Category: NBA

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.

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

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

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The SummerKnicks beat the SummerPistons 86-75 on Monday, improving to 1-2 in Vegas and briefly resembling a functional basketball team after they didn’t look like one to start their Summer League run.

Jack Kayil looked good, Dillon Jones looked useful, Liam Robbins blocked rocks, and Tyler Nickel kept doing the one thing everyone already knew he could do. Here are some notes in the absence of a proper and needless recap, along with a good deal of links from around the League.

• German rookie Kayil led the Knicks with 19 points, four assists, and three steals in the win over Detroit, shooting 6-of-13 from the field and 3-of-7 from deep. That follows a 12-point debut against San Antonio after missing the opener. Two games in and the 20-year-old already looks less like an automatic stash and more like somebody the Knicks may want around Westchester on a two-way deal.
• Fellow true rookie Nickel made three more threes against Detroit and is now 13-of-29 from deep through three Summer League games, finishing Monday with a 9-6-2 stat line.
• Back-to-back NBA champ Jones had plenty of praise for Kayil afterward, as well as finishing with 18 points, six rebounds, and four assists himself.
• Big boy Robbins finally had himself a game, getting 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and four blocks. No rookie, this Robbins, at age 27 and very much a backup plan to your favorite backup plan’s backup plan.
• The Knicks were without Mohamed Diawara and Pacome Dadiet against Detroit, with Diawara sidelined by a ring-finger injury and Dadiet out because of foot soreness. In fairness, they probably just sat because of veteranship reasons.
• Dadiet understands he is running out of time, and acknowledged that from Las Vegas. The New York Post got the quotes, and you can read them all in today’s Knicks Bulletin. Didn’t feature this one, but oh my. Per the Post, one NBA GM joked that he “wouldn’t trade a croissant” for Dadiet. Sheesh…
• Patrick Ewing did an exclusive interview with Stefan Bondy and discussed his last days with the Knicks and what’s next for him after taking over the Washington Wizards’ assistant coach job. Tons of interesting stuff from Coach Pat.

“I take my hat off to the Knicks. Both Leon [Rose] and World Wide Wes and Mr. [James] Dolan have done a great job in terms of what they’ve done in making all of us feel like we’re all a part of everything that’s going on.

“But their [assistant] bench was already stacked. So I think they have some great guys there. I enjoyed being around them, learning from them, picking their brains. So there was not an opportunity there for me. And one was here.”

• Brunson was photographed (h/t Stefan Bondy) for the first time since surgery with his left hand and wrist wrapped and resting in a sling. No panic.
• NYP turned Page Six: Landry Shamet may have picked up a second ring.
• The Knicks still need a third center. Jonas Valanciunas seems to be this close to packing his bags for Europe. The lone viable alternative still in the free-agent market is a former Chicagoan, Sports Illustrated’s Joseph Randazzo pointed out.

• Atlanta Hawks veteran and Knicks villain-for-a-day CJ McCollum said that he already told OG Anunoby during their first-round matchup that New York could win the championship.
• Lazy eye Tracy McGrady with the spicy Jaylen Brown-Joel Embiid take.
• Interesting read from Scoop B putting LBJ and HOV’s career side by side… and floating the upcoming Fanatics Fest (Thursday through Sunday) at the Javits Center in NYC as the perfect stage for the last (?) LeBron decision announcement. For what it’s worth, James is scheduled for a live recording of his “Mind the Game” podcast at 1:15 p.m. EST Thursday.
• NBA Europe is getting more real but perhaps not any better, as the league hired former Bulls executive Arturas Karnisovas as a consultant to put the field of teams and rulebook together. The planned launch is set for October 2027, and bids are ranging from $500 million to $1 billion across cities including London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, Berlin, and Istanbul.
• Two days after OAKAAK DaQuan Jeffries signed with Besiktas, Westchester Knicks and NBA Bubble legend T.J. Warren inked a deal with Paris Basketball.
• Draymond Green and Udonis Haslem got into it nicely.
• PJ Tucker doesn’t like Andy Vega’s Hoka shoes. I hope he likes mine.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. isn’t your typical NBA player. Not in today’s league. He’s not a volume three-point shooter. He’s not a highlight-reel athlete. He’s not a lockdown defender. He’s not even a starter—at least, not yet. But he is a baller, in the purest sense of the word. And for that, the Bucks should count their lucky stars.  

