NBA

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> The NBA announced new 11-year TV deals with incumbent ESPN and newcomers NBC and Amazon Prime Video, rejecting TNT Sports’ right to match, which could lead to a legal battle between the network and the league, according to sources briefed on the deal.

> The forthcoming agreements with ESPN, NBC and Amazon are not set to begin until the 2025-26 season, meaning TNT could go into this season, its final under its current contract, with the specter of suing the league it is covering.

> The agreements, announced Wednesday, also include the WNBA, which is expected to receive a total of $2.2 billion over 11 years.

> TNT Sports, according to sources briefed on the matter, has honed its sights on Amazon’s streaming-only agreement, which includes the playoffs, six conference finals, the In-Season Tournament and regular season action. Amazon’s deal is for around $1.93 billion per year, according to sources briefed on the precise numbers. Amazon will also continue to air the WNBA.

> “Warner Bros. Discovery’s most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video’s offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-term arrangement with Amazon,” the NBA said in a statement.

> TNT Sports has informed the NBA it plans to use its matching rights to continue broadcasting the league games. The network is targeting the 11-year package signed by Amazon Prime Video, sources briefed on the move said.

> While TNT has the contractual right to match an offer, per its current contract, the NBA is expected to decline the network’s right to take the agreed-upon Amazon package, sources briefed on the NBA’s plans said. The league’s preference is to honor the $1.8 billion per year contract it agreed to with Amazon.

"Obviously, I got my home country, Cameroon, which I love, and the U.S., where I've been for 14 years now, and then France, where I have a lot of family," Embiid said. "I kind of felt rushed in that decision. I wanted to take as much time as possible, and it didn't help that France had put an ultimatum on when the decision had to be made."

Embiid said he wasn't aware there was a timeline, but he "saw it on Twitter" and was surprised because the U.S. was willing to give him as much time as necessary to make a decision.

The Los Angeles Clippers are sending guard Russell Westbrook, a second-round pick swap and cash to the Utah Jazz in a sign-and-trade agreement for guard Kris Dunn.

> Shortly after the playoffs, Middleton underwent surgery on his left ankle to address an issue that plagued him throughout this past season. Per those sources, the procedure cleaned up some of the lingering damage that stemmed from the left ankle sprain Middleton suffered on Feb. 6 when he landed on Phoenix Sunsforward Kevin Durant’s foot after attempting a jumper. Durant was assessed a flagrant 1 penalty for the closeout.

Damn that’s really unfortunate, hope he’s able to come back strong next year.

Important Tournament Dates:

Group Play Begins: Nov. 12

Semifinals: Dec. 14

Final: Dec. 17

***

Groups

Western Conference Group A:

• Minnesota Timberwolves
• Los Angeles Clippers
• Sacramento Kings
• Houston Rockets
• Portland Trail Blazers

Group B:

• Oklahoma City Thunder
• Phoenix Suns
• Los Angeles Lakers
• Utah Jazz
• San Antonio Spurs

Group C:

• Denver Nuggets
• Dallas Mavericks
• New Orleans Pelicans
• Golden State Warriors
• Memphis Grizzlies

Eastern Conference Group A:

• New York Knicks
• Orlando Magic
• Philadelphia 76ers
• Brooklyn Nets
• Charlotte Hornets

Group B:

• Milwaukee Bucks
• Indiana Pacers
• Miami Heat
• Toronto Raptors
• Detroit Pistons

Group C:

• Boston Celtics
• Cleveland Cavaliers
• Chicago Bulls
• Atlanta Hawks
• Washington Wizards

> Similar to the 2023 edition of the tournament, teams will participate in group play on Tuesdays and Fridays from Nov. 12 through Dec. 3. The teams at the top of each group will advance to the single-elimination knockout rounds, while one wild card team from each conference will also be included.

Found a better explanation:

From Nov. 12 to Dec. 3, each team will play four games — one game against each team in its group (two at home and two on the road). Eight teams will advance to the knockout rounds (six group winners and two wild-card teams in each conference) consisting of single-elimination games in the quarterfinals, followed by the semifinals and championship. The championship will be held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

> The NBA and network executives finalized contracts that will make NBC and Amazon Prime Video new partners, while maintaining ABC/ESPN as the home of the NBA Finals, under agreements that will extend for 11 seasons and be worth $76 billion, according to executives with direct knowledge of the deals.

> While the NBA and its partner agreed to all the language, incumbent TNT Sports continues to threaten to match. The CEO of TNT Sports’ parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, has publicly stated he may attempt to use language in the current contract to remain involved with the NBA. If Zaslav goes through with that, he is expected to target Amazon’s package.

RIP Inside the NBA it was great while it lasted. Another great thing Zaslav has ruined.

> The list of teams that are hard capped: $178.1M- 1st Apron

• Atlanta (sign-and-trade)
• Brooklyn (sign-and-trade)
• Charlotte (sent out cash)
• Chicago (non- tax ML)
• Dallas (sign/trade |Non-tax ML)
• Golden St. (sign/trade | Non-tax ML)
• Houston (biannual/prior TE)
• LA Clippers (non-tax ML)
• New Orleans (Expanded TE)
• OKC (Expanded TE)
• Sacramento (sign-and-trade)
• Toronto (Expanded TE)
• Washington (Expanded TE/sign-and-trade)

$188.9M- 2nd apron

• Charlotte (sent out cash)
• Denver (tax ML)
• Indiana (sent out cash)
• New York (aggregation)

> New Philadelphia 76ers star Paul Georgesaid a “disrespectful” initial contract offer and the lack of a no-trade clause were among the reasons he left his hometown LA Clippers after five seasons.

> George, who signed a four-year, $212 million contract to join the 76ers last week, said the Clippers initially offered him two years and $60 million last fall during in-season negotiations that he eventually tabled in February.

> “I’m like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,” George said on his podcast, “Podcast P.” “Two years, 60? That’s crazy! I’m not signing that.”

> When negotiations resumed after the season, George wanted a no-trade clause to go with a three-year, $150 million offer from the Clippers. But he said LA didn’t want to include a no-trade clause or a fourth season on the deal, leading to his decision to team up with NBA MVP center Joel Embiid and 2024 Most Improved Player recipient Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia.

Quoted most of it here but if anyone wants a 30-day Athletic pass to read the rest just pm me.

I know he was looking for a 4 year deal but the fact that he would’ve taken 3 if it included a no trade clause is new and a bit of a head scratcher that the Clippers were willing to let him walk over that. Presumably they offered him the 3 to match with Kawhi and the plan would be to have them play out the contacts to get people in the new stadium even if they’re not contenders. But it was pretty clear that this team wasn’t going far so maybe the tax bill was too high even for the Clippers.

Puts the Lakers under the 2nd Apron

Phila is actually trying to reach the finals