Category: NBA

The Brooklyn Nets got a bit of a reality check on Saturday night. After cruising past the Knicks on Friday, the Nets dropped lost 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.

But tonight, the young cornerstones are expected to return.

Brooklyn shifts its focus to an evening showdown against the Sacramento Kings (1-1) at the Thomas & Mack Center. Tuesday brings forth another summer subplot we missed in Sacramento: a clash between the No. 6 and No. 7 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.

📺 Watch: YES!

• Who: Brooklyn Nets vs. Sacramento Kings
• When: 6:00 PM ET
• Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas
• TV/Stream: YES Network, Prime Video

🏀 The Game

With Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Dëmin watching from the bench on Saturday, Summer League coach Dutch Gaitley handed the keys over to Ben Saraf and Drake Powell. The backcourt had its growing pains — Saraf dropped 15 points but shot only 4-of-14 from the floor in 32 minutes. Powell shot 0-for-4 in 24 minutes played.

“I’ve been working with my coaches on my shot,” said Powell. “They’re not going in right now. But I’m going to continue to put them up and have full confidence that they’ll go in… Some nights are obviously hard when I’m by myself in the hotel room. But just been [having] constant conversations with my circle and continuing to trust them and my coaches.”

Back to Brown Jr. and Dëmin.

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 on Brown Jr. — and only 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.

📈 Big Impressions

Although it’s lottery guards who have generated the headlines, Saturday’s loss to Atlanta spotlighted two guys in the frontcourt who came to play.

• Chaney Johnson: The two-way forward was everywhere once again, racking up 20 points, 10 rebounds, and a whopping 5 steals. He’s currently averaging 15 points and nine rebounds in Las Vegas Summer League, pushing the issue with high-energy on both ends of the floor.
• Danny Wolf: The second-year big led the scoring effort alongside Johnson, putting up 20 points of his own on an efficient 9-of-16 shooting.

Meanwhile, forward Joshua Jefferson made his highly anticipated Summer League debut on Saturday. The aggression was there, but so was the rust. He shot 1-of-8 from the field to go along with two turnovers in nine minutes.

🕒 Load Management

If you’re wondering why you didn’t see Brown Jr. or Dëmin in the box score on Saturday, it simply isn’t worth overthinking. It’s Summer League, and for the Nets, the priority is balancing development with keeping the franchise cornerstones in one piece. That’s not mentioning they’re playing extra basketball — only seven franchises (eight total teams) play in the California Classic before heading over the Vegas.

“That’s the goal,” Nets summer league coach Dutch Gaitley said.“The goal is a nice off-day … get some work in on Monday, and then we’re ready to play the Kings and, hopefully, avenge our first loss of summer league.”

It’s the right move. Long-term evaluation is the name of the game here. Minutes need to be earned by others, and Saturday gave the staff another look at what Saraf and Powell can (or can’t) do when they’re forced to take the reins.

Make no mistake, the main act returns tonight. But this is all exhibition, the Nets are not going to do anything that might jeopardize their future, particularly in back-to-backs

Welcome to NY, Keon!

Did you think you’d wake up today and think about New York real estate? If your answer is no then you’re probably having a less stressful day than Keon Ellis. Like most who move to New York, Ellis discussed what it’s like looking for a place.

Tip-off is at 6:00 PM ET. Join the Game Thread at 5:30.

• Nets ‘beast’ making strong case for expanded NBA role with Summer League performance – ClutchPoints
• Nets showing off draft lottery combo they hope will be the future – NY Post
• Julius Randle, Keon Ellis give Nets two different guides for a young roster – New York Daily News

LeBron James reportedly shifts ‘focus' to three teams in NBA free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LeBron James’ NBA free agency decision still is not here — but the picture around it just got a lot more specific, and the news is not entirely good for the Warriors.

ESPN’s Shams Charania provided an update on “NBA Today” Tuesday, revisiting a report he first delivered weeks ago that identified the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Warriors as the three leaders in James’ decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons. Those three teams still are in it. But the landscape around them has shifted — and Golden State’s position within it has changed.

