Category: NBA

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the New Orleans Pelicans in a final score of 82-77. This concludes their scheduled games in Vegas. They will play one more consolation game, as the Cavs did not qualify for the knockout tournament.

The top four teams advance to a single-elimination tournament. Cleveland’s 2-2 record won’t be good enough.

But the summer isn’t about winning. It’s about development. Obviously, the two can go hand-in-hand, but falling short of the tournament doesn’t mean Vegas was a waste of time. On the contrary.

Cleveland shut down their rookie standout Meleek Thomas for today’s game. They chose to keep the 34th pick on the bench and away from injury. Thomas had scored 35 points in his previous game and totalled 85 points in three games this summer.

While resting second-round picks in Summer League is a bit ripe for me, I can’t deny Thomas did more than enough to prove himself. His shot-making and overall feel for the game were evident to anyone watching. He has nothing left to show in this setting.

Resting Thomas opens up the door for other players to step up. So, did anyone take the torch?

Both the Cavs and Pelicans struggled to score in the first quarter. The Cavs began 0-13 from the floor as neither team cracked double-digits until near the end of the period. That’s Summer League for ya.

Things finally got rolling in the second quarter. The rest of the game was as expected.

Malaki Branham led the Cavs with 22 points. He looked strong throughout the Summer League and was their best player in this one.

Jaxson Robinson finished with 13 points on 5-10 shooting. The 23-year-old forward has shown a knack for getting hot from downtown, like when he scored 42 points and drilled eight three-pointers for the Cleveland Charge earlier this year.

Robinson played five years in college, beginning with Texas A&M before transferring to BYU and finishing his collegiate career with the Kentucky Wildcats. Robinson averaged 13 points per game in his senior season.

I’d keep an eye on Robinson, as 6’7” three-point shooters are always worth monitoring.

Cleveland’s two-way players have shown mixed results in Vegas. Tristan Enaruna has been out since the first game due to illness. Ernest Udeh Jr., whose hustle and activity led to 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots today, ended the game shooting 0-for-2 and scored 0 points.

Riley Minix, Cleveland’s other two-way player, struggled throughout the summer. He’s shooting below 30% from the floor and missed his first 19 three-point attempts. Minix finally connected on a three-pointer today to bring his total to 1-for-20 for the summer.

The Cavs will play their final Summer League game on either July 17, July 18, or July 19.

The NBA Summer League is in full swing in Las Vegas.

The rookies that were drafted just a few weeks ago have stolen the show but teams have others on the team looking to catch on. This includes seven former Villanova Wildcats.

Here is how each former Wildcat has performed to this point of the summer:

Duke Brennan, Brooklyn Nets

• July 10 vs. New York Knicks – No points or shot attempts in 4 minutes, 3 rebounds, 0-1 FT
• July 11 vs. Atlanta Hawks – DNP
• July 14 vs. Sacramento Kings – 0 points, 1 rebound, 0-1 FG, 3 minutes

TJ Bamba, Denver Nuggets

• July 10 vs. Houston Rockets – DNP
• July 11 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – 7 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2-8 FG, 1-4 3PT, 17 minutes
• July 14 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – DNP

Tyler Burton, Memphis Grizzlies

• July 10 vs. Chicago Bulls – 3 points, 2 rebounds, 1-1 FG, 1-1 FT, 5 minutes
• July 13 vs. Dallas Mavericks – 8 minutes, 3 rebounds, 3-6 FG, 2-3 3PT, 11 minutes
• July 14 vs. Golden State Warriors – 11 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 4-8 FG, 1-3 3PT, 23 minutes

Brendan Hausen, Memphis Grizzlies 

• July 10 vs. Chicago Bulls – DNP
• July 13 vs. Dallas Mavericks – DNP
• July 14 vs. Golden State Warriors – 20 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 7-9 FG, 6-8 3PT, 19 minutes

Lance Ware, New York Knicks

• July 10 vs. Brooklyn Nets – 0 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 0-4 FG, 16 minutes
• July 11 vs. San Antonio Spurs – 0 points, 1 rebound, 1 block, 13 minutes
• July 13 vs. Detroit Pistons – 2 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1-2 FG, 14 minutes

Devin Askew, Phoenix Suns

• July 10 vs. Portland Trail Blazers – DNP
• July 12 vs. New Orleans Pelicans – 0 points, 0-1 3PT, 4 minutes
• July 13 vs. Milwaukee Bucks – 3 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1-2 3PT, 9 minutes

Eric Dixon, Utah Jazz

• July 9 vs. Washington Wizards – DNP
• July 12 vs. Los Angeles Clippers – 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2-7 FG, 1-3 3PT, 20 minutes
• July 13 vs. Chicago Bulls – 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 1-6 FG, 0-3 3PT, 14 minutes

What the Knicks and Jalen Brunson did en route to the organization's first NBA championship in 53 years was astounding, and it was made more spectacular after it was revealed that the Knicks point guard was playing a portion of the playoffs with an injury that required surgery.

