MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 12: Zaccharie Risacher #10 of the Atlanta Hawks shoots the ball against Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat during the first quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on April 12, 2026 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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.
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.
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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.”
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.
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.
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.
Yaxel Lendeborg, the 11th overall pick, wins the 2026 NBA Summer League Championship Game MVP!
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.
It was clear why Golden State and Memphis were facing off in Las Vegas for the Summer League title Sunday night. Usually, when a high draft pick has a few good games at Summer League, the team pulls him for the rest of the event to avoid potential injury.
But Memphis took the court with two likely starters from the team that will take the court in October: No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer and second-year forward Cedric Coward.
Golden State took the court with No. 11 pick Yaxel Lendeborg — and he was the best player on that court, scoring 21 points with 10 rebounds, leading the summer Warriors to the championship.
Yaxel Lendeborg, the 11th overall pick, wins the 2026 NBA Summer League Championship Game MVP!
Golden State came from 10 down at the start of the fourth quarter to get the 94-40 victory.
His performance in the title game capped off a Summer League where Lendeborg averaged 18.5 points and eight rebounds a game, earning him the Summer League MVP award.
This was Lendeborg's second title in four months, he also won the NCAA championship with Michigan. He is expected to get significant minutes with Golden State this season.
Coward and Boozer each had 19 points to lead the Grizzlies, with the duo combining for eight 3-pointers. However, Boozer missed a 3 with 13.5 seconds left that would have given Memphis the lead and control of the game. From there, the Warriors hit enough free throws to win.
Golden State also got 21 points from Deivon Smith, the undrafted point guard out of St. John's.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: Graham Ike #45 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2026 Las Vegas Summer League Semifinals on July 18, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
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
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 19: Yaxel Lendeborg #1 of the Golden State Warriors holds up the 026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League MVP trophy and championship ring after his team's victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2026 NBA Summer League championship game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 19, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Warriors defeated the Grizzlies 94-90. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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.
Deivon Smith with 9 straight points in the 1st quarter, as he keeps blowing by defenders, including a nice coast-to-coast And-1 finish (with replays) pic.twitter.com/1b9I2ocD2f
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.
LJ Cryer gets away from Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who fails to foul him right away, as Cryer takes 6 seconds off the clock. Cryer splits the free throws and the Golden State Warriors are the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League champions! pic.twitter.com/WYUQWUHDtA
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.
Deivon Smith also added 21 points and nine rebounds in 23 minutes of play for Golden State. He shot 9-for-14 from the field.
Cameron Boozer, the No. 3 overall pick in 2026, served as one of the leading scorers for the Grizzlies. He nearly produced a double-double with 19 points and eight rebounds.
Cedric Coward scored 19 points and collected six rebounds in 27 minutes of play.
Warriors vs. Grizzlies NBA Summer League highlights
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 14: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 14, 2026 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Zach Barron/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In our latest Jazz Reacts survey, I asked who Jazz fans think will have the best career between Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Caleb Wilson, and Cam Boozer. Here’s how Jazz fans feel.
Probably not a surprise that Jazz fans believe that the Jazz prospect will have the best career. But it’s not a stretch to think this is a relatively easy choice. Darryn Peterson was considered the consensus #1 pick before last college season started. He’ll join a Jazz organization that has been a playoff team when it’s had high-level talent. With Darryn Peterson joining a team of high-level, complementary talent, it’s easy to see how his career is going to jump-start into contention right away. He’ll also be joining a coach who orchestrated an offense that led the Boston Celtics to the finals a few years ago. The Jazz have also shown a willingness to make tough decisions that will keep them financially stable and maintain assets that should put them in a contention window for as long as Peterson is on the Jazz. It’s a great choice by Jazz fans, and there’s no question Peterson has the best possible chance to have the best career. FanDuel agrees because they have him with the biggest odds to win the Rookie of the Year award this season.
Dillon Brooks didn’t hesitate to call out Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Steph Curry.
Brooks, who plays for the Suns, was asked who are the top-five complainers in basketball and listed Doncic, James and Curry on that list as well as Jaren Jackson and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Suns star Dillon Brooks said LeBron James (above) is one of the NBA’s biggest whiners. Getty Images
“First one that comes to mind for me? Obviously, Luka. Luka’s obviously a big-ass complainer,” Brooks said. “Curry is one, I actually gave him a shot. I gave him a shot in his chest on a contest.”
Doncic has admitted that he believes Brooks is the NBA’s biggest trash talker and said he loves to play against him.
Doncic and Brooks used to tangle when Doncic played for the Mavericks and Brooks suited up for the Rockets.