The path to now 

Drafted 18th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, Jaquez had a strong rookie campaign, playing 75 games (20 starts) for the 46-36 Miami Heat, averaging 11.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.6 APG, and 1.0 SPG in 28.2 MPG. He finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting behind Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, and Brandon Miller, and even garnered some consideration for Sixth Man of the Year (6MOY), finishing ninth. He carried that play over to the playoffs too, putting up 12.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.0 APG in 30.8 MPG, but did so as a starter before going down with a hip flexor injury in Game 4.

Following his outstanding rookie year, Jaquez suffered an apparent sophomore slump, largely due to a reduction in minutes. Though he averaged 22.2 MPG through February, that number dropped to just 16.5 MPG across March and April as the Heat turned to mid-season acquisition Andrew Wiggins in the frontcourt. And in the playoffs, he became ghost—just 19 minutes total across three games.

Yet, per 36 minutes, Jaquez’s sophomore campaign essentially mirrored his rookie one, and many of his advanced stats—free throw rate, offensive and defensive rebounding percentage, assist percentage, steal percentage, block percentage—actually increased (per Basketball-Reference). His net plus/minus, however, nosedived, going from +3.0 as a rookie to -9.0 as a sophomore and suddenly his game posed more questions than it did answers. Namely, is this guy for real?

Last season, Jaquez answered that with a resounding “Yes!”, finishing second in 6MOY voting behind San Antonio’s Keldon Johnson—first in this writer’s opinion—on the back of 15.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 4.7 APG on 51% shooting. No longer a bit starter, Jaquez embraced his role as leader of the bench brigade, increasing his usage to a career-high 22.3% and returning his net plus/minus to the positives (+1.6). But it wasn’t just role stability that enabled Jaquez to thrive.

Across his first two seasons, Jaquez played the majority of his game time at small forward (an estimated 51% and 56% of his minutes, respectively, per Basketball-Reference), while also spending considerable time at shooting guard (37% and 32%). For a player with limited long range prowess—he’s a career 32% three-point shooter on just 2.3 attempts per game—this was always going to be problematic. Last year, then, Heat coach Erick Spoelstra made the wise move to play him primarily at power forward, with 50% of his minutes coming at the four, 38% at the three, and just 12% at the two.

And this, Bucks fans, is who we’re getting—a ball-handling four.

Now what?

For a team that is overloaded at guard—even more so now with Gary Trent Jr.’s new deal—stocked on the wing, and set a centre, Jaquez is exactly what the doctor ordered, especially without Giannis. Despite playing just 36 games last season, Giannis (once again) led the Bucks with 176 shooting fouls drawn, 77 more than second-place Kyle Kuzma (per Basketball-Reference). For further reference, Myles Turner drew 83, Kevin Porter Jr. drew 74, and Ryan Rollins drew 61. No other player registered 40. Jaquez, meanwhile, drew 107—and he converted the resulting free throws at a 77% success rate, right on his career mark.

Outside of his penchant for drawing fouls, Jaquez’s offensive value lies in his midrange-and-below marksmanship and ability to create for others. Regarding the former, Jaquez lives in the paint, with 79% of his shots coming below the free throw line: 37% at the rim and 42% in the short mid, per Cleaning the Glass (CTG). He hits them too, converting 68% of his rim attempts (63rd percentile for forwards) and 46% of his short middies (79th percentile). But it’s more than just the numbers. Jaquez’s paintwork is the stuff of artists—and he will give it to you however you want it: reverse pivots, jump hooks, spins, pump fakes into up-and-unders, jump stops into floaters. Angles and craft and off-beat movement. Old-school basketball. And while you’d love to see him take and make more three-pointers, it’s not all doom and gloom there either—as long as you get him in the corners, where he’s a 45% marksman (82nd percentile).

As a playmaker, Jaquez leverages his downhill attacking to create open looks for shooters. But he also uses his off-beat savvy to free players flashing in the paint, and he’s more than adept at hitting cutters too. In all, Jaquez recorded a 24% assist percentage last season and a 1.02 assist to usage ratio, placing him on the 88th and 92nd percentiles, respectively (per CTG). For a Bucks team that struggled with shot creation last season, this is a blessing. Gone are the days of one-dimensional shooters, Milwaukee now has a legitimate group of at least six playmakers: Rollins, Porter, Jaquez, Tyler Herro, Kasparas Jakučionis, and Brayden Burries. At a stretch, you could even throw in Ousmane Dieng, who was forced into a primary initiator role late last season. So, while the Bucks may lack a star player, they can offset that at least somewhat by keeping the defence guessing—it ain’t so easy to load up defensively when you don’t know where the action is coming from.

