Category: NBA

The Dallas Mavericks fell to the Golden State Warriors in their first game of NBA Summer League, 101-90. LJ Crier scored 25 for the Warriors and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scored 21 to go along with 10 rebounds and six assists. Rookie Morez Johnson Jr. led Dallas with 27 in defeat.

The opening minutes of the game featured both teams feeling one another out; the Warriors took an early lead by attacking the rim and glass. Tobi Lawal spent early minutes on Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, playing solid defense against the bigger player. Sergio De Larrea scored his first points via a free throw only to exit the contest for Vsevolod Ishchenko after an off-ball collision with a Warrior. Following a timeout, the Warriors pushed past Dallas and threatened to take a double-digit lead. A Morez Johnson looseball putback followed by a dunk through a dish from De Larrea closed the lead to two. Dallas trailed 24-20 after one quarter of basketball.

The Warriors opened up the second quarter with a 9-0 run featuring consistent rim pressure. Dallas called a timeout after pushing the lead up to 16 just over three minutes into the frame. Johnson kept the Mavericks in it, and a flashy Nembhard lay-up cut the lead to 10 around the three-minute mark. The Warriors closed the half hard, lighting the Mavericks up from three while Dallas could not hit a shot. Johnson was a consistent bright spot, scoring 14 points in a variety of ways while also grabbing six boards. The Mavericks shot just 3 of 19 from three in the half to the Warriors six of nine. Dallas trailed 59-39 at the half.

The second half didnt get better for Dallas, at least not in the short term. The Warriors continued to hit shots from outside and Dallas wasn’t able to make much of a dent in the scoreboard. Poor shooting plagued Dallas in the third as well, and the Mavericks entered the final frame down 79-66.

De Larrea opened the fourth for the Mavericks with some fireworks, dishing a nice ally-oop to Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu. Feisty playmaking from Ishchenko in the quarter kept the game exciting, but the Mavericks simply could not finish good looks. Following a timeout at the 5:30 mark, Johnson finished a drive and got the foul and free throw, which cut the lead to 10 for the first time since the second quarter. Dallas followed that up with a John Poulakidas three and Johnson dunk to cut it down to five. The Maverick run continued with an Ishchenko basket. LJ Cryer hit back-to-back buckets to give the Warriors breathing room with under three minutes to go. The Mavericks were not able to get over the hump. Dallas fell to the Warriors 101-90 in their opening game of Summer League.

‘We have Rez and they don’t.’

If you had concerns about the Dallas Mavericks selecting Morez Johnson Jr. with the ninth overall selection in June’s NBA Draft, perhaps a 27-point, eight-rebound, three-assist, three-steal, and two-block performance will settle your nerves some. Do I have any idea what kind of player Johnson will be at the NBA after just one game? I do not. But what I do know is this is an NBA player who will find ways to contribute.

Dallas played a pretty bad basketball game; it’s to be expected for guys who’ve never played before (the Warriors are coming off of games together in the California Classic). Johnson had the type of game where he slowly and steadily made an impact. A loose ball putback here, a big rebound in traffic there. All of a sudden, he had 27 points on 17 shots. You feel his presence defensively; he’s a big, big person on the court that’s not easily moved.

So I recommend enjoying this workmanlike performance from a very solid player.

Dallas isn’t going to win much if they can’t shoot the ball

This sounds familiar doesn’t it. Dallas took 38 threes as a team, the Warriors just 20. The Warriors hit 10 (50%, for those of you who are bad at math). The Mavericks hit just nine attempts (24%). That is very bad. In top level analysis, I am here to inform you that you must hit shots in order to win basketball games.

A mixed outing for Sergio De Larrea

Let’s start with the good. De Larrea finished his first summer league game with nine points, six rebounds and five assists. He only committed one turnover, was a willing passer with his eyes often up near the rim looking for his teammates to finish plays.

But we must also discuss the bad. He was three of 14 from the floor, including just one of nine from beyond the arc. His handle, particularly in the first half, was incredibly loose. De Larrea was often too upright, his dribble nearly out of control at times.

