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
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
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.
Los Angeles, CA - February 20: Guard Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against center Yanic Konan Niederhauser #14 of the LA Clippers in the first half of a NBA basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Friday, February 20, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The Lakers will look a lot different when they take the floor for the 2026-27 season.
Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Walker Kessler are Lakers. Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura and LeBron James are no longer part of the franchise.
Though much has changed, one thing the Lakers can still rely on is Austin Reaves. He remains with the Lakers and is now unequivocally the No. 2 option.
Throughout his career, whether he’s coming off the bench, starting, scoring in bunches, or doing the grunt work like taking charges, Reaves has demonstrated that he’ll do what it takes to impact winning.
In a Dave McMenamin article for ESPN, Reaves discussed the dramatic changes to the Lakers and his commitment to making any sacrifices necessary for the team’s success.
“Everybody knows it’s a completely different team,” Reaves said. “There’s going to be different things asked of different people, and if that’s what JJ [Redick] and the staff asks of me, I’ll do it to the best of my ability.”
Reaves will likely remain a high-usage player and should be in a great position for a career year. LA is compensating him as a top player, and he needs to do everything that comes with that level of pay on and off the court.
However, it’s great that he is open to any scenario now, just like he’s been before.
With so many new players, this is a different era of Lakers basketball. Reaves was around when the top guys were LeBron and Anthony Davis, survived the transition to Luka Dončić and now he is a key part of LA’s future.
Later in the story, Reaves elaborated on how pumped he is about the upcoming year.
“The pieces that are coming in, I’m very excited about and I’m happy to get started today and see where it goes,” Reaves said.
So far, Reaves’ career has been steady improvement year after year. This season, he’ll have high expectations, and every Lakers fan desires an All-Star campaign from Reaves.
Based on how well he’s done so far, that’s a very realistic goal. But beyond that, Lakers head coach JJ Redick can continue to expect him to give the full effort he’s known for.
So yes, Reaves will put up some gaudy numbers and have iconic shots. But he’ll also put his body on the line as a screener. Reaves will dive on the floor fighting for a loose ball. And he’ll speak up, rally his team when the pep in their step is missing.
Reaves is a fierce competitor and will do whatever it takes to win. He’s already demonstrated this recently by taking less money so the Lakers can have some flexibility in the future to add other players.
Whether Reaves helps raise a championship banner for the Lakers remains to be seen, but if he falls short, it won’t be due to a lack of effort.
That’s something Reaves has always been willing to do, and that’s unlikely to change just because his checks have gotten bigger.
Cameron Carr has yet to play in a regular-season game for the Lakers and is already making a name for himself.
Isaiah Thomas, a former Lakers guard, raved about Carr’s NBA summer league performance.
Former Lakers guard Isaiah Thomas (3) has been impressed by rookie Cameron Carr. AP
“We’ve been giving a lot of praise to the top four or five picks this week, but Cam Carr has been someone I’ve seen since the [NBA draft combine],” Thomas said. “He probably had the best showing at the combine, and as you see him now, in the summer league, he’s a hooper’s hooper.”
"He's gonna have a real big impact on the Lakers." @IsaiahThomas praises No. 24 overall pick Cameron Carr for his performance at NBA Summer League. pic.twitter.com/b7fJ8xZ62D
Carr played in four games during the NBA summer league and averaged 18 points, 2.3 rebounds and one assist.
During the Lakers’ summer league opener against the Heat on July 5, Carr had an incredible debut, scoring 26 points and making four 3-pointers.
“I think he’s gonna have a real big impact on the Lakers just cause he can space the floor, he can catch and shoot, and he can put the ball on the ground and make a play for others,” Thomas said. “That’s always good when you’re a young guard coming into this league.”
“So, he’s impressed me the most out of you know, not the top guys, but still somebody in there where everybody respects this guy and his game.”
Cameron Carr averaged 18 points per game during summer league play. NBAE via Getty Images
Before Carr was drafted by the Lakers with the 24th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, he played college basketball for three years at Tennessee and Baylor.
In his lone season at Baylor, Carr led the team in scoring, averaging 18.9 points per game.
Year of the Rat-line: You are optimistic, gullible, and prone to make poor decisions with money. You’re most compatible with the Diamondbacks and the Cardinals; avoid the Lakers and the Spurs.
