NBA News
Today is actually a doubleheader.
First, the Washington Mystics play the Toronto Tempo tonight at 7 p.m. ET. Watch on Monumental Sports Network. Then, the Washington Wizards play the Chicago Bulls in Summer League an hour later or so. Go DC!
Jazz guard Trey Alexander was stretchered off the court on Monday with a rib injury in a scary scene in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
The former Creighton player was driving to the basket in the fourth quarter against the Bulls when he made contact with 2026 No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson, tossing the ball toward the hoop with just over two minutes left.
Alexander, 23, quickly dropped to the floor behind the basket, clutching his side, visibly in a lot of pain.
He was tended to by medical trainers for multiple minutes before rolling off the court and onto a stretcher.
The Jazz, on Tuesday, said Alexander suffered a rib contusion.
Alexander signed a one-year, two-way deal worth $678,882, $91,000 of which was guaranteed, with the Jazz after spending the 2025-26 season with the Pelicans.
The guard played nine games in New Orleans, averaging 5.2 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 12.3 minutes per game.
His best game came in an April loss to the Timberwolves when he scored 16 points.
The 23-year-old went undrafted in 2024 after spending three seasons with Creighton, where he averaged 12.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists before joining the Nuggets’ G League team.
He was named G League Rookie of the Year for 2024-25 and also earned 24 appearances for the Nuggets that same year.
If the name Thilo Widder sounds familiar, you have a good memory! Thilo is a contributor at our Minnesota Timberwolves sister site Canis Hoopus, and he participated in the second round of Fraternizing with the Enemy with J.R. Wilco during their playoff series against the Spurs. He also enjoys contributing to other blogs, and we have the great honor of him providing this amazing piece on Carter Bryant and his contributions to the deaf community to Pounding the Rock. We hope you enjoy. -the Editors
What’s the first thing you think of when you think basketball? Do you see the sight of the ball dropping through the net? Can you just feel the excitement burst into your bloodstream, a memory turned physical with a moment’s notice?
Or, do you hear it?
Because I hear basketball. I hear its presentation when Mike Breen yells “bang.” I hear the sound of shoes squeaking up and down the court, of Mark Cuban’s speaker system bafflingly installed inside the hoop itself.
I hear it all. I live for it. It’s essential to how I have fallen in love with basketball.
But what if it hadn’t been? What if I, like thousands of fans, could not hear the game? Deafness continues to be a more and more common disability. Over 430 million people world-wide already deal with some sort of hearing loss with the WHO estimating that number to rise to over 700 million by 2050, approximately 10% of the world’s population by that time.
There’s an ESPN story about “Invisible Disabilities” faced by sports fans that has stuck with me many years after it was originally posted just about two years ago. There’s one section about a deaf fan, Amy Gomme, who said the following:
“These leagues, these teams are missing out on a new fan base, potential fans who would show up to games if the experience was inclusive enough.”
I wonder how Carter Bryant feels about that.
To be clear, Bryant is not deaf. Instead, he’s been molded by the community that still seems like such an afterthought to the NBA’s production. As a child in a non-hearing family, and a special advocate of Gallaudet University, a school for the hearing impaired, Bryant called himself the “face of their platform” in a pre-draft video. That seems more important than ever.
“For the longest time, I thought half the population was deaf and half the population was hearing,” Bryant said. “Because, just how I was brought up, half my day was spent with deaf people.”
Bryant is something called a GODA – or a grandchild of a deaf adult. The slightly less known acronym than its generationally separated CODA (child of a deaf adult) has fundamentally shaped the man he is today.
That G part of that set of four letters carries more than it seems. Bryant’s grandfather is Doc Torres, who few of you will know. Widely considered the brightest star of an 80s Gallaudet team, Torres was shunned from the NBA for his deafness. He would go on to play nearly 20 years in Puerto Rico and win two gold medals at the Deaflympics.
There has only ever been one deaf NBA player. Lance Allred played for the Cleveland Cavaliers for three games in the 2007-08 season. He would spend 16 seasons bouncing around 17 different teams from the early 2000s to the mid-2010s.
During his time in the G-League, Allred faced discriminatory abuse from his coach while playing for his hometown Utah Flash.
It was clear that the NBA was not ready to empower deaf players. Whether it was for a lack of readiness or a lack of care, they simply did not set up Allred – or Torres for that matter – for success.
It is certainly not from a lack of talent. That much is very clearly certain.
Carter Bryant decided on Arizona, a university with an established pipeline to the NBA, for any number of reasons. They played the fast paced brand of basketball that would empower him. His aunt had played volleyball there and he knew the coaches well. They had a history of turning forwards with similar body types to his own into lottery picks and champions. From Aaron Gordon to Derrick Williams to the more recent Benedict Mathurin, the fit was clear.
Still, there was an option that must have tugged at Bryant’s heart-strings. Gallaudet University could offer him a third generation of his family, tied to a school and a community that he clearly cares about so strongly.
And yet, it never could’ve been in consideration. To go to Gallaudet would be to abandon the dream he had built in his parents’ home.
He understandably made the only real choice he had, the only choice that loving family would’ve allowed.
Still, at Gallaudet, his grandparents would be able to attend games and be treated as people first, not as their disabilities.
Instead, Arizona had an incredible season. Bryant was a blur in transition and his body rapidly took form as his defense did the same. Transfer Caleb Love joined him to lead the Wildcats to the Sweet Sixteen.
During that run, or even during his whole college season, Carter’s mind was on his family, as undoubtedly theirs was on him. Yet, despite their continued care for him, Bryant’s games were getting harder and harder to follow and watch for the people that he wanted there most.
It seems silly to say. Arizona’s games were all televised. There are gaggles of reporters doing write ups for these contests. Coverage was not too far out of reach.