Now, we know when Brunson was injured.

Speaking with ESPN NY Radio's Don, Hahn & Rosenberg on Wednesday, Brunson was asked about the injury. The Knicks captain couldn't pinpoint when he got hurt exactly, but knew he was hurt earlier than many believed. 

“I’m good. Obviously, it’s going to take a little bit of time," Brunson said. "There isn’t a play where I remember it happening; I just remember being at the free-throw line in the third or fourth quarter of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals and my wrist is starting to feel weak.

"From that point on, it was just trying to figure out what was going on and how to proceed because I wasn’t going to get anything done during that time."

That game saw Brunson score 19 points in 40 minutes in the Knicks' 109-93 win to take a 2-0 series lead, a series they wound up sweeping. But Brunson would have bigger moments in the NBA Finals. He helped lead the improbable comeback in Game 4 and scored a franchise-record 43 points in Game 5 to clinch the title. 

All with an injury to his shooting hand.

SNY's Ian Begley reported that Brunson underwent surgery to repair a left wrist/forearm injury earlier this month and that Brunson is expected to need at least two months for rehab/recovery.

Despite getting injured, Brunson wouldn't trade the experience, especially doing it in New York.

“It’s been a rollercoaster, honestly," Brunson said of life after winning the title. "Once we won and everything, everything was up high…everything after we won was amazing. And then getting back to real life, it was probably best to get surgery done for my wrist. That brought me back down. But I would do it all again."

 

"I just remember being at the FT line . . . of Game 2 of the ECF and then my wrist started to feel weak" - @jalenbrunson1 on when his wrist injury occurred @alanhahn l @Rosenbergradio l @ESPNNewYorkpic.twitter.com/h90dF1lO08

— Don, Hahn & Rosenberg (@DHRonESPN) July 15, 2026

The Summer League Sixers fell just short of a 30-point comeback, falling 99-92 to the Orlando Magic Wednesday afternoon. At 2-2, their chances at the Summer League title are over. They’ll play one more consolation game that has yet to be announced.

Labaron Philon Jr., going cold for the first time this summer, finished with 15 points shooting 7-of-24 from the field along with six assists and four turnovers. Duke Miles put up 15 as well but shot 6-of-9 from the floor along with three assists. Amani Lyles finished with 18 points and six rebounds on 7-of-12 shooting while Jase Richardson led all scorers with 25. Johni Broome was unavailable for this one.

This game at least started drastically different than the Sixers’ previous outing. They were able to hit Philon up ahead with a pass off the opening tip for a layup. Despite getting some open looks, his jumper wasn’t falling for him as easily as it had been as he missed his next eight shots. He finally got one to go as the first quarter was winding down, but his follow up attempt got wedgied in between the backboard.

first two belong to @LabaronPhilonpic.twitter.com/SRo0u3vDij

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 15, 2026

Orlando on the other hand got off to a torrid start, making eight of their first nine shots following Richardson’s lead. The pull-up jumpers he nailed early set the tone as the Magic shot 69% from the field in the first half. The 12 Sixers’ turnovers also helped the Magic get out to an early double-digit lead they held for most of the night. Philon was responsible for three of them.

Philon appeared to find a rhythm when he hit some midranges off the dribble in the third quarter, but he could not buy a three ball on the night.

Unike the game before, the Sixers were able to work a 30-point lead all the way down to single digits as the second half wore on. They did so thanks to a better shooting night from Miles. He also made some flashy plays in transition with Lyles, who was able to bang around in the post to put up another solid stat line. Dante Maddox Jr. wasn’t able to even out his 4-of-13 shooting line, but he scored 14 of his 15 points in the second half.

