Category: NBA

Darryn Peterson has now played four games as a member of the Utah Jazz. Two in Salt Lake City in the SLC Summer League and two in Las Vegas. It is highly doubtful that he will suit up for the Jazz again this summer, as Sarah Todd of Deseret News reported that he will be held out of the game on Monday night against Caleb Wilson and the Chicago Bulls. He could play in the subsequent game against the San Antonio Spurs on July 15th, but if I were a betting man, I would assume he probably won’t. Four games will likely be all we get from Darryn Peterson in the 2026 Summer League, which raises the question: did we see enough from our second-overall pick to remain excited about his potential to become one of the best players in the NBA?

Alright, let’s face it: if you are ACTUALLY trying to draw hard conclusions from Summer League about whether or not a player will be successful in the NBA, you are better off just guessing. The level of competition simply is not very good, and the sample size and team context make it unreasonable to base everything on Summer League. We have seen players like Jalen Brunson be extremely mediocre in Summer League while a guy like Trey Lyles looks like the next league MVP. The player’s work ethic, health, and team developmental staff will largely determine the heights that they will achieve, and Summer League is merely a showcase for their talent.

That being said, I have been seeing an inordinate amount of discourse around Darryn Peterson’s summer league performances. From turnovers to efficiency to defense and everything in between. Some of that discourse might just be rage-baiters from our nation’s capital who finally have hope again for the first time since peak John Wall. But some is coming within the walls of the Jazz fanbase itself. Should we worry about his shooting efficiency? What about his playmaking? Is he gonna be the 4th best player in the class? What I did was compile some stats from the Summer League performances of players comparable to Darryn Peterson to see where his stats (yes I know it is summer league) compare to their stats (again, yes, I understand it is JUST summer league).

Player	PPG	FG%	3P%	FTA	AST	TO	Stocks
Darryn Peterson (4)	25	43%	38%	5.5	5.5	5	2.25
Damian Lillard (4)	26.5	44%	38%	7	5.3	3.8	0.5
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (4)	19	46%	25%	3	4	2	3.3
Donovan Mitchell (2)	28	36%	27%	8	1.5	4	6 (STL)
Devin Booker (2)	26	47%	60%	7.5	6.5	3.5	1 (BLK)
Cade Cunningham (3)	18.7	43%	50%	0.7	2.3	4	4
Tyrese Maxey (2)	26	50%	29%	5.5	4.5	2	3
Jamal Murray (5)	19.6	44%	17%	12	6	3	2

As you can see, Darryn’s stats over 4 games in Summer League are actually very comparable to those of other similar guards during their time in Summer League. Please DO NOT misunderstand the message I am trying to send with these stats. All of these guys listed above, besides Darryn, have been to All-Star Games, made All-NBA teams, won MVP awards, played in the NBA Finals, and won championships for their respective teams. Can you say confidently that Darryn Peterson will reach those same milestones with the Utah Jazz based purely on his 4-game Summer League sample size? No. But you also shouldn’t stop yourself from being excited about having a prospect that could do that.

Listen, Jazz fans, I get it. This is uncharted territory for us here in Utah. We aren’t used to having the guy that all the national media wants to talk about. We aren’t used to primetime, box-office matchups involving us. Frankly, we aren’t used to drafting prospects that don’t take a little searching and wishful thinking to find something we like about their game, especially early on in their careers. I am asking politely to just sit back and enjoy this era of Jazz basketball we are about to embark on. This is real life: the Utah Jazz have the number two overall pick in the 2026 draft. His name is Darryn Peterson, aka “Bucket Jones”, aka “The Boogieman”. He is real, and he is an absolute stud. Nothing he has done in Summer League should deter your excitement for the future of the Utah Jazz. While not an end-all, be-all by any means, his Summer League stats are actually pretty comparable to some of the best guards in recent memory. Through four games in Summer League, it appears that Darryn Peterson is just as good as advertised.

The Milwaukee Bucks drop to 0-2 in Summer League following a 90-80 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Brayden Burries and Cormac Ryan were the lone Bucks players to hit double figures, with the no. 10 pick scoring 26 points and Ryan putting up 15, as the team struggled offensively, shooting 15/39 from the field (38.5%). Nate Ament struggled once again, going just 3-for-7 from the field for seven points and three turnovers. RJ Davis led the Spurs with 20 points and three assists, while four other Spurs joined him in double figures.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap

Burries got the Bucks on the board early, pulling out a shot fake from three and finishing with an 11-foot mid-range jumper. Milwaukee had a hard time holding on to the ball after that, with second-year guard Kasparas Jakučionis committing three straight turnovers, but luckily, San Antonio couldn’t make them pay. The Spurs started to build a lead thanks to their three-point shooting from RJ Melendez and Ja’Kobi Gillespie, going up 13-6 with three minutes left in the quarter. Things went from bad to worse for the Bucks, who missed seven straight shots and committed three more turnovers, as the Spurs went up by 17 points before Jesse Edwards finally stopped the bleeding with back-to-back buckets in the paint. San Antonio would have the last laugh of the frame, though, as Emanuel Miller banked in a floater at the buzzer, giving them a 25-10 lead at the first break.

