Author: NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

If you spent any amount of time on Mavericks Twitter, Reddit, or Discord after the Zaccharie Risacher trade was announced, the reaction was almost universal.

“Another forward?”

“Do the Mavericks know guards exist?”

“What exactly is this roster supposed to be?”

Honestly, I understood every bit of it.

Mine wasn’t much different.

When Shams Charania first reported Dallas had acquired the former No. 1 overall pick in a three-team deal with Atlanta and Oklahoma City, my first thought wasn’t excitement. It was confusing. The Mavericks already entered the offseason overloaded with wings and forwards, yet desperately needed another ball-handler. Trading for another player who occupies a similar position felt like doubling down on a roster imbalance that already existed.

Then the details started trickling in.

Ryan Nembhard was heading to Atlanta. Dallas was giving up a future second-round pick that originally belonged to Chicago. The Mavericks were using the Anthony Davis trade exception to absorb Risacher’s contract.

The more I looked at the trade, the more my opinion shifted.

Not because I suddenly think Zaccharie Risacher is going to become a star.

I don’t.

But I think this is one of those deals where the process deserves more credit than the initial reaction gave it.

Let’s not pretend Risacher has been good

There’s a reason Atlanta moved on after only two seasons.

Risacher hasn’t been a very good NBA player.

That’s not an overreaction.

That’s reality.

After entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick, he never developed into the player the Hawks envisioned. His sophomore season was especially disappointing. His production stagnated; his efficiency never took the leap Atlanta hoped for; he eventually lost his starting spot; and by the end of the season, he had fallen out of the Hawks’ playoff rotation. Reports throughout the offseason suggested both sides had reached the point where a fresh start made sense.

Even more concerning is how he has struggled.

Risacher wasn’t drafted because scouts believed he’d become an elite shot creator. He was drafted because he projected as one of the safest prospects in the class—a long, athletic wing who could defend multiple positions, shoot open threes, and fit seamlessly around stars.

Instead, he hasn’t consistently done any of those things at an NBA level.

The jumper hasn’t been reliable.

The defense hasn’t become the strength many expected.

He doesn’t create much offense for himself or others.

For a former No. 1 pick, that’s understandably disappointing.

So if your immediate reaction was, “Why are the Mavericks trading for a player who hasn’t even been good?” you’re not wrong.

That’s exactly why I understand the gamble

This is where I think two things can be true at the same time.

I don’t think this was some home-run acquisition.

I’m not sitting here trying to convince anyone that Risacher is secretly destined to become an All-Star.

Honestly, I have no idea if he’ll ever become a consistently good NBA player.

But I also think flipping Ryan Nembhard, an undrafted rookie, and a future second-round pick that originally belonged to Chicago for a former No. 1 overall pick is a perfectly reasonable swing.

That’s the important distinction.

I’m not buying Risacher.

I’m buying the price.

Those are two completely different conversations.

If Dallas had traded one of its remaining first-round picks for him, I’d probably hate the move.

If they had given up one of their core young players, I’d understand the outrage.

Instead, they took a chance on a player whose value had completely cratered while giving up relatively little.

That’s the type of bet rebuilding teams should be willing to make.

Sometimes players need a different environment.

One thing I keep coming back to is that Risacher feels like a player who needed a fresh start.

That doesn’t guarantee anything.

Sometimes former top picks never figure it out.

Sometimes a change of scenery changes absolutely nothing.

But development isn’t linear, and environment matters.

Atlanta clearly reached the point where it was ready to move on.

Dallas has a new front office led by Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz, a coaching staff led by Dusty May that already has a reputation for player development, and far less pressure to force Risacher into becoming a franchise cornerstone.

Will Dusty May fix him?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

But if you’re going to take a swing on a struggling former No. 1 overall pick, this feels like one of the better situations for that player to land.

The roster questions are still real.

None of this means I suddenly understand everything Dallas has done this offseason.

I still think they need another legitimate creator.

I still think they have too many forwards.

I still think Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving would benefit tremendously from another guard capable of organizing the offense.

This trade doesn’t solve any of those problems.

And that’s why so many fans reacted the way they did.

People weren’t just reacting to Zaccharie Risacher.

They were reacting to an entire offseason that still feels incomplete.

That’s a fair criticism.

This trade makes much more sense if it isn’t the last move

Maybe that’s the biggest takeaway.

If this is the roster Dallas brings into training camp, I’ll probably have a very different opinion of the offseason as a whole.

But I don’t think that’s the plan.

Masai Ujiri inherited one of the strangest roster situations in basketball. Nico Harrison left behind a team with limited draft assets, an aging core, and a roster that didn’t fit particularly well together. Fixing that wasn’t going to happen in one draft or one week of free agency.

The Risacher trade feels more like another dart throw than a finishing touch.

Dallas essentially used a trade exception, an undrafted rookie, and a second-round pick to acquire a 21-year-old former No. 1 overall pick whose value has never been lower.

If it works, the Mavericks suddenly have another intriguing young piece alongside Cooper Flagg.

If it doesn’t, they move on.

That’s a risk I’m comfortable taking.

