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Cooper Flagg’s NBA soft launch showed the spotlight fits just fine

Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks looks during the first half of NBA Summer League game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada.Photograph: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

“I would say that might be one of the worst games of my life,” Cooper Flagg told reporters last Thursday night. “But we got the win, so that’s what really matters to me.” It was a telling statement from the 18-year-old basketball phenom after his first Las Vegas Summer League game. The No 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA draft – taken by the Dallas Mavericks after a one-and-done college career at Duke – didn’t have nearly as disastrous a debut as he made out. Though he struggled to shoot the ball, Flagg still managed to flash his playmaking and defensive range. Clearly hyperaware to the moment and the hype surrounding his technical NBA debut, he looked determined to put on a show: aggressively hunting his shot and seeking out highlight-reel dunks at every opportunity.

Related: Cooper Flagg: the 17-year-old ‘cold-ass white boy’ breaking the basketball discourse

He bounced back with 31 points in his second (and ultimately final) Summer League appearance on Saturday. But it was the second-half of his comment after Thursday night’s game that encapsulates why Flagg is one of the most hyped teenage prospects in decades: the kid is a winner.

The buzz around Flagg began in his native Maine, where he became the first freshman to win the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year award. He transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida after his first year of high school in search of stiffer competition, and the accolades continued to accumulate: McDonald’s All American, Gatorade National Player of the Year, even USA Basketball’s Male Athlete of the Year, the youngest to earn the honor since the award’s inception in 1980. Long compared to Kevin Garnett and Jayson Tatum for his two-way skillset and relentless work ethic, Flagg reclassified to enter college a year early – and did the same a second time to reach the NBA sooner. With every challenge cleared, he’s sought the next one with even greater urgency.

In a 2024 feature on Flagg for the Ringer, J Kyle Mann described the 6ft 9in, 205lb Swiss army knife as “running toward the grind”, a sentiment longtime Mavericks beat writer Tim Cato echoes in Vegas this week when I ask for his assessment of the teenager. “What really stands out to me about Cooper is he has always ascended,” Cato says. “He loves to cite a quote from his mom, ‘If you’re the best player in the gym, you need to find a new gym.’ And I just think that shows up in every aspect of his career.”

That dogged commitment to improvement has made Flagg both more polished and more reserved than many of his peers. The Tatum comparisons, one could argue, are as apt behind the microphone as they are on the court. His answers can feel a little too polished, the jagged edges sanded down. He lacks the off-the-cuff charisma of an Anthony Edwards or the unfiltered snarl of a Garnett. There’s little brashness, no “face of the league” bravado – just focus. When I asked him after his monster second Vegas appearance, where he punctuated what felt like every five minutes of play with a poster dunk and looked every part the budding superstar, what he dreams about when he lets his imagination run wild over the potential of his NBA career, he had an aw-shucks answer seemingly in the can. “I’m not getting too far ahead of myself. I haven’t really thought about that too much,” he said. “I’m kind of just focused on each individual day and just trying to get better. I know I have a really long way to go, and a lot to improve on.”

Related: Cooper Flagg will go No 1 in the NBA draft. He also broke the Duke supervillain stereotype

“That focus is what stands out most about Cooper,” says Cato. “Sometimes even to his detriment. When he says stuff like ‘I’m not really into music,’ he just seems like a guy solely consumed with basketball and challenging himself to reach new heights.”

Flagg could do a lot worse than ending up a rough equivalent of Tatum, of course: an arguable top-five player who is a year removed from an NBA championship. He would probably be quite pleased with that trajectory (and, it’s worth noting, the New Englander grew up a Celtics fan). But some insiders see an even loftier ceiling. One NBA executive told me Flagg was “the most skilled and hardest-working prospect in either of his Summer League games”, adding: “He has a pretty strong case as the most complete 18-year-old player since LeBron James.”

What impressed most in Flagg’s debut wasn’t any single element. It was the totality: the aggression, the poise, the basketball IQ, the defense, the size, the athleticism. Flagg is poised to make his formal regular-season debut in October as a ready-made, plug-and-play contributor with superstar upside. Against all odds, a Mavericks organization just months removed from the Luka Dončić saga appears, indeed, to have hit the lottery.

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Winners, Losers from Damian Lillard’s return to Portland Trail Blazers

Within minutes of Damian Lillard's shocking release by the Milwaukee Bucks this summer, speculation about a landing spot began. The first names to come up were places he had expressed interest in previously — Portland and Miami — but not long after Golden State, Boston and the Los Angeles Lakers emerged as teams with interest. This was expected to be a long, slow process, during which Lillard would spend time recovering from his torn Achilles and considering his options.

It didn't take long — Lillard is returning to Portland on a three-year, $42 million contract.

That starts with him making $14 million from Portland this season — on top of the $54.1 million Milwaukee bought him out of. That's $68 million in this season, which he will miss most — and most likely all — of recovering.

Let's break down the winners and losers from this move — and it's pretty much all winners.