In his career, Doncic has thrived against him, averaging 29.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game.
Curry has enjoyed playing against Brooks in his historic career and considers him a friendly on-court rival. During a December game last season, Brooks earned a Flagrant 1 foul for striking Curry on a play. Curry later jokingly called the play “bush league.”
Brooks went on to think about who else he considers a complainer and quickly remembered James, saying “LeBron, for sure.”
Brooks also said the Warriors’ Steph Curry is on his list of biggest complainers. Getty Images
Since the 2023 NBA playoffs, Brooks and James have had one of the NBA’s most heated feuds. They had an infamous staredown during pregame warmups.
— bbreact reaction videos (@burnerbwoireact) May 12, 2026
Next season, the Brooks-James rivalry will enter a new chapter because James is a free agent for the first time in eight years and will not return to the Lakers.
It's not unexpected that Lu Dort got traded this offseason.
Oklahoma City felt the pressure of the second apron closing in as the max extensions for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams kicked in for next season, and some depth was going to be sacrificed. Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins were already gone, but Dort is making $18.2 million next season and is up for an extension the Thunder couldn't swing, so the sides were always likely to part.
Atlanta stepped up, Dallas jumped in, and we have a three-team trade. Who are the winners and losers? Let's break it all down, starting with a reminder of the trade itself:
Oklahoma City receives: Three future second-round picks Atlanta receives: Luguentz Dort, Ryan Nembhard Dallas receives: Zaccharie Risacher
Winner: Atlanta Hawks
This just adds to what has been a strong offseason for the Hawks — they got the best player in this trade.
Atlanta is building a defensive juggernaut and adding Lu Dort — an All-Defensive Team player a season ago — behind Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker is just fearsome. Coach Quin Snyder has some decisions to make because playing Daniels and Dort together could be an offensive issue, but this is still a good problem to have. Overall, adding Dort and Wiggins on the wing is an upgrade in Atlanta at the position, regardless of what happens with Jonathan Kuminga. Also, if the Hawks want to clear cap space next summer, they don't have to re-sign Dort (or Nembhard).
Also, adding Nembhard as a solid backup behind rookie Kingston Flemmings as the starter is a good bit of work.
One other note: It's good work by Atlanta getting off Risacher rather than feeling they had to stick it out because he was the No. 1 pick. Granted, it was the previous front office that made the pick, still, it's not something every team would do. It's not that Risacher can't take a step forward, he is just 21, but because Atlanta passed on Alex Sarr (No. 2) and Stephon Castle (No. 4) to take him, too many front offices wouldn't want to make a change to prove they were right. Best to just cut your losses and move on, and the Hawks did.
Winner: Lu Dort
Dort isn't a winner because he went from Oklahoma City to Atlanta, or because he's in line for a bigger role, it's because he can get paid in the ATL.
Dort is eligible for an extension, and with the cap crunch hitting the Thunder that was not happening in Oklahoma City. In Atlanta, they have the cap space to pay the man, and that was likely part of why they traded for him. Dort is not due a big raise, he likely makes something in the ballpark of what he does now (maybe a little less the first year), but he can get a bag in the ATL and will take it.
Loser: Thunder fans
The winner for the Thunder out of this was Clay Bennett's pocketbook, this move gets OKC well under the second apron. Also, this was another win for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and the impact of the second apron of the luxury tax — at the expense of fans. When Silver defends the second apron, he talks about parity — he loves to talk about the eight different champions in eight different years — and he sounds like a fantasy owner happy to see players as two-dimensional pawns moved around the board to flatten the talent base. That ignores the connection fans form with players.
Lu Dort was one of the fan favorites in Oklahoma City — the player who hustles every second and does all the little things is someone fans always connect with.
Now, that connection is gone. It's not going to hurt the Thunder on the court much — another elite defender in Cason Wallace slides in to be a full-time starter, and Alex Caruso still comes off the bench — but it's another little loss for the Thunder's depth, along with Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins moving on. All that so the Thunder could get below the second apron.
The more blatant case of this same phenomenon was Boston's front office feeling it had to trade Jaylen Brown for financial reasons — an elite player for the Celtics who was always very active in the community, gave back and was beloved for that as much as for his play. But Brown and now Dort on the move is what Silver and the owners want, and the price they may pay in fan loyalty doesn't seem to bother them in the least.
Winner: Zaccharie Risacher
Sometimes, a player just needs a fresh start.
