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Jaylen Brown, LaMelo Ball, Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James Heading Into Free Agency
The NBA offseason has already produced one blockbuster after another, and the league’s rumor mill shows no signs of slowing down with free agency set to officially open Tuesday. Here are the five biggest trade stories currently swirling around the league.
1. Jaylen Brown’s future remains unsettled, with competing scenarios emerging
Boston’s All-Star wing continues to be at the center of trade speculation, with multiple, sometimes conflicting, reports describing how the Celtics might eventually move him. According to RealGM, citing Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons are considering a Jaylen Brown trade that would involve restricted free agent center Jalen Duren as the centerpiece of the deal on a sign-and-trade.
The dynamics behind that scenario trace back to Detroit’s roster needs. The Pistons have entered the offseason aggressively looking to add a shot creator beside Cade Cunningham, with Austin Reaves, Tyler Herro, Norman Powell and Coby White among the names they had explored, only for Reaves and White to already agree to re-sign with their incumbent teams. Detroit and Duren, meanwhile, have reportedly been far apart on contract talks, fueling expectations that the All-NBA big man will explore his options in restricted free agency through a sign-and-trade.
Boston’s motivation in any Brown scenario appears tied to retooling its frontcourt after a disappointing finish to last season. The Celtics are prioritizing getting bigger and more versatile this offseason following their first-round playoff exit to the Philadelphia 76ers, and notably, Boston previously offered Brown in a package to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of trade discussions for Giannis Antetokounmpo before that deal ultimately sent Antetokounmpo to Miami instead.
2. LaMelo Ball is officially headed to Minnesota
What began as trade speculation has already turned into one of the offseason’s biggest completed deals. According to Bleacher Report’s NBA rumors tracker, LaMelo Ball is headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a blockbuster trade, with the Charlotte Hornets receiving Naz Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps and three second-round picks in return.
Ball had been a driving force behind Charlotte’s strong second-half surge last season, but the move reflects long-standing questions about his durability, given that he has also long been considered a significant injury risk throughout his career. The Hornets moved quickly to address their backcourt after the trade, re-signing guard Coby White, though the deal has already drawn some criticism in NBA media circles given the perceived drop-off in production between Ball and White at the position.
3. Kawhi Leonard’s situation in Los Angeles draws renewed scrutiny
Speculation around Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has intensified as the team signals its roster flexibility heading into the new league year. According to RealGM, the Los Angeles Clippers have the capacity to open up cap space this offseason if they decline team options on Brook Lopez, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nicolas Batum. ESPN’s Zach Lowe added detail on that posture, saying, “I don’t know if this has been decided yet, but someone who would know told me that the Clippers are telling or behaving I guess as though they’re going to have cap space in the offseason.”
That maneuvering has coincided with renewed chatter about Leonard’s long-term future with the franchise. During the second round of the NBA Draft, ESPN’s Bobby Marks dropped what RealGM described as “a not-so-subtle hint” that one of Leonard’s former teams might be interested in reacquiring him, fueling speculation about a possible reunion with either the Toronto Raptors or San Antonio Spurs if Leonard’s situation in Los Angeles doesn’t ultimately work out on a new contract.
4. Ja Morant’s trade market has gone cold
Few players have seen their trade outlook shift as dramatically as Memphis guard Ja Morant. According to Bleacher Report, despite the fact that Morant is only 26 years old, it’s not difficult to understand why, seemingly, no one wants him in a trade, pointing to a steep decline in availability and production over the past three seasons, including multiple suspensions and injuries that have limited him to fewer than 30 appearances per season since 2022-23.
Memphis appears to be moving on regardless of the lack of trade interest. The report noted that the Grizzlies’ new core, built around Cameron Boozer, Zach Edey and Cedric Coward, doesn’t need Morant’s off-court baggage as it continues developing together, and suggested the most likely path forward for both sides might ultimately be a buyout rather than a trade.
5. LeBron James’ free agency decision could reshape multiple rosters
Few storylines carry more weight across the league than where 41-year-old LeBron James lands as he enters unrestricted free agency. James is coming off a historic season in which he became the first NBA player to play a 24th year, averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 51.5% from the field, even as the Lakers were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference semifinals.
Speculation connecting James to a reunion with the Miami Heat, where he won two championships alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, has grown louder following Miami’s blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said on “First Take” that he doesn’t believe Heat president Pat Riley would turn James away if he called expressing interest in joining Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, while former Heat champion Mario Chalmers told WQAM radio, “I can see him coming back. It’ll definitely be a good opportunity because of Giannis and Bam.” Still, multiple reports have characterized a Miami reunion as unlikely given the team’s hard-capped financial situation, leaving James’ ultimate decision, and its ripple effects across the league, as one of the offseason’s most closely watched outcomes.