Now, he’s allowed to have a poor shooting performance, and if you watched this game, his second half was much more confident than the first. But he got to the rim often enough and heard ghosts, stuttering at times, instead of just going up with confidence. He’s also another tall, rangy guy who looks taller to me than the listed height.

There’s some THERE, there, if you get me. Let’s see what he does next.

We see you, Vsevolod Ishchenko

I had no idea what to expect from our new Russian friend. Guys, he looks 16 years old in the face and I am learning just now that he’s 21. But if you want to see a guy who’s not afraid of the moment, Ishchenko is your guy. His box score contributions were meek, just seven points and three rebounds. But I saw a guy with a tight handle and really good vision. Once his teammates actually passed him the ball in the fourth quarter, we got to see some wizardry in potential dimes, very few of which were actually finished with a made basket. That’s okay though, this is a learning situation and today I learned Dallas drafted guys who have some ability. Let’s see what they do against the Lakers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of a handful of teams trying to convince LeBron James to sign with them in free agency via voice note messages that may or may not actually get to LeBron himself. As of now, they appear to be the favorites to secure his services. That noise is only going to grow louder as Bill Simmons outright said LeBron returning to the Cavs was “done.”

Simmons mentioned on the most recent episode of the Bill Simmons Podcast that the Golden State Warriors were just used as leverage. This led him to say that LeBron is going back to Cleveland, and that the “Cleveland thing is done.”

“And now it’s pretty clear they (Golden State) were being used as leverage as LeBron goes back to Cleveland… the Cleveland thing is done,” – Bill Simmons on LeBron’s free agency sweepstakes 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/Z9OBX8ADUB

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 10, 2026

How much you want to read into this is entirely up to you.

Simmons says this in a somewhat flipant way, an hour into a two-hour podcast. If he were going to break news this big, it’d make a lot more sense to lead off his show with this or put it up on the website he owns. That could easily lead you to believe this is just speculation based on all the other reporting and noise around a return to Cleveland.

On the other hand, Simmons is extremely plugged in. He’s been in NBA circles for decades and knows what he’s talking about. Additionally, he also has a direct connection with Rich Paul.

The Ringer — Simmons’s website — hosts Paul’s podcast Game Over. If there is someone who you’d think would be in the loop on this, it’d be Simmons.

Again, how much stock you put into this is up to you. What we can definitively say right now is that it seems like LeBron is coming back to Cleveland for a farewell tour. We’ll find out whether that materializes soon enough.

Big man Jonas Valanciunas is now a free agent.

On Wednesday, the Nuggets waived Valanciunas despite his fully guaranteed $10 million salary for the 2026-27 season, according to multiple reports.

Denver still owes him $2 million following the move, but will save cap space after signing Marvin Bagley III to a veteran minimum, keeping them under the second luxury tax apron. 

Valanciunas considered leaving for the EuroLeague last summer after being traded to the Nuggets, but ended up staying in the NBA and averaged 8.7 points with 5.1 rebounds in 65 games played. 

The 34-year-old shot 58.2 percent from the field while filling in the Nuggets’ backup center role playing 13 minutes a night. 

According to ESPN’s Shams Chariana, Valanciunas will garner interest from multiple clubs, including the Knicks. 

Valanciunas is on the Knicks’ radar and they view him as a potential third option behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond, SNY’s Ian Begley reported.

He also has experience working with Leon Rose, as the Knicks president was his agent before taking the front-office job. 

A move to Europe is possible once again this summer with Lithuanian club Zalgiris Kaunas interested, according to BasketNews.

Valanciunas would be brought in to help the Knicks replace Mitchell Robinson, who signed a three-year, $47.4 million contract with the Celtics after spending his entire career in the orange and blue.

The seven-footer averaged 4.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per game during New York’s championship run this season. 

The Knicks signed Drummond, another potential replacement for Robinson, to a one-year, $3.9 million deal on Saturday. 

He appeared in 63 games with the 76ers last season, recording 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds through 19.5 minutes.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Well, the Lakers certainly took advantage of the optionality that they had prepared for this summer.

