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NBA Rumors
The daily league-wide NBA rumors page
By InsideHoops.comUpdated June 16, 2026
The Chicago Bulls have hired Portland Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter as the franchise's new head coach, the team announced Tuesday. Splitter succeeds Billy Donovan as the Bulls' head coach after stepping into the interim head coach job in Portland last season and excelling. Splitter, 41, guided the Trail Blazers to a 42-40 record and a postseason berth as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference amid adversity stemming from Chauncey Billups' federal charges. "Throughout our process, Tiago stood apart for his basketball intellect, his ability to connect with and develop players, and the way his teams compete every single night," Bulls executive vice president Bryson Graham said in a statement. He has won at every level of the game as both a player and a coach, on multiple continents, and we believe his vision is the right fit for our young roster. We are excited to partner with him as we build the next era of Bulls basketball." - ESPN.com
Longtime Los Angeles Lakers public address announcer Lawrence Tanter is retiring from his position after more than 40 years manning the microphone at Lakers home games, the team announced Tuesday. Tanter, 76, will stay on as an adviser on the Lakers' game presentation, according to the team. "Lawrence Tanter has been an integral part of the Lakers gameday experience for more than four decades, setting the tone for countless memorable moments with his professionalism, energy and signature booming voice," Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement. - ESPN.com
Cigar smoke filled the air of San Antonio's Frost Bank Center as thousands of patrons chanted "Let's go Knicks" -- a cathartic release of emotions some 53 years in the making. During a postseason in which comeback victories had become their specialty, the New York Knicks completed one of the most dominant playoff runs in NBA history with a title-clinching 94-90 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals> on Saturday night. It wasn't a record 29-point comeback like New York pulled off in Game 4 but rather a methodical walking down of the Spurs, outlasting San Antonio as the Knicks had every playoff opponent. The Spurs led 83-73 with 8:21 left Saturday night. Then the Knicks went to work. - ESPN.com
The Knicks didn't have a nonchalant approach the past two months, turning up their defensive intensity to another level and diversifying their offense to become an unstoppable unit. Hours after the Knicks completed their comeback, when the halls of the arena emptied, they were back in their locker room -- with more cigars, dancing and champagne. After months of saying they focused only on the game in front of them, they were letting loose in the moment of winning the franchise's first NBA title since 1973. Like Brown, Josh Hart often wondered about his place in the league. Being traded multiple times, it wasn't a guarantee he would get to this point. Compared with Brunson, a stoic figure, Hart wears his emotions a little more vulnerably. - ESPN.com
Thanks to a performance for the ages, Jalen Brunson led the New York Knicks to their first NBA championship in 53 years and earned Finals MVP honors. Brunson was the unanimous choice among 11 voters after scoring 45 points in the Knicks' 94-90 title-clinching victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 on Saturday night. "It's everything we ever dreamed of," Brunson told ESPN's Ernie Johnson while standing next to his father on the stage after accepting the Bill Russell Trophy. "It's why I came to New York." - ESPN.com
Brunson, who struggled from the floor earlier in the series, shot 14-for-27 in Game 5, including going 4-for-7 from 3-point range and 13-for-15 from the foul line. He scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, helping the Knicks overcome a seven-point deficit to pull away and end the franchise's championship drought. "Words can't describe it, but I'll say I put a lot of time and effort into trying to be the best player I can be to try and help a team win," Brunson said. "Just really thankful to have the organization, the coaching staff, my teammates, to have my back every single day. I think that means the most to me. And my family." - ESPN.com
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