Defensively, Jaquez isn’t going to stand out. He’s not long or explosively athletic, so he’s not going to rack up a heap of steals or blocks, and at 6’6” he’s at a height disadvantage when playing at the four, so he’s not going to haul in rebounds either. But he is a stout 225 lbs, making him effective in the post, and his positional knowhow and spatial awareness enable him to guard multiple positions at least satisfactorily—so that “not standing out” descriptor is true in this way too; he’s certainly not someone opposing defences will hunt.

Looking ahead, Jaquez could fill a range of roles for Milwaukee. Should head coach Taylor Jenkins want size up front, Jaquez could easily slot into his customary sixth man role and continue to punish second units. On the other hand, should Jenkins want to lean into his historical tendencies and play with pace, Jaquez could step into an expanded role as the team’s starting power forward, go full “Juan Wick”, and explode for a career-year. Of course, with the Bucks roster currently sitting at 17 and trimming needed prior to opening night, there are any number of trade potentialities that could reshape the equation. Fortunately for the Bucks, Jaquez’s versatility and old-school game should translate regardless.

Starter or sixth man, how do you see Jaquez fitting in Milwaukee? Chop it up in the comments.

#1 Tucker DeThrees

With Amari Williams and Hugo Gonzalez both out, Tucker DeVries and Chris Cenac Jr. got their first starts at Summer League. DeVries, who missed the opening games against the Toronto Raptors, looked every bit the sharpshooter he’s been made out to be, knocking down three of his eight attempts.

Unfortunately for Boston, two of those triples came in the opening minutes, at which point DeVries’ scoring impact vanished until he scored a putback with 23 seconds remaining in the second quarter. His final triple came midway through the third, after which his impact was no longer felt in terms of scoring.

When he wasn’t scoring the rock, DeVries’ impact was limited; he only recorded one board and one dime in his nearly 21 minutes of playing time. Furthermore, his defensive impact was often negligible. He’ll need to round out some other areas of his game if he wants to make an NBA roster as more than just a single-skill sniper.

#2 Struggles at the point

What do John Tonje, Milos Uzan and Curtis Jones have in common?

They all struggled when playing one-on-one against the Atlanta Hawks. That quarter went 5-of-23 from the field, with a combined six assists, four of which came from Uzan (who now has 16 dimes in three games).

In a game where Boston’s two best players were out for the night, there were plenty of touches and shots to go around. Given the impact Tonje and Uzan had made over the previous two games, it was fair to assume one of those two would consume some of those additional reps. Yet, whether it was Atlanta’s defense or simply just a tough shooting night from the guard contingent, no one stepped up.

Unfortunately, that also means Jones, who had seen limited floor time before Monday, didn’t rise to the occasion. Instead, Jones struggled from start to finish, often running himself into traffic or holding onto the ball too long. His shot selection came against the flow of the game at times, too.

Rough nights happen. Perhaps Isaiah Wong, Isaac McKneely and Zeke Mayo were bad matchups for them. Perhaps Tonje and Uzan were struggling on the second night of a back-to-back, and perhaps Jones struggled with a sudden boost in court time.

Whatever the reason, the Celtics guard rotation had a night it will soon want to forget, and so will we.

#3 Welcome to the NBA, well, kinda

Speaking of playing in a back-to-back, for most of the players on the Celtics roster, this was their first taste of two games in a 24-hour(ish) period. I would assume that for those who played heavy minutes on Sunday, the Hawks game was somewhat of a ‘welcome to the NBA’ moment.

Tired legs, sore bodies, and a fair sprinkling of fatigue are all to be expected. Sure, we’re talking about pro athletes, but when your body isn’t used to something, you feel it the next day, professional or not. I would hazard a guess that fatigue played some sort of role in the performance we saw yesterday, specifically in the second quarter.

I would assume the first 10 minutes were fine. Then, tiredness set in and everything felt more difficult than it should. From there, adrenaline and the halftime rest likely carried the squad through the final half of the game. Still, back-to-backs are part of the NBA game, so giving everyone a taste of what that’s like, both in terms of preparation and performance, is a good primer for if/when they take the next step.

Of course, they didn’t need to adjust to travel, but that can be a curveball in their rookie seasons.