That's what Risacher gets by going to a new city with a new coaching staff led by Dusty May. Risacher is just 21 years old and is an athletic 6'8" wing who has his moments, averaging 9.6 points per game last season, shooting 36.8% from 3 (and a true shooting percentage right at the league average). Put him next to Cooper Flagg and see what happens.
The fact that the Hawks were willing to walk away is concerning, and Dallas gave up a good player in Nembhard and a second-round pick to get him, which is more than some might have paid, but Risacher gets the chance to prove them all wrong with a clean slate. We'll see what he does with it.
MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 31: Daniel Gafford #21 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots a free throw during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 31, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images
According to Marc Stein, the Dallas Mavericks are fielding offers for Daniel Gafford.
Stein goes on to say:
Is Daniel Gafford going to be on this team by season’s end? It’s not an answerable question at this point. We know he’s available.
This is the perfect type of move for the Utah Jazz. Gafford isn’t a star center but is a league-average player across the board and is a net positive on the defensive end. Dunks and Threes has his block percentage (4.9) in the 92nd percentile. He’s also in the 91st percentile in offensive rebounding. That type of rim pressure on both ends of the floor is a great way to replace what was lost in the Walker Kessler trade.
We also know that Gafford played a big role in the Mavericks’ run to the Finals just a few years ago, both as a reserve and sometimes as a starter. That type of competence and experience would be a nice addition to a young Jazz team that hasn’t had a lot of experience in the playoffs.
A trade like this, with the Jazz acquiring Gafford and giving up two of their young prospects, might interest Dallas, looking for more young talent to surround Cooper Flagg.
For Utah, they gain a strong backup center who gives them solid center depth behind Jusuf Nurkic and can give them time to find another long-term option at center later, possibly in future drafts.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Ryan Nembhard #9 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on July 11, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In a surprising move, the Dallas Mavericks have shipped guard Ryan Nembhard to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team trade. The Oklahoma City Thunder traded wing Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for three second-round picks to Oklahoma City, and Atlanta sent forward Zaccharie Risacher to Dallas, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.
Nembhard joins fellow Zag wing Corey Kispert in Atlanta, as well as his two Canadian teammates in Dort and guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
In his rookie season, Nembhard averaged 6.6 points on a shooting split of 41.5 field goal percentage/35.6 three-point percentage/80.6 free throw percentage, 5.3 assists, and 2.2 rebounds in 19.5 minutes across 60 appearances. He set an NBA rookie record with 23 assists in Dallas’ 2025-26 season finale against the Chicago Bulls.
The undrafted lead guard averaged 8.0 points, 8.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks over two games with the Mavericks in the NBA Summer League, before dealing with an illness that kept him out for the final three games.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 19: Bryce Harris #41 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on July 19, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Greathouse/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets’ final Summer League game — two leagues in two states, eight total games over 16 days — wasn’t much of a contest as Brooklyn kept all of its eight contract players on the bench in street clothes vs. the winless Oklahoma City Thunder. The remaining eight players, several destined for the Long Island Nets, were enough to defeat OKC, 108-90 Sunday afternoon.
The win, which was up against the FIFA World Cup on local TV in New York, mean the Nets would finish the Las Vegas Summer League with a 3-2 record and their two leagues with five wins and three losses. The Nets played three games in the California Classic in Sacramento, winning two of them.
While Brooklyn did not get any bling in either league, the Nets experience had to have been an overall positive for the organization. Both last year’s lottery pick, Egor Demin, the No. 8 pick, and this year’s Mikel Brown Jr., the No. 6, played well and gave fans a first, if limited, limited look at the two. Their play, both individually, and strong personalities won them the nickname, “Aura Bros.”
— Center Street Media (@CenterStMedia) July 19, 2026
In addition to the lottery picks, three other first rounders from last year — Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf — sat, as did the two two-ways already signed, Chaney Johnson and Tyler Bilodeau, plus the Nets other first rounder from June, Joshua Jefferson. Grant Nelson, who played for Long Island and Brooklyn last season, was a DNP as well. Although on the Summer League roster, the 7-footer was never scheduled to play in either league, recovering from a procedure to treat his jumper’s knee issue. He was seated with the team in both.
All that gave a number of young players, some with promises of Exhibit 10s and/or a job in Long Island, a chance and the Thunder were no match, with the Nets getting out in front, 37-22, at the end of the first quarter. OKC was the only winless team in Las Vegas at 0-5. Very few of their youngsters made the trip.
For Brooklyn, the big story was that Dion Brown, a 6’4” combo guard out of St. Louis, finished with a triple-double: 16 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists to go along with two steals and shooting splits of 42/67/100.