None of the Lakers starters who helped LA jump out to a 3-0 lead against the Rockets in the playoffs are returning. In their place comes an infusion of new talent.

Los Angeles traded for Walker Kessler and signed Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton.

With the entire rotation getting revamped, Lakers fans will have plenty of new players to get acquainted with.

For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans which new Laker they were most excited to see next season.

Kessler won in a landslide.

Kessler is the new max player in Los Angeles and the center the franchise has been looking for. Luka Dončić reportedly wanted him on the team, so expectations and pressure will be at an all-time high.

Naturally, that makes his play very compelling, crucial to LA’s success and an exciting player to watch.

The Lakers’ first game of the upcoming year will be highly anticipated, mainly because Kessler will be making his Lakers debut.

Mamu, Grimes and Sexton will all also be important to the Lakers, but none are considered franchise players or All-Stars, so the general hype is far lower.

Another player whose hype seems to be down is LeBron James.

He has left the Lakers and is looking for a new team.

As part of our national survey, we asked NBA fans if they wanted LeBron on their favorite team. The majority said thanks, but no thanks.

A ton comes with LeBron being on a team. Yes, he is a tremendous talent, and plenty of winning will occur.

However, both his stans and his haters can be exhausting to hear from every day. And his agent, Rich Paul, speaking to anyone who will listen on his podcast doesn’t exactly make things any better.

Also, at LeBron’s age, the end of his career is nearing.

While he still has plenty to give to the game, it’s not surprising that fans of other teams would rather not bet on him winning another title. Maybe it’s best just to let someone else deal with the LeBron media circus and all that comes with it.

That’s no longer the Lakers’ problem, but they are hoping Kessler is the solution and the missing piece the franchise needs to be champions again.

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

The Washington Wizards play the Utah Jazz in the 2026 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas at 9 p.m. ET tonight. Watch it on ESPN or Monumenal Sports Network. Kevin has the preview (yes, he previews games too!) here.

Go Wizards.

The Sixers won their opening game of the 2026 Summer League campaign in Las Vegas by a score of 101-93 over the Detroit Pistons. More importantly, a few young players really shined for Philadelphia in the seasonal debut.

This was the first of four scheduled Summer League contests for the Sixers, with a fifth yet to be scheduled (determined by standings). It was our first glimpse at a post-college Labaron Philon, selected No. 22 overall in the recent NBA Draft. And the recent draftee got right to work, sinking the first bucket of the evening for the Sixers on a step-back triple. He showed off impressive handles and a silky smooth shot on more than one occasion in this one.

Some other names that you may not be familiar with (I wasn’t) but looked damn good in this one were Isaac Johnson with 20 points off the bench as well as Dante Maddox Jr., who led the Sixers with 21 points on 7-for-13 field goal and 4-for-6 three-point shooting.

Johni Broome filled the stat sheet with 19 points and 13 rebounds (eight offensive) as well as two assists, one steal and two blocks. Though, admittedly, I have some reservations about how many of those numbers would truly transfer to NBA-level play in his current form.

First Quarter

• Well, how do you do, Labaron Philon? The No. 22 overall pick got right to work, scoring the Sixers’ first 2026 Summer League points on a step-back triple. He sank a second triple just moments later.
• Johni Broome in on the action early as well with a three-pointer on a kick-out from Philon. This could truly be the make-or-break year for Broome’s NBA career, after an extremely lackluster rookie season that ended in injury.
• Dante Maddox Jr.! I’ll be honest, I didn’t know anything about him before this game started, but he caught eyes early sinking back-to-back triples. He ended up with 10 points on 4-for-6 field goal, 2-for-3 field goal shooting in the opening frame, utilizing both a long-range shot and a couple middies.
• Broome may have a few points here in the first, but he still is concerningly slow. He was never exactly known for his athleticism, but it’s noticeably lacking to a big degree, even at the Summer League level.

