DALLAS, TEXAS - JUNE 25: New Dallas Mavericks player Morez Johnson Jr. holds a jersey during a press conference at American Airlines Center on June 25, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. Johnson was selected ninth overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. 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 Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Michigan fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Three Michigan men’s basketball players were selected last month in the 2026 NBA Draft. But which of the three will have the best rookie season? Vote in this edition of SB Nation Reacts.
Forward Morez Johnson Jr. was selected No. 9 overall by the Dallas Mavericks. Johnson will reunite with Michigan head coach Dusty May, who took the Mavericks a day before the draft.
Forward Yaxel Lendeborg was selected No. 11 overall by the Golden State Warriors. Lendeborg, the Big Ten Player of the Year,
Center Aday Mara was selected No. 12 overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
All three players are in solid situations heading into their rookie campaigns. Johnson has familiarity in May’s scheme, Lendeborg will be on a team with future Hall of Famers in Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, while Aday Mara joins a Thunder squad just a season removed from an NBA championship. Johnson could receive the most minutes of the bunch, with Lendeborg and Mara being more rotational pieces in their rookie campaign.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 18: Anthony Davis #3 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers sit on the bench during their preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on October 18, 2024 in San Francisco, California. 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors had big plans for this offseason to give Stephen Curry one last shot at a fifth championship. The Warriors entered the summer hoping to sign LeBron James in free agency and trade for Anthony Davis to unite the former superstar teammates with Curry and Draymond Green. While James still hasn’t decided on where he’ll play next year, Golden State is now reportedly out of the running because they don’t want to meet the Washington Wizards’ ridiculous asking price for Davis.
Charania reports that the Warriors believe they’re not a finalist to sign James unless they swing a trade for Anthony Davis. The Warriors’ need to land Davis to sign LeBron puts the Washington Wizards in a position of power, and right now they’re using every ounce of leverage in the Davis trade discussions. Washington reportedly wants Jimmy Butler, multiple first-round picks, multiple first-round swaps, and multiple second-round picks from Golden State for Davis, according to Charania. If they can’t do it, LeBron is likely to sign elsewhere.
Listen to Charania breakdown the Warriors’ place in James sweepstakes here:
The Wizards didn’t really give up much to get Davis from the Dallas Mavericks at February’s trade deadline. Washington parted with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2026 first-round pick (No. 30 overall) and a top-20 protected 2030 Golden State Warriors pick in addition to matching contracts to land Davis. Davis didn’t play a game for the franchise, but the Wizards now could flip him for an even bigger haul of assets if the Warriors really get desperate. There’s only one problem: at least for right now, Golden State rightfully isn’t going to play ball.
James and Davis won a championship together with the Los Angeles Lakers inside the bubble in 2020. Both are represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports, which has set off speculation that the agency is using Golden State’s interest to get an extension for Davis in Washington.
I think everyone is right in this situation:
LeBron is right for not wanting to sign in Golden State without Davis. The Warriors aren’t going to be a championship team if they just add James, especially not with Jimmy Butler out for most of next season as he recovers from a torn ACL.
The Wizards are right to use all of their leverage to rob the Warriors. The reality is that Washington isn’t going to be very good even with Davis on the roster next year, and he doesn’t fit their timeline around No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa at 33 years old. Washington should continue to press Golden State for all it has right up until the moment LeBron is ready to announce his decision.
The Warriors are right not to want to give up multiple firsts and multiple swaps for Davis, who just isn’t a reliable player due to constant injuries.
Will the Warriors eventually change their minds? Will the Wizards eventually lower the asking price? It’s all still on the table until LeBron finally decides where he’s playing next year.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: Ziaire Williams #1 of the Brooklyn Nets gestures during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Barclays Center on April 03, 2026 in New York City. 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 Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While the Sixers have now filled out 14 of their 15 available roster spots this offseason, they are obviously waiting on one more big shoe to drop. The fact that they’re even in the James sweepstakes is such a pleasant shock in and of itself. It would be incredible if somehow Philadelphia ends up being where James chooses to play next season, but he still has plenty of options that just feel more likely.