With several of these situations still unresolved heading into the official start of free agency Tuesday, expect continued movement across the league in the coming days as teams race to finalize their rosters before training camps open later this year. Brown’s situation in Boston, Leonard’s future in Los Angeles, Morant’s path out of Memphis, and James’ eventual destination all stand to significantly reshape the league’s competitive landscape depending on how each storyline ultimately resolves.
Business
SpaceX Stock Climbs Back to End Day With Gains
SpaceX shares at some points Friday traded below their first opening-day price from two weeks ago, while the rocket maker’s market cap flirted with levels below $2 trillion, where it hasn’t closed since the biggest listing on record.
Despite all that, the stock bounced back in the last hour to close at $153.23, up 23 cents on the day. For the week, SpaceX shares dropped 17%, a sign of waning enthusiasm for the biggest listing of all time. But for now, they remain comfortably above the opening IPO price of $150.
Business
Colombia and Portugal Draw 0-0 at World Cup, With Colombia Topping Group K Over Ronaldo’s Portugal Squad
MIAMI — Colombia and Portugal played out a scoreless draw at Miami Stadium on Saturday in a meeting of World Cup heavyweights, with Colombia securing top spot in Group K despite the stalemate, as Cristiano Ronaldo was kept largely quiet by a determined Colombian defense.
The result extends a mixed tournament for Ronaldo, who had drawn attention for his celebratory outburst following Portugal’s earlier win over Uzbekistan, but found himself a peripheral figure for long stretches against a Colombian side that controlled much of the match’s tempo.
A chance encounter early on
The match nearly burst into life within the opening minute, when a deflected effort from Bayern Munich winger Luis Díaz spun unexpectedly onto the head of forward Jhon Córdoba inside the box. Córdoba, seemingly as surprised as anyone to find himself with the chance, lifted his attempt over the bar. Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa was called into action shortly after, producing a sharp one-handed save to deny Córdoba a second opportunity.
Portugal struggled to generate much of a response in the first half. A shot from midfielder Bruno Fernandes was batted away by Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, and Ronaldo’s follow-up attempt on the rebound, an overhead effort, was blocked before it could threaten the goal. Forward João Félix also tested Colombia’s defense with an effort that sailed over the bar, but for the most part, the opening 45 minutes offered little in the way of clear chances for either side, with Ronaldo struggling to find space against a well-organized Colombian back line.
Colombia presses for a breakthrough
The pattern of Colombian pressure continued into the second half. Midfielder Richard Ríos fired a shot just wide of Costa’s left-hand post from close range shortly after the hour mark, continuing a string of Colombian opportunities that went unrewarded. Ronaldo had a half-chance of his own at the other end, but was ruled offside before his effort could be assessed further.
Costa was forced into another important save soon after, denying Jhon Arias as Colombia continued searching for the goal that would settle the contest. Forward Luis Suárez also found space inside Portugal’s box but miskicked his attempt with Costa’s goal in sight, while a shot from James Rodríguez was cleared away by defender Renato Veiga before it could test the Portuguese goalkeeper.
Portugal’s response off the bench
With Colombia controlling much of the second-half play, Portugal manager Roberto Martínez turned to his bench in search of a spark, introducing forward Rafael Leão. The substitution nearly paid off when fullback Diogo Dalot curled an effort just wide of the target after receiving a corner delivery from Fernandes, offering one of Portugal’s better chances of an otherwise difficult night in front of goal.
A disallowed goal in stoppage time
Colombia appeared to have snatched a dramatic late winner in stoppage time, when defender Davinson Sánchez headed home what was initially celebrated as the decisive goal. Colombian substitutes streamed off the bench in celebration before officials intervened, ruling Sánchez offside and wiping out the goal. The disallowed effort proved to be the match’s final notable moment, with the contest finishing scoreless.
Martínez reflects on a missed opportunity
Speaking after the match, Portugal manager Roberto Martínez acknowledged that his side had allowed Colombia to dictate the terms of the contest. “We let Colombia have the match they wanted,” Martínez said. “We did not control possession as much as we wanted. We weren’t able to control the game or use our talent.”
The result leaves Martínez with plenty to address, given that Portugal has now struggled in two of its three matches so far in the tournament, despite possessing one of the most talent-laden rosters in the competition.
Where both teams go next
Despite the draw, Colombia’s result was enough to secure top spot in Group K, a notably positive outcome for a team that will now face Ghana in the round of 32. Portugal, meanwhile, finishes the group stage in second place and advances to face Croatia in the next round.
For Colombia, the result represents an encouraging marker after an entertaining and largely one-sided performance against one of the tournament’s most decorated squads, even if questions remain about the team’s finishing in front of goal after multiple missed opportunities throughout the match.