38.5? Seems low. A little too low. The brains at FanDuel must have blown a gasket when it comes to the Phoenix Suns’ win projection. Or maybe they tried to replace their brains with AI, and it hallucinated a team that didn’t just move Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale (and a first-round pick) for Miles Bridges and Luke Kennard. Maybe they didn’t see Khaman go a cold 40% from three-point range in the Summer League. Maybe they missed the Brightside press releases during free agency, when Gregory sealed his key free agents like envelopes. First Collin, then Goodie, then Mark.
Suns fans are going to start this season screaming 50 wins. I’ll be right there with them. How do the Suns not hit this over? Maybe people aren’t paying close enough attention to what the Suns are doing?
Or maybe Suns fans are so deep into the nuances of the team they aren’t seeing the full picture? Maybe the FanDuel algorithm doesn’t factor in the value of the Gillespie, Goodwin, and Williams contracts? I’m guessing it power ranks teams then estimates the win total off of where the teams fall in their conference.
And where does FanDuel think the Suns fall in projected standings in the West?
9th. Not many 50-win teams come in 9th. There’s quite a disconnect between fan expectations and odds maker projections. You’d expect some. Not an 11-win difference. Someone is right, someone is wrong. Fans and Suns content creators are sure it’s the oddsmakers that will be on the wrong side of history.
When the first line hit Twitter, with @bet365_us coming in at 41.5 wins, the knee-jerk reaction in the Suns sphere was disbelief, and to some (me included) the line seemed a little disrespectful to what we’ve all been watching these Suns build since the KD trade. It was just last year that basically this same Suns team smashed the 30.5 line that Vegas set.
Flex in Jersey had this to say.
And then when the 38.5 FanDuel line hit, he followed up with this.
The PHNX Suns Podcast posted a video with the byline: Got Worse? Phoenix Suns disrespected by absurd win total projection.
But don’t transfer your mortgage money into your FanDuel account just yet. Enter the Rat-line. Some might also refer to it as a trap line. When you can’t think of a single reason anyone would bet on the other side of a line, that’s a reason in itself to reconsider your assumptions.
Let me give you a couple of examples from my personal fandom.
In 2017, the Nebraska Cornhuskers were hosting the Northwestern Wildcats. The Nerds from Northwestern came into Lincoln as 1.5-point dogs. On the road against a Husker team that on paper would have had a clear talent advantage. The Husker fans reacted to the line like the Suns fans are reacting to the FanDuel line. Northwestern beat the Huskers in OT.
The very next year the Huskers, with a shiny new coach, hosted 1-3 Purdue, which came into Lincoln as a 3-point dog. Husker fans couldn’t believe Vegas could make so much money yet be so stupid. The Purdon’t QB David Blough went buckwild, and the Huskers lost 42-28.
The chatter going into these games was the same as the chatter on Twitter about the Suns’ line.
“But Tom, this is different because Vegas was way off on the Suns’ win projection last year. It’s just more of the same this year.”
It’s true the Suns greatly exceeded their projections last year, and I would bet the oddsmakers are factoring that in, but maybe in the opposite way as Suns fans. Suns fans think we upgraded a 45-win team this offseason. I think the oddsmakers think we upgraded a 30-win team that won 45 games. Considering last year’s projected win total, the people at FanDuel think the team got better, 8 games better.
This isn’t financial advice. I’m a horrible gambler, and I almost never win. But I’ve lost enough to speak confidently about the dangers of these types of WTF lines. Yes, an operation like Fanduel has been tracking all the positive steps the Suns have made this offseason, but they are also considering the positive moves other teams have made. If you think the Suns belong further up the list, who do you move down?
Last year the Suns would have needed 50 wins to make the top six in the West. The Timberwolves ended up in the sixth spot with 49 wins.
The Thunder have moved pieces, including Lu Dort. The Spurs have a real conundrum with Fox standing in the way of a surging Harper and no real answers off the bench when Wemby goes down. Neither of these teams, outside of major injury issues, is falling below the Suns.
The Lakers and the Wolves made significant changes to their rosters but not any that would signal stepping back in the standings. Both of them seem to be thinking win now.
Houston has grabbed the Suns’ cape of continuity and is running with it. They won 52 games in a disappointing season last year. Should Suns fans expect them to take a step back? I wouldn’t.
