Travis Kelce joined Taylor Swift in London for ‘I Can Do It With a Broken Heart’ travis,kelce,joined,taylor,swift,in,london,for,i,can,do,it,with,a,broken,heart,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl,dot-com-grid-coverage


Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour hit London over the weekend, and it’s no surprise that her boyfriend of nearly one year, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, was there. But what was unexpected was Kelce joining Swift on stage.

The European tour kicked off in May and saw the Eras setlist rearranged a bit. Taylor’s three-hour set opens with songs from her album Lover, then goes to Fearless, Red, Speak Now, Reputation, and she’s condensed and combined the set from Evermore and Folklore, which is a switch from the previous leg of the tour. The iconic 1989 is up next, and then comes Taylor’s new section from her latest, The Tortured Poets Department. That’s where Kelce comes in.

The song Kelce joined Taylor on stage for is one of my favorites from TTPD. It’s called ‘I Can Do It with a Broken Heart’ and it’s about how Taylor’s had to keep performing no matter what personal and professional heartbreak she’s experiencing. It’s a bop with incredibly honest lyrics:

I’m so depressed, I act like it’s my birthday
Every day
I’m so obsessed with him, but he avoids me
Like the plague
I cry a lot, but I am so productive
It’s an art
You know you’re good when you can even do it
With a broken heart

The intro to this one about broke the internet — even without Kelce involved — when Swift performed it during the Paris show that kicked off the European tour.

The coolest thing about this is just how much fun Kelce appears to be having being a part of it.

And Kelce seems to be having the time of his life cheering on Taylor whether he’s on stage or not.

Especially when she changed the lyrics to her song ‘Karma’ to, “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me.”

The Tortured Poets Department is the first Taylor Swift album that features songs written about Travis Kelce. My personal favorite is called ‘So High School,’ a sweet song about how fun and easy their relationship feels. There’s also speculation that the last verse of ‘But Daddy I Love Him,’ a song that’s otherwise assumed to be about Taylor’s ex, The 1975 front man Matty Healy (aka ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,’ another song off of TTPD) is about Travis. Those lyrics:

And I’m dancin’ in my dress in the sun and
Even my daddy just loves him
I’m his lady, and oh my God you should see your faces
Doesn’t it give some perspective
And no, you can’t come to the wedding
I know he’s crazy, but he’s the one I want

As a matter of fact, Taylor goes straight from the end of that song into a snippet of ‘So High School’ in the current version of her Eras show, which is helping fuel that speculation. And she and her backup dancers even swag surf during it — which has got to be a nod to Chiefs fans.

Taylor Swift has performed with former flame John Mayer, but it was way back in 2009. She brought Taylor Lautner of Twilight fame — who she dated in 2009 — onstage at Arrowhead Stadium last July and introduced him, but he didn’t perform with her and it was more than a decade after they’d dated. As far as I can tell (from Google and polling every Swiftie I know), this marks the first time Taylor Swift has had a love interest come onto stage and perform with her in any way.

Swift has been criticized endlessly for her relationships in ways men aren’t — something she addresses on her song ‘The Man’ off of Lover:

They’d say I played the field before I found someone to commit to
And that would be OK
For me to do
Every conquest I had made would make me more of a boss to you

But this relationship with Kelce seems very healthy, happy and mutually supportive. Here’s hoping they keep having this much fun together.

Cameron Young channels inner Jim Furyk with astonishing 59 at Travelers cameron,young,channels,inner,jim,furyk,with,astonishing,at,travelers,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,golf-pga-tour,golf-news


Cameron Young took advantage of the soft conditions at TPC River Highlands for round 3 of the Travelers Championship. He fired off an 11-under 59 to tie Tom Kim for the lead at 13-under total.

Young became the first player since Scottie Scheffler in 2020 at TPC Boston to shoot a sub-60 round on the PGA Tour. He also became the 12th different player on Tour to shoot sub-60. Jim Furyk did it twice, including his historic 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship.

The 27-year-old’s previous best score was a 62 from the second round of the 2022 Genesis Invitational.

Young made over 115 feet of putts in the third round, including a 9-foot 7-inch par putt on 18 to secure the 59.

He took Moving Day seriously as Young jumped 42 spots to sit atop the leaderboard.

Young was 5-under through his first four holes after he made three birdies and an eagle on the par-4 3rd. Two more birdies at the 8th and 9th saw him go out in 28 strokes.