WINNER: Trail Blazers fans/basketball fans

This is an emotionally satisfying result.

Lillard could have spent this season rehabbing, watching how the league played out, then signed where he thought he had the best chance to chase a ring. Or, he could have waited and started a bidding war next summer to see who would pay him the most money and chased the almighty dollar.

Instead, he chose to follow his heart — he didn't wait and he chose the city he loves and that his family calls home, the franchise where he will go down as the greatest player in its history (all due respect to Bill Walton and Clyde Drexler). This is just good for sports.

It's been a good summer for Blazers fans. The franchise is being sold, a long overdue move. Adam Silver stated in Las Vegas this week that the league prefers not to see the team relocate cities (a polite way of saying it's not going anywhere), and the new owners will need to build a new arena. They drafted Yang Hansen, who may or may not pan out, but is infectious to watch.

And now Damian Lillard is coming home.

WINNER: Damian Lillard

When Damian Lillard was first traded to Milwaukee he was excited — he got to play with Giannis Antetokounmpo on a contender. This was an opportunity for him to cement his legacy with a ring.

Turns out, the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Lillard learned that the hard way and struggled to adjust to life away from his family, which remained in Portland.

Milwaukee cutting Lillard lose means he had total control of whatever happened next: He could go where he wanted, when he wanted, and for as much money as he could get in the process. He got to set the priorities.

Portland was the priority. Lillard gets what he wants, and at essentially the mid-level exception, even for the year he is rehabbing. That's a fair price.

WINNER: Portland’s Young Stars

Mentoring young players matters. As talented as someone entering the league might be, having a professional organization and veteran presence in the locker room that shows them how to be an NBA player matters.

Scoot Henderson, Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan, Shaedon Sharpe, Yang Hansen and the rest of the young Blazers now have Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday in the locker room — two high-level, consummate pros.

This is only good for Portland in the long run.

LOSERS: Teams that struck out on Lillard

These teams lost out, but it's not fair to call them losers — they were never going to win this sweepstakes.

Still, the Miami Heat had flirted with Lillard going back to his trade out of Portland, he would have been a great fit next season. Boston reportedly showed interest, with Jayson Tatum handling the recruiting himself. It's not hard to imagine Tatum's pitch: "We know what it takes to get a ring, with your shooting and playmaking, when we reload in a year you can get your ring."

The Warriors were reportedly interested, and a backcourt featuring Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard would be fearsome. The Lakers reportedly showed interest, and Lillard, as a shooter and secondary shot creator alongside Luka Doncic in a year, would have been an interesting addition (and Doncic and Lillard would have formed the most clutch team in league history).

All of those teams had good cases to make. But Portland… there's no place like home.

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MarJon Beauchamp scores 28 points, Knicks' comeback falls short in 91-88 loss to Pacers in Summer League action

The Knicks mounted a heroic 17-point comeback that ultimately fell short in a nail-biter against the Indiana Pacers in their fourth Las Vegas Summer League game, 91-88.

Here are some takeaways...

-MarJon Beauchamp had another huge night with 28 points on 6-of-11 shooting from three, and Tyler Kolek added 14 points, five assists and five turnovers.

-The Knicks were without top prospects Kevin McCullar Jr., Pacome Dadiet, Ariel Hukporti or Mohamed Diawara. They got some step-up games from Dink Pate, who scored 11, Anton Watson, who scored nine and Yudai Baba, who had nine points.

Kam Jones had a monster night for the Pacers with 21 points and 11 assists on 9-for-19 shooting from the field. Enrique Freeman recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

-After appearing for only three minutes combined in the Knicks' last three games, center Lance Ware got the start and made an early impact with a slam and some drawn fouls in the opening minutes. Beauchamp continued his momentum from his breakout third game, hitting an inside floater, leaking out for a dunk and nailing a three for seven points in the first quarter.

Despite the early offense, the Pacers kept their defense in rotation and it was a close affair throughout the first. Ultimately, Indiana led 17-16 going into the second.

The Pacers got off to a 16-0 run behind a stalled New York offense and some strong deep shooting on the other end. Enrique Freeman went 5-5 and scored all 12 of his first-half points in the second quarter, including a monster alley-oop.

-Beauchamp was the only Knick with the knack and aggressiveness offensively, getting inside for the assist and converting a block into a transition and-one, even hitting a pull-up three. He had 19 at the half, however, the Knicks as a team once again struggled creating and converting from deep, going 5-for-15 to Indy’s 8-for-17 in the first half as they trailed at the break 52-38.

Baba, who got the start tonight, got himself going to start the second half, hitting a three and a reverse layup. New York’s offense still looked stilted with a quiet game out of Kolek following his banger in game three.

-They managed to find some success burning Indiana on back cuts and feeding Beauchamp some more, sparking a 9-0 run late in the period. He hit another couple of threes in the third as the Knicks cut the Pacers' lead to 68-59 going into the fourth.

New York’s momentum carried into the fourth. Dink Pate hit a three, scored a lay-up and followed up with another three, plus the foul, totaling all 11 of his points in the final frame.

