Dallas Mavericks (Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images)
Despite Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving’s outstanding performances, the Dallas Mavericks failed to win the championship this year and lost the NBA Finals series against the Boston Celtics. Since then, the team has been focused on upgrading the roster with new talented players.

According to recent reports from NBA Insider Michael Scotto for HoopsHype, the Mavericks are looking to make a trade proposal with the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets to bring two amazing players to the team. Specifically, the Mavericks are interested in acquiring Dennis Smith Jr. and Spencer Dinwiddie.

The Dallas Mavericks are showing interest in Dennis Smith Jr. and Spencer Dinwiddie, per @MikeAScotto

“The Dallas Mavericks have considered bringing one of two former guards back to the team, Spencer Dinwiddie and Dennis Smith Jr, league sources told HoopsHype…Should Dinwiddie… pic.twitter.com/h5s2esclKB

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 6, 2024

“The Dallas Mavericks have considered bringing one of two former guards back to the team, Spencer Dinwiddie and Dennis Smith Jr, league sources told HoopsHype…Should Dinwiddie and Smith Jr. land elsewhere, Malachi Flynn is also on Dallas’ radar, HoopsHype has learned. Flynn scored a career-high 50 points last season with Detroit.” Scotto wrote in his latest reports.

Smith Jr. signed a contract with the Nets on July 8, 2023. The 26-year-old point guard did not make a significant impact on the team’s success. According to ESPN, he averaged 6.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 56 games in the 2023-24 season. Meanwhile, Dinwiddie signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on a one-year deal worth the league minimum in February 2024. According to ESPN, the 31-year-old point guard averaged 6.8 points, 2.4 assists, and 0.5 rebounds in 28 games this season.

NBA Insider spills details on Dallas Mavericks’ deal with Klay Thompson

The Mavericks have made a great move by adding Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson to the team, despite his dad’s disapproval of the contract. By adding Smith Jr. and Dinwiddie to the roster, they can significantly impact the team’s performance. However, before agreeing to the Mavericks’ contract, Thompson issued a last request to star player Stephen Curry about the team.

Even though the deal has not been completed yet, many NBA analysts are speculating about the contract. Recently, NBA Insider Chris Haynes reported that “Golden State is receiving two second-round picks to complete the Klay Thompson sign-and-trade: Dallas’ 2031 pick and the least favorable of the Denver/Philadelphia picks in 2025.”

The Los Angeles Lakers’ summer hasn’t started with as many blockbusters as expected. Aside from signing LeBron James and Max Christie and drafting a few rookies, there were no major free agents. However, despite being the most valuable addition to the Lakers, LeBron doesn’t seem to be sweating at all. During his most recent Olympic camp interview, he spoke frankly about the Lakers’ offseason activities so far.

It is remarkable that he is about to embark on his 22nd NBA season. At the age of 39, he is still determined to win a championship with the Lakers. James seems to be mostly skeptical of the new coaches, particularly J.J. Hickson. However, he was quite complimentary of the Lakers’ new assistant coaches when fielding questions from the media.

LeBron James on the Lakers offseason pic.twitter.com/9WHlKSA8ce

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) July 6, 2024

The Lakers’ small forward said, “We’re excited to work with JJ and also to work with coach Brooks and coach McMillan as well. Those are great pieces to add to our coaching staff. I’m super excited to work with JJ and to start work in the fall. Throughout the course of the college season Dalton, besides Bronny, was my favorite coach in college basketball.”

He also shared his excitement about playing alongside his son in the NBA for the first time, calling it a dream come true. He acknowledged his son’s potential for growth, saying, “As he continues to grow as a young man, he’s 19 years old and there’s so much room for improvement but I’m looking forward to helping him improve.”

LeBron James Shares His Thoughts on the Lakers’ New Roster

The Los Angeles Lakers offseason wasn’t exactly what fans were hoping for. There aren’t any flashy new players, and things might be a little tense between the team and its supporters. Some fans might worry about the team’s lack of big moves, but James isn’t focusing on the roster changes. Instead, he’s concentrating on his preparation.

Following Saturday’s first Team USA practice, he shared all his expectations for the season, and it’s all about hustle and teamwork. He noted, “My expectations is for us to go to work every day, try to get better every day and push each other every day. Me as the captain, AD as the captain, we gotta hold everybody accountable from a players standpoint. We’re coming in with a new system so we have to learn the system and see what Coach Redick and the rest of the coaching staff want us to do and then go from there.”