Final thoughts

I still don’t know what this Mavericks roster is supposed to look like this season.

I’m still waiting for the move that brings another true ball-handler into the fold.

I’m still skeptical that the roster construction, as it currently stands, makes much sense.

But I also think it’s important to separate the value of the trade itself from the bigger picture.

Those are two different conversations.

From a roster construction standpoint, I still have questions.

From an asset management standpoint, I think Dallas did well.

The Mavericks didn’t give up a premium draft pick.

They didn’t sacrifice one of their best young players.

They bought low on a former No. 1 overall pick whose value had reached rock bottom.

Maybe Zaccharie Risacher never becomes anything more than a rotational wing.

Maybe Atlanta ends up looking smart for moving on when it did.

But when the cost is an undrafted free agent, a second-round pick, and a trade exception, I think that’s a gamble worth taking.

It doesn’t fix the Mavericks.

It doesn’t suddenly make the offseason a success.

But it also isn’t nearly as bad a trade as many of us thought it was in those first few minutes after the news broke.

If you’ve ever watched an NBA playoff game, there’s a solid chance you’ve seen James Goldstein sitting court side. A California real estate mogul, Goldstein has season tickets to both the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers games, but he purchases court side seats throughout the season, especially in the playoffs.

The eighty-six-year-old has attended over 2,000 games over the years, often dressed to the nines in his flamboyant leather, cowboy-style outfits.

Goldstein has shared that he started watching basketball as a 10-year-old. By the age of 15, he was hired by the Milwaukee Hawks. “Once I did that and sat courtside for the games, I was totally hooked. My entire life has been devoted to professional basketball since then. I have such a passion for the game. I think there’s more athleticism displayed in basketball than in any other sport.”

Recently, Goldtsein was on vacation at Verde Beach in Saint-Tropez in sporting a Spurs Western Conference Finals t-shirt.

Goldstein was a fixture during the Spurs Race for Seis. It stands to reason he will be spending more time in San Antonio in late spring for years to come.

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

Draymond Green jokes he would change playstyle if LeBron James joins Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green has seen this movie before — he’s just casting himself in a different role this time.

A fan on Threads asked Green on Sunday who would run the Warriors’ offense if LeBron James signs with Golden State: Green, Steph Curry, or James himself. Green’s answer left little room for interpretation about where he sees himself fitting in.

“Bron,” Green wrote. “I’d become PJ Tucker. Greatest corner 3pt shooter ever.”

It is not the first time Green has made that exact claim about Tucker. Back in Sept. 2020, following a Houston Rockets playoff loss, Green tweeted that Tucker “may be the best Corner 3-point shooter in NBA history” — a claim NBC Sports Bay Area’s Ali Thanawalla examined in detail at the time and found did not hold up.

Curry and Klay Thompson both posted significantly better corner-three shooting percentages than Tucker over that stretch, even with a fraction of his attempts, and six other players in the league that season alone out-shot him from the corner as well.

The real number behind Tucker’s reputation is volume, not efficiency. He has made 704 corner 3-pointers over the past 12 seasons, the most in the NBA during that span, according to Second Spectrum — built largely during his prime years in Houston, where he led the league in corner threes three straight seasons. His career 3-point percentage sits at 36.6 percent, with a corner-specific mark of 38.4 percent.

As for Green actually pulling off the transformation himself, the numbers offer a mixed verdict. He has shot better than 32.6 percent from three just once in the past decade — but he shot 38 percent specifically from the corners last season, and has topped one made three per game in each of the past two years after going seven years without hitting that mark even once.

Whether Green can realistically become the next Tucker is beside the point. The joke fits neatly into a summer-long recruiting pitch that has already included declining his own $27.7 million player option and jokingly offering to give up his No. 23 jersey number for James.

Six years after his first attempt at this exact comparison, Green still is selling the same pitch — he is just hoping this time it comes with a very different teammate attached.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Las Vegas Summer League is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s a time when every dribble, rebound, and shot can mean as much or as little as the beholder wants.

My personal rulebook for Summer League is that rookies can only improve their stock; second-year guys should look like second-year guys; and third-year guys better not play poorly, or they will be looking for a spot on my hometown professional team, the Tasmanian JackJumpers.

The great news for Celtics fans is that every player of consequence showed out at Summer League. Before we hand out some summer grades, I will remind everyone that I am grading these players based on my expectations and perceptions of their abilities coming into Summer League.

I’m not comparing Chris Cenac Jr. to Cam Boozer. 

Hugo González – B+ 

Hugo Gonzalez is having an excellent summer. It tipped off with a pair of strong performances in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, in which Gonzalez contributed 13 points, 4 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.

The skill that really flashed in Hugo’s two FIBA games was his passing, which he carried over to Summer League, where he was tasked with being the team’s lead shot creator, a tall task for a 20-year-old wing who was given close to zero ball-handling responsibility in his rookie season. While there were some clunky stretches for the Summer Celtics’ offense, most notably the streak of 17 straight misses in the first game of the campaign, Hugo acquitted himself nicely in this role. Gonzalez showcased improved handling and passing skills. The young forward turned in 5.7 assists to go with 3.7 turnovers per game.

