Bob Hammel, who covered 23 NCAA Final Fours and 29 Indiana high school basketball tournament championships during a 52-year sports writing career that included a close friendship with late Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight, has died. The lifelong Indiana resident spent 40 years with the Bloomington Herald-Telephone and later Herald-Times, including 30 as sports editor. Hammel was a member of several halls of fame, including the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, Football Writers Association of America, Indiana Journalism and Indiana University Athletics.
Jonas Valanciunas confirms he will play for Denver this season
Jonas Valanciunas' flirtation with Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos was real and they reportedly were willing to offer three years, $13 million (one of the largest contracts on the continent).
The problem for Valanciunas: He was already under contract to the Denver Nuggets, who had traded for his rights from the Sacramento Kings. Denver had no intention of buying out Valanciunas, he is the best backup center Nikola Jokić will have ever had and a key part of the depth the team added over the summer to chase another ring. Valanciunas confirmed he is committed to the Nuggets next season, speaking to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.
"I want to clear the air about my playing situation next season now that Denver has made their decision to keep me. The idea of playing for Panathinaikos, closer to home, was very exciting to me, but that will have to wait. I am fully committed to honoring my contract with the Nuggets this season and will give it my all to compete for a championship."
Valanciunas is under contract for $10.4 million for this season, and he has a non-guaranteed $10 million for the 2026-27 season. After Denver made the trade to acquire the veteran center from Lithuania, general manager Ben Tenzer said he spoke with Valanciunas and his representatives, stating that they wanted him to play with them this season and that there was no intention to buy him out. (For Valanciunas to play in Greece next season would have required Denver to agree to a buyout to make him a free agent, FIBA rules do not permit a player under contract in one league to just sign a contract with another.)
Valanciunas is critical to Denver's plans next season, which is why there was never a plan to buy him out of his contract. For a number of years — including during their championship run in 2023 — the Nuggets have fallen off sharply in the minutes Jokic was off the court. Last season, the Nuggets had a -8.5 net rating in the non-Jokic minutes, and in the 2023 championship season, it was even worse, at -9.9. Valanciunas helps change that because he is a skilled big man who can serve as the hub of an offense, executing dribble handoffs while midrange shots (inside 15 feet). Paired with Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Bruce Brown, and the emerging Julian Strawther, the Nuggets have real depth for a change.
Santa Clara extends coach Herb Sendek’s contract through 2029-30 season
Athletic director Heather Owen said she believes Herb Sendek is the right person to lead the Broncos’ program.
Sharpshooter Doug McDermott reportedly returning to Kings on one-year contract
Doug McDermott is returning to Sacramento next season on a one-year, veteran minimum contract, a move his agent has confirmed to Shams Charania of ESPN, and which has since been confirmed by other sources.
The contract is for $3.6 million, and with it the Kings remain over the salary cap but below the luxury tax line and have filled their 15 roster spots (it is not yet known if McDermott's contract is fully guaranteed).
McDermott, a former lottery pick, enters his 12th NBA season. He played a limited role for the Kings last season, getting into just 42 games and averaging just more than eight minutes in those games, while averaging 3.5 points a night. His value comes as a shooter, as he hit 43.6% of his 3-pointers last season.
McDermott, a 6'6" wing, will again be deep on a Kings depth chart that includes Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, just-drafted Nique Clifford, Keon Ellis, and Isaac Jones. We will see how coach Doug Christie juggles that depth, and how many of those players remain with Sacramento past the trade deadline.
College Basketball Crown returning in 2026, but field will be smaller than first edition
After debuting in 2025, the College Basketball Crown will return next season, but the field will be cut in half.
Chris Paul reportedly agrees to return to Clippers on one-year contract
Chris Paul was looking for a couple of things in a new team for the upcoming season. First, and most importantly, to be close to his family in Los Angeles (something he was missing last season in San Antonio). Second, to be on a team that will be playing meaningful games this season and be a playoff threat.
Paul found all that in agreeing to a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. This is a one-year, veteran minimum contract, Chris Haynes confirmed.
Paul, 40, had interest from multiple teams such as Milwaukee, Charlotte and Dallas, but because of his desire to be closer to his family it has long been assumed a reunion with the Clippers or Suns was the most likely outcome.
