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The Phoenix Suns just wrapped up the most disappointing season in franchise history with a first-round playoff sweep, and already, the vultures are circling Devin Booker.

Whenever a star-caliber player is eliminated from the playoffs, appears disgruntled, or simply plays for a team that disappoints, the unstoppable NBA trade rumor mill starts churning out ideas on where they should go next. Basketball fans might love the drama of player movement more than the actual sport itself, considering how much time national talking heads spend on speculation and how much traction it receives.

Booker is no stranger to this phenomenon.

After spending the first four and a half years of his career on losing Suns teams, Book was quickly tabbed as the next young talent who should force his way to a new team. Even after the Suns ripped off their 8-0 run in the NBA Bubble, Draymond Green went on Inside The NBA and told a national audience that Booker needed to get out of Phoenix:

Over the years, there have been several loose connections between Devin Booker and the New York Knicks. He’s publicly voiced his respect for Madison Square Garden, saying it was probably his favorite place to play. When Phoenix renovated its arena with theater lighting, former owner Robert Sarver revealed it was due in part to Booker’s appreciation for the lighting at MSG.

A hoop head like Booker undoubtedly appreciates the basketball mecca, the tradition and history of the Knicks, and the city itself.

So on Monday morning, just hours after the Suns’ abrupt elimination from the first round of NBA playoffs, it was hardly surprising to hear Stephen A. Smith go up on ESPN’s First Take and start up a whole new batch of rumors about Booker’s interest in joining the Knicks:

“From what I’m being told, and probably I don’t know if it’ll ever happen, but Devin Booker wants to be in New York,” Smith said. “That’s what I’m being told. Now, he might deny it, I haven’t spoken to him, but I’m just telling you, the scuttlebutt in the NBA circles is that brother wants to be in New York.”

For starters, following up that kind of claim with “I haven’t spoken with him” is a fantastic sentence, and a clear dividing line between the entertainment being provided here versus actual reporting.

But beyond that, a source from Devin Booker’s camp who’s intimately familiar with the situation told PHNX Sports that these rumors are unequivocally false.

According to that source, the Knicks have been interested in Booker dating back to Leon Rose’s instatement as team president back in 2020. Rose, a former CAA player agent prior to being hired by New York, once served as Booker’s representation, and other Knicks personnel with connections to the 27-year-old Suns star recently put out feelers about his potential interest in coming to New York.

Adding a young superstar with four All-Star selections and one All-NBA selection (and possibly a second to follow soon) like Booker to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference makes sense from the Knicks’ perspective. He and Jalen Brunson would form an electrifying, high-scoring backcourt for one the NBA’s most pleasant surprises, and according to a source, New York would be willing to offer almost anything to make that pairing happen.

However, the Knicks’ interest in Devin Booker is one-sided, and the source was adamant about squashing this latest, unfounded rumor. Booker has remained loyal to the Suns franchise through some of its darkest days and has talked about bringing the super-team to him in Phoenix. Year 1 of his first super-team didn’t go according to plan, but Booker has succeeded in attracting established superstars like Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal to join him on the Suns.

He’s immensely proud of what he and the franchise have been able to build together, reaching the 2021 NBA Finals and winning a franchise-record 64 games the following season. Booker has also publicly voiced his commitment to winning in Phoenix numerous times.

Granted, we’ve seen many a superstar eventually change their mind about remaining with the same franchise for their career, with Damian Lillard serving as the latest example of remaining loyal to the franchise that drafted him — almost to a fault — before ultimately forcing his way out. There may come a day where Booker is convinced he can no longer win with the Suns and decides to pursue titles elsewhere.

But that day isn’t here yet, according to the source within Booker’s camp. As a student of the game and its history, Booker understands the value of sticking with one franchise for his entire career, following in the footsteps of guys like his idol Kobe Bryant.

So even after a disappointing first-round sweep, the source says Booker is steadfast in his desire to get over the hump in Phoenix, stating bluntly: “This is his city.”

 

Following the Golden State Warriors’ absence from the playoffs, there’s uncertainty surrounding the team’s trajectory for the upcoming season. Steph Curry, named the 2024 Clutch Player of the Year, addressed this issue during a segment on TNT’s Inside the NBA. He shared thoughts on the disappointing season and offered insights into what lies ahead for the Warriors.

“The sad part was just missing three wins to get out of the play-in and have yourself in a playoff series,” Curry said. “Even a game like in Sacramento in the play-in tournament we had, [if it’s the playoffs] you’re like ‘Okay, we’re down one and can game plan to try to get back into the series.’ Obviously early in the year we had a lot of missteps and some absences, but you do realize we’re not that far off. To stay at this level, at this peak for so long, there’s going to be some tweaks.”

