Category: NBA

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.

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.

Making the NBA Finals sure makes the time fly. The Spurs’ 2025-26 season only ended a month ago, and we’ve already gotten through the NBA Draft, the vast majority of free agency (thank goodness they aren’t caught up in the LeBron James Decision 4.0 or Kawhi Leonard trade debacle) and most of Summer League. With that in mind, it’s time to start looking ahead to the next season. Even though they are pretty much returning the same roster, plus the additions of Tobias Harris, Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed, there are still some questions to ponder as we enter the inevitable doldrums of the offseason.

How will the Spurs manage their guard trio this time?

This was a question going into last season after the Spurs had experienced a shocking rise in the draft lottery to 2nd overall with the chance to take Dylan Harper. They already had reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, and they had traded for De’Aaron Fox a few months prior and promised him an extension. This left some wondering if they should go for need over talent and draft someone like Kon Knueppel instead (*cough* Kevin O’Connor), but the Spurs stuck with their instincts and were rewarded with a guard rotation that almost never saw a drop in productivity when someone was injured or sat while playing a huge role in leading them the Finals.

The question now is, will the same approach work again next season? There have been unsubstantiated rumors that Harper may not be willing to accept a bench role for a second season, and whether that’s true or not, are the Spurs even considering it, or is possible they start their three-headed monster? Such a decision would likely move Devin Vassell to the bench, both for reasons we’ll get to below and because they’ll need more size in the line-up if Fox, Castle and Harper all start. Vassell would likely accept that role not only because he is unselfish, but he’d probably sub in relatively quickly since, if the trio were to start, they technically don’t have a back-up point guard, so there would be some staggering of guard the rotation.

Whatever approach they go with next season, questions will remain how long they can keep it up. They won’t be able to pay all three when all is said and done, so is Fox on borrowed time with the franchise, with Castle due an extension in 2028 and Harper in 2029 — a year before Fox’s contract ends? That part is not a question the Spurs have to answer this season or even the next, but it will keep hovering in the background for the foreseeable future.

How does the addition of Tobias Harris affect the rotation?

While everyone understood that power forward was an area the Spurs could improve this offseason, most viable options were considered out of their price range, so it was a pleasant surprise when two-way veteran Harris agreed to sign for essentially the midlevel exception. Not only that, but Harrison Barnes agreed to re-sign on a low deal despite knowing he would likely play a minimal role for the first time in his career, and Julian Champagnie re-upped on a new, team-friendly deal. Now that they’ve gone from a bit thin to stacked at the position, how does it affect the rotation?

Regardless of how or if spots 1-3 change, PF may be an open battle in training camp between Harris and Champagnie, with both featuring different strengths and weaknesses. While the Champagnie is a more reliable three-point shooter — which may be needed with the starters, especially if Vassell is moved to the bench and/or at least one of the guards don’t become more consistent — there isn’t much else to his offensive game, and his decision-making on defense can be sporadic. On the other hand, Harris has a more well-rounded game on both ends, including a midrange game that the Spurs were lacking, but is that what the starters need?

Another aspect to consider is who would fit better with a bench rotation that will include Keldon Johnson, Carter Bryant and Luke Kornet, plus a point guard or Vassell. That is a deep group but lacks outside shooting, which again begs the question if Champagnie’s shooting would be more helpful off the bench. Logic seems to point to Harris starting and Julian coming off the bench, but when it really comes down to it, both would probably be fine in either role. And if one of them gets hurt, you can’t ask for a much better fill-in plan that Barnes. As is the case with the guards, depth is a good problem to have.

What can Victor Webmanyama do next?

It’s hard to believe that Wemby is pretty much a consensus top three player at this point but still has so much room to improve. He posted career highs in points (25), rebounds (11.5) and field goal percentage (51.2%) while making the All-Star team, winning Defensive Player of the Year, coming in third in MVP voting, making the All-NBA and All-Defense First Teams and leading the league in blocks. And yet, there are plenty holes in his game to fill.

For starters, as good as he already is on offense, he could be a better three-tier scorer. He shot a league average 35% from three on a 5.5 attempts, which was back to his rookie rate after attempting almost 9 per game in his second season. While “average” is pretty good for a big man, he was wildly inconsistent at times and was sometimes a bit stubborn about moving down low when they weren’t falling. He also lacks a midrange game, which can get him in trouble when he tries to drive but gets stuck. Developing a signature move in that area could go a long way in providing an outlet when the defense swarms. It would also help him with protecting the ball better, as his attempts to drive from the perimeter resulted in turnovers too often.