Chris Paul is going to be playing basketball during a season in which three of his former Clippers teammates are head coaches (J.J. Redick, Chauncey Billups, Willie Green) and two are commentators (Blake Griffin, Jamal Crawford).
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) July 21, 2025
Paul played six seasons with the Clippers, leading the Lob City team with Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Jamal Crawford, and others, a team that was considered a contender in the West but was held back by injuries some years and painful playoff collapses in others. In his first five years with the Clippers, CP3 never finished lower than seventh in MVP voting, and was an All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense each of those five years. With the Clippers he averaged 18.8 points and 9.8 assists a game.
Paul's role with the Clippers will be different this time around, and it will be different from last season with the Spurs, where he started all 82 games. He likely will come off the bench behind a starting backcourt of James Harden and either Bradley Beal (for his offense) or Kris Dunn (for his defense).
This is a Clippers roster that looks good on paper but is older with players such as Paul (40), Brook Lopez (37), Nicolas Batum (36), James Harden (35), Kawhi Leonard (34) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (33 before training camp opens). Health and monitoring minutes will be a primary task for coach Tyronn Lue. The Clippers chose to get older and better this summer, with a chance to pivot and reshape this roster coming by 2027.
Age concerns aside, getting a solid point guard and floor general in CP3 on a one-year contract is a good signing for the Clippers.
Clippers and Chris Paul agree to deal as point guard prepares for 21st NBA season
The Clippers went from “strongly, strongly considering” bringing Chris Paul back to the franchise to actually agreeing to a deal with the point guard on Monday, according to people familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly.
Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, told the media Saturday in a Zoom that Paul “obviously possesses some of the qualities we just referenced” and that led to the two sides agreeing to a veteran’s minimum deal of about $3.6 million.
Paul joined the Clippers for the 2011-12 season and was with the team until 2017 as he teamed with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to form the core of the “Lob City” teams.
“What I’d say about Chris is he’s a great player,” Frank said during that Zoom meeting. “He’s a great Clipper.”
Read more:Clippers continue to 'strongly' consider signing Chris Paul
In what is likely his final season in the NBA, Paul will be entering his 21st campaign and will do so in Los Angeles, where his family lives.
Paul, 40, played in all 82 games last season with the San Antonio Spurs. He averaged 28.0 minutes per game, 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists and shot 42.7% from the field.
Over the course of his career, Paul averaged 17.0 points, 9.2 assists and shot 47% from the field and 37% from three-point range.
Paul, a 12-time NBA All-Star, was a teammate with James Harden during the 2017-18 season with the Houston Rockets.
With the addition of Paul, the Clippers now have five veteran guards. They signed Bradley Beal to a two-year, $11-million deal and they also have Harden, Kris Dunn and Bogdan Bogdanovic.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Warriors reportedly lose NBA Summer League standout Chris Mañon to Lakers
Warriors reportedly lose NBA Summer League standout Chris Mañon to Lakers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Warriors draft picks Alex Toohey and Will Richard unsurprisingly garnered the most attention from the team’s NBA summer league roster. There was intrigue in the development of Taran Armstrong, too. People wanted to see what kind of player Jackson Rowe could be the for the Warriors this season, and there were some other names to take notice of.
The name that should have been known is Chris Mañon.
Undrafted out of Vanderbilt, Mañon appeared to be just another name on a 19-man summer league roster. He just might have been the Warriors’ best player this summer. The problem for them is, Mañon, a 6-foot-5 guard/wing, plans to sign a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday, citing sources.
Mañon in the Warriors’ first game of the California Classic showed the kind of two-way impact that shined throughout the summer. His plus/minus of plus-12 in the Warriors’ five-point win against the Lakers was a team high, tied with Armstrong and Rowe, both of whom finished last summer on two-way contracts. He scored eight points, had three rebounds and also added three steals and two blocked shots.
Those five stocks (steals plus blocks) were the story of his successful summer. Both of Mañon’s two blocked shots were in the fourth quarter of a comeback win, as well as his third and final steal. From the 9:14 mark of the fourth quarter to the 7:43 mark, Mañon swatted back-to-back shots, and on the fourth possession of the sequence stole the ball and immediately gave it up for an assist to Rowe.