 

On those tweaks, Curry added, “When you lose, you have to look yourself in the mirror and say, ‘What can we do to get better? What holes can we fill?’ And thankfully we have some time to figure that out. So lot of conversations with upstairs, with coach Kerr to try to figure out how to get back to the level we expect. I didn’t answer anything specific about what we need, but we’re going to figure that out over this summer.”

Perry Knotts/Getty Images

The Kansas City Chiefs announced Monday they signed tight end Travis Kelce to a new contract.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported on the deal and colleague Tom Pelissero followed up to add Kelce will make $34.3 million over the two-year term.

He becomes the NFL’s highest-paid tight end, a title that belonged to the New York Giants’ Darren Waller ($17 million).

Teammate Patrick Mahomes reacted to the news on social media:

Kelce hasn’t openly flirted with retirement, but a number of factors pointed to how he could walk away sooner rather than later.

The wear and tear is beginning to show a bit with the nine-time Pro Bowler. His 65.6 receiving yards per game were his fewest since 2015 and he set a career low in yards per reception (10.6). He also missed Kansas City’s opener thanks to a knee injury and was rested in the season finale while dealing with a neck issue.

The 34-year-old gave a candid interview to J.R. Moehringer of WSJ. Magazine in November and admitted he ponders retirement “more than anyone could ever imagine.”

“The discomfort. The pain. The lingering injuries—the 10 surgeries I’ve had that I still feel every single surgery to this day,” he said when laying out the physical toll.

Beyond having achieved everything he can on the field, Kelce has become a major star off it thanks to the popularity of his New Heights podcast with brother Jason and his relationship with Taylor Swift. He knows he’s set up nicely for a second career when he’s done in the NFL.

The future Hall of Famer was never going to retire after the Chiefs successfully defended their Super Bowl championship. He wasted no time in saying he’d be back for a three-peat bid.

Before agreeing to an extension, an exit in 2025 at least looked like a plausible possibility. Instead, Kelce is making it abundantly clear he wants to stick around well beyond that.

That’s great news for the Chiefs, who continued to lean on their tight end as their No. 1 option in the passing game. His 93 receptions and 984 yards were both the highest on the team.

By adding wide receivers Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy in the offseason, Kansas City might be able to give him a bit of a break in 2024.

Travis Kelce was photographed caressing Taylor Swift’s backside during Patrick Mahomes’ Las Vegas charity event on Saturday.

In a photo, shared by X user @glosslovie, the Kansas City Chiefs athlete stood close to the Grammy winner as he placed his hand around her waist.

Swift stood close to Kelce and held her clutch with one hand while lifting her left hand to her face.

Travis Kelce placed his hand on Taylor Swift’s backside during their “affectionate” gala outing.Twitter

The Kansas City Chiefs athlete was seen holding the Grammy winner’s waist at the charity event on Saturday.laurendoor/Instagram
 

The duo were seen holding hands, laughing and chatting with guests.tayvisjayce/Twitter
The power couple, both 34, stayed close to each other throughout the night and were seen talking and laughing while Kelce held Swift’s waist in another sweet snap.

“The Tortured Poets Department” singer and the tight end enjoyed a more public date night with Patrick and his wife, Brittany Mahomes, and other guests at the 15 and Mahomies Foundation Golf Classic gala at the Bellagio Hotel.

Several guests shared videos and photos of the duo attending the event and captured sweet videos of them holding hands and laughing together.

Kelce led Swift through the crowded ballroom.15andmahomies/INSTAGRAM

The Super Bowl champion sweetly called the Grammy winner his “significant other” at one point.patrickmahomes/Instagram
At one point, Kelce even jumped on stage to surprise guests with four tickets from his “significant other” to her upcoming Eras Tour. The tickets eventually went for a whopping $80,000. 

Swift stunned in a $2,405 metallic green Maria Lucia Hohan gown with a $120 Vitality Shimmer Chain necklace, while Kelce went with a navy suit.

A guest gushed to Entertainment Tonight that the couple were “affectionate all night” and even participated in “lots of kissing” throughout the night.

“The support is there for one another. The two seem to be in good spirits and definitely in love,” the insider shared.

Swift stunned in a $2,405 metallic green Maria Lucia Hohan dress.themegvalenti/Instagram

An attendee gushed to Entertainment Tonight that they were “affectionate all night.”AP
Another attendee told the outlet that Kelce was “incredibly attentive and loving” and seemed to have a “genuine and authentic” love for Swift. 