A raucous atmosphere in Miami
Saturday’s match also stood out for the scene inside Miami Stadium, where Colombian supporters appeared to dominate the crowd by a wide margin, continuing a recent trend of passionate fan turnouts at the venue. The atmosphere followed a similarly charged scene days earlier when Brazilian fans filled the same stadium for their team’s win over Scotland.
While Colombian fans have a more complicated recent history at major tournaments, including incidents involving fans storming gates at the 2024 Copa América final, Saturday’s crowd was orderly and high-spirited throughout, creating an atmosphere that made Colombia feel almost like a host nation despite not holding that status at this World Cup.
A measured night for Ronaldo
For Ronaldo, who turns 42 later this year, Saturday’s match offered a stark contrast to his prior outing against Uzbekistan, when his enthusiastic on-camera celebration drew attention across the tournament. Against a well-drilled Colombian defense, the Portuguese forward was unable to find the same rhythm, spending long stretches of the match on the periphery of the action and managing little in the way of direct goal-scoring threat before his side’s lone offside chance late in the second half.
With the group stage now behind them, both Colombia and Portugal turn their attention to the knockout rounds, where Colombia will look to build on a group-topping finish against Ghana, while Portugal and Martínez will look to address the possession and control issues that have plagued the team through much of the tournament when they face Croatia in the round of 32.
Business
Harbor Mid Cap Fund Q1 2026 Commentary
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AI-Themed Stocks Tanking, Consumer Confidence Rising and SpaceX Joining an Index | Markets P.M. for June 26
This is an edition of the Markets P.M. newsletter, a recap of the day’s most important markets moves, delivered after the closing bell. If you’re not subscribed, sign up here.
What Happened in Markets Today
Stock indexes closely tied to AI fell Friday. Japan’s benchmark index slid more than 4%, weighed down by a 13% plunge in SoftBank Group’s shares, after a media report suggested OpenAI could hold off going public until next year. South Korea’s Kospi index, which includes Samsung and SK Hynix, dropped almost 6%. In the U.S., Micron fell almost 7%, reversing some of the memory-chip maker’s gains after Wednesday’s blockbuster earnings report. The PHLX semiconductor index dropped about 5%, while the Roundhill Memory ETF fell 6.5%. Major U.S. indexes were down slightly. The Nasdaq fell 0.2% while the Dow industrials and S&P 500 each fell 0.1%.
Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Business
Chip Stocks Drag Nasdaq Lower. Tech-Heavy Index Falls for Fifth Day in a Row.
Another sharp chip stock drop sent the Nasdaq tumbling for a fifth day in a row.
The Dow fell 56 points, or 0.1%. The S&P 500 was down 0.1%. The Nasdaq was down 0.2%. The S&P and Nasdaq each fell every day this week.
The S&P is riding its longest losing streak since August of last year.
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Micron, Wendy’s, Apple, ON Semiconductor
↘️ ON Semiconductor (ON): The chip maker agreed to acquire Synaptics (SYNA) in a roughly $7 billion all-stock transaction, as it seeks to push into physical AI. Shares of ON Semiconductor tumbled 24%, while Synaptics’ stock slipped 3.7%..
↗️ Eli Lilly (LLY): The pharma giant’s stock rose 7.1% after it said European regulators issued a positive opinion recommending Jaypirca as a treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
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Moderna, Nvidia, Sandisk, Palantir, ON Semi, and More Stocks That Explain Today’s Market
Moderna, Nvidia, Sandisk, Palantir, ON Semi, and More Stocks That Explain Today’s Market
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Community Trust Bancorp: Not Great, But Good Enough
Community Trust Bancorp: Not Great, But Good Enough
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Hints, Clues and the Tricky Answer to NYT’s Puzzle #1835 for Sunday, June 28, 2026
Wordle players are facing one of the trickier puzzles of the week heading into Sunday, with a word that leans unusually hard on a single repeated letter. Here’s a full breakdown of Wordle #1835 for June 28, 2026, including hints for those still working through it and the complete answer for anyone ready to check their guess.
What is Wordle?
Wordle is the daily word-guessing game created by Josh Wardle and now owned and operated by The New York Times. Players get six attempts to identify a secret five-letter word, with color-coded tiles offering feedback after every guess: green for a correct letter in the correct position, yellow for a correct letter in the wrong position, and gray for a letter that doesn’t appear in the word at all. A new puzzle resets at midnight local time, giving players one shot per day at extending their personal win streak.
Why Sunday’s puzzle is unusually difficult
According Wordle coverage, Sunday’s puzzle stands out specifically because it relies heavily on one letter doing most of the work. That structure can throw off players who default to opening words built around a variety of different vowels and consonants, since today’s answer narrows the field considerably once that one key letter is identified. Anyone looking to refresh their go-to starting word can consult letter-frequency guides that track which letters appear most often across the English language, a useful tool for building an opener that maximizes early information.