Two consecutive steals into layups were followed by two more threes, allowing the Sixers to cut the lead to four with a minute and a half remaining. Richardson was able to get a bucket to stop the bleeding. Maddox nearly buried a three to make it a one-possession game, but it rimmed out and the Magic were able to hold on despite a noble second-half effort from the bunch.

a clutch triple! pic.twitter.com/13C6x5Wpvz

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 15, 2026

Before we put this Summer League to rest, let’s just take a moment to appreciate the old Sixers’ friends on this Orlando Summer League roster. There’s Ricky Council IV, Lester Quinones, Colin Castleton, and Philip Wheeler, who didn’t even have a Wikipedia page when the Sixers signed him late in 2025. Wheeler has averaged 18 a game this summer on 50% shooting — good for him! All four of these guys had parts to play in the Sixers’ 2025 tank that landed them VJ Edgecombe.

Bell Ringer

Standings

• Labaron Philon Jr. – 2
• Isaac Johnson – 1

Candidates

• Duke Miles
• Amani Lyles
• Labaron Philon Jr.
• Dante Maddox Jr.

Game 4 of the Summer League is here.

Let’s do this!

Boston Celtics (2-1) at Sacramento Kings (1-2)
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
8:00 PM ET
Summer League Game #4
TV: NBCSB, ESPN 2
Thomas and Mack Center

The Kings have played 3 games together in the California Summer League where they went 3-0, beating Brooklyn 79-76, Golden State 91-85 and Milwaukee 95-89. They have also played 3 games in the Las Vegas Summer League, going 1-2, beating the Clippers 91-85 and losing to Washington 104-85 and to Brooklyn 115-83. They are playing in the 2nd of back to back games while the Celtics had Tuesday off. The Celtics have played just 3 games together.

The Celtics are coached by Amile Jefferson. Jefferson was named Director of Player Development for the Duke Blue Devils in 2021. He was promoted to assistant coach at Duke for the 2022-23 season. In 2023, Jefferson became an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics under head coach Joe Mazzulla. Jefferson played with Jayson Tatum at Duke and he played for the Celtics on an Exhibit 10 contract before being hired as an assistant coach.

The Kings are coached by Chris Darnell. He began his coaching career as a Video Coordinator for the Cavaliers from 2019-2021. From 2021-24, he was the associate head coach for the Cleveland Charge of the G-League. He served as the head coach for the Charge in the 2024-25 season. He has been an assistant coach for the Kings since 2025.

The Celtics are averaging 41.0 rebounds per game while the Kings are averaging 34.7 rebounds per game. The Celtics need to continue to crash the boards and beat the Kings to rebounds. The Celtics are turning the ball over 18 times per game while the Kings are averaging 19.7 turnovers per game. It’s not unusual for Summer League teams to turn the ball over a lot because of limited playing time together and surprising that the Kings are turning it over more with 3 extra games under their belts.

Neither team is shooting the ball very well, but the Celtics were able to play enough defense to get wins in 2 games. The Celtics are shooting 37.2% from the field and 32.4% from beyond the arc. The Kings are shooting 40.8% from the field and 28.7% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to continue to play good defense while working on improving their shooting.

Dillon Mitchell will reportedly sit out this game for rest. Tucker DeVries and Milos Uzan have both been signed to Exhibit 10 contracts that will give them the opportunity to play in training camp with the Celtics. DeVries started Monday’s game and is averaging 11 points, 1 rebound and 1.5 assists while shooting 41.8% from the field and 40.3% from beyond the arc. Uzan is averaging 8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting 32% from the field and 30.8% beyond the arc.

Celtics Summer League Roster
Mohammad Amini #54 R
Chris Cenac, Jr #12  R
Tucker DeVries  #41 R
Hugo Gonzalez #28  1
Caleb Grill #37  R
Curtis Jones #26 R
Kyle Mangas #43  R
Dillon Mitchell #20 R
Hank Morgan #51  R
Nick Pringle #40  R
Day Day  Thomas  #38  R
John Tonje #8  R
Milos Uzan #29  R
Chauncey Wiggins #50  R
Alondes Williams #46   3
Amari Williams #77 1

Head Coach
Amile Jefferson

Starters in 1st 2 games
Curtis Jones, John Tonje,  Hugo Gonzalez, Dillon Mitchell, and Amari Williams

Starters in 3rd game
Curtis Jones, John Tonje, Tucker DeVries, Dillon Mitchell, and Chris Cenac, Jr

Celtics Players to Watch

Hugo Gonzalez – Hugo was the 28th pick in last year’s draft.  In last year’s Summer League,  he averaged 10.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.  He averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 14 minutes per game last season.  His +11.9 rating was the highest for any rookie that played at least 100 minutes.  So far in Summer League he is averaging 15.5 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals per game while shooting 23.1% from the field and 22.2% from beyond the arc.  He shot better in Game 2 than Game 1 but still needs some improvement in that area.   He sat out the Celtics 3rd game but I’m expecting him to play in this one. 