Regardless of who takes up that last roster spot, the Sixers will only have the veteran’s minimum to offer. Even if they land James, they could probably use one more center or forward to fill out the roster. They’d be able to do so by waiving Dalen Terry, whose contract is not guaranteed yet. With a week of free agency in the books, here are five realistic targets that are not named LeBron James.
Nick Richards
This maybe wouldn’t count as a glut, but Richards would be the fourth center on the roster should they bring him in. Joel Embiid and Adem Bona are already on the roster, and the team signed Ariel Hukporti earlier in the offseason. If the last two years have shown anything, the Sixers can never have enough bodies to throw at that position.
At 6-foot-11, Richards presents a bigger option at that position than Bona. He’s always posted a solid block rate throughout his career, rarely dropping below 2.5%. Last year was no different for both Phoenix and Chicago.
Richards had fallen out of the rotation in Phoenix, only averaging nine minutes a game and appearing in just 28 games before being moved to the Bulls at the trade deadline. Once he got there he played 22 minutes a game and averaged 9.4 points and 7.6 rebounds. Other than size, he might not have a ton more to offer than Bona or Hukporti, but a taking a flyer on him is something this blog has been a fan of for a long time.
Ziaire Williams
The backup big rotation has been shaken up a little bit, but the Sixers’ depth chart on the wing is jarringly different from a season ago. Gone are Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes. In their place are Jaylen Brown, Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons.
Justin Edwards had an encouraging moment or two in the playoffs, but his sophomore season on the whole didn’t instill a lot of confidence. Williams, who’s spent his five seasons in the league with Memphis and Brooklyn, would provide a different flavor on the wing for Nick Nurse.
The 6-foot-9 wing has made his name in the league so far by causing deflections. This past season he posted a 2.6% steal rate for the Nets, one that put him in the 94th percentile in the league, per Cleaning the Glass. On top of having a skill Nick Nurse has always coveted, Williams’ three-point percentage has increased as he has increased the volume of his attempts.
After making the jump to 4.8 attempts per game in 2024-25, Williams has settled into a 34% three-point shooter the last two seasons. If he can continue hovering around the league average, he could be a forward that fits well into Philadelphia’s system.
Kevin Love
It’s become a tradition of the Embiid era to acquire a washed-up backup center, regardless of the front office. The 37-year-old Love, who will turn 38 when the season begins, fits that bill. His days of being able to provide stout defense are past him, but he could still help a team in a very limited capacity.
His touch and feel for the game haven’t gone anywhere, shooting 37% from three last season in Utah while posting an assist percentage in the 79th percentile across the league. A stretch big just hasn’t been common for the Sixers in this era. Love, like so many true stretch-fives, is certainly an imperfect option, but he could give the offense a different wrinkle. This blog was frankly bummed that Guerschon Yabusele returned to Europe to sign with Panathinaikos in Greece. With Yabusele off the board, Love is the last best option as a toolsy big.
Another part of Love’s game that hasn’t gone anywhere is his rebounding. He posted a 26.1% defensive rebounding rate, which is still good enough to be in the 97th percentile. The Sixers, who have been a below average rebounding team for nearly half a decade now, can take whatever help on the glass they can get.
This is really getting into flyer territory with Nance having only played 59 games over the past two seasons. While he’s not the bouncy forward he used to be, Nance is still a big body who will at least get his hands on the ball every now and then. Returning to Cleveland last season, Nance posted a 2.1% steal rate in the limited playing time he got.
The most concerning sign for Nance as it pertains to the Sixers is the decline in his rebounding. He averaged 2.7 boards in his limited time last season with his defensive rebounding rate dropping just as much. Regardless of what position the Sixers go with to use their final roster spot, rebounding is something they need to prioritize.
Drew Eubanks
With the Dancing Bear no longer an option here, Eubanks is one last choice to add a center and, at 29 years old, he presents an option that isn’t immediately washed. Eubanks played 42 games last season for the Sacramento Kings. The 5.2 points and 3.0 rebounds averaged per game were right in line with his career averages.
There’s also at least the idea of Eubanks as a rim protector. He’s hovered over a 2% block rate his entire career, posting one of 2.2% last season with the Kings. At 6-foot-10 he doesn’t have a big size advantage over Bona and Hukporti, but would still be more of a traditional big option if that’s what the Sixers want to add.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 27: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center on March 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LeBron James might be gone from the Lakers, but that doesn’t mean player empowerment is over in Los Angeles.