Hints for today’s puzzle, without giving it away
For solvers who want to take a swing at the puzzle themselves before reading further, here are five hints published alongside today’s answer, presented in order from broad to specific.
The first hint concerns repeated letters: today’s word contains one letter that repeats, and it shows up three separate times within the five letters.
The second hint narrows things down further by addressing vowels: the puzzle contains only one vowel total, and that vowel is the same letter that repeats three times.
The third hint reveals the word’s first letter: today’s answer begins with E.
The fourth hint reveals the word’s last letter: today’s answer also ends with E.
The fifth and final hint points toward the word’s meaning: the answer can refer to a person who serves as the master of ceremonies at an event, guiding guests through a program of performances, speeches or other proceedings.
Today’s Wordle answer: EMCEE
For players ready to see the solution, or who have already used up their six guesses, the answer to Wordle #1835 for Sunday, June 28, 2026, is EMCEE.
The word fits every hint listed above precisely. It begins and ends with E, contains exactly one vowel, that same letter E, repeated a total of three times across its five letters, with the consonants M and C filling out the remaining two spots. EMCEE is a clipped form of the initials “M.C.,” referring to a master of ceremonies, and functions as both a noun describing that role and a verb describing the act of hosting or presenting an event.
Players who guessed words containing a heavy concentration of E’s, such as EERIE, ETHEE-style attempts, or even words like EXCEL or ELDER, may have picked up valuable feedback pointing toward the unusual letter distribution before landing on the correct answer.
Yesterday’s answer for comparison
For context on how the puzzle has trended over recent days, yesterday’s Wordle, puzzle #1834 for Saturday, June 27, was SCOOP — a word centered on a double letter as well, though structured quite differently than Sunday’s answer, with two O’s rather than a triple-repeated vowel.
A look back at the past week of answers
Word-game enthusiasts tracking recent trends can review the full run of answers from the past several days. The Wordle answer for June 23, puzzle #1830, was CURRY. The following day, June 24, puzzle #1831, was QUEER. On June 25, puzzle #1832 was UNITY, followed by ACUTE for puzzle #1833 on June 26, and SCOOP for puzzle #1834 on June 27, leading into Sunday’s EMCEE for puzzle #1835.
Strategy tips for tackling tricky puzzles like this one
Word-game strategists generally recommend that players faced with an unusually letter-light puzzle, such as one relying on a single repeated vowel, avoid wasting early guesses on words that test multiple different vowels at once. Instead, once a pattern of repeated letters becomes apparent through yellow or green tiles, players are better served narrowing their next guess to words consistent with that specific repetition rather than continuing to explore unrelated letter combinations.
Common opening words used by experienced Wordle players, such as ADIEU, ARISE, OUIJA or CRANE, are generally chosen because they test a wide spread of frequently used vowels and consonants in a single guess, helping quickly establish which letters belong in the day’s answer before the harder process of placement begins. For a puzzle like Sunday’s, however, recognizing early that a single vowel is repeated multiple times can be the key insight that unlocks the rest of the word far faster than continuing to guess broadly.
What’s next for Wordle players
The next puzzle, Wordle #1836, will go live at midnight local time heading into Monday, June 29, resetting the board for players working to maintain or rebuild their streaks. Players looking for additional daily puzzle help can also find ongoing coverage of The New York Times’ other games, including the Mini Crossword, Connections, the sports-themed Connections variant, and Strands, each of which follows its own midnight reset schedule and offers a different style of daily challenge for word-game enthusiasts.
Whether solved as a quick morning ritual or shared competitively among friends and family through screenshotted results, Wordle continues to draw a dedicated daily audience, and Sunday’s EMCEE adds one more entry to an archive of answers that now stretches well past 1,800 puzzles since the game’s original release.
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Seven Cash And Cash Plus ETFs, For The Conservative Investor
Juan de la Hoz has worked as a fixed income trader, financial analyst, operations analyst, and as an economics professor. He has experience analyzing, trading, and negotiating fixed-income securities, including bonds, money markets, and interbank trade financing, across markets and currencies. He focuses on dividend, bond, and income funds, with a strong focus on ETFs. Juan is a contributor to the investing group CEF/ETF Income Laboratory which is led by Stanford Chemist. Features of the service include: managed income portfolios (targeting safe and reliable ~8% yields) making use of high-yield opportunities in the CEF and ETF fund space. These are geared toward both active and passive investors of all experience levels. The vast majority of CEF/ETF Income Laboratory holdings are also monthly-payers, for faster compounding and steady income streams. Other features include 24/7 chat, and trade alerts. Learn More.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
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