Category: NBA

Observations after Philon and Broome help Sixers win summer league opener  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers are up and running with a victory to kick off their summer.

The team earned a 101-93 win over the Pistons on Thursday night in its first game of the Las Vegas summer league. 

Dante Maddox Jr. scored 21 points and Isaac Johnson added 20.

Johni Broome tallied 19 points and 13 rebounds. No. 22 pick Labaron Philon Jr. had 18 points and seven assists. 

The Sixers’ second game of the summer will be Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET against the Pacers. Here are observations on their opener:

Philon on his game off the bat 

Philon couldn’t have started any better. He drilled a three-pointer on the game’s first play. 

.@LabaronPhilon for threee! pic.twitter.com/CBVyLGWF5U

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 9, 2026

On the Sixers’ second possession, Philon assisted a Broome pick-and-pop jumper. Next time down, Philon grabbed a long offensive rebound and swished another three-ball to put the Sixers up 9-2. 

Philon’s ball handling appeared to be at a different level to everyone else on the court. He displayed an advanced ability to string together moves and was ultra-confident using all sorts of crossovers, behind-the-backs and tricky changes in paces. Even when the end product wasn’t a highlight, Philon’s handling allowed him to consistently create space and be comfortable. 

The 20-year-old’s passing was another plus. He regularly recognized when he’d drawn the defense’s attention and could feed an open teammate. 

Philon cooled off as a shooter (6 for 19 from the floor, 4 for 10 from three-point range), but his offensive skills certainly popped and he helped the Sixers ice the win by canning a jumper in the final minute.

Maddox and Johnson show off shotmaking 

Maddox split point guard duties with Philon and had a hot start as well, sinking two early three-pointers and scoring 10 first-quarter points. 

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Maddox was MVP of the BNXT League last year, posting 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game for Belgian team Okapi Aalstar. He shot 44.5 percent from beyond the arc on nearly seven attempts per game in a highly productive first professional season. 

Once the Sixers turned to their bench, Johnson was a standout. He racked up 14 points in the first five minutes of the second quarter and nailed three triples. 

.@Isaac_Johnson33 on a heater

3-3 from three. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OWr1mcujLA

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 9, 2026

Johnson is clearly a skilled center. The 7-footer played his final college season at Hawaii last year and averaged 14.1 points and 5.8 rebounds. Strong first impression of the summer. 

Broome does his thing to start Year 2 summer

Broome began the game at center and later shared a frontcourt with Johnson. 

It remains obvious that Broome won’t win many battles with conventional athleticism, although he did throw a dunk between two defenders late in the second quarter off of a Philon dish. 

that dime. that slam. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/A9y7Xq5Huz

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 9, 2026

Broome usually has most of his success via instincts and physicality. The No. 35 pick in the 2025 NBA draft has proven that those traits enable him to post big numbers in the G League and summer league.

Of course, the major question is whether Broome can become an NBA contributor. He’s surely below Joel Embiid, Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti on the Sixers’ current center depth chart.

Sean Miller and Texas men's basketball have picked up a big win on the recruiting trail.

Marcus Spears Jr., the top-ranked player in the 2027 recruiting class, announced on Instagram on Thursday that he has committed to the Longhorns and will reclassify into the program's 2026 recruiting class.

"The next chapter," Spears Jr., the son of former NFL defensive lineman Marcus Spears, wrote in an Instagram post that also had the Texas "HookEm" hashtag.

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He chose Texas over the likes of Arizona, Arkansas, LSU and Alabama among other power conference programs.

"Texas basketball is becoming a big thing again, and I am excited to be part of it," Spears Jr. told ESPN. "The Texas fans can expect a worker with a lot of energy. I will be trying to bring Texas a national championship."

As noted by ESPN, Spears Jr. was the only player to rank in the top 10 in both scoring and rebounding on the Nike EYBL circuit this spring, averaging 20.9 points and 8.7 rebounds. He additionally helped lead USA Basketball to a gold medal at the FIBA U16 Men's AmeriCup in 2025.

He becomes the second member of the Spears family to play at Texas as his older sister, Cari Spears, is a member of the Longhorns' volleyball team. Cari Spears started all 30 matches for the Longhorns this season and earned AVCA Third Team All-American honors.

Miller lands his second five-star recruit to the Longhorns' 2026 recruiting class, with the other being Spears Jr.'s fellow Dynamic Prep teammate, five-star strong forward Austin Goosby, the No. 18 best player in the class according to 247Sports' Composite Rankings.