And yet…
“I think basketball is unique, because it’s a live event, so I think ways I could relate to that would be theater, cinema, concerts. It’s really hard to find caption films when they come out live, and so there’s a lot of delay in access to information.” said Apolline Tardy, a Ph.D student at Berkley College and an advocate and researcher of accessibility technology.
“Movies will come out in theaters, they don’t have captions yet… even if something is coming out live, the captions often have a delay, especially if they’re manually typed, and it’s just.. it’s such bad of an experience that I don’t follow at all. I don’t want to, because it’s kind of incoherent. The timing is so important. I imagine basketball is so visual, like you don’t want to see someone shoot and then wait 40 seconds to, to know who did it”
Only four teams – the LA Clippers, the Phoenix Suns, the Portland Trailblazers, and the Brooklyn Nets – offer OneCourt, a disability aid for low vision individuals or the vision impaired. As far as whatever is publicly available, no teams offer any sort of support for deaf fans.
The assumption is that fans who need them will have their own cochlear implants, that all these fans need to do is to join the “hearing world.”
In 2021, Zach Lavine took a group of hard of hearing students to a Chicago White Sox game, continuing a commitment that started when he was in high school. The interpreter he includes in his messages are a stark reminder of what the NBA has not done.
What’s your favorite part of being a fan of the NBA? Or any sports league for that matter?
Is it the moments in play that remind you of when you first fell in love with the game, the nostalgia of remembering what it was like ten, fifteen, however many years ago?
Is it the transactions, the trades that promise endless debate and the thoughts of different universes? What if the Spurs had lost Tim Duncan to the Magic? What if they had drafted better players in the first few years of their rebuild?
Or, as it is for me, is it the community that comes with discussing these questions with peers, who decide to unite in their care for a sport that is slowly but surely becoming the world’s second most popular game?
Many of those who push back on accessibility claim that communities should be responsible for their own engagement. There hasn’t been much proof that the deaf community wants to engage with sports so why should we build out tools to help them?
The better question is: how many fans have we missed out on learning from because the league failed to invite them into the game.
Carter Bryant was invited to join the game that those fans shunned had made, a space they could play without the usual questions. Whereas hearing players, players who have been socialized yelling out orders on the basketball court, can communicate with ease, there is no place for signing in these runs.
“If I’m guarding the ball and I have four other people behind me, you kind of have no idea what’s going on,” Bryant told The Athletic in a February interview. “So being able to check out your peripherals, use your feet and just have a sense of natural feel for the game, it’s different. We take it for granted as players, and we don’t use our other senses as much, but we don’t have to.”
Bryant heard the same floor squeaks, the same sound of the swish we have all fallen in love with, but without the barking. He didn’t hear a screen called out, or a switch, it instead became a second instinct.
Schemes were internalized, matchups memorized, in a way that would not require communication but instead only the trust that his teammates would be there.
Inherent, unthinking belief that someone would be there. That someone would reach out.
The priority of the NBA has been globalization.
They have, to their immense credit, found ways to build basketball from a game for fans all over the world to a worldly game, which is not an insignificant jump to make. Fans can now experience their favorite teams in Spanish, Japanese, French, and any of the other 60 languages offered.
If you’ll bear with me, Spanish broadcasts of NBA games first started in 1995 when the Miami Heat partnered with a local radio station and decided they would supply the local market with dubbed commentary of Heat games. For over a thousand straight games, Jose Pañeda sat in the booth and excited fans who had not been ignored entirely, but certainly also hadn’t been invited.
A few years later, the NBA greenlit a deal with Telemundo, leading to a 15 game trial period across three years, opening the door for ESPN Deportes and the ilk. Decades later and those are cornerstones of the ESPN network.
It is insane to argue that the league would never have sought out a way to communicate with fans outside of the English language. However, it took just one act of one franchise, 25 years ago, to make the league better, not just for Spanish speakers but for fans in China or Germany or Brazil.
Because they reached out. They assumed someone would be there if they opened their doors and they were right.
“I think an argument you should make is that deafness is very similar to a language barrier,” said Tardy, “If I only spoke French and I went to the NBA in the US, I wouldn’t know what was going on… Some deaf people just consider themselves a linguistic minority. They say ‘if everybody spoke ASL, then it wouldn’t be a problem at all for anyone, because everyone could just operate on other senses.’”
What would a broadcast for deaf fans even look like? It’s certainly not as easy as an option as for different non-English verbal languages. Would it be as simple as having an interpreter, as has been provided for concerts and films?
“My goal is that it doesn’t become secondary, that you know you have the primary source of information, that speech, for example, and then you have the secondary source, like it’s translated in another way, and then you become the second to hear it.” continued Tardy, “I think what would make the experience so much smoother is if there was a primary way to access information… why can’t there just be a deaf commentator that’s not translating a hearing commentator?”
430 million people are deaf worldwide. That is more people than the population of all but two countries in the world.
They – and their potential fandom – are ignored.
Carter Bryant is being ignored.
It’s the middle of the season and the 15th pick has still not cracked the rotation. He has been sent back and forth from the G-League, and he is playing against the end of the bench guys that NBA fans so frequently forget are among the top 500 players in the world.
Worst of all, he’s missing dunks. What was once the easiest thing on the planet is now coming harder and harder. It’s like the court is screaming at him. Gone is the quiet, the focus on simply trusting and executing, here is the new reality.
At first, he gets loud. He plays the character he thinks he needs to. He becomes robotic. His movements are stiff. He falls further and further from a normal role.
He is transferred back down to the G-League again. However, this time it comes not with a focus. He is not told to practice his mechanics or on-ball creation, although I’m sure that was in the notes as well.