Anton Watson threw down a one-handed poster on Freeman to cut the Pacers' lead to two with just over two minutes to play, setting off the crowd and announcers. With 90 seconds left, Kolek hit an ankle-breaking step-back middie to tie it up.

After a Pacers free throw, Kolek drove the lane off a nasty spin to hit the and-one lay-up to put the Knicks up two. A Freeman finish evened the score, and after a Beauchamp miss, the Pacers retook the lead on free throws from an off-ball foul and a blown defensive rebound on a missed free throw from the Knicks.

Now down three, Kolek missed a quick two and a Beauchamp look from three, but Indiana missed two free throws. With one more shot at sending the game to overtime, Kolek missed a turnaround three as the Pacers escaped.

Highlights

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NBA concludes its Kevin Porter Jr. investigation, suspension covered in time already missed

NBA: Milwaukee Bucks at Phoenix Suns

Mar 24, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. (3) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The NBA has concluded its investigation into the 2023 domestic violence case against Kevin Porter Jr., which eventually led to a plea bargain, and suspended him for four games, with that time already having been served in the more than a year he was out of the league following the incident, reports Law Murray of The Athletic.

In September 2023, then Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested in Manhattan and charged with second-degree assault and strangulation due to a domestic violence dispute. The incident took place at a hotel not far from Times Square and the victim, who had a relationship with Porter Jr., was taken to a local hospital. Porter Jr. eventually reached a plea deal where he pled guilty to misdemeanor assault and a harassment violation and completed a domestic violence intervention program.

At the time, Porter Jr. was under contract with the Rockets, but before the season started, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who immediately cut him. Porter Jr. played that season in Greece, and as a result, the NBA suspended its investigation of him because he was not an NBA player under their jurisdiction.

Last season, Porter Jr. signed a contract to play for the Clippers, and with that, the NBA investigation resumed. At the deadline, the Clippers traded Porter Jr. to the Bucks, and this offseason he signed a two-year, $10.5 million contract to stay in Milwaukee (the second year is a player option).

He is expected to be with the Milwaukee Bucks in training camp in September.

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Damian Lillard heading back home to Portland, near to deal to join Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard is headed back to Portland. The city he loves and where he is a franchise icon.

Lillard is a free agent after being waived and stretched by the Milwaukee Bucks (to free up room for them to sign Myles Turner), and he is deep in negotiations to return to Portland, a story broken by Zach Lowe of the Ringer and Bill Oram of the Oregonian. Then Lillard confirmed the news on Instagram.

Lillard reportedly will sign a three-year, $45 million contract with a player-option in the third year and a no-trade clause. The idea is that he will spend this coming season rehabbing from his torn Achilles before playing two more years in Portland.

From the moment Milwaukee waived him, a return to Portland was always considered a possibility in league circles — it's where he always wanted to be, and that ended up outweighing chasing a ring somewhere else. Portland is where Lillard's home and family are, and it's where his heart always has been.

Lillard played 11 seasons for the Trail Blazers where he was a seven-time All-NBA and All-Star player, as well as the 2013 Rookie of the Year. He averaged 25.2 points and 6.7 assists a game while with the Blazers, as well as developing a reputation as one of the best clutch players and best leaders in the league.

Lillard's leadership is something Portland could use, particularly with a young roster that includes guards Scoot Henderson and Toumani Camara, as well as the recently drafted center Yang Hansen from China. The Trail Blazers also traded for Jrue Holiday this offseason and have held on to him as a mentor for their young guards — Lillard and Holiday were traded for each other back in 2023 and are now teammates. With Lillard sidelined for this season recovering, questions about rotation minutes and how all the guards fit together are not pressing. Holiday could be traded to a contender at the deadline or next summer, or other things will happen that will change the guard dynamic in the next year.

The Trail Blazers traded Lillard two summers ago in an effort to jump-start a rebuild and get him to a team where he could contend. That deal worked out for the Blazers, who got Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Camara, and the Bucks 2029 first-round pick in the deal. However, that trade never quite came together as envisioned for Milwaukee, as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard never quite meshed. After Lillard tore his Achilles this postseason, it was the Bucks who decided to move on, stretching Lillard's nearly $113 million remaining on his contract over five years to free up short-term cap space (but have $22 million in dead money on their books for each of the next five years).

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Clippers rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser showing growth in Summer League

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 16: Yanic Konan Niederhauser #14 of the Los Angeles Clippers poses for a portrait during the 2025 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at UNLV on July 16, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Clippers rookie center Yanic Konan Niederhauser was a guard during his youth days until a growth spurt one year took him from 6 feet 5 to 6 feet 11. (Harry How / Getty Images)

Yanic Konan Niederhauser received the pass near the half-court line from a Clippers teammate who had just stolen the basketball. The 6-foot-11 center maneuvered down the court, his long strides allowing him to use just two dribbles before he took flight outside the circle and threw down a thunderous dunk over helpless Lakers defender Cole Swider.