Chris Cenac, Jr – Cenac was the 27th pick in this year’s draft.  He is 19 years old and was a highly recruited center going into his one season at Houston.  He averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds  in college, while shooting 48%  from the field, 33% from beyond the arc and 62% from the line.  He has a combination of size and athleticism that makes him a very intriguing player. He is averaging 10.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 blocks while shooting 36.4% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. 

John Tonje  – Tonje came to the Celtics as a 2-way player from Utah in the Chris Boucher trade at last year’s deadline.  At the end of last season, his contract was converted to a standard contract.  His option wasn’t picked up this season but the way he has played in Summer League, he is earning at least a 2 way contract again.   He has started all 3 games so far and is averaging 14 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1.7 steals while shooting 43.8% from the field and 47.4% from beyond the arc. 

Amari Williams – Amari was the 46th pick in last year’s draft.  He spent most of last season on a 2-way deal but was converted to a standard contract at the end of last season.  He averaged 1.4 points, and 1.8 rebounds in 6.6 minutes with Boston last year.  He averaged 15.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.8 blocks with Maine last season.  He has already been signed to a 2-way contract for this season.  He is averaging 14.5 points, 9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3 blocks while shooting 64.3% from the field with no 3’s.   

Sacramento Kings Roster
Nique Clifford  #0  1 year
Darius Acuff, Jr   #5  R
Adam Flagler  #20  2 years
Jonathan Mogbo #22  2 years
Isaiah Stevens  #24   2 years
Mitch Mascari   #25   R
Elias Ralph   #26   R
Viktor Lakhin   #30  R
Dylan Cardwell  #32  1 year
Alex Karaban  #33  R
Emanuel Sharp   #34   R
Anthony Dell’Orso  #37   R
Maxime Raynaud   #42   1 year
Marquel Sutton  #49   R
BJ Edwards  #50   R   

Kings Starters  Game 1
Darius Acuff, Jr,  Nique Clifford, Jonathan Mogbo, Dylan Cardwell, and Alex Karaban

Kings Starters Game 2
Darius Acuff, Jr, Nique Clifford, Alex Karaban, Dylan Cardwell, and Maxime Raynaud

Kings Starters Game 3
Darius Acuff, Jr, Nique Clifford, Alex Karaban, Maxime Raynaud, and Dylan Cardwell

Kings Players to Watch

Maxime Raynaud – Raynaud was the 42nd pick in the 2025 draft.  He played 4 years at Stanford and averaged 20.1 points and 10.9 rebounds in his senior year.  He was named to the 1st team all ACC and became 1 of only 3 players to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 50 3-pointers in a season.  The other 2 were Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony.  Last season he averaged 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 57.1% from the field and 32.4% from beyond the arc. In Summer League he is averaging 20 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block while shooting 46.7% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. 

Darius Acuff, Jr –  Acuff was the 7th pick in this year’s draft.  He won the Bob Cousy award for point guards, and was the SEC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year.  He averaged 23 points and 6.6 assists in his senior year.  He has been compared by some to Allen Iverson.  In Summer League he is averaging 15.5 points, 2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block while shooting 29.4% from the field and 23.1% from beyond the arc. 

Nique Clifford – Clifford was the 24th pick in the 2025 draft by the Thunder and was traded to the Kings on Draft night.  He was a 4 year college player and averaged 12.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3 assists in his senior year.  This is his 2nd Summer League. He averaged 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists as a rookie.  In Summer League, he is averaging 15 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 42.9% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.   

Emanuel Sharp – Sharp is an Israel-American player.  He was the 45th pick in the 2026 draft.  He was a 4 year college player at Houston.  In his senior year, he averaged 15.5 points, 3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals.  He made Big 12 First Team and Big 12 All Defense team.  In Summer League, he is averaging 14 points, 2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 33.3% from the field and 28.6% from beyond the arc.