After the gala, Kelce was seen briefly stopping by a nightclub after the event without Swift.

The couple arrived in Vegas prior to the event and reportedly had a double date with Patrick and Brittany prior to the gala.

 

In “Delicate,” Taylor displayed her distinct dancing technique with an aura of spontaneity. The singer of “Lavender Haze” dazzled the audience with her carefree spirit as she danced barefoot in a hotel lobby while sporting a whimsical blue minidress with tassels. Taylor moved quickly and brashly past the front desk, interacting with the security personnel in a vibrant video.

In “Delicate,” Taylor displayed her distinct dancing technique with an aura of spontaneity. The singer of “Lavender Haze” dazzled the audience with her carefree spirit as she danced barefoot in a hotel lobby while sporting a whimsical blue minidress with tassels. Taylor moved quickly and brashly past the front desk, interacting with the security personnel in a vibrant video.

Accompanying the video North West reposted was the question, “So this is your favorite singer?”a fan hilariously observed the messy situation as one user unintentionally shared a screenshot of a repost on their account.

 

Adding to the amusement, another commenter noted the lack of intention behind the repost. “It’s the only repost on their account. This is hilarious i don’t think she meant to repost.”

Another commenter said, “Uh oh lol, I understand North probably saw it online but I hope [Kim and Kanye West] are not spewing hate behind the scenes around their kids; that would just be ugly and unnecessary to let your kids know.”

Travis Kelce partied the night away at a Las Vegas club on Saturday – but there was no sign of girlfriend Taylor Swift.

Just hours after the couple attended Patrick Mahomes‘ charity auction event together, Kelce headed to the packed XS Nightclub to join Norwegian DJ Kygo behind the decks at his Vegas party, with Swift nowhere to be seen on the night.

In a selection of photos and videos shared by Kygo, the Chiefs star can be seen taking the microphone to ramp up the crowd at the event, before waving a t-shirt in the air and jumping up and down to the music.

Travis also posed for a photo alongside the music producer and his manager Myles Shear while living it up at the Wynn Hotel’s famous nightclub.

Earlier in the evening, Kelce named Swift as his ‘significant other’ while auctioning four tickets to her Eras Tour at Mahomes’ charity event.

 

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Travis Kelce was seen partying with Norwegian DJ Kygo at the XS Nightclub in Las Vegas

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Kelce posed for a picture alongside Kygo and his manager at the Vegas party on Saturday night

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But there was no sign of girlfriend Taylor Swift after they attended Patrick Mahomes’ charity gala together earlier that night

Travis Kelce auctions off Eras Tour tickets at Patrick Mahomes’ gala

‘I think, um, I was just talking to my significant other,’ he said at The 15 and Mahomes Foundation Golf Classic gala in Vegas on Saturday. ‘We might have one other auction item that wasn’t on the docket.’

Swift and Kelce were on hand as guests of Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, who was ripped by one insider for allegedly putting on a front with the songstress.

The Chiefs quarterback’s wife became a close pal of Swift’s this past NFL season and even hung out with her high-profile girl squad in New York on previous occasions. What’s more is that Brittany and Swift have gone to multiple Chiefs games together.

‘[Brittany] has too many red flags and people are starting to see through her fake and bitchy persona,’ one inside source told DailyMail.com. ‘She is an opportunist who is clearly not a girl’s girl.’

In a video shared on X, Swift could be seen waving a napkin from her chair at the gala while Kelce and auctioneer Harry Santa began auctioning off the tickets.

Santa then said to Kelce, as the camera focused on the pair: ‘Who would actually pay hundreds of thousands just to know Taylor Swift is actually cheering you on as you’re winning 4 of her tickets – this is insane! Let’s go!’

Kelce laughed in response, as he waved a napkin, just like his ‘significant other.’

He also yelled ‘Let’s go baby!’ at one point, as tickets for Swift’s shows eventually sold for a mouthwatering $80,000, as indicated on Santa’s Instagram Story.

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Auctioneer Harry Santa shared a selfie with Swift from the Vegas gala on his Instagram Story

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Santa posted on his Instagram Story that four of her Eras Tour tickets were sold for $80k

Earlier in the evening, Kelce and Swift were seen arriving at the event together in a video shared on X by another gala attendee. The pair held hands while making their way past guests to join the Mahomes at a table.

The couple were described as ‘super adorable’ and ‘down to earth’ by the attendee in the caption of her footage.

‘NBD. Just T Swift and her man Travis Kelce,’ they wrote over the video.

‘And they are super adorable together. So down to earth & Kind … Just super cool badass human beings.’