Brown, reportedly is in line for an Exhibit 1o signing. That could include an invite to Brooklyn’s training camp and preseason come October. But it basically ensures that Brown will wind up on the Long Island roster, assuming he doesn’t get other, more lucrative offers. Brown spoke post-game, saying the accomplishment is helping the transition from college shooting guard to NBA (and/or G League) point…
Brown was one of seven young Nets who wound up in double figures by game’s end. John Ukumadu , a 6’7” wing, finished with 23 points, having scored 12 early in the Nets first quarter blowout.
Also putting up numbers were former St. John’s wing Aaron Scott with 15, starting center Dain Dainja with 14 points, nine boards, three steals and three blocks. Duke Brennan, out of Villanova had 12 points as did combo guard Hunter Sallis. Dwight Murray completed the list with 10. According to reports, at least two of the group will get to sign Exhibit 10 deals: Brennan and Sallis. Don’t be surprised if Dainja with his 260-pound frame and 7’7” wingspan, winds up at Nassau Coliseum as well. Only PF Ben Humrichous didn’t reach double digits. He had six.
Teams can sign up to six Exhibit 10 deals but can only designate four players for assignment to Long Island. In the past, the Nets have signed players to Exhibit 10s, then waived them near immediately,
The high scorer for Brooklyn in the two leagues was Demin, who averaged 23.0 points in two California Classic games and 21.0 in Vegas. He finished second in the Classic and 12th in Vegas. The big difference between last year’s summer performance and this was that the 6’9.5” guard-forward was healthy and that he used his newfound muscle to drive the paint … and finish.
The next time players wearing the Nets’ black-and-white colors will take the court will be in early October for the NBA preseason. So far, only one date has been publicized: October 14 vs. the Heat in Miami.
While we saw a trade on Sunday, it feels like NBA free agency is on pause waiting for LeBron James to make his free agency decision, which will come... eventually. Everyone — the front offices involved, other players, fans — is ready for LeBron to end his dragged-out free agency process, but he will do it on his own time. Until then, stars keep making their pitches, but other free agency rumors are flying around. Here are some of the latest.
Harden, Edwards make LeBron pitches
Among the most predictable, tedious, frankly clickbait things about LeBron's free agency has been players, coaches and front-office people from every team that might land him — and a few that haven't — being asked about him and asked to make their public pitches. The fact that 76ers owner Josh Harris had a quick, private conversation with LeBron made news.
If you care about such things, here are the latest from James Harden and Anthony Edwards.
“That’s the goal, that’s the plan,” - James Harden on a big 3 of him, Donovan Mitchell and LeBron James pic.twitter.com/YoDNaMgqp2
The Lakers remade their roster this offseason to better fit around Luka Doncic this summer — LeBron is out, Walker Kessler and a group of new role players are in — but they may not be done, reports Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, based on a conversation with a league executive.
"When it comes to moving contracts, the Lakers have found teams more receptive to take on Jake LaRavia's remaining $6 million for one year than the $25 million over two years for Jarred Vanderbilt.
"Vanderbilt is a guy who has probably gotten a bad rap there because he has had injuries and has not fit in well and all of that," the exec said. "He can still play, just not at that number. (LaRavia) is a guy who you can ride when he is hot, but it gets tough when he is not. But he is tough, he plays every game, he hustles. You'd like to see better defense but he hustles. And $6 million, most people would take what he gives you for that."
This is likely a training camp or in-season thing, but keep an eye on those two, particularly LaRavia.
Dallas open to trading Klay Thompson, Gafford
If it feels like Daniel Gafford has been available via trade for years, you're not far off, and the Mavericks are still listening to offers, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
"Daniel Gafford, they're still fielding offers on him. We've also discussed they'd rather trade Klay Thompson rather than buy Klay out...
"I reported this on June 14th. Teams calling for Kyrie Irving are being told Kyrie's not available, but Gafford, Klay, and P.J. [Washington] are regarded as the most available of the Mavs vets...
"Is Daniel Gafford going to be on this team by season's end? It's not an answerable question at this point. We know he's available. Is someone going to put an offer together that interests the Mavs or are the Mavs going to keep holding out for a for a first round pick in exchange? Time will tell."
Thompson, 36, is set to make $17.5 million in the final year of his deal. Thompson may be headed to the Hall of Fame someday but he is not that player now. He averaged 11.7 points per game, shot 38.3% from 3 but shot just 41.8% inside the arc, and is not the same defender he once was. While there might be teams interested in him in a reserve role, they don't want to pay his current salary.