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On Friday, the hand heard ‘round the five boroughs and the larger body it belongs to turn 29 years old. In a stunning bit of coincidence, I offer thee a list of reasons to love OG Anunoby even more than you probably already do if you’re reading this. Then again, you could be a Spurs fan; there’s been a lot more cross-pollination between P&T and Pounding The Rock since last month’s NBA Finals.

If you are a Spurs fan, quit talking about how you “actually should’ve” won the Finals. San Antonio owned the first quarters. The Knicks owned the other three. If you’re a fan of the side that wins actual trophies and not made-up analytical ones, enjoy this medium-dive into the Knick who puts the “Ohhhhh” in “jumbo wing.”

1) When the Knicks acquired Anunoby, one of the biggest question marks was his availability. OG had played in 89% of Toronto’s games his first three seasons, but missed a combined 49 games the following two. The Knicks were trading away two younger players in Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett, and would have to extend Anunoby that summer. Was the gamble on talent worth the depth being lost?

Spoiler: God, yes. Interestingly, since missing more than a month with an inflamed elbow that first abbreviated season in New York, Anunoby’s played in 86% of the Knicks’ games. Meanwhile, Quickley and RJ have played in 62% and 69% of the Raptors’, both respectively and niiiiiiice.

2) Last season, Anunoby’s free throws made per 36 minutes were up 25%. That’s pretty good! What change are YOU proudest of in 2026?

3) “Adjusted shooting” includes eight categories that measure an NBA player against a theoretical average: field-goal percentage, 2-point shooting, 3-point shooting, free throw, effective field goal, true shooting, free-throw attempt rate and 3-point attempt rate. 100 is average, anything above 100 above-average and you can take it from there. Only one Knick was above-average from all eight categories. You guessed it. The birthday boy.

4) Every postseason, the NHL awards the Conn Smythe Trophy to that year’s top playoff performer. The NBA doesn’t. If it did, last year’s Conn Smythe winner would’ve been OG. Over 17 playoff games, he averaged 20 points, six rebounds and 2.5 stocks on 56/49/85 shooting. You probably remember, but I’m not even a little tired of repeating it. And honestly, he looks better on the mound than half the Mets starters, too.

5) Another way of numerically translating OG’s playoff heroics: his postseason player efficiency rating was 23.8. That would have ranked seventh in the regular-season, behind only Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Nostradumbass, Luka Dončić, Kawhi Leonard and Jalen Duren. They say under the new CBA Big Threes have gone the way of the polar bear — extinct*. Jalen Brunson was as ruthless a Finals MVP as any guard we’ve seen. Karl-Anthony Towns was a Long Island iced tea of novel dominance, 3-point shooting like Dirk, facilitating like Joker, driving like Giannis, rebounding like Moses Malone and defending like Patrick Ewing. On top of those two, OG played at an MVP-level on both sides of the ball for two months. If that’s not a Big Three, there never was such a thing.

*I know, not yet. But soon enough.

6) You already know OG is a great defensive player. Two-time All-NBA All-Defense, in 2023 and this past season. Not only is his defensive disruption remarkable, so is its longevity: Anunoby is one of only three players who were All-Defense both seasons, three years apart. Can you guess the other two? I’ll give the answer at the end.

7) There is a stat under “per 100 possessions” called “defensive rating.” Last year OG’s was 112, while KAT’s was 110. In the playoffs Anunoby’s fell, but Towns’ rating led all playoff performers, period. I don’t know what “defensive rating” measures, but it seems like some B.S.

8) Anunoby had more than 100 dunks and 100 3-pointers last season. How cool is that? If rarity is your kink, it’s pretty hot. There were only two other players in the entire Association to do both. Any guesses?

LeBron James did neither, though came surprisingly closer to reaching 100 dunks (97) than 3s (77). I thought Jaylen Brown was a shoo-in, but he doesn’t even have 100 dunks the past two seasons combined. SGA only dunked 20 times last year. Chet Holmgren (12 dunks away from 100/100) and Kel’el Ware (eight dunks) were the close-but-no-cigar runners-up. You’ve probably already guessed Wembanyama is one of the answers. The other? Well, it isn’t the clip I’d hoped to use, but Trey Murphy III has enough money to hire a social media team. Get your people on Bluesky, yo.

Anunoby was 100/100 in 2026 and 2025. How cool/rare/hot is that? As far as what I can find in Knicks history — which only records dunks as far back as 1996-97 — it’s unprecedented. Not only had no Knick ever done it two years in a row, none did before OG period.