Coming off an improbable Sweet 16 run, Texas is expected to have one of the top rosters in the country next season, as they landed Isaiah Johnson, Amari Evans and Elyjah Freeman in the transfer portal this past offseason.

Here's more on Spears Jr.:

Marcus Spears Jr. 247Sports

• Stars: Five
• National: No. 2
• Positional: No. 2
• State: No. 1

247Sports' Composite Rankings had Spears Jr. listed as a five-star recruit and the No. 2-ranked player in the 2027 recruiting class. He was additionally the second-ranked power forward and the top-ranked player in the state of Texas in the class.

Marcus Spears Jr. highlights

Here's a compilation of highlights of Spears Jr.:

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Marcus Spears Jr. commitment: 5-star picks Texas, reclassifies to 2026 class

Amidst the excitement of the last week or so in Sixers land was a small cloud hanging over things.

After president of basketball operations Mike Gansey pulled off a stunning blockbuster trade to acquire Jaylen Brown, it didn’t take long for many Sixers players to react. Even Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe joined Brown’s first live stream following the deal.

The one player we didn’t hear from was Joel Embiid. The former MVP didn’t have a social media post greeting Brown nor did we hear anything about the two stars interacting. Some folks ran with the idea of Embiid being upset or him not being long for Philadelphia.

Gansey poured cold water on that as a guest on 97.5 The Fanatic Thursday afternoon:

“He’s excited. He’s in a really good space right now. First offseason where he is really healthy going into it… He’s fired up. I called him right after the trade, and he is excited. Surprised, but he was excited… It’s obviously going to be a big change, but I think they’re welcoming it and they’re kind of excited to get the group together.”

Mike Gansey shares a conversation he had with Joel Embiid after the Jaylen Brown trade 💪 pic.twitter.com/6JWXY3mStt

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) July 9, 2026

There’s no doubt the addition of Brown complicates things a bit offensively. Brown was a Second Team All-NBA pick and had one of the highest usage rates in the NBA last season. With that said, we’ve seen what he can do in a more complementary offensive role when he helped the Celtics win a championship in 2024 and took home Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals MVP. Sacrifices will need to be made, but such is the case for every championship team.

What could make things even more interesting is if the Sixers are able to sign LeBron James. We’ve all seen the reports and it appears the Sixers are on The King’s shortlist. Gansey, a fellow Ohio native who crossed paths with James during their time with the Cavaliers, didn’t keep the team’s interest a secret.

Mike Gansey has a connection to LeBron James going back to them both playing high school basketball in Ohio. And he talked @975Unfiltered about the Sixers' interest in signing James.

"I have known LeBron for a long time. I have a ton of respect for him. Obviously, I think he… pic.twitter.com/7Yc5m14m2W

— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) July 9, 2026

So, there you have it straight from the POBO’s mouth. Joel Embiid is here and he’s excited to be here.

You can now go back to focusing on LeBron Watch.

Nate Ament is officially a pro, signing on Thursday with the Milwaukee Bucks. Ament, a former 5-star, top five overall player in the class of 2025, went to the Bucks with the 13th overall pick in the NBA Draft. He went one and done with Tennessee, continuing a recent string of NBA Draft success under Rick Barnes.

We have officially signed Nate Ament. pic.twitter.com/FrLKYxIb8g

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) July 9, 2026

Ament signed a four-year contract with Milwaukee, where he will make $25.9 million. Annually, Ament will make $5.5 million as a rookie, with that money increasing up to $8.6 million in year No. 4 of the deal. He will become an unrestricted free agent following the 2030-2031 season.

At Tennessee, Ament signed as Rick Barnes’ highest ever rated player. To beat out Duke and several other top schools, the Volunteers paid Ament somewhere in the $4 million range. Following a slow start to his time in college, scouts and executives were split on his pro prospects. There was some chatter about a potential return to Tennessee, but ultimately Ament declared and felt comfortable enough about his draft slot.

His decision turned out to be the right one, and now he’s set to take on a massive opportunity — replacing Giannis Antetokounmpo. Tennessee did just fine too, likely ending up using that money to land Juke Harris to put the cherry on top of an outstanding transfer portal class.

Ament’s Summer League debut comes on Friday (July 10) at 4 p.m. ET on Prime. Ironically, he’ll take on the Miami Heat.