The Bucks continued to struggle to find the bottom of the basket, missing their first four shots before Burries got open on a back cut to the rim. The Spurs expanded their lead during the Bucks’ dry spell, going up by as many as 21. Burries was the only Milwaukee player to find any modicum of success on offense, drilling a catch-and-shoot three-pointer amid his teammates’ struggles. Cormac Ryan and Jakučionis made the first consecutive baskets, with Jakučionis hitting a euro-step layup and Ryan drilling a transition three. Ryan hit his second three-pointer of the game, cutting the Spurs’ lead to 17 points heading into halftime, 42-25.

After a quiet first half, Ament got a bucket right out of the break with a corner-three. Another recent Bucks draft pick, 2025 second-rounder Bogoljub Marković, got his first basket on a reverse layup on a feed from Pete Nance. Despite those early fireworks, both teams struggled to put the ball in the hoop. At the 5:51 mark, these out-of-conference foes had combined for just 10 points on 3/13 shooting. The Bucks finally got their first extended run of the game, going on a 10-0 dash thanks to six more points from Burries, cutting the Spurs’ lead in half before they called a timeout. Ryan helped Milwaukee briefly cut the deficit to single digits with a free throw, but RJ Davis scored on back-to-back possessions, putting San Antonio up by 12, 59-47, heading into the fourth.

After Jakučionis’ early baskets helped the Bucks get back within nine, the Spurs pushed their lead back out to double digits on Davis’ second three of the game. The turnover bug bit them once again, as Pete Nance turned it over (the 20th for the Bucks), as Davis scored a layup to push San Antonio’s lead to 15 with 4:02 on the clock. The Bucks did try to make it interesting in the waning moments, with Burries nailing a three with 47 seconds left to cut the deficit to six, but by then it was too little, too late.

Stat That Stood Out

I feel like the stats that sum up this game best are the Bucks’ 10-for-34 (29.4%) first-half shooting and 12 turnovers. While the Spurs did have 14 first-half turnovers, they shot 14/38 (36.8%) from the field.

The Los Angeles Lakers have moved forward with the Luka Doncic era, spending the summer reconstructing the roster around the point guard.

The Lakers’ options opened up after veteran LeBron James told the franchise he wasn’t going to return to the team and test free agency.

The Lakers knew acquiring a talented center to complement Doncic on the roster would’ve needed to be a priority this summer.

Doncic had reportedly requested an "A-List" center, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Deandre Ayton spent the past season as the primary player at the position and decided to pick up his player option for the upcoming season. After the Lakers made some of their offseason moves, Ayton was traded to the Washington Wizards.

The former No. 1 overall pick averaged 12.5 points and eight rebounds in 72 games for Los Angeles this past season.While most of the Lakers’ roster was reshuffled, the team did manage to re-sign Austin Reaves, who has continued to come into his own for Los Angeles after originally going undrafted.

Here’s how the Lakers did during free agency:

Austin Reaves, guard

There was always a level of certainty that both sides would try and make things work to stay together.

Reaves did deal with some injuries this past season that limited him to just 51 total games played (45 starts), but he did show when healthy that he can be a solid No. 2 option alongside Doncic in Los Angeles. 

He managed to get off to a fast start, scoring 51 points in his third game of the season (vs. Sacramento Kings) before following up with a 41-point game (vs. Portland Trail Blazers) the following night.

It will be up to Reaves and the Lakers to try and make sure he can improve on the defensive side of the ball as well, but he does have some physical limitations by NBA standards.

He signed a four-year deal worth $184.7 million.

Grade: A-

Walker Kessler, center

Walker Kessler signed a four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers, but it’s what else the Lakers needed to give up that prevents the move from having a higher grade.

In order to secure the big man, the team acquired the rights to Kessler from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030. Kessler will sign a massive four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers.

Grade: B-

Collin Sexton, guard

Sexton provides depth at guard and a potential scoring threat off the bench.

It's likely that he will have the opportunity to make multiple starts for the team during the upcoming season, considering Doncic and Reaves both missed time throughout parts of last season.

He signed a two-year deal worth $19.2 million.

Grade: B

Quentin Grimes, guard

Grimes agreed to a four-year deal worth $60 million. That will place high expectations on the guard, which some pundits already think the Lakers overpaid for.

Grimes started 19 of the 75 games he played in last season, averaging 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 29.4 minutes per game.

Grade: C

Sandro Mamukelashvili, forward

Mamukelashvili has the ability to play both forward and center in the NBA. He started 13 of the 80 games he played in, averaging 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 21.9 minutes per game for the Toronto Raptors last season. He finished 10th in the Sixth Man of the Year award voting.

Mamukelashvili is being viewed by some pundits as Rui Hachimura’s replacement. While there might be some size and statistical comparisons, Hachimura started 41 games for the Lakers last season.