#4 A future connection?

After Boston’s opening win against Toronto, I noted the two-man game on display from Amari Williams and Hugo Gonzalez. Yesterday, we saw signs of another potential two-man game with Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell.

Both rookies are what I would classify as defensive event makers. They make stuff happen, either with their athleticism, size or energy when rotating over. Mitchell seems to love getting out on the break, making him the ideal outlet pass receiver whenever a shot gets swatted or a big board is pulled down.

As you can see from the above clip, 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.

The hope, of course, is that both Cenac and Mitchell eventually crack Joe Mazzulla’s rotation, at which point this type of defense-to-offense connection becomes commonplace for Celtics fans. It might be wishful thinking, and perhaps a touch of dreaming, but honestly, I would love to see these two build on that singular play from last night.

#5 Next up, the Sacramento Kings

Right now, the Celtics hold a 2-1 record in Summer League. If they want to end the tournament with a winning record, they’ll need to handle their business against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, July 15. However, the Kings’ roster will arguably be the strongest Amile Jefferson’s team has faced.

Sacramento has Alex Karaban, Maxime Raynaud, Nique Clifford and Darius Acuff Jr on its roster, among others. There’s a whole lot of young potential sprinkled with some NBA experience to round things out. Getting Gonzalez and Williams back will be key to the Celtics having a legitimate shot of ending the night with a 3-1 record to their name.

Furthermore, seeing Williams go against Raynaud will be a good litmus test for where Boston’s sophomore big man needs to improve, while Gonzalez will have another chance to continue working on his pick-and-roll game. Hopefully, both can have better shooting nights.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the Celtics and Kings match up, and will also be interested to see whether Uzan can get some minutes going against Acuff Jr, and who winds up coming out on top.

In Monday’s NBA Summer League play, Cam Boozer continued to impress. He racked up 21 points in 29 minutes, and also had 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 assists. Passing is a part of his game that people will eventually just see as part of what he does, but he’s really, really good at it.

Look at the following video. On the second play, he falls with the ball and makes the perfect pass, then removes to make the folllow-up. On the third clip, he makes a brilliant outlet. And as Cedric Coward said, it’s hard to believe he’s just 18. There’s more, too. In particular, watch his footwork. The guy is years ahead of schedule.

Also, Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies came to terms and he signed his contract Monday.

Khaman Malauch continues to show sharp improvement for Phoenix: instead of making a macho play and blocking the shot out of bounds, thus giving it back to Dallas, he tips it to himself, essentially stealing the ball. This is how you block shots.

Maluach had 15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists, and a steal for Phoenix, all in 20 minutes of court time.

In many ways, he no longer looks like the skinny, uncertain freshman he was at Duke. He’s far more powerful and confident now.

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Chris Cenac Jr.'s exciting potential for Celtics on display at Summer League originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

How did Chris Cenac Jr. fall to No. 27 in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft?

It’s a fair question after watching him play for the Boston Celtics through three games at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Yes, it’s only the summer league, and we shouldn’t make grand proclamations after three games on the UNLV campus. But one thing is clear: Cenac has real potential and could play a role off the bench for head coach Joe Mazzulla’s club in Boston next season.

Cenac had 14 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in the summer league opener against the Toronto Raptors last Friday. He also hit an overtime-forcing 3-pointer from the corner in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. In Sunday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, Cenac had two points and five rebounds but only played 19 minutes.

He bounced back in a major way Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks with 16 points, five rebounds and four blocks. He was scoring in a variety of different ways — midrange jumpers, driving to the basket, dunks in close, turnaround shots, etc.

His defense also was fantastic, and it’s been on full display throughout summer league. Cenac had two blocks in one 20-second sequence during the third quarter versus the Hawks. He now has nine blocks in three summer league games. He had 18 blocks all of last season for the University of Houston.

Cenac is able to impact a lot of shots with his 6-foot-11 frame and 7-foot-5 wingspan.

The athleticism that Cenac shows on both ends of the floor is impressive, and it’s something the Celtics needed to add to their group in the offseason. Both of their 2026 draft picks, Cenac and second-rounder Dillon Mitchell, have played with great athleticism at summer league so far.

The Celtics have a deep team. Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta are going to play most of the minutes at center. Luka Garza proved to be a competent frontcourt player last season, too. It won’t be easy for Cenac to carve out a consistent role unless injuries hurt the team’s depth.