Another birdie at the par-5 13th, followed by his second eagle of the day at 15, put him at 10-under. He just needed one birdie to record a sub-60 round with three holes left. That birdie came on the par-4 17th as Young sank a 5-footer to tally his seventh birdie.

However, that par on 18 was his most crucial shot. It was not an easy putt, and Young had ice in his veins as he made it without hesitation.

Young has one runner-up finish this year, four top-10s, and five top-25s. However, he has not had his best form since the Masters.

Something clicked in Connecticut, though, as he joined an elite club of sub-60 golfers.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

Gardner Minshew’s chaotic Raiders photoshoot keeps getting better with every picture gardner,minshew,s,chaotic,raiders,photoshoot,keeps,getting,better,with,every,picture,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl,draftkings

Gardner Minshews chaotic Raiders photoshoot keeps getting better with every


It’s been a long, long time since the Raiders had swagger at their quarterback position — but no fans expected this kind of swag from Gardner Minshew. It’s photo week around the NFL, and when the studio lights came on the QB didn’t disappoint.

This shoot had a little of everything. Well, it’s more like it had a lot of one, specific, dirtbag (but in a charming way) kind of thing.

Superhero Gardner Minshew ready to save the Las Vegas Raiders from mediocrity

Uncle Rico Gardner Minshew, who I’m pretty sure can throw a football over a mountain if he wanted to

2

Pro Wrestler Garnder Minshew who is ready to go one-on-one with The Undertaker in a steel cage

3

The Gardner Minshew who got called to school for a conference with the principal because you and your friends got caught smoking cigarettes under the bleachers during fourth period

4

Is it just me or does the entire NFL just feel more fun this year? Around the league teams are letting players be themselves more, and throwing aside the stuffy, boring sanitized normality and letting players be their brilliant, weird selves.

NBA mock draft 2024: Updated projection with latest rumors after NBA Finals nba,mock,draft,updated,projection,with,latest,rumors,after,nba,finals,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,nba-draft,nba-mock-draft,draftkings

NBA mock draft 2024 Updated projection with latest rumors after


The 2024 NBA Finals are over with the Boston Celtics emerging as champions. The league is now ready to turn the page to next season, starting with the 2024 NBA Draft. The first round of the draft is happening on Wednesday, June 26 on ESPN starting at 8 p.m. ET, and for the first time, the second round will happen the next day.

This has always been a tricky draft to project due to the lack of consensus at the top of the class. Information is slowly starting to trickle out about how teams are approaching this draft, and at this point a framework for team preferences is slowly starting unfold.

Last week, we dropped a mock draft based on what we would do with every pick. This week, we’re delving into the latest intel around the draft to project how the first round looks like it will actually play out. The Hawks hold the keys to the draft at No. 1, and their decision will set the rest of the picks into motion.

1. Atlanta Hawks – Donovan Clingan, C, UConn

No one knows what the Hawks are going to do with this pick mostly because there hasn’t been a consensus No. 1 player in this class at any point in the cycle. The fact that Atlanta was preparing to draft at No. 10 entering the lottery before jumping all the way up to No. 1 probably didn’t help matters. We know the Hawks have scouted French wing Zaccharie Risacher in person at a playoff game and brought him in for a workout. There are rumors the team is also considering trading down, perhaps to target UConn center Donovan Clingan. With Washington and Houston lurking as potential Clingan suitors slightly down the order, it’s starting to feel like Atlanta could just take the Huskies big man at No. 1.

The Hawks’ defense has always been bad since they drafted Trae Young. Last season, Atlanta finished No. 27 in defensive efficiency. Rim protection was a distinct weakness, with the Hawks finished No. 26 in blocks per game. Clingan is the draft’s best shot-blocker, and arguably its most impactful overall defender. An underrated factor in this pick is that Atlanta owes unprotected first round picks to the San Antonio Spurs in 2025 and 2027. Clingan feels more ready to contribute than someone like Sarr (who was my personal pick here last week), and that might make the difference for a team that doesn’t want to surrender a high pick next season.

Photo by COLIN MURTY/AFP via Getty Images

2. Washington Wizards – Alex Sarr, C/F, Perth Wildcats (France)

Sarr has only worked out for one team according to HoopsHype, and that’s the Washington Wizards. This feels like an obvious match if he’s still on the board at No. 2. Sarr has the best physical tools in the draft as an athletic 7’1 big man with a 7’4 wingspan who can run the floor, make plays above the rim on both ends, and has shown flashes of ball handling and shooting ability. The Wizards’ rebuild still feels like it’s in its infancy, and that means someone like Sarr — obviously talented but still years away from his potential ceiling — also fits the team’s big picture timeline.