No, he’s told to find himself.
There’s a concept in accessibility circles called imagined needs. In Apolline’s words, “accessibility has a long history of being made by people who don’t experience the disability and who imagine what the needs might be, and then when they actually show their products… this is fun, but I won’t use it in my day-to-day life, because it’s impractical, or because I just feel embarrassed to use that in public.”
I think the same concept applies to development in the NBA. We assume we know the swing factors for players to succeed. We rave about whether a handle or a buffer frame or any number of things are the things that will take our favorite young players from prospect to star.
Maybe these two things are unavoidable. What did it take for Bryant to find a spot as the first forward to sub in for a Spurs team that would make their first final in 12 years? Was it a better shot? Was it a return to non-robot form?
No, it was finding home. And he found it in the fraternity that grew him.
Bryant would re-engage with the deaf community, although it’s more accurate to say he extended an open hand in a new place. He led events at the Sunshine Cottage School for the Hearing Impaired in San Antonio. He signed hello to deaf families when out and about, an act so simple that had become so foreign.
For Carter, silence is home. Not just the lack of sound, but the lack of outside input. He speaks sparingly. He is kind, yet soft spoken. He is looking out for obstacles that he does not expect to be announced. He is compared to dumplings on Twitter.
In a world full of invisible barriers to the league, those silent and those overwhelmingly, unendingly loud, he has focused on what is directly in front of him.
It’s a quiet journey. But it was never one without communication. Maybe the next step is helping to take the courts he grew up on, the ones without the relentless chatter, and shaping the NBA landscape with them in mind. Maybe it comes first in the form of a breakout sophomore season on the Western Conference Champion. Maybe it does not come at all.
But what is undeniably certain is the means he will use to pursue that journey, wherever it leaves him.
With silent growth, and ever open arms.
With words unheard but not unspoken.
With a future he is sure to grasp, and a community he has never stopped hearing.
Silence has never been quite this loud.
The NBA’s investigation into Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers reportedly reaches beyond the controversial Aspiration sponsorship deal that first triggered scrutiny nearly a year ago, with the uncertainty now putting Leonard’s planned trade to the Toronto Raptors on ice.
According to new reporting from The Athletic, the outside law firm conducting the inquiry has examined whether the Clippers paid expenses on Leonard’s behalf without receiving reimbursement. Investigators have also looked into whether Leonard held a previously undisclosed endorsement agreement with a second company.
“[The investigation] looked into whether the Clippers improperly covered expenses for Leonard but were not reimbursed for them, those sources said, wrote The Athletic. “And the firm has examined if Leonard had a previously unreported endorsement deal with another company, those sources said.”
Those two developments significantly broaden what was initially understood to be a narrow investigation centered on possible salary-cap circumvention.
The league hired Wachtell Lipton to determine whether the Clippers helped arrange Leonard’s lucrative agreement with Aspiration as a way to provide compensation outside his NBA contract. The environmental company agreed to pay Leonard $28 million, though he never appeared in a public advertising campaign before Aspiration’s financial collapse and eventual bankruptcy.
The Athletic reported that investigators are now following additional financial threads uncovered during the process. It remains unclear which expenses the Clippers allegedly covered, how much money was involved or what company was connected to the possible second endorsement deal.
No finding of wrongdoing has been announced.
The Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer have repeatedly denied using Aspiration to funnel money to Leonard. The organization maintains that it was among the investors and business partners defrauded by Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg, who pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges and was sentenced to prison.
“We did not funnel money to Kawhi Leonard through Aspiration,” the Clippers said in a recent statement, adding that the team expects the investigation to confirm it did not violate league rules.
The widening inquiry could shed light on why the case has continued into its 11th month despite NBA commissioner Adam Silver previously suggesting it was approaching a conclusion. Silver has said the league needs finality but also wants the outside investigators to complete a thorough review.
The delay has already complicated one of the offseason’s biggest potential moves.
Toronto paused its agreement to reacquire Leonard after the NBA informed the Raptors they would assume the risk of any discipline affecting him after the trade. The Raptors still intend to complete the deal but will wait until the investigation ends before taking on that uncertainty.
The NBA’s original question was whether Leonard’s Aspiration contract crossed the line between a legitimate endorsement and off-the-books compensation.
Now investigators appear to be asking something broader: whether the Aspiration arrangement was an isolated issue or part of a larger web of financial benefits surrounding the Clippers star.
Until the league answers that question, Leonard’s Toronto return—and the Clippers’ offseason—will remain frozen.
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
LAS VEGAS — Robbie Avila has heard the chants.
He heard the fans inside of Thomas & Mack Center shouting “We Want Rob-bie!” during the second half of the Lakers’ summer league game on Friday against the Thunder.
The same scene repeated itself during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against the Mavericks, with fans booing anytime a Lakers player who wasn’t Avila subbed into the game.
It got to the point where even the PA announcer for the Lakers-Mavericks game got in on the chants, saying “say it louder” while the fans made it clear they wanted to see the 2026 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year showcase his unique skillset on the court.
“It’s pretty cool to hear the fans cheer my name,” Avila told the California Post. “It’s a little bit of motivation because right now I’m not on the court and so it’s gonna continue to make me strive to be better so that I am out there so I can give them what they want to see. But it’s awesome to hear them chant.”
The Lakers played their third Las Vegas Summer League game, and sixth summer league game over the last 12 days, on Tuesday night against the Clippers.
And with two more summer league games left after Tuesday, Avila is hopeful he’ll get more playing opportunities than he had entering Tuesday.
Avila played in just one of the Lakers’ five summer league games entering Tuesday.
He started in their win over the Spurs on July 6 during the California Classic, finishing with 2 points (1-of-6 shooting), 2 assists and 1 rebound in 14 minutes.
