On June 30, Lebron James announced that he would not be joining the Lakers for another season. Since then, the media has speculated heavily about where he would eventually land.

At first, it seemed like the surest choice was that he would stay in California to join the Golden State Warriors. In the past, both James and Stephen Curry expressed interest in playing together, even if it was not likely. However, as the days pass, it is becoming less and less likely that he will go to Oakland, especially if Golden State can’t sign Anthony Davis.

A compelling choice for the aging athlete has always been to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. James started his career there in 2003, and after a brief stint in Miami came back and won the city its first NBA championship. He is certainly beloved by fans there, and if he joined the Cavs, it would offer his career a full circle moment. He would be able to finish his time in the NBA where it started. A potential starting lineup could be James, Harden, and Donovan Mitchell.

If we are talking about going back to past teams, the Miami Heat remains a viable option. Some people could argue that James had the most success during his time in Florida, winning two championships, two FMVPs, and two more MVPs. Along with that, Miami already has Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, which would take pressure off of James defensively. By teaming up with these two superstars, he could settle into a playmaking position, running the offense, which is widely considered one of his greatest strengths. If all players stay healthy and things go their way, this team could very well make a run for a championship.

Recently, the Philadelphia 76ers have entered the conversation as well. If he signed, James would be joining Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown. But, more than anything else, he seems to most want to go to the 76ers because of the possibility of teaming up with Tyrese Maxey whose skills would complement James’s. This team is already looking to be very strong for the 2026-2027 season and could only be made better with the addition of James.

Still, even with all this speculation, James’s agent, Rich Paul, has said the all-time legend will not be making a decision very soon and will be taking his time to think it over. One thing is clear, money is not going to be a major factor in his decision. Instead, James will probably be looking for a chance to truly cement his legacy and perhaps chase one last ring.

After eight seasons with the purple and gold, LeBron James will move on from the Lakers to don another team’s colors. Jeannie Buss, controlling owner, President, and Governor of the Lakers released a statement in response, thanking James for his many years with the team.

Where Will LeBron Play?

Speculation is rampant as to where James might land. The Golden State Warriors have been pushing hard to assemble a “Big Four” of James, Curry, Draymond Green, and Anthony Davis. Draymond Green recently declined a $27.7 million player option, presumably to make room for James under the non-taxpayer mid-level exception (MLE).

If the deal can be made to unite these four players, they would need to make a push for a championship this year. At 42 in December, it’s uncertain whether James will continue after this season, and the youngest of the four is Anthony Davis, at 33. That said, even with their advanced ages, I think they could be contenders, especially if they hang on to Porziņğis and he manages to stay healthy.

Still, it could prove hard to assemble this “Big Four”, as the Wizards are reportedly unwilling to trade Anthony Davis.

I, for one, would love to see James and Curry run it back after their 2024 Olympics collaboration. To see two of the greatest of all time play together during the regular season after facing each other so many times in the NBA Finals would be a treat.

For recent updates on the front-running team in the LeBron signing race, check out this post.

If someone asks you to play 52 Pick-Up, always say “no”. Unless you’re the Atlanta Hawks, and UNC’s Henri Veesaar is still around at the 52nd pick in the NBA draft. In that case, say “yes”, play the game, and hope you walk away with a winning hand.

A 6’11”, 227 lb center with solid junior year stats of 17 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, Veesaar was an anticipated late first-round pick. When he wasn’t chosen on the first night of the draft, experts assumed he would go early in the second round.

Apparently, Veesaar’s agents had alerted teams that he wouldn’t sign a two-way contract, and this caused him to fall further down the draft ladder. That drop allowed the Hawks to swoop in and get him. After trading their 57th pick and an undisclosed amount of cash for the LA Clippers’ 52nd pick, jumping ahead of the Knicks and Lakers (who both had their eyes on the Estonian big man), the Hawks were able to add Veesaar to the roster.