For a franchise that prioritizes limiting turnovers, I’m sure the coaching staff would like to see the turnover number lower, but an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.54 is impressive in this context. The Celtics Summer League roster was low on spacing and shot creation, so Hugo being a passable offensive engine is encouraging.

Letting ourselves get carried away by the Vegas Vibes, if the young wing can develop his creation ability, it would be a significant boon for the Boston Celtics. With Hugo already showing in his rookie season that he can be a defensive and rebounding machine, if he can simultaneously morph into being a jumbo secondary creator? The “I can’t believe the Celtics didn’t trade this guy for Giannis” takes won’t age well.

Lastly, Celtics fans are likely already familiar with Gonzalez’s historic plus/minus numbers as a rookie. Rivalling all-time greats like Tim Duncan and Jayson Tatum in their rookie seasons. Well, Hugo did it again at Summer League. The Celtics were a plus-34 with Hugo on the court and a minus-28 with him off the court. The kid impacts winning. I docked Hugo down from an “A” because I thought his defense in the second Summer League game was disappointing. He got torched by Liam McNeely. But I won’t let a bad half of Summer League supersede a rookie season of being a defensive menace. 

Amari Williams – B

Amari Williams has some passionate believers. I get it. The blend of size and vision is tantalizing. When you squint (close your eyes), it’s not hard to see British Nikola Jokic. Summer League shenanigans aside, the former second-round pick left me feeling optimistic that he could become a solid backup big man at some point.

For those who think reaching a ceiling of a competent backup big man is something to scoff at, I implore you to look at the big man market in today’s NBA. Walker Kessler was just traded for an unconscionable haul, Jock Landale (Australian King) signed for $14 million, and even Zach Collins managed to secure a two-year $17 million contract. The pendulum has violently swung back on the value of big men. Teams have realized the value of having high-level center play for 48 minutes.

So, what did Amari do that leads me to believe he can provide competent centre play for the Celtics? The seven-footer continues to flash impressive rim protection, the ability to gobble up rebounds, and the alluring trait of being a team’s offensive hub due to his passing skills.

On the alluring passing, Williams had a handful of turnovers on no-look and overly saucy passes. My recommendation would be to both look when passing and limit the amount of sauce on some of these passes to ensure better ball security.

My biggest gripe with Williams is that, despite being the biggest guy out there, I’m often left wishing he could experience a motor upgrade. While the seven-footer had several high-level moments as a rim protector and rebounder throughout Summer League, I see no reason why he couldn’t be a game-wrecker.

In the consolation game, we saw what it can look like when Williams cranks his motor up. The big fella had a beautiful tip-in on an offensive rebound, a sequence with back-to-back blocks, and a lovely backdoor pass to DeVries. We need more of that for the big man to fulfil his potential as a high-level backup big man. If we could clone Hugo Gonzalez’s motor and install it where Williams’ currently is, we would have a monster on our hands. All that to say I’m encouraged by Amari’s development and feel confident in his ability to reach the level of rotational big man in the NBA. 

Chris Cenac – A 

I loved the Celtics’ selection of Chris Cenac at the 27th overall pick. He fits the profile of the type of prospect I wanted the Celtics to draft: a high upside big man that, in a ceiling outcome, gives you two-way versatility in the playoffs.

The book on Cenac was that he was a raw prospect. I come away blown away by how this kid fell to the Celtics at the 27th pick. The blend of size and length, skill, and motor all popped across his Summer League campaign. I expected Cenac to look like Bambi on ice out there. But he flashed the ability to switch on the perimeter defensively, hit clutch threes, mash opponents on the glass, and make smooth passing reads out of the short roll… and he just turned 19 years old in February.

The Chris Cenac hype train has left the station. In just 23.3 minutes per game, the first-round draft pick stuffed the stat sheet with 10.5 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2.8 blocks. If we let our imagination run wild and extrapolate those numbers to a per-36-minute number, we would be looking at 18 points, 12 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 4.3 blocks.

One of the concerns about Cenac as a prospect was his incredibly low block rate in college, despite being an athletic marvel. The big man out of Houston only averaged 0.5 blocks per game in college. The optimists explained this by saying it was due to Cenac playing in a Houston context that had him at the power forward spot, where he was not asked to be a rim protector. Well, those concerns have been addressed emphatically with 11 blocks over his four games. The rim protection isn’t perfect; Cenac has the quintessential rookie trait of biting on lots of pump fakes. However, Cenac also has the ability to recover from these mistakes to either collect blocks or still impact shots at the rim thanks to his freakish mix of size and athleticism. 19-year-olds picked late in the first round of the NBA draft rarely get much playing time, but I would love to see what Cenac could do with some real NBA minutes.

Dillon Mitchell – B+

Dillon Mitchell is a fun player to watch. The 40th overall pick is a high-octane, turnover-generating, rebound-securing chaos agent. Mazzulla Ball is often pigeonholed as only being about three-point shooting rate. It is more about maximising possessions, and Mitchell fits this philosophy. The explosive guard looks like Ed Reed picking off passes on the way to thunderous dunks on the other end, and is often in danger of concussing himself as he soars through traffic to collect offensive rebounds.