3. Houston Rockets – Reed Sheppard, G, Kentucky

The only elite prospect Houston has brought in for a workout so far is Clingan. There have also been rumors that the Rockets are looking to trade this pick, maybe even seeing if they can get the Nets to bite on a Mikal Bridges deal. If Houston stays at No. 3, Sheppard makes a lot of sense as a long-term addition to the backcourt. Sheppard is tiny by today’s standards (6’3 with a proportional wingspan), but he’s an elite three-point shooter (52 percent from deep) and has razor sharp hands defensively that help him force turnovers. The Rockets have enough freak athletes to cover for Sheppard’s limitations, and he can help Houston’s existing young core by providing spacing and more transition opportunities via turnovers.

4. San Antonio Spurs – Zaccharie Risacher, F, JL Bourg (France)

Risacher has only worked out for the Hawks and Spurs, according to HoopsHype. This is starting to feel like his floor, and the Spurs would probably be elated to have him fall. Risacher is a good fit in San Antonio, and not just because he’s another young Frenchman to put around Victor Wembanyama. The 6’9 wing played a big role in the top French league as an 18-year-old, contributing shooting, on-ball defense, and transition playmaking. He hit more than 39 percent of his threes on the season, and had some of his best games deep in the playoffs. The Spurs can still fill their obvious need in the backcourt with their next pick at No. 8 overall.

5. Detroit Pistons – Matas Buzelis, F, G League Ignite

The Pistons are still fleshing out their new front office led by Trajan Langdon, and he has a ton of work to do coming off a 14-win season. He inherits a team built by former executive Troy Weaver that’s loaded with former lottery picks (Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren) who haven’t gelled into anything resembling a competitive NBA team yet. Buzelis is a nice on-paper fit in the existing young core, adding a raw but talented 6’10 forward who flashes perimeter skill and showed surprising toughness at the rim defensively. I continue to really like the fit for Rob Dillingham here, because the Pistons desperately need shooting and playmaking. Buzelis just feels more likely to go in the top-5, and this is a sensible enough fit.

6. Charlotte Hornets – Stephon Castle, G, UConn

One of the few rumors of this draft thus far is that Castle wants to play point guard in the NBA, and doesn’t want to work out for teams with star point guards already in place, according to ESPN. Castle hasn’t had any workouts yet according to the HoopsHype tracker, but insiders are saying he won’t slip past the Hornets at this pick. Castle might want to be a point guard, but he plays much more like a connective wing, and that makes him a good fit between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller in Charlotte. Castle defends his ass off, fights for loose balls and rebounds, and has the strength to finish through contact at the rim. His jump shot is terrible at the moment, but his 75.5 percent mark from the free throw line could inspire some long-term hope in his shooting.

Colorado v Marquette

Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

7. Portland Trail Blazers – Cody Williams, F, Colorado

The Blazers have been connected to several players at this point in the pre-draft process: Clingan (who they might have to trade up for), Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht, and French forward Tijane Salaun, all of whom have officially had workouts with the team. Cody Williams has also reportedly had a less publicized meeting in Portland, and would seem to fit well as a long-term piece on the wing around Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson. The real question is how much pressure Portland’s front office is under to try to inch this thing closer to competitiveness. The Blazers still feel far away from making a real push in the West, and Williams is far away from hitting his potential ceiling as an NBA player. This pick makes sense unless someone powerful in the organization is starting to lose patience.

8. San Antonio Spurs – Nikola Topic, G, Red Stars (Serbia)

The Spurs need to fill their hole at point guard somehow this summer, whether they’re trying to trade for a veteran like Darius Garland or nabbing a playmaker in this draft. Topic likely would have been gone by this point in the draft had he not torn his ACL in May. While the length of Topic’s recovery remains a point of speculation, he makes sense for San Antonio even if he has to miss his whole rookie year. Topic is a super fast lead guard who thrives getting downhill and finishing with craft below the rim. Isaiah Collier and Rob Dillingham would also make sense here. The reality is that San Antonio — with Victor Wembanyama in tow — feels like by far the best landing spot for any young guard prospect.