“Those three teams are still in it,” Charania said. “The Sixers have since acquired Jaylen Brown. Minnesota already got LaMelo Ball. They are also two of the teams that are involved.”

Philadelphia landed Brown in a blockbuster trade with Boston on July 2, sending Paul George and four draft picks back to the Celtics. Minnesota, meanwhile, added Ball around the same time of the offseason. Both moves inserted their franchises into James’ decision.

That widened the field to five teams. But Charania drew a clear distinction between which five are still involved and which three still are the real focus.

“My understanding is, right now as we speak, LeBron James has the information that’s needed to make a decision,” Charania said. “The feel is that those five teams remain in the mix, but a focus on Cleveland, Miami and Philadelphia.”

Golden State and Minnesota, in other words, are technically alive — but no longer appear to be where James’ attention is concentrated. That is a meaningful shift for a Warriors fan base that has spent weeks watching Draymond Green opt out of his contract and reportedly spend time with James personally, all in pursuit of pairing him with Steph Curry for one final championship run.

There is also a layer of irony in the current focus group. Two of the three teams James is reportedly zeroed in on — Cleveland and Miami — are franchises where he has already won championships and spent significant portions of his career. Whatever “new team environment and culture” James is searching for, according to Charania, it may end up looking a lot like somewhere he has already been.

Charania was also clear about what is not driving the decision.

“This is not a money-driven decision,” he said. “So you have teams that are offering him minimum deals, exceptions, some salary cap space as well. He’s able to take his time and sift through this.”

Team presidents and general managers still are in contact with James’ agent, Rich Paul, this week, and James has reportedly listened to voice notes from multiple team owners delivered through Paul. Charania said a decision “could be really any day, any week now.”

During the Warriors’ NBA Summer League game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday in Las Vegas, Golden State GM Mike Dunleavy said the team’s roster is close to being finalized.

For the Warriors, that means their recruiting pitch still has a pulse — but as of this week, it is no longer one of the three pitches getting the most attention.

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Observations after Sixers suffer first summer loss despite more Philon highlights originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers fell to their first loss of the Las Vegas summer league on Tuesday.

With a 90-64 defeat to the Rockets, the Sixers dropped to 2-1 in Vegas.

Rookie Labaron Philon Jr. kept adding to his summer league highlights package with 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting, four assists and two steals.

The Sixers will be back at it Wednesday and face the Magic at 4 p.m. ET. Here are observations on their loss to Houston:

Tougher time for Broome 

The Sixers fell behind early for the first time in summer league and never recovered.

The team’s offense was far less fluid than in its first two games. The only Sixer on the scoreboard outside of Philon in the first quarter was Dante Maddox Jr., who hit a free throw with 1:38 left in the period. The Rockets took a 17-5 lead.

Johni Broome faced a bit of extra defensive attention and physicality after averaging 21.0 points and 12.0 rebounds over the Sixers’ first two contests.

The second-year big man struggled. Broome settled for two three-pointers in his opening stint and missed both. He also failed to convert all three of his free throw attempts on the day.

Broome ended with just two points on 1-for-5 shooting and three rebounds in 22 minutes.

Philon effective at three levels 

Philon drained a pretty step-back three on the Sixers’ final possession of the first quarter. 

Though scoring inside will be a greater challenge against NBA defenses, Philon has shown impressive three-level ability this summer. The 20-year-old has gone 7 for 18 from three-point territory (38.9 percent), looked rather polished in the mid-range, and found ways to reach the paint. He burst to the hoop for an and-one layup early in the second quarter. 

Philon has averaged 19.7 points and 5.7 assists through three games. For a player drafted late in the first round, he’s been excellent overall. Philon has done strong work against a variety of defenders and coverages, including the Rockets’ blitzing Tuesday.

Small semifinal odds

The Sixers’ deficit grew as high as 29 points in the third quarter. While the team made a spirited push late in the third, that was a very safe lead for Houston.

Amani Lyles had a productive day off the bench, adding 13 points and three rebounds in 12 minutes, but no one could truly turn the tide for the Sixers.

