Category: Basketball

On another inauspicious evening in the NBA offseason, Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations, Tim Connelly, was wide awake. As first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, Minnesota traded Josh Green and cash to the Utah Jazz for Cody Williams and John Konchar.

Charania followed up by sharing that Konchar, a 30-year-old wing rebounding specialist, will see his $6.2 million contract waived-and-stretched, incurring roughly $2 million in dead cap space for the next three years. Konchar could’ve been an interesting end-of-bench option, but alas the Wolves are filled to the brim at his position.

Josh Green, who was just on a team-wide outing in France, was the unfortunate salary dump that needed to happen in order to make the Jonathan Kuminga deal legal per salary cap regulations. Despite being a potential Donte DiVincenzo replacement on the roster, Green’s $14.7 million was the only realistic salary that could be moved to make enough room for Kuminga to join via the tax-payer mid-level exception. Many had theorized if there were no takers for Green, Minnesota could have entertained a waive-and-stretch of his contract, incurring a near $5 million cap hit for three years.

Instead they nearly halved that while taking a flyer on a 21-year-old top 10 draft pick, Cody Williams.

Cody is the little brother of the Oklahoma City Thunder All-NBA wing, Jalen Williams. The younger Williams has spent his last two seasons on a tanking Utah organization who have mostly failed to develop any young talent despite multiple lottery picks.

Cody is included in that bunch.

He was billed as a long (seven-foot wingspan), athletic, triple-threat scorer out of college who knocked down over 40% of his triples in his one year at Colorado. Williams, like his brother, was a late riser during the 2024 draft process, impressing scouts with his defensive tenacity and two-way star potential. Instead of following in Jalen’s footsteps on his journey to stardom, he has fallen flat on his face, becoming one of the worst players in the NBA. Respectfully.

But all is not lost yet! Tim Connelly and his front office have always been believers in finding value in what others perceive as broken toys. Aaron Gordon, Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, Bones Hyland, LaMelo Ball, Jonathan Kuminga. These are all players that had less than stellar “reputations” among various NBA circles, yet he’s taken a leap of faith to salvage their careers. And they’ve mostly worked out.

Williams is much less of a risk than those aforementioned names, considering he’s likely not even going to figure to be in the rotation. Hell, he’s not even guaranteed to make the opening night roster. He’s on his final two years of his rookie scale contract (~$6.5 million per year). However, Cody did finally show some promise near the end of his sophomore season.

According to our SB Nation sister blog, SLC Dunk, they named Cody their second most improved player of the season. They also included this nugget from Zach Lowe:

I think Cody Williams — who looked like an epic bust of a top-10 pick… has shown enough in the last couple of months that I think there’s a world in which he’s a functional eighth to tenth guy on a good Utah Jazz team. His defense is really improved. He’s a solid defender. He knows how to close out on guys short, he knows how to run guys off the arc, he’s extremely well balanced.

The Wolves now have 14 players under contract, and all three two-way spots filled. That leaves one potential spot to be filled, though many teams often leave a spot open for flexibility. If we know anything about Connelly though, things can change on a dime, but this could be what Minnesota’s roster will look like come opening night.

Discuss.

Late Friday night, Shams Charania reported that the Jazz and Wolves had completed a trade:

One of the most persistent questions in Jazzland over the past two years or so looms large: Is Cody Williams a bust? If you are Justin Zanik and/or Austin Ainge, it appears the answer is yes. After being drafted in the lottery, being out-physicaled for most of his rookie year, showing limited progress in his sophomore year, and struggling this summer in most of his Salt Lake and Vegas Summer League runs, Cody has been shipped north(east). This gives Minnesota a young prospect who still has the ability to turn the corner with a scenery change, a solid “glue guy” in John Konchar and, most importantly, some financial relief:

In return, the Jazz get a 6th-year shooting guard who shoots accurately (career 39% 3PT) but not at high volume. He defends serviceably, posting a career Defensive Rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 117. Much like last year’s Colin Sexton/Jusuf Nurkić trade, this may end up being a case of addition by subtraction. There was nothing wrong with Colin Sexton—he is a good basketball player—but he wasn’t a good fit. As a bonus, Nurk turned out to be a fantastic fit. Now the rotations will be even more open for Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, and Keyonte George.