Mamukelashvili agreed to a four-year, $52 million deal.

Grade: B

Kevon Looney, forward/center

Looney agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million minimum contract with the Lakers after spending the past year in New Orleans.

Looney adds depth to the bench as a player who can serve as a forward or a center. He averaged 2.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game last season.

He will add championship experience to the roster, having spent the first decade of his career with the Golden State Warriors. He played in all 82 games in back-to-back seasons from 2021-2023.

Grade: C+

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Did Lakers lose or win free agency? Grading massive roster overhaul.

If you didn’t see, the Utah Jazz had planned to have Keyonte George coach their summer league team in their first game in Las Vegas.

Jazz front office and Keyonte's agent finalized an agreement for him to be an assistant coach for a single summer league game (July 9 vs. Wizards). The agreement came together after Keyonte drew up a game-changing play in practice. https://t.co/3Kns0e5vDn

— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) July 3, 2026

It was a really fun idea and seemed like a great way to get more involvement with Keyonte George with the Jazz’s new young rookie, Darryn Peterson.

Well, the NBA just can’t leave the jazz alone and five days later they put the kabosh on this, even though the Jazz did what they could to make it fit within the rules.

There was a ton of excitement about this from Keyonte George and the Jazz coaching staff, but the NBA reviewed the situation and informed the team that George will not be able to coach at Summer League https://t.co/Ufza1CUXyf

— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) July 9, 2026

It’s important to set a precedent, right? Well, the NBA ended up going back on that, apparently. It looks like

Guest coach Derrick White working with Hugo Gonzalez during a timeout.

(via @noadalzell)pic.twitter.com/HFhSgxytSI

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) July 12, 2026

NEW STORY: Derrick White is officially undefeated as a coach, and Amile Jefferson is grateful he took the time to share some wisdom with the Summer League Celtics.

"That breeds Celtics culture. That’s what it’s about.”https://t.co/qAUqiTLXno

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) July 13, 2026

Obviously this isn’t a huge thing, but why would they allow the Celtics to do something and not the Jazz? It’s the principle of it that’s really irritating and definitely brings up memories of the jazz gettin a fine for something that so many other teams were doing. If you wanted evidence of why Jazz fans start wearing tin foil hats and wonder what conspiricies are out there against them. Like I said, it’s a small thing but it would be really nice if Adam Silver had any sort of consistency with anything, other than consistently deciding to rule against the Jazz.

The Washington Wizards blew right past the Sacramento Kings on Sunday to stay undefeated in NBA Summer League play. The Wiz kids won 104-85 in front of a substantial crowd packed inside the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

AJ Dybantsa started the game off with a made triple after missing all 5 of his three-point attempts during Washington’s Summer League opener. He seemed to be hunting for outside looks early, in what briefly felt like a prove-it move to silence his critics. He finished the game 1-for-6 from distance.

Anyone bothered by AJ forcing his jump shot need only watch him block Acuff’s three on one end, then race down the court on the other end for a layup to feel better.

AJ Dybantsa showcases his skills on both ends 👏

Block.
Bucket.

The 1st overall pick has 7 PTS in Q1 of @NBASummerLeague action! pic.twitter.com/W7IMfw4Prj

— NBA (@NBA) July 13, 2026

The Wizards were not as sharp when the starters came off the floor. The bench unit only scored 4 points in the final 3:51 of the first quarter to fall behind 24-18.

Dybantsa started the 2nd quarter and set the tone on defense. He was hounding ball-handlers and forcing deflections, which helped keep the Kings scoreless for nearly three minutes.

AJ’s offensive gravity helped open up the offense, sparking a 12-0 run to begin the period. He made a few good passes that did not result in assists on the box score. Will Riley got hot in the second as Washington raced out to a 54-41 lead at halftime.

Dybantsa also had a fantastic finish at the rim, once again contorting his 6’9” frame to guide in a layup. He got to the line 4 times and made every free throw, giving him 17 before the break.

AJ Dybantsa hesitates, drives, and scores 😤

The 1st overall pick has 17 PTS at the break as the Wizards lead in NBA Summer League action on Prime! pic.twitter.com/LWID7222t3

— NBA (@NBA) July 13, 2026

The second half belonged to Riley. The second-year swingman went supernova on Sacramento, scoring 25 of his 32 points after the break.

Riley got red-hot from three-point range. He finished the game 6-for-8 from deep, including a couple of And-1s that made it seem like he had a magnet guiding the ball through the rim.

WILL RILEY HIGHLIGHTS VS KINGS:

32 POINTS – 6 THREES – 6 BOARDS – 9/14

THE WIZARDS FOUND AN ALL-STAR 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uMf4XmBixn

— WizardsMuse (@WizardsMuse1) July 13, 2026

Riley led all scorers with his 32 points on 9-for-14 shooting. Dybantsa, despite short-arming his jumper for most of the night, still stuffed the stat sheet with 23 points, seven rebounds, two assists, three steals, and two blocks.

