this essentially leaves them one backup five to start the year.
They have interesting alternative options at the center like sliding newly-signed Guerschon Yabusele down a position or playing OG Anunoby there, and can always move Robinson back to the bench. However, signing a depth piece at the position like Thomas Bryant gives them more security in case injuries hit.
Fans will remember Bryant from his timely threes against the Knicks in the conference finals. He’s now bounced between five teams in his eight-year NBA career, but can step in in a pinch with some offensive rebounding and rim deterrence.
A report from Kevin Martorano of Sportando stated that Bryant may be packing his bags for Greece, in which case the Knicks may need to turn to another center option. Other names they can target are Bol Bol and Bismack Biyombo.
Landry Shamet
Another thing this roster could use is some pure shooting, as their two offensive hubs are also their best shooters, and their role players could sometimes be iffy from range. Their two bench pickups this offseason are reliable, but nothing extraordinary from there either.
Enter Shamet, who was one of New York’s best bench pieces in 2024-25.
If he’s interested in returning on a veteran’s minimum without assured playing time, the Knicks would happily welcome back his career 38.5 percent clip from deep.
Unlike some of these other options, Shamet has some positional flexibility, with the ability to play and guard one through three. He was clutch in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, shooting 7-15 from three in the series and playing some stifling defense after not playing for essentially the entire postseason.
There’s also Delon Wright, who’s still a free agent after giving the Knicks dependable spot minutes in last year’s regular season and playoffs. He’d be another worthwhile signing if they’re looking to go smaller and more defensive.
It’s good to see that Luka Doncic was rewarded with an extension for working hard to attain a better game-playing weight. Next he must work to get better at playing defense so the Lakers will be rewarded with more victories.
Mark Sherwin Los Angeles
Laker nation stop and take a deep breath. Lakers fans love, and are extremely happy, to have Luka Doncic wearing the purple and gold.
However, let’s not forget LeBron James, a bona fide NBA MVP championship player on the team sporting four championship rings on his fingers and four MVPs.
James’ leadership on the floor in 2025-2026 is the only way the Lakers can challenge for, and be expected to win, another NBA championship. Every player on the team knows that. So do we, the fans.
Donald Peppars Pomona
Lakers guard Luka Doncic, right, is congratulated by forward LeBron James after scoring against the Clippers during a game last season. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Move Mookie
We all love Mookie Betts. But right now, he is a liability batting in the top of the order. You have to move him down until he figures it out. Hopefully soon.
R.D. McCall Fallbrook
Mookie’s loss of power is understandable what with the weight loss and other injuries. In the absence of power, he can help the team by being a patient hitter, getting on base, moving runners, etc. In time his power might come back but even if it doesn’t, he can still be a valuable offensive presence.
D.G. Artis Woodland Hills
I know that Mookie Betts has tried everything physically possible to get out of his slump. But, as a retired optometrist, I would like to recommend a complete eye examination to find his mojo again. It has worked for Max Muncy and Kiké Hernández. Four eyes are always better than two eyes.
Of course Mathew Stafford has a bad back. He has four small children!
George Metalsky Redondo Beach
Conflict of interest
The NFL’s acquisition of an equity stake in ESPN raises conflict-of-interest questions. Can ESPN be trusted to investigate issues like CTE in former NFL players or whether owners are engaged in collusion?
This deal might assure ESPN of playing Johnny Pearson’s “Heavy Action” Monday Night Football theme for years to come. But anyone who takes sports journalism seriously should view it with grave concern.
Stephen A. Silver San Francisco
Officially concerned
Thanks for the great Sunday article by Ira Gorawara (and photos) about the current state of affairs regarding officiating in the WNBA.
What is going on with refereeing in the WNBA and why leave so much talent sitting on the bench due to injuries? Let’s support and train the refs like the NBA and let the women play basketball (Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Plum, Cameron Brink and many others).
The fans want to watch the game, not the refs. Who is controlling the whistle?
Joan C. Fingon Ventura
Kudos and criticism
I’m nominating Eric Sondheimer for the high school sports reporting Nobel prize.
Gary Wilson Murrieta
We need more Houston Mitchell! I love his style and insight in his Dodgers Dugout newsletter. He is always a great read.
Lance Oedekerk Upland
Instead of writing about parking lot rate increases and sex toys, how about more sports news.
The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.
Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer were selected four picks apart in the 2006 MLB Draft, have both won three Cy Young Awards and are still adding to their Hall of Fame résumés, with their latest chapters coming in the same game Friday.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays veterans started against each other for the fifth time of their 19-year professional careers. As many have noted recently, their first clash came Sept. 7, 2008, when they were both late additions after two other future Hall of Famers — Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux — were both scratched.
It was the first time in MLB history two pitchers started against each other as rookies and went on to accumulate at least 3,000 strikeouts each, per MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.
On Friday, it was Kershaw who got the better of Scherzer in a battle of first-place teams. Both pitchers threw six innings each, but Kershaw allowed one run fewer in a 5-1 Dodgers win.