This is what the Celtics envision with Mitchell: a non-shooting possessions generator. Mitchell is not a shooter, but he is a smart offensive player. The explosive guard is quick to set screens that spring teammates open, a timely cutter, and a precise passer. He also hit more threes in Summer League (3) than he did in the entirety of his last college season (1)…so maybe there is a shooter in there that the Celtics development staff can coax out of him. I don’t see a path for Mitchell to get burn in his rookie season with so many perimeter players ahead of him in the rotation, but I’m certainly intrigued to follow his development.

John Tonje – A 

John Tonje already stamped himself as a Celtics legend with his performance in Game 82 of last season. The two-way forward continued his strong play for the Summer Celtics.

Tonje can stroke it from three. Catch and shoot threes, pull-ups, and side step threes. The athletic wing also showed improvement on defense, continued to hit the glass, and showcased his athleticism with a one-handed tomahawk slam in the final Summer League game.

The only thing working against the toolsy guard-forward hybrid is that the Celtics are overflowing with talent on the wing. Between Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Hugo Gonzalez, Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr, and Jordan Walsh, there isn’t a path for Tonje to earn minutes. For this reason, I would lean toward giving the last two-way slot to Milos Uzan. That being said, I am terrified that Tonje will end up on the Miami Heat and be the next Caleb Martin or Max Strus for them. Dude can play. 

Milos Uzan – A

Milos Uzan is a slippery, tough-shot-making, consistent shot-creator. At a minimum, Milos Uzan will go down as a Summer Celtic great. The highlight of Uzan’s Summer League was his clutch buckets to seal a victory against the Sacramento Kings.

The Celtics’ point guard depth is not the strength of the roster. After Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, the options get a little bit creaky. Mike Conley, whom I love, is coming into his 20th season as a pro. It would be great to add a developmental guard to the pipeline. Interestingly, Uzan and Conley have similar profiles as shifty guards who battle on defense, and more importantly, are great in the possession game. Mike Conley has made a career out of suppressing turnovers and getting offenses organized. I’m not saying Uzan is prime Mike Conley, although that would be wonderful news for the Celtics, but Uzan fits the Celtics philosophy of maximising possessions across 48 minutes and across 82 games.

Milos (have I mentioned how Milos Uzan is an outrageously cool name?), averaged 4 assists to only 1.4 turnovers per game in his Summer League campaign, which was a near identical stat line to his two-year career at Houston, where he averaged 4.1 assists to 1.4 turnovers across 77 games. Signalling to me that this was a deliberate roster decision by the Celtics as they see Uzan as fitting their identity.

As mentioned above, I think it makes sense for Uzan to be rewarded with one of the two-way contracts. Milos fills a bigger need than John Tonje, has some built-in chemistry with Houston teammate Chris Cenac, and is two years younger than Tonje. As much as I will always remember Tonje’s performance in Game 82 of the 2025-2026 NBA season, it is Milos Uzan’s time to shine in Maine. 

Honourable mention – Tucker Devries – A

Tucker DeVries had two jobs: take threes and make threes. Mission accomplished. I don’t know if there is an NBA player in there, but he will, at a minimum, have a long career overseas as a professional basketball player. 

I’m already excited to see what Year Two Chris Cenac looks like at Summer League next year. Until then, we have three months to argue about whether or not the Celtics are better or worse than last season. I can’t wait. 

If you have spotted Kentucky Basketball forward Kam Williams around campus recently, you probably noticed a couple of familiar summer accessories: a protective walking boot and crutches, as seen at the TBT.

Before Big Blue Nation lets out a collective sigh of panic, take a deep breath. This isn’t a case of the injury bug striking again, but rather a visual reminder of the strict, ultra-cautious rehabilitation program Williams has been on all offseason. As Mark Pope and his staff look ahead to the 2026-27 campaign, the goal is simple: zero rushing, zero risks, and ensuring Williams is at absolute full strength when the games actually matter.

Here is a closer look at where things stand with Williams’ recovery and the medical reality behind his current summer routine.

Fighting through to play in March

To understand why the staff is playing the long game right now, you have to look back to January 2026. During an SEC game against Texas, Williams suffered a fractured left foot, specifically a Jones fracture.

Instead of shutting it down for the year, Williams underwent surgery and put together a grueling rehab stint just to make it back onto the floor for limited action during the postseason. It was a massive boost for the locker room, but playing on a recently repaired foot takes a toll.

Because of that grueling stretch, the Kentucky medical staff drew a hard line for the summer. Williams has been completely held out of contact drills and summer practices. The presence of the boot and crutches is simply the tactical continuation of that off-season plan. Absolutely no reason to take any chances of a reinjury when you don’t have to.

Could a reinjury have happened here? Maybe, considering how tricky a Jones Fracture can be, but no updates have been provided.

The tricky nature of a Jones Fracture

For basketball players, the fifth metatarsal (the bone on the outside of the foot where a Jones fracture occurs) is notoriously stubborn. Because that specific area of the foot has a naturally limited blood supply, bone fusion takes considerable time, usually around 4 months.