Washington will be back in action again on Tuesday in a duel against the Chicago Bulls and No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson.

Former Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel is expected to join Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors this season.

Vogel will serve as an associate head coach on Kerr's staff, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, and will fill the vacancy left by Terry Stotts.

Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse were two of Kerr's top assistants this past season before departing. Another longtime assistant, Chris DeMarco, had also left Kerr's staff in January to become the New York Liberty's head coach.

Vogel is expected to serve as the Warriors’ primary defensive game-planner as part of his new role. DeMarco and Stackhouse were in charge of those responsibilities in recent years.

Vogel was most recently with the Dallas Mavericks as an assistant under Jason Kidd. He was head coach of the Lakers from 2019 to 2022, leading the franchise to its 17th NBA title in 2020 after beating the Miami Heat in six games while in the NBA bubble due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He had also led the Indiana Pacers, as head coach, to two Eastern Conference Finals in 2013 and 2014.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Frank Vogel expected to join Golden State Warriors' coaching staff

LAS VEGAS — Derrick White walked into the Cox Pavilion in the same pink polo shirt that the Celtics coaching staff donned.

Two nights earlier, he had sat courtside on the Celtics sidelines for the Summer League opener, chatting with teammates Jayson Tatum, Neemias Queta, and Jordan Walsh.

But, that was Friday, and his afternoon spent hanging out on the sidelines seemed like a distant memory.

On Sunday, he was not a spectator: he showed up to Summer League to help coach the squad.

And, head coach Amile Jefferson was thrilled to welcome him.

“He’s such a good guy, man,” Jefferson said. “Me and him have gotten really close. Love that dude. Obviously, he’s incredible off the court, and you know, more incredible on the court. And me and him have a great relationship. We talked about it. He was like, ‘I’m going to come coach a game.’ I was like, ‘Come on, let’s do it.’”

Several people in the Celtics organization have maintained that White is poised to eventually become a great coach. In the Celtics’ 87-75 win over the Hornets, White took a backseat role, but still made his impact felt.

At multiple points in the first half, he pulled Hugo Gonzalez and pointed out some things to him on the floor.

Derrick White is coaching up Hugo Gonzalez at the timeout break pic.twitter.com/SHHneaqJeS

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) July 12, 2026

In the second half, he pleaded his case with the officiating staff regarding a no-call against the Charlotte Hornets.

Jordan Walsh, who was sitting courtside, didn’t know White was planning on coaching the Summer League game, but that once he saw him with the coaches, it made all the sense in the world.

“He fits the profile perfectly,” Walsh said. “I was looking around for him, and I saw him on the jumbotron, and I was like, ‘What?’ or on the screen. I was like, “Huh? Yeah, he blends in perfectly.”

Rookie Dillon Mitchell, who had a career-best showing with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 steals, said that throughout the game, White was in his ear with a simple message: “You’re not allowed to get tired.”

And, after the game, Jefferson affirmed he could see him becoming a coach.

“He’s a natural,” he said. “If he wanted to be, he’d be a head coach. I truly believe that. If he ever wants to do it, he’d be amazing. He just has great feel for people. Obviously, we all know how cerebral he is and his basketball mind, and so he’s a natural. He’d be amazing at it.”

On his way out, White held up his hands in the shape of a “W” to celebrate the win, and followed that up by signalling 1-0 to celebrate his undefeated coaching record. He shook Jefferson’s hand to thank him for giving him the opportunity.

Jefferson isn’t sure if White will be back for the Celtics’ upcoming games, but it sounds like he’d be welcome.

“We’ll see,” he said. “And if it is [his last game], he’ll probably go down as the only coach in history to be undefeated. So that’ll be a cool stat to add to his resume.”

More than anything, the Summer League head coach was grateful White took the time.

“Really good for our guys to see him doing that — to be around them, to share his knowledge with them, and then to just motivate them,” Jefferson said. “That breeds Celtics culture. That’s what it’s about.”

The Golden State Warriors are shoring up their bench for the upcoming season, agreeing to hire longtime NBA coach Frank Vogel as their new associate head coach under Steve Kerr. The high-profile addition fills a critical void on the coaching staff left by the recent departures of lead assistants Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse.

Longtime NBA coach Frank Vogel has agreed to become the associate head coach for the Golden State Warriors under head coach Steve Kerr, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 12, 2026

Vogel brings 12 seasons of head coaching experience and a proven championship pedigree to the Bay Area. Best known for his elite defensive schemes, he famously guided the Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA title in 2020. He most recently served as an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks following a head-coaching stint with the Phoenix Suns.

For Kerr, adding a veteran tactician of Vogel’s caliber provides a trusted sounding board and a defensive specialist to help anchor Golden State’s schemes. The move also signals the front office’s commitment to maximizing the current roster’s competitive window. By pairing Kerr’s offensive fluidity with Vogel’s structured defensive identity, the Warriors aim to re-establish themselves as legitimate title contenders in an increasingly fierce and competitive Western Conference.

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites.