9. Memphis Grizzlies – Ron Holland, F, G League Ignite

The Grizzlies struck gold in the draft last year by taking a former highly-touted recruit who slipped in the draft after struggling in his pre-draft season. If it worked with GG Jackson, it can work with Ron Holland too. Holland had a brutal year shooting the ball for a G League Ignite team that was so bad they shut down the program. Still, his defensive motor, transition scoring, and wicked athleticism will quickly remind you why he was once considered the front-runner to go No. 1 overall in this class. The Grizzlies reportedly want to contend in the West this season and Holland is a little too young and too raw to do that, but with Ja Morant only turning 25 years this summer, Memphis still has a wide window. Holland could fit their long-term vision well as a player who embodies the franchise’s old grit-n-grind spirit.

10. Utah Jazz – Tidjane Salaun, F, Cholet (France)

Salaun has been the most active lottery prospect in team workouts thus far, already spending time with the Pistons at No. 5, the Blazers at No. 7, the Spurs at No. 8, the Jazz at this pick, and the Thunder at No. 12. Utah doesn’t seem like they’re in any rush to be competitive, and likely has its eye on Cooper Flagg at the top of the 2025 draft. Salaun is a good long-term prospect for his size, motor, and shooting potential at forward, and his development fits the timeline of the organization.

11. Chicago Bulls – Devin Carter, G, Providence

The Bulls are reportedly eying trading up in this draft, but parting with future draft capitol to do it would be a huge mistake. Chicago is in a great spot at No. 11 to just take the best player who falls, and Carter, Rob Dillingham, and Isaiah Collier could each fit that description in this mock. Carter was the first lottery prospect to work out for the Bulls, and there has been speculation that they gave him a promise. Carter would be a good long-term replacement for Alex Caruso as a tenacious on-ball defender who made real strides as a shooter and driver last season as a junior at Providence. Carter and the Bulls have been connected so often in the pre-draft process that this feels like the safest player to peg here.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Rob Dillingham, G, Kentucky

Dillingham should go much higher than this based on talent, but it’s understandable that teams would be weary of a guard this small, this weak, and this bad defensively. The Thunder are smart enough to spot a great value when they see one. Dillingham might be the best ball handler in the class, and he has a case as the best shooter available, too. He’s deadly at ripping deep shots whether he’s on or off the ball, and his passing vision is underrated, too. OKC has so much length and defense already in place that it can accommodate a small guard bursting with offensive talent like Dillingham.

13. Sacramento Kings – Dalton Knecht, F, Tennessee

This feels like the low-end for Knecht’s range in the draft, with the Blazers lurking as his floor with the next pick. Knecht fits Sacramento’s existing style well: he’s a high-volume, highly-accurate three-point shooter for a team that finished No. 3 in three-point rate last season. Sacramento could probably use a little more size at this pick, but Knecht feels like a plug-and-play option for a team that wants to stay competitive in the West.

14. Portland Blazers – Tristan da Silva, F, Colordo

A four-year player at Colorado, da Silva is a tall shooter who lacks premium athletic ability. Portland is the only team he’s worked out for at this point, according to HoopsHype, and it’s easy to see his potential value there as a floor spacer for Scoot Henderson and Co. Indiana center Kel’el Ware and Miami forward Kyshawn George feel like other options here.

California v USC

Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

15. Miami Heat – Isaiah Collier, G, USC

Collier was supposed to compete for the No. 1 pick entering this cycle before an up-and-down year filled with losing for USC. Collier has only worked out for the Heat, according to HoopsHype, and Miami should jump at the chance to take a player with the potential to be a long-term offensive engine if everything goes right. Collier is a fast and strong lead guard who can bully his way into the paint and has impressive passing vision. He needs to work on his jumper, but the Heat do player development better than anyone.

16. Philadelphia 76ers – Bub Carrington, G, Pitt

Carrington has reportedly been earning some lottery buzz lately — he worked out for the Kings at No. 13 — and has the mix of size and shooting teams look for in a guard. At 6’5 with a 6’8 wingspan, Carrington is at his best shooting pull-up jumpers off the dribble from deep and from mid-range. Philly feels likely to shop this pick in a trade for a win-now veteran, but this is starting to feel like Carrington’s range regardless of who’s choosing here.

17. Los Angeles Lakers – Tyler Smith, F, G League Ignite

Smith has been extremely active on the team workout scene over the last month, stopping by the Heat, Lakers, Pelicans, Knicks, Thunder, Trail Blazers, Raptors, and Wizards. In a weaker draft, his combination of size (6’9 barefoot) and shooting feels like a worthy bet. Even as he readies to turn 40 years old this season, surrounding LeBron James with shooters is always a good move. Smith was one of the few G League Ignite players who wasn’t a disappointment this season, and he has a pathway to NBA success if he can improve his defensive awareness.