The risk of a delayed union or a microscopic re-fracture is high if a player returns to full workload too quickly, which may have happened when Williams came back just two months after the surgery. But I still think this is just a continuation of a plan to play it safe.

By utilizing a boot and crutches during the heart of the summer, the training staff is essentially protecting Williams from himself. It forces the foot to rest completely, allowing the bone to harden and adapt without any daily stress.

Ultimately, seeing a key piece of the roster in a boot in July might not be the most glamorous summer visual, but it is exactly what the doctor ordered, unless there was a reinjury that hasn’t been disclosed. Mark Pope’s staff is taking the smart, hyper-conservative route here, and they should.

By sacrificing summer checklist reps now, the Wildcats are ensuring that when the bright lights turn on this winter, Williams will be completely ready to roll.

On Sunday, we looked at the classic 1984 matchup between Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon and Georgetown’s Patrick Ewing. Both went on to brilliant NBA careers and are on a short list of the best NBA big men of all time: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson – Ewing and Olajuwon are both in rarified air.

However, Olajuwon in one respect stands alone: no center, and indeed very few players at all, had the combination of agility and quickness that he had.

Watch this compilation of his signature move, the Dream Shake. Keep in mind that Olajuwon is 7-0 and his playing weight was 255. The only big man who ever approached this level of agility was a young O’Neal, and he packed on so much weight in the NBA that he lost that aspect of his game. For his third championship with the Lakers, though he was listed at 325, O’Neal later said that he played at a staggering 415 lbs.

Olajuwon was one of a kind.

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

Whether you care or not, we have collectively transitioned into the coldest part of the schedule for sports fans. Go watch baseball if you like it, but if you don’t, get ready for two months of absolutely nothing at all.

• The Atlanta Hawks are making it clear that the Knicks are (or remain) their biggest target. After lucking into a 2-1 lead in the first round last, Atlanta added Lu Dort and Ryan Nembhard in a three-team trade with Oklahoma City and Dallas. The Hawks already added Aaron Wiggins from OKC in another dump trade by the Thunder earlier this summer.
• P&T alumn Lee Escobedo believes the Hawks are building an “Anti-Knicks” roster. Summary:

“Have the Hawks assembled a championship roster? Atlanta acquired All-Defensive wing Lu Dort after taking New York to six games in the first round, giving Quin Snyder another physical perimeter defender to deploy against Jalen Brunson. Dort allows Dyson Daniels to operate as a roaming help defender while Nickeil Alexander-Walker chases shooters and Jalen Johnson attacks in transition. Ryan Nembhard and rookie Kingston Flemings could also improve Atlanta’s half-court organization. The Hawks still have concerns about size, rebounding, and shooting, but their combination of defensive versatility, ball pressure, and Oklahoma City influence makes them one of New York’s most dangerous Eastern Conference challengers.”

• Deuce McBride sent LeBron James a message.
• Eli Manning has the perfect description for New York, the Giants, the Yankees, the Rangers, the Knicks, MSG, Derek Jeter, plenty more… and Jalen Brunson. Ridiculous clip.

• Former infamous New York Post storyteller Marc Berman returned home and reflected on finally seeing the Knicks win a championship after covering the franchise for 23 seasons.
• Shout-out Kris Pursiainen for this Alvarado story.

“Karl-Anthony Towns says Jose Alvarado told him on ‘day 7’ of celebratory drinking that he slept in a construction yard. Towns adds he’s still not sure if it was a joke. ‘He’s the hood MVP, for sure,‘ he said of Alvarado.”

• Jordan Clarkson became involved in a situation at Manhattan’s Zero Bond nightclub while attempting to calm a confrontation involving rapper Travis Scott. Security removed both Clarkson and Scott from the venue, and no injuries were reported.
• Dillon Brooks his top-five biggest NBA whiners. Yes, you guessed the gold medalist right.
• Spain beat Argentina 1-0 at the World Cup. Spain won the World Cup.

When Masai Ujiri was hired as the Mavericks GM, he had a reputation for his love of wings, often prioritizing them over everything else, and so far, his actions match his reputation.

The latest wing is former #1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, who the Mavericks acquired in a 3 team deal with the Atlanta Hawks, with the Mavericks sending Ryan Nembhard and a second-round pick.

Risacher has spent the last 2 seasons in Atlanta, averaging 11.1 points while shooting 36% from three. Risacher being dealt is not very surprising, seeing as he was effectively benched in Atlanta’s first-round series against the Knicks.

This benching was not surprising, as Risacher’s minutes had slowly declined all season, being replaced by players like Nickeil-Alexander Walker, and Jonathon Kuminga. The price to acquire Risacher was incredibly light, reflecting how the rest of the league views the French wing, with his skillset still yet to truly gel in the NBA.

The advanced numbers also reflect his poor value, with a -2.2 Darko Plus-Minus being in the 22nd percentile. His fit is also clunky with the Mavericks, as he will have to fight for minutes with older, better and more experienced veterans who play his position.

Risacher lacks any real value outside of his shooting, struggling to create for himself or others, and being a mediocre defender. These criticisms are not new, as he struggled with these skills even as a draft prospect. The hope for Risacher becoming a good player is to entirely focus on his good traits: length and shooting upside.