The Spurs are no longer winless for the Summer, having blown out the Summer Knicks 70-49 yesterday afternoon. Not too many people watched that game, played at at the same time as one of the World Cup semifinals, but it was a nice defensive performance from the Summer Spurs, as Carter Bryant dominated the game on both ends and only Taylor Nickel did much for the Knicks, who only had one assist for the game, which means that I can’t call him Nickel and Dimes just yet.

Tonight, they face the Bucks, who could be seriously considering some of the Summer League players for roster spots after trading away their best player in the offseason. They’ve only played one game so far in Las Vegas, an 86-119 blowout loss to the Miami Heat. This looks like another winnable game for the struggling Summer Silver and Black, and they could gain some confidence with a win over Brayden Burries, Pete Nance and a bunch of guys you’ve never heard of. Hey, if you watch Summer League, you’re a hard core fan. As usual, the scores don’t mean much, but you’d like to see the Summer Spurs have some good performances, like they did against the Knicks. Hopefully, Carter Bryant will have another dominant performance before he gets sent home. The Spurs will play the Jazz on Wednesday night at 8:30 PM, and one more game this weekend. Let’s all watch some summer ball, and see what the young guys can do.

Game Prediction:

The game is interrupted at the first quarter break when Corliss Williamson runs into the stands and punches Jacob Tobey. For some reason, Bam Adebayo shows up and joins in unexpectedly.

San Antonio Spurs vs Milwaukee Bucks (Las Vegas Summer League)
July 12, 2026 | 8:00 PM CT
Streaming: ESPN
TV: ESPN
Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

Here we thought that the departure of LeBron James meant the Lakers’ offseason wouldn’t be put on hold.

With the full-court press on for Jonathan Kuminga, LA is left waiting on his decision before making any final roster moves. The problem is that Kuminga, notably, is not someone who makes quick decisions in free agency.

Last season, Kuminga and the Warriors had a lengthy stand-off, though largely a result of restricted free agency, that eventually came to an unsatisfying conclusion. This summer, Kuminga and his agent are still searching for that money.

After having his option for $24 million turned down by the Hawks, Kuminga and his agent seem unsatisfied with the offers on the table. Clearly, the Lakers’ contract hasn’t moved him enough to sign and with multiple other teams waiting for LeBron James’ decision, it appears Kuminga’s own free agency will be put on hold.

Over the weekend, Jake Fischer and Marc Stein hosted a live show at Summer League with the former providing the latest update on Kuminga.

“His dynamic is a bit on pause, on hold, while LeBron’s future is determined. But it’s also a thing where he probably could have signed with the Lakers if he was more amenable to what Los Angeles was envisioning. I think Kuminga and his representation are kind of navigating what their market looks like and what they want at this point in time.”

The Lakers aren’t really in a position where they need to move quickly anymore. At this point, the team will have to do a sign-and-trade for Kuminga or any other player they acquire, so there isn’t necessarily a rush.

The Cavs have been heavily linked to Kuminga throughout free agency as well, so there is some rationale as to why he would wait.

The question that could start arising is whether Kuminga is worth all this. There probably should be, but considering President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka once chased after Christian Wood into early September, there almost certainly won’t be.

Kuminga might be the most convenient option because he’s a free agent, but there are other players around the league the team could trade for. Perhaps the Lakers feel no one will be in a rush to acquire them and have some time. Whatever the decision from the Lakers or Kuminga may be, though, don’t expect it to happen in the near future.

Thanks, LeBron.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

Keon Ellis, the newest member in the Nets guard corps, is different the others. He’s not 20 or 21 years old, not here to run the offense so much as to run the defense. And he can shoot. At 26, he’s near the top of the list of 3-and-D operators. If you don’t know, take a look at what he did two years ago; he was the only player in the NBA to rank in the top 10 in both steals (1.5) and 3-point percentage (43.3%). If those two numbers are not what defines a 3-and-D, what does?

There were comments from some in the fan base about the two-year, $18 million contract. They argued that the Nets don’t need yet another guard, defensive qualifications or not and if Sean Marks & co. wanted to improve the team’s defense, why not find a replacement for or an enhancement of Nic Claxton, now of the Chicago Bulls.

But Ellis has that resume’ all head coaches want, consistent, reliable D. Brian Lewis listed them:

Per 100 possessions last season — split between the Kings and Cavaliers — Ellis ranked in the 93rd percentile in steals (2.7), in the 95th percentile in blocks (1.5) and the 96th percentile in both turnovers forced (1.6) and deflections (6.4). His stop percentile of 4.4 ranked in the 98th percentile.

And according to Ellis comments to the media Saturday, one head coach in particular liked his resume’.

“From what I heard, he was pulling for me really hard,” said Ellis of Jordi Fernandez. “And I know the way he coaches. He’s very passionate. He’s about the right things. He wants to win. So, the familiarity right there was definitely good.”

There is a connection. Ellis played two seasons in Sacramento when Fernández was associate head coach there and defensive guru. The native of Florida said the Nets head coach who’s about to enter his third year on the Brooklyn bench has a good reputation around the league.