If the Suns are going to move up into the top six of the conference, they are going to play like they upgraded a 45-win team. Even then, the fan bar of a top six finish might be a tough ask in the West. Even if the top teams take a step back, teams like the Trailblazers, who beat the Suns in the first Play-In game and added Ja, Golden State, who had worse injury luck than the Suns last year, and the Jazz, fresh off a successful tank, will all be improved and looking to push the Suns further down in the standings.
The Suns have some real questions about how the pieces fit. The effort is there, but that only takes you so far in a hotly contested Western Conference, and this year the element of surprise will be gone. Teams will know what to expect when they play the Suns this year.
Do I think the Suns can push for a top six seed this year? I do. I was pretty confident they would.
Until I saw that FanDuel line. Now I’m not so sure. I know a rat-line when I see one.
Pau Gasol posted a photo of himself and his wife, Catherine McDonnell, at the game during pregame festivities.
Gasol, a native of Spain, is one of the many celebrities and former top athletes of the world watching the biggest soccer match of the year between Spain and Argentina.
Gasol is an avid soccer fan and has been a huge FC Barcelona fan. He has long admired Lionel Messi and has called him a “special player.”
Pau Gasol spotted at FIFA World Cup final. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters
Throughout this year’s tournament, Gasol has been active in watching it and has raved about watching Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
Outside of his love for soccer, Gasol began his professional basketball career in Spain when he played for FC Barcelona’s basketball team from 1998 to 2001.
In 2001, Gasol was drafted by the Grizzlies with the 27th pick of the NBA draft and was later traded by the Grizzlies to the Lakers in 2008.
Lakers legend Pau Gasol and his wife attended Sunday’s World Cup final. X/@paugasol
“I feel like we got something else to go win”. That was Karl-Anthony Towns’ response when Mark Grigsby, the studio head of Infinity Ward, asked him how it felt to be a champion. At a recent Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 event that took place in a private section of the Flatiron restaurant, Aqua Roma, Towns, who’s long been known to be a Call of Duty player, was a special guest.
Towns spoke glowingly about the franchise and how he grew up playing the games all the time. Towns also revealed that he used to play a lot with his close friend, Devin Booker, and also shouted out former teammate Anthony Edwards, with whom he also used to play often.
When Tyler Bahl, the chief marketing officer at Activision, asked the big man who’s between him and the guys he mentioned were better, he answered, “Right now, D-Book,” before jokingly adding, “We were busy trying to win a championship,” to which the crowd applauded.
Towns was then asked about who plays on the Knicks. “I would say JB (Jalen Brunson), Ariel Hukporti, JC (Jordan Clarkson) here and there,” Towns said. Bahl also asked him if there was any trash talking following their gaming sessions. Surprisingly, there apparently isn’t much. He did say that they’re all just “goofy as hell”.
This is when Gigsby, who actually got his start as an animator at Infinity Ward and served as the voice actor in Call of Duty 4, asked the now champion about how it’s all felt. Towns spoke passionately about growing up as a Knicks fan and understanding just how much pain and suffering the fanbase had experienced.
“Honestly, so surreal. I grew up a Knicks fan, and I know how it is to see grief and misery in the fans’ eyes. So to give them something to cheer for, myself, as a Knicks fan, it’s kind of crazy.” Towns said, “I honestly feel as a player, I actually haven’t won a championship yet. We got something else to go win. I’m already locked in.”
The conversation then transitioned to the Knicks’ 29-point comeback. Town was asked by Bahl if any of the Knicks had heard about or known about Wu Tang Clang foreshadowing the comeback via their Knicks in five proclamation at the end of their halftime performance. He got laughs out of the crowd when he started off his reply with an honest, “I ain’t hear [expletive] about that,”. Towns did open up about what the feel of the locker room was like before the historic comeback, though.
“I just went straight to the back and started talking to everybody about how we got the experience. We knew we could win the game. I never had a doubt that we would win the game” Towns said. “We just had to start in the third quarter fast. We had to make sure we got right to work.”
One of the guests then asked the Knick if there was a song or anything that they used to get them hyped. Towns kept it a buck. “I ain’t gonna lie to you. I don’t think no music was played. I was just talking at halftime. Jose Alvarado spoke up. Mike [Brown] came into the room and was like, ‘Hey, I guess we swing for the fences.’”
He went on to elaborate that he felt like there was no way the Knicks would lose two straight at home. Towns admitted that he and the rest of the team felt like they couldn’t let the fans down and cited last year’s Celtics series as to why he was so confident.