Joe Mazzulla shares reaction to Celtics trading Jaylen Brown to Sixers originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

In Las Vegas for the start of NBA Summer League action, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla spoke for the first time about his star player Jaylen Brown being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.

“Still processing it,” Mazzulla said of the stunning deal. “Obviously, when something like that happens it’s not a black and white type of thing. There’s a ton of stuff that goes into it on and off the court. The part that I hope gets talked about more, and the part that we wanna focus on the most is really just the respect, the appreciation and the gratitude for what he did for the Celtics for 10 years.

“He’s a Celtic longer than I have been. He was here before me. He set the tone and started that and was a part of special things and obviously was one of the biggest reasons why we were able to be as successful as we have been. That, to me, is what we have to focus on more: the respect as a competitor and the gratitude for what he’s done.”

The Celtics drafted Brown with the third overall pick in 2016. Mazzulla joined then-Celtics head coach Brad Stevens’ staff as an assistant in 2019 and replaced Ime Udoka as Boston’s head coach in 2022.

Mazzulla spoke highly of Brown’s impact on him and the rest of the Celtics organization over the last 10 years.

“He made me a better coach. I know that for a fact,” he said. “The way he pushed me. The way he pushed himself. The way he pushed the locker room.”

Stevens, now the Celtics’ president of basketball operations, denied during his Monday press conference that superstar Jayson Tatum had any input on trading Brown. Mazzulla claims he didn’t have input either, and he trusts Stevens’ decision.

“Not input. Just, Brad comes to you and talks to you and gives you a breakdown and an understanding,” Mazzulla said. “In moments like this, obviously there’s great alignment within the organization and there’s conversations that are always gonna be had. But I think in moments like this, this is where you just trust, you listen, and you have an understanding for what they do.

“I think Brad is the absolute best at what he does, and there’s just a level of trust that goes into that.”

The Celtics acquired veteran Paul George, two first-round draft picks, and two second-rounders in exchange for Brown. Prior to the deal, they signed free agents Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley. Stevens said he doesn’t anticipate any other significant moves to be made in the near term.

“I think that’s one of the big questions is, every time something like this happens, it’s like, how are you gonna replace? You’re not going to. I mean, obviously not only what (Brown’s) done in his career, but what he did this year, you don’t replace that,” Mazzulla said.

“I think that’s where it’s not a black and white thing, right? There’s two sides to it. We’ve also brought in people. And so, we have to have an understanding that we’re not asking anybody who comes back — whether it’s free agency, whether it’s trade — to be what he was, but they gotta be the best version of themselves and they have to bring things to our team to try and help us become a better team.”

So, what now?

The Celtics have formed a unique identity over the last few years with Mazzulla at the helm. That identity will undoubtedly change now that the Jays have been split up.

“We have a different roster. We have a different identity now,” Mazzulla added. “I think there’s been a clear identity over the last 10 years with the roster that we have, especially the cornerstones of the organization. Now, that identity is a little bit different, so the challenge lies in, how do we create that identity? How do we establish that identity, and then how do we end our season on a win?”

The Celtics’ surprisingly stellar 2025-26 campaign ended with disappointment as they blew a 3-1 first-round series lead to the Sixers. Looking ahead with a new-look roster, Mazzulla is ready to turn the page to a new era of Celtics basketball.

“When you look at the season that we had this year, it’s what we talk about all the time is the duality of the good and the bad,” Mazzulla said. “To have such a great regular season, but then when you blow a 3-1 lead that’s on everybody. That’s on me, that’s on, the coaching staff, that’s on the player. You have to look at all those things.

“So, I think you first have to have an appreciation for what we were able to do from a competitive standpoint. At the same time, have an understanding that the way we ended wasn’t good enough, and that starts with me and then it goes to everybody.”

The C’s will return to the court Friday night when they open their Summer League slate against the Toronto Raptors.

While most fans focus on projected starting lineups and ponder whether their stars are good enough, teams have to think about everything from top to bottom.

That’s why the Lakers remain focused on finding the best players possible, even though their stars are in place and they’ve announced the signings of Quentin Grimes, Walker Kessler and Sandro Mamukelashvili.

They still have at least one position open, and signing the right player could raise their ceiling or limit how good they can be.

On Wednesday, a report by Dave McMenamin on ESPN detailed where things stand in free agency and how important the final roster spots are to the Lakers.