The crowd inside Thomas & Mack Center went into a frenzy, including Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who leaped out of his courtside seat, pumped his fists and yelled.

At that moment Monday night, Niederhauser displayed his agility, speed and ballhandling skills. It was another step taken in his progress while playing in the NBA Summer League on the campus of UNLV.

The Clippers had used the 30th and last pick in the first round of the NBA draft to select Niederhauser out of Penn State because they saw potential.

That exciting, and in many ways unexpected, play was an encouraging sign for the Clippers.

“I didn’t see Mr. Ballmer because I was in the moment,” Niederhauser, laughing, said late Monday night. “That’s the guard skills I was talking about and I had a couple of fast breaks these last few days and I passed the ball away. Now I said, ‘Naw, man. I can go up by myself.’ I told myself I was going to dunk it and I did.”

Read more:Clippers to land Bradley Beal after Suns buy out his contract

In his first three games in the NBA Summer League, Niederhauser has shown different skills.

It was his defense and rebounding in the first game, against the Houston Rockets in which he blocked four shots and collected 10 rebounds. Though he missed all four of his shots and scored just one point, Niederhauser found other ways to contribute.

It was a little bit of everything in his second game, against the Milwaukee Bucks in which he had two points, three rebounds, two steals and one block.

It was his offense in the third game against the Lakers in which he scored 10 points, grabbed two rebounds and had two steals.

“He just sticks with it,” Clippers assistant and Summer League coach Jeremy Castleberry said. “No matter if it’s going good or bad, he sticks with it. He’s trying his best to do everything we ask him to do. And just like I said after the last game, he continues to get better. From the last game [against the Bucks] to this game [against the Lakers], he was a little bit better than he was last game. He’s getting the dunks, catching the basketball, finishing it, being a rim-protector, consistently running the floor. Like, you can see the progress.”

Niederhauser was born in Bern, Switzerland, a town of about 135,000 an hour from Zurich. Even so, at 15, the Clippers’ international scouts became aware of Niederhauser when he played on the under-16 Switzerland national team. At that time, he was a 6-1 guard.

Niederhauser had a growth spurt at 17 that pushed him into playing center position. He said he was 6-5 when he broke his knee and was forced to sit out for a year.

Clippers center Yanic Konan Niederhauser elevates for a shot over a Lakers defender during a Summer League game in Las Vegas.
Clippers center Yanic Konan Niederhauser elevates for a shot over Lakers center Christian Koloko during a Summer League game in Las Vegas. (Garrett Ellwood / NBAE via Getty Images)

“I was like out for a whole year and once I came back, after a whole year of sitting out and I get back on the court, now I’m 6-11,” he said. “Yeah, in one year, I had to change my whole game from being like a forward/guard to being a center. So, yeah, I had guard skills. That’s why sometimes I be dribbling the ball.”

Niederhauser laughed, agreeing those guard skills helped him make that electric dunk against the Lakers.

His size, weight (242 pounds) and youth (22) are all part of the package the Clippers like.

“We think there’s plenty of upside,” Clippers general manager Trent Redden said. “You know, the famous draft word, obviously. But for a guy that’s his age, he’s still learning and growing into his frame that he hasn’t really had his whole life. We just haven’t had a guy that size at that position in a backup role that’s young that we can feed into and give to our developmental staff.”

As a kid growing up in Switzerland, Niederhauser learned to speak four languages — Swiss, German, French and English.

His parents, Dominique and Nadege Niederhauser, made sure their son was well-versed.

“Since I was a baby, I was speaking all those languages,” Niederhauser said. “My mom, she speaks French. She’s from the Ivory Coast and that’s where I learned French, and my dad speaks mostly German and so that’s how I learned my German.”

Now that Niederhauser is with the Clippers, he’ll have tutors to teach how the NBA game is played.

Read more:Despite injury, Kobe Brown showcases his potential for Clippers in Summer League win

He will be able to learn from centers Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez.

Lopez is 37 and a 17-year veteran who signed with the Clippers this summer.

He mentioned how he played with great players like Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Now it’s up to him to pass on knowledge to Niederhauser like others passed on to him.

“I’m absolutely ready to get on the court, help him out and help him adjust and become a great player in this league,” Lopez said.

Niederhauser is soaking it all in while in Las Vegas, from the games to the practices to the conversations he’s had with Clippers coach Tyronn Lue.

“He’s been giving me advice. I can just tell that he has a lot of knowledge,” Niederhauser said. “I’m loving this. I’m in a great situation with experienced players to learn from. I’m just taking time to learn and get my experience. Everything is new to me so I’m just trying my best to soak everything in and just get better every day.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Damian Lillard reportedly finalizing deal to return to Portland Trail Blazers

Nine-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard is reportedly heading back to the Portland Trail Blazers.Photograph: Morry Gash/AP

Damian Lillard is returning to the Portland Trail Blazers. The nine-time NBA All-Star is finalizing a three-year, $42m contract with the franchise where he spent the first 11 seasons of his career, ESPN reported Thursday. The deal includes a player option for the 2027–28 season and a no-trade clause.