But Mañon struggled his next game as a minus-21 in 10 minutes off the bench, and didn’t play the last game of the California Classic. He had another rough game to start off the Warriors’ schedule in Las Vegas, and then found his footing again in an impressive win against a talented Utah Jazz team, scoring 13 points in 17 minutes, with five rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots and a steal.
That game kickstarted a very strong four-game stretch, ending with 17 points, five rebounds, two assists, four steals and two blocked shots as a plus-21 in the Warriors’ finale – an 82-71 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Mañon was one of four Warriors to play in all five games in Vegas. He scored the most points on the team (55), while averaging the third-most per game (11.0). Mañon also led the Warriors with 5.2 rebounds per game, 26 total, and blocked shots (eight total), and was tied with Toohey in having the second-most steals (seven), trailing to Richard’s nine.
“He plays fearlessly,” one source said to NBC Sports Bay Area.
Warriors summer league coach Lainn Wilson, who will start his first season as G League head coach in Santa Cruz this season, was a strong advocate of getting Mañon on the summer league team and hopefully beyond that. Now, he will have to go against him when the Sea Dubs take on the South Bay Lakers.
A two-way contract from the Warriors was unlikely for Mañon. Rowe already is signed to one, and Armstrong is expected to return on a two-way as well. The final two-way contract most likely will go to one of the Warriors’ draft picks, with the other taking a standard contract on the 15-man roster.
Celtics hiring familiar face in key player personnel role: Report
Celtics hiring familiar face in key player personnel role: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
More changes are coming for the 2025-26 Boston Celtics — this time in the front office.
The Celtics are hiring Drew Nicholas as their executive director of player personnel, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Monday.
Nicholas spent the 2024-25 season as a scout for the Brooklyn Nets and previously served as the Denver Nuggets’ director of scouting from 2022 to 2024, earning an NBA championship with the club in 2023. He spent the 2021-22 season with the Celtics as a college and pro scout and previously held scouting roles with the Philadelphia 76ers (2019 to 2021) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2016 to 2019).
Nicholas never played in the NBA but enjoyed a successful playing career overseas, leading the EuroLeague in scoring in 2006 and winning a pair of EuroLeague titles with the Greek club Panathinaikos in 2009 and 2011. Nicholas also won an NCAA title with Maryland in 2002.
The Celtics’ reported hire of Nicholas comes after the offseason departures of assistant general manager Austin Ainge — who joined his father Danny Ainge on the Utah Jazz earlier this summer — and director of scouting Remy Cofield.
While Nicholas’ exact responsibilities are unclear, it would make sense that he’d take over Cofield’s role as the leader of Boston’s scouting department. And given his familiarity with the organization from the 2021-2022 season, he should be able to integrate seamlessly with president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and the front office.
Boston already has made several major roster moves this offseason, parting ways with Jrue Holiday (trade), Kristaps Porzingis (trade), Luke Kornet (free agency) and Al Horford (expected to depart in free agency) while bringing in Anfernee Simons, Georges Niang, Luka Garza and Josh Minott.
The Celtics are still just barely over second apron of the luxury tax, however, which means they’ll likely make at least one more move before the season tips in October.
Doug McDermott, Kings reportedly agree to one-year, $3.6M free-agent contract
Doug McDermott, Kings reportedly agree to one-year, $3.6M free-agent contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Kings retained value shooting depth in free agency.
Sacramento agreed to a one-year, $3.6 million contract with veteran forward Doug McDermott, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday, citing McDermott’s agency, Priority Sports.
The Kings signed McDermott to a one-year contract last offseason, and in 42 games (three starts) with Sacramento during the 2024-25 NBA season, McDermott averaged 3.5 points on 42.5-percent shooting from the field and 43.6 percent from 3-point range in 8.1 minutes per game.
The 6-foot-6 sharpshooter once again should provide coach Doug Christie veteran shooting depth off the bench this upcoming season.
Five veteran NBA contract extensions to watch, including Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant
Contract extensions have already been the story of the offseason. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got a historic one — four years, $272.4 million, with him making more than $70 million in the final two seasons — and the Thunder also locked up Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren with ones. Devin Booker secured a massive extension, demonstrating his commitment to the Suns, while Nikola Jokić decided to wait a year. In contrast, LeBron James and the Lakers didn’t extend his contract, instead, he simply picked up his option. The Pacers never extended Myles Turner and now he’s a Buck.