By foregoing his senior year of college, Veesaar reportedly will miss out on what could have been as much as $6 million in NIL money. Also, had he stayed in school an additional year, he likely would have gone higher in the 2027 NBA draft and received the two-year contract guaranteed to first-round picks.

While there aren’t any details available yet on Veesaar’s contract with the Hawks, we can hope that his agents didn’t steer him horribly wrong, and his NBA contract will help recoup some of his potential NIL earnings.

NBA Outlook for Veesaar

Veesaar provides what the Hawks hoped, but failed, to get from Krystaps Porziņğis last season — a stretch big man who can shoot, pass, and defend the paint. Porziņğis obviously has all of these capabilities and is a proven superstar when on the court, but unfortunately, he couldn’t stay healthy during his time with the Hawks.

Like Porziņğis, Veesar has a nice outside shooting touch. He hit 42% of his threes last year and made 60% of his off-the-dribble shots at the NBA combine, ranking third out of all players who participated. Aside from outside shooting, he shows a soft touch near the basket but can also finish strong at the rim. In short, he has the type of inside-out game coveted in so many of today’s most effective big men.

As for challenges in adjusting to the NBA game, Veesaar will face stronger, faster, and more physical opponents. He’ll need to add strength in the offseason and over the course of his early NBA years to compete at the pro level. This is the story with many NBA rookies, though, and at only 22, he has plenty of time to bulk up.

To fit into the Hawks rotation, Veesaar will have to work for his spot. He’ll likely see relatively little playing time initially as a third-string center behind Jock Landale and Onyeka Okongwu. The Hawks can give him time to develop in G League play, if they choose, but he will still count toward one of their 15 roster spots.

Overall, I’m optimistic about Veesaar’s NBA potential as he develops over the next couple of years. I’m not saying he’ll be a future MVP, but as we’ve seen with Nikola Jokić, you can’t count a player out just because he isn’t explosively athletic and doesn’t get drafted until the second round.

As with one of the Hawks’ other picks, Zuby Ejiofor, I like that Veesaar has shown improvement year-over-year. In his first two seasons at Arizona, he averaged 2.4 points and 9.4 points, respectively. That kind of steady improvement hints at his work ethic, and you can feel the dedication from Veesaar himself as he discusses the journey from his native country, Estonia, to the NBA.

In the Hawks’ initial press conference introducing their 2026 draft class, you can hear Onsi Saleh, Hawks President of Basketball Operations, echo this sentiment as he discusses the Hawks’ draft class college origins.

Looking at Veesaar’s work ethic, the rigors of his college program, and the Hawks’ focus on player development, Veesaar is in the right place to launch his NBA career. Nobody ever really “wins” 52 Pick-Up, but if the Hawks’ bet on Veesaar pays off, they might come closer than most.

In the 2026 first round of the draft, the Hawks fared much better than they did in 2024. That year, in a statistical shocker, the Hawks lucked into the 1st pick, having had only a 3% chance of landing the top spot. Unfortunately for them, it was the 1st pick in a draft class without a clear-cut frontrunner, lacking a franchise-defining prospect like Wembanyama in 2023.

With their 2024 pick, the Hawks selected a different Frenchman, Zachary Risacher. In his rookie year, Risacher was a solid contributor, averaging 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 24.6 minutes. He went on to have a career game in April of 2025, when he scored 38 points against the Brooklyn Nets.

The Hawks were hoping for a continued upward trajectory in Risacher's second year; unfortunately, his sophomore season lacked that same je ne sais quoi, and his stat line showed it. By the 2026 playoffs, he was coming off the bench, and only rarely, at that.

This year's draft class was a vast improvement over 2024, with much more talent and depth. With two first-round picks – the 8th (received via the Pelicans) and the 23rd – the Hawks had an opportunity to make solid additions to their squad.

So who did they pick?

8th pick – Kingston Flemings, 6'3", Houston Point Guard

With the 8th pick, the Hawks selected point guard Kingston Flemings, who averaged an impressive 16.1 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.1 rebounds in his single season as a Houston Cougar.