Lillard, who turned 35 this week, was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks on 7 July. The team stretched the $113m remaining on his contract to make room for free-agent center Myles Turner.

The veteran guard is expected to miss the entire 2025–26 season after undergoing surgery in May to repair a torn left achilles tendon. He sustained the injury on 27 April in the first quarter of the Bucks’ Game 4 loss to Indiana in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. It was just his third game back after missing a month due to a blood clot in his right calf. He also sat out the final 14 games of the regular season.

Despite receiving interest from playoff contenders offering mid-level and veteran minimum deals, Lillard chose to return to Portland, where his family resides. Talks with general manager Joe Cronin and head coach Chauncey Billups intensified in recent weeks, with all sides aligned on a reunion. His agent, Aaron Goodwin, is finalizing the terms this week.

Between his stretched Milwaukee salary and the new Portland contract, Lillard will earn $70m next season and $141m over the next two years.

Lillard initially requested a trade in 2023 after the Trail Blazers began a rebuild. He was dealt to Milwaukee in a three-team blockbuster that sent Jrue Holiday and Toumani Camara to Portland. Holiday was later traded to Boston, then reacquired by the Blazers this offseason.

With Lillard’s return, the Blazers now boast a core that includes Holiday, Robert Williams III, Scoot Henderson, Camara and a stockpile of future picks and swaps.

Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.7 rebounds in 58 regular-season games with Milwaukee. He owns career averages of 25.1 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds over 900 games.

He ranks fourth all-time in made three-pointers (2,804) and eighth among active players in scoring (22,598 points). In Portland, he remains the all-time leader in points and threes and second in assists. He led the franchise to eight playoff appearances, including a run to the 2019 Western Conference finals.

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Why Quinten Post wasn't included on Warriors' 2025 NBA Summer League roster

Why Quinten Post wasn't included on Warriors' 2025 NBA Summer League roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Coming off a strong rookie season, Warriors big man Quinten Post figured to be the perfect candidate to utilize the NBA Summer League as a means of improving his game entering Year 2.

However, the 25-year-old big man was left off Golden State’s roster, not making any appearances one year after making his first NBA impressions in last season’s summer league.

An ankle injury flaring up before the California Classic is the culprit behind Post’s summer league absence, the SF Standard’s Danny Emmerman reported Tuesday. It was an inujury that Post dealt with throughout the second half of the 2024-25 NBA season, and it appears Golden State wasn’t keen on taking any risks with the sharpshooting big man.

Emmerman’s report also notes that Post spent time working out in Golden State’s facility while taking in the games themselves from a courtside seat in Las Vegas.

Post averaged 8.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game in 42 appearances during his rookie season, becoming a key cog in the Warriors’ rotation down the stretch of Golden State’s playoff run.

Renown for his shooting ability, Post was able to provide the Warriors with invaluable floor spacing, knocking down 40.8 percent of his 3-point attempts, offering instant impact despite working through the growing pains that NBA rookies typically face.

Golden State appears to have struck gold after selecting Post with the No. 52 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, with the Warriors hoping their luck of second-round hits continues this season after taking Alex Toohey and Will Richard last month.

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Why Quinten Post wasn't included on Warriors' 2025 NBA Summer League roster

Why Quinten Post wasn't included on Warriors' 2025 NBA Summer League roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Coming off a strong rookie season, Warriors big man Quinten Post figured to be the perfect candidate to utilize the NBA Summer League as a means of improving his game entering Year 2.

However, the 25-year-old big man was left off Golden State’s roster, not making any appearances one year after making his first NBA impressions in last season’s summer league.

An ankle injury flaring up before the California Classic is the culprit behind Post’s summer league absence, the SF Standard’s Danny Emmerman reported Tuesday. It was an injury that Post dealt with throughout the second half of the 2024-25 NBA season, and it appears Golden State wasn’t keen on taking any risks with the sharpshooting big man.

Emmerman’s report also notes that Post spent time working out in Golden State’s facility, while taking in the games themselves from a courtside seat in Las Vegas.

Post averaged 8.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game in 42 appearances during his rookie season, becoming a key cog in the Warriors’ rotation down the stretch of Golden State’s playoff run.

Renown for his shooting ability, Post was able to provide the Warriors with invaluable floor spacing, knocking down 40.8 percent of his 3-point attempts, offering instant impact despite working through the growing pains that NBA rookies typically face.

Golden State appears to have struck gold after selecting Post with the No. 52 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, with the Warriors hoping their luck of second-round hits continues this season after taking Alex Toohey and Will Richard last month.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

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Damian Lillard to reunite with Trail Blazers on 3-year, $42M deal: Report

Damian Lillard to reunite with Trail Blazers on 3-year, $42M deal: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Damian Lillard is headed back to Portland.

Just two years after a blockbuster deal that made him teammates with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, Lillard reportedly is set to be a Trail Blazer again, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday.