Ice Spice Claps Back at Festival Audience for Booing Taylor Swift Song

The rapper blew kisses to fans in the crowd who reacted negatively when “Karma,” her collaboration with Swift, played during her set at Rolling Loud Europe

Marina Watts is a Digital News Editor at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Bustle, The US Sun, Newsweek and OK! Magazine.

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Ice Spice (left) and Taylor Swift. PHOTO: GETT(2)

Ice Spice has Taylor Swift’s back!

In a viral video shared on X (formerly Twitter), the rapper, 24, could be seen clapping back at the audience during her set at the Rolling Loud Europe Festival in Austria on Sunday, July 7.

At one point during her performance, the crowd began booing and making thumbs-down gestures when the speakers started to play “Karma,” a song she collaborated on with Swift, 34. Ice handled the moment like a pro and simply responded by blowing kisses to the crowd.

Swift released the Midnights track remix for “Karma” last year and raved about how easy it was working with Ice.

“Collaborating with Ice Spice on ‘Karma’ was one of the most natural things,” she said about the song upon its release in a Spotify audio clip in May 2023.

“She reached out through her team, just kind of saying, ‘Hey, Ice has been a big fan of Taylor’s since she was a little kid, would love to collaborate if that was ever something that came about,’ ” she added.

The duo also surprised fans by performing “Karma” in May 2023 at the New Jersey stop of Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour.

Ice Spice (left) and Taylor Swift.CHRISTOPHER POLK/BILLBOARD VIA GETTY

Ice Spice Shouts out Taylor Swift at Coachella After TTPD Release: ‘Y’all Heard Taylor’s New Album Yet?’

Swift and Ice have been close since their collaboration. The “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” singer told Billboard in March that Swift had given her some helpful advice and become someone she can lean on in the industry.

“When I was in the studio with Taylor, like, I’ll never forget that. She told me, ‘No matter what, just keep making music and everything’s going to be fine,’ ” Ice said at the time.

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Swift and Ice have also attended major events together, including the 2024 Super Bowl and the 2023 MTV VMAs.

The Tortured Poet’s Department hitmaker also showed up at Coachella in April to support Ice’s performance at the California music festival.

Joseph Quinn recalls embarrassing first words he said to Taylor Swift: ‘I meant it as a compliment’

‘

Joseph Quinn has recalled the embarrassing moment he met Taylor Swift.

The Stranger Things star rose to fame playing Eddie Munson on the fourth season of Netflix’s hit sci-fi show, released in 2022.

During an appearance on Monday’s episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast (1 July) with host Josh Horowitz, Quinn opened up about the first and only time that he met Swift.

The 30-year-old told Horowitz: “I met Taylor Swift once, and I said, ‘You’re Taylor Swift.’ She was very funny.”

He continued: “She said something nice about the show [Stranger Things] and I said, ‘Oh thanks. You’re Taylor Swift. I meant it as a compliment.”

Even at the time, Quinn said he quickly realised that what he had said to the “Cruel Summer” singer was “stupid”.

“I remember thinking, ‘That ws f***ing… that was stupid,” said the actor. “But she was very good-humoured about it.”

Asked about how his relationship with the pop star is currently, Quinn said that he and Swift are “excellent” and that the pair are on “great terms”.

NY Premiere of “A Quiet Place: Day One” (2024 Invision)

The actor joked that he is even featured on Swift’s next album – quipping that they are still ironing out the details.

Last month, Quinn teased the possible return of his character in Stranger Things’ fifth and final season.

Emerging as a breakout star of the 2022 series, the actor won over a legion of fans who were devastated when his character seemingly met a grisly demise.

Taylor Swift performing on stage at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Wire)

Eddie’s return, however, is not completely off the table, according to Quinn who hinted at the possibility of reprising his role in the forthcoming fifth and final season of the show.

He can currently be seen in cinemas starring opposite Lupita Nyong’o in A Quiet Place: Day One.

In a four-star review of the film, The Independent’s film critic Clarisse Loughrey wrote: “Mostly, Day One is a superbly cast two-hander, shared between one established star and one up-and-comer, both with big, soulful eyes and open-wound hearts.”

Meanwhile, Swift is currently on the European tour of her Eras tour after completing three dates at Wembley in London last month.

The 34-year-old will return to the capital in August for an additional five nights.

You can read The Independent’s five-star review of the tour here, and find all the information about her Wembley dates, including VIP guests and set list, here.