Especially with their loss being a blowout and point differential serving as a key tiebreaker, the Sixers’ chances of advancing to the summer league semifinals are now slim. They’ll presumably need to beat Orlando and get help elsewhere to wind up with a top-four spot.

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With the exception of two-time All-Star Julius Randle, the Nets didn’t go big-game hunting for splashy stars. It simply wasn’t their plan after losing 62 games this past season. Instead, they opted to stay young and build depth while maintaining some of that flexibility we so often hear about.

The stars of this show are going to be their own. Mikel Brown Jr. has looked solid in Summer League and so has Egor Dëmin. Other players like Chaney Johnson have also made a name for themselves.

Contrary to Sinatra’s “It was a very good year” — it was a very tough year for Nets fans. A ton of losses and a Knicks championship. Not the best. However, the Draft and more specifically, the combination between the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League have seemingly given this fanbase a sigh of relief. However, the reality can still be tough if the team is losing games come December.

At least for the time being, how do you feel? Has Summer League changed anything for you?

💬 Discussion

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It’s been 43 years since the Philadelphia 76ers won an NBA championship.

As a refresher, that team was positively loaded. It put “Big 3s” and the “Heatles” to shame.

Mo Cheeks, an eventual Hall of Famer, was the head of the snake as the starting point guard. Andrew Toney, who might’ve been on a HOF path if not for poorly-handled foot injuries, shared the backcourt. While Marc Iavaroni started, Hall of Famer Bobby Jones came off the bench as a defensive maven. Of course, the Good Doctor, Julius Erving, was manning the small forward spot.

Despite Dr. J’s individual accolades, the Larry O’Brien trophy still eluded him and the organization. They lost in the Finals three times and the Eastern Conference Finals twice. They needed something to get them over the top to defeat the rival Boston Celtics and Showtime Los Angeles Lakers.

Big man Moses Malone was coming off his second MVP award while a member of the Houston Rockets. The Sixers pulled off a sign-and-trade to acquire the Chairman of the Boards, and the rest is history. Malone spent only three seasons in Philadelphia (we can all disregard his age-38 season in 1993-94) yet has his No. 2 hanging in the rafters and is considered a legend around these parts.

LeBron James, who turns 42 in December, was born a year and half after Erving and company finally broke through. Imagine for a second if James, arguably the greatest player in basketball history, chose to play in the City of Brotherly Love and was able to deliver this franchise its fourth title?

Forget about GOAT. James would be worshipped here. He’d be a god — a deity held in the highest regard. While “Go Birds” is one of our greetings and “Red Octobers” have become the norm, Philly is still a basketball town. The presence of James and his ability to aid in a championship would simply bring that out.

If you watched the Home Run Derby on Monday night, you saw what Philly is all about. The fans booed every player competing against Kyle Schwarber, including the St. Louis Cardinals’ Jordan Walker, who won the event. Even Walker himself respected the energy from the crowd — as did his family, who were in attendance.

All that love for a guy in Schwarber, who was not a homegrown talent yet is adored here. Think about Bryce Harper, who unfortunately was bounced in the first round. Philly hated Harper with the fire of thousand suns when he was a Washington National. Did you see the reception he got Monday night? Every player should dream about that kind of environment — even one as decorated as LeBron.

Allow yourself to dream for a moment. Picture opening night down in South Philly. The starting five that takes the floor that night: Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, James and Joel Embiid. That’s the best starting five in the NBA. Hell, that rivals the 1983 squad for one of the greatest five-man groups of all time. (Maybe the team can ask Matt Cord back for one night?)

But truly, that’s not all. President of basketball operations Mike Gansey retooled a weak bench. Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons and Ariel Hukporti replace Kelly Oubre Jr., Quentin Grimes and Andre Drummond. Labaron Philon Jr. is a gifted rookie who could still have a role on a star-studded team. And don’t forget about guys like Justin Edwards, Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona. They’ve helped the Sixers win games in the past and will now be asked to take on more appropriate roles.

This is a golden opportunity to win. If James can guide the Sixers to a title, he will be the first player to win four rings with four different franchises. You want to stand alone in history? That’s surely one way to do it.

And it will be a great theme for the documentary.