A Lakers source told ESPN that the last spots “will be critical” for next season’s team.

The Lakers have had discussions with free agent wing Jonathan Kuminga, sources told ESPN, pitching opportunity over the veteran minimum salary they can offer.

Since the Lakers need wings on their roster, it’s no surprise they are considering adding Jonathan Kuminga. He is a player they’ve been linked to since the Hawks declined his team option.

The Lakers have remained in contact with Kuminga’s agent and even reportedly offered him a two-year, $20 million deal. However, that hasn’t been enough to entice him to join the purple and gold.

Atlanta is even reportedly open to getting involved via a sign-and-trade to get a deal done.

LA figuring out how to sweeten the deal for Kuminga will be a challenge given their salary cap situation, but that’s the task in front of Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka.

Whether Kuminga ultimately signs here or not, the Lakers have to be smart with how they use their remaining spots.

They need a quality wing player and perhaps some more frontcourt depth. They have reportedly signed Kevon Looney, but they lost two bigs this summer with a trade sending Deandre Ayton to the Wizards and Jaxson Hayes leaving for the Jazz.

So, perhaps another center can be signed as insurance for Kessler if the Lakers can move some end-of-the-rotation players.

It should encourage fans that the Lakers are doing everything they can to maximize every roster spot. To win it all, teams need top talent and depth. That doesn’t happen unless you sign a wide variety of players with upside in different areas.

Pelinka nailing these final additions won’t be viewed as blockbuster moves, but it could be the difference between the Lakers having backups they can trust or praying none of the top players get hurt because there is no one on the bench worth playing.

Lakers fans should be hoping for the former scenario.

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

The 2026 NBA Summer League officially tips off on Thursday afternoon in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Virginia Cavaliers are well represented. The Summer League is one of the most raw and exciting events of the NBA calendar, so to get you set for all the action inside the Pavilion and the Thomas & Mack Center, here’s a look at every former ’Hoo set to take the floor over the next two weeks.

Ugonna Onyenso (Detroit Pistons)

The only former ’Hoo selected in the 2026 NBA draft, Ugonna Onyenso, will get his first taste of professional basketball with the Detroit Pistons (who acquired his draft rights from the New York Knicks shortly after Onyenso was selected 53rd overall).

Despite his wholesome disbelief at being selected on draft night, Onyenso should play a big role in the Pistons’ Summer League rotation. Onyenso will be expected to step in as a defensive stopper and shot-swatting force from day one.

Ugonna Onyenso, you are going to the league 😉

📺 @UVAMensHoops x #NBADraftpic.twitter.com/C9h8jtvDyv

— ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) June 25, 2026

When and where to watch Onyenso:

• July 9: Pistons vs. Philadelphia 76ers at 5:30 p.m. (Prime Video)
• July 12: Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers at 4:00 p.m. (Prime Video)
• July 13: Pistons vs. New York Knicks at 4:00 p.m. (Prime Video)
• July 15: Pistons vs. Phoenix Suns at 6:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

Malik Thomas (Toronto Raptors)

Another face of Virginia’s 2025-26 roster, Malik Thomas, will get his Summer League opportunity with the Toronto Raptors despite going undrafted. The second-leading scorer for the ’Hoos this past season (12.4 points per game), Thomas will need to show more consistency from beyond the arc while flexing his knack for getting to the bucket to stand out this summer.

When and where to watch Thomas:

• July 10: Raptors vs. Boston Celtics at 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)
• July 11: Raptors vs. Houston Rockets at 9:30 p.m. (Prime Video)
• July 13: Raptors @ Indiana Pacers at 4:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
• July 16: Raptors @ Miami Heat at 9:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

Jacari White (LA Lakers)

Perhaps the most exciting Cavalier this past season, Jacari White, will get the chance to make some highlights with the Los Angeles Lakers. L.A. took part in the California Classic from July 3-6, giving it three games under its belt before heading to Las Vegas.

Unfortunately, White has had a tough time cracking the Lakers’ rotation in the early going, seeing the floor for just ten minutes in their third game, an 88-84 win over the San Antonio Spurs. White finished with five points (2-3 FG, 1-2 3PT) in the contest, hopefully a sign he deserves more playing time in Vegas.

Regardless, White has already found his professional home for the coming season, agreeing to a one-year deal with the Antwerp Giants of the BNXT League (the former pro home of Thijs De Ridder) this past week.