Towns managed the feat twice in Minnesota, back when he was still a kitten; his Knick high for dunks in a season is 76. When you start going back over the years, you realize there aren’t a ton of candidates. Julius Randle made the longballs, but never dunked more than 62 times in a year here. RJ Barrett? 40. Carmelo Anthony ‘s Knick season-high was 34. Young Melo, in his early Denver days, was more spry than you may recall. Even had a couple years early with over 150 dunks, a mark I was stunned to learn LeBron never reached once. But these were still the early 2000s; Anthony wouldn’t break the century-mark for treys in a campaign until the magical 2013 season.

Kristaps Porziņģis’ Knickerbocker peak was 78 dunks his sophomore year. I scraped every player I could think of slamming and splashing. Donte DiVincenzo only dunked 20 times in 2024. JR Smith’s Knick-best was 26. Latrell Sprewell’s was 29. If they’d tracked dunks earlier in Patrick Ewing’s career he’d have had multiple seasons with more than 100; alas, the Big Fella only made 27 3s all-time, regular-season and playoffs combined. Though I’d be remiss not to point out Ewing seemingly swished each and every one.

What was this about again? Oh yeah. Merry born day, OG! Deservedly, you need never pay for a meal in this town again. On the other hand, if wealth disparity weighs at all on your soul, you could afford to spring for your fellow New Yorkers every now and then.

*The other players who were All-Defense in 2023 and 2026: Bam Adebayo and Derrick White.

 

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Golden State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Golden State Warriors have, rather openly, been involved in the LeBron James sweepstakes ever since the NBA’s all-time leading scorer opened the offseason by announcing that he would not return to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Dubs have made their pitches, while Steph Curry has spoken publicly about how much fun it would be to welcome James into the fold, and Draymond Green has spent time vacationing and golfing with the once rival.

But while James is undoubtedly one of the best players in NBA history — and the best, in the eyes of many — opinions about him remain mixed, particularly at this stage of his career. And with the Warriors already aging and injury prone, many people don’t feel like James is a great fit, despite his numbers last season (20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game).

So we’re asking you, Dub Nation: how would you feel about LeBron joining the Warriors as both sides go for one final run?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

With three straight wins in Las Vegas after consecutive wins to close the California Classic, the Lakers are have quickly become a fun watch during Summer League.

While results don’t matter as much in these competitions, what is important is that the key players on the roster impress. The Lakers have gotten that as well.

Cameron Carr has had some impressive performances, scoring 23 points in LA’s win over the Clippers and looking like a player who can make an immediate impact.

Adou Thiero is entering his second year and is playing like it in Summer League as he’s punishing the rim with monster dunks in virtually every game. Thiero has scored in double figures in every contest in Las Vegas and had his best game against the Thunder, tallying 20 points in the win.

Whether the Lakers win it all in Las Vegas or not, the fact that the two players on the main roster have played so well makes this Summer League a success.

For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we ask, which player are fans more excited about, Carr or Thiero?

Excited is an interesting word. It doesn’t necessarily mean who you think is better, but which player you are most looking forward to watching.

Thiero is certainly an exciting player. Anyone can watch him attack the rim and understand how special it is. Considering he appears to be more in control of his incredible athleticism, he could not only be the most exciting player on the Lakers but also earn an increased role on a team looking for his youth and athleticism.

If even part of Thiero’s Summer League game translates to the regular season, his second year will be better than his first.

As for Carr, he is less known, which makes him exciting. Right now, nearly all the film of him in a Lakers jersey is encouraging. His shot is so pure and he’s scoring with ease.

Cooking with Cam 👨‍🍳 pic.twitter.com/PstfRkPqdz

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 15, 2026

He’s a bit light but is planning to spend time in the weight room to bulk up. Also, he’s already proving to be a willing defender with at least one block in four of the five Summer League games he’s played in.

After these Summer League performances, Lakers fans likely believe Carr was the steal of the draft and will be even more excited for his official debut.

Who are you most excited about? Let us know by participating in the poll above and in the comments section below.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Mike Dunleavy Jr. may have offered the latest clue in the LeBron James free agency mystery — or simply confirmed the Warriors are already prepared to move on without him.

Speaking during Golden State’s summer league game, the Warriors general manager said the franchise is nearing the end of its offseason work.

“I think we’re getting close to finalizing the roster here,” Dunleavy said. “So we’re looking forward to that finish point.”