It was 43 years ago when Moses parted the postseason seas and led the Sixers to the promised land.

While royalty wasn’t popular in Philly back in 1776, if The King wins here, the entire city would be his throne.

LeBron James and Stephen Curry are both headed to New York this week, which means the NBA rumor mill is about to overheat.

Curry finished third at the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe on Sunday, continuing his run as one of the best celebrity golfers in the field. The Warriors star then reportedly flew to New York to attend the 2026 ESPYs on July 15.

James, meanwhile, is also expected to be in New York for Fanatics Fest appearances.

That may mean nothing.

It also may mean everything, because this is LeBron free agency and coincidence has no part in the conversation.

Golden State remains one of the teams chasing James, along with Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia and Minnesota. Cleveland is still widely viewed as the favorite, but the Warriors continue to hover because they have something most teams do not: direct access.

According to Brian Windhorst, James has been reaching out to players on interested teams as he weighs his decision.

“LeBron is reaching out and talking to players on some of these teams,” Windhorst said, explaining that those players then report back to their general managers or coaches that James called.

That is where Golden State’s pitch gets interesting.

Anthony Slater reported that Warriors decision-makers have not expressed much optimism that they will ultimately land James, and they have viewed Cleveland as the most likely destination from the beginning. But Slater also noted the Warriors know they have an advantage because Curry and Draymond Green can reach James directly.

Green has already been doing his part. He recently spent time with James in Puerto Rico, including a golf outing that sent speculation into overdrive.

Curry has been involved, too. He has confirmed being in contact with James, and his pitch appears to center on the historic nature of the partnership: Year 18 for Curry, Year 24 for James, two old Finals rivals trying to squeeze one last championship run out of the era they helped define.

So yes, maybe Curry and James being in New York at the same time is just a scheduling happenstance.

Or maybe it is another little breadcrumb in a recruitment that has already included vacation pitches, voice notes, front-office calls and plenty of tee times.

The Warriors may still be chasing Cleveland.

But with Curry and Green able to call James directly, Golden State is not exactly waiting quietly.

Why LeBron James to Warriors would be ‘weird' for Sharks star Macklin Celebrini originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Many celebrity personalities around the Bay have been excited and hopeful about the possibility of the Warriors signing LeBron James. Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini has a different initial feeling on the matter.

“It’d be weird,” Celebrini recently told ESPN. “It’d be weird just because of that rivalry with LeBron on the [Cleveland Cavaliers]. I feel like they’ve been going at it every step of the way. I’d be like if Ovi [Ovechkin] and Sid [Crosby] played together.”

Two of the greatest players of all time teaming up does feel a little strange, but something similar did happen in free agency 10 years ago. Kevin Durant signed with the Warriors in July 2016, and the league wasn’t ready for it.

The central question is whether James joining Steph Curry and Draymond Green would deliver the same legendary results and success as previous acquisitions.

The Warriors were the second-oldest team in the NBA last season, only trailing the Los Angeles Clippers. Durability and health would be two hurdles to consider, especially when the star players in Golden State are in their late 30s.

Jimmy Butler is coming off a torn ACL, and there is no set timetable for his return at this point. Kristaps Porziņģis showed flashes of greatness last year, but could not stay on the court consistently.

On the other side of the coin, the basketball IQ of the Warriors would be through the roof. The years of championship experience would be plentiful. If the roster can stay healthy heading into the postseason, they’d be feared among most opponents in the Western Conference.

Celebrini’s point strengthens the main argument: after intense battles between Cleveland and Golden State, seeing LeBron join the Warriors would feel unprecedented and require an adjustment period.

James and the Warriors’ core of Green, Curry, and coach Steve Kerr would be uniting with one goal in mind: ring No. 5.

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Milwaukee Bucks guard Tyler Herro says he wants to "move on" from his altercation with former Miami Heat teammate Bam Adebayo after it was reported that Adebayo hit him in the face.

According to multiple media reports, Herro was approached by Adebayo at the Resorts World Hotel in Las Vegas on July 10.

Herro was at the hotel watching his AAU team practice when Adebayo confronted him about comments made on social media.