But there’s a lot to like about Cenac’s skill set. He has the tools to become a valuable part of the Celtics’ rotation in the not-too-distant future.

Utah Jazz guard Trey Alexander was taken off the court on a stretcher after collapsing on the floor during an NBA Summer League game on Monday, July 13, against the Chicago Bulls.

Alexander collided with the Bulls' Caleb Wilson, drawing a foul on his drive to the basket. After the play ended, Alexander dropped to the ground clutching his side and appeared to be in substantial pain.

The G-league rookie of the year in 2024-25, Alexander just signed a two-way deal with Utah last week. The team did not provide any update on his condition, according to the Associated Press.

Found this post recently. The Ringer put together a list of the top 100 NBA players ending the 2025-2026 season.

It should be noted that players are listed with the Teams they were with on June 16, so techincally Tobias Harris is listed with the Pistons, but his addition to the Spurs in the upcoming season gives the Silver& Black eight players, the most for any team.

Victor Wembanyama is #2 on the list, just behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA was the league MVP and Cluth POTY lewading his team to 64 wins. Wemby was runner-up for MVP and the DPOY and bested OKC in the Western Conference Finals on his way to the NBA Finals. Something tells me these could be reversed next season.

Stephon Castle at #26 is described as wrecking ball defender. His placement feels right given the surrounding players.

Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox are #45 and #46 respectively. Looks like the authors — Bill Simmons, Zach Lowe, Danny Chau, Kirk Goldsberry, Rob Mahoney, Michael Pina, and Justin Verrier — didn’t want to pick a favorite given the “who should come start and who should come off the bench” discussions swirling after the the Finals. Alas, they couldn’t tie, so they gave Harper a small edge.

Vassell is such an overlooked player at times. Given the manpower in that starting line-up, it’s easy to focus on their last three years of draft picks and shuffle Vassell back. Good to see the writers acknowledge his greatness.

Having Julian Champagnie and Keldon Joshnon at #98 and #99 feels like a 1-2 punch to close out the Spurs on the list. All seven of the Spurs double-figure scorers made the list. All five starters (at the end of the season) were on the list. And Harris’ inclusion makes the Spurs the team with the most going inot next season.

Noteable non-Spurs.

At age 38, Stephen Curry is still in the Top 10.

Call it sour grapes (and the fact that I mainly only watch Spurs games) buy Karl-Anthony Towns at #12 felt too high. I’ll have to revisot his regular season stats, but the Knicks biog man was non-factor in their close out Championship Game 5 and scored only 5 measly points in all five 4th quarters during the Finals. Is he really the fourth best big in the game?

Ex-Spurs guard Dejounte Murray came in ay #89. I didn’t even know he was still playing. Thought injuries had sidelined him.

Memphis and Sacramento had no players on the list while Chicago, Dallas, and Brooklyn had one apiece.

See the entire list HERE.

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As the Phoenix Suns tipped off their third Summer League game against the Milwaukee Bucks, a rolling monsoon made its way into the Valley of the Sun. Dust, wind, rain, lightning, thunder. ’Twas the first big storm of the summer, and it coincided with the storm brewing on the court in Las Vegas.

For the first time this summer, the Suns looked cohesive and connected in the opening quarter, scoring 19 points after totaling only 22 first-quarter points in their first two games combined. From there, the aggression and pressure continued. And as I watched, I could feel the overreactions boiling inside of me.

Because how can you not be excited about how comfortable and mature Khaman Maluach looks? How can you not be impressed with the way rookie Koa Peat demands the ball and makes a beeline toward the cylinder? How can you not be thankful that Koby Brea was knocking down three pointers? How can you not be pleased with how Rasheer Fleming’s defensive acumen appears to have progressed?

When the regular season arrives, the minutes for these players will most likely dwindle. Players ahead of them on the depth chart will receive more opportunities, and that’s fine. That’s what makes what the Suns are doing right now so impressive. They have a deep roster with a talented starting five and legitimate position battles behind it.

The youth movement on display in Vegas felt as impressive and mighty as the storm rolling across the desert Monday night. And like the rain, sometimes you have to wait for it. This was the first measurable rain in 100 days. It might be a couple of years before these young players truly make their impact in Phoenix. But if they continue to progress, they’re going to force the organization’s hand. They’re going to force some decisions.

