By CHAD COOPER
Just a few weeks ago, in my column, I wrote that Boston Celtics general manager Brad Stevens had broken my heart.
As a lifelong Boston Celtics fan, watching All-Star forward Jaylen Brown leave Boston for an aging Paul George felt wrong. Brown was in his prime, coming off another outstanding season in which he received a few votes for league MVP. George has had a tremendous career, but he’s no longer the player he once was. He has had multiple injuries, and from my perspective, the trade didn’t make basketball sense.
I still don’t believe Boston received equal value. Who cares if he thought he was the smartest person in the room; he probably is.
But something happened that no one — including me — saw coming.
That trade didn’t just give the Philadelphia 76ers another All-Star. It changed the balance of power in the NBA.
When Brown arrived in Philadelphia, the 76ers already had former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid and rising star Tyrese Maxey. Brown’s championship pedigree, elite defense and ability to score from anywhere on the floor instantly made the Sixers one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference.
Then came the move that sent shockwaves throughout the league.
LeBron James agreed to leave the Lakers to join the Philadelphia 76ers on a team-friendly two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, in pursuit of another NBA championship. Suddenly, the 76ers weren’t simply contenders. They had assembled a roster loaded with championship experience, star power and talent that rivals some of the greatest teams the league has ever seen.
LeBron’s résumé speaks for itself. The 41-year-old is a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA Finals MVP, four-time league MVP, a 22-time All-Star and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. He has won championships with Miami, Cleveland and the Lakers and continues to redefine what longevity looks like in professional sports.
Embiid is one of the league’s most dominant centers when he is on the floor. The 2023 MVP is a two-time scoring champion, a seven-time All-Star and one of the NBA’s premier defenders. When healthy, there are few players capable of controlling a game the way Embiid can.
Brown was the 2024 NBA Finals MVP after helping lead Boston to an NBA championship. He is a five-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection and one of basketball’s elite perimeter defenders.
Maxey has rapidly developed into one of the NBA’s brightest young guards. After winning the league’s Most Improved Player Award in 2024, he earned All-NBA honors and became an All-Star starter in 2026. His speed, scoring ability and relentless energy make him one of the most exciting players in basketball.
Rounding out the starting lineup is rookie VJ Edgecombe, the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. After earning NBA All-Rookie First Team honors and winning the 2026 Rising Stars Challenge MVP, Edgecombe appears ready to become the next young star in Philadelphia. His athleticism and ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor give the Sixers another dangerous weapon.
Championships are never won on paper. Every so-called super team still has to build chemistry, stay healthy and prove itself over an 82-game season and through the playoffs.
Still, it’s difficult to remember many starting fives that can match Philadelphia’s collection of accomplishments.
Together, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe have combined for five NBA Most Valuable Player awards, five NBA championships, five NBA Finals MVP trophies, nearly 40 All-Star selections, multiple scoring titles and countless All-NBA honors. They feature a mix of championship experience, veteran leadership, players in their prime and one of the league’s brightest young talents.
Ironically, none of it may have happened without the trade that broke this Celtics fan’s heart.
Do I still wish Jaylen Brown was wearing Celtics green? Absolutely.
But as painful as that trade was for Boston fans, it may have helped create one of the most accomplished starting lineups the NBA has ever seen.
Only time will tell if this group delivers another championship. On paper, though, the rest of the NBA has every reason to be concerned.
Football season is almost here, and that means it’s time for one of my favorite traditions of the year — media days. Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be traveling throughout Southwest Virginia to meet with coaches and student-athletes and hear about their expectations for the upcoming season.
This year’s annual football tab will have a different look than in years past. For the first time in decades, I won’t be covering three separate Buchanan County high school football programs. With Grundy, Hurley and Twin Valley now united under one roof at Southern Gap High School, our coverage enters a new era alongside Buchanan County athletics.
That doesn’t mean readers will get any less football coverage. If anything, they’ll get more.
The 2026 football tab will spotlight our hometown Southern Gap Eagles as they prepare for their inaugural season, while continuing our longtime coverage of neighboring Honaker and Ridgeview. I’ll also be making trips to Richlands, Graham and Tazewell. Those Tazewell County schools will become familiar opponents for Southern Gap as the Eagles begin competing in the Southwest District alongside Virginia High and Marion. Lebanon is also a member of the Southwest District. Still, the VHSL has announced that, following the 2026-2027 academic year, Lebanon will return to single A and will likely return to the Hogoheegee District.
One media day I’m especially looking forward to is Southern Gap High School’s inaugural media day on Aug. 6. The day will begin with cross country at noon, followed by golf at 12:45 p.m., volleyball at 1:30 p.m., band at 2:15 p.m., football and cheer at 3 p.m., and competition cheer at 3:45 p.m.
My media day tour begins Aug. 1 when Ridgeview High School hosts its football media day at noon in Rose Ridge. On Aug. 6, Honaker will introduce the 2026 Tigers football team while also showcasing the school’s new artificial turf field beginning at 3 p.m. Richlands, under first-year head coach Bubba Edwards, will hold its media day on Aug. 7 at 2 p.m. Graham head coach Tony Palmer has scheduled the G-Men’s media day for Aug. 10 at 9 a.m., followed by Tazewell’s media day at 10:30 a.m. later that morning.
“Thanks for joining me In the Locker Room. Until next week, let’s keep celebrating the victories, learning from the defeats, and always standing behind Buchanan County’s athletes.”