Former Virginia guard Jacari White has signed a one-year deal with the Antwerp Giants of Belgium’s BNXT League.

His former UVA teammate, Thijs De Ridder, also played for the Giants from 2020–23.

Congrats Jacari! 👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/9Jn1UbZ5S0

— Vince Wolfram (@vincewolfram15) July 5, 2026

When and where to watch White:

• July 10: Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder at 10:00 p.m. (Prime Video)
• July 11: Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks at 10:00 p.m. (ESPN)
• Tuesday, July 14: Lakers vs. LA Clippers at 10:00 p.m. (Prime Video)
• Thursday, July 16: Lakers vs. Chicago Bulls at 6:00 p.m. (Prime Video)

Reece Beekman (Washington Wizards)

Reece Beekman made 36 total appearances between the Golden State Warriors and the Brooklyn Nets during his rookie season in 2024-25 but spent the entire 2025-26 season in the G League with the Osceola Magic. Now, Beekman will get a chance to reignite his NBA career this summer with the Washington Wizards.

With the eyes of the basketball world on No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa, Beekman will have the perfect opportunity to prove his worth as a defensive stopper (beginning with a big test against No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson on Thursday evening) and as the offensive glue for Washington’s young Summer League roster.

When and where to watch Beekman:

• July 9: Wizards vs. Utah Jazz at 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)
• July 12: Wizards vs. Sacramento Kings at 8:00 p.m. (Prime Video)
• July 14: Wizards vs. Chicago Bulls at 8:00 p.m. (Prime Video )
• July 15: Wizards vs. LA Clippers at 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Long-lost ’Hoos edition: Isaac McKneely (Atlanta Hawks), Jabri Abdur-Rahim (OKC Thunder), Igor Milicic Jr. (San Antonio Spurs)

The Atlanta Hawks got in some early action at the Salt Lake City Summer League, where Isaac McKneely averaged 8.3 points per game over three contests. The former Cavalier, who spent his final collegiate season at Louisville, flashed his three-point stroke throughout the week in Salt Lake City and debuted newfound range, connecting on 7-of-16 attempts from beyond the arc (43.8%). McKneely will continue his Summer League journey as the Hawks begin their week in Sin City against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday afternoon (4:30 PM ET on ESPN 2).

Isaac McKneely is 2-2 from deep 🎯@ATLHawks out to the early lead vs. Memphis! pic.twitter.com/4CsTDVjrZF

— NBA (@NBA) July 7, 2026

On the other side of that Thursday afternoon matchup is Igor Milicic Jr., who will suit up for San Antonio. Milicic bounced around college basketball after leaving Virginia following the 2021-22 season, spending two seasons at Charlotte and one at Tennessee, before playing professionally for the Delaware Blue Crabs in 2025-26. Milicic was on the outskirts of San Antonio’s rotation in their early action at the California Classic, registering just 23 total minutes in two appearances (3.5 PPG).

Another major blast from the past, Jabri Abdur-Rahim, is the final former Cavalier taking the floor this summer. Abdur-Rahim, one of the highest-rated high school recruits of the Tony Bennett era, had a cup of coffee in Charlottesville in 2020-21 before transferring to Georgia and later finishing up his collegiate career at Providence. Abdur-Rahim spent the 2025-26 season with the Oklahoma City Blue in the G-League, where he averaged over 10 points per game on 38.8% shooting from the floor, but he played just three total minutes across three OKC games at the Salt Lake City Summer League.

Well, here’s a direction no one saw the Spurs’ summer going. After two seasons, Spurs’ television play-by-play announcer Jacob Tobey has reportedly been fired after allegedly having an affair with Loren Waters, the sister of Spurs player Lindy Waters III. The news was first reported by Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports, citing sources.

Glass Break: Jacob Tobey, a talented young broadcaster, is out as Spurs PBP announcer after his girlfriend accused him on social media of cheating on her with a relative of a player on the team https://t.co/1gnBZ2uAzs

— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) July 9, 2026

Rumors started to swirl Monday night/Tuesday morning when a post appeared on Tobey’s Instagram account, presumably posted by his girlfriend, stating the following:

“This is my girlfriend of six years. But I cheated on her with Loren Waters. @lorenkwatrs So feel free to continue following me if you really think I’m a good guy because I’m not. :)”

Tobey has not posted anything since and has locked or protected all his social media accounts. Neither the Spurs or Tobey have confirmed the report or his dismissal, but it has gained steam and been cited by other credible sites, including MySanAntnio.com (a sister site of the San Antonio Express News, SA’s main newspaper), so it is presumably a creditable report. We will provide updates here when/if the news is confirmed (or proven inaccurate) by a source more closely affiliated with the Spurs.