Second Quarter

• Okay then, Isaac Johnson. The big man had himself a quarter for the Sixers, with 14 points on 4-for-4 field goal, 3-for-3 three-point shooting in just over six minutes on the floor.
• I probably sound like I am just hating for no reason, and I’d love for him to prove me wrong, but Broome simply does not look like an NBA athlete. And yes, I’m 100% talking the eye test here. His stats at halftime looked pretty damn good, and he was able to put in a few good buckets here and there, but the fact of the matter is he really cannot keep up physically with anyone on the floor. He is getting rebounds and sinking close buckets, but he would not be getting either of those at the actual NBA level with his pace and movement.
• Philon continues to impress throughout his first half of Summer League play, hitting this perfect pocket pass to Broome towards the end of the second quarter. And some kudos for Broome here too, with what is probably one of the most athletic moves we’ve seen him make on the slam.

What a pass from Philon here for Broome, my goodness pic.twitter.com/dtqy2UG16X

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) July 9, 2026

• The Sixers led by 10 going into the break after sinking 10 triples in the first half.

Third Quarter

• Amani Lyles making the most of his minutes off the bench for the Sixers with a running dunk and a triple.
• Maddox continued to look red hot from long range, sinking another pair of triples within minutes of each other in the third frame. Again, I honestly knew almost nothing about this guy to begin today, but he’s certainly earning some attention in this opening game. He led the floor after three with 19 points.
• It was a quiet third frame for Philon, who as unable to score and shot 0-for-3 in the frame. Through three, his ability and game sense are more than clear, but the main complaints one could have about the young guard are shooting efficiency and his size. He simply isn’t big enough to finish through some contact at this level just yet, and this is just Summer League. Fortunately, he has some time to put some weight and bulk on before the regular season.

Fourth Quarter

• I’ve been tough on Broome watching this one, as I have some serious doubts about how much of his stats from this one would truly transfer to NBA-level play, but I gotta give it to him — this was a great move and finish at the rim from him.

I've been tough on him so far this evening but this is a really nice move and finish from Broome pic.twitter.com/qEC72aVvuL

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) July 9, 2026

• Isaac Johnson is another name I didn’t know much about before this game started… and now I think he’s making a genuine run for a two-way contract with the Sixers. He sank his fourth triple of the game in the fourth to notch 20 points in 16 minutes on the floor. Apparently his nickname is Big Fish, too. Just a fun fact.

• It was a quieter second half for Philon with some rocky shooting, but he made sure to end things on a high note with this triple to help the Sixers to a 101-93 victory.

Philon shows off the handles one more time to close out this first Summer League contest pic.twitter.com/kAYQk3NRzY

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) July 9, 2026

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Sixers Summer League Bell Ringer candidates vs. Pistons

Labaron Philon: 18 PTS (6-for-19 FG, 4-for-10 3PT), 3 REB, 7 AST, 1 STL

Dante Maddox Jr.: 21 PTS (7-for-13 FG, 4-for-6 3PT), 3 REB, 1 STL

Isaac Johnson: 20 PTS (6-for-10 FG, 4-for-6 3PT), 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK

Johni Broome: 19 PTS (9-for-18 FG, 1-for-5 3PT), 13 REB (8 OFF), 2 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK

The Los Angeles Lakers have settled in for the upcoming NBA Summer League series in Las Vegas.

The Lakers have set up a new custom-designed practice court in a ballroom and were seen by reporters practicing on it Thursday, July 9.

The Lakers’ practice setup at a resort ballroom in Vegas. The team is testing out a new court design for the summer session. pic.twitter.com/DUcrjiYDZo

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 9, 2026

The Lakers had played on a custom court during the NBA Cup, but it was met with some negative feedback from players. Lakers star Luka Doncic in particular had an issue with the court, slipping on it during the team's 135-118 victory over the L.A. Clippers on Nov. 25, 2025.

"It's just slippery. It's dangerous," Doncic said. "I slipped. I slipped a lot, and you could see many players slip. And that's dangerous."

The NBA provided an alternate court for each team in the league as a promotional tool for this past season's tournament games.

The Lakers’ alternate court was not used in the 129-119 home victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 29. That court was returned to the creator for repairs.

It remains to be seen if the practice court is similar to, or an upgrade of, the one used during the NBA Cup.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Check out Lakers' awesome practice court setup in Las Vegas ballroom

Like much of the NBA world, Charles Barkley was shocked by the Celtics trading Jaylen Brown to the 76ers for Paul George and four draft picks last week.