Finally, perhaps his biggest focus this offeseason should be strength and stamina. While he was robbed of some chances to work on that last summer thanks to deep vein thrombosis, that is not the case this summer (although rest needs to be a priority as well). He managed some impressive big-minutes games during the playoffs, but he was drained in the fourth quarters by the Finals, which played a role in their four blown leads.

The sky is the limit for Wemby, and if he can improve his offensive game, stay healthy and play more minutes, he could be lifting the MVP trophy by the end of next season — although the ultimate goal will be the Larry O’Brien trophy.

LeBron James Watch 2026 is continuing its dominance over the NBA discourse as we enter day 15. It appears that no one is really sure where or when the King will announce his decision about how to spend his 24th season in the NBA.

In a recent call to The Sports Leader, The Athletic’s senior NBA writer and reporter, Sam Amick, described where the mindset is among LeBron suitors with detail specifically about the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I’ve had Miami tell me it’s Cleveland. I’ve had Cleveland tell me it’s Miami.” Amick described the situation as unprecedented, and the way the cycle has been with daily conflicting updates makes it nearly impossible to track which way the wind is blowing with LeBron’s decision.

Amick also touched on the Golden State Warriors possibility, stating how “The Warriors have seemingly had a lot of pessimism recently”. Amick slightly pushes back on this in the interview, however, stating how Stephen Curry’s language at the Tahoe golf tournament suggests something different. “I thought there was a substantive nature to his response that makes me think, alright, he doesn’t think they (Warriors) are out (of the running for LeBron).”

With each day of this LeBron Watch 4.0, it becomes increasingly clear that LeBron and his camp have kept everything very close to the vest. It doesn’t seem like something anyone can really get a pulse on, and that everyone will find out in real time.

At this moment, signs point to the Cavs being very much in the race for James. Whether or not they’re the favorites or the place James will eventually sign with is anyone’s guess. We’ll hopefully find out LeBron’s decision soon enough.

Who: Summer Suns (2-1) vs. Summer Pistons (1-2)

When: 3:00 pm Arizona Time

Where: Thomas & Mack Center — Las Vegas, Nevada

Watch: Arizona Family Sports, ESPNU

Three games into Vegas and the Summer Suns are winning ugly, defending with malice, and crashing the glass. We’ve got some dogs.

Phoenix erased a 14-point halftime hole against Portland with a 31-18 third quarter in game one, then faceplanted against the Pelicans. However, they closed Monday’s Bucks game on an 11-1 run after trailing 87-84 with 2:30 left. The two wins were built on defense and rebounding, and riding the momentum from each.

At 2-1 with a winnable finale, a top-four record, and a July 18 semifinal spot are both live depending on how everything else shakes out.

Probable Starters

In the Summer League, you never know what the lineups might be, so the best we can do is guess. Let’s hope all the key guys go again, because it’s been (mostly) fun to watch them progress.

Suns

• Darius Brown II
• Koby Brea
• Rasheer Fleming
• Koa Peat
• Khaman Maluach

Pistons

• Ebuka Okorie
• Chaz Lanier
• Brice Williams
• Isaac Jones
• Ugonna Onyenso

Injury Report

Suns

• Nothing Reported as of now

Pistons

• Nothing Reported as of now

What to Watch For

Maluach vs. Onyenso at the rim

Khaman Maluach’s Vegas log: 19 and 11 against Portland, a 15-point, 15-rebound double-double in the Pelicans loss, then 21 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks on Milwaukee. He’s looked exactly how you’d hoped he would in this environment heading into year two.

Three straight double-doubles from a 7-foot-2 sophomore who might be too good for this event. Detroit counters with Ugonna Onyenso, a 7-footer who led the ACC with 105 blocks last season. Shot-blocker on shot-blocker is the most watchable thing on Wednesday’s card. Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro are going to have some legitimate competition next season.

Koa Peat vs. Detroit’s engine

Peat dropped 19 and 6 on the Bucks and hasn’t looked sped up at all. He’s looked like everything we could’ve hoped for and more from a physical and “feel” standpoint. Wednesday’s potential problem for Peat is Ebuka Okorie, the No. 17 pick who averaged 23.2 points at Stanford and lives downhill.

Keep him off the rim without fouling, and this defense passes its last exam. One more scouting note: Chaz Lanier hit seven threes on Cleveland. Chase him off the line or eat a barrage.

Does the Brea heater carry over?