Tobey joined the Spurs broadcast team ahead of the 2024-25 season after longtime announcer Bill Land retired while dealing with a form of blood cancer. He quickly started building a good partnership with Sean Elliot and the Spurs community and was often a part of community events supporting Native American Heritage. If this is the last we’ve seen of Tobey with the Spurs, his final duty would have been conducting the introduction press conference for the Spurs’ 2026 draft class.

It will be a big position for the Spurs to fill but a highly touted one with them reaching the NBA Finals last season and having a long, promising future ahead of them with a young core led by Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Date: July 9th, 2026
Time: 2:30 PM CDT
Location: Cox Pavilion
Television Coverage: Prime Video

The Minnesota Timberwolves kick off their Las Vegas Summer League slate today against the New Orleans Pelicans, which means we have officially reached that strange portion of the NBA calendar where every fan base convinces itself that a 22-year-old who scores 18 points against a group of future EuroLeague rotation players may have just solved the franchise’s biggest problem.

Summer League is ridiculous that way, and yet it always matters just enough to keep us watching. Last year, Wolves fans entered Vegas with their eyes locked on the young trio of Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, and Rob Dillingham. After back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Finals, Minnesota needed cheap internal development in the worst way. The roster was expensive and the expectations were real. The Wolves needed those young guys to show they could become actual NBA contributors, not just theoretical rotation pieces fans talked themselves into during July.

Shannon did his part, at least in the desert. He put together some of the most dominant performances of the entire summer, attacking the rim with the kind of force that made Wolves fans immediately start penciling him into the rotation like he was the answer to the NAW departure. Unfortunately, that Summer League dominance never fully translated into the major year-two leap many hoped for, with injuries slowing him down and preventing him from carving out the consistent role that seemed possible after his Vegas breakout.

Dillingham’s arc was even more complicated. He entered last summer as the presumed heir apparent to Mike Conley Jr., or at least the young player Minnesota desperately needed to become a viable answer at point guard. The roster had a glaring hole there, and Dillingham’s skill set made him the obvious player fans wanted to dream on. But after a shaky Summer League and an uneven start to his NBA career, his biggest contribution to the Timberwolves ultimately came as the trade chip Tim Connelly used to acquire Ayo Dosunmu at the deadline. That may not have been the romantic version of development anyone envisioned, but it still helped the Wolves make it past Denver in Round 1. Sometimes your young guard becomes the future. Sometimes he becomes the receipt for the guy who helps you survive the present.

Now the calendar has flipped to 2026, and the Summer League spotlight has shifted from the backcourt to the frontcourt. After trading away Julius Randle and Naz Reid, Minnesota suddenly has a crater-sized opening at power forward. For the last several seasons, the Wolves were defined by size. They were the team with too many big bodies, the team that could throw wave after wave of frontcourt strength at opponents. Now, almost overnight, that identity has been flipped on its head. The Wolves have LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards in the backcourt, Jaden McDaniels on the wing, Rudy Gobert anchoring the middle, and a whole lot of uncertainty sitting at the four.

That is what makes this Summer League intriguing. Joan Beringer, last year’s 18th overall pick, is suddenly more than just an interesting developmental prospect. He is now one of the few internal players who could theoretically help patch the frontcourt hole. During his rookie season, the young French big was not ready for prime time, but he showed enough flashes to make Wolves fans raise an eyebrow. What was missing was the polish, the consistency, and the physical readiness required to survive real NBA minutes on a team trying to contend.

That is fine for a rookie. It is less fine when the depth chart starts looking like someone forgot to finish the frontcourt section. Beringer does not need to look like a finished product in Vegas. Nobody should expect that. But he does need to look like someone who has taken a step forward. He needs to be more comfortable defensively, more decisive offensively, and more physically prepared to handle contact. The Wolves do not need him to become a starting-caliber player overnight. They need signs that he can be trusted, even in limited stretches, when the real games begin.

