The 4 major events of the summer in the NBA
The signing of LeBron James by the Philadelphia 76ers, the Kawhi Leonard case, the retirement of Russell Westbrook, and the sale of the Los Angeles Lakers have marked the last few weeks.
On the eve of the start of the NBA's preseason games this Saturday, the league faces a new campaign after a summer marked by significant movements that have changed its competitive, institutional, and legal landscape.
The market was influenced by the arrival of LeBron James to the Philadelphia 76ers. In the front offices, the Los Angeles Lakers were involved in the most expensive sale in sports history, valued at 12.5 billion dollars.
LeBron James clears up doubts about his future
LeBron James put an end to speculations about his future by reaching an agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers for two seasons and eight million dollars. The 41-year-old forward also has an option to extend his contract for a third season.
The four-time NBA champion became the most sought-after piece in free agency after completing his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. His arrival in Philadelphia boosts the franchise's title aspirations, incorporating his experience and stature into a team that already includes players like Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and newcomer Jaylen Brown.
The controversial operation of Kawhi Leonard
On September 2, the NBA announced that the Clippers had circumvented the salary cap through undisclosed payments to Kawhi Leonard. As a result, the league withdrew five first-round draft picks from the Los Angeles franchise between 2029 and 2033. Additionally, a 30 million dollar fine was imposed on the Clippers and another fine of 700,000 dollars on the player.
With the NBA's investigation concluded, the case now faces new obstacles from the U.S. Attorney's Office, which is investigating the operation.
After the league released documents related to the case, the prosecution now has detailed information to assess the facts and possible violations committed during the operation.
Russell Westbrook ends 18 years in the NBA
Russell Westbrook decided to put an end to his NBA career after 18 seasons. The guard officially announced his retirement through a video posted on his social media, narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan.
The final stage of his career in the league took place with the Sacramento Kings.
Throughout his 18 seasons in the NBA, Westbrook wore the jersey of seven franchises. He began his journey with the Oklahoma City Thunder and later played for the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Denver Nuggets, before landing in Sacramento.
The Lakers feature in the most expensive sale in history
The owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, Mark Walter, reached an agreement to sell the franchise to businessmen Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for 12.5 billion dollars, according to reports this Wednesday from ESPN citing several sources with direct knowledge of the operation.
The transaction becomes the most expensive sale in the history of an NBA team, occurring less than a year after Walter acquired the Lakers for nearly 10 billion dollars.
The businessman then finalized a deal with the Buss family, who have owned the Californian franchise since 1979.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los 4 grandes acontecimientos del verano en la NBA