The decisive hit came in the fifth inning off Scherzer, from another Hall of Famer in Mookie Betts. The former MVP broke his recent slump with a two-run homer, his first long ball since July 7.
Kershaw getting the win ties him with his former Dodgers teammate at 218 career wins. The start also saw him strike out Vladimir Guerrero Jr., which is notable because Kershaw faced Guerrero’s father Vladimir Sr. when he was 21 years old.
Clayton Kershaw strikes out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to cap off a scoreless 1st inning 😤 pic.twitter.com/il9fPPXzzw
Scherzer and Kershaw are the 19th and 20th pitchers to reach 3,000 strikeouts in their career, with Kershaw reaching the milestone earlier this season. Per MLB.com, Friday was only the fourth time in MLB history that two pitchers with 3,000 punch-outs already on their ledger faced each other. The other three:
• Sept. 6, 2023: Scherzer vs. Justin Verlander • Sept. 16, 2007: Curt Schilling vs. Roger Clemens • July 19, 2006: Greg Maddux vs. Clemens
Neither pitcher has performed to their previous Cy Young standards this year, which isn’t exactly a surprise when Scherzer is 41 years old and Kershaw is 37. Scherzer holds a 4.21 ERA this season, on pace for his worst mark since 2011 when he was still figuring things out with the Detroit Tigers. Kershaw has remained effective when healthy with a 3.14 ERA, but it’s also been six years since he pitched 140 innings in a season.
When they’re facing each other, it doesn’t really matter. Fans in attendance will be able to say they saw a game between Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer, and it’s that kind of memory on which baseball is built. It’s why fans were eagerly awaiting that Johnson-Maddux matchup 17 years ago, then got something even more interesting.
Williams again showed that the Yankees likely have to consider another option to close out games, serving up a two-run home run to Taylor Trammell in the 10th inning of a 5-3 loss to the Houston Astros on Friday.
Taking over for Luke Weaver in the 10th, Williams allowed a leadoff single to Carlos Correa that drove in automatic runner Jose Altuve for a 3-2 lead. In Williams’ defense, Correa reached for a low changeup that he smacked into center field. But he then retired Christian Walker and Yainer Diaz. With two outs, the Yankees had a chance to escape the inning down by only one run.
However, Williams then left an 82.1 mph changeup out over the plate that Trammell launched into the right-center field seats to give the Astros a 5-2 lead. No defending that one. Williams made a bad pitch.
He struck out Mauricio Dubón on a 94.6 mph fastball high out of the strike zone to end the inning, but the damage was done. The Yankees got a run back on an RBI single by Anthony Volpe. Yet Josh Hader retired Paul Goldschmidt and Trent Grisham, with a Giancarlo Stanton walk in between, to finish the game and giving the Yankees their sixth loss in the past seven games.
Taylor Trammell makes it a 3-run 10th inning for the @Astros!
With the two earned runs allowed Friday, Williams has now allowed 28 this season. That is more than the 26 earned runs he gave up altogether during the previous three seasons, from 2022-24.
In his past five appearances, Williams has given up eight runs in 4 2/3 innings. Overall, he has a 5.73 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 44 innings and three blown saves this season.
Following the game, Boone was asked why he didn’t keep Weaver in the game to pitch the 10th, as the Astros did with Hader. He said Weaver walking Jesús Sánchez on a seven-pitch at-bat to extend the ninth essentially took that option away.
“I feel like we’ve gotten Weave in such a good spot now. With that righty middle lane coming there and him being at 20 pitches or whatever, we gotta use our guys,” Boone said, via The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner.
“When you go a five-inning outing, you gotta be able to finish it off with the guys, just because somebody’s struggling,” he added. “I wasn’t going to go once he lost Sánchez and the inning extended. It kind of took him out of play for the second inning.”
Next week, the 2025-26 NBA schedule will come out, but some of the highlights always tend to leak out first.
One of those is Christmas Day — a showcase day that has always featured the biggest names and best teams in the NBA. This Christmas will be no different, if the schedule reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania is correct (and it almost certainly is):
• Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks • San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder • Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers • Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors • Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets
Here are a few quick thoughts on that list:
• Once again the NBA has leaned into its older generation of stars — LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant — but it has done a better job of making sure the up-and-coming generation is in the spotlight, too. We are getting Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, Cooper Flagg, Amen Thompson, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Darius Garland. It’s better than past years, certainly better than recycling Giannis Antetokounmpo and a Bucks team with a lot of question marks just for the star power.
• There are only two Eastern Conference teams on that list, the opening game of the day between the Knicks and Cavaliers. What that speaks to is the perceived gap heading into this season between the deep West and the East in a season where Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton will not be playing on Christmas Day as they recover from torn Achilles (if those guys had been healthy and those teams didn’t try to save money by trading away or letting key players walk, the Celtics and Pacers would have been busy on Christmas).
• That Cavaliers vs. Knicks game might be the best game of the day.