And that’s where the excitement lives. Not in Summer League wins or stat lines, but in the pressure these players can create within the organization. Development changes timelines. Competition changes rotations. Young players who demand opportunities eventually receive them. The Suns don’t need Maluach, Peat, Fleming, or Brea to arrive tomorrow. They need them to keep pushing. Keep progressing. Keep making the decisions ahead more difficult. Because when that happens, the forecast in Phoenix begins to change.

Summer Bright Side Baller Standings

Two games. Two Bright Side Baller awards for Khaman Maluach. And you know what? I wouldn’t want it any other way…

Summer Bright Side Baller Nominees

Game 3 against the Bucks. Here are your nominees:

Khaman Maluach
21 points (5-of-10, 1-of-4 3PT), 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 4 blocks, 1 turnover, +18 +/-

Koa Peat
19 points (8-of-15), 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 turnover, +18 +/-

Koby Brea
19 points (6-of-12, 6-of-11 3PT), 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, +16 +/-

Darius Brown II
14 points (4-of-6, 4-of-5 3PT), 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, -7 +/-

Rasheer Fleming
9 points (3-of-7, 3-of-5 3PT), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, -12 +/-

Corey Camper Jr.
2 points (1-of-5, 0-of-2 3PT), 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 0 turnovers, +10 +/-

Vote away!

There’s one hard and fast rule when it comes to evaluating player performance at NBA Summer League: it’s only okay to overreact if it strengthens your pre-existing beliefs and narratives. There are worse ways to spend one’s time in Las Vegas than searching for confirmation bias on the frantic courts of summer league.

In reality, the only universally agreed upon summer league truth is that it’s a very bad sign if second and third-year players are struggling as former first-round picks. For everyone else, what happens in Vegas should be taken with a grain of salt yet enjoyed to its fullest because it’s awesome to have NBA basketball back in July even if it’s only JV teams duking it out for a couple weeks.

Summer league is mostly about watching the NBA’s recent draft picks, but it’s always nice when young veterans show they might be taking a leap for the upcoming season. A year ago, Ajay Mitchell was on my too good for summer league list and then proceeded to have a breakout year for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here are the players who look too good to be in Las Vegas this summer.

Will Riley, G, Washington Wizards

Riley measured above 6’8 barefoot at the combine ahead of the 2025 draft, and he’s reportedly gotten even taller since then. Now standing around 6’10, the 20-year-old wing showed off his deep bag of scoring moves with fearless takes to the rim, spot-up threes, and solid rebounding for his position in Las Vegas. Riley is really slippery off the bounce to beat the first line of the defense, and his long strides and extension finishes help him finish at the basket even with his thin frame. His shooting tends to run hot-and-cold, but he has real utility in his three-point shot both off the dribble and on spot-ups, and there’s no doubt he has NBA range on his jumper. Riley is just a really fluid athlete for his size with real shooting upside, and he has the awareness to relocate off the ball to put himself in a better position to score. There are suddenly a lot of mouths to feed in Washington, but Riley seems like a walking bucket who is just starting to scratch his long-term upside.

Jalen Slawson, F, Indiana Pacers

Slawson was a 2023 NCAA tournament hero for helping lead Furman to a first-round upset over Virginia, which helped him get selected No. 54 overall by the Kings. He’s bounced around the G League in his first few years as a pro with only 13 NBA games under his belt, but he’s coming off an excellent season for Pacers’ G League affiliate. Slawson is proving he deserves a real shot at an NBA roster spot with a fantastic showing in summer league that has displayed his downhill athleticism and defensive playmaking as a 6’8 forward. He had five blocks in the SummerPacers’ Vegas opener in a win over the Cavs, then turned up the heat on offense by scoring 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting in Indiana’s next game against the 76ers. Slawson’s defense will have to be his calling card to earn a roster spot, and he has all the tools you need at that end with a strong frame, a near 7-foot wingspan, and good instincts to both play the passing lanes and rotate for supplemental rim protection. Offensively, he’s best when he has a clear lane to the basket as a cutter or in transition. The three-point shot remains his swing skill, but after making 34.5 percent from deep in the G League last year, it’s clear he’s making progress. This summer league run has been another step forward.