Rocco Zikarsky may be just as interesting. He spent much of last season either in Iowa or buried at the end of the bench, but his combination of size and shooting is exactly the kind of thing Minnesota could use after watching its frontcourt depth get stripped down. Players with legitimate size who can stretch the floor do not grow on trees. For the Wolves, Zikarsky represents a possible internal lottery ticket at a position of sudden need.

The question is whether either big can do enough this summer to give Wolves Nation something resembling comfort. Can Beringer look like a player ready to push for minutes? Can Zikarsky show that his size and shooting are more than a theoretical skill package? Can one of them step forward enough that fans stop refreshing LeBron James rumors every 11 minutes like Minnesota is waiting for the final rose in some deranged NBA version of The Bachelor?

That last part may be asking too much.

Ultimately, Summer League is not about final answers. It is about clues. A year ago, Wolves fans watched Shannon explode and Dillingham wobble, and both developments mattered in ways that carried into the season, even if not exactly as expected. This year, the focus shifts to the bigs because the roster demands it. Minnesota has made its splash. LaMelo Ball is here. The backcourt suddenly looks electric. The power forward position, meanwhile, looks like a blown fuse.

That makes today’s opener against New Orleans more than just a casual summer run. It is the first look at whether Minnesota has any internal answers.

The game will be televised on Prime, and the Canis Hoopus faithful will have the comments section ready, because if there is one thing this fan base knows how to do, it is care deeply about a July game that may or may not matter six months from now.

Summer League is here.

Let the overreactions begin.

The Knicks are bringing back Jordan Clarkson on a one-year, $3.9 million deal, SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley confirms.

The shooting guard played in 72 regular season games in his first season with the Knicks after joining them on a veteran minimum contract last offseason. He averaged 8.6 points in the regular season and 4.9 points during the playoffs.

Clarkson came to New York to be a scoring threat off the bench -- he averaged 17.5 points in the previous six seasons with the Utah Jazz, mostly in the same role. The 33-year-old even won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2020-21.

His role with the Knicks quickly diminished, though, as he saw the fewest minutes per game (17.8) of his career.

Nevertheless, Clarkson shot 45.1 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from three and enjoyed success on a championship-winning team.

In his career that spans 12 seasons with the Knicks, Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers, Clarkson has averaged 15.3 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game and 2.8 assist per game.

The Knicks roster is nearly complete.

Another important contributor to the Knicks’ championship run is back. Jordan Clarkson is re-signing with the team, The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported Thursday, on a one-year deal worth $3.9 million.  

Since it is a veteran minimum deal, Clarkson gets the full negotiated salary but it only counts for roughly $2.5 million against the cap for second apron purposes. The move now leaves them $3.3 million under the second apron, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, with just one spot left to fill. Owner James Dolan, at the start of the offseason, stated that he intends to stay under that second apron, and the Knicks have acted accordingly. 

The Knicks now have 13 players on the roster, one short of the mandated 14 standard contracts. Teams can temporarily dip down to 13, though it is complicated.

The move means just one main rotation player — Mitchell Robinson — from last year’s team is gone. Ariel Hukporti also departed, though he hardly played. The Knicks managed to bring back Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado, Mohamed Diawara and Clarkson and replace Robinson with Andre Drummond for a total cost of just $17.5 million against the cap. 

Clarkson joined the Knicks last year and, after an up-and-down regular season, emerged as a valuable bench piece by the postseason — he averaged 10.8 minutes per game in the playoffs. A shot-happy scorer and offensive-minded player most of his career, he reinvented himself last year with the Knicks after falling out of the rotation midseason. He became a strong on-ball defender and rebounder, qualities that helped him make an impact off the bench and regain a place in coach Mike Brown’s rotation. 

And at 34 years old and having played 12 years in the league, he was an important leader and voice in the locker room. 

“You can have leadership in a lot of different ways,” Brown said at the end of the year. “As of late, the reality of it is, a guy like Jordan Clarkson is starting to separate himself and showing that he’s one of the leaders of the team. Just because you start, just because you score a ton or shoot a ton, or you’re one of the best defenders, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re a leader. Because one of the things is, leaders aren’t afraid to tell the truth. They do what they say. Being a leader means you gotta be on point all the time. You can’t be worried about whether your teammate likes you at the time because you’re saying something that’s truthful or you’re holding people accountable or not. 

“So when you look at a guy like Jordan, who’s been through a lot, who’s still stayed ready, even when he was out, for him and listening to him speak up in front of the group now, that’s starting to show real leadership.”