Koby Brea was ice cold in Vegas until Monday, when he put up 19 with six threes in a 44.1% team night from deep. Darius Brown added 14 and five assists as Phoenix out-assisted Milwaukee 22-15.

They’re going to need another strong showing from Brea to have more confidence in him if this ends up being their last SL game. His confidence could sure use another offensive outburst.

Prediction

Suns by 6 because… why not?

Look, Summer League play is always going to be sloppy. Chasing progress, not perfection is the key here.

Observations after Sixers' huge comeback falls short in summer league defeat to Magic  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers gave the Magic a comeback scare but fell to a second consecutive summer league loss Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Orlando earned a 99-92 win to move to 3-1 in Vegas. The Sixers dipped to 2-2. 

Amani Lyles scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Sixers. Duke Miles added 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting and three assists.

Labaron Philon Jr. had 15 points, six assists and six rebounds.

The Sixers’ loss confirms they won’t advance to the summer league semifinals. The details for their fifth and final game are to be announced. 

Here are observations on the Sixers’ defeat to the Magic:

“The Big Fish” starts 

Center Isaac Johnson started for the first time in summer league. Johni Broome sat out. 

Johnson won the opening tip-off, leading to an immediate Philon layup. “The Big Fish” also scored an early fast-break lay-in of his own. 

The 7-foot Johnson has shown he’s comfortable with the ball in his hands. He’s been happy to take long-range jumpers and looked worthy of some respect beyond the arc. The Hawaii product has also had solid stretches serving as an offensive hub in the middle of the floor. 

The main downsides for Johnson seem to be that he’s an unexceptional athlete and doesn’t have great rim protection or rebounding instincts for his size. He logged 11 minutes Wednesday and posted two points, one rebound and six fouls.

Cold first half for Philon 

Second-year guard Jase Richardson starred for Orlando with 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting.  

A Richardson driving layup capped a 15-0 Magic run in the first quarter. Former Sixers Lester Quinones, Colin Castleton and Phillip Wheeler also featured as Orlando’s lead ballooned as high as 29 points in the second period. 

After his opening bucket, Philon missed the next nine field goals he tried. His shooting fortunes improved in the second half and he went 7 for 24 from the floor on the day (1 for 13 from three-point range). For the most part, the No. 22 overall pick attempted reasonable looks and simply had an off shooting performance. 

Philon has been decent as a passer throughout summer league. Four games in, he’s averaged 5.8 assists and 2.5 turnovers. He’s rarely appeared to be rushed or seriously bothered by the defense. 

Sixers make a game of it

Orlando’s advantage expanded over 30 points in the third quarter. 

By early in the fourth, the Sixers’ deficit was down to 13 points. Three-pointers from Miles and Matt Rogers helped fuel the Sixers’ unlikely comeback surge. Lyles also played his part with a second straight double-figure scoring game.

Miles’ showing was by far his best of the summer. He’d gone just 3 for 14 from the field over the past three games but found a scoring groove Wednesday.

Incredibly, the Sixers continued eating into the Magic’s lead.

They played an energetic, effective, swarming full-court press in the final minutes. Following an Ayayi steal and dunk, Dante Maddox Jr. drilled a jumper to cut the deficit to 93-86. The Sixers then forced another turnover and Lyles canned a three.

Ultimately, Orlando held the Sixers off. The Sixers won’t hoist a summer league championship trophy, but they’ll aim to end on a good note and finish over .500.

Meleek Thomas has been one of the best stories of Summer League.

The Cleveland Cavaliers‘ recent second-round pick has been lighting up the scoreboard through three exhibition games. His 28.3 points per game lead all Summer League participants. The impressive part is how efficient it’s been. Thomas is doing this on .500/.458/1.000 shooting splits.

That scoring onslaught was seen on Monday when he dropped 35 points against the Miami Heat. Thomas was simply able to get wherever he wanted on the court, as he found ways to efficiently score at all three levels.

The excitement of Summer League can wear off after the first weekend and three games. The last two contests can be pretty lifeless. Thomas changes that. He’s been must-see TV through three games and should be for a fourth if the Cavs decide to let him play again.

According to Chris Fedor of cleveland.com, the Cavs may be without Thomas. It would make sense if he didn’t play. There’s nothing left for him to prove in Summer League. However, this game is a lot less fun if he doesn’t go.

While Thomas has been impressive, you’d like to see some of his teammates step up more. Two-way player Riley Minix has really struggled to make an impact. He registered no points on 0-5 shooting against Miami and is averaging just six points on .286/.000/.500 shooting splits through three games. We’ll see if he can bounce back tonight.