After the Q&A, I was able to speak to Towns one-on-one for a quick conversation. I asked him how the off-season was going, how his body was feeling after the physical postseason, and how he felt about the team going forward in light of the offseason moves. Towns, as expected, still feels very good about where the team is, and as previously mentioned, was already looking ahead to what needs to be done to make it back-to-back championships.
The big man, though, did joke that it had only been four weeks given, which feels odd given the quick turnaround. He cited Brunson’s surgery, Hart’s finger, his own lingering injuries, as well as other guys’ ailments as a major reason why the guys had taken their time, which, to be fair, is very deserved. Towns then finished off our conversation joking about how he wants to go on a trip with his fiancée, Jordyn Woods, but has yet to find the time to do so. “I hope maybe next week,” he said, but also added that he doesn’t even know what he’s doing tomorrow, so it’s been difficult for him to plan the offseason.
This was all a part of an incredible evening put together by the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 team that was in the city for Fanatic Fest, which took place this weekend. The gaming franchise has now amassed 500 million copies sold and has generated over $35 billion to date. They were one of the pioneers in connecting the gaming world to the sports world when they featured Kobe Bryant in a live-action trailer for Black Ops back in 2010. Since then, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant have become playable characters in games, while championship teams like the Thunderand these Knicks have credited the games as a way to enhance chemistry and communication.
Modern Warfare’s story mode is centered around North and South Korea, as can be seen in its exciting reveal trailer. And their highly anticipated multiplayer map “Kill Block”, which was inspired by Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium’s retractable pitch, results in dynamic battlefields that change between rounds, giving players over 500 different configurations.
At Fanatic Fest, they once again represented why they are considered the bridge between sports, gaming, and even Hollywood. Inde Navarette, the actress who has blown up after her performance in the horror movie Obsession, director Peter Berg, and Durant, participated in a panel moderated by Katie Nolan, Bahl, and Grigsby. And earlier in the day, Towns was named the champion of the first-ever Call of Duty Battle of New York when he beat Josh Hart, who subbed in for Brunson, who is recovering from surgery.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: The sneakers worn by AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards during the game against the Sacramento Kings during the 2026 NBA Summer League game on July 12, 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 30: Luguentz Dort #5 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A month after the Knicks’ championship, it’s still ridiculous to think that it was the Hawks that challenged the Knicks the most. It wasn’t a 76ers team that had Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who have given the Knicks all kinds of trouble in the past. It wasn’t the Cavaliers who, at least on paper, had one of the most talented and balanced starting fives in the entire league. And no, it was not the Spurs and their generational big man who has a combination of size and talent the world has never seen before.
It was the Hawks. C.J. McCollum’s tough shot-making, Onyeka Okongwu’s two-way play, and Dyson Daniels’ defense, with just enough from Jalen Johnson, Josh Kuminga, and Nickel Alexander-Walker, were what pushed the eventual champions. On Sunday morning, the only team to take more than one game in a series against the Knicks got a little better. Shams Charania of ESPN reported that they were involved in a three-team deal that landed them former Thunder, Lu Dort, and former Maverick, Andrew Nehmbard, with Zach Risacher heading out.
But in an Eastern Conference that looks more loaded and competitive than it has in years, does this move the needle? A top eight consisting of McCollum, Alexander-Walker, Daniels, Dort, Johnson, Okongwu, Aaron Wiggins, and Jock Landale is solid. And they are definitely better than they were last season. Dort provides them with even more defense, some much-needed toughness and physicality, and championship experience. He’ll provide some great leadership for a team that is still relatively young.
The Thunder are a smart team, though. They don’t simply trade guys away whom they deem irreplaceable. Dort has played a pivotal role in the Thunder’s long journey to becoming champions. But he’s also seen some decline. Some of that has come due to the rise of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. But it’s important to note that he’s now four years removed from his career season, when he averaged 17.2 PPG. Since then, his scoring average has gone down every season, and he’s coming off a season in which he shot just 38.5% from the field and just 34.4% from three on 5.4 attempts per game.
As things stand right now , a lot of their improvements come in areas they were already good in. Their defense will be amazing, and opposing guards and wings will have a difficult time trying to score against them. And in the regular season, they should be able to skate by without a real offensive star thanks to their balance and fast-break scoring.