“Just to continue to learn,” Avila told the Post on what he’s hoping for the rest of the week. “Hopefully [I’ll] be able to maybe get an opportunity to play. If not, then be the best teammate I can.”
Fans wanting to see Avila play isn’t surprising.
Despite going undrafted, he was one of the more popular players in the 2026 class.
The fact fans know his name is more surprising considering the laundry list of nicknames he accumulated while in college.
“I think some people don’t even know my real name at this point,” Avila told the Post.
Avila’s most popular and widely-known nickname?
Cream Abdul-Jabbar — a nickname popularized by Kentucky Sports radio host Matt Jones in 2024 while Avila, who wears protective goggles like NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, was playing at Indiana State before he transferred to Saint Louis for his junior and senior seasons.
“It’s one of the most unique nicknames I think I’ve ever seen,” Avila told the Post.
But Avila’s personal favorite nickname is Rob Wave, which is a play on rapper Rod Wave, who is Avila’s favorite music artist.
“They think it’s just funny,” Avila told the Post on what his family and friends think about his nicknames. “They think it’s awesome. Obviously whenever something new comes out or when somebody uses it in a video, they like to send it to me. And so that’s why I enjoy them too. Just to see everybody around me have fun with it.”
Larry Nerd, a play off of NBA icon and Indiana State legend Larry Bird, is the nickname Avila doesn’t get enough love.
“The Larry Nerd one’s kind of gone down a lot more not being at Indiana State anymore,” Avila told the Post. “But when that one came out, that was obviously one of the most creative ones as well.”
Avila discussed some of his nicknames with the California Post, including ranking them by tiers (S tier, A tier, B tier, C tier, D tier and F tier)
Cream Abdul-Jabbar
Avila: “I think out of creativity, you got to put that at the S tier. If I were to rank it myself, I’d put it at A.”
He added: “I wouldn’t say it’s my least favorite. Obviously, Cream’s been used [for] so long. It’s the most used one. I’m trying to get that away from that one. That’s why I’m pushing Rob Wave.”
Larry Nerd
Avila: “Larry Nerd is an A tier. That was a good one to tie in with Indiana State.”
College Jokic
Avila: “That one obviously being tied to [Nikola] Jokic is just pretty cool. But as far as creativity, it’s not the highest, so I’d probably put it a B tier.”
Larry Blurr
Avila: “Larry Blurr I think is a B tier as well.”
Rob Wave
Avila: “Rob Wave [is] S tier, no joke.”
Milk Chamberlain
Avila: “Milk Chamberlain I think is also an S tier one, the creativity with that as well.”
Steph Blurry
Avila: “Steph Blurry I think, let’s go C tier.”
Shaquille Oatmeal
Avila: “That one’s another creativity one, but me personally, we’ll put it at the C tier.”
SLU Alcindor
Avila: “SLU Alcindor, when I went to [Saint Louis] was pretty good. I’ll put that as an A tier one too.”
LeBron Frames
Avila: “That’s another good one. I put that at B.”
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
Like clockwork, the final domino has fallen as it pertains to the Phoenix Suns’ offseason moves to this point.
After the Miles Bridges trade with the Charlotte Hornets became official yesterday, the necessary cap space was created for Phoenix to utilize its non-taxpayer mid-level exception. With that, the Suns have officially signed Luke Kennard, who most recently played for the Los Angeles Lakers.
In a statement from the team:
PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns announced today that the team has signed free agent guard Luke Kennard to a multi-year contract.
“Luke’s work ethic and commitment to his craft have made him one of the most efficient three-point shooters in NBA history,” said Suns general manager Brian Gregory. “His floor spacing, high basketball IQ and connective playmaking bring another dimension to our offense. We’re excited to welcome Luke and his family to Phoenix.”
The move makes plenty of sense. Phoenix lost a significant amount of shooting when Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale were sent to Charlotte in the Bridges trade. The two combined to make 371 three pointers last season while shooting 38% from beyond the arc. Adding Kennard provides the organization with another much-needed perimeter threat.
The challenge isn’t efficiency. It’s volume. The three most three-point attempts Kennard has taken in a single season are 423, which came with the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2021-22 campaign. He’s not going to replicate the combined volume Allen and O’Neale provided, but that’s not necessarily what the Suns are asking him to do.
With the number of options Phoenix now has on the wing, Kennard simply becomes another tool in Jordan Ott’s toolbox. He can be deployed based on specific matchups and lineup needs, giving the Suns another way to create spacing and maximize their offensive efficiency. That’s especially valuable when the player you’re adding is a career 44.2% three point shooter over nine NBA seasons.
As an aside, Kennard will wear No. 8, the jersey number previously worn by Grayson Allen. I nailed both of my predictions on the Bridges/Kennard jersey numbers, a first for me.
Kennard doesn’t replace Grayson Allen. He doesn’t replace Royce O’Neale either. That was never the assignment. He fills a different role on a roster that suddenly has far more lineup flexibility than it did a few months ago. Some nights, his shooting will be the answer. Other nights, it will be someone else’s defense, size, or athleticism. That’s the point. The Suns aren’t searching for one player to solve every problem anymore. They’re building a roster with multiple solutions, and Luke Kennard is another one of them.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Celtics fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
With anything that happens in Las Vegas, we’re all quick to temper our enthusiasm.
“It’s just Summer League.”
“It’s a small sample size.”
“Let’s remember that the guy was a second-round pick.”
“Just one more trip to the ATM and I’ll stop playing blackjack for the night.”
In just three games, what were relative unknowns have gone from peaked curiosity to uncontrollable excitement. With Hugo Gonzalez and Amari Williams, the sophomore duo has solidified their standing in their development timeline.