Luka Dončić has had some things to say.
He’s reportedly been in “constant communication” with Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka this summer and has made it known he wants an A-list center.
It cost Pelinka a King’s ransom to fulfill The Don’s request. Gone are LA’s two first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, and the Jazz can swap firsts in 2028 and 2030. That’s the draft capital going to Utah, but Los Angeles still has to foot the bill. The Lakers agreed to a four-year, $130 million deal for Kessler, making him the third highest-paid player on the roster.
However, if Luka is the franchise, then making him happy is a top priority. According to Iztok Franko, a basketball reporter who has covered Luka for years, he wanted Kessler on the Lakers.
The price the Lakers paid for Kessler was a steep one: unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, along with first-round swap rights in 2028 and 2030. It is comparable to, and in some cases exceeds, what other teams paid this summer for established stars like Jaylen Brown, LaMelo Ball, and Kawhi Leonard.
At the same time, there is a perfectly valid counterargument. If Kessler was the franchise center Dončić wanted so badly, and from the people I’ve spoken to I can confirm he pushed hard for this move, then perhaps that was simply the cost of doing business.
So, yes, it may have been a slight overpay. And sure, it cost a ton of draft capital. But sometimes in life, when you really want something, you pay the price.
It’s why drinks at sporting events are so expensive, and the food at Disneyland costs far more than it takes to produce. But when you are enjoying that cold beverage and eating at the greatest place on earth, none of that seems to matter.
The joy of the moment gives one a dopamine hit money could never. And if Kessler makes Dončić happy, fuels him to become the best version of himself and brings the Lakers a title, the cost of this deal will be irrelevant.
Pelinka did his job. He got his star backcourt player the frontcourt partner he desired. Now it’s up to them to make it worth it.
When DeMar DeRozan walked into Golden 1 Center alongside Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé on July 6, 2024, it seemed the fortunes of the team had shifted.
Pairing DeRozan with De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis seemed like taking the next step to relevancy following a pair of promising seasons.
Two years later to the day, the Kings waived DeRozan before he entered the final year of the three-year, $76.7 million contract he signed in 2024.
Kings general manager Scott Perry spoke with media members on Wednesday and explained what went into the decision to waive the six-time All-Star.
“Since the season is over, when we could start looking at different moves to make, we were trying to figure out ways how we could keep him,” Perry said. “But, as we all know, one of the things in this league, there is a financial component to this job, so unfortunately we weren’t able to figure out or do anything that would allow us to keep him from that standpoint, but I’m going to miss him, I’ll be honest with you.”
DeRozan had $10 million guaranteed left on his deal and, as of now, the Kings reportedly haven’t decided whether or not they will stretch those funds over an extended period to lower the cap hit, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
DeMar DeRozan is a cap casualty for a rebuilding Kings team that needed to reduce salary. Only $10 million of his $25.7 million was guaranteed this upcoming season. The Kings could choose to stretch the $10 million later, per source, but no decision yet.https://t.co/WmoYI9cNsB
While DeRozan’s time with the Kings didn’t go the way the team had hoped, Perry said his ability to mentor the young players on the team and professionalism stood out.
“I’ve been in the league 26 years, and he was one of my favorite players to work with, bar none,” Perry said. “… His professionalism, his leadership, the way he went about preparing for his job each and every day — exemplary. And how he poured into our young players last year, our rookies, was very important and very much appreciated.”
The 17-year veteran is now one of the NBA’s top free agents and will surely garner the attention of plenty of title hopeful teams — potentially including the Warriors.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Ryan Conwell #7 of the Miami Heat looks on in the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on July 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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 Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s taken a little under three weeks for former Louisville guard Ryan Conwell to endear himself to Miami Heat fans both on and iff the court.
On the court, Conwell was Miami’s clear standout during its three games at the California Classic Summer League. Conwell led the team in scoring at 21.0 ppg, while also adding 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per contest.
On a team in need of exactly the type of niche player that Conwell can be at the next level, it certainly appears that Conwell has a very good shot at not just making the Heat’s opening night roster but cracking the team’s rotation.
