Gianna among 3 girls to be honorary WNBA picks

The NBA is formalizing media rights contracts with ESPN, NBC and Amazon this week with sources telling the Sports Business Journal that it is the final stage of negotiations. Deals with the three providers are expected to return over $7 billion per year for the NBA.

ESPN will pay $2.8 billion annually, which is up from an initially reported $2.6 billion for the NBA’s “A” package. That package includes the NBA Finals, a conference final, weekly primetime games, the WNBA and likely shared international rights.

NBC’s “B” package is believed to be worth $2.6 billion annually would probably include a “Basketball Night in America” on Sunday nights following the NFL season, a total of two primetime windows a week, conference semifinals and a conference final.

Amazon’s deal is believed to be worth between $1.8B and $2B and would likely include the Emirates In-Season Tournament, the SoFi Play-In Tournament, first-round playoff games, the WNBA and international rights.

The final changes to the deals have been fluid and changing, but expected to be finalized in the coming days or week. Once the written bids are ratified, the NBA will take NBC’s contract to Warner Bros. Discovery to see if they can match it in “total value.”

WBD may enact legal action over the rights. It’s believed that the TNT parent company could contest its right to match the NBC deal. The NBA and WBD apparently have different definitions of what matching a deal would consist of.

Daryl Morey has accused the Los Angeles Clippers of being “unserious” about trading for James Harden, sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The Sixers reportedly told the Clippers they were willing to accept an unprotected first round pick, a first round pick swap, salary filler, and Terance Mann in exchange for Harden. But Lawrence Frank reiterated that the Clippers will not include Mann in their offer for Harden.

Harden has remained away from the Sixers this week and remains furious at Morey for how his situation has been handled. Harden, however, has stayed in communication with the team via Elton Brand as recently as Tuesday night.

The Sixers have trades lined up in which they would receive a first round pick in exchange for Mann.