The reported pact between Lillard and Portland is for three years and $42 million.

The nine-time All-Star will have a player option in 2027-28 and a no-trade clause as part of the deal, Charania added.

Lillard then made an announcement on social media following the reports.

Lillard had been waived by the Bucks earlier in the offseason following a torn Achilles suffered in the first round of the playoffs. He had two years and $113 million left on his contract, which the Bucks stretched out over the next five years in order to create cap space. That allowed the team to bring in center Myles Turner after losing Brook Lopez.

Charania added that Lillard and the Blazers both “deeply cared” about the comeback in recent weeks, with multiple meetings held to proceed on a deal.

Lillard reportedly also had multiple mid-level exception and minimum offers from NBA contenders. The Athletic had reported in early July that the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers all made calls.

The 34-year-old Weber State product will most likely be out all of 2025-26 to recover from his Achilles tear.

In 2023, Portland traded Lillard to Milwaukee for Jrue Holiday and Toumani Camara, among other assets, before flipping Holiday to Boston for Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon and other assets. On June 23, Portland re-acquired Holiday from Boston for Anfernee Simons and now have two star veteran guards.

Portland is still a rebuilding team and will hope Lillard can return to form after averaging 24.9 points and 7.1 assists on a 44.8/37.6/92.1 shooting split this past season.

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Damian Lillard to reunite with Trail Blazers on 3-year, $42M deal: Report

Damian Lillard to reunite with Trail Blazers on 3-year, $42M deal: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Damian Lillard is headed back to Portland.

Just two years after a blockbuster deal that made him teammates with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, Lillard reportedly is set to be a Trail Blazer again, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday.

The reported pact between Lillard and Portland is for three years and $42 million.

The nine-time All-Star will have a player option in 2027-28 and a no-trade clause as part of the deal, Charania added.

Lillard then made an announcement on social media following the reports.

Lillard had been waived by the Bucks earlier in the offseason following a torn Achilles suffered in the first round of the playoffs. He had two years and $113 million left on his contract, which the Bucks stretched out over the next five years in order to create cap space. That allowed the team to bring in center Myles Turner after losing Brook Lopez.

Charania added that Lillard and the Blazers both “deeply cared” about the comeback in recent weeks, with multiple meetings held to proceed on a deal.

Lillard reportedly also had multiple mid-level exception and minimum offers from NBA contenders. The Athletic had reported in early July that the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers all made calls.

The 34-year-old Weber State product will most likely be out all of 2025-26 to recover from his Achilles tear.

In 2023, Portland traded Lillard to Milwaukee for Jrue Holiday and Toumani Camara, among other assets, before flipping Holiday to Boston for Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon and other assets. On June 23, Portland re-acquired Holiday from Boston for Anfernee Simons and now have two star veteran guards.

Portland is still a rebuilding team and will hope Lillard can return to form after averaging 24.9 points and 7.1 assists on a 44.8/37.6/92.1 shooting split this past season.

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Patient Joel Embiid says no timeline set for his return, but hopes it's 'sooner rather than later'

Philadelphia is the hardest team to project in next season's Eastern Conference. If healthy, they are legit title contenders — but "if" is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence. Paul George has had offseason knee surgery.

As for former MVP Joel Embiid, he is taking a more patient approach with his body this season, following knee issues and an eventual surgery that limited him to 19 games last season. In a fantastic in-depth profile of Embiid by Dotun Akintoye at ESPN, Embiid said he was going to be patient with getting his body right for this season, but that means there is no timeline for his return.

"We're not going to push anything," he says. "For my whole career, I felt like we never took that approach...

"We don't have a timeline," Embiid tells me. "Hopefully, sooner rather than later."

The 76ers are hopeful that timeline will have him back for training camp in September. That's also when George will be re-evaluated.

Pain in his left knee had sidelined Embiid at the start of last season — coming off winning a gold medal with USA Basketball at the Paris Olympics, where his defense on Nikola Jokic in the Serbian game was critical — but he eventually played 19 games spaced out between November and February. When he did he was his dominant self, averaging 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds a game, but the pain became too much and he had knee surgery that ended his season.

Embiid wants to be playing at the end of the season, in the playoffs, and hopes this patient approach gets him there. He's also dictating to the team, this is how things are going to go.

"The only thing I'd say is -- this is a business," Embiid tells me. "It's all about the results. ... If I come back early enough and I'm still not myself, guess what? You're not winning any games."

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Top 15 most interesting players at 2025 NBA Summer League: Cooper Flagg, Yang Hansen, Reed Sheppard

LAS VEGAS — Summer League is a lot of things: Part celebration of young NBA talent, part NBA convention, part networking event, part owners meetings, part party…

And there's basketball. A lot of basketball. It's the first chance for many fans and media members to get a look at the top draft picks in person and see how their games translate in a quasi-NBA setting. It's also a chance to see how players who have been in the league for a year or two have improved.