While Risacher has been a somewhat efficient shooter, his volume his still only okay, attempting 4.2 threes per game so far in his career. If Risacher could get his attempts up while maintaining his efficiency, he could find real value as a shooter.

Now, while this trade is confusing now, there are moves the Mavericks could make that would slot everything into place; trading Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington. Both players have been in trade talks all offseason, and with every new addition, their minutes only continue to go down.

Trading the 2 veterans would not only mean future draft assets, but would confirm a shift in how the Mavericks will play moving forward. Many of their moves have been focused on adding shooting, with Risacher only continuing this trend. Trading 2 of the weaker shooters on the roster would mean more minutes for players like Santi Aldama and Tarik Biberovic, both of whom are excellent shooters for their position.

Trading these veterans could also lead to the Mavericks adding more on-ball creation, as the Mavericks only have two trustworthy creators on the current roster. Not having creators makes the spacing of the new additions less valuable, and puts tremendous pressure on Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving to carry the offense.

So will a trade happen? Nobody really knows.

The Mavericks have moved in silence all offseason, with their true plans for the roster being shrouded in mystery, but I would bet on a trade that we aren’t expecting, with a shakeup that no one will see coming.

Celtics check their Summer League boxes, and more midsummer thoughts originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

A few Boston Celtics thoughts while we try to stiff-arm the approaching August doldrums: 

Celtics check all their Summer League boxes

Summer League is always a lot more intriguing when you have a lottery pick on your roster, but the Celtics got just about everything they could have wanted out of their two-week stint in the Las Vegas heat. That included:

Hugo Gonzalez shook off any jet lag from recent globe-trotting and confirmed that he’s graduated from Summer League. The shooting splits weren’t great (31.8 percent from the field overall, 25.9 percent on 3s), and everyone on the roster was a bit careless with the basketball, but Gonzalez, fresh off a stint with Spain in the FIBA qualifiers, did just about everything else well.

The passing (5.7 assists per game) and rebounding (8 rebounds per game) were exceptional, and whenever Gonzalez wanted to turn up the intensity, he was a defensive monster. It’s clear he’s going to have a big role on this year’s Celtics team, and he’s probably further vibing after Spain won the World Cup on Sunday. 

First-round pick Chris Cenac Jr. (27th overall) is super raw, but the potential for the 19-year-old big man is obvious. Cenac Jr. produced a signature moment in drilling an overtime-forcing, buzzer-beating 3-pointer in his pro debut. He rebounded well, bothered shooters with his length and athleticism, and attempted some audacious putbacks.

We’ll keep saying it: Put him in Boston’s now well-established Player Development Machine and let’s see where this goes. Between Cenac Jr. and Amari Williams, the Celtics have two bigs with very divergent playstyles that they can nurture moving forward. 

Second-round pick Dillon Mitchell (40th overall) might have stolen our heart at Summer League, which is appropriate given the defensive-minded nature of a player who registered 2.7 steals per game (fifth best among players with 3+ appearances in Vegas). Yes, the Celtics need to hone his offensive game, but he’s an athletic freak. There were multiple instances where it felt like he simply defied gravity and floated his way to blocks (1.3 per game). We’re a sucker for any player where the chaos factor spikes when they hit the floor.

Last season, Gonzalez carved out time by simply defending and crashing hard from the corners. If Mitchell gets any time with the parent club this season, he should make that a priority while figuring out where his NBA scoring comes from (well, beyond tip dunks). 

John Tonje put up some solid numbers (14.8 points per game while shooting 51 percent overall from the floor and 45.2 percent on 3s) and tried hard on the defensive side. The Celtics have some interesting choices for their two remaining two-way slots. Tonje, acquired from Utah last season in the Chris Boucher trade, turned 25 in April. Do the Celtics continue to invest in his development, or use that spot on a younger player with longer-term upside?

Amile Jefferson got valuable reps in the head-coaching chair, and we liked his Joe Mazzulla-like willingness to bark at Boston’s youngest players when they made mistakes (but also lift them up whenever they made good plays). 

The Celtics will reportedly bring point guard Milos Uzan and forward Tucker DeVries to training camp. Both rode the summer roller coaster but had intriguing moments. Uzan played with Cenac Jr. at Houston last season, while DeVries has never met a 3-pointer look he didn’t like.

Second apron strikes again

The Oklahoma City Thunder traded All-Defense wing Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday as part of a three-team trade that brought back three second-round picks. The 2025 NBA champions have wiggled under the second apron this offseason by dealing away Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins.

So much of the conversation around the Celtics has centered on the financial decisions made in the aftermath of their 2024 title season — from the departures of Jrue Holiday, Luke Kornet, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis last summer while shedding major money, to the trade of Jaylen Brown this month. But the entire league is scrambling to avoid the second apron and the basketball penalties it imposes. 

The Thunder are trying to delay their reckoning as younger players graduate to big-money deals. The defending champion Knicks let key reserve big man Mitchell Robinson walk this summer, and the Celtics pounced to bolster their own frontcourt. 