You can count former NBA standout turned podcaster Jeff Teague among Conwell’s believers.
Jeff Teague says Ryan Conwell is making summer league look easy:
“He’s actually killing though. The fact he got 26… I ain’t gonna lie, Ryan you out there killing boy! You ain’t ever scored on me like that. He’s making it look easy.”
Off the court, Conwell also has received praise for the way he has handled the Heat adding superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, a player who expressed a desire to wear Conwell’s No. 7 for Mimi.
“Giannis, I mean, he get whatever he wants,” Conwell said on Tuesday. “I’m just now coming into the league. I got a lot of work to do and I’m trying to get to where he’s at. So whatever number Giannis wants, he can have it. And I’m going to take whatever number the team gives me.”
He was an easy guy to root for here, and he’ll be an easy guy to root for at the next level.
After the Boston Celtics won the title in 2024, you couldn't blame fans — or Jayson Tatum — for envisioning a few more to follow. This was a well built team with two elite perimeter players in the form of Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics were primed to go after banner 19.
Instead, just more than two years later, the roster is barely recognizable from the one that won that ring. The last dagger was Boston’s surprising trade of Brown to division rival Philadelphia for a way-too-small package built around Paul George and draft picks.
"To be honest, weird. It's weird... You play on a team with a guy for nine years. I was fortunate enough to go to the finals with him twice, and win a championship, and push each other to be the players that we are today...
"It's tough. But it just makes you appreciate the moments and time that we had. Obviously, it came to an abrupt ending, but it doesn't mean that it wasn't super successful. Great years, obviously, that he gave to the city and to the organization."
Celtics boss Brad Stevens was clear when speaking about the trade this week, he did not consult Tatum in making the deal.
Stevens’ reasoning for the trade was that, in the salary cap apron era, having two supermax players (Tatum and Brown) eating up a combined 70% of the salary cap meant the team couldn't build out a championship roster. He pointed to recent champions built around one star, such as the Knicks being built around Brunson.
That also only worked because Brunson willingly took far below the max. Good luck finding another star willing to do that. It's going to take some very creative team-building to win in the luxury-tax apron era, and Stevens believed he was getting ahead of the curve with this trade.
However, in the short term, the Celtics got worse, and that's going to be hard on Tatum.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 7: Henri Veesaar #13 of the Atlanta Hawks is pressured by Lawson Lovering # 34 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half of their 2026 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League game at the Jon M Huntsman Center on July 7, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Chris Gardner/ Getty Images) | Getty Images
The second round of Summer League games ended Tuesday night with the completion of the Utah Summer League. Like the California Summer League, the Utah Summer League had a limited number of teams that got some extra reps in before all 30 NBA teams head to Las Vegas for the main event and conclusion of Summer League play. However, unlike the California Summer League, the Utah Summer League only had four teams and only one Tar Heel was represented. So without further ado, here is a look at that one player, a guy a lot of North Carolina fans were hoping might still be wearing Carolina blue this upcoming season instead of the uniform he will be donning instead.
Henri Veesaar, Atlanta Hawks
Veesaar, playing in his first Summer League as second round pick of the Hawks, played in all three games during the Utah Summer league and even started his third game. The former UNC center had an auspicious start in his first two games combing to score just seven points while shooting 3 for 8 from the field and just 1 of 4 from downtown while also grabbing 10 boards across the two contests.
Veesaar finally looked like a rotation player in his third game, the one he started, scoring 11 points and grabbing five rebounds in 23 minutes of action. Veesaar hit 2 of 5 from three-point range and also had four assists, a block, and a steal. Veesaar also had four turnovers but it was a promising sign for the rookie big man as he will look to improve on those numbers in Las Vegas and become an important part of an Atlanta Hawks rotation in desperate need of some quality size after getting exposed by the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.
From 2015-18, the rivalry between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers was at its peak.
LeBron James and the Cavaliers historically pulled off a incredible comeback in the 2016 NBA Finals after facing a 3-1 series deficit, ultimately winning the title in a Game 7 thriller.
Bob Myers served as the general manager for the Golden State Warriors for nearly a decade. NBAE via Getty Images
Throughout that period of Warriors and Cleveland basketball for four straight postseasons, Bob Myers was the general manager of Golden State.
