NBA

The Philadelphia Sixers need to trade Ben Simmons ASAP, so says Charles Barkley ... telling TMZ Sports it has to happen now that the All-Star is acting like a complete "jerk" around his team.

Simmons was suspended for the team's season opener on Wednesday after 76ers head coach Doc Rivers kicked him out of practice for "detrimental conduct."

We spoke with Barkley the same day of the disciplinary action --- and he tells us that the one-game suspension won't solve the issues.

"They should've suspended him longer," the Hall of Famer says, "he's not going to be better Friday."

"Today is Wednesday, they only suspended him for a day. They should suspend him for longer. Plain and simple."

In fact, Chuck believes the Sixers should ship his ass outta town -- and is contemplating why Simmons even bothered showin' up to the Sixers' facility if he was gonna "be a jerk."

"I'm disappointed. If he wasn't gon' play, he should have never came to training camp," Chuck says.

"You don't come to work and then be a jerk. You don't practice with a cell phone in your pocket!"

Well, that trade might not come anytime soon -- 76ers GM Daryl Morey said this spectacle can last four years unless they get a "difference-maker" type of trade.

Knicks star Julius Randle was just slapped with a $15K fine for tossing the basketball into the stands, in celebration, after NY downed the rivals Boston Celtics in a double-OT thriller.

The game went down Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden ... and Randle played out of his mind, dropping 35 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists.

As the clock wound down on the nail-biter of a game, Randle tossed the ball from one end of the court, high into the air, and into the stands past the opposing basket.

Unfortunately, the NBA wasn't in the mood to celebrate ... and they hit Julius with a $15K fine.

"New York Knicks forward Julius Randle has been fined $15,000 for throwing the game ball into the spectator stands," Byron Spruell, President of League Operations announced on Thursday.

But, don't cry too much for JR ... he scored a 4-year, $117 million extension this off-season, meaning he makes over $250K every game.

Buckle up, folks -- if you're sick of the Ben Simmons vs. Philadelphia 76ers drama now, just wait 'til we're still talking about it in 2025 ... 'cause GM Daryl Morey says he's fully prepared to hold out against the All-Star's trade demand for the next 4 years.

It's been nothing short of a crap storm in the City of Brotherly Love this season ... with 25-year-old Simmons wanting to be shipped to another team, but the Sixers refusing to make a deal unless they get a superstar in return.

Morey was asked just how long he's willing to deal with Simmons in a radio interview on Thursday ... and oh boy.

"You're going to think I'm kidding and I'm not -- this could be 4 years," Morey told 97.5 The Fanatic.

BTW -- Ben's 5-year, $177 million deal lasts through 2025 ... so Morey is making it sound like Ben's only way out could be through free agency when he's 29 years old.

"Unless Ben Simmons is traded for a difference-maker, we are in the prime of Joel's career, we have to get back either Ben Simmons playing well for us, that will help us win the championship, or we have to get back a difference-maker for Ben Simmons."

Ben has been clear he won't change his mind about wanting out ... his body language was awful at practice, and it got so bad he was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team.

Dwyane Wade was able to mix in a little golf practice with work Wednesday ... snagging a courtside lesson from PGA Tour star Tony Finau as he watched his Jazz play!!

Utah's new part-owner was taking in the Jazz game against OKC, when at one point during the contest, he turned to Finau to pick his brain about golf.

Cameras in the arena caught Tony giving Wade tips on how to work his hands before striking the ball ... and it seems Dwyane was receptive to the tutoring.

The broadcast announcers knew exactly what was going on, too ... making the scene even funnier.

"That's a free lesson," one said with a laugh.

Of course, the impromptu drills shouldn't surprise anybody ... Dwyane's been an avid golfer since retiring from the Association, and he's been spotted on courses often.

In fact, back in February, he got a 1-on-1 lesson from Tiger Woods ... one in which El Tigre taught him how to line up, tee up his ball and swing closer to his body.

Eagles star Jason Kelce clearly ain't pleased with the way Ben Simmons is handling business with the Sixers ... telling reporters Thursday he thinks the NBA star should shut up and "play better."

Simmons has been a problem in Philly for the past few months -- wanting out of the city so badly, he actually got thrown out of practice this week and then suspended by the team.

Kelce, though, says he's got the perfect solution for Simmons to fix all the woes -- and it's simply to just be a better basketball player.

"Everybody can bitch and complain about how tough this city is to play in -- just play better, man," the 33-year-old Eagles O-lineman said. "This city will love you."