Egor Demin, G, Brooklyn Nets

It’s time I fill out an apology form on Egor Demin. Ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, I named Demin one of the most overrated prospects in the class, and gave the Nets a D for his selection at No. 8 overall in my instant grades. My main arguments against Demin were that I didn’t think he could score efficiently inside or outside the arc, and I didn’t think he had the frame to play through contact on either end. Well! Demin massively improved as a shooter as a rookie, going from 27 percent from three and 69 percent from the foul line in college to 38.5 percent from three and 83.1 percent on free throws as a rookie. A year in an NBA strength and conditioning program helped his body quite a bit too, and he continues to show the gains he’s made during summer league. Demin scored 20 or more points in all three of his summer league games this year on 61 percent true shooting. He looks improved attacking the basket off the bounce, and he’s showing he can hit the defensive glass, too. The Nets have done a really good job developing Demin’s frame, and it’s paying off on both ends. Demin deserves a lot of credit himself for putting in the work to improve his jumper. I’m happy to be wrong about this one because Demin is a cool player with a fun skill set who should be a nice piece in Brooklyn’s rebuild for a long time.

Joan Beringer, C, Minnesota Timberwolves

Beringer didn’t play much as a rookie after being the No. 17 overall pick in the 2025 draft, but he’s in line for a bigger role this season after the Timberwolves traded away Julius Randle. The 6’11 big man only needed one summer league game to show off his spectacular athleticism and skill set improvements that should have Minnesota fans very excited for his sophomore season. Beringer runs the floor incredibly well for a center, and he has crazy bounce when he gets near the rim. It feels like a lock that he’s going to have a few of the NBA’s most impressive dunks this season, but his shot-blocking will be just as valuable backing up Rudy Gobert. The most surprising thing about his summer league performance might be the development of his handle: he looked comfortable attacking off the dribble far away from the hoop, showing good footwork and enough ball control to get to the basket. The Wolves need some big bodies to help protect Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball this season, and Beringer is showing he can be a contributor.

Tre Johnson, G, Washington Wizards

The Wizards vs. Jazz opener in Las Vegas was hyped as the first meeting between A.J. Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, but Johnson was the best player on the floor. The No. 6 overall pick from the 2025 draft showed what he could do in a high-usage role, splashing shots from deep, attacking off the dribble, and keeping constant pressure on the opposing defense with his gravity. Johnson’s ability to self-create threes off the dribble is going to be huge for his scoring utility as teams load up to stop Dybantsa, Trae Young, and Anthony Davis. If you crowd his dribble, Johnson has the quickness and the handle needed to beat his man to the cup and get the defense rotating. His playmaking and defense still needs some work, but he should take a step up after a decent rookie year in Washington.

Khaman Maluach, C, Phoenix Suns

Maluach essentially got a redshirt in his rookie season in Phoenix, but the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft seems poised for a breakthrough this year. The former Duke center is absolutely gigantic at nearly 7’1 barefoot, 252 pounds, with a nearly 7’7 wingspan and 9’6 standing reach, and he looked like a man amongst boys in summer league. It’s impossible to keep Maluach out of deep post position on offense, and all it takes is a quick turn to the basket for him to be in position to dunk the ball. His length is even more effective on the defensive end, and he looked quicker to the ball with his ground coverage in Las Vegas. The thing that makes Maluach really exciting is his potential to shoot threes, and he continues to take and make them in summer league. His hands and passing are still a question offensively, but Maluach is so big with a rapidly rising skill level that he still has tons of upside for the Suns even after a quiet rookie year.

Cedric Coward, F, Memphis Grizzlies

Coward solidified his meteoric rise from DIII to lottery pick in his first season in the NBA by earning All-Rookie First-Team honors. The No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 draft is a long (7’2 wingspan) and strong swingman who locks down on the defensive end, shoots an easy ball from three, and adds value as a rebounder. It would have been easy for Coward to skip summer league after such a strong rookie year as a soon-to-be 23-year-old, but instead there he was defending full court, crashing the glass, and trying to add new elements to his game with pull-up threes. Coward feels like the perfect connective tissue between Cameron Boozer and Zach Edey in the Memphis frontcourt, and these early reps playing with Boozer could help jumpstart their chemistry next season. Memphis’ rebuild already looks promising, and Coward is a big part of it.

Maxime Raynaud, C, Sacramento Kings

Raynaud might have been the best second-round pick of last year’s draft, going from the No. 42 overall selection to All-Rookie Second-Team honors for the Sacramento Kings. The Stanford product has a diverse offensive game with impressive post moves inside, an easy shooting stroke from three, and the ability to make plays for teammates in dribble-handoff actions. He should be a true stretch five in time, but he needs to up his volume from behind the arc, and that shouldn’t be a problem after he again showed off his deep touch in Las Vegas. The real questions for Raynaud come on the defensive end, where he’s just not a very strong rim protector. The Kings are going to need to find playmaking defensive wings to insulate Raynaud on that end of the floor, but his offensive game is good enough to demand minutes for a Sacramento team that continues to rebuild.