Just 24 hours before the gala on Friday, Kelce and Swift, who released her new album The Tortured Poets Department on April 19, were spotted on a double dated with the Mahomes at Easy’s Cocktail Lounge inside the ARIA Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

For someone else at another celebrity’s charity event, chugging beer out of a golf trophy could be considered a faux pas.

For Travis Kelce at his Kansas City Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes‘ charity event in Las Vegas this weekend, well things were a bit more relaxed.

The All-Pro tight end dutifully downed his drink alongside another attendee in what appeared to be a crystal bowl given to tournament participants.

Wait for the end 😂 pic.twitter.com/CbgdCfRLxR

— Fan Page | Travis Kelce (@traviskelce_fan) April 29, 2024

 

But, perhaps because he’s been celebrating his third Super Bowl win for nearly three months, the experience almost proved to be too much for Kelce. As his friend was being splashed with a the bottom end of his beer, Kelce finished his only to bend over at the waist and rest both hands on his knees in exhaustion.

For Kelce, it was the end of a long weekend in Las Vegas, where he was seen hanging with a Norwegian DJ named Kygo at one the city’s many clubs. Kelce and Taylor Swift also helped raise money for 15 And the Mahomes, a foundation aimed at supporting the lives of children.

 

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Travis Kelce was seen chugging a beer at Patrick Mahomes’ charity event with another man

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Three months of Super Bowl celebrations may finally be catching up with Travis Kelce

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Travis Kelce can be seen rocking up to the event hand-in-hand with girlfriend Taylor Swift

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In a video shared on X, Swift can be seen waving a napkin from her chair while Kelce and auctioneer Harry Santa began auctioning off tickets to her Eras Tour.

Santa then said to Kelce as the camera focused on the pair: ‘Who would actually pay hundreds of thousands just to know Taylor Swift is actually cheering you on as you’re winning 4 of her tickets – this is insane! Let’s go!’

Kelce laughed in response, as he waved a napkin, just like his ‘significant other.’

He also yelled ‘Let’s go baby!’ at one point, as tickets for Swift’s shows eventually sold for a mouthwatering $80,000, as indicated on Santa’s Instagram Story.

Earlier in the evening, Kelce and Swift were seen arriving at the event together in a video shared on X by another gala attendee. The pair held hands while making their way past guests to join the Mahomes at a table, where they sat with Patrick and his wife, Brittany.

Travis Kelce auctions off Eras Tour tickets at Patrick Mahomes’ gala

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Later that evening Kelce was seen partying with DJ Kygo at the XS Nightclub in Las Vegas

Kelce and Swift were described as ‘super adorable’ and ‘down to earth’ by the attendee in the caption of her footage.

‘NBD. Just T Swift and her man Travis Kelce,’ they wrote over the video.

‘And they are super adorable together. So down to earth & Kind … Just super cool badass human beings.’

Just hours after the couple attended the charity auction event together, Kelce headed to the packed XS Nightclub to join Norwegian DJ Kygo behind the decks at his Vegas party, with Swift nowhere to be seen on the night.

In a selection of photos and videos shared by Kygo, the Chiefs star can be seen taking the microphone to ramp up the crowd at the event, before waving a t-shirt in the air and jumping up and down to the music.

Travis also posed for a photo alongside the music producer and his manager Myles Shear while living it up at the Wynn Hotel’s famous nightclub.

All in all, a busy weekend for Kelce, who doesn’t have to attend any offseason team activities until May 20 at the earliest – and that’s technically optional.

 

“Taylor Swift says, ‘Siпce I was 10 years old, I have beeп faciпg criticism aпd hatred from my classmates, so all of this is пot пew to me пow.’””Taylor Swift says, ‘All this is пot пew to me aпymore. Siпce I was teп years old, I have beeп faciпg a lot from haters – criticism, fights, aпd maпy dirty thiпgs throwп my way. Bυt I did пothiпg becaυse I doп’t like to fight.’”

 

Here’s to where it all started … baby Taylor Swift poses with her mom Aпdrea aпd dad Scott oп their Christmas tree farm, where she speпt her early years.Swift aпd her yoυпger brother Aυstiп have always beeп close. For her 29th birthday, the yoυпgest Swift sibliпg shared a birthday tribυte to his big sis, writiпg, “The gift of gettiпg to witпess yoυ become the woпderfυl persoп yoυ are today has beeп the greatest privilege aпd hoпor of my life. Happy 29th Birthday @taylorswift.”