”That familiarity was definitely good. Dennis [Schroder] was saying he loved Jordi as a coach, too,“ said Ellis of the Nets lead guard two years ago and was a teammate of Ellis last year for the Kings. ”So for other guys to be saying the same things, you just know he’s about the right things.”

He also hinted the Nets offer was the most generous. Ellis just finished a three-year, $5.1 million contract that he signed with the Kings. In essence, he’s quadrupling his previous annual paycheck.

“With how much they were offering, that just speaks to how much the team wants you as well. So, that. And then obviously, you’ve got some guys on the staff that you’ve been with before, so you know the ropes a little,” Ellis told reporters. “And then the opportunity here as well. When you combine all those things, they just lined up.”

It all suggests that even with so many guards, Ellis will get minutes. None of his backcourt colleagues is a point-of-attack defender. The young guys may ultimately become that (and maybe with mentoring from Ellis), but expect him to lead the Nets defense when he’s on the court.

He also explained that his slight dropoff in numbers last season, particularly after he was sent from Sacramento to Cleveland, should not be seen as who he is. He compared what he was looking forward to seeing to in Brooklyn with his tenure with the Cavaliers.

“Just the consistency and an established role,” said Ellis. He said that wasn’t necessarily case with the Cavs. “A lot of things were up and down and moving parts, and you just never really knew what was going on.”

• Nets looking for Keon Ellis to bring strong 3-and-D profile – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets’ Keon Ellis explains why he signed with Brooklyn in free-agency – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

LAS VEGAS — It’ll be another three months before Sandro Mamukelashvili takes his first real shot for the Los Angeles Lakers — his main quest after signing with the franchise shortly after free agency started last week.

But on Saturday night, while the Lakers’ Summer League team was taking on the Dallas Mavericks at the Thomas & Mack Center, Mamukelashvili took other kinds of shots for his new team. 

Mamukelashvili became the latest NBA player to trade in his jersey for a photographer’s camera, shooting the first half of Saturday’s game from the first row of the courtside media section inside of the arena. 

“I love doing extra stuff,” Mamukelashvili told The California Post. “They call me Side Quest King. So I definitely love it. I’m enjoying it. I’m learning a lot.”

Harboring an interest in photography, Mamukelashvili (“Sometimes I try to take artsy pictures that don’t make [any] sense,” he said. “But I’ve got to explain to people why they’re good.”) quickly found out the challenges of the craft.

He exclaimed “Ahh, I missed it!” after Arthur Kaluma’s pump-and-drive layup four-and-a-half minutes into the game. 

He talked about how much he liked to zoom in, but realized he had to find the balance of how far to zoom in and how much space to give his subject. 

By the second quarter, he started stretching out his wrists as the weight of the camera started to set in.

“Oh my god, it’s crazy how hard is it to hold the camera steady at the same time, make sure you zoom in correctly, zoom out,” Mamukelashvili told The Post. “Definitely need some strength on your wrist, it’s tough.”

During a Lakers fastbreak in the first quarter, he said out loud to himself: “Run run run … give me action.” Later, he added, “I’m ready … I’m ready.”

Mamukelashvili got so into the side quest that he found himself cheering for a Mavericks player to dunk. And when jokingly asked by The Post who he was cheering for, he quipped, “I need a statement!” 

“The challenging part is, I would say, making sure you are catching the right moment,” Mamukelashvili said.

At one point in the first quarter, Mamukelashvili gave his photography skills a grade of B+.  

“Still got a little bit of action to go,” he said. “So, let’s see what I can cook up here.”

And then, Mamukelashvili met the moment, capturing William Kyle III’s two-handed dunk late in the opening quarter, which bumped Mamukelashvili’s self-assessed grade up to an A-.

By the time the second quarter rolled around, Mamukelashvili found his flow.

“I’m creating art right now, man,” he said as a Laker social media employee gave him Meta Glasses to capture more content. 

What was his best shot of the game?

“It’s too many of them,” he responded. 

Soon, Mamukelashvili will find himself back in a familiar position on the other side of the camera.

But it’ll be in the Lakers’ Purple and Gold after playing for the Toronto Raptors (2025-26), San Antonio Spurs (2023-25) and Milwaukee Bucks (2021-23) since being the No. 54 pick in the 2021 draft. 

“Just the name itself — all of the legends play for the Lakers,” Mamukelashvili told The Post of why he signed with the famed team. “The organization is a very high-level organization. They’re starting a new page, and it’s just unbelievable to be part of it.” 

Mamukelashvili, who got a “Mamba Mentality” tattoo while he was in college at Seton Hall, grew up a fan of late Lakers icon Kobe Bryant. 

“I could only imagine this really in 2K, that I would be playing for this team,” Mamukelashvili said. “I’m so excited, so happy. The coaching staff is amazing, and I can’t wait to just put the jersey on, go out there and just play my heart out every night. You gotta have a chip on your shoulder when you play for the Lakers.”