The Jazz are not bringing Josh Green in to play 25 minutes per night. He is here a) to make the salaries work and b) to provide a modest boost off the bench as an 8th 0r 9th man. He’s a solid player who knows his role and plays it well:

For their part, Timberwolves fans will point to Cody’s flashes of brilliance over his short career to this point:

We at the Dunk wish Cody and John the best of luck as they each start their new chapters in Minnesota, as so many other Jazz players before them have. Once a Jazzman, always a Jazzman. Despite the unfortunate parting of ways, Utah’s future is brighter than it’s ever been. For now, this trade looks like a “win-win,” something which is rare in the market these days. 53 days remain until we can begin to find out.

After Georgia Amoore’s career night propelled her squad to a 94-84 win in Phoenix on Thursday, the Washington Mystics returned Friday night for a road tilt against the Los Angeles Sparks.

Washington led entering the fourth quarter, but the Sparks’ late surge proved too much as the Mystics lost 88-82. 

The Mystics overcame a 15-2 start in Thursday’s win. Their start to Friday’s contest was much better thanks to Sonia Citron, who tallied 10 points on 4-for-4 FG in the first quarter.

Shakira Austin added seven points as the sides entered the second frame tied at 23. Then Kiki Iriafen got active.

The second-year forward scored seven straight Mystics points, including a 3-pointer, to extend Washington’s lead. An Amoore triple and another Iriafen bucket pushed that advantage to double digits as halftime neared.

Citron closed the half the same way she started it: with a flurry of buckets to give her 15 points on 6-for-10 FG. Washington led 51-40 at halftime.

The Sparks cut into Washington’s lead behind Nneka Ogwumike’s efficient shooting. Halfway through the third quarter, the 11-time All-Star had tallied 24 points on 11-for-15 FG to trim Los Angeles’ deficit to just one.

Crypto.com Arena rose to its feet as Los Angeles briefly took the lead. But like Thursday night, Amoore had the answer. The second-year guard drilled 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to give Washington a 68-65 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Citron continued her strong performance with a triple and a layup to open the fourth. But Los Angeles held firm, answering with an 8-0 run to take an 80-76 lead.

After a Lauren Betts bucket, Rae Burell added five more points to extend the Sparks’ advantage to 85-78 with 2:21 remaining. Burell added three more to ice an impressive win for Los Angeles and snap Washington’s three-game winning streak.

The Mystics fell to 24-16 on the season. Citron finished with a team-high 22 points on 9-for-18 FG. Iriafen and Austin both tallied double-doubles.

Since Jonathan Kuminga chose to sign with the Timberwolves on Wednesday, the question that everybody has been asking is “Why?”

Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, appeared on the Fan Duel show “Run it Back” and explained why they chose the Timberwolves and also what happened with the rumored three-year, $75 million extension with the Warriors.

“With the [three-year, $75 million deal] it was to me, he had to get to a spot to make long-term money, or past this contract, where the basketball was set,” Turner said. “With the basketball comes the money, right? If you understand this business, it’s ‘If it’s a good basketball fit, the money follows.’ The money coming before the basketball is not really how you’re going to continue to make more and more money.”

Turner said if Kuminga took a longer deal, he would no longer have control of his future and insisted that he would have less control. Last season, when he was traded ahead of the NBA trade deadline, Kuminga didn’t have a choice in being moved to the Hawks.

Kuminga’s deal with the Timberwolves is for two years and worth up to $12.4 million, including player options after the 2026-2027 NBA season.

Turner said next year’s free-agency option gives Kuminga higher leverage when looking for the right contract that fits him.