Gonzalez hasn’t had the best shooting performance in Sin City (6-of-26 from the field, 4-of-18 from 3), but he’s gone to the line a dozen times and filled the stat sheet, nearing a triple-double against the Raptors.
Williams has been an effective rim protector (6 blocks), a ferocious rebounder (6 offensive boards), and an effective playmaker above the break.
However, the biggest revelations might be in this year’s draft picks, Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell. In Monday’s game without Gonzalez and Williams, the rookies showed off some early chemistry. Here’s CelticsBlog Adam Taylor on their evolving synergy:
there was a play late in the third quarter where Cenac had blocked the shot, recovered his block and found Mitchell sprinting up the floor. When it comes to a foot face, at least at Summer League level, I’d be happy to bet on Mitchell winning those most of the time. So, no surprise that he outruns Atlanta’s defense to get the finish.
If you’re going to be watching the Maine Celtics a lot next season, I would assume the connection between these two will be something you come to look forward to. After all, Cenac might be signed to the primary roster, but he projects to spend a decent chunk of his time in the G League, while Mitchell will most likely land a two-way deal following his play over the last three games.
Expect a leap from Gonzalez next season. He was reportedly one of the sticky points in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade and has looked solid after a stint with Spain in the FIBA qualifiers. For Williams, Cenac Jr., and Mitchell, their road to playing time appears to be longer runway, but paved with potential.
The only player you care about looking good while the rest of the team gets smoked is the quintessential Summer League experience.
The Summer Sixers were demolished 87-64 by the Houston Rockets. They are now 2-1 with their penultimate game coming Wednesday at 4 p.m against Orlando. Their final game has yet to be announced.
Labaron Philon Jr. was the only Sixer who could find the hoop for much of the night. He went for a team-high 17 points shooting 7-of-11 from the floor along with four assists and two steals. Johni Broome finished with just two points and three rebounds on 1-of-5 shooting.
Amani Lyles was the only Sixer to reach double-digits. He shot 4-of-7 from the floor to finish with 13 points and three rebounds. Isaiah Crawford, who spent last season with Houston on a two-way, led all scorers with 19.
There was a lid on the rim for both teams as they combined to start the game 1-of-12 from the field. Philon snaking in nicely for a midrange at the 6:20 mark was the Sixers’ first points of the game. Finding the hoop remained a struggle for them while Houston was able to get in a rhythm. At the end of the first quarter the Sixers had scored eight points, seven of them by Philon.
The 2026 first-round pick was the only Sixer playing well, and he was doing so despite the Rockets’ defense loading up to stop him. They threw aggressive double teams at him nearly every trip down the court. He passed out of them very well, showing an impressive feel for passing, his teammates just weren’t able to convert. Philon was at least able to throw one flashy assist, saving a broken play with a touch bounce pass down to Amani Lyles for an and-1.
Broome did not have the same success. He missed both his first three field goal attempts of the game, and his first three free throw attempts, finally getting on the board three minutes into the second half. The Rockets were able to take away his post-ups fairly easily, getting the ball out of his hands in various ways.
Shooting 31% from the field, every field goal the Sixers were able to make felt noteworthy. They showed some life coming up with two consecutive steals after a Duke Miles three. Lyles picked up a lot of his production in this stretch doing the dirty work, but the 10-0 run they went on was the best they could do.
Isaac Johnson took a couple of charges, but has yet to replicate his shooting performance from his summer debut. His lone assist of the night was a nice high-low pass down to the block. Miles made a nice behind-the-back move to beat a defender, but was unable to finish the bucket. He ended up with five points shooting 2-of-9 on the night. He made some hustle plays to keep possessions alive, but his funky shot form makes it hard to believe in him in any serious setting.
Standings
Candidates
Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic are no longer simply two talented guards sharing the Lakers’ backcourt. They have become the center of the franchise’s next chapter and close personal friends, as well.
With LeBron James moving on, Los Angeles has committed its future to Doncic and Reaves, who signed a four-year extension worth roughly $185 million earlier this summer. The deal confirmed what had become increasingly clear last season: Reaves is no longer an unexpected success story. He is one of the Lakers’ foundational players.
And his relationship with Doncic should only help the the next era coalesce.
“He’s one of my best friends on this planet,” Reaves said. “I talk to him almost every single day.”
Their conversations are not limited to basketball. Doncic regularly asks for golf advice, leaning on one of the NBA’s more accomplished golfers for help.
“I talk to him almost every single day. He sends me videos of his golf swing & asks what he can do to get better, and I tell him I’m not a coach.”
This glimpse into a friendship that has developed quickly since Doncic arrived from Dallas less than a year and a half ago. It also reflects the comfort the Lakers will need to translate onto the court as the pair assumes greater responsibility without James.
Reaves said on a recent episode of the Dan Patrick show that he, Doncic, coach JJ Redick and president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka have remained in close contact while the organization reshapes the roster. He believes they share a similar competitive outlook and are trying to build something capable of lasting beyond a single season.
That vision begins with how naturally the two guards complement each other, on and off the court. Doncic controls games through strength, patience and elite playmaking, while Reaves can score with or without the ball, attack closeouts and create as a secondary facilitator.
Reaves has said Doncic’s ability to manipulate pace and generate advantages is almost impossible to copy.
“You can study it, but I don’t know if you can really do it the way that he does it,” Reaves said.
The early results were promising. Los Angeles went 30-11 last season when both players were available, although injuries prevented the partnership from getting a full postseason test.
Now the safety net is gone.
Doncic and Reaves are close friends, golf correspondents and the two players expected to determine whether the Lakers’ post-LeBron era becomes a quick reset or the beginning of another sustained run.
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
LeBron James could be close to picking a new NBA team.