18. Orlando Magic – Jared McCain, G, Duke

The Magic typically prefer players with long wingspans, and McCain does not fit that mold after measuring at 6’2 barefoot with a 6’3.5 wingspan at the combine. Still, McCain feels like exactly what this team needs as a sharpshooter in the backcourt who can space the floor for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. McCain isn’t a natural on-ball creator, but his jump shot would really help out Orlando’s offense.

19. Toronto Raptors – Zach Edey, C, Purdue

Edey has made the rounds in the pre-draft process, working out for the Lakers, Heat, Bucks, Pelicans, Raptors, Blazers, and Jazz. Toronto makes sense as a landing spot for the 7’4 giant, and not just because he’s Canadian. Edey offers a sliver of upside other players in this range don’t due to his unparalleled size and production at the college level. He’s incredibly skilled as an interior scorer and offensive rebounder, and it’s undeniably impressive that he often played all 40 minutes for the Purdue at nearly 300 pounds. He’s a worthwhile flier in this range for a team that needs a long-term ceiling raiser.

Nebraska v Indiana

Photo by David Berding/Getty Images

20. Cleveland Cavaliers – Kel’el Ware, C, Indiana

Cleveland has so much up in the air entering the offseason. Will Donovan Mitchell sign a long-term extension? Will Darius Garland be shopped if that happens? Will the trade rumors that have floated around Jarrett Allen in recent years come to fruition? Ware makes sense as the best player available if the Cavs do decide to swap out Allen for a wing. He has similar athletic tools to Allen, but has the potential to be a real floor spacer with his jump shot. This would be an extremely skilled young front court if Cleveland can keep Ware’s motor up.

21. New Orleans Pelicans – Jaylon Tyson, G, Cal

Tyson has been everywhere in the pre-draft process with reported workouts in Cleveland, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, and Toronto. At 6’5.5 barefoot with a 6’8 wingspan, Tyson offers advanced ball handling and footwork, a solid shooting stroke, and some passing flashes. He can fit into almost any team context as a wing who can provide off-ball scoring and some secondary creation.

22. Phoenix Suns – Yves Missi, C, Baylor

There’s been a lot of buzz for Tyler Kolek in this spot, but if a talent like Missi falls, the Suns should feel comfortable taking a swing. Phoenix could really use some rim protection and athleticism in the front court, and Missi has that in spades. He may not fit Kevin Durant’s win-now timeline, but Missi has great long-term tools as an above-the-rim play finisher and shot blocker.

23. Milwaukee Bucks – Kyshawn George, F, Miami

George measured at 6’7 barefoot with a 6’10.5 wingspan, and made 40.8 percent of his threes as a freshman for Miami. He moves well enough to have some defensive potential, and he knows who he is as a player: 68.4 percent of George’s field goal attempts were from three-point range. Milwaukee would probably prefer a more “NBA ready” player, but this feels like the right range for George and a decent landing spot.

NC State v Duke

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

24. New York Knicks – Kyle Filipowski, C, Duke

Filipowski is probably too talented to fall this far in the draft, but it would be a boon for the Knicks if it happened. While the Duke sophomore is relatively slow and gravity-bound, he’s one of the most skilled bigs in this class. Filipowski could replicate a lot of Isaiah Hartenstein’s playmaking, and he has more shooting potential. There are some defensive concerns with Filipowski, but he can be a weapon offensively if he shoots it.

25. New York Knicks – Ja’Kobe Walter, G, Baylor

Walter was getting lottery hype for most of the year, but it’s easy to see a scenario where he starts to fall on draft day. He’s a wing in the ‘three-and-D’ mold, but both his shot and his defense were inconsistent as a freshman at Baylor. If he slips this far, he’d be a great value as an off-ball floor spacer for the Knicks.

26. Washington Wizards – Johnny Furphy, F, Kansas

Furphy makes sense for a Washington team trying to develop young players next season without any real pressure to win. A 6’8 freshman wing from Kansas (via Australia), Furphy scored efficiently (61 percent true shooting) and shot the ball well from three (35.3 percent) even if his shot dipped a bit late in the season.

27. Minnesota Timberwolves – Baylor Scheierman, F, Creighton

Scheierman’s range appears to start in the late first round after he worked out for the Wolves, Jazz, and Celtics, all teams picking between 27-30. The Wolves don’t really have a designated shooter off the bench, and the Creighton super senior makes sense in that role. He hit 39 percent of his threes for his college career, and showed he could get them up with volume last season by attempting 8.3 triples per game. He’s not the longest or strongest wing, but he’s just tall enough (6’6.25 barefoot) to have a chance to stick.

