Bruno Manrique Articles - Page 247

Andre Iguodala was coming off the best three-year run of his professional career, playing in back-to-back-to-back NBA Finals and earning two championship rings and a Finals MVP in 2015 — but the toughest waters were yet to be treaded. The Golden State Warriors’ sixth man had a decision on his hands as a free agent […]

Kobe Bryant has gone through his fair share of ups and downs throughout his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, but in 2007, he came as close to leaving the team as he ever had throughout his career. Having won his first three championships and developed an addiction to winning next to Shaquille O’Neal […]

In the aftermath of Kevin Durant’s apology for his response to a critic over social media, Enes Kanter of the Oklahoma City Thunder took the chance to endear himself to the fanbase that much more, calling it “Okla-Home” and doubling down on his respect for the organization and love for the fans and teammates. One […]

It’s coming down to less than a month before the start of the 2017-18 NBA season and rookies like Lonzo Ball have put gears in motion prior to the start of training camp. While some have pulled out the playbook, done different drills, taken endless jump shots, or worked out alongside veterans, Ball put his […]

The Miami Heat have chosen to exercise a $3.5 million, fourth-year option on forward Justise Winslow, according to ESPN Insider Bobby Marks. Coming into his third year in the league, the Duke standout will battle for the starting small forward spot at the beginning of training camp, going against newly-extended Josh Richardson and Rodney McGruder. […]

Following his secondary social media scandal, Kevin Durant apologized for his comments on his former coach Billy Donovan and the Oklahoma City Thunder organization, upset at himself for taking debates with fans to that length. “I have another Instagram account, but that’s just for my friends and family. So I wouldn’t say I was using […]

The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to a one-year, $2.3 million veteran’s minimum deal with free agent forward Dante Cunningham, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical. The 6-foot-8 forward was being closely eyed by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who were also in search of a three-and-D asset. Cunningham has a career-changing season in 2016-17, shooting […]

Luka Doncic’s international showcase during this year’s EuroBasket tournament has proved to be much more than any McDonald’s All-American or NCAA Tournament can prove to NBA scouts. The 18-year-old Slovenian prodigy had a torrid nine games, leading his home country to the first title in international competition, battling to an undefeated 9-0 record after taking […]

In the aftermath of the preseason rankings offered by Sports Illustrated and ESPN earlier in the month, NBA players have had plenty of fodder with where they are ranked. From minimal discretions ranging from a spot to a few, to outright “blatant disrespect” to the likes of Carmelo Anthony ranking 37th and 64th respectively. While […]

The Minnesota Timberwolves continue their relentless search for assets to fill the last three remaining roster spots prior to the start of training camp. After spending a whopping amount in the contracts of Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, and Jamal Crawford this offseason and an imminent five-year, $148 million extension awaiting Andrew Wiggins — […]

It didn’t take long for Kevin Durant’s Twitter and Instagram’s secondary accounts to come into question, now part of a Scooby-Doo-like mystery investigation, which started by asking his teammate Draymond Green and L.A. Clippers center DeAndre Jordan about its veracity. TMZ Sports caught up with them outside of the L.A. nightclub scene and asked them […]

Coming into what’s primed to be an exciting new season for Oklahoma City Thunder faithful, it won’t be Russell Westbrook and Paul George cashing in the highest, but rather Westbrook and Steven Adams, who inked to a four-year, $100 million extension early last season. His $22.4 million salary earnings is bound to put a different […]

Omri Casspi’s busy summer has been an ample warmup for what’s to come, after signing a one-year, $2.1 million deal with the Golden State Warriors this season, giving them an excellent weapon off the bench to complement their already monstrous depth. Coming off an offseason where he hosted the 16th annual Basketball Without Borders in […]

Stephon Marbury, an avid New Yorker looking for a return to the NBA and derivatively a basketball fan, still holds Carmelo Anthony in high regard. The New York Knicks star forward has gone through a couple of rough seasons with the team, ranging from injuries to playing with loose pieces to a puzzle that didn’t […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are close to finalizing an agreement with Cal standout Ivan Rabb, closing in on a three-year deal, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Rabb excelled in his second season at Cal, posting a double-double of 14 points, 10.5 rebounds, and a block per game — enough to warrant the eyes […]

The Golden State Warriors and the front office put forward a free agency extravaganza this summer, bringing back a total of seven players and signing five additional ones to contracts this offseason, keeping president Bob Myers as busy as possible during this free agency craze. Omri Casspi was a bold signing that has flown under […]

The never-ending social media wars between Kevin Durant and his critics might have gone deeper than most expect, engaging in any debate and welcoming most trolls who have something negative to say. It appears that his recent online battles might have more than meets the eye, allegedly also having a private Instagram account dedicated to […]

Only minutes after being crowned European champions for the first time in team history, the core of the Slovenian national team relished a special moment and soaked in the experience after finishing off an undefeated run with a convincing 93-85 win over Serbia on Sunday’s EuroBasket final. Luka Doncic, an 18-year-old prospect soon to take […]

Jrue Holiday can set himself up for a major cash-in at the end of this upcoming season, as he can net as much as $5.2 million in potential bonuses after signing a five-year, $126 million contract with the team the very first day of free agency. The 6-foot-3 converted shooting guard can take home $4.7 million […]