The league's all-time leading scorer has been pondering his options since announcing plans to leave the Los Angeles Lakers when NBA free agency opened last month.
James possesses leverage in terms of his timing because his agent, Rich Paul, indicated money won't drive their decision. But the latest reports suggest he is at least narrowing his options and might be on the verge of figuring out where he will play in his record 24th NBA season.
ESPN's Shams Charania said on the Tuesday, July 14 episode of NBA Today that James has "a focus on Cleveland, Miami and Philadelphia," with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors also mentioned as contenders for James (through Paul) in recent days.
A report from Front Office Sports noted that multiple NBA front office executives also consider the Warriors a serious threat to sign James.
Golden State stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have reportedly been able to contact James during this free agency process, unlike the owners and general managers in pursuit of him. James is scheduled to record a live episode of his "Mind the Game" podcast with Tyrese Haliburton and other special guests as part of two appearances at Fanatics Fest in New York on Thursday, July 16.
Here's a breakdown of the latest potential NBA free agency landing spots for LeBron James based on current reports:
The Cavaliers have emerged as the favorites to land James, allowing him to compete for an NBA championship with Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley and author a storybook ending with a third stint near his hometown of Akron, Ohio to close out a historic career.
The prospect of teaming James with Giannis Antetokounmpo is so fascinating to consider that the lack of supporting cast around them (because of the Heat's salary cap situation this season) seems worth the risk.
The Sixers became a serious option for James when they traded for Jaylen Brown. James shares the same agent with Tyrese Maxey and won a gold medal with Joel Embiid at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He also can make more history in Philadelphia. No NBA player has ever won a title with four different teams.
The Warriors were the focus of initial speculation surrounding James' next team, particularly once Green elected to opt out of his contract to give Golden State more flexibility to pursue James. Playing with Curry and Green would give James a compelling closing chapter with two of his former rivals, though it remains to be seen if that's enough for the Warriors to compete with the Spurs and Thunder in the West.
James would be a great fit on the court and in the locker room with the Timberwolves, who could use a versatile power forward to replace Julius Randle and Naz Reid in their lineup and a mature voice to help ensure Minnesota's bet on teaming LaMelo Ball with Anthony Edwards pays off. But the idea of James spending his final NBA season(s) in Minnesota is seen as the least likely of these possible destinations.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James landing spots: Which team has emerged star's top choice?
The Nets got a bit of a reality check on Saturday night, losing 83-76 to the Atlanta Hawks on a night where the main attractions — Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Dëmin — rested on the second night of a back-to-back. Fortunately, the young cornerstones are expected to return tonight against Darius Acuff Jr. and the Sacramento Kings.
Enjoy!
Of course, Stephen A. Smith screamed “BOX OFFICE!” at cameras the day after Brooklyn selected Mikel Brown Jr., and proceeded to mention how they should be the next team to be part of expansion. Darius Acuff Jr. could have a great career and we’d be thrilled! But the focus in Brooklyn is all on Brown Jr., no matter how much hype has been around this matchup.
It doesn’t need to be anything more or less than that. Keep an eye on how these two young floor generals attempt to set the tone early.
More here from Anthony Puccio.
Share your thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.
Washington Wizards rookie and No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa is done for the remainder of NBA Summer League. The BYU product was shut down by his team on Tuesday, July 14. According to The Athletic, Wizards Summer League coach T.J. Sorrentine informed Dybantsa that he will not play in the team's final two games.
This is a normal situation for highly-touted prospects. Many first-round picks are shut down after two Summer League games as a precaution to ensure no injuries are sustained before their rookie season.
Dybantsa has drawn a good amount of hype heading into the 2026-27 season, with even veteran teammates like Trae Young attending the team's Summer League games in Las Vegas for an early glimpse at the up-and-comer. And Dybantsa didn't disappoint.
In just two games, Dybantsa averaged 25.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, helping lead the Wizards to wins over both the Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings.
No. The Wizards are also shutting down Summer League standouts Will Riley and Tre Johnson. Riley averaged 25 points in his two Summer League appearances, while Johnson scored 26 in his only appearance.