Mamukelashvili is a significant part of the Lakers’ roster reconstruction around superstar guard Luka Dončić.

The Lakers’ moves have included re-signing Austin Reaves (four years, $185 million), sign-and-trading for Walker Kessler (four years, $130 million), signing Quentin Grimes (four years, $60 million), Collin Sexton (two years, $19.2 million) and Kevon Looney (one year, $3.9 million) and acquiring Jaden Hardy from the Wizards in a trade that sent Deandre Ayton to Washington. 

Mamukelashvili (four years, $52 million), along with Reaves, Kessler and Grimes, were among the players who signed long-term deals with a player option for the 2029-30 season. 

This deal signified the belief president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick have in Mamukelashvili and in the team’s long-term vision.

The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Mamukelashvili is coming off of a career-year with the Raptors, receiving three third-place votes for Sixth Man of the Year. His scoring average (11.2 points), field goal percentage (52.3%), rebounds average (4.9), assists average (1.9), steals average (.8) and blocks average (.5) with Toronto in 2025-26 were all career-best marks. 

“They just see me as a basketball player who can go out there, play multiple positions, bring the rhythm,” Mamukelashvili told The Post. “They know I’m gonna play hard; I won’t take possessions off and they understand that I really want to win. That’s where I fit. 

“Having players like Luka, Austin Reaves — all those guys who are such amazing creators — that’s gonna help me so much offensively, just flow in it and hopefully get a lot of open corner 3s and then just knock them down.”

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The Boston Celtics returned to the court in game 2 of Las Vegas summer league to take on the Charlotte Hornets. The Summer C’s played a great game with plenty of good performances spearheaded by 2nd round rookie Dillon Mitchell who led the team with 24 points, 6 steals and 8 rebounds. They now move to 2-0 in Las Vegas with a 87-75 victory.

Charlotte came into the game with a win and a loss and a stacked squad with 3 picks from last year’s draft: Liam McNeely, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Sion James; their 2024 6th overall pick, Tidjane Salaun; and Christain Anderson. Boston started the same five as game one: Hugo Gonzalez, Amari Williams, Dillon Mitchell, John Tonje, and Curtis Jones. The Hornets came out of the gates strong with a quick 2-9 lead as they looked extremely poised early. 

My goodness look at this sequence from Cenac pic.twitter.com/5ML2lcZmsF

— Pull up shoot (@NElGHT_) July 12, 2026

Chris Cenac Jr. and Milos Uzan were first off the bench for Boston, and Cenac Jr. jumped straight into the fray, matching Ryan Kalkbrenner at the summit and blocking his dunk attempt. Hugo Gonzalez made up for his poor shooting in game one and connected from the corner with a three-pointer off a neat Cenac Jr. skip pass. Milos Uzan nailed a triple on his first shot attempt of the game, putting Boston back in it with scores tied at eight.

Hugo Gonzalez drove and dished to Dillon Mitchell for the easy layup as Derrick White looked on from the coaching bench wearing the pink Boston Summer League polo shirt. Rookie Dillon Mitchell followed that up with a steal and uncontested fast break dunk that rattled the Vegas rim, scores tied at 12. Charlotte went on a 7-0 run at the end of the first quarter before Tucker DeVries’s first triple of the game broke the C’s scoring drought, Hornets up 17-21 after one.

Milos Uzan hit a step-back three-pointer to start the second quarter, the Las Vegas native and former Houston Cougar impressing in his first few Summer League games. John Tonje continued to fill up the summer scoreboards, hitting a quick catch-and-shoot triple and then converting a layup. Boston was down by 1 point, 25-26.

Dillon Mitchell converted his second three-pointer attempt after airballing an earlier attempt. Amari Wilaims swished home a hook shot from the low block, the game remaining tight with the Hornets still up by one point, 30-31. Boston went scoreless for 3 minutes, missing 5 straight three-point attempts; Chris Cenac Jr. drove past Hannes Steinbach at the top of the key and threw down a one-handed jam for his first bucket to make it 32-38.

Milos Uzan drove and dished to John Tonje, who swished home his eighth point of the game. Tonje was feeling it hitting on another three-pointer with the shot clock expiring. Boston got back into the game behind the great play of Tonje, the 2025-26 second-round pick proving his worth with Brad Stevens in attendance. Boston is up by 2 points at the half in a far more polished team performance, 42-40.

Milos Uzan hit a layup to open the second half scoring for Boston. John Tonje stole the ball at mid court to take the ball to the rack with a dunk. It was all one way traffic for Boston as the Summer C’s went on a 14-2 run. Amari Williams was not having a great game for the Celtics, he had 4 turnovers in just 15 minute of action to start the game.

Dillon Mitchell was impressive on the defensive end for Boston, he was touted highly before the draft, but his long arms and positioning were a standout. Mitchell was doing it on both ends, as he was the team’s leading scorer through three quarters with 16 points as Boston opened up a ten point lead, 59-49.