The NBA legend and “Inside the NBA” analyst made an appearance on “Unfiltered with Ricky Bo and Bill Colarulo” this week and shared his first reaction to the blockbuster trade.

“I was like, ‘This can’t be a true story.’ There’s so much fake stuff on the internet now, I’m like, ‘Nah, they didn’t trade him to the Sixers,'” Barkley said. “Number one, you’re like ‘Wow.’ Secondly, you’re like, ‘Well, what’d they give up?’ They gave up Paul George and some draft picks. I says, ‘Man, the Sixers just got away with murder, man.’”

Barkley continued: “[The 76ers] were dead in the water, to be honest with you. Because Paul’s contract and Joel’s inability to stay healthy, they were going to be out the running for the next three or four or five years. And now, all of a sudden, they’re a legit contender.”

With Brown in the mix, Philadelphia has a strong core for the future, with budding stars Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe alongside one of the best centers in the league, when healthy, in Joel Embiid.

“I mean, [Brown] and Maxey and Edgecombe and whatever they get out of Joel, they’re going to be a really good team. [Nick] Nurse is a hell of a coach, and Jaylen’s a hell of a player,” Barkley noted.

“The Sixers just became a contender in the East. You go from being irrelevant to being a serious contender in the Eastern Conference for the next three years. It’s pretty good for Philadelphia right now,” Barkley said.

Last season, the Sixers finished seventh in the East with a record of 45-37. They were swept by the eventual champion Knicks in the conference semifinals.

Welcome back to basketball, folks!

While Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings fans got the California Classic, and a bunch of different teams got the Salt Lake City Summer League, the Minnesota Timberwolves kicked off their season — Summer League or otherwise — with a game against the New Orleans Pelicans, who have not won a Summer League game since 2023.

That did not change today.

The drought continues.

Joan Beringer with 18 points, 12 boards and 5 stocks, was a +14

Zyon Pullin with 24 points, 12 dimes to 4 TOs, and 7 boards

Rocco Zikarsky with a disappointing showing of 4 TOs to 3 FGM, 6 boards

Wolves 17 OREBs for 22 2C PTS, 33 PTS off 18 Pels TOs. https://t.co/9pG4x7ef1k

— Jack Borman (@jrborman13) July 9, 2026

Before I drag on about the players that performed well, let’s immediately get to the things that most of you are likely here to read about. Of course, I’m talking about the pair of sophomore bigs, the international duo of Rocco Zikarsky and Joan Beringer.

Despite less than impressive finishing to start out the game (with the exception of a soaring lob finish off an inbound), during which he missed four hook shots, Joan Beringer was impressive as a rebounder and shot blocker. It makes a ton of sense that the Wolves have been so high on him internally.

Possibly most encouraging was the weight and muscle Joan has clearly put on, and the improvements to his handle that enabled him to attack and dominate Pelicans big Hunter Dickinson.

I’m sure people will be talking about this play for the next few days.

JOAN APPRECIATION POST. pic.twitter.com/eS3e4fvKyl

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) July 9, 2026

Much of the conversation surrounding the Frenchman will be about how soon he can be a contributing piece to a team that got decidedly younger this offseason while still aiming for title hopes (however unrealistic that is).

Still, his partnership with Rudy Gobert should certainly leave him with a guide that the mentorship system in 2K would drool over.

We also got some confirmation from head coach Chris Finch that the Wolves will use Beringer at the four beyond just this summer in defensively focused lineups. Finch highlighted Joan’s ability to switch onto guards as a swing factor in that regard.

Zikarsky was, unfortunately, not as exciting. While the towering Aussie was not awful, he also seems to lack the required movement abilities that an NBA player needs, but that will not be decided in Summer League. He got off to a very slow start, missing his first four shots, but bounced back to have moments as an under-the-rim finisher.

For those of us (myself included) who were excited to watch Rocco as a passer and shooter, he disappointed there with four turnovers, two assists, and 1/3 shooting from deep.