Taylor Swift fans believe they’ve found the moment an emotional Travis Kelce wiped away tears while watching his girlfriend sing in Amsterdam.

Kelce reunited with Swift on the latest leg of her worldwide Eras Tour in the Dutch capital, where she performed three concerts from Thursday through to Saturday.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end also attended her recent shows in London and Dublin, even going on a $90,000 shopping spree while across the pond.

And during the finale of her Amsterdam stop on Saturday night, Kelce appeared to be crying while Swift performed at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

In a clip which has quickly gone viral on social media, Swift’s legion of die-hard fans are convinced her NFL-star boyfriend was shedding tears as she produced an emotional piano ballad which combined three of her famous songs.

 

 

Taylor Swift fans believe they’ve found the moment an emotional Travis Kelce wiped away tears while watching his girlfriend perform (left)

The pop sensation sang a mashup of her Mary’s Song, So High School and Everything Has Changed hits, which seemingly tugged on Travis’s heartstrings in the crowd.

One fellow audience member even appeared to be consoling him as the emotion took over, and his teary moment has sparked a frenzy amongst Swift fans online.

One user wrote on X alongside the video: ‘i’ll never get over the fact that travis started crying when taylor sang marys song x so high school x everything has changed’.

‘THIS IS SO SAD AND CUTE OMGGG,’ posted a second.

A third commented: ‘im actually never going to be ok after this. big tough nfl man Travis Kelce crying bc his wife is singing to him’.

‘Emotional wreck over people I don’t know,’ wrote another.

One fellow audience member even appeared to be consoling Travis as the emotion took over

 

 

 

Swift’s legion of die-hard fans were sent into a frenzy after seeing the video on social media

While one fan simply concluded: ‘They are so in love.’

After the show, Travis and Taylor were seen leaving the stage together hand-in-hand while waving to fans on their way out of the Johan Cruyff Arena.

Kelce spent Thursday playing golf with Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes in London before flying out to The Netherlands to support Swift.

His attendance in Amsterdam on Friday night was confirmed when Swift performed ‘Karma’ and sang ‘Karma is the guy on the Chiefs’ – which she typically only does when he is there.

The football legend was joined by Mahomes and his wife Brittany in their hospitality suite for Saturday’s show but made sure he was ready at the side of the stage to accompany his girlfriend backstage.

Fans waiting in the wings were anticipating the couple walking in front of them and went wild when they finally emerged.

Kelce was hyping his lover up, waving his arms in the air to signal more cheers from the crowd for her.

Holding hands as they walked together, Swift continued to soak up the adoration as she waved goodbye to her Dutch fans as she prepares to take her show to yet another city.

Mahomes and his wife, meanwhile, were spotted in hospitality seating by eagle-eyed Swifties who shared videos of the couple singing and swaying along to Swift’s many hits, while Kelce could be seen behind them belting the lyrics out.

LeBron James (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers made headlines by selecting Dalton Knecht as the 17th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. This move is being hailed as a major steal, considering Knecht’s impressive college performance. Even before the draft, Lakers star LeBron James recognized Knecht’s exceptional athleticism after watching his games at Tennessee.

LeBron recently opened up, claiming the former Tennessee star is his favorite college basketball player apart from his son, Bronny James.

“Dalton, besides Bronny, was my favorite player in college basketball. I did not think he would fall to 17 at all. I’m glad he did,” LeBron said.

Lakers’ LeBron James on rookie Dalton Knecht: “Dalton, besides Bronny, was my favorite player in college basketball. … I did not think he would fall to 17 at all. … I’m glad he did.” pic.twitter.com/TGe9OUoGtX

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 6, 2024

After Knecht’s stunning last college season, in which he earned SEC Player of the Year and consensus first-team All-American honors, he was expected to be a top-10 pick.

LeBron even claimed he watched the Purdue vs. Tennessee game due to their rookie player.

“He’s a great player. We watched that Purdue, Tennessee, game because of Zach Edey and Knecht. Players, depending on who they are, will drive attention,” James said.

Nevertheless, Knecht had to wait until the Los Angeles Lakers made their decision. Now, with the Lakers, Knecht is anticipated to contribute to areas beyond scoring and outside shooting. His role will likely involve complementing the talents of LeBron James and Anthony Davis on both ends of the court.

Dalton Knecht and Bronny James Begin Lakers Journey in the Summer League Showdown

Dalton Knecht and Bronny James made their summer league debuts on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers’ No. 17 pick, Knecht, scored 12 points despite shooting 3-for-12 from the field in his first game.