Bruce Thornton has us acting like Bart Simpson at a whiteboard:

“I will not overreact to Summer League. I will not overreact to Summer League. I will not…”.

OK, fine: I might overreact to Summer League. Through two games, Thornton is averaging 22.0 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.0 steals in two games.

Sure, he’s shooting 37.1% from deep. That’s where we should – you guessed it – not overreact to Summer League. He’s had one efficient game, and one inefficient one.

Bruce Thornton will not be the Houston Rockets’ starting point guard in 2026-27. That’s obvious. Still, he may be forcing his way into the rotational conversation. It raises a larger question:

What is the team’s point guard rotation even going to look like?

Rockets point guard rotation worth keeping an eye on

Fred VanVleet is the presumptive starter, but whether he’ll be the player he used to be is an article in itself:

And wouldn’t you know it, I already wrote it.

That was before VanVleet gave an interview and explained, in medical language, that his knee had kabloomed into a bazillion pieces. He’ll likely be on the floor when the opening buzzer sounds for the 2026-27 season, but his grip on the starting position feels tenuous.

The obvious heir to his throne would be Reed Sheppard, but Ime Udoka could have other plans. Whatever you think of Udoka’s defensive leanings, he may have a point.

If you’re deep enough into Rockets lore, you’ve probably seen the DataBallr stats. When Sheppard shares the floor with Alperen Sengun and without Amen Thompson, the Rockets are -3.9. With all three on the floor, they’re just +0.3. When Sheppard is with Thompson and without Sengun, they’re +12.4, and when he’s without either of his star teammates, the Rockets are +14.5.

The prevailing assumption is that Sheppard and Sengun can’t defend together. That’s not actually what the data shows, as it’s their Offensive Rating that drops. Still, this could be a case of noisy numbers. The broader point would be that, as of now, Sheppard and Sengun, for whatever reason, don’t seem to mix.

The Rockets were a jarring -9.7 when Sengun was without either Thompson or Sheppard, so maybe he’s the root of the problem. In any case, he’ll be the starting center for game one, even if we can’t speak to Game 42.

So maybe Marcus Smart is the best option.

There’s a bit of an uncomfortable tension (understatement) surrounding the conversation about Sengun. His most devout followers will tell you that he needed a quality point guard in 2025-26, and that’s why he had a bit of a rough season.

Only, he was less efficient around the rim next to Fred VanVleet the year prior. More broadly, if Sengun is a play-finishing big who needs a star point guard to succeed, what’s his purpose? Isn’t he the star playmaker? If he’s a star player, shouldn’t he thrive next to a floor spacer who can make a simple entry pass without activating him in the pick-and-roll?

Smart meets the criteria. If Sengun can’t succeed with him, there are bigger conversations to have about his viability as a star player. He’s also the perfect point-of-attack defender to offset his limitations on that end of the floor:

Should he be the starter in 2026-27?

Rockets must explore all backcourt options

It’s going to be a committee, and that’s perfectly fine.

VanVleet has earned the initial nod. The Rockets should see who he is in 2026-27 before making systemic changes.

If he isn’t the man he used to be, it’s fair to assume Smart is next in line. It’s probably more optimal to maximize the minutes Sheppard spends piloting the second unit. His minutes will ideally increase in 2026-27, but a higher spike in his usage would be more significant.

If he’s wildly successful in that role, he should be starting by the end of the year. Sheppard is, above all else, confounding. One would like the third overall pick to be starting at the beginning of his third season, but painful as it is to accept, Sheppard is a tremendous defensive liability. He’ll likely have to be a top 5 shooter in the NBA to be worth starting, so that’s the bar he should be looking to clear with the second unit to begin the season.

If VanVleet is good to go, or Sheppard breaks out, it shouldn’t affect Smart too much. He’s probably a natural two, and he can even play the three. Smart can get in where he fits in.

Then, there’s Thornton. Pencil him in for the Aaron Holiday role – for now. With his unique weight and strength for his height, Thornton plays bigger than 6’1″. By the end of the year, he may be making a case for a bigger role in 2027-28:

Although we’ve only seen him in two Summer League games so far.