Naturally, one routine front-office update immediately became LeBron tea.

Golden State has pursued the 41-year-old since it became clearhe would leave the Lakers, with Steph Curry and Draymond Green taking unusually active roles in the recruitment. Curry has spoken directly with James, while Green reportedly pitched his longtime friend during their offseason time together.

That makes Dunleavy’s wording difficult to ignore. If the Warriors are waiting on James as their final major piece, “getting close” could suggest the organization believes his decision is imminent — and perhaps that Golden State remains firmly involved.

It could also mean the exact opposite.

Recent reporting from Shams Charania indicated that James’ focus has shifted toward the Cavaliers, Heat and 76ers. Dunleavy may simply know Golden State cannot hold the rest of its offseason hostage much longer.

Should James choose another destination, Golden State could pivot toward a veteran alternative or enter the season largely with what it has.

For a franchise supposedly nearing the finish line, there are several rather important blanks left to fill.

The Warriors know Stephen Curry’s championship window is closing, which is why pairing him with LeBron James carries so much appeal. James would not simply add another superstar; he would give Golden State the secondary playmaker it lacked last season.

With James handling more creation, Curry could spend additional possessions moving without the ball, where his shooting becomes even more dangerous. Few players manipulate defenses and locate shooters coming off screens better than James, and no shooter punishes those openings more ruthlessly than Curry.

A lineup featuring James, Curry and Draymond Green would also possess an extraordinary level of basketball intelligence. All three understand spacing, angles and defensive coverages, making them natural fits for Golden State’s pass-and-cut system. James could initiate the offense, attack mismatches and push the ball in transition without dominating every possession.

The arrangement would benefit him, too. Rather than carrying an offense for nearly 40 minutes a night, James could lean on Curry, Green and Al Horford, allowing Golden State to preserve him for the postseason.

Chemistry is not theoretical. James and Curry repeatedly closed games together while leading Team USA to gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Curry has since taken his recruiting pitch public, saying on Good Morning America that Golden State could allow James to finish his career “the right way.”

“The Bay, we know how to win, it’s beautiful weather, great golf, and I know he’s into that,” Curry said.

The concerns are even more obvious. Age and durability loom large with all the principal pieces having missed significant time last season.

Golden State can offer James smart teammates with existing chemistry, championship experience and a natural basketball fit. The gamble is whether its decorated veterans can remain healthy long enough to give Curry and James one final title run.

But Dunleavy’s comment does not reveal whether Golden State is preparing a LeBron jersey or closing the door.

It only confirms the waiting game is almost over — one way or another.

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Game Details

When: Wednesday, July 15, 4:00 p.m. ET
Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus, ESPNU
Follow: @LibertyBallers

The Spurs lost the NBA Finals in five games, and according to Sean Sweeney, the top reasons for that had nothing to do with the title-winning Knicks.

Sweeney, San Antonio’s former top assistant coach and now head coach of the Orlando Magic, offered his take on why his squad is just the runner-up.

“I think a few things,” he said on and episode “The Ryen Russillo Show” that dropped Monday. “One, I think there’s a little attrition having to go through the previous series. Two, bad luck. They told me if the games were like 46 minutes or whatever, we would’ve won 4-1.”

The first two reasons don’t give the Knicks much credit for forcing the Spurs into mistakes, as his first reason blames a grueling seven-game series against the Thunder and fails to acknowledge the Knicks’ incredible comebacks in four of those five games.

“Jalen [Brunson] obviously had a monster game in that last one. Coached him in Dallas. Happy for him – kind of. I think we just made more mistakes than we had made in the previous series,” Sweeney added. “You can maybe say something to that, but you don’t do what you did, and then all of a sudden become young.”

The Spurs led all five games of the NBA Finals by double digits, but wound up blowing them in four games — including a championship-clinching comeback from 15 points down by the Knicks in Game 5.

Sweeney added that the Spurs’ young players may have struggled to handle media responsibilities.

“The one thing I think that’s a little different in the finals than the other rounds is when you have to do media in the finals, you have to answer questions even when you’ve played poorly or struggled. And you don’t have to do that in previous rounds,” Sweeney said.

The Knicks were +40 in the second half of all five games and +26 in all fourth quarters combined as the Spurs appeared to wilt under pressure during the NBA Finals.

Coach Mitch Johnson’s group, of course, famously blew a 29-point lead in Game 4, which was essentially the end of the road as the Knicks finished the series in five games.