Like his draft experience, Bronny James’ debut for the Lakers drew some criticism. He finished his first game with 4 points on 2-for-9 shooting, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal in 22 minutes.

Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift are in an ongoing feud that’s lasted years. Here’s what a source said about Kardashian wanting Billie Eilish’s help.

 

 

Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift are in an ongoing feud that’s lasted years. Here’s what a source said about Kardashian wanting Billie Eilish’s help.

Taylor Swift is the biggest pop star in the world in 2024, and she made history with “The Eras Tour.” Her journey hasn’t been easy, and she was involved in feuds with other huge names in the industry. Swift and Kim Kardashian have legendary drama, and a source alleges that Kardashian wants Billie Eilish to help her “fight” a “battle” against Swift. Here’s why.

Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift’s feud goes back to 2016. Kardashian’s famous husband at the time, Kanye West, took a dig at Swift with his track “Famous.” He sang that he “made that b**** famous” regarding Swift. According to Kardashian, Swift knew that West planned to use those lyrics, but Swift maintained that she disapproved.

Kardashian then released video footage of Swift and West talking about the lyrics on the phone. However, Swift and her PR team noted that the footage never showed Swift and West discussing the questionable line in West’s song.

 

“Being falsely painted as a liar when I was never given the full story or played any part of the song is character assassination,” Swift said, according to People. In 2023, Swift said the feud felt like “career death.”

More recently, some Swift fans think Billie Eilish took a stab at Swift for Swift’s lengthy “Eras Tour” concerts. “I’m not doing a three-hour show; that’s literally psychotic,” Eilish said. “Nobody wants that. You guys don’t want that. I don’t want that. I don’t even want that as a fan. My favorite artist in the world, I’m not trying to hear them for three hours. That’s far too long.”

A source told Life & Style that Kardashian and Eilish “quietly” connected over their issues with Swift. “Kim and Billie have been quietly connecting for a while, she’s a huge fan of her music and got introduced to her through Justin Bieber,” the source said. “As soon as Kim heard about this dust-up with Taylor, she called Billie to offer support and commiserate.”

The source added that Kardashian wants Eilish to “fight” a “battle” against Swift with her. “Kim isn’t trying to pressure Billie or come on too strong, but she’s absolutely got a plan in the works and sees this whole situation as her ticket to getting the last laugh,” they alleged.

Everything is going hot in Sin City as the USA Men’s Basketball Team prepares for their Olympic run. The news of LeBron James and Stephen Curry’s teaming up for Team USA has set the internet ablaze with excitement as the Paris 2024 Olympics get near. Their long-awaited homecoming pictures have gone viral, with both die-hard fans and family members praising the union of these two fierce NBA rivals.

Fans have eagerly awaited the chance to see these NBA legends play together, and this Olympic season is making that dream a reality. Despite their rivalry in franchise games, they seemed genuinely happy during their reunion. In light of this touching incident, Steph’s mother, Sonya Curry, couldn’t resist pointing out an adorable similarity between the two.

Sonya Curry reacts to Steph and Bron at the Olympic training camp pic.twitter.com/cAZvNkBSDx

— What are (W)NBA Celebs Upto? (@NBACelebsUpdate) July 7, 2024

On Instagram, Sonya shared a sweet comment under a photo of Steph and LeBron at training camp, saying, “Volleyball dads!! I love it.” The image captures both Curry and James in one frame, showcasing Steph’s huge smile even during practice.

Sonya’s remark extends beyond the reality that they are well-known athletes. She sees them as dads who support their daughters’ love for volleyball. These former competitors on the court now cheer on their daughters from the sidelines, even bragging about their skills online.

Stephen Curry and LeBron James’ Memorable Banter Kicks Off Team USA Cam

Last Thursday, players started to arrive in Las Vegas for training. Among all the rosters, the point guard of the Golden State Warriors showed his excitement for his Olympic debut by checking in first. Curry hasn’t competed in the Olympics in almost a decade. Moreover, the Los Angeles Lakers power forward has long desired to play alongside his former rival. Coincidentally, at the age of 39, James has finally achieved his dream as they join forces for Team USA.

After meeting Curry on Friday night before Day 1 of training camp in Las Vegas, a viral video showed James yelling in excitement by saying, “About time! About f–king time.” This Olympic season is distinct from their All-Star teamwork. Here, the game is more intense and the stakes are broader. Given their ages, 36 and 39, respectively, this may be their last opportunity to win the gold medal as a team and cement Team USA’s place in history.