This is simply the new reality in the NBA. The collective bargaining agreement is making it impossible for championship-level teams to keep deep rosters intact over long periods of time. It’s forcing a priority on drafting and development. It’s also forcing teams to evaluate how they construct rosters and how they spread out available funds (and for how long).

The Celtics got ahead of the second-apron crunch when they built a talent-filled roster before the 2024 title season. They’re navigating an awkward stretch where they’re trying to remain competitive but also open a new window, all while trying to reset repeater penalties and set up another two-year window of heightened spending. 

Sure, Dort did not have a great postseason for Oklahoma City. But he was an impactful defensive presence who surely set a tone for the way the Thunder play. Teams are being forced to make unsavory decisions about roster construction and it’s often leading to teams bringing back underwhelming returns in money-saving moves.

Next up on the calendar: Hugo vs. Neemi

Spain and Portugal are scheduled to battle in a FIBA World Cup qualifying matchup on Friday, August 28. That could pit Gonzalez versus Neemias Queta in an Iberian Peninsula showdown. 

Could we see Gonzalez take on the challenge of defending the bigger Queta in that game?

“I’ll go against him — he knows that,” Gonzalez told us in Vegas last week. “He’s going to have a tough time and I’m going to try to get him in every situation that I can. He’s an amazing player, he’s for sure going to give us a [hard] time, but we’re going to try to win it for sure.”

Five Warriors players to follow after NBA Summer League championship run originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After nine games, the last a 94-90 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League championship game on Sunday, Warriors coach Steve Kerr and his staff have sufficient video to review. They now can devote the next 10 weeks (more like eight) to devising a plan for training camp.

We can safely project that the 2026-27 NBA season will be the fourth consecutive season in which a rookie will receive significant minutes and at least occasionally find his name in the starting lineup.

Destined to follow Brandin Podziemski (2023 draft, 28 starts), Quintin Post (2024, 14) and Will Richard (2025, 21) in getting an opportunity to make an impact as a rookie is forward Yaxel Lendeborg, the 11th overall pick in last month’s NBA draft.

The Warriors went 7-2 in summer league under coach Khalid Robinson, who mostly stayed with consistent rotations and substitution patterns. This was their second championship in Vegas summer league, as they also accomplished the feat in 2013.

Here are five players, in alphabetical order, to follow in the wake of their performances in the three-game California Classic and the six-game Vegas Summer League:

LJ Cryer

Cryer got his foot in the NBA door last season, playing 18 games with one start. He’s an excellent shooter, particularly from beyond the arc, but his scoring is somewhat offset by what he will give back on defense.

Generously listed at 6-feet, he still will be hunted on every possession. It’s possible the Warriors will bring him back, but it could be another year in which Cryer also spends time with G-League Santa Cruz.

Summer League stats (eight games, all starts): 14 points per game on 44-percent shooting from the field, including 41.3 percent from deep and 77.8 percent from the line and 4.0 assists.

Graham Ike

The Warriors snagged Ike (E-kay) with an Exhibit-10 contract seconds after he went undrafted last month. The West Coast Conference Player of the Year from Gonzaga brings good size (6-foot-10, 7-foot-5 wingspan) and is active in the paint. Despite a strong summer league showing, he’s a longshot for Golden State, which has three centers – Charles Bassey, Al Horford, Kristaps Porziņģis – under contract. There is no doubt that Golden State would like to keep Ike around for security.

Stats (nine games, all starts): 10 points per game, 48.4-percent shooting from the field, 78.9 percent from the line with 7.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 blocks while averaging 21.2 minutes per game.

Lajae Jones

The second-round pick (No. 54) started very slowly, struggling through the California Classic over the July 4 weekend. The 6-foot-7 wing showed appreciable improvement in Vegas, unveiling the gifts that prompted the Warriors to select him. His lone start in Vegas: 13 points, four rebounds and three steals over 25 minutes.

Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy last month implied he could shuttle between the G League and NBA. That outlook seems fair.

Stats (nine games, two starts): 7.0 points on 41.0-percent shooting from the field, including 20 percent from deep, 2.9 rebounds. Jones shot 22.2/14.3-percent shooting splits in the Cali Classic, 48.8/30.8 in Vegas.

Lendeborg

There are times when he floats through possessions, as if bored. And there are moments when he plays as if possessed. His basketball intellect is evident, his judgment sound, his shooting touch fabulous and his defense solid and occasionally spectacular. He submitted a spectacular fourth in the title game, playing all 10 minutes, producing nine points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and was plus-14. He was better than No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer. Lendeborg did nothing to dispel belief that he can make an impact as a rookie.

Stats (eight games, all starts): 14.9 points per game, on 48.4-percent shooting from the field, including 45.9 from distance and 71.4 percent from the line. He added 6.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals, averaging 27 minutes.

Richard

After a solid rookie season, Richard looks physically stronger and has a more self-assured presence. His 3-point shot, still unique, is quicker and accurate. It’s apparent he has spent the past two months in the weight room as well as on the court. He was in and out of the rotation – mostly in – but remained engaged throughout. He acknowledged being clobbered by the “rookie wall” but seems primed to make an impact in his second season.