That doesn’t mean the drama is over. Here are five veteran contract extensions that will come up in the next month and are worth keeping an eye on.
Luka Doncic (Lakers)
On Aug. 2, the Lakers can offer Doncic a four-year, $223 million extension.
There are media members and others online who want to create a lot more drama and stress here — “he didn’t ask to be traded to the Lakers” or “he may choose not to sign it” — than any reasonable reading of the situation suggests.
While stunned by the trade when it happened, Doncic has never spoken ill of the Lakers organization. To the contrary, he has praised the Lakers and said he looked forward to meeting and working with new owner Mark Walter. Doncic has also worked this summer to help recruit Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to Los Angeles.
The Lakers are an amazing organization. I’m looking forward to meeting Mark and excited about the future. I am also grateful to Jeanie and the Buss family for welcoming me to LA, and I’m happy that Jeanie will continue to be involved. I look forward to working with both of them…
— Luka Doncic (@luka7doncic) June 19, 2025
Remember what every agent of a superstar tells their client in this moment: Sign for the most money you can get now, if you want out, we can always push for a trade in a year or two.
All that said, don't expect Doncic to sign for the full four-year max on Aug. 2.
He is expected to sign a three-year, $165 million max (or three plus a player option) because in three years he will have reached 10 years in the league and then can sign the 35% of the salary cap max (the most the Lakers or any team could offer right now is 30%). Also, because the Aug. 2 date falls during the EuroBasket championships where he will be playing with Slovenia, he could put off signing the deal until he returns to the United States in September (this has happened before).
Just expect him to sign with the Lakers.
Kevin Durant
The Houston Rockets acquired Kevin Durant this summer and can offer him a two-year, $122.1 million extension.
The Rockets wanted Durant, and Houston was on Durant’s short list of places he wanted to get traded. When asked about the organization, Durant praised the Rockets. There is no doubt that an extension will be completed, and the sides have until next June to finalize it.
The only question is whether Durant will take a bit of a haircut on the extension to save the suddenly very expensive Rockets some money. Don’t be surprised if Durant’s extension number ultimately comes in $10 million, give or take, below that max number — he’s still going to get paid, but may be willing to help his new franchise out and keep a contender together a little longer.
Trae Young
The Atlanta Hawks can offer Young a four-year, $228.6 million max extension this offseason.
The Hawks have retooled their roster this summer into one that could well be a top-four team in the East. They traded for Kristaps Porzingis, who brings much-needed paint protection and shot blocking to Atlanta, plus he will be a natural pick-and-pop partner with Young (if Porzingis can stay healthy, a big "if"). Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a quality addition on the wing, not only because he can shoot, but also because paired with Dyson Daniels it gives the Hawks an elite wing defense. Luke Kennard adds even more shooting. On top of all that, the biggest Atlanta addition next season is getting Jalen Johnson back healthy. Gets some growth with Zaccharie Risacher in his second year and this is a good team.
Young at the point leading this core makes sense, but at max money? Is Young a max player? Young was an All-Star last season, averaging 24.2 points and a league-high 11.6 assists per game while shooting 34% from beyond the arc. However, he also had a league-high 355 turnovers (4.7 per game), and he is a minus defender targeted by other teams.
Expect an extension to get done, but don’t be so sure it pays him more than $50 million a season, certainly not for the full four years. One option to watch for: A shorter-term deal, maybe two years after Young’s $49 million option for next year (a two-year deal at $105 million) that lets everyone reset in a couple of years. There is no timeline pressure here — the sides can agree to an extension for almost a year (up to June 30, 2026). The risk for the Hawks in waiting is that Young could decline his player option and become a free agent next summer, which would be a bad outcome for them (losing him for nothing).
De’Aaron Fox
On Aug. 3, the San Antonio Spurs can offer Fox a four-year, $229 million max extension.
When San Antonio traded for Fox at the February deadline, that outcome seemed a foregone conclusion. The Spurs pictured Fox and Victor Wembanyama as the core of the contender they were building. Then the Spurs missed the playoffs and the NBA lottery gods gifted them with the No. 2 pick and promising point guard Dylan Harper.