Myers was the architect behind the Warriors dynasty, drafting players like Draymond Green and recruiting superstars like Kevin Durant. He also hired head coach Steve Kerr, who remains in the position to this day.
In 2026, Myers oversees operations for the Philadelphia 76ers.
LeBron James has yet to make a decision on where he will go next in free agency. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
76ers president Bob Myers makes his case to LeBron/Rich Paul on why he should join the Sixers:
“If he was here I’d say ‘I honestly believe this is your best chance to win. You have to decide all the other things that are equally important’ — What I would just say is, if it’s… https://t.co/ciC9dQJvWvpic.twitter.com/AJB0WexPHk
After facing James as an opponent for years, Myers has made a pitch to welcome him to Philadelphia.
“If he was here, I’d say I honestly believe this is your best chance to win. You have to decide all the other things that are equally important,” Myers said on the Game Over podcast with Rich Paul and Max Kellerman.
“What I would just say is, if it’s about winning, let’s talk about this team. Because you can win here in Philadelphia.”
Just about every team in the league would welcome James with open arms, including the Sixers. The organization is considered a favorite to land the veteran, but his free agency remains the biggest mystery of the summer.
Ultimately, James will make the final decision on where he goes next, but that won’t stop teams from making public pitches for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
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The Lakers have remade their roster this offseason, adding players they see as better fits around Luka Doncic's style. Los Angeles overpaid but got its center in Walker Kessler (now he just has to stay healthy), re-signed Austin Reaves to be the secondary shot creator next to Doncic, and added a good two-way wing in Quentin Grimes.
Jonathan Kuminga is a player the Lakers are after, according to people with knowledge of the situation who said L.A. is looking at a two-year, $20-million deal for Kuminga, the sort of athletic wing player the Lakers need to start at small forward.
The Cavaliers also have expressed interest in Kuminga, but they need the LeBron James situation to play out — Cleveland may be the frontrunner — before moving on to Kuminga.
Kuminga checks a lot of boxes for the Lakers: Good size at 6'7", a plus defender on the perimeter, and he averaged 12.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season, shooting 33.3% from 3-point range. However, he has been better with the ball in his hands as a shot creator than he has been working off the ball, and he struggled to fit into Steve Kerr's ball-and-player movement system with the Warriors, which led to clashes with the coach.
How well would Kuminga adapt to being the No. 3 option and having to work primarily off the ball and knocking down 3s for the Lakers?
It's currently envisioned that the veteran, more steady Grimes will start at the three, but the Lakers have a lot of decisions to make at training camp.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 30: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks boxes out during the game against the New York Knicks during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
They’re currently projected to be only $1.9 million below the cap before re-signing Austin Reaves, signing Collin Sexton with the room mid-level exception and signing Kevon Looney to a veteran-minimum deal. That’s not even enough for a minimum contract.
That hasn’t stopped the Lakers from pursuing Jonathan Kuminga in free agency, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN.
Slater reported that the Lakers have been “subtly improving their offer in recent days while reiterating to Kuminga his importance to what the Lakers are building around [Luka] Dončić, a likely starting role and what the opportunity could do for his career.” However, Kuminga and his agent believe “there are still avenues to better deals as the offseason dominoes continue to fall.
Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Timeslater reported that the Lakers have offered Kuminga a two-year, $20 million deal. That allows us to connect some dots.
How the Lakers can create more cap space
The Lakers’ easiest path to creating more cap space would be salary-dumping Jarred Vanderbilt or waiving him and stretching the dead cap hit from his remaining contract over the next half-decade.
If the Lakers managed to dump Vanderbilt’s $12.4 million contract into another team’s cap space or a salary-cap exception, they’d have plenty of spending power to offer Kuminga a $10 million annual salary.
A waive-and-stretch would get them in that ballpark as well.
Vanderbilt has a $13.3 million player option next year, so the Lakers would have to stretch the remaining $25.7 million on his contract on their books evenly over the next five years. That comes out to a dead cap hit of roughly $5.1 million, giving the Lakers another $7.3 million in spending power this offseason.