With those two big pillars covered, the rest of this recap falls at the feet of the guy who may have been the Wolves’ best player this afternoon: Zyon Pullin.

The starting point guard had a near triple-double with 24 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds. The 6’4 product out of Florida did it with no threes, instead constantly slashing to the rim, and finishing with some impressive layups and floaters.

Joan Beringer with his third block of the day right here, giving way to a transition layup for Zyon Pullin. The two of them have a combined 29 points this afternoon. They've been great. pic.twitter.com/GQlBYf7Kiy

— Charlie Walton (@CharlieWaltonMN) July 9, 2026

Pullin lit up the G-League last year and is a likely candidate for one of the Wolves’ two-way spots. While there may only be one left alongside Enrique Freeman and Zikarsky, I’d be shocked to see anyone but Pullin in that role.

There should be some credit given to Nate Santos and Donovan Williams as well, who both had the definition of “great in their role” performances, with Santos in particular flashing as a full-court player and finisher.

That leaves just the recent 2nd round pick, Trey Kaufman-Renn, who did little with sparing playing time, participating largely just as a rebounder.

For any fans excited to see the early of the two second-rounders the Wolves took during the draft, Duke wing Isaiah Evans, he is still in NBA purgatory while Minnesota waits on Charlotte and Brooklyn to finalize the details of the Lamelo Ball – Naz Reid – Julius Randle trade.

The Wolves will be back in action on Saturday against a Nuggets team that should be less strapped for cash than their NBA equivalent. Who knows? Maybe we’ll add another funny chapter to that rivalry in the halls of the Pavilion in Vegas.

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Highlights

Brooklyn made history in the 2025 NBA Draft by securing five first-round picks, the most ever selected by a single team in one round. After one full season and a look at the California Classic, we asked the simple question: Who out of the “Flatbush Five” has the most to prove?

The results are in, and the responses paint a clear picture of how fans view the current trajectories of these five prospects. While Egor Dëmin has solidified himself as the undisputed star and leader of the group, expectations vary wildly for the rest of the pack. The good news? The “top” pick from this survey is only 20. Patience…

Here is the full results:

When we first asked, roughly 18 Nets fans commented their thoughts. Here’s a quick look:

The Burden of the Lottery Pick: Egor Demin

• Comment: “Egor clearly has the most to prove. He was a top 8 pick. The other four were just flyers… “
• Comment: “Egor because he’s the lottery pick.”

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Powell Panic Meter

• Comment: “Powell showed difficulty in the Cali Summer league. Should have showed an improved play since he played last year with the regular team. He was committing TOs left and right. For me, he wasn’t ready for the summer league, not sure why? injury?”
• Comment: “I guess I see a difference between ‘who has the most the prove’ and ‘who do I think unlikely to be able to prove’. Obviously Egor needs to take a major step forward to justify his draft status, but the guy who may be gone if he can’t get it together is Drake Powell. Unless he turns it around in Las Vegas, he may be playing most of the year in LI, or could be packaged in a trade.”

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Still early… right?

• Comment: “None of them. This is year 2 for a rebuilding team. The nets can and should just work slowly developing them. You nets fans acting like if they dont start producing they should be gotten rid of…. are seriously misguided on who the nets are. They can take there time and let jordi and his crew work there magic.”
  • Reply:” With the number of draft picks we have in coming years, they’ll soon be under pressure to perform or to be replaced. For me Demin, Traore and Wolf have shown the most. Saraf and Powell could be replaced in future drafts if they don’t improve quickly. It’s just business.”

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Thanks to everybody who voted and/or participated.

This is a sponsored post. Check out the latest lines, futures, and player props by visiting FanDuel. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21+ and present in NY or other select states.

The Golden State Warriors’ Plan B may already have a name.

As the franchise waits to see whether LeBron James becomes a realistic option, DeMar DeRozan has emerged as a veteran fallback worth watching. According to ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, Golden State is expected to have internal conversations about pursuing DeRozan after his release from the Sacramento Kings.