Wednesday’s outing will be Cleveland’s fourth of five games. The league announced that the Cavs will wrap up their trip to Vegas on Friday when they take on the Chicago Bulls at 7 PM.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Where: Cox Pavilion – Las Vegas, NV

When: Wed., July 15 at 5:30 PM

TV: Prime Video

Point spread: Cavs -3.5

Cavs notable players: Meleek Thomas, Ernest Udeh Jr., Riley Minix, Tristan Enaruna, Malaki Branham

Pelicans notable players: Jaron Pierre, Hunter Dickinson, Josh Oduro, MIcah Peavy

LeBron James is leaving the Lakers, but the organization does not appear ready to send Bronny James out the door with him.

The team does not view the father and son as an inseparable package now that their historic run together is over in Los Angeles, according to The Athletic.

LeBron’s departure after eight years has not changed how the franchise evaluates Bronny or its investment in his development.

That distinction matters after two seasons in which nearly every conversation about the younger James was tied to his father. The Lakers selected Bronny with the No. 55 pick in 2024, allowing the pair to become the first father and son to appear together in an NBA game. Some speculated that the senior James was the driving force behind the draft decision.

Now Bronny has a chance to establish a future in Los Angeles on his own merits.

The Athletic reported that the 21-year-old is well-liked inside the locker room, respected for his work habits and viewed as a player who has made meaningful progress. He attended the Lakers’ Summer League victory in Las Vegas and joined the veteran minicamp that began Monday, hardly signs of someone disconnected from the team’s plans.

The Lakers also guaranteed his $2.3 million salary for next season before LeBron’s decision became public.

Bronny’s production remains modest at the NBA level. He averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 assists across 42 games last season, but his development became more noticeable late in the year.

Injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves pushed him into the rotation, and he averaged 6.6 points over the final five regular-season games before receiving meaningful playoff minutes against Houston.

His G League numbers offered another encouraging sign. Bronny averaged 15.6 points in 14 games with South Bay while shooting 45.6% from 3-point range and cutting down his turnovers.

Teams pursuing LeBron have reportedly discussed the possibility of acquiring Bronny, but that does not mean the Lakers feel compelled to cooperate. Los Angeles has already invested two years in his development and controls his contract beyond next season.

Bronny will now face a more crowded backcourt featuring Doncic, Reaves, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Jaden Hardy and rookie Cameron Carr.

But the Lakers’ stance appears straightforward: LeBron’s next destination will not automatically determine Bronny’s.

For the first time in his professional career, the younger James has a chance to make the Lakers’ decision about him entirely about basketball.

Doc Rivers explains why one LeBron James trait is perfect for the Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LeBron James has proven for decades that he elevates any team that he’s a part of.

Former Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers caught up with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole at the American Century Championship golf tournament last week to discuss why James would fit perfectly with the Warriors.

“Their passing,” Rivers stated. “Obviously, you play through Steph [Curry] all the time. But Steph uses Draymond [Green] a ton.”

The two-man game between Curry and Green has been evident for several years. Since Klay Thompson’s departure and a weaker Warriors roster than in years past, Golden State’s offense has been stagnant when Curry and Green aren’t on the court together.

“When Draymond goes off the floor, you don’t have a passer,” Rivers explained. “Now you have LeBron, so you’re going to always have an elite passer on the floor for 48 minutes of a game. I think it really makes them good.”

It’s fun to imagine what the Warriors would look like with Curry and James as NBA teammates. We saw how successful the duo was together in the 2024 Summer Olympics. But until James makes a decision, all the speculation still is just a yearning desire to see the two superstars together again.

James and Green recently spent some time together and talked about what the former’s future could look like.

Rivers has seen and coached a lot of basketball, so his opinion on roster evaluation carries weight. He was blunt when asked about James fitting in well with Golden State.

“They’re a better basketball team,” Rivers proclaimed.

If James does end up choosing the Warriors, the team’s collective basketball IQ will be through the roof. James reportedly is in no rush to make his decision, so we all will continue to wait and see if Curry and Green are able to recruit the all-time scoring leader to the Bay.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the handful of teams hoping that LeBron James chooses them in free agency. The appeal of Cleveland is understandable for James from an off-court perspective. There’s a certain level of poetry to potentially finishing his career where it started in 2003, for the closest team to his hometown of Akron.

The potential downside to playing in Cleveland could be the roster, at least according to the speculation of some pundits. Particularly, how LeBron would fit next to James Harden.