Combine that with the $1.9 million that they currently project to have, and they’d be up to nearly $9.2 million in cap space. That would allow them to offer Kuminga a two-year, $18.8 million deal.
The Lakers could create even more cap space by dumping Dalton Knecht for a minimum contract, or moving the recently acquired Jaden Hardy for someone earning less. If they need to manufacture a bit more cap space for Kuminga or another free agent, President of Basketball Operation Rob Pelinka has outs.
The question is how he can sweeten any offer.
The Lakers have already traded away all of their first-round draft capital through 2033 aside from a 2032 pick swap and all of but one of their own second-rounders. They did acquire two second-rounders from the Washington Wizards (2031 and 2032) in the Deandre Ayton trade, but those three picks are the only tradable picks that they have in either round.
Perhaps a team would be willing to take a free flier on Knecht, whom the Lakers selected with the 17th overall pick two years ago. He hit 37.6% of his three-point attempts as a rookie, but his shooting percentage plunged last year, and his playing time went right along with it.
There’s always a chance that the Lakers have slightly more cap space than estimated, too. They haven’t made any of their signings official yet, and contract reports tend to round up generously in favor of agents at this time of year.
But after sign-and-trading for Walker Kessler and signing Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton, the Lakers are more or less out of cap space and exceptions. With only one open roster spot left, the Lakers will need to create more spending power to entice Kuminga or another free-agent target.
The Lakers’ lack of tradable draft picks could impact their ability to outright salary-dump Vanderbilt. They’d have to determine whether signing Kuminga would justify giving up the 2032 first-round swap rights or any of their tradable second-round picks. If not, a waive-and-stretch would be their most likely path forward.
Either way, the Lakers do have a feasible path to offering Kuminga or another free agent somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million per season. Anything beyond that would likely require moving one or both of Hardy and Knecht. And anything north of $20 million is a pipe dream.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 2: Hugo Gonzalez #28 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics have finalized their Summer League roster, and it’s loaded with young talent. Here’s the full list of 16 players that will appear on the team:
All 16 rostered players will get at least some run at Summer League, but there are 7 players I’m most eager to watch.
Hugo Gonzalez: Hugo Gonzalez is, to me, the most notable player in the field. The 20-year-old had a good rookie season with the Celtics, and he’s looked really solid playing with the Spanish national team this month. Gonzalez averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game as a rookie, and was one of the NBA’s plus-minus darlings. Gonzalez never spent a second in the G-League.
Everybody knows that the Celtics did not want to trade Gonzalez this offseason to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo. How that decision ages remains to be seen, but every scout I’ve talked to around the NBA has gushed about what they’ve seen from Gonzalez so far. I’m excited to see how he looks at Summer League, especially when compared to last summer.
Chris Cenac: Chris Cenac is the Celtics’ highest-profile rookie; the 19-year-old forward is coming off of his freshman year at Houston and was selected 27th in the draft last month. He’s a highly-recruited 7-foot center who was one of the top interior prospects in his recruiting class, and he’ll take one of the Celtics 15 roster spots this year.
While Brad Stevens indicated he did not necessarily expect Cenac to play much next season, we’ve already seen his last two first-round picks (Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman) become impactful rotation players in their first two seasons. Just how raw is Cenac? And how does he hold up defensively? Summer league should shed some light on where he’s at in his career.
Dillon Mitchell: Dillon Mitchell is the Celtics’ other drafted rookie; the 22-year-old, drafted 40th overall, is coming off of a standout season at St. John’s. Mitchell is a super-athlete who is a good finisher, rebounder, and defender, though his inconsistent shot hurt his draft stock.
My big question is: just how good of a defender is he in this context? And, how can he fit in offensively despite effectively being unable to shoot? Mitchell is likely to end up on a two-way contract with the Celtics this season, so he’s one of the players I’m most interested in
Amari Williams: Williams was the Celtics’ 46th overall pick last season and was on a two-way contract for most of the year. He finished the year on a standard deal (mostly due to the Celtics working to stay under the luxury tax line) but did have some stellar moments with the parent club.
Williams will again be on a two-way contract with the Celtics this season, as the Celtics look to continue developing him into a center of the future. He’s currently behind Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson, and Luka Garza in the depth chart, but showed he could be impactful in spots last year.