What should concern Hawks fans, though, is that they haven’t really improved in the areas that held them back last season. Unless Daniels and Johnson take massive steps on the offensive side of the ball, they lack the consistent offensive firepower and spacing to make a deep run. McCollum will be another year older, and he’s not a full-time point guard. Johnson can operate as a point forward during the regular season, but we saw his lack of self-creation and a midrange game render him close to useless against Josh Hart and the Knicks’ defense. Alexander-Walker was shut down by Mikal Bridges. And the Hawks still have nobody to defend Karl-Anthony Towns.
Now, the good thing for the Hawks and their fans is that they won’t be playing the Knicks every night. Not many teams have a physical big man who is as talented as Towns. Not many teams have the myriad of wing defenders that can slow down Johnson and Alexander-Walker like the Knicks do.
Atlanta should be able to perform a bit better in the regular season thanks to their offseason moves and because they’ll get to enjoy their first full season without Trae Young, with whom the Hawks were statistically worse last season. And they’ll be incredibly annoying to play against, even when their shots aren’t falling. But unless Johnson takes an incredibly large leap, this offense will struggle to generate good looks and have enough spacing when playing in the postseason.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s cost-cutting measures continue.
Although this time, the Thunder are moving an integral piece to their contendership, and that’s all-world defender Lu Dort, who has been with the organization since signing as an undrafted rookie in 2019.
The deal will also see the Hawks send three second-round picks to the Thunder, as well as selling off 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher to the Dallas Mavericks, who are sending Ryan Nembhard — younger brother of Indiana Pacer guard Andrew Nembhard — to Atlanta.
Luguentz Dort celebrates during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game 7 of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026, at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. NBAE via Getty Images
OKC, which also traded Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons and Aaron Wiggins to the Hawks this summer, ducked under the second apron for this coming season while adding seven second-round picks. This was a goal of theirs entering the off-season, given that Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren’s salaries were jumping from a combined $20.3 million to $83 million next season.
Dort, whose team option for $18.2 million for the 2026-27 season was accepted by the Thunder earlier this offseason, will effectively be an expiring contract for Atlanta this year, and a productive veteran on a mostly younger team.
On the court, the 27-year-old Dort — who is entering his eighth season — was fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2024-25 and named to the All-Defensive first-team.
That said, Dort won the 2025 title as a starting wing on OKC, the first since the franchise moved from Seattle following the 2007-08 season. Dort has been a fixture in OKC’s starting lineup since being a find following the 2019 NBA Draft, starting 423 of a possible 432 games in his career, along with all 54 of his playoff appearances.
Zaccharie Risacher handles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during Round 1 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. NBAE via Getty Images
Dort’s production has tailed off a bit, dropping to 8.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest and 34.4 percent shooting from three last season, down from never falling below double-digits since his rookie season, averaging 12.8 points in the five seasons prior, and as many as 17.2 with the rebuilding Thunder in 2021-22.
Atlanta already punting on Risacher is noteworthy, underscoring his underwhelming performance through two NBA seasons.
Risacher, who was second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2024-25, dropped from 12.6 to 9.6 points per game from his first two seasons, and stagnated in nearly every other category while struggling to land rotation minutes in Atlanta’s six-game playoff loss to the Knicks in Round 1 this past April.
Risacher only appeared in 22 minutes in the series, 20 of them in blowout losses.
Ryan Nembhard dribbles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on July 11, 2026, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NBAE via Getty Images
By nature of being selected No. 1 overall, the 21-year-old French forward is due to make $13.8 million this season, which will increase to $17.4 million in 2027-28 if his fourth-year option is picked up by the Mavericks, the deadline of which will be on October 31.
The last No. 1 overall pick to have their fourth-year option declined was famous draft bust Anthony Bennett from the similarly lackluster 2013 NBA Draft class.
The last No. 1 overall pick who was given up on after two seasons did see his fourth-year option picked up: former 76er-turned-Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz, the top pick in 2017. With Fultz, his struggles were primarily due to injuries, and his fourth-year salary was $12.2 million in a non-second-apron era.
The aforementioned younger Nembhard proved to be a productive NBA player as an undrafted rookie last season, averaging 6.6 points and 5.3 assists while hitting 35.6 percent from deep, and even starting 27 of his 60 appearances for the Mavs.
Nembhard initially played on a two-way contract but was converted to a standard deal during the season. He will make $2.15 million in 2026-27 before entering free agency after the season.