Kelce added, "If I go out there and play really good, nobody's going to have any choice but to love me or appreciate me as a player."

Seems Simmons really ain't even down to try that route ... 'cause the point guard was spotted at Sixers practice this week loafing around and appearing to go through drills with his phone in his pocket.

And, with the 25-year-old's star teammate, Joel Embiid, saying he "doesn't care about" Simmons anymore ... it all looks like the guy will be jettisoned soon.

For Kelce -- who's Travis Kelce's big bro, by the way -- he clearly thinks that's a shame ... and perhaps even a cowardly way to bow out of Philadelphia.

The NBA may have another Daryl Morey situation on its hands -- the league's Chinese broadcast partner has pulled Boston Celtics games from its site after Enes Kanter publicly denounced President Xi Jinping as a "brutal dictator" and posted a pro-Tibet video.

Kanter shared a nearly 3-minute long speech on the "cultural genocide" going on in Tibet ... saying, "Under the Chinese government's brutal rule, Tibetan people's basic rights and freedoms are nonexistent."

"They are not allowed to study and learn their language and culture freely. They are not allowed to travel freely. They are not allowed to access information freely. The Tibetan people are not even allowed to worship freely."

Shortly after Kanter posted his video, TenCent -- China's site for watching the NBA -- pulled Celtics replays and highlights from the web ... and Boston's upcoming games are no longer listed on the schedule.

FYI, Tencent reportedly signed a $1.5 BILLION deal to broadcast NBA games for 5 years. The Chinese market is incredibly important to the NBA, as basketball is very popular amongst the country's 1.44 billion population.

The situation is familiar to the backlash the league faced after Morey (who was GM of the Houston Rockets at the time) tweeted "fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong" back in 2019.

The tweet created a ton of backlash in China ... with massive Chinese e-commerce site Taobao yanking all Rockets merchandise and CCTV pulling NBA games from broadcast.

Worth noting -- now that Morey is the GM in Philadelphia, Sixers games are not available to stream on Tencent either.

Kanter -- who's been an outspoken activist throughout his career -- took his message one step further by wearing "Free Tibet" sneakers at the Celtics vs. Knicks game on Wednesday ... which were designed by Chinese-Aussie artist Badiucao.

Jamal Murray is letting Denver Nuggets fans know their boy is almost back -- posting footage of him completing a dunk six months after ACL surgery!!

The NBA star tore his ACL in his left leg when he drove by Golden State Warriors' Andrew Wiggins in April -- ending his season.

Murray had ACL surgery right after ... and is showing major progress 6 months later by posting a video on his IG of him completing a dunk.

The 24-year-old guard posted video of his journey back on Wednesday ... showing him on crutches following the surgery before fast-forwarding to the new footage of him jumping straight up for a dunk.

Murray appears to land back on the hardwood with no issue ... which is awesome to see.

Definitely a good sign for Nuggets fans who are anxiously waiting for their star to return ... but they might have to wait a little longer as he makes his way back to 100%.

"That’s the biggest thing for me coming back, is having confidence in it," Murray said this week.

"That’s just going to come with time. And I can’t rush time."

Luka Doncic hasn't played a minute of the 2021 season yet, but the Dallas Mavericks star is already making highlight plays ... by donating Jordan shoes and other merch to children at local hospitals!!!

The 22-year-old wanted to give back to his new home ahead of the new campaign, so he put together goodie bags filled with the sneaks, hoodies, socks, bags, letters and signed photos for 80 kids at Children's Health in Dallas and Plano.

On top of the swag, Luka also provided a "Luka and Bobi" coloring book, which features a story of his friendship with teammate Boban Marjanovic, as well as individual-sized pizzas with pepperonis in the shape of his #77 AND dessert to kids and staffers throughout the hospital.

Luka spoke about the gesture, saying he wanted to hand deliver the gifts to all the kids, but wasn't able to due to health and safety concerns.

"I really wish I could have been there to meet and talk to the kids but hopefully this surprise brought a smile to their faces and encouraged them to stay strong," Doncic said.

"I just want all the kids and parents to know I'm thinking of them!"

The kids certainly felt the love ... and the pics and videos from the big surprise will warm your heart.

Awesome stuff, Luka.

Chris Brown has entered the Kyrie Irving COVID-19 vaccine saga ... calling the NBA star a "real hero" for refusing to get the jab.