For that 14th roster spot, the only remaining hole is a third center to replace Hukporti behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Drummond. The Knicks will have to continue to shop for free agents who would sign a veteran minimum in order to fully complete their goal of staying under the second apron. 

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Second-round pick Jack Kayil was added to the team’s Summer League roster. He was not originally included on the roster, but will in fact join the team in Las Vegas. A 20-year-old guard from Germany, the Knicks drafted him with the No. 39 pick last month. 

The Knicks are set to open their Summer League slate on Friday against the Nets.

The New York Knicks are bringing back one of their champions, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported on Thursday morning.

According to Charnia, Clarkson has signed a one-year, $3.9 million deal to return New York, per Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agent Brandon Cavanaugh.

Free agent Jordan Clarkson has agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million deal to return to the New York Knicks, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agent Brandon Cavanaugh tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/VG6OQcpJVx

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 9, 2026

In his first season with the Knicks, Clarkson averaged 8.6 points per game, which was a career low for the 12-year veteran out of Missouri. He was still a key part of the team’s postseason run and part of the reason why the team ended up winning it all.

“He’s a guy we can lean on. He can put the ball in the hole,” Brown said back in March. “We were struggling to do that. So I threw him out there to see if we could mix it up. He definitely helped us. But it was too big a deficit if you’re talking about 20 points to try to come back from versus a good team on their home court.”

With Clarkson back in the mix, the Knicks have 13 spots on their roster already filled. This doesn’t include Jack Kayil or Tyler Nickel, the team’s second-round draft picks. The Knicks could use their 14th and 15th spots on them, but they are also candidates for a two-way spot. Their status will likely be determined based on how they perform in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Updated look at the Knicks cap sheet. I now expect them to use their remaining space below the second apron for a 3rd center and for Tyler Nickel to be on a two-way. If they sign Nickel to the 2nd round rookie minimum, they will have to wait until mid-season to sign a 3rd big. https://t.co/FeU1htsGEbpic.twitter.com/znnwz0PqRs

— Dorito Dink (@_bvford) July 9, 2026

After this deal, the Knicks are around $3.2 million below the second apron, with New York still needing to fill at least one roster spot. Veteran minimum deals start at $2.18 million and only count $2.4 million max against the cap, even if they are signed for more money, depending on the years of experience (similar to what Andre Drummond did), leaving ample room for another veteran to fill that spot if the Knicks decide to do so.

Posting & Toasting community, how do you feel about Clarkson coming back to the Knicks? Let us know in the comments section below.

Raptors' trade for Kawhi Leonard on hold until Clippers investigation is done originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Kawhi Leonard’s second stint with the Toronto Raptors is officially on hold.

The Raptors announced Thursday that the trade will not be finalized until the NBA’s probe into Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers is finished.

The NBA has been investigating Leonard and the Clippers for the past 10 months after reports that he received a multi-million endorsement deal with sustainability services company Aspiration in an alleged effort to circumvent league salary cap rules.

Toronto and Los Angeles agreed to a deal involving Leonard last month, with the Raptors receiving Leonard and the Clippers getting Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and several draft picks.

“On June 30, we reached an agreement in principle to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors,” the Clippers said in a statement. “We have since been informed that the trade can only be finalized if the Raptors’ ownership group assumes the risk of penalties related to Kawhi’s contract that could theoretically result from the ongoing investigation. The investigation is ongoing, and we expect the trade to be finalized following its conclusion.

“At the heart of this investigation are Joe Sanberg and Aspiration. We did not funnel money to Kawhi Leonard through Aspiration. Like many sophisticated investors, financial institutions, and business partners, we were victims of a fraud initiated by Sanberg, who has been convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison.

“We recognize the uncertainty this has created and the impact it has had on our team, our fans, the Raptors organization, their fans, and the players whose futures remain affected while this process continues. We remain confident that, when the facts are evaluated fairly and thoroughly, the NBA will confirm exactly what we have said from the beginning: We have not done what we are accused of doing.”

Despite the holdup, Toronto said it is still committed to completing the trade after the investigation is over.

“The Raptors remain eager to bring Kawhi back to Toronto and look forward to a swift resolution for our players, our organization and our fans,” the team said in a statement.

Leonard, 35, spent the last seven seasons with the Clippers after signing as a free agent in 2019. He played the 2018-19 season with the Raptors before joining the Clippers, leading the team to 58 wins and a championship.