John Tonje: John Tonje was on a two-way contract with the Celtics last year (acquired in the midseason trade that sent Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz). While he hasn’t agreed to a two-way contract with Boston next season, he remains in the mix and could return in the same role. Tonje is a bucket-getter who looks to carve out a role in the NBA after an elite season at Wisconsin. He didn’t get much run in Boston, but scored a career-high 13 points in the season finale last year.
Tucker DeVries: Tucker DeVries is on an Exhibit 10 contract, so he’ll be joining the Celtics for training camp (and potentially competing for a two-way contract). DeVries is an undrafted rookie out of West Virginia who is 24 years old and a proven sharpshooter. He’s a polished offensive player with a high basketball IQ that could ultimately (one day) end up being a Sam Hauser replacement.
Milos Uzan: Milos Uzan is also on an Exhibit 10 contract, so, like DeVries, he’ll be joining the Celtics for training camp when Summer League is over. Uzan is a 22-year-old point guard out of Houston, where he was teammates with Cenac. He’s a poised point guard who is known for steady decision-making and veteran leadership.
Another Summer League note: Hank Morgan returns for his second consecutive Summer League with the Celtics. Morgan, who laced up for the Maine Celtics, was the G-League’s only former Division III player last year.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 15: Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers is introduced before the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2026 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jaylen Brown is here, the splashiest acquisition in a very splashy Sixers offseason orchestrated by new personnel chief Mike Gansey.
Anfernee Simons, a willing and much-needed bench scorer, is also here. Same for Ariel Hukporti, an intriguing big man coming off a title run with the Knicks.
Hey, and LeBron James might end up here, too. Never say never, right?
Against that backdrop, Dean Wade has fairly tiptoed into town, lunchpail in hand and valuable toolkit in his back pocket.
Signed to a reported four-year, $39 million free-agent contract, Wade is the ultimate 3-and-D guy, a sturdily built 6-foot-9 forward who can make open triples and guard all five positions. Whether he starts, or (in the event of a LeBron signing) comes off the bench, those are two very useful skills to possess.
And two things that might escape notice, given everything else that is going on. Or might go on, in the weeks and months ahead.
During a Zoom call with reporters Tuesday, he called defense “a thankless job,” and that is inarguable. Nobody in the Association wants to crouch in a stance, hike up their shorts and joust with the breathtakingly skilled guys headed their way. But Wade, an undrafted free agent signed out of Kansas State by Cleveland in 2019 (where Gansey was an executive at the time), discovered early on that that was his ticket to playing time.
Never mind that Wade had been a scorer in college. Never mind, he said, that he was “never really known as a defender” at that point in his career. He learned to become one. And he has learned to like it.
“I think the most appealing part of defense is … when people iso one on one,” he said. “It is head-up – just who’s better, and I’ve got to play with that little chip on my shoulder. I love that competitive spirit, where it’s just whose will’s going to kind of outlast whose.”
By his second season he was getting regular time, and that remained the case during the duration of his seven-year stay in Cleveland. He averaged a modest 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds over that time, but shot nearly 37 percent from three and just generally proved to be a useful piece to the puzzle.
Along the way he crossed paths with former Sixer Georges Niang, a Cavalier in 2023-24 and part of 2024-25. And Niang – “maybe the funniest human I’ve ever met,” Wade said – told him a little something about Philadelphia. How, yes, the town’s athletic supporters can be tough, but are ultimately, “the best fans in the world, as long as you’re playing the right way.”
Suffice it to say that Wade will endeavor to do just that, while continuing to keep a low profile – something that comes naturally to him.
He hails from the farming community of St. John, Kansas (pop. 1,200). His dad, Jay, played football at Kansas State and Western Illinois, while his mom, Trish, played basketball and volleyball at Barton Community College and Florida Southern.
She would later win three state championships in 17 seasons as the volleyball coach at St. John-Hudson, while coaching her daughter Teresa, among others. (Trish, who also coached track at her children’s alma mater, now heads the volleyball squad at Nickerson High School.)
So it’s not hard to see where Dean got his athletic ability. Also his competitiveness.
“When I was younger, I hated losing,” he said. “I was the worst loser – like, my parents would beat me in a card game, and I would lose my mind.”