The musician -- who has been tight with Uncle Drew for years -- sang Irving's praises as he remains banned from Brooklyn Nets practices and games for being unvaccinated ... posting to Instagram on Wednesday to share his two cents.

"I stand with my brother," CB said. "WHOEVER DON'T LIKE IT ... Go live your damn life."

"IT'S HIS CHOICE AND A DAMN GOOD ONE"

Of course, Irving is adamantly against getting vaccinated to be able to play this season ... despite reports claiming he is NOT anti-vax, but standing up for people losing their jobs over vaccine mandates.

Irving has been bashed left and right for holding firm on his stance ... with NBA commish Adam Silver even publicly calling for him to get vaxxed so he can get back to hooping.

Breezy -- who's previously taken issue with Juvenile's pro-vaccine remix of "Back That Azz Up" -- wants it known he's not siding with the criticism.

LeBron James may be Nike's billion-dollar man, but the guy still loves incredibly expensive designer sneakers ... 'cause the NBA superstar rocked $1,000 Prada shoes on his way to the Lakers game on Wednesday.

LBJ went full Bruce Wayne as he made his way to Staples Center for the season opener against the Golden State Warriors ... wearing an all-black Thom Browne suit and the clunky kicks to round out the look.

As it turns out, the "Cloudbust Thunder Technical Fabric Sneakers" come with a hefty price tag -- more than 5 times the amount his own signature sneaks cost.

Remember, LBJ is tied to the Swoosh for life with a deal reportedly worth 10 figures back in 2016 ... after initially signing with Nike back in 2003.

LBJ was clearly sending a message with his wardrobe choice as he heads into season 19 -- saying, "Bron Wayne/🦇. Put the logo in the sky and I got it from there" on Instagram.

Ex-NBA player Delonte West spent Tuesday night in jail after being arrested for an alleged drunken incident with cops, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

The former hooper -- who played 8 seasons in the Association -- was booked at 10:32 p.m. in a Palm Beach County, Fla. jail and was released at 5:46 a.m. Wednesday, records show.

According to an incident report, cops say West was initially stopped by officers after he was yelling and banging on the glass doors at a police station in Boynton Beach.

Officers say West was yelling and cussing ... while holding open bottles of beer and vodka.

In the report, cops say West tried to walk away from the scene, but he was ordered to stop and put down the drinks.

The officers say 38-year-old West initially complied, but then got up and put his hands inside his pants -- 'causing one of the cops on the scene to unholster their taser.

Cops say West then responded to verbal commands ... and was ultimately cuffed and arrested -- though officers note he "continued to be belligerent" in the back of a squad car.

Cops added in the report that West reeked of alcohol and appeared to be drunk.

Court records show West was ultimately hit with three charges from the incident -- obstruction/resisting without violence, open container, and disorderly intoxication.

Records show he's due in court for his arraignment later next month.

West has struggled with substance abuse in the past -- and had entered into a rehab facility in 2020 with the help of Maverick's owner Mark Cuban to try to address the issues.

The Milwaukee Bucks just received their 2021 championship rings ... and they're a bit of a twofer -- 'cause they can be converted into pendants!!!

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the defending champs revealed their bling prior to tip-off against the Brooklyn Nets to start the 2021-22 season ... which features 360 diamonds on top alone.

The sides feature 16 diamonds each -- symbolizing the 16 wins during the Bucks' playoff run and the franchise's 16 division titles.

4.14 carats of emeralds are included on each ring, representing Milwaukee's 414 area code. There are also 50 round stones on the inner bezel to mark the 50 years since the team's first title.

There's also a QR code on the inside of the ring ... which links to a highlight video documenting the team's championship run.

But, the best part?!? The rings can be converted into pendants and worn like a chain!!!

Jason of Beverly Hills -- who also designed iconic rings for teams like the Lakers and Warriors in the past -- explained the unique feature ... saying, "We sought to create something that had a bit more versatility than rings of the past."

"As championship rings have gotten bigger, they have become less and less practical to wear."

"We addressed this by developing a push-button system that allows the players to wear the top of the ring as a pendant, making it a piece of jewelry they can wear every day around their finger or on their neck to celebrate their tremendous season."

Giannis was clearly thrilled with the finished product ... smiling ear to ear as he got his ring.

Adam Silver wants Kyrie Irving to end his COVID-19 vaccine standoff ASAP ... saying it's time for the Brooklyn Nets star to listen to the science and do what's best for his family, the community and his team.