In Flemings, the Hawks get an ultra-athletic point whose quickness and explosiveness stood out at the draft combine. His max vertical of 40.5" was 10th overall and 3rd among guards. Impressive for sure, but speed is where he really shines. In measures of speed, he posted the 2nd-best shuttle run and the 3rd-best three-quarter sprint.

He put these physical gifts to effective use during his sole season with Houston, consistently getting downhill and past defenders to attack the basket. And he wasn't aggressive only on the offensive end; on the defensive end, he's a lockdown defender who can make chase-down, hustle blocks, Lebron-style.

In addition, Flemings is a capable ball handler and shooter, knocking down 38% of his 3s this past year.

Beyond his physical capabilities, what stands out are the intangible qualities that you don't always see in a player at such a young age (only 19). In his appearance on one of my favorite basketball podcasts, "All the Smoke", his intelligence, poise, and drive are all evident. When asked by Matt Barnes what the team can expect from him this coming year, part of his response was "...every single year in the league, I'm gonna get better."

You also get a feel for that drive and toughness in this Letter to GMs that Flemings published in "The Players' Tribune" the day of the draft. In his letter, he recounts two of the major events that shaped him as a person and a player, one of which was being run over by an SUV at the age of four. If you live to tell that tale, you have no choice but to be tough.

It's too early to tell what kind of NBA player he'll be. He still has room for improvement on his outside shot, for instance, but based on his season at Houston, his combine stats, and his interviews and writing, I'm hopeful about his pro potential and am rooting for his success.

23rd pick – Zuby Ejiofor, 6'9", St. John’s Center

Like Flemings, who grew up in San Antonio and went on to Houston, Zuby Ejiofor also has a Texas association, having grown up in Garland, Texas. Maybe that's why I'm partial to both of these guys – my Dad is also from the Lone Star State. Also like Flemings, Ejiofor plays with a tough, attacking style that the Hawks will benefit from, particularly if they make it to the playoffs again.

Ejiofor started his college playing career slowly with the Kansas Jayhawks, where he averaged 1.2 points in around 5 minutes played per game. Since moving to the St. John’s Red Storm for his remaining three college seasons, he has steadily improved, finishing his senior year with impressive stats and a long list of accolades.

In his final college season, he averaged 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.1 blocks. By the end of the season, he had been recognized as the Big East Player of the Year, the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, the Big East Tournament MVP, the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year, and more.

Listed at 6'9" with St. John’s, but measuring at just 6'7.5" barefoot at the draft combine, it remains to be seen where he will fit with the Hawks' rotation. He could continue at center in a small lineup, but might also spend time at power forward.

In highlight reels, he shows great post footwork, able to either face up or play with his back to the basket. He also showed that he can take his defender off the dribble, though this was typically against opposing college centers. If he finds himself playing the four spot in the pros, getting past quicker defenders could be a challenge.

One thing that will help him succeed as a four is continued improvement on his outside shot. His shooting ability is something NBA scouts questioned, but at the draft combine, he fared well in off-the-dribble shots. I actually like his shooting form, and if he continues his year-over-year improvement in the pros as he did in college, I think he could end up being able to space the floor like an Al Horford-style big.

On that note, in interviews, Ejiofor said he patterns his game after players like Bam Adebayo, who he has also been compared to by others. If he ends up anywhere near Adebayo’s level, then the Hawks got a steal in this first round.

Finally, as with Flemings, I like the way Ejiofor comes across in interviews. His attitude is that of a roll-up-your-sleeves team player who is willing to work hard and wants to improve every season.

I'm happy with this first-round draft class and feel like we got two athletic, tough players with a lot of upside who can shine individually and also fit in with Quin Snyder's team style of play. After the Hawks were physically roughed up by the Knicks in the postseason, these young guys are just the type of players we need to fight back next year.