"Honestly, I'm just trying to move past all of it," Herro said to ESPN. "I'm focused on Milwaukee and building something special. They obviously just traded the greatest player in their history, so we want to come in and help continue what they've been doing."

"I'm ready to come home and not prove everyone wrong," he said, "but just be able to represent the city and the state because I wanted to do that coming out of school as well."

Adebayo and Herro spent seven seasons as teammates before Herro was traded to Milwaukee in a deal that sent two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami.

As the LeBron James saga plows forward like it’s an early 2010’s summer, the conclusion appears to be drawing near. And, like the early 2010’s, it’s ESPN’s Brian Windhorst leading the reporting.

On the Hoop Collective podcast, Windhorst said that James is contacting players on some of the interested teams. This, of course, then gets sent back to the respective team’s head coach and/or general manager.

“LeBron is reaching out and talking to players on some of these teams and they report back to their GM or coach.”

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Windhorst did not indicate who these players were or even the exact teams that have been contacted, adding to the veiled maneuvering happening in the background.

The Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be the silent frontrunner, though the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, and Philadelphia 76ers are also reportedly on that list as well. All have compelling reasons to be interested in James’ services, but the Cavs offer the best option as the storybook ending.

The Cavs can also, in a way, corroborate this reporting from ESPN. Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson, while being interviewed at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, appeared to allude to Cleveland’s pursuit of James.

“You guys know there’s a little free agency thing on right now so…that could be our real jump and you know what I’m talking about,” Atkinson said during the Cavs’ Summer League matchup against the Detroit Pistons. “That’s exciting too.”

Then there is the Donovan Mitchell extension, which came a year sooner than many expected. Mitchell left a sizable amount of money on the table by signing this year as opposed to next summer, an act of good faith that may have been signed with the knowledge that something was coming to boost the Cavs’ championship outlook. Signing James would certainly be one of those achievable roster improvements.

The Tyler Herro-Bam Adebayo beef had been brewing for some time.

The two former Miami Heat teammates had a solid relationship before things began to fall apart over the past year, as the team took a different offensive direction, according to a new report from ESPN, culminating in Friday’s fight at a court in Las Vegas in which Adebayo reportedly punched Herro.

“Honestly, I’m just trying to move past all of it,” Herro, who was dealt to the Bucks in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, told ESPN. “I’m focused on Milwaukee and building something special. They obviously just traded the greatest player in their history, so we want to come in and help continue what they’ve been doing.”

Adebayo reportedly confronted Herro over critical comments made on social media after the Heat-Bucks trade.

Adebayo then “took exception” to Herro’s verbal response and struck Herro near his chin, ESPN reported. Herro, who was not knocked to the ground, “was restrained by others in the gym from responding physically.”

Herro and Adebayo began to grow apart over the past year as Herro played in just 33 games last season due to various injuries, and even when he did play, he struggled to adjust to changes made by coach Erik Spoelstra.

It became clear that the offense would revolve around Adebayo as their primary scorer rather than a pick-and-roll-heavy approach from years past.

The Heat ran just 5.3 pick-and-roll ball-handler possessions per game and just 5.6 percent of the time, by far the least frequent in the NBA, with the Spurs coming in second at 12.2 percent of their plays.

This is a massive change from the season prior, when the Heat ran pick-and-roll on 16.2 percent of their plays, middle of the pack in the NBA.

Miami ran the pick and roll less than any NBA team since at least 2015, when the data began being tracked by the league.

When Herro returned to the offense from injury to make his season debut on Nov. 24, Adebayo made some interesting comments about their star guard’s return to an offense that had moved past his style.

“As you see, it’s a fun offense to be a part of,” Adebayo said. “It’s not a lot of pick-and-rolls to be a part of, but we’re sharing the game. You like those types of games where everybody feels involved, and everybody gets a chance to be aggressive. Put pressure on the rim and we’re being successful off of it.”

Herro said he’s ready to prove people wrong; perhaps Adebayo is one of them.

“I’m ready to come home and not prove everyone wrong,” he said, “but just be able to represent the city and the state because I wanted to do that coming out of school as well.”