Bronny James (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Bronny James’ move to the LA Lakers has been heavily criticized by the NBA community. He was tagged with narratives of nepotism and scrutinized for his previous performances at USC. However, when the young guard set foot on the hardwood, fans started showing their support, which also surprised Bronny.

The young rookie appeared in the Purple and Gold jersey no. 9 for the first time to face the Sacramento Kings in the Summer League. What the 19-year-old didn’t see coming was the huge fan base cheering for him.

Talking about the enthusiastic crowd at the Chase Center, Bronny said, “Maybe the atmosphere. It was more than I expected. I mean, it’s a big game for me, but I didn’t know if people from Golden State would come and rep for me.” He concluded by saying, “So that was pretty nice to see.”

Bronny James on the biggest surprise in his summer league debut: "Maybe the atmosphere. It was more than I expected. I mean, it's a big game for me, but I didn't know if people from Golden State would come and rep for me. So that was pretty nice to see."

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) July 6, 2024

The youngster has made a separate fan base, who were drawn towards his match, even before he could show his moves in the NBA. However, Bronny failed to impress them with his performance in the game.

Bronny James Performance in Summer League

Most basketball lovers eagerly looked forward to the day Bronny James would make his debut. That was either out of love for the former USC guard or to further criticize him, and Bronny couldn’t make the most of it.

Amid the high expectations, Bronny attempted 9 shots from the floor, raising hopes for his fans who were there to witness his first game with the Lakers. But the fans were left disappointed when only 2 of those shots reached the target. He also hit three shots from downtown but couldn’t convert them into buckets. Bronny finished with four points in the 94-108 game that ended in favor of the Kings.

Bronny James first basket as a member of the Lakers in Summer League 🔥https://t.co/lhdBxlvtm9

— Backcourt Alerts (@BackcourtAlerts) July 6, 2024

Nevertheless, his superstar father, LeBron, was thrilled to see his firstborn perform in the franchise’s colors. Bronny still has ample opportunities to showcase his abilities when the regular season begins.

LeBron James and Bronny James (Image Source: Getty Images)

LeBron James’ son Bronny made his debut in his shining new Purple and Gold jersey, and the father couldn’t be more proud. However, the Lakers star has clarified his expectations from his son and it appears like LeBron has adjusted his standards.

Bronny and the Lakers faced off Sacramento Kings in the California Classic Summer League. The game ended in a disappointing 94-108 loss for Lakers, with the 19-year-old securing just four points in his debut game. When the microphones turned towards his father, LeBron, he simply stated that he just wants to see his son grow.

“I just hope for him to get his feet wet in the NBA, the pace of the game, the speed of the game, the physicality of the game,” LeBron told the media about Bronny. Then he further added, “But what he does in the California Classic and Summer League, it doesn’t matter if he plays well and it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t play well. I just want him to continue to grow.”

https://twitter.com/MarkG_Medina/status/1809697232977031408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1809697232977031408%7Ctwgr%5E79fa4bcfdb3dece1f4f76b3c6001437c796272c4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.totalprosports.com%2Fnba%2Fdoesnt-matter-if-he-doesnt-play-well-lebron-james-has-lowered-down-his-expectations-from-bronny-james-ahead-of-nba-summer-league%2F

Being in the league for years, LeBron knows that a player cannot be judged by his performance in the Summer League. However, considering the hype around Bronny, there were certain expectations from the fans that the young guard failed to meet in his first game.

Bronny James Addresses Pressure From Critics

There has been a common narrative surrounding Bronny James that he was drafted by the Lakers because of LeBron. Therefore, a lot of pressure falls on the point guard’s shoulders.

Talking about the immense pressure of being LeBron’s son, Bronny said, “I’ve already seen it on social media and the internet, talk about how I might not deserve an opportunity.” Bronnyalso seems to have cracked the way to deal with it. “But I’ve been dealing with stuff like this my whole life so it’s nothing different. It’s more amplified for sure, but I’ll get through it,” stated Junior James.

Bronny James on the pressure of playing with LeBron:

"I've already seen it [in the] media and [on the] internet talking about how I might not deserve an opportunity but I've been dealing with stuff like this my whole life" pic.twitter.com/14h2WbBswE

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) July 2, 2024

Bronny couldn’t show his true potential in the 21 minutes against the Kings. However, he will get another chance against the Warriors, where, as usual, all eyes will be on him.