The Wizards have two games remaining in Las Vegas, with matchups against the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Clippers scheduled for Tuesday, July 14 and Wednesday, July 15, respectively.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Wizards shutting down No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa for rest of Summer League
HeraldCeltics rookies showing growth in two key areas at NBA Summer League
Celtics sit two regulars, lose to Hawks in Summer League: Four takeaways
GlobeJohn Tonje getting a long look from Celtics in summer league and making the most of it
CelticsBlogCan’t win them all: 5 Takeaways from Celtics’ Loss to Hawks
Celtics fall 102-90 to Hawks in first Summer League loss
Celtics .comCenac Jr. Continues To Show Off Wide Range of Skills in Vegas
NBC Sports Boston Chris Cenac Jr.’s exciting potential for Celtics on display at Summer League
NESN How Brad Stevens Saved the Red Sox
Celtics Face Tricky Chris Cenac Reality
Mass Live Former Celtics guard getting interest from EuroLeague powerhouse
Celtics big man showing eye-opening defensive tools in Summer League
Celtics giving rookie Dillon Mitchell shooting confidence in Summer League
Hugo Gonzalez already drawing praise as leader by Celtics coach
4 takeaways as Celtics lose to Hawks in Summer League, rookies show promise
Jaylen Brown reaches out to former 76ers adversary after stunning Celtics trade
Celtics WireCeltics history: Hayward, Wilcox sign; Mickey waived; Red stays
Amile Jefferson on Boston Celtics rookies Chris Cenac Jr., Dillon Mitchell in summer league
Dillon Mitchell on finding his 3-pointer with Sin City Celtics
Boston Celtics suffer first defeat of Summer League play in 102-90 loss to Atlanta Hawks
Would Derrick White make a good head coach? His stint with the Summer Celtics says yes
Boston Sports JournalCeltics Summer League Notebook: Tough loss to Hawks, Dillon Mitchell’s jump shot, and more
Hardwood HoudiniWhy the Celtics are making a mistake by ignoring veteran assistant coaches
Celtics’ revamped depth chart shows new identity after Jaylen Brown trade
Why the Celtics think a committee approach can replace Jaylen Brown
Celtics rival won’t be much of a threat for Jayson Tatum’s best friend
It’s taken Dillon Mitchell 3 summer league games to attack his biggest weakness
Celtics’ culture on display in Summer League loss: ‘Stronger than being tired’
Celtics can at least find comfort in Lakers’ chaotic offseason
If summer league is any indication, the Celtics absolutely nailed the draft
Jaylen Brown trade has created major ripple effects across the NBA
Why Paul George actually fits Mazzulla-ball better than Jaylen Brown ever did
Chowder and Champions Chris Cenac Jr. quickly gave Celtics fans another reason to buy into the hype
Jaylen Brown trade could be the next chapter in Brad Stevens’ unlikely trend
CLNS Media/YouTubeCeltics Lose to Hawks | Hugo Gonzalez Sits Out 3rd Game – Garden Report on CLNS
Can Hugo Gonzalez, Chris Cenac Jr. & Dillon Mitchell IMPACT Celtics Next Season? | Big 3 NBA Podcast
Next Steps After Jaylen Trade: Trey Murphy and Payton Pritchard? | Celtics Daily
Dillon Mitchell Unsure Which Contract He’ll Sign with Celtics | Post Game Interview
Amile Jefferson Recaps Hugo Gonzalez and Amari Williams’ Summer Leagues | Celtics Post Game
Chris Cenac Upset About MISSED DUNKS in Loss | Celtics Summer League
Locked on Celtics Chris Cenac Jr. IMMEDIATE IMPACT? | Fixing Dillon Mitchell’s Jump Shot
Derrick White RULEBREAKER | Tough Lesson for Rookies in Summer Loss
SI .comEarly Summer League Standouts Are Painful Knicks Reminder
Boston Celtics Rookies Got a True NBA Test in Their First Summer League Loss
Instant Takeaways From Atlanta’s Summer League Victory Against Boston
The Sports Hub Celtics promising new way of playing in post-Jaylen Brown era
Jaylen Brown’s top 5 moments as a Celtic
Clutch Points How Celtics’ Jayson Tatum is entering a career-defining era in 2026-27
Celtics may be developing the next great NBA shot blocker with rookie
New York PostJaylen Brown, Joel Embiid haven’t spoken since blockbuster 76ers trade: Tracy McGrady
Basketball NetworkJayson Tatum shamed narratives surrounding Jaylen Brown’s trade – “They tried to pin us against each other”
Knicks fan urges Jayson Tatum to leave “racist” Boston: “We gonna get you on the Knicks son”
Heavy Boston Celtics Make Hugo Gonzalez Decision During Summer League
Celtics’ Dillon Mitchell Earns Praise Following Standout Performance
Celtics Wing Makes Bold Statement Ahead of New Season
Celtics Rookie Showing ‘Enormous’ Improvement in Key Area
Celtics Rookie Reveals Major Area Of Focus
Joe Mazzulla Pinpoints Key Way Mitchell Robinson Improves Celtics
Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Links Up with LeBron James Amid Free Agency Rumors
Union LeaderCeltics’ Walsh wants to change his offensive identity
Bleacher Report New NBA Rumors on Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid’s Relationship After 76ers-Celtics Trade
Ranking the NBA’s Best ‘Big Threes’ Right Now
BasketNews Real Madrid reportedly close to signing former Celtics guard
NBA .com 2026 NBA Summer League: Hawks work their way to win over Celtics
Celtics RoundtableCould Boston Celtics Guard Have Coaching Role in Future?
Boston Celtics See What They Could Have Had in NBA Draft on Monday
Ariel Helwani Show/You/TubeExclusive Footage of Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla Training MMA
AudacyCeltics rookies already showing progress in key areas
WEEI/YouTube Less Talent, But Improved Roster? | Rich & Ken with Ted Johnson
NBA/YouTube HAWKS vs CELTICS | LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | July 13, 2026
Fan Recap Celtics Just Made A Franchise Shaking Bet Fans Will Debate
The Celtics ChronicleThe pitfall of watching Summer League
Duke WireJayson Tatum reminisces about his NBA Summer League experience
Yaxel Lendeborg excited to circle Cameron Boozer rematch after Warriors' loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
LAS VEGAS – The start to Las Vegas NBA Summer League was a reunion of sorts for Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.
Taken with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Lendeborg earned bragging rights with two straight wins over his former Michigan teammates Morez Johnson Jr. (No. 9 pick) and Aday Mara (No. 12 pick), beating the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder. His third game in Las Vegas was a chance for revenge.
Lendeborg squared off with No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer once last season when Michigan played Duke in a highly contested battle. Both college stars put on a show at the Edward Jones Capital Classic in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 21.
While Lendeborg outscored Boozer 21 to 18 in that game, Michigan fell 68-63 for only its second loss of the season. Lendeborg also had seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocked shots. Boozer added 10 rebounds, seven assists and also blocked two shots.
Just about five months later, Boozer’s team again got the best of Lendeborg’s in the Warriors’ 106-85 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday at Cox Pavilion on UNLV’s campus. And Lendeborg again outscored Boozer.
Lendeborg scored a team-high 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting to go with a game-high nine rebounds, three assists and two steals. He was a minus-28 in barely under 29 minutes. Boozer was a game-high plus-35 in 26 minutes with 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. They each were more aggressive in the second half after slow starts.