James’s agent, Rich Paul, stoked these flames during his infamous “whiteboard episode” of the Game Over podcast. In that episode, Paul said that trading Darius Garland for Harden was a minus. It’s worth noting that Paul is also Garland’s agent.

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According to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, some of the concerns about a personal clash between Harden and James are overblown. Robinson reported that Paul told him that he likes Harden. “He’s actually my friend.” And, that there’s no ill will between Klutch and the Cavs for the Garland trade.

Additionally, there is previous reporting that LeBron would be open to sharing the court with Harden. Back in 2024, Dave McMenimin reported that James would be willing to take a pay cut with the Los Angeles Lakers if it meant playing with a “playmaker such as James Harden.” Whether or not that is still true from LeBron’s perspective remains to be seen.

On the other hand, Harden appears willing to play alongside LeBron. It’s been reported that one of his motivations for opting out of his previous deal was to give the Cavs more flexibility to sign a player like James. Additionally, Robinson reported that a source close to Harden said that there’s “no animosity” between James and Harden and that the duo is “cool.”

Paul went on to tell Robinson he rocks with Dan Gilbert, Koby Altman, and Brandon Weems. And, that “LeBron will make his own decision” about where he wants to play next season.

We’ll see what this all means for the Cavs chances of landing LeBron. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess as to what James is planning on doing or when an announcement will be made.

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With eight NBA Summer League games in Las Vegas today, the slate is loaded with young players hungry to prove themselves, including Liam McNeeley of the Charlotte Hornets.

McNeeley's matchup against the struggling Milwaukee Bucks is among the games headlining our NBA Summer League picks for Wednesday, July 15.

NBA Summer League predictions for July 15

Pick
Hornets moneyline	-194
Celtics moneyline	-133
Spurs moneyline	+133
💰 All three parlayed	+519

Today's Summer League picks

Hornets moneyline (-194 at Kalshi)

The Milwaukee Bucks are one of just two teams yet to win an NBA Summer League game in Sin City. It's been a tough go for a young Bucks lineup that's been outscored 304 to 254 across three games.

The Bucks now take on a Charlotte Hornets team that's shown plenty of promise in Las Vegas, thanks to Liam McNeeley (65 points in 81 minutes). Last year's first-round pick has been one of the hottest hands in NBA Summer League, hitting 52.6% from behind the arc.

With McNeeley and rookie first-round pick Christian Anderson Jr. providing sharpshooting on the outside, while Hannes Steinbach and Ryan Kalkbrenner own the paint, Milwaukee is going to struggle to keep up with Charlotte.

The Bucks are shooting just 39.6% from the floor and 64.1% from the free-throw line in Vegas.

Celtics moneyline (-133 at Kalshi)

The Sacramento Kings have lost their last two NBA Summer League games by 51 points, and it's becoming increasingly clear that if rookie Darius Acuff Jr.'s shot isn't falling, the team is in trouble.

His shot has not been falling lately, with the No. 7 pick shooting 36.5% from the floor and 26.3% from three in Vegas. And since the Kings played last night, there's also a chance Acuff sees limited minutes tonight.

That spells trouble for the Kings, with the Boston Celtics' Summer League lineup featuring so much length and athleticism. Dillon Mitchell (39 points in 79 minutes), Chris Cenac Jr. (32 points in 68 minutes), and Hugo Gonzalez (31 points in 70 minutes) should create problems for Sacramento's frontcourt.

Boston also has steady guard play coming from Milos Uzan (24 points and 15 assists in 85 minutes) and John Tonje (42 points in 74 minutes), something the Kings lack.

Spurs moneyline (+133 at Kalshi)

Why are the Utah Jazz favorites tonight? It must be because of No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson, who didn't play in Utah's lone win in Las Vegas.

While Peterson's numbers have popped in Vegas (47 points in 56 minutes), his shooting has been unimpressive (33.3% from the floor, 30% from three). That won't cut it against a San Antonio Spurs Summer League roster predominantly made up of high-upside defenders.

San Antonio has allowed just 222 points in three games, thanks in large part to the length and physicality of its lineup, with players like Carter Bryant, Tarris Reed Jr., and Maliq Brown. Those three have helped the Spurs rack up 10 steals and 7.3 blocks per game.

And the speedy guard duo of Ja'Kobi Gillespie (39 points in 74 minutes) and RJ Davis (37 points in 72 minutes) can provide enough offense for the Spurs to secure a third win.

Wednesday’s NBA Summer League parlay

Hornets moneyline

Celtics moneyline

Spurs moneyline

+519 at Kalshi

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