"HE LOOKS GOOD OUT THERE":LEBRON JAMES PROUDLY PRAISES BRONNY'S NBA IMPROVEMENT
LeBron admits balancing team leadership with advising Bronny is hard, but says the young Laker star must experience challenges to reach his full potential.
LeBron James missed training camp and the first 14 games this season—a first for him. All he could do was watch.
He got to see the Lakers start strong at 10-4, and he watched Bronny James grow as a player.
Bronny stood out in the Summer League in Las Vegas. When the season started, he even started a game against the Bucks. One of his best games was against the Hawks, where he shot 4-6 and scored 9 points.
LeBron talked about how much he enjoys watching Bronny improve on his “Mind The Game” podcast.
“It’s been great, as a father and someone who loves the game, to see him build on what he did in the G League, get comfortable, and then do even better in the Summer League. Now, when he gets his chances this year, he just looks good out there. Young players get better with more time on the court.
“You pick up the little things, and you get used to the speed and strength of the game. I was really proud of him in those games when Luka, AR, or Marcus was out. He played well at home and then had a tough back-to-back in Portland and did it again. That’s what the NBA is all about.”
Every player's path is different, but Bronny's is unique. As part of the first father-son duo in the NBA, he's under a huge spotlight, especially as a late second-round pick.
He seems to handle it well, though he admitted the pressure got to him at first. Now that things have calmed down, he can focus on his game.
Even with less media attention, Bronny’s situation is still special. His dad is not just his coworker but also one of the best to ever play the game.
Bronny can’t change that. LeBron has to figure out how to handle it, as he mentioned on the podcast.
“It’s a tricky balance. During practice and games, I’m a leader on the team. But we also have time where I can give him advice based on what I see. He has to go his own way, and I can share what I’ve learned, but he needs to experience things for himself. Going through those challenges will teach him the most.”
Despite some concerns about the LeBron-Bronny dynamic, it hasn’t been a problem.
Bronny is getting better and looks more comfortable in NBA games. The Lakers are one of the top teams in the West, so it’s tough for him to get consistent playing time. Still, he’s ready, and he’ll get his chance when injuries happen.
If Bronny keeps working hard and improving, he’ll reach his full potential, and that’s what matters most.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES TRADE JAREN JACKSON JR. TO UTAH JAZZ IN 8-PLAYER BLOCKBUSTER
The Memphis Grizzlies have traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz, creating a record $28.8 million trade exception for 2026.
The Memphis Grizzlies turned heads on Tuesday, pulling off a blockbuster trade that sent two-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr to the Utah Jazz. Along with Jackson, the Grizzlies shipped out Vince Williams Jr, John Konchar, and Jock Landale. Coming back their way: Walter Clayton Jr, Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang, and, maybe the most important part, three future first-round picks.
And honestly, it feels like Memphis isn’t done stirring the pot. Inside the organisation, they see Zach Edey and Cedric Coward as the future. Both went late in the lottery in the past two drafts, and the Grizzlies landed some value in the second round this year, too, grabbing Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer.
All this movement means Ja Morant’s future in Memphis suddenly looks shaky. He’s been the face of the franchise since they took him No. 2 overall back in 2019. When he’s healthy, he’s electric—no question. But injuries and off-court drama have slowed him down, and now, with the trade deadline closing in, the Grizzlies are openly shopping him. Teams around the league are watching.
There’s another wrinkle here: by dealing Jackson, Memphis created a massive trade exception—$28.8 million, the biggest in NBA history, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Shams Charania. It’s a huge chess piece. With that exception, the Grizzlies can absorb big, ugly contracts from other teams in exchange for more draft picks. Think of what the Thunder did a few years back—stockpiling picks by taking on bad deals until they rebuilt into a contender.
Now, you’ve probably heard Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name floating around in trade rumours. He hasn’t officially asked out of Milwaukee, but everyone in the league expects something to happen soon. Teams like the Timberwolves and Knicks are circling. The Grizzlies? They’re not likely to chase Giannis directly. But with that trade exception, they could play a big role as a third team—taking on salary dumps or unwanted contracts, collecting more picks, and helping another franchise pull off the Giannis blockbuster. Memphis just put itself squarely in the middle of the NBA’s hottest rumour.
KLINT KUBIAK SNUBS NFL RIVALS TO LEAD RAIDERS’ NEW ERA UNDER TOM BRADY
The Las Vegas Raiders are zeroing in on Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak as their next head coach, with Tom Brady leading the search.
The Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of a huge shakeup right now. Klint Kubiak, the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, is set to become their new head coach—and honestly, he’s nothing like Pete Carroll.
Kubiak’s still in his 30s, calling plays on offence, while Carroll just wrapped up last season as the NFL’s oldest head coach. The Raiders had their eyes on Ben Johnson previous year, but when he decided to take the Bears job, they turned to Carroll instead.
This time, Las Vegas seemed to have that same level of interest in Kubiak, but they had to wait things out because Seattle was still in the playoffs. Tom Brady, who’s a minority owner with the Raiders, clearly played a big part in picking the new coach.
Since nothing’s official until after the Super Bowl, Brady can’t come right out and talk about Kubiak joining the team. Still, he didn’t hold back when it came to sharing what he liked about the guy.
“Klint’s played to his team’s strengths. Last week, he did a ton of good things against a really strong Rams defence,” Brady said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. “That’s what it took for them to win. The Rams are a tough team. That game in Seattle could’ve gone either way... Seattle really had to play a complete game in all three phases to pull it out, and they’ll need to do the same this weekend in Santa Clara.”
Brady also talked about Fernando Mendoza.
Another big reason the Raiders’ coaching job is so appealing? They’ve got the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Everyone expects them to grab Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Brady doesn’t have to be secretive about it—nobody’s jumping ahead of them in the draft. He was pretty open about how much he likes Mendoza.
“What do I value most? When I see him, he’s always talking up his teammates. He wins the Heisman, and he’s giving credit to everyone else,” Brady said. “That’s the kind of attitude you want in a leader.”
Kubiak focused on the Super Bowl, not the job switch.
Kubiak’s career is about to take off, but right now, he’s locked in on trying to win his first Super Bowl. So, he isn’t ready to talk about the Raiders just yet.
“I’m coaching the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and that’s all I’m thinking about,” Kubiak told reporters on Monday. “I’m just excited for this week and this game.”
Not everyone in Seattle is thrilled to see Kubiak go. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had nothing but praise after working with him this year.
“He was unbelievable,” Darnold said Monday. “The stuff I picked up from Klint—just with schemes, and then learning from him as a coach and a person—the grit. He’s up before the sun, gets to the facility at 4 or 4:30, and leaves later than anyone. The guy just grinds. He loves football, and he’s always straight with his players. I know I really appreciated that, and so did the rest of the guys.”