The piпt-sized star saпg the пatioпal aпthem at the 2002 Detroit Pistoпs vs. Philadelphia 76ers game weariпg a shirt covered iп Americaп flags.”So wheпever aпyoпe criticizes me, I’ll jυst laυgh aпd focυs oп my work. I’ll miпd my bυsiпess aпd пot eveп care aboυt what people say aпymore. They’re tryiпg to pυsh yoυ dowп, bυt I woп’t allow that to happeп.”

 

Perry Knotts/Getty Images

The Kansas City Chiefs announced Monday they signed tight end Travis Kelce to a new contract.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported on the deal and colleague Tom Pelissero followed up to add Kelce will make $34.3 million over the two-year term.

He becomes the NFL’s highest-paid tight end, a title that belonged to the New York Giants’ Darren Waller ($17 million).

Teammate Patrick Mahomes reacted to the news on social media:

Kelce hasn’t openly flirted with retirement, but a number of factors pointed to how he could walk away sooner rather than later.

The wear and tear is beginning to show a bit with the nine-time Pro Bowler. His 65.6 receiving yards per game were his fewest since 2015 and he set a career low in yards per reception (10.6). He also missed Kansas City’s opener thanks to a knee injury and was rested in the season finale while dealing with a neck issue.

The 34-year-old gave a candid interview to J.R. Moehringer of WSJ. Magazine in November and admitted he ponders retirement “more than anyone could ever imagine.”

“The discomfort. The pain. The lingering injuries—the 10 surgeries I’ve had that I still feel every single surgery to this day,” he said when laying out the physical toll.

Beyond having achieved everything he can on the field, Kelce has become a major star off it thanks to the popularity of his New Heights podcast with brother Jason and his relationship with Taylor Swift. He knows he’s set up nicely for a second career when he’s done in the NFL.

The future Hall of Famer was never going to retire after the Chiefs successfully defended their Super Bowl championship. He wasted no time in saying he’d be back for a three-peat bid.

Before agreeing to an extension, an exit in 2025 at least looked like a plausible possibility. Instead, Kelce is making it abundantly clear he wants to stick around well beyond that.

That’s great news for the Chiefs, who continued to lean on their tight end as their No. 1 option in the passing game. His 93 receptions and 984 yards were both the highest on the team.

By adding wide receivers Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy in the offseason, Kansas City might be able to give him a bit of a break in 2024.

Travis Kelce may have hinted that he’ll finish his NFL career in Kansas City.

 

 

 

The three-time Super Bowl champion, who reached an agreement on a two-year contract extension with the Chiefs Monday, shared an emotional video confirming the news.

‘Chiefs forever,’ he said in the clip, which was posted to X.

‘Back at it again, baby. Had to see a little Super Bowl right here man,’ he went on, pointing to his Super Bowl LVIII hat.

‘Feels good to be in KC. I remember coming here 12 years ago, man. It’s an honor and a pleasure and I can’t wait to get after it these next two years. No better than right now. Getting fired up for this year. Just got out on the field with the boys, we’re back at it baby.’

The deal will reportedly make Kelce the highest paid tight end in the league.

The Athletic’s Nate Taylor claimed his new average annual salary is $17.1million, eclipsing that of New York Giants tight end Darren Waller, who earns $17million annually.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs tweeted, ‘We signed the greatest tight end ever to a new contract.’

Kelce’s pal, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, also shared the team’s enthusiasm.

‘I told yall I’ll never let him leave!! Congrats my guy! @tkelce,’ he wrote on X.

The ‘New Heights’ podcast host, who has taken home more than $89million throughout 11 seasons with the Chiefs, said he was flirting with the idea of retirement in November.

‘That’s the only thing I’ve never really been open about, the discomfort,’ Travis told his podcast co-host, brother Jason Kelce, late last year.

Kelce’s pal, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, also shared the team’s enthusiasm.

‘I told yall I’ll never let him leave!! Congrats my guy! @tkelce,’ he wrote on X.

The ‘New Heights’ podcast host, who has taken home more than $89million throughout 11 seasons with the Chiefs, said he was flirting with the idea of retirement in November.

‘That’s the only thing I’ve never really been open about, the discomfort,’ Travis told his podcast co-host, brother Jason Kelce, late last year.

‘The pain. The lingering injuries – the 10 surgeries I’ve had that I still feel every single surgery to this day. The surgeries take a toll, man,’ he continued.

‘They take a toll. I was unfortunate I got the knee surgery but fortunate I haven’t had any problems with that situation since then.’

Kelce, who has been dating Taylor Swift since last summer, underwent surgery to repair his ailing knee in 2013 and another on his shoulder in 2017.