• During last season’s NBA Finals, both the Thunder and Pacers cited not being invited to play on Christmas Day as motivation for them during the season. Which team could be that squad this year? Keep an eye on young star Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic, they should have been on the bubble for making it to this day. Cade Cunningham and Detroit, as well as Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks, could also use this as fuel.
• Did the NBA miss an opportunity by having Luka Doncic’s current and former teams both playing on Christmas but not facing each other?
• Wembanyama and the Spurs against the defending champion Thunder could be the NBA’s best rivalry for the rest of this decade, putting in a prime slot on Christmas Day speaks to how the league office sees it that way.
Jent, fresh off winning the NBA Summer League championship by coaching the Hornets to a 6-0 record, joins Brown’s staff after one season as an assistant with Charles Lee in Charlotte. He has been an NBA assistant coach with eight teams over 17 seasons, mixing in stints as a head coach for the D-League’s Bakersfield Jam and an assistant with Ohio State, his alma mater.
Following a four-year playing career with the Buckeyes, Jent played in the CBA and in Italy, Spain and Greece, in addition to brief stops with the Houston Rockets and Knicks.
Previously, Brown pursued New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego for his No. 1 assistant, but the Pelicans would not let him out of his contract to make a lateral move. Brown’s next choice was Indiana Pacers assistant Mike Weinar, but he stayed on Rick Carlisle’s staff and kept his family in Indianapolis.
Brown reportedly quickly moved on to Jent, who will fill an “offensive coordinator” role as associate head coach on the Knicks’ staff. Brendan O’Connor will be the “defensive coordinator,” leaving Tyronn Lue’s staff with the Los Angeles Clippers to join Brown.
The Knicks hired Brown as their head coach last month after firing Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau was fired following his fifth season despite coaching the team to its first conference finals in 25 years. New York was then prevented from interviewing several established coaches including Jason Kidd, Ime Udoka, Quin Snyder, Chris Finch and Billy Donovan.
Rick Brunson, Jordan Brink, Mark Bryant, Maurice Cheeks and Darren Erman remain from Thibodeau’s staff, while Brown has added Charles Allen and Riccardo Fois from his former staff with the Sacramento Kings, in addition to O’Connor and Jent.
Jent, fresh off winning the NBA Summer League championship by coaching the Hornets to a 6-0 record, joins Brown’s staff after one season as an assistant with Charles Lee in Charlotte. He has been an NBA assistant coach with eight teams over 17 seasons, mixing in stints as a head coach for the D-League’s Bakersfield Jam and an assistant with Ohio State, his alma mater.
Following a four-year playing career with the Buckeyes, Jent played in the CBA and in Italy, Spain and Greece, in addition to brief stops with the Houston Rockets and Knicks.
Previously, Brown pursued New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego for his No. 1 assistant, but the Pelicans would not let him out of his contract to make a lateral move. Brown’s next choice was Indiana Pacers assistant Mike Weinar, but he stayed on Rick Carlisle’s staff and kept his family in Indianapolis.
Brown reportedly quickly moved on to Jent, who will fill an “offensive coordinator” role as associate head coach on the Knicks’ staff. Brendan O’Connor will be the “defensive coordinator,” leaving Tyronn Lue’s staff with the Los Angeles Clippers to join Brown.
The Knicks hired Brown as their head coach last month after firing Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau was fired following his fifth season despite coaching the team to its first conference finals in 25 years. New York was then prevented from interviewing several established coaches including Jason Kidd, Ime Udoka, Quin Snyder, Chris Finch and Billy Donovan.
Rick Brunson, Jordan Brink, Mark Bryant, Maurice Cheeks and Darren Erman remain from Thibodeau’s staff, while Brown has added Charles Allen and Riccardo Fois from his former staff with the Sacramento Kings, in addition to O’Connor and Jent.
No question about it: Spencer Rattler is starting at quarterback in Sunday’s New Orleans Saints preseason game with the Los Angeles Chargers, head coach Kellen Moore announced after practice on Friday. Moore was careful to say this doesn’t mean Rattler will start the regular season in September, but this is a big step towards the second-year pro achieving that. He also didn’t rule out a different quarterback starting the second preseason game next week. Rattler must prove he’s the best option in the building.
This is a big opportunity for Rattler to rewrite the narrative around him, too. He started six games and played half of another one last year as a rookie, but he didn’t win any of them while throwing more interceptions (5) than touchdowns (4). If he can assert himself here, make better decisions with the football, and stand out against the players on top of L.A.’s depth chart, he might give Saints fans someone to believe in.
And Tyler Shough is pushing him. The rookie second-round draft pick will take the field after Rattler on Sunday before handing off to Jake Haener later on. Shough has been making strides at practice and visibly growing more comfortable as he gets more reps. If he turns a corner and looks like the best choice, he could be the Week 1 starter. But right now Rattler is still a little ahead of him. And the quarterback is fired up.
“Super excited, awesome opportunity,” Rattler told reporters after practice. “Excited to get out there with the guys. Try to play some clean ball, try to score some points. Have some fun with the guys out there.”