Now the Spurs’ "problem" is figuring out how to fit Fox, Harper and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle together in the same backcourt — that's a good problem to have. San Antonio did the right thing and drafted the best player on the board in Harper, regardless of position, and they can figure out the fit as they go.
The question with Fox’s extension becomes this: If he is ultimately the guy left standing without a chair when the music stops, trading a four-year max contract will be challenging. At best. Can San Antonio convince Fox to take a shorter, two-year contract, one that has him hitting free agency (or getting another extension from the Spurs) when he hits 10 years of service in the league and can go after a 35% max (rather than his current 30% of the salary cap)? That shorter contract is also more tradable. Fox, also may prefer the security of a longer deal.
This may be all about nothing, in the end the most likely outcome is the Spurs offer Fox the four-year max and he signs it. But this is now something worth watching.
Mikal Bridges
New York can offer Mikal Bridges a four-year, $156 million contract extension, but a couple of things are keeping that from becoming reality.
One is the longshot hope that Giannis Antetokounmpo decides he wants out of Milwaukee, because sending Bridges to the Bucks would likely be a big part of that deal, something Knicks insider Ian Begley recently wrote. The problem with this idea is that Antetokounmpo himself said he would “probably” stay with Milwaukee, and that’s what people around the league have come to expect.
The other holdup is the money, which is tied to how new coach Mike Brown might use Bridges. His play with the Knicks last season did not warrant a four-year extension at nearly $39 million per season, on average, but part of that was due to how Tom Thibodeau used him, as well as the rocky relationship. Bridges averaged 17.6 points per game and played solid defense, including two game-winning defensive plays in the playoffs against Boston.
It ultimately comes down to how Brown plans to utilize Bridges and how he fits into the rotation. If Brown doesn’t see a fit, expect the Knicks to look for a trade or try to get him to take a Jalen Brunson-like contract discount. If Brown sees a larger role for Bridges, it comes down to finding a number. It’s all something to watch.
Chris Paul rejoining Clippers for 21st and ‘likely' final season: Report
Chris Paul rejoining Clippers for 21st and ‘likely' final season: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Another veteran point guard is headed home.
Days after Damian Lillard rejoined the Portland Trail Blazers, Chris Paul reportedly is signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the deal Monday. Charania and others added that Paul’s upcoming 21st season will likely be his final before retiring from the NBA.
The 12-time All-Star had some of his best years with the Clippers from 2011-17 — five All-Star selections, five All-NBA nods and six First-Team All-Defense honors. The “Lob City” Clippers turned the once-lowly franchise around as Paul and Blake Griffin led the team to the second round three times.
Paul, who turned 40 in May, is coming off a productive 2024-25 season with the San Antonio Spurs. Paul started all 82 games for the Spurs, averaging 8.8 points and 7.4 assists for the young squad.
Over his first 20 seasons, Paul has piled up the accolades to become a guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer. He’s played for the New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20), Phoenix Suns (2020-23), Golden State Warriors (2023-24) and Spurs (2024-25), with career averages of 17.0 points, 9.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds.
Paul, a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, has led the league in assists five times and steals six times. The only thing eluding him is a title, with his closest call coming in 2021 when the Suns lost in the NBA Finals to the Milwaukee Bucks.
With the Clippers, Paul will likely move to a bench role for a team with legitimate playoff aspirations. Los Angeles added Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez and John Collins this offseason to a team that already has James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac.
Chris Paul rejoining Clippers for 21st and ‘likely' final season: Report
Chris Paul rejoining Clippers for 21st and ‘likely' final season: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Another veteran point guard is headed home.
Days after Damian Lillard rejoined the Portland Trail Blazers, Chris Paul reportedly is signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the deal Monday. Charania and others added that Paul’s upcoming 21st season will likely be his final before retiring from the NBA.
The 12-time All-Star had some of his best years with the Clippers from 2011-17 — five All-Star selections, five All-NBA nods and six First-Team All-Defense honors. The “Lob City” Clippers turned the once-lowly franchise around as Paul and Blake Griffin led the team to the second round three times.
Paul, who turned 40 in May, is coming off a productive 2024-25 season with the San Antonio Spurs. Paul started all 82 games for the Spurs, averaging 8.8 points and 7.4 assists for the young squad.