“There’s a lot of teams with money, and if you’ve paid attention to JK’s recruiting saga over the last few years, those teams that have been trying to sign and trade for him, Sacramento, Chicago, these teams have a lot of money next year,” Turner said. “Who knows, but the game board is set very, very well for JK for 2027.”

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After Kuminga chose the Timberwolves, NBA ESPN insider Shams Charania reported the Lakers had a sign-and-trade offer “that would have been in excess of three years for at least $12 million per year.”

Draymond Green gave a warning to Kuminga about the deal he took with Minnesota; as he alluded to, Kuminga could see his role reduced if the team struggles early in the season.

If Kuminga doesn’t perform up to expectations, he and Turner could likely see their high payday go down the drain.

COLLEGE PARK, GA — Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese picked up her eighth technical foul of the season on Aug.28, triggering an automatic one-game suspension unless the technical is rescinded.

Reese received the technical with 8:45 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Dream's matchup against the Portland Fire after Reese made contact with Carla Leite. Reese appeared to shove Leite while the two were battling for position in the lane.

The play that led to Angel Reese's 8th technical foul and a suspension for Sunday against the Lynx unless it is rescinded:pic.twitter.com/G8wsa09F37

— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) August 29, 2026

Under WNBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended for one game upon receiving their eighth technical foul during the regular season. Every additional technical comes with a $1,500 fine, while every two additional technical fouls received during the regular season will result in an additional one-game suspension.

The league has the option to rescind every technical or flagrant foul assessed during each game. But if the technical foul stands, Reese will serve out her suspension for the Dream's matchup against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday, Aug. 30.

Reese previously exceeded the technical foul limit during the 2025 WNBA season while playing for the Chicago Sky and served out a one-game suspension on Sept. 5, 2025.

More: Caitlin Clark won't be suspended after 8th technical foul rescinded by WNBA

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Angel Reese picks up 8th technical foul, set for 1-game suspension pending review

BOX SCORE 

The Commanders preseason is over.  

All three exhibition games are in the books, capped by Washington’s 41-3 loss on Friday night against the neighboring Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.  

This was Washington’s last official act with a 91-man offseason, with the NFL mandating it be trimmed to 53 players by Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.  

It’s hard to say how much the preseason finale weighs in overall player evaluation as part of a far larger body of work. This contest was waged between those lower on the depth chart, with few earmarked for the 53-man roster available in this one.  

That still doesn’t excuse how bad the Commanders were in this contest. They couldn’t do anything right in this one and got dominated in all phases that didn’t involved Tress Way punting. I mean, it was awful.  

We still mined this contest for insight. Let’s examine (with a microscope) four takeaways relevant to the 2026 Commanders:  

Luke McCaffrey in trouble? 

We knew the Commanders would hold most major contributors out of the preseason finale. They ended up deeming 41 players inactive. Yeah, you read that right.  

This was a situation where Commanders season-ticket holders should be happy this one was played in Baltimore. That miles-long inactives list included most of the names you’d expect, featuring plenty of star power and folks you see in the box score this fall.  

There might be some clues in those selected to play versus not and their odds of making the 53-man roster. Did it influence my 53-man roster projection, coming out late Friday night? It certainly did. Especially at receiver.  

Luke McCaffrey played — so did Van Jefferson – while Treylon Burks and Dyami Brown sat. 

Let’s read some tea leaves, shall we? 

Did McCaffrey draw the short straw to ensure enough targets with six receivers sitting? Is Washington shopping McCaffrey and wants to give team another look? Or is he firmly on the roster bubble? That last thing might be the case, as surprising as that might’ve sounded a few months back.  

This receiver corps is deeper than it was in 2025, especially with Stefon Diggs on board, Antonio Williams looking really good and Jaylin Lane secure as a punt return man who can handle kickoffs.  

Playing doesn’t mean you’re cut, not by any stretch, but it raises an eyebrow in McCaffrey’s case.  

Tyler Owens brings an edge 

Defensive back Tyler Owens is a thumper. We saw that against the Lions, when he demolished a running back while rushing the passer, but we’ve known that for a while.  