One of the fringe benefits to having a mom in coaching is that she had the key to the high school gym, which according to Dean was just two doors down from the family home.
“I lived in the gym,” he said.
He would ultimately lead his school to three state championships. Still, pro basketball seemed a long way off.
“Even thinking about the NBA when I was growing up was never a real thought in my mind,” he said. “I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a cool dream, but I never really thought I would have the opportunity to play.’”
But he never felt overmatched in AAU competition, and his family fostered his dream.
“Especially my sister,” he said. “She kicked that self-doubt right out of me before I could.”
Kansas State would ultimately unearth him, and he became a two-time All-Big 12 performer while averaging 12 points a game on .498/.386/.711 shooting over four seasons. And before he knew it, the NBA became a distinct possibility.
“Even when I was (on) a two-way (contract as a rookie),” he said, “I was like, ‘Man, I feel like I could still play in this league – compete at the highest level in this league.’ I never had any doubt in my mind.”
Not by then. And not anymore. Now he comes sneaking into town, carrying a mindset and a skillset that could prove very useful. And never mind that nobody else might notice.
The most infamous moment in LeBron James’ career remains “The Decision,” in which the then-25-year-old turned picking a new team into an overblown one-hour TV special that will never be repeated. Now, we’re getting the modern equivalent of it — and it’s sad as hell.
Rather than just picking a team and moving on, the entire LeBron courtship has turned into fuel for Rich Paul’s podcast, and that fire was given more oxygen on Tuesday when Sixers president Bob Myers went on the show to make a public pitch to LeBron, rather than talking to him in private.
Sixers President Bob Myers went on Rich Paul’s podcast directly making a pitch for LeBron James to sign with Philadelphia.
We’re witnessing another unique free agent process from LeBron and Klutch Sports. pic.twitter.com/7yGiLg2DgD
It’s one thing to watch the greatest basketball player on the planet self-produce his own free agency broadcast, but it’s on a whole other level to see an NBA executive fawn over LeBron like the contestant on a dating show. It’s all so sad, and so transparent — because Rob Myers doesn’t give a rat’s ass about Rich Paul’s podcast, but understands it’s the cost of doing business when it comes to trying to land LeBron.
Frustrating, execs like Myers understand that James legitimately does give them a better chance of winning. At this point in his career the 41-year-old has become the ultimate glue guy who can functionally fit into any lineup and be a factor, which is an incredible proposition for a team like the Sixers who now have Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey — but critically miss the connective piece that could really push them over the top.
Now we need to wait and see if any other NBA general managers follow suit. Will more line up to appear next to Rich Paul and make their pitch? I hope not, but in this era … yeah, it’s going to happen.
DETROIT, MI - MAY 17: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers plays defense on Caris LeVert #8 of the Detroit Pistons during the game during Round Two Game Seven on May 17, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bucks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
As the dust begins to settle on free agency (and the Giannis trade), we can at least begin to evaluate how the roster is shaking out; when you do that, one thing stands out: there are a lot of guards on the team right now. I mean, not even counting Gary Trent Jr. and that whole clusterf**k of a situation, I can count a total of 6/15 guys who operate at either guard spot (excluding Ousmane Dieng and Caris LeVert, who also need the rock):
Ryan Rollins
Kevin Porter Jr.
Kasparas Jakucionis
Tyler Herro
Brayden Burries
AJ Green
If you add two-ways in Kam Jones and Cormac Ryan, that number of guards reaches eight.
This is not ideal for a range of reasons. There is the obvious concern about not having enough minutes to go around while also keeping one eye on developing key future players like Jakucionis and Burries. In addition, you need to consider the mental impact of players not feeling comfortable in their roles on a game-to-game basis, and their performance suffering as a result. For example, if Burries is never sure when he’ll sub in because he plays 20 minutes one night and 10 the next, how can he be expected to perform?
I understand that on some level, talent is talent, and rebuilding teams really just need to acquire as much talent as possible, position be damned, but there are tradeoffs to that line of thinking. Therefore, my Brew Hoop brethren, I’ll put it to you: is it a good idea to start the season with this many guards, or does Jon Horst need to make some moves to balance this roster out?