Stats (seven games, all starts): 10.3 points per game, on 48.1-percent shooting from the field, including 48.3 percent from beyond the arc, 3.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steals over 24.9 minutes.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Yaxel Lendeborg wins MVP as Warriors bring home NBA Summer League title originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors, led by their homegrown league MVP, once again are champions of the NBA world.

No additional context is needed, right?

Golden State was crowned NBA Summer League champions with its 94-90 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

The Warriors went 5-1 in the tournament, and took home the title for the first time since 2013.

Rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who Golden State selected with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, was named the tournament’s most valuable player for his stellar performance in Vegas.

The 23-year-old scored 21 points with 10 rebounds and two assists on 50-percent shooting from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range in Sunday’s win. In the tournament, Lendeborg averaged 14.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

A confident Lendeborg was asked after the game how he and Golden State pulled off the double-digit comeback against the Grizzlies on Sunday,

“Man, their butts got tight,” Lendeborg said. “They puckered up, you know what I mean? Some of us are built for the moment and some aren’t.”

While a summer league title might not have been the championship at the forefront of the Warriors’ minds this summer, it certainly is a positive development for Golden State’s youth, who figure to play a key role in the Warriors’ quest for a fifth Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in the 2026-27 NBA season.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Former Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike adds an NBA Summer League title to his resume and made a case for a two-way contract throughout his work this summer. In the Golden State Warriors’ 94-90 double-digit comeback win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Las Vegas, Nevada, he scored six points on 1-for-6 field goals, nine rebounds, three assists/one turnover, and one block in his ninth straight start.

In the 92-88 semifinals victory over Los Angeles Lakers forward Anton Watson, Ike put together his best outing with the Warriors. He would end up with 16 rebounds on 6-for-10 shooting and 11 assists with a +10 plus-minus.

Throughout both the California Classic at the Chase Center and in Sin City, Ike averaged 9.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. The Warriors currently have one two-way spot left to be filled and have the need for his strong post presence as well as leadership value.

Training camp in San Francisco, California, will begin in late September or early October.

Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho

All Yaxel Lendeborg does is win championships.

Three months after his Michigan Wolverines won the NCAA Tournament, Lendeborg led the Golden State Warriors to their first NBA Summer League championship since 2013 with a 94-90 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. He finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, bringing the Warriors back from a 12-point deficit in the 4th quarter thanks to a personal 7-0 run.

Beyond his scoring prowess, Lendeborg was the key player on a Warriors defense that held No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer and the Grizzlies to just 14 4th-quarter points. That performance made him the only choice for Summer League Championship Game MVP, following in the footsteps of 2013 SLCGMVP Ian Clark.

The win was a clear team effort, but it wouldn’t have happened without an outstanding performance off the bench from Deivon Smith, who shot 9-for-14 and scored 21 points, adding nine rebounds and keeping the team in the game in the first quarter by scoring nine straight points.

Smith saved the best for last in Las Vegas, putting up 21 big points after scoring just four in the Warriors’ previous games. The Warriors also got 15 points, six assists and four three-pointers from LJ Cryer, who finished with the second-most threes in Summer League, trailing only Chaz Lanier of the Detroit Pistons. Cryer iced the game at the end of the 4th by eluding the Grizzlies attempts to foul him, then splitting his two free throws for the final four-point margin.

The game came down to the Warriors’ tough defense down the stretch, overcoming Boozer’s 19 points, 19 points and 5-for-5 three-point shooting from All-Rookie first-teamer Cedric Coward, and 16 points from rookie Carson Cooper, who Draymond Green would probably have voted for Championship Game MVP, since Cooper went to Michigan State.

Officially, this was Golden State’s second Summer League title, but the 2012 team went 5-0 and won by an average of 16 points per game. That team contained most of the young foundation of the later championship teams, with Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, and Green. The next year’s team was led by Green, 2017 champion Clark, and fan favorite/Under Armour legend Kent Bazemore, who should all retroactively get championship rings from Joe Lacob, like all Summer champs since 2022.

Summer League games may be exhibitions, but the competitiveness is real. What Lendeborg, Cryer, Smith, Will Richard, Graham Ike, Malevy Leons, Lachlan Olbrich, Lajae Jones, and Chance McMillian pulled off shows they can deliver in big moments, even if they had some brain farts down the stretch. That is going to pay off next season, even if that mostly happens in Santa Cruz.

I was convinced they could win it all after their first game due to their talent, but they won on Sunday relying on their toughness and grit. Spain may have taken home the World Cup in New Jersey earlier in the day, but for my money, it doesn’t get any better than a Summer League crown.

At least in July. Winning the Finals is still a lot better.

The Golden State Warriors earned the 2026 NBA Summer League championship on Sunday, July 19.

Yaxel Lendeborg led the Warriors in the 94-90 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. He scored 21 and had 10 rebounds for the Warriors in 32 minutes of play.

Lendeborg, the Warriors’ 11th overall pick in the 2026 draft, hit a jumper that helped provide a 91-87 lead for the Warriors with 1:30 left in the fourth quarter and put the game out of reach for the Grizzlies.

Lendeborg was named the Summer League championship game MVP.