Over his first 20 seasons, Paul has piled up the accolades to become a guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer. He’s played for the New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20), Phoenix Suns (2020-23), Golden State Warriors (2023-24) and Spurs (2024-25), with career averages of 17.0 points, 9.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds.
Paul, a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, has led the league in assists five times and steals six times. The only thing eluding him is a title, with his closest call coming in 2021 when the Suns lost in the NBA Finals to the Milwaukee Bucks.
With the Clippers, Paul will likely move to a bench role for a team with legitimate playoff aspirations. Los Angeles added Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez and John Collins this offseason to a team that already has James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac.
Why are Celtics interested in Ben Simmons? What to make of latest report
Why are Celtics interested in Ben Simmons? What to make of latest report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
It’s been an interesting offseason in Boston, to say the least. And a new report involving the Celtics is another head-scratcher.
Here’s what longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein wrote in his Substack on Sunday night:
“League sources say that the Suns have also had some recent dialogue with former All-Star Ben Simmons, who I’m told has drawn interest since free agency began from Boston, New York and Sacramento.”
Yes, Stein is talking about that Ben Simmons: the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft who won NBA Rookie of the Year with the Philadelphia 76ers but fell off a cliff since his trade from Philly to Brooklyn in 2022.
Simmons appeared in just 51 games last season between the Nets and Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists over 22.0 minutes per game. He was a fringe rotation player at best for the Clippers and scored four total points over five playoff games last season.
So, why would the Celtics want to get in the Simmons business?
From a practical standpoint, Boston could only offer Simmons a veteran minimum contract due to salary constraints as they aim to get under the second apron of the luxury tax. But there’s a good chance Simmons would play on a minimum deal at this point in his career after being bought out of his previous contract.
Simmons just turned 29 on Sunday and still is a strong defender who can facilitate offense and rebound. As the Celtics enter a “gap year” while Jayson Tatum rehabs from a ruptured Achilles tendon, it’s worth at least kicking the tires on reclamation projects like the former Sixers star.
That’s the case for adding Simmons — but the case against is much stronger, and it boils down to one factor: He can’t shoot.
Simmons hasn’t attempted a 3-pointer since the 2022-23 season and is 5 for 36 in his career from beyond the arc. He’s virtually ineffective outside the paint, which makes it hard to imagine him fitting in on a Celtics team that just smashed the NBA record for most 3-pointers attempted in a season.
The C’s are better served giving minutes to young players like recent free agent signings Josh Minott and Luka Garza and rookie Hugo Gonzalez in the hope that they develop into key rotation pieces when Tatum returns to full strength. Simmons hasn’t been an impact player in nearly five years, and the Celtics should resist the urge to “buy low” on a player whose off-court drama outweighs his on-court contributions.
Ex-NBA star claims Draymond Green is not one of league's top-200 players ever
Ex-NBA star claims Draymond Green is not one of league's top-200 players ever originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green has no shortage of accolades to go along with his four NBA championships.
And even though he doesn’t have the traditional scoring stats that most Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers have, there is no doubt that the Warriors forward eventually will be enshrined after his illustrious career ends.
However, former NBA forward Kenyon Martin, while he respects Green’s game, might be lower on the four-time All-Star than most.
“I can list 200 people that’s better than Draymond Green at basketball right now … Championships aside,” Martin said on a recent episode of the “Gil’s Arena” podcast. “We’re talking about going out and playing basketball.”
Martin, Gilbert Arenas, co-host Josiah Johnson and former NBA guard Nick Young were debating their lists of the top-10 players from the 2010s, which sparked the debate surrounding Green’s spot during the previous decade and all-time.
“I’m not taking nothing from him,” Martin added. “He did what he did, absolutely. I’m with it. I ain’t ever say nothing bad about Draymond Green, but I just want to know is he a better basketball player than [players like Al Jefferson and Elton Brand].”
Green not only is a four-time champion and four-time All-Star but won the 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year award while being named to two All-NBA teams and nine All-Defensive teams.
The 35-year-old is entering his 14th year with the Warriors, and after another stellar defensive showing last season, has shown no signs of slowing down just yet.