The Lakers’ big move of the summer was pushing all their chips to the middle of the table to acquire Walker Kessler.

There are lots of boxes that Kessler checks as a rim-protecting center and a hard-screening lob threat. All that comes with the caveat of him being healthy.

Kessler played the first five games of the season before a torn labrum forced him to have surgery and abruptly ended his campaign. Given how early into the season the injury occurred, it’s not a surprise that he has been cleared to play.

On Monday, Kessler spoke to the media in Las Vegas for the first time since joining the purple and gold and revealed his injury is healed (h/t Dave McMenamin/ESPN).

“It’s been cleared,” Kessler said. “It feels strong. It feels mobile.

“I’m just excited to play again. Sitting out a whole year definitely puts a lot of things in perspective. The heart grows fond in absence. Falling in love with this game again, I just want to go play to win.”

Given how much chemistry the new-look Lakers are going to have to build, it’s great news that Kessler is healthy and ready to go. The team’s new signings met in Vegas to hang out and scrimmage to start building said chemistry with Kessler among them.

Kessler has largely been a durable player in his career. While he only played 58 games in the 2024-25 season, most of that was because the Jazz, one of the most notorious tanking teams in recent seasons, were doing funny things down the stretch with Kessler.

LA has placed a lot of faith in Kessler being the next center of the future. Fortunately, he’s going to be read to go from the jump this season to try to make good on that bet.

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It is no secret to the league that a reunion of LeBron James and the team that drafted all the way back in 2003 would be hard to pass on. The Cleveland Cavaliers, as reported by Marc Stein, are regarded by teams pursuing James as “the scenario to beat”.

Stein includes teams who view this as the case to be the teams most in pursuit of the King. This includes the likes of the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Denver Nuggets. According to Stein, the situation is viewed as Cleveland being the scenario to beat; however, not necessarily unbeatable.

Golden State reportedly, while having “tangible concern that Cleveland is the closest thing to a frontrunner,” has not given up on their pursuit of the King. Stein goes on to say that this sentiment is shared by all suitors above. With Timberwolves coach Chris Finch saying as much on Stein and Jake Fisher’s Bleacher Report livestream: “I think they’ve made everybody feel like they genuinely have an opportunity.”

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In the same excerpt from Stein, he floats questions around LeBron’s upcoming appearances this week. James is scheduled to have live podcast appearances this Thursday and Friday in New York City at the Fanatics Fest event.

It has been rumored that LeBron’s decision should be coming sooner rather than later. So the LeBron sweepstakes being announced before or even during LeBron’s media appearances later this week would not surprise many in the least.

If the Cavaliers are truly viewed as the “scenario to beat,” then Cleveland will need to remain aggressive in whatever approach they are currently utilizing to entice James to this potential third reunion. A return of LeBron brings more with it than a simple storybook ending to an all-time career. They would have a chance to compete for a title, and would presumably pull out all of the stops to put themselves in the best position to do so if they can secure a commitment from James.

LAS VEGAS — Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr. — the Nets’ lottery picks the past two years — are set to play Tuesday’s summer league tilt against Sacramento, giving Nets fans another glimpse at their potential backcourt of the future.

Both 20-year-olds were held out of Saturday’s loss to Atlanta, while Brown had missed the first two of three California Classic games. But fans will relish seeing them on the floor together against the Kings.

“That’s the goal,” Nets summer league coach Dutch Gaitley said. “The goal is a nice off-day … get some work in on Monday, and then we’re ready to play the Kings and, hopefully, avenge our first loss of summer league.”

The Nets picked Brown at No. 6 overall in last month’s draft — they chose him over Darius Acuff Jr., who went one spot later to Sacramento — and the rookie had 20 points on 6-for-12 shooting and 3-for-6 from deep in the rout of the Knicks.

Meanwhile, Acuff is averaging 19.5 points and 4.5 assists. He also has averaged 3.5 turnovers on just 26-for-82 shooting along with horrific defense.

Ben Saraf has shown his usual downhill game but still is struggling to hit shots. He’s hitting just 27.3 percent and 1-for-7 from deep in two summer league games.

Gaitley said the key for the second-year guard is his reads.