Charlotte managed just nine points in 6 minutes of play in the third. They picked up their play late as Boston held on 63-56 after three quarters. Hugo Gonzalez laced home a rainbow triple to start the fourth quarter. Dillon Mitchell tried to dunk it over Kalkbrenner, but was fouled on the play. The broadcast crew noting Mitchell’s 38-inch vertical on the telecast.

Mitchell chased down a long rebound skipping it to DeVries in the corner who drained the triple, Boston up by 11 points, 71-59. Uzan hit his second three of the game with a crafty behind the back move and a step back jumper. The Summer Celtics in control, and on track to win a second straight game. Mitchell and Gonzalez made a ton of defensive plays on the night, the pair combining for 9 steals.

Boston hold on to win the game 87-75 and register two wins from 2 games. The Summer C’s back in action tomorrow against the Atlanta Hawks at 6pm.

The Washington Wizards play the Sacramento Kings in NBA Summer League action tonight at about 8 p.m. ET. Watch it on Monumental Sports Network or Prime Video.

After beating the Utah Jazz in their first showing, I’d like to see the Wizards make a run at the Summer League playoffs and possibly a championship game. Wouldn’t that be a nice way to kick off the AJ Dybantsa Era?

Charlotte Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson said the franchise’s decision to trade LaMelo Ball was made with a long-term mentality.

The goal, short-sighted and shocking as it may appear to some in Charlotte, is to compete for titles, Peterson said.

“These decisions are challenging at times, but when you look at the totality of the season and everything of where we were, it’s important to take an honest look in the mirror of where you guys are as a team,” Peterson told reporters at the Las Vegas summer league on Saturday.

The comments come three months removed from a 44-38 season and a play-In appearance in the Hornets’ best season in a decade.

“And it just felt like the goal is never to compete for a play-in spot. The goal isn’t to get to the play-in or even the playoffs for one year,” Peterson said. “I’ve said it plenty of times since I’ve been here in Charlotte: The goal is to get to the playoffs and stay there for a long time. And eventually contend to compete for championships. Getting Naz Reid when you can get a player of his caliber. And of course, the draft capital and the flexibility just felt like it was something that was able to achieve multiple goals in one transaction.”

Peterson was hired as president of basketball operations for the Hornets in March 2024 after a five-year stint as the assistant GM of the Nets, which followed a six-year front office run with the Hawks, where he held roles as assistant GM and director of scouting, among others.

Peterson executed two sizeable deals for Charlotte this season, which notably had the No. 1 net rating in the NBA for about the last four months of the regular season and ended their 2025-26 run with a 28-10 record.

The blockbuster deal sent Ball and Josh Green to the Timberwolves in exchange for Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three future first-round pick swaps and three second-round selections.

It ended Ball’s six-year run in Charlotte after he was selected No. 3 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft and developed into the franchise’s centerpiece.

Peterson acknowledged the move was not easy.

“It’s my job to not just look at half of last season or two-thirds of last season,” Peterson said when asked what he saw in the second-half surge that led him to consider trading Ball. “I’ve been here for a little bit over two years now. So, looking at the totality of the picture and also looking at trends along the league. Just making an objective decision in terms of just the timing and being honest with myself of where we really are as it compares to the rest of the league.”

Ball, who turns 25 in August, has yet to play a playoff game in his career, but was acquired by the contending T-Wolves in an effort to shake up their roster around Anthony Edwards.

“I’ll say it every day: LaMelo was tremendous in our run last year,” Peterson acknowledged. “He was extremely impactful and I know he’s going to do great in Minnesota. But for the Charlotte Hornets, just felt like it was the right time to execute a trade of that magnitude. We’re in a great position because of the talent, the depth of our roster and our flexibility.”

Even though Ball never made the postseason with Charlotte, and didn’t play well overall in their three play-In appearances during his six seasons, he rose to become one of the most popular stars in the NBA with younger fans, even despite a career marred by injuries.

Ball’s 72 games played last season — where he averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game, while earning some consideration for All-Star and All-NBA — were the second most in his career, and only his second time playing over 51 games.

Leading up to the 2025-26 campaign, Ball had played 105 out of a possible 246 games across three seasons.

“I do empathize with the fans and I understand just where they’re coming from,” Peterson said when asked for a message to Hornets fans. “If I’m honest, I love LaMelo. He’s a tremendous human being. Of course, he’s an enormous talent. He and I have a great relationship.

“But I would hope that they understand that I have the best interest of the Hornets organization. I truly do. And it’s not about one year or two years. It’s about sustained success and just being objective of where we truly are in our life cycle. I have no doubt that this team we roll out next year and the years to come is going to continue to compete and eventually we’ll get there.”

The Hornets have since doubled down on that direction by also trading Miles Bridges to Phoenix for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and a future first, signaling the organization is officially moving on from the Ball-Bridges era that defined much of the past six seasons.

Charlotte now appears committed to building around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, while adding Naz Reid, re-signing Coby White for three years and $74 million, and adding a growing collection of future draft assets.

Charlotte has the second-most first-round picks in the NBA moving forward.