The NBA commish addressed the drama surrounding Irving's status with TNT's "Inside The NBA" prior to the start of the 2021-22 season on Tuesday ... and was asked what he'd say to the 29-year-old as he remains away from the team.

"I'd tell him to get vaccinated, first and foremost, for himself and his family," Silver said minutes ago. "Next, for his teammates and his community and also for the league that I know he cares so much about."

"I understand that it's not just Kyrie, there are people in this county who disagree with the notion of getting vaccinated. But, at least from everything that I understand, science is firmly on the side of getting vaccinated."

Silver praises the "miracle" vaccine for helping the league get to where it is today ... reflecting on the journey back to normalcy after the paused 2020 season and the bubble in Orlando.

"I think at some point for Kyrie to be engaged member of society, putting aside this league -- he needs to get vaccinated and that's, you said, that's the law in New York. The law in New York is if you want to play in an arena, if you want to visit an arena, you want to participate in an activity in an arena, you need to be vaccinated."

Silver -- who's in Milwaukee for the Bucks' championship ring ceremony -- says he wishes Irving was in town as the Nets face off against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co.

Kyrie has been adamant against getting the vaxx ... with reports claiming he is standing up for those losing jobs over mandates.

As if the Ben Simmons saga couldn't get uglier ... the star hooper was just suspended after getting kicked out of practice by 76ers head coach Doc Rivers.

Simmons will miss the team's first game of the season Wednesday night against the Pelicans.

As we previously reported, 25-year-old Simmons unexpectedly showed up to the Sixers' arena last week, after an off-season filled with trade demands.

But, if you thought everything was cool in Philly ... think again.

Simmons practiced with the team on Monday, but looked miserable -- playing with his phone in his pocket, and walking away while his teammates huddled.

According to Woj, Rivers tossed Simmons out of practice this morning ... and the team slapped him with a 1-game suspension for "detrimental conduct."

Doc met with the media after practice and said, “I thought [Simmons] was a distraction today. I told him, 'You should leave Ben.'”

When asked why he was allowing Simmons to be with the rest of the team, Rivers said it's because he's ultimately a good player who can help the Sixers win games.

Doc may be in a mood to make things work ... but it's clear Joel Embiid, the teams best player, isn't feelin' Simmons right now.

After practice, Embiid told reporters ... “At this point I don’t care about that man, honestly. He does whatever he wants.”

Simmons -- a 3x All-Star -- had an awful postseason last year ... clearly hesitant to shoot the ball, and missing a ton of free throws.

Kobe Bryant's legacy will live on in the form of media, clothes, trading cards and more ... with Vanessa Bryant filing to trademark "KB24" to create a sports and entertainment empire surrounding her late husband's name.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Vanessa submitted docs earlier this month to lock in the trademark for digital collectible items, websites, training camps, broadcasting platforms, podcasts, TV shows, movies, documentaries and music ... as well as sports cards, food/drink containers and t-shirts.

Kobe, Inc. -- the Lakers legend's company -- is listed as the applicant of the filing ... with Vanessa signing off as the president of the business.

The move almost certainly provides a blueprint for what the Bryant family plans to do in the future ... with the "KB24" brand poised to enter a number of outlets.

As we previously reported, Vanessa decided to cut ties with Kobe's longtime sneaker and clothing partner, Nike, after issues over money and shoe availability.

It appears the "KB24" brand will look to grow without the Swoosh ... naming a large number of clothing items in the application -- although shoes are NOT listed.

However, Vanessa filed for "Mamba and Mambacita" back in March ... with the intent of using it for clothes and shoes, so that might explain why "KB24" may not be focused on sneakers.

Wanna be LeBron James' neighbor?? Lakers co-owner Jesse Buss just put his L.A. mansion on the market for nearly $11 million ... and while it's got a dope pool and home theater, the best perk is it's close to the NBA superstar's house!!

The 3-floor Brentwood estate is pretty incredible -- it has 6 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms and a chef kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances, a home theater, full gym, an illuminated bar and a temperature-controlled wine cellar.

On top of that, there's a luxurious pool with views of the city and canyons.

The master bedroom has a walk-in closet and oversized bathroom ... which comes with a steam shower and bathtub that also has views of the ocean.

As we previously reported, Buss got the pad back in 2018 ... which made it super convenient for him to link up with the 4-time NBA champ for neighborhood meet-ups or bro time. But now, he's looking to part ways with the crib.