Owens reminded the forgetful on Friday night, with two huge hits early in the contest. That includes one right at the goal line:  

Owens brings a unique energy to the safety position and aggressiveness to his slot play. And let’s not forget his work on special teams play. This is a guy Washington needs deeper on the depth chart. With how he has played, Daronte Jones should be prompted to carve out a role for this physical presence.  

Bubble players don’t show well 

Commanders will form their 53-man roster based on a summer’s worth of work, not one preseason game right at the finish line. Friday’s contest won’t negate an otherwise solid preseason, but several fighting for a final roster spot seemed to falter at the finish.  

Linebackers Ale Kaho and Kain Medrano fit into that group, with struggles tackling and in coverage. Receiver Jaden Bradley, who has made some nice catches this preseason, fumbled returning a kick in the first half. Running back Robert Henry, who fumbled last week, had a misstep in pass protection. Interior linemen Julian Good-Jones was the third center to play, and wasn’t particularly good in that showing.

Running back Kaytron Allen isn’t on the roster bubble, but he lost a fumble on Washington’s opening drive. 

Trash this tape 

The phrasing above is definitely old-fashioned. No one uses actual tape/film anymore. And no one’s throwing a tablet in the trash. You simply select the game file, push the delete button and then hit confirm.  

I mean, the Commanders won’t really do it. There’s always something to teach from, but most of the active Commanders players won’t be making the team. Those who do will largely want to forget what happened on Friday night in Baltimore, which capped a rough week of Ravens dominance in a joint practice and then this game.  

If we are going to spin this segment forward, it only reinforces the fact the offensive line needs help from a depth perspective. There aren’t many reserves who look ready to play a regular-season game at this point. GM Adam Peters is gonna have to make a move a center, and maybe pick up another guard.

Bottom line: Those who continue on to the regular season can’t make the types of mistakes frequent in this contest, where little went right. 

The best part? It’s over. Now on to the regular season.  

The legacy of Stephen Curry hits the big screen in a documentary film titled "Portrait of an Artist: Stephen Curry," which captured the Golden State Warriors' superstar in the moments leading up to and throughout his NBA record-extending milestone of hitting his 4,000th career 3-pointer.

The documentary, distributed by Disney, is directed by Religion of Sports co-founder Gotham Chopra and will be released exclusively in IMAX theaters Oct. 9, 2026.

The film showcases what it was like for the four-time NBA champion and two-time MVP to reach the levels he did. In the film, Curry speaks on his upbringing, mindset and work ethic, explaining a few of the intangible traits that got him to become recognized as one of the greatest basketball players to grace the NBA.

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"We are pumped to show you all something the team has been working on," Curry said in his Instagram caption. "A new documentary that captures the journey to my 4,000th career three-pointer. Coming exclusively to IMAX theaters in October, the film explores the creativity, discipline, and mindset behind the game I’ve dedicated my life to. Basketball is a craft I love deeply, so being compared to an artist is something I take with a lot of humility. But creativity has always been at the heart of how I play."

The project called for 21 IMAX-certified cameras that were used as part of the state-of-the-art production to help capture the moment Curry drained the milestone-setting jumper against the Sacramento Kings during the 2024-25 season.

Curry hit his 4,000th career 3-pointer during a March 13 game at Chase Center in San Francisco in front of thousands of fans. It was the first time in NBA history a player reached 4,000 total 3-pointers made in a career.

He entered the matchup needing just two 3-point baskets to reach the unprecedented milestone. He did so. And the Warriors went on to win the game 130-104.

The film includes special appearances by other artists who have dominated their own respective fields including Viola Davis, Rick Rubin, Patti Smith and Jon Batiste. They all shared their thoughts on Curry's artistry.

"This film is all about capturing Steph Curry, an athlete and artist who is always chasing a new masterpiece,” Chopra said in a news release. “With the court as his canvas, we wanted to show the world the relentless creativity and discipline that drives one of the greatest to ever play the game. We are thrilled to be able to share this film in IMAX with audiences across the country."

