Basketball

The WNBA playoffs have begun, with the league's top teams opening first-round series as fans and analysts debate title contenders. Discussion is focusing on standout players, coaching matchups, and which franchise will take home the championship this season.

NBA.com has published a comprehensive tracker listing every free agency signing, contract extension and trade for all 30 NBA teams during the offseason. The roundup gives fans a single reference point for roster moves league-wide as teams reshape their squads ahead of the new season.

Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokić is reportedly set to sign what would be the second-largest contract in NBA history, according to insider Kevin O'Connor. The deal would keep the Serbian MVP in Denver, where he led the franchise to its first championship in 2023. Fans are debating whether the three-time MVP deserves a record-setting extension as he enters his prime years.

NBA training camps are set to open this week, with Media Day scheduled in most cities on Monday and the first practices following on Tuesday. The sessions mark the unofficial start of the new NBA season, giving teams their first full gatherings since the offseason and offering media and fans an early look at rosters, trades and expectations ahead of preseason play.

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns has turned down multiple contract offers worth between $45 million and $50 million per year, according to SNY, as extension talks continue. Towns is currently set to earn $57 million. Fans and analysts are debating whether he is holding out for a richer deal or weighing his long-term future with the franchise.

A former Kentucky Wildcats standout has been traded in the final days before the NBA preseason tips off, according to Yahoo Sports. The report did not specify the player, the teams involved, or the trade's terms, and further details had not yet been confirmed.

The NBA has reportedly sent a joint project offer to EuroLeague, according to Hoops Rumors. Details of the proposal, including its scope and how EuroLeague clubs might respond, have not been disclosed. The move could signal a deepening relationship between the two competitions at a time when European basketball is weighing its commercial and competitive future.

Groups bidding to bring an NBA expansion team to Las Vegas are waiting for the league's next deadline in the expansion process. The city has long been floated as a leading candidate for a new NBA franchise, and interested ownership groups are preparing proposals as the league weighs its timeline. Attention now turns to when the NBA will set out its next steps for evaluating bids.

A 2024 clip of Isaiah Stewart punching Drew Eubanks in a pre-game altercation has resurfaced, drawing a fresh wave of reactions from NBA fans. Comments range from mockery of Eubanks for taking the hit to criticism of Stewart for swinging in the first place. The incident, which originally led to league discipline discussions, is being relitigated on social media.

Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti says he is 'excited' to watch Jared McCain take the next step in his NBA career with the team. The comments point to the Thunder's confidence in the young guard as he develops within the reigning powerhouse roster. Beyond Presti's remarks, no further details on McCain's role or the club's plans have been reported.

A new NBA player rankings list places Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic behind three of the league's other top superstars, according to Yahoo Sports. The placement is drawing debate among basketball fans, with many arguing where the Slovenian guard truly belongs among the NBA's elite heading into the new season.

Houston Rockets star Amen Thompson has publicly outlined a clear goal for his NBA future, according to Sports Illustrated. The young guard has emerged as a key piece of the Rockets' core, and his stated ambition is drawing attention from fans and analysts watching Houston's rise as a contender.

The Detroit Pistons have waived a veteran guard as they finalise their roster ahead of the new NBA season. The move frees up a spot on the team's roster as the club continues reshaping its squad, though the identity of the guard and financial details were not disclosed in the initial report.

The Detroit Pistons reportedly pursued three NBA superstar players in an effort to build a winning supporting cast around franchise guard Cade Cunningham. The report, picked up by BasketNews, sheds light on the team's off-season ambitions as it tries to accelerate its rebuild and return to playoff contention in the Eastern Conference.

ESPN has released its top-100 player rankings for the 2026-27 NBA season, and attention is turning to how many Oklahoma City Thunder players made the list. The Thunder, coming off a championship-caliber stretch, are expected to be well represented, sparking debate among fans about placement and snubs.

The Miami Heat are adding NBA veteran guard Dennis Smith Jr., with the former lottery pick expected to be assigned to the club's G League affiliate, according to the Sun Sentinel. Smith, once a first-round selection of the Dallas Mavericks, gives Miami backcourt depth as the team continues shaping its roster during the season.

The Miami Heat have given veteran guard Dennis Smith Jr. a training camp invitation, according to the Miami Herald. The move gives the former first-round pick a chance to compete for a roster spot ahead of the new NBA season, as Miami looks to add depth to its backcourt.

Las Vegas Aces and Indiana Fever are set to meet in the WNBA playoffs, with attention on Aces star A'ja Wilson, who says she is focused despite a lingering back injury. She described her mindset as "still got a job to do" as the post-season begins, with the series shaping up as one of the talking points of the opening round.

A new cryptography paper describes forging 1024-bit RSA signatures in nearly the time a special number field sieve would take, raising questions about the security margin of legacy RSA key sizes still used in older systems and certificates. The work is being discussed by security engineers weighing whether 1024-bit RSA should now be considered practically broken and how quickly remaining deployments should migrate to 2048-bit or larger keys.

The Charlotte Hornets have traded veteran guard Buddy Hield to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for young guard Rob Dillingham. The deal pairs a proven outside shooter with a developing playmaker as both franchises adjust their rosters. It signals Charlotte continuing to invest in youth, while Chicago adds experience and scoring depth to its backcourt.

A new analysis argues Joel Embiid has simultaneously never mattered less and never mattered more to the Philadelphia 76ers' success. The piece explores the tension between the team's ability to compete around its star and its continued dependence on his health and production to reach its ceiling.

On this day in 2020, the Boston Celtics were eliminated from the Eastern Conference Finals, falling to the Miami Heat in six games inside the NBA's pandemic bubble at Walt Disney World in Florida. The series, played without fans amid COVID-19 restrictions, marked Miami's return to the NBA Finals and ended Boston's bid for a first championship since 2008.