28. Denver Nuggets – Pacome Dadiet, F, Ulm (France)

It would make sense if the Nuggets shopped this pick for a win-now veteran, but we can’t have Dadiet falling much farther. The French wing measured at 6’7.5 without shoes with a 6’9 wingspan, and showed solid athletic traits, a high motor, and decent three-point touch while playing for Ulm in the German league. He’s very young, but he feels like one of the best upside fliers in the draft once we get to the 20s.

29. Utah Jazz – Ryan Dunn, F, Virginia

Dunn is a defensive monster as a rangey forward with elite athleticism who can defend out on the perimeter or provide secondary rim protection. The issue is that he can’t just can’t shoot at all right now — he went 7-of-35 from three as a sophomore at Virginia. Dunn has worked out for Utah and makes sense as a long-term development bet if they can fix his jump shot.

30. Boston Celtics – DaRon Holmes II, C/F, Dayton

Holmes has reportedly shut down his pre-draft workouts amid rumors that he’s received a promise somewhere in the first round. If he slips this far, it would be highway robbery for the Celtics. The junior big man was one of the best players in college basketball for Dayton this past season, combining improved shooting and playmaking ability with the athletic big man skills he’s always showcased. Holmes may be a tad undersized as a center, but his perimeter offensive development gives him a chance to play next to other bigs down the road.

1 insane Celtics stat that shows how patient Boston was with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown duo insane,celtics,stat,that,shows,how,patient,boston,was,with,jayson,tatum,jaylen,brown,duo,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,nba-playoffs,nba-finals,draftkings,nba-playoffs-powerhouse-2024,dot-com-grid-coverage


Over the seven seasons Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have played together for the Boston Celtics, they have faced a wide variety of skepticism about their fit together as two ballhandling wings. Both were varying degrees of great at different times, but did their skill sets overlap too much to build a championship team around them as a pair?

The Celtics’ 2024 NBA championship win answers that question with a definitive “no,” but there were real questions about the pairing’s fit together over their near-decade as a duo, as well as calls from media and fans alike to trade Brown. Instead, the Celtics (somewhat controversially) continually doubled down on the twosome, most recently by giving Brown the most lucrative contract in NBA history last summer.

Doing so may seem like the easy call with the benefit of hindsight, but in the aftermath of the confetti falling, as the Celtics celebrated their 18th championship in franchise history and Brown lofted his NBA Finals MVP, there was a stat on the broadcast for anyone watching at home that demonstrated just how unprecedented Boston’s patience with the Brown and Tatum duo was (as captured by Tim Bontemps of ESPN):

For Tatum and Brown, the 107 games they played together before winning the title are the most by a duo prior to winning their first championship in NBA history.

That’s quite the astounding factoid, and it shows how rare it is for any two NBA players to

  1. be good enough to justify keeping together that long, period, and…
  2. be good enough to maintain faith in despite not having won a title together yet.

It remains to be seen if this record will ever be broken, but given the constant roster churn of today’s NBA, it seems unlikely. Maybe Brown and Tatum’s long-awaited success will convince more GMs to remain patient with various star pairings, but this otherwise seems primed to be a record Brown and Tatum can hold together for a long time.

Brandon Aiyuk talks 49ers with Jayden Daniels: ‘They don’t want me back… I swear’ brandon,aiyuk,talks,ers,with,jayden,daniels,they,don,t,want,me,back,i,swear,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl,draftkings


The ongoing saga between Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers took a twist on Monday when video released was posted on TikTok of a conversation between Aiyuk and Jayden Daniels of the Commanders.

Admittedly this feels a little contrived. Even if you’re going to have this kind of private conversation about your contract situation, why would you allow it to be posted on your own TikTok account? Sure, it might be a way to pressure the 49ers into taking some action and move the extension along — but it could also sour whatever progress has been made.

There’s been a lot of talk about whether Aiyuk will be on the Niners long term. This year he’s playing on his fifth-year option, but after drafting Ricky Pearsall in the 2024 NFL Draft the team seems poised to part with either Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel moving forward.

It’s been reported that Aiyuk is seeking a contract in the ballpark of what other top receivers have gotten, which would put him anywhere from the $30-40M mark in AAV. That’s no necessarily an unfair ask given his recent performance, but it’s unclear if paying a receiver big money meshes with the 49ers philosophy.

Time will tell how this plays out, but it appears this mess is going to get uglier.