It's the second film produced by Curry's multimedia company Unanimous Media, which he co-founded with multi-creative Erick Peyton in 2018. Unanimous Media produced Sony Picture Animation’s hit animated feature film “Goat,” which quickly became the top-movie in America in theatres after its debut in February 2026.

It was highly reviewed by critics and audiences alike, and the group is hoping audiences are fulfilled after watching their latest documentary.

"With ‘Portrait of an Artist,’ we wanted to tell a story that goes beyond breaking a record on the court, while exploring the creativity, discipline and mindset behind the journey,” said Curry and Peyton said in a joint statement. “This film is our way of capturing what it feels like to experience Stephen’s performance in real time, especially for those who haven’t had or may never have the chance. We’re proud to partner with Religion of Sports, IMAX and Disney/ESPN to share this experience with audiences on a global scale."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: IMAX documentary chronicling major Steph Curry milestone set for release

Four-star shooting guard Chase Lumpkin has narrowed his list of offers to six schools, he told Rivals. Moving forward, the 6-foot-4 rising senior out of McEachern (GA) will consider Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, and USC.

To this point, Lumpkin has completed an official visit to Michigan and unofficially visited Alabama. He’s scheduled to take an official visit to USC this weekend, followed by an official visit to Alabama the weekend of September 19th.

Lumpkin is ranked as the No. 30 overall recruit in the 2027 class and the No. 8 ranked point guard, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an average of all three major recruiting media companies (Rivals, ESPN, 247Sports).

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In addition to his finalists, he also received offers from Auburn, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Ole Miss, Georgia, Tennessee, Oregon, Providence, UCLA, Indiana, Miami, Iowa, Vanderbilt, UConn, and others.

This summer on the Nike EYBL Circuit, Lumpkin averaged 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game for Jet Academy.

He previously spoke with Rivals about what he’s looking for in a school.

“I really need to go somewhere I can develop the most and get to the next level and become a pro player, where I’ve got belief in the coaching staff and they’ve got belief in me. I just want to get to the next level.”

Scouting Lumpkin

Rivals national recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw has evaluated Lumpkin multiple times in person this summer. Here is what he’s written about the highly regarded guard:

“Lumpkin is very confident on the ball. He has good feet and solid positional size in the 6-foot-4 range. He shot the cover off the ball, stepping into shots and knocking down catch and shoots. Also showed passing acumen, delivering on target and on time as a primary initiator. Lumpkin played a streamlined and confident game. He got to spots and put consistent pressure on the opposing team. Lumpkin finished with 29 points and 8 assists on 8 of 15 shooting in the Jet Academy win.

“Lumpkin was the breakout player of the weekend. The Jet Academy guard did a little bit of everything for his team, initiating offense, finishing plays, and generally creating advantages for his team. He showcased excellent vision on the ball, and he processed quickly and efficiently, whether that was getting the ball to his teammates or making shots on his own accord. Lumpkin got into the paint consistently, and he finished well at the rim.”

The August window of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers started on Thursday with two Spurs participating. Both of their national teams won, but their experiences were very different. Victor Wembanyama was a star for France, while David Jones-Garcia underwhelmed for the Dominican Republic and got ejected at the worst possible time.

Wembanyama, who admitted to being a little rusty in the warm-up games against Nikola Jokic’s Serbia, stepped up against a much inferior opponent. France, which leads Group L with a 6-1 record after Thursday, took care of business against a Luka Doncic-less Slovenia squad in a rout, winning 92-67 to set themselves up for what looks like an easy qualification with four games left, as they have a group-leading 6-1 record and the top three teams get to Qatar 2027.

Wemby was a monster in the matchup, finishing with 22 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. France outscored Slovenia by 22 points when he was on the floor, and the game was essentially over at halftime.

Les Bleus will face Sweden next, who are coming off a great win. They took down Finland thanks to a fantastic performance by Miami Heat wing Pelle Larsson, who finished with 31 points and five boards. The matchup will take place in Stockholm on August 30. The Swedish team needs the win, but they don’t seem to have anyone with the size to match up with Wembanyama, who should feast again. If France wins, the qualification should be all but secured even though there are two more windows left in which NBA players won’t be able to suit up, as they happen during the regular season.

