Crossover World

  On the final day of Summer League in Las Vegas, the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers faced off in the championship game in front of a crowded Thomas & Mack Center. Both teams entered the title game with a 3-1 record, but it was the Trail Blazers who came out on top, beating the Knicks 85-77. This was the second time the Blazers won a Summer League championship, the last one being in 2018.  Blazers forward Trendon Watford was named MVP for the championship game after finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists. Brandon Williams led Portland in scoring, finishing with 22 points and five assists, while Jabari Walker tacked on 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. The Knicks were led by Quentin Grimes, who put up 19 points, with Miles McBride adding on 17 points and six rebounds. Here are three takeaways from the Summer League championship game.  1. Watford takes over in the fourth The Trail Blazers ended the third quarter with a 14-point lead,

  We are well over a week into NBA free agency now, and Kevin Durant has yet to find a new home. Since making his trade request earlier this summer, signings and trades have slowed to a stop as the entire league waits for the Nets to make their next move. At this point, however, the Nets are sending some hints that Durant might end up sticking around this season, which makes sense considering they have the most leverage in this situation. But according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, that messaging by Brooklyn might just be a negotiating tactic. "The Nets are going to work with him on it. I think as we talk now about the concept he could come back to the Nets, we need to remember that. So if you walk into our boss's office today and said 'I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to resign' he would try to talk you out of it. He does not want you to go. He has you under contract, he's expecting you to host 'Get Up' this fall for the NFL season. You would not expect

  This summer's NBA offseason has been all about trades, and we've already seen a number of blockbusters over the past few days. The biggest deals are yet to come, however, as the futures of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving's with the Brooklyn Nets hang in the balance.  As one of the best players in the league, and with four years left on his contract, Durant is expected to fetch one of the biggest trade returns in league history. The problem is that making such a trade is not easy. Only a few teams have the requisite talent and draft capital to make a deal, and do so without gutting their roster.  Ironically, one of them is the Golden State Warriors. Durant making a return to the Bay Area after his dramatic departure a few years ago would be quite a story, and even him and his former teammates haven't been able to avoid discussing the possibility. However, such an outcome is "highly unlikely," according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.  The Warriors supers

  The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers are making progress on a trade that would swap Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook, according to Chris Haynes. Other pieces would have to be involved, but there is "palpable optimism" that the two sides can figure out a deal this summer.  Irving recently opted into the final year of his deal worth $36.4 million but is expected to be traded after his star teammate Kevin Durant requested a trade from the Nets. "If Kevin Durant is on the first train out, Kyrie Irving will be on the caboose as far as the Nets are concerned," Brian Windhorst reported earlier this week.  Coming off a season in which he played just 29 games because he refused to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and given his previous injury history -- Irving hasn't played 70 games in a season since 2017 when he was still with the Cleveland Cavaliers -- the market for the mercurial guard is understandably not as robust as the one for Durant.  The Lakers, though, ha

  Kyrie Irving is one of the best point guards in the league, and there's no doubt that he is an extremely talented ballhandler with the ability to score on all three levels. However, many have criticized him this year for his unreliability, and there was a lot of drama for the Brooklyn Nets due to Kyrie Irving being a part-time playe Despite his talent, it is quite possible that Kyrie Irving will end up leaving the Brooklyn Nets. It was recently reported that the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers are discussing a trade regarding the point guar "Lakers are currently negotiating a trade for Kyrie Irving involving 'Russell Westbrook, a first-round pick and a pick swap with maybe another player involved, maybe Joe Harris. Recently, Kyrie Irving posted a tweet that could be interpreted as him being ready to leave the Brooklyn Nets. The Tweet featured a bird flying out of a cage, and the symbolism there is very obviou It remains to be seen where Kyrie Irving will end up.