Kyrie Irving has been the target of criticism due to his decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to take command of his own team in the Boston Celtics, but he also left a lot of potential money on the table, which the franchise would have likely paid out if he was the key remaining star […]

Free agent guard/forward Brandon Rush has signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, according to his agency, Priority Sports. Rush was also coveted by other teams like his former team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have been in an everlasting search for three-and-D assets to fill their roster. A nine-year veteran of the league, Rush was slowed down […]

After answering and dodging a myriad of questions from the First Take duo of Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman, Kyrie Irving dropped some knowledge on the former, letting him know he’s learned to block outside noise. Smith argued that there had been multiple reports about the repercussions of his trade request to the Cleveland […]

Kyrie Irving’s era with the Boston Celtics is only weeks from taking place, but his rough exit from the Cleveland Cavaliers will be a topic of interest for the entire season. The 25-year-old parted ways with LeBron James, stepping out of his shadow in order to run his own team on the way to another […]

Even after his retirement, many people have embraced Kobe Bryant’s “Mamba Mentality” — whether it is on the court or in his shoes and apparel line with Nike. So it comes to no surprise that Bryant’s daughter Gianna has taken some of the family’s secrets, most notably his patented head-to-chest triple-threat move. Kobe's daughter is […]

It’s no surprise that the Brooklyn Nets, like many other teams, have made the call of growing through their youth, but after this year’s acquisition they’ve made the call of pointing who they’ll grow around. D’Angelo Russell, who was acquired in a pre-draft offseason trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, along with young up-and-coming talent […]

Luke Doncic’s introduction to the world of international basketball was bigger than any bang an 18-year-old has made at the highest level of competition. A 6-foot-6 guard/forward with incredibly well-rounded talent, Doncic impressed during the first eight games of EuroBasket 2017, leading his national team of Slovenia to their first final in any competition, ultimately […]

Restricted free agent Mason Plumlee has agreed to a three-year, $41 million deal to return to the Denver Nuggets, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Plumlee’s contract is equivalent to the sum big man Tyler Zeller — his counterpart at the center position — received from the Brooklyn Nets a week ago, setting precedent for his […]

To the shock of many around the league, longtime journeyman forward Boris Diaw chose to continue his career outside of the NBA, returning to his native France and signing with Paris-Lavellois on Thursday. The French international explained his decision over a YouTube video the day after, noting that he had to wait to see if the […]

After spending the majority of a season in silence, taking incoming criticism from many-a-source after making a move to the Golden State Warriors, Kevin Durant followed his glory-filled championship aura by interacting with those who continually criticize him after vindicating himself with his first trophy. Only weeks prior to the start of the season, Durant […]

Kevin Durant’s comments about Under Armour did not come kindly to his teammate Stephen Curry, who has been notoriously the face of the brand for the last three years. “We were never in a bad place,” Durant told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. “We didn’t have to patch anything up. It was an opinion that I had […]

Russell Westbrook is coming off not only an MVP season and a delightful summer after the team made key acquisitions to provide his support, but he also netted the most lucrative contract in sneaker history by inking a 10-year pact with Jordan Brand. While Westbrook has slowly come into the forefront of the brand, becoming […]

Andrew Wiggins’ constant back-and-forth with the Minnesota Timberwolves during this summer has been a concern for Twin Cities fans hopeful to see him locked down under a long-term extension. While the organization has made major signings in Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, Jamal Crawford, and most-recently Shabazz Muhammad — the uncertainty of whether Wiggins will be […]

Dwyane Wade has yet to reach out to the Chicago Bulls asking for a buyout, and while the start of the season is crawling closer each day, there is a reason for his madness. According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times, it is Wade who is patiently waiting for the Bulls brawn to […]

The everlasting marriage between hip-hop and basketball has found a revival in the last few years, with players like Damian Lillard, Lou Williams, Lonzo Ball, and others releasing their own music. Now Minnesota Timberwolves cornerstone center Karl-Anthony Towns can be added to the mix, as he’s gotten in the studio this summer, recently posting a […]

Forward Kevin Durant found himself in the rare opportunity to express support for a member of the media; the same media that talked, bashed, and at times discredited his rightfully-earned championship after choosing to sign with the Golden State Warriors last offseason. The 28-year-old has spent his offseason in Los Angeles and was spotted by […]

Andrew Bogut didn’t have the best season in 2016-17. His stint with the Dallas Mavericks was as unsuccessful as one could expect, and a consequent trade to the Philadelphia 76ers wasn’t much more than just a screen into a very short stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the 7-foot center still remains eager to what’s […]

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has been relentlessly pushing a new NBA Draft Lottery reform proposal, allowing for change in the NBA Draft Lottery in order to de-incentivize tanking from lottery-prone teams. But along with a plan to make the odds more even and make teams think twice before purposely losing games at the end of […]

Draymond Green has defied his odds coming into the NBA, drafted as the No. 35 overall pick by the Golden State Warriors, and notably able to memorize every player selected before him in that 2012 NBA Draft. But his trajectory into the upper echelon of a star-studded league has come from more than just a […]

Plenty of NBA players have mocked the recent NBA rankings put out by ESPN, which have raised many eyebrows between players, fans, and other analysts. One of the rankings that jumps to eye is Carmelo Anthony slotted at No. 64, only one spot above bench spark plug Marcus Smart, and behind the likes of Robert […]