While Wembanyama’s performance was fantastic, his teammate David Jones-Garcia didn’t have as good of a day. The Dominican Republic beat Brazil, which was undefeated heading into the matchup, but Jones-Garcia struggled on offense in the 94-90 win. The Spurs’ two-way wing finished with just eight points in 14 shots, hit only one of his seven three-point attempts, and had no assists while turning the ball over twice. He did a good job on the boards, pulling down six rebounds, and made plays on defense as his two steals and two blocks show, but he couldn’t stay on the floor to end the game.

Jones-Garcia committed two flagrant fouls in the matchup and was ejected early in the fourth, leaving his team in a precarious position. His first flagrant came in the first half, when he hit Bruno Caboclo in the head as the big man was trying to dunk the ball, a dangerous but understandable foul. The second flagrant, however, was completely avoidable. As Brazil was inbounding on its own side, Jones-Garcia hip-checked Raul Neto. Neto embellished the contact, but after a review, it was called an unsportsmanlike foul, and DJS was sent off. He was lucky the DR still pulled off a narrow win, because it was a lapse of judgement at a terrible time.

The Dominican Republic, currently in third place in Group E behind the U.S. and Brazil with a 5-2 record, will face bottom-dwelling Chile on August 31. Hopefully, Jones-Garcia will have a better game.

The 2027 FIBA World Cup has two more qualifying windows in December and March. NBA players are not expected to participate, as the dates coincide with the regular season.

We finish off the 2026 preseason tonight, as the Minnesota Vikings head to Mile High to take on the Denver Broncos in the final preseason game of the year. Let’s get everyone caught up on everything they’ll need to be ready for tonight’s contest.

Date and Time: Friday, 28 August 2026, 8:00 PM Central time

Location: Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

Weather: Partly cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms, temperatures in the mid-to-upper 70s, winds from the southwest at 5-10 miles/hour

Television Coverage: FOX 9 in the Twin Cities, local broadcast affiliates in various cities, NFL Network for the nationwide audience

Radio Coverage: Vikings Radio Network, SiriusXM Channel 225, SiriusXM App Channel 820

Bonus: KFAN (which, again, is doing a simulcast for both radio and TV this season) has promised that new Vikings’ head coach Kevin O’Connell will be joining the broadcast from the sidelines for the entirety of the third quarter of today’s game. Of course, if you’re watching on the NFL Network broadcast, you won’t hear this, because you’ll be hearing the Broncos play-by-play team.

Line: Seriously, don’t bet on preseason games.

Chris’ Prediction: Nope, no prediction for this preseason game, either.

Three Keys

1) No injuries – We made it through the last game without any major ones. Here’s hoping that we can do the same tonight.

2) Quarterback snap distribution – I think I’ve mentioned this for all three games, but it’s still important. J.J. McCarthy missed some practice time this week with an ankle issue, but the team is apparently still hoping he can start tonight’s game. We’ll see whether or not that happens, as well as how long he plays. Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer will see time as well, obviously. (UPDATE: McCarthy will not play tonight after all, per sources.)

3) Last chance to impress – Less than 48 hours after this one concludes, teams around the NFL will be making their final roster cuts. That means this is the last opportunity for all of these young men to make an impression on the coaching staff and the front office before the turk comes to visit on Sunday at 5:00 PM Central time. Who will take advantage?

Know the Foe: Mile High Report

Twitter/X/Whatever we’re calling it today: @DailyNorseman

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/thedailynorseman

That should be everything you need, folks! Remember, we’ll be keeping everything for today’s game right here. We’ll also be putting any highlights that get posted on social media over in the Feed, so keep your eyes over there as well.

Here’s hoping for a solid evening of football and that both teams come out of it without any significant injuries.

SKOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL VIKINGS!!!!