Here are the 15 most interesting players I saw in Las Vegas, broken down by category. This is an incomplete list and only includes players I saw in Las Vegas. That means guys such as Ace Bailey are not on here (he has yet to play in Vegas).

The Big Names

Cooper Flagg

The No. 1 pick lived up to the hype.

What makes Flagg such a promising prospect is that his floor is high — on nights his shot is not falling, he remains an elite defender and shot blocker, he runs the floor hard, makes smart passes, and he can be a secondary shot creator. That's what happened in his debut.

Flagg struggled with his shot in his first game (5-of-21) and there are going to be moments like that during his rookie season. His ability to create and consistently knock down shots is the only real question about his game entering the league, and consistency with that will take some time to develop. That said, Flagg bounced back with 31 points in his second outing, showing off his ability to drive and finish with either hand.

While Flagg looked good with the ball in his hands, he looked better playing off it, and that will be more of his role in Dallas where D'Angelo Russell in the short term and Kyrie Irving long term (once healthy), not to mention Anthony Davis, will facilitate the offense most of the time.

Dylan Harper

Spurs fans had to wait to see the No. 2 pick, he didn't play in the California Classic games or in the Spurs' Las Vegas Summer League opener due to a groin issue. When he did take the court, he impressed, showing flashes of his athleticism and putting up highlights — and not just on the offensive end.

Harper was smooth on offense, showing control of his pace to get into the lane and the ability to finish with either hand at the rim, or hit a little floater. He finished in Vegas averaging 16 points a game, but shooting 35.7% from the floor — there is some work to do, but Harper impressed with how he played and his body control. He's going to be special.

VJ Edgecombe

After creating a buzz by dropping 28 points in the Salt Lake Summer League, Edgecombe's Las Vegas debut was delayed until Tuesday night due to a thumb injury. When he finally got back on the court, he impressed with a couple of athletic defensive plays in transition to take away scoring opportunities, and his drive-and-dish game was on. What was not on was his shot. Edgecombe shot 0-of-7 from the floor in the first half, but he wasn't making excuses.

"Simple, I was just missing shots. Ain't nothing I can say about that," Edgecombe said.

In the second half, he started to get downhill to the rim more, and with that, he found his shot, hitting 4-of-7 on his way to finishing with 15 points. Forget the shooting struggles, plenty of promising rookies have them at Summer League, it was the way he did everything else that makes us think Edgecombe is going to get plenty of run in Philly this season.

Yang Hansen

Yang's style of play is infectious — it had the other Trail Blazers in Las Vegas playing hard and cutting off him, knowing he could find them with a pass. It was also infectious for the crowds, who turned out in large numbers to see the Chinese star play. He didn't disappoint them.

Yang's passing skills are as advertised, he sees the court and makes passes that few big men can. He's also got a nice 15-foot jumper, and he can bully his way to the paint in a mismatch. There is a lot to like about his game. There is also a long way to go — his defense is unimpressive (especially away from the rim) and he's going to have to get a lot stronger. Still, there was plenty to like about the Trail Blazers' surprise first-round pick.

Bronny James

Summer League is a benchmark for young players — it's not the raw numbers we see from second-year players, it's how much they improve season over season. Are we seeing growth?

With Bronny James, the answer is a clear yes. His defense has always been good, but his handles and decision-making came with a lot more confidence this year.

"His passing out of the pick and rolls and really seeing," Lakers Summer League coach Lindsey Harding said of Bronny's improvement. "And it's not just the pass to the big rolling, it's if the low man comes over, he sees the man in the corner. Right? It's the whole floor. And I think it's easy to see one read, but, like, he's developing everything else. Understanding where everyone else is on the floor and where their defenders are coming from."

Bronny's shot is still a work in progress, and if he wants to be a regular rotation player that has to become consistent, but he looks like a guy who can handle a few more minutes for the Lakers this season.

Guys too good for Summer League

Matas Buzelis

The Bulls' Buzelis is getting the chance to run an offense in Las Vegas and show he is ready for more. His first game was a little rough around the edges (17 points on 4-of-14 shooting with four turnovers), but in his second outing he reminded everyone he is better than just about every other player in Vegas. He can run an offense, and he is too good to be here.

Reed Sheppard

Reed Sheppard was a standout a year ago at Summer League, but that didn't buy him consistent run during last season on a deep Rockets team. Back in Las Vegas, Sheppard has looked impressive again and just too good for this level, averaging 23 points a game. What should make coach Ime Udoka happy is that Sheppard just looks stronger and seems more comfortable with the physicality of the game, something he needs if he's going to get into the Rockets rotation as expected this season.

Ajay Mitchell

Ajay Mitchell re-signed with the Thunder for three years, $8.7 million this summer... so what is he doing in Las Vegas? Getting the reps and run he can't get on a championship roster. He's averaged 20 points a game, shooting 51.4% overall, with six rebounds and 4.3 assists a night, and is handling Vegas just fine (after three years of college parties in Isla Vista, before going pro, Vegas' party scene isn't going to faze him).