“I liked this one a lot better than that Michigan vs. Duke one,” Lendeborg said after the loss. “I had a lot more chances to guard him in this one, and same with him guarding me. It was a lot more fun getting to go up against a talent like that. Sucks that we lost the matchup, but we’ll see him again in the regular season.”
Coach Khalid Robinson certainly took note of the heavyweight bout, too.
“It was two very talented players, two very physical guys,” Robinson said. “It was a fun matchup to watch and obviously something that’s going to go on for a long time in this league.”
Watching Lendeborg and Boozer go against one another felt like a rivalry happening in real time. There wasn’t trash talk, but a look in their eyes of each proving who the better player is. They matched up against one another as much as possible and neither ducked any smoke.
The highlight of the first half was Lendeborg going right at Boozer in transition. Lendeborg put his left shoulder into Boozer’s right, knocking him back to create separation. He gathered his dribble and finished the play with Boozer watching the ball go through the net from out of bounds.
He had a similar finish on Boozer in the second half, too. When the Warriors’ regular-season schedule is announced, Lendeborg admittedly will have his eyes on games against Boozer and the Grizzlies.
“Yeah, absolutely. I’m always gonna circle that matchup,” Lendeborg said. “… I’m excited to see him again, and hopefully we can get on the winning side.”
Between the California Classic and Las Vegas, Lendeborg’s 3-point shot has stood out as much as anything. In a game where he missed both of his 3-point attempts on Tuesday, Lendeborg’s physicality is what stood out most.
Lendeborg consistently looked to get to the rack. He just didn’t always convert – at least not on his first try.
There were multiple instances where he followed his own miss and converted a putback. Those kinds of energy plays are what the Warriors are looking for out of Lendeborg, knowing he has the natural strength to make an impact in handful of ways.
“That’s what we’ve asked of him,” Robinson said. “He’s brought it, but you have to bring it consistently and that’s just the challenge of being a pro. He’s a really physical player, and for our team, we have to have that level of physicality to start every game and consistently throughout.”
A familiar-but-new face to Lendeborg was on the sidelines of Cox Pavilion. Warriors coach Steve Kerr was in attendance for his first summer league game this year. Kerr sat next to general manager Mike Dunleavy, as well as newly hired associate head coach Frank Vogel. Though Vogel hasn’t officially signed his contract with the Warriors, he was all smiles getting to know Golden State’s coaching staff.
Seeing Kerr on the sidelines was a surprise to Lendeborg. When reminded of Kerr being there after the game, Lendeborg shook his head and said how frustrated he was that Kerr’s first look at him was a loss. He’d even change some of the words he knows Kerr heard him say right in front of him.
“There was one play I was very frustrated and I yelled a couple curse words,” Lendeborg said. “I realized, ‘Oh my God I got to relax, he’s right there.’ He kind of heard the bad side of it, but I tried to keep my composure as much as I could.”
The Warriors’ loss dropped them to 2-1 in Las Vegas and 4-2 overall this summer. Tuesday also was the first game Lendeborg has lost in a Warriors jersey. Their next game is Thursday against the New York Knicks at 4 p.m. PT.
The NBA Summer League kicked off last Thursday, and several former Wisconsin Badgers have looked to make their names known as they battle to make their respective team’s rosters.
Last year, the Badgers had their first draft pick since 2022 when John Tonje was taken by the Utah Jazz in the second round. Tonje enjoyed a quality rookie season in the G League, averaging 18.1 points and 4.6 rebounds a game while splitting time with the Salt Lake City Stars (Utah’s G League affiliate) and the Maine Celtics (Boston Celtics G League affiliate) after being traded midseason.
Tonje is now playing for the Celtics Summer League team, and he’s been off to a fantastic start.
In Boston’s first game, Tonje had 20 points, hitting five threes, while having a clutch steal and dunk that helped seal a three-point overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors. In their next game against the Charlotte Hornets, Tonje had an efficient 17 points on 8 of 10 from the field, while hauling down five rebounds.
He did struggle a bit in Boston’s third game, scoring five points on 2 of 8 from the field in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Nick Boyd is also participating in this year’s Summer League after going undrafted last month in the 2026 NBA Draft. He signed a deal with the Golden State Warriors after the draft and is looking to compete for a roster spot or a G League spot there.
Playing on the Warriors Blue team during the California Classic, Boyd had a couple of solid games to kick off Summer League. He struggled in his first contest, scoring 11 points on 2 of 10 shooting in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. But Boyd followed that up with a double-double, dropping 11 points and 10 assists in a loss to the Sacramento Kings, while shooting 4 of 7 from the field.
In the final game of the California Classic, Boyd had 13 points and five assists, while shooting 5 of 13 from the field. He was the starting point guard for all three games on the Warriors’ second G League team.
Boyd has now played in one of the two games since the official G League start in Las Vegas. He did not suit up for Golden State’s first game, but had 14 points, two assists, and two rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench in the team’s most recent game, while shooting 5 of 6 from the field.
The other former Badger playing is center Steven Crowl, who signed a deal to play for the Detroit Pistons ahead of Summer League.
After being a DNP in Detroit’s first game, Crowl has seen some minutes off the bench for the Pistons in their last two contests. In their second game, an 11-point win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Crowl had two assists, a block, and an offensive rebound in eight minutes of action, while being a +5 in the box score.
He saw a bigger role in their third game, playing 19 minutes, while scoring five points, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out two more assists. He was a +6 in his minutes.
Summer League continues on Tuesday and will go on for the next few days, as each of the three players will look to make the most of their minutes. But, there have been some positives from Tonje, Boyd, and Crowl in their early action so far.