🏀 Not Again, James!

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It’s free agency season! Well, sort of. Team and player options are being picked up left and right, a former MVP is about to get traded, and our heart rate is through the roof just thinking about the days ahead. This week has been the free agency pregame, if you will, so grab some… apple juice and enjoy the party!

Today’s Lineup

Hard(en) Knocks 🫢: James Harden picked up his player option, but he’ll be on the move…

Under the Radar 📺: Quick notes about some of this offseason’s less flashy moves so far.

Around the W ⭐️: Two games and four players to keep your eye on this weekend!

Let’s honor the Bulls, who just brought back Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond, with a trivia question. ⬇️

Jarritos

The NBA season may be over, but our thirst for Jarritos is year-round!

Whether you’re a Magic, Bulls, or Heat fan, we can all agree on one thing: Jarritos is the best drink to have waiting in the fridge when the game starts.

There’s no wrong way to enjoy Jarritos. From Pineapple to Watermelon to Mango, there’s a flavor for everyone! 🥭 🍍 🍉

There’s truly nothing like enjoying a cold Jarritos. With no high fructose corn syrup, it’s certainly not your average soda.

Go pick up a Fiesta Pack today 🎊 and see what all the hype is about!

Free Agency Frenzy

Free agency is already chaotic, and it hasn’t even really started yet! On Wednesday, the new 676-page collective bargaining agreement was released with major implications regarding this year’s offseason, especially free agency.

Cut to every NBA front office scanning this monstrous document just three days before the biggest contract day of the year:

Harden’s Headin’ Out (Probably)

On Thursday, it was announced that James Harden will be picking up his 35.6M option and will work with the 76ers to explore trade scenarios. 😧

Woj said it’s “expected” that Harden has played his last game as a Sixer, and we all know that Woj tells no lies. The Clippers and the Knicks are expected to be among the teams that’ll engage in trade talks, and we think both options are exciting. The Clippers could finally get that facilitating lead guard that has evaded them all these years. But what’s even more exciting? THE KNICKS COULD ADD ANOTHER LEFTY!

The Ever-Unpredictable Kyrie Irving

Speaking of chaotic ex-Nets, the jury is still out on Kyrie Irving’s next destination. It’s possible that the purple and gold are on the horizon, but wouldn’t it make sense to give next year a shot with Luka Doncic in Dallas? And then there were murmurs about… Phoenix??? Cole Anthony had the exact same reaction that we did to Chris Haynes’ rumor:

Free Agency Quick Hitters

• Nikola Vucevic is returning to Chicago on a 3 year/$60M deal. We’re sure Kenny is over the moon!

• The Sacramento Kings and Harrison Barnes agreed on a 3 year/$54M extension. Get your bag, HB!

• The Timberwolves declined Taurean Prince’s $7.4M team option, and he found out via Woj…

• Josh Hart 🍼 exercised his $12.9M option for next season. Another year with Villanova frenemy Jalen Brunson!

• The Lakers declined Malik Beasley’s option and released Mo Bamba, but LA plans to stay in contact with both of them. We honestly think they’d be a great fit to stay in Staples Center—no wait, Crypto.com—wait…

• Andre “Dennis Rodman” Drummond picked up his $3.36M player option to return to Chicago. What do you think of this one, Kenny?

• Cleveland fully guaranteed Cedi Osman’s $6.7M deal for next year. Can you believe this kid is the longest tenured Cavalier on the roster?!

• The Clippers waived Eric Gordon, and he waved back! Kidding. What isn’t a joke is that Los Angeles just saved themselves $110M in luxury tax!

• Victor Oladipo opted into his $9.4M deal with Miami. Hopefully he gets back to form soon! 🙏

• The Pistons picked up Alec Burks’ $10.5M option. He or Bojan Bogdanovic could really help a contender down the stretch…

• And finally… the Sacramento Kings swung for the fences and picked up Kessler Edwards’ $1.9M team option. A league-changing move.

Around the W with Crina

Happy long weekend! There are a lot of exciting WNBA matchups this weekend, but here are our two must-watch games!

Connecticut Sun vs Las Vegas Aces: Saturday, July 1 at 3 pm ET on ABC

The Sun and Aces are two of the top teams in the league, and this may very well be a playoff matchup at some point in the fall. The Aces have been incredibly impressive so far this year, and the Sun have been able to stay dangerous despite losing key player Brionna Jones. 

Players to watch:

Sun: Alyssa Thomas

The rest of the All-Star rosters are set to be announced before this game, and although she didn’t make it as a starter, we imagine Thomas will have her name called as a reserve. AT was just named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week after recording two triple-doubles to become the league’s all-time triple-double leader!

Aces: Chelsea Gray

If you haven’t seen this dime from Gray by now, stop what you’re doing and click on the video.

Gray is absolutely incredible as a floor general and shooter, and she has led Las Vegas to the top of the standings alongside Jackie Young and A’ja Wilson. Tune in to this one to watch some fun offense!

Chicago Sky vs Indiana Fever: Sunday, July 2 at 4 pm ET on ESPN3

Chicago finally got back on track with a win against the Sparks this week after dropping six games in a row. However, that doesn’t make this matchup against Indiana any easier. Both teams are in playoff contention this year, so every matchup between them counts.

Players to watch:

Sky: Courtney Williams

Williams went off in the Sky’s win against Los Angeles, putting up 21 points and 9 rebounds on 60% shooting from the field and 75% from three. Her efficient scoring nights will be vital for Chicago’s success as a team.

Fever: Aliyah Boston

Miss Aliyah Boston has looked fantastic this season. The number one overall draft pick was announced as an All-Star starter last week, adding to her already-impressive rookie performance. Make sure you tune in to watch her thrive!

Frozen Moments

• Charles Barkley surprised Ernie Johnson on live TV with the news that he’ll be inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame! 🥹

• Bradley Beal gave his intro press conference in Phoenix and praised KD & Book.

• NGL, Porzingis looks kinda weird in the green and white… 😅

What We’re Enjoying

Enjoy Basketball founder Kenny Beecham interviewed Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in Inside the NBA’s famed Studio J! We’re so proud of our guy! Who’s cutting onions? 🥲

Plus, take a fun trip down memory lane with us on Instagram and swipe through our favorite free agency shenanigans:

Signing Off

We’ll cut it off here. Who knows what we’ll have to talk about on Monday after free agency gets underway for real. What we do know is that it’ll be hilariously dramatic, as the NBA always is, and we’ll be Enjoy-ing it right alongside y’all!

-Conor Geelan

Trivia Answer: Ol’ Captain Kirk Hinrich has played the most games as a Bull since 2000, with 748! That’s over 100 more than the next player!

Before you go…