Kyle Filipowski

Filipowski is the leading scorer in Las Vegas, averaging 29.3 points a game on 56.1% shooting, including 39.1% from beyond the arc, plus 7.7 rebounds a game (in 28.6 minutes a night). Filipowski came on in the second half of last season in Utah and has taken a step forward from there. Utah shut him down after three games in Vegas (plus a couple in the Salt Lake City Summer League).

Guys Who Caught My Eye

Joan Beringer

Rudy Gobert is still an elite defender, but he is 33 and expensive, the Timberwolves might need to move on from him in a couple of years. It's just a few Summer League games, but one can envision Beringer, the French center that the Timberwolves took at No. 17, sliding into that defensive center role. He impressed with his athleticism and defense — recording Beringer 11 points, eight rebounds and six blocks in his Summer League debut. He's averaged 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks a game in Las Vegas.

Noah Penda

The No. 32 pick in June's draft has shown a real versatility for the Orlando Magic (who traded some seconds to get him). He's averaged 11.3 points a game on 56.7% shooting, including 40% from beyond the arc, and has initiated the offense while playing point forward and even some stretch five. Most importantly, the French player has a high IQ game and is going to find a spot in the NBA.

"He's just got a knack for where to be on the floor, his instincts are phenomenal. I thought his rebounding for us was huge today. His ability to pick up things on the fly," Magic coach Ameer Bahhur said. "We played him at the five today, which he had never done before.... His versatility allowed us to use him as another ball handler to relieve pressure and bring the ball up the court. And he did a great job, whether he was at the four, whether he was at the five, he got us into what we needed to do and he helped us run our offense."

Daniss Jenkins

The former St. John's star emerged from Rick Pitino's world to earn a two-way contract with the Pistons — he should get at least that this season, maybe more. With Detroit in Vegas, he is playing fantastic defense — he's the reason Reed Sheppard had a relatively tough first night — and he's averaging 17.3 points a game while shooting 58.3% in 3-pointers. He can just flat-out play.

Ryan Kalkbrenner

He was a defensive anchor at Creighton, and that has translated nicely to his role for Charlotte in Summer League — he is a strong defender in the paint, averaging 2.3 blocks a game in Las Vegas. He's also scoring 8.7 points per game, although his rebounding and ability to be a stretch big need some work. Still, the potential is there, which is why Charlotte locked up the No. 34 pick with a four-year, $9.9 million contract.

Yuki Kawamura

Everyone loves Yuki — somebody give that man a two-way deal. He was on a two-way contract with Memphis and has earned at least another one of those from someone while playing for Chicago this summer.

Ryan Nembhard

The brother of Andrew Nembhard went undrafted because he was considered too small and there were a lot of questions about his shooting. What he showed in Las Vegas is that the former Gonzaga star knows how to run a team and be a strong floor general, and his shot is better than advertised, averaging 11.3 points a game. Nembhard is on a two-way contract with Dallas and will have the opportunity to prove his worth.

Carter Bryant

That other guy the Spurs drafted in the lottery (No. 14) turns out to be a defensive terror on the wing — he bothered Cooper Flagg more than any other player defending him in Las Vegas. You can see where he fits in San Antonio if he can develop a respectable offensive game, something that we have not seen in Las Vegas, where he is shooting 12.5% through three games. Still, the thought of a Spurs opponent struggling to drive past Bryant on the wing only to run into Victor Wembanyama in the paint is potentially terrifying.

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Damian Lillard reportedly to reunite with Trail Blazers on three-year contract

Damian Lillard reportedly to reunite with Trail Blazers on three-year contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Damian Lillard is headed back to Portland.

Just two years after a blockbuster deal that made him teammates with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, Lillard reportedly is set to be a Trail Blazer again, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday.

The reported pact between Lillard and Portland is for three years and $42 million.

The nine-time All-Star will have a player option in 2027-28 and a no-trade clause as part of the deal, Charania added.

Lillard then made an announcement on social media following the reports.

Lillard had been waived by the Bucks earlier in the offseason following a torn Achilles suffered in the first round of the playoffs. He had two years and $113 million left on his contract, which the Bucks stretched out over the next five years in order to create cap space. That allowed the team to bring in center Myles Turner after losing Brook Lopez.

Charania added that Lillard and the Blazers both “deeply cared” about the comeback in recent weeks, with multiple meetings held to proceed on a deal.

Lillard reportedly also had multiple mid-level exception and minimum offers from NBA contenders. The Athletic had reported in early July that the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers all made calls.

The 34-year-old Weber State product will most likely be out all of 2025-26 to recover from his Achilles tear.

In 2023, Portland traded Lillard to Milwaukee for Jrue Holiday and Toumani Camara, among other assets, before flipping Holiday to Boston for Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon and other assets. On June 23, Portland re-acquired Holiday from Boston for Anfernee Simons and now have two star veteran guards.

Portland is still a rebuilding team and will hope Lillard can return to form after averaging 24.9 points and 7.1 assists on a 44.8/37.6/92.1 shooting split this past season.