“Ben’s one of our highest paint-touch guys. It’s now that read of, ‘Is it time for me to be aggressive in score? Is it time for me to spray?’ ” Gaitley said. “Sometimes, he gets a little deep, and he’s like, ‘I’m going to score. I’m going to score,’ and then the read is to pass. And then other times, he’s like ‘All right, I’m going to pass; I’m going to pass,’ and the read is to score.

“So, helping him on that so he’s not predetermining and he’s just reading what the defense does. He does a great job getting into the paint. Now, it’s helping him get into those reads. The other thing is he gets caught in-between playing off two feet and playing off one foot. You play off two feet, you can pivot, allow your teammates to get in space. You play off one, you’re in the air; it leads to turnovers.”

Despite being used at forward this summer rather than center. Danny Wolf has added about 10 pounds of muscle in hopes bulk and better interior footwork help his finishing.

“It’s just my physicality and just playing a little bit bigger,” Wolf said of improved finishing. “Then within that, just as the game slows down, making better reads, being better with the ball, and then just playing simpler, and then just continuing to find consistency in the 3-point shot.”

Nolan Traore won’t play at all in summer league due to having his right knee scoped. But he joined the Nets here and got some stationary shots up at practice Monday. Grant Nelson also isn’t playing but was on hand getting work in at Monday’s practice as well.

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With a half dozen NBA Summer League games tonight in Las Vegas, several NBA lottery picks are set to take the court, including Washington Wizards No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa, via Kalshi.

Dybantsa's matchup against Caleb Wilson and the Chicago Bulls headlines our NBA Summer League picks for Tuesday, July 14.

NBA Summer League predictions for July 14

Pick
Kings moneyline	-117
Wizards moneyline	-194
Lakers moneyline	+138
💰 All three parlayed	+569

Today's Summer League picks

Kings moneyline (-117 at Kalshi)

One thing has been clear for the Sacramento Kings during NBA Summer League play: No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr. has the green light.

With the Arkansas product leading the offense, the Kings went 3-0 in Salt Lake City Summer League play, including a win over the Brooklyn Nets, where he dropped 25 points.

The rookie guard combo of Acuff (78 points in 108 minutes) and Emanuel Sharp (59 points in 109 minutes), plus the interior presence of Maxime Raynaud (20 points in his first NBA Summer League game of the year on Saturday), will be difficult for the Nets' defense to slow.

Sacramento is 4-1 overall in the Summer League with a roster that's a good mix of young players and older rookies.

Wizards moneyline (-194 at Kalshi)

The Kings' one loss in NBA Summer League came at the hands of a Washington Wizards team led by No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa.

Dybantsa has looked like the real deal thus far, taking down both Acuff's Kings and No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson's Utah Jazz. In those matchups, Dybantsa has combined for 50 points in 50 minutes.

It's not just him, though; second-year players Will Riley (50 points in 58 minutes) and Tre Johnson (26 points in 28 minutes) have created problems for defenses.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls have looked like a mess, despite No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson showing superstar ability. Even with Wilson putting up 54 points in 62 minutes, Chicago is 0-2, which includes a 17-point loss to Utah last night.

Lakers moneyline (+138 at Kalshi)

After dropping their opening game of NBA Summer League in the California Classic, the Los Angeles Lakers have won four straight. That includes being 2-0 in Las Vegas.

The stars of the "Lake Show" have been rookie first-round pick Cameron Carr (68 points in 97 minutes) and little-known second-year player Arthur Kaluma (80 points in 92 minutes). Carr's shooting on the perimeter, paired with Kaluma's ability to bully inside, has given Los Angeles a scary offense.

The Los Angeles Clippers haven't been quite as consistent. They shot just 33% from the floor in their first NBA Summer League game, with top pick Keaton Wagler scoring just seven in 27 minutes. 

While they did beat the Jazz in their second game, they allowed Utah to shoot 47% from 3-point range. Against Carr & Co., the Clippers' defense could be exposed.

Tuesday’s NBA Summer League parlay

Kings moneyline

Wizards moneyline

Lakers moneyline

+569 at Kalshi

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