“DeRozan’s kind of a 1B plan right now for some of these teams that are looking at LeBron James,” Siegel said on “Clutch Scoops.” “The Golden State Warriors are a team that is going to have internal conversations about pursuing DeMar DeRozan.”

That matters because the Warriors are still trying to maximize the final years of Stephen Curry’s career. LeBron remains the dream scenario, a late-career partnership between two players who defined an era from opposite sides of the NBA Finals.

But if that pursuit falls short, Golden State cannot afford to leave Curry waiting without reinforcements.

DeRozan would not bring the same kind of star power or playmaking as James. He is not a perfect modern spacing fit, either. But he would bring something the Warriors could use: reliable half-court scoring.

Even at 36, DeRozan remains a proven bucket-getter. He averaged 18.4 points per game last season in Sacramento and has long been one of the league’s most dependable mid-range scorers.

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For a Warriors team that has too often leaned on Curry to create offense from scratch, DeRozan could give Golden State another late-clock option and a veteran who can calm possessions when the system stalls.

His market could also make him attractive. DeRozan is not expected to command a massive deal, which means contenders may view him as a bargain veteran addition.

That could matter for the Warriors, especially if they preserve financial flexibility while waiting on James.

Siegel also mentioned Miami and Cleveland as possible landing spots. The Heat have long been linked to DeRozan, while the Cavaliers could view him as a fallback if they miss on James.

Other reporting has similarly framed DeRozan’s decision as connected to LeBron’s timeline, with several teams potentially waiting to see where the league’s biggest free agent lands first.

For Golden State, the logic is simple.

LeBron would be the swing.

DeRozan could be the pivot.

And with Curry turning 38, the Warriors need something more than waiting.

The Celtics have waived guard Dalano Banton, the team announced on Thursday evening.

We have waived Dalano Banton.

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) July 9, 2026

Banton played in 6 games between the Celtics and Clippers last season, averaging 2.0 points and 1.8 assists per game. He played 36 minutes in the Celtics regular season finale and had 2 points, 7 assists, 6 turnovers while going 0/3 from the field.

Banton’s best stretch of his career came at the end of the 2023-24 season when he averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game with the Portland Trail Blazers.

This move puts the Celtics under the luxury tax and puts the Celtics at 14 players. Boston is allowed to remain at 14 players until the start of the playoffs.

Boston signed Banton to a 10-day contract in February and signed him on the 2nd to last day of the regular season to fill the roster to 15 players.

The Celtics exercised Banton’s team option on June 29th.

STATELINE, Nev. — Steph Curry is looking to lure LeBron James to the Warriors with both basketball and golf — saying the potential pairing would mark a one-of-a-kind moment in sports history.

The Golden State superstar shed light on his recruiting pitch to James while playing in the American Century Championship golf tournament in Lake Tahoe on Thursday, revealing that hoops and fairways have been a part of his conversations with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

“The pitch is if you want to play good basketball, be around people that know how to play the game, hopefully raise our floor and our competitiveness this year,” Curry said, before adding, “there’s good golf in the Bay.”

“We’re an organization that’s been there. And he knows that,” Curry continued. “It’s self-explanatory. It’s just a matter of where he sees himself fitting. And at the end of the day, that’s up to him.”

Curry made it clear he’d love to play alongside the 22-time All-Star, saying it “would be such a unique story in NBA history — sports history.”

After announcing his split from the Lakers on June 30, James has been linked to a number of teams, including the Warriors.

It’s unclear where exactly Golden State ranks on James’ short list of preferred destinations, and Curry acknowledged he’s been given no indication that the four-time NBA champ plans to play alongside him in 2026.

It’s “a little premature right now to talk about,” Curry said.

Another place Curry would love to see James is on the greens near Lake Tahoe this weekend, as he told The California Post he’d “absolutely” enjoy playing 18 with the former Laker at the tournament.

“If he can get a jet out here for tomorrow,” Curry said, “that’d be awesome.”

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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Raptors fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

This week’s question shines a spotlight on former Raptor legend DeMar DeRozan. The 36-year-old is nearing the end of his career, and as polarizing as he may be to many Raptors fans, there’s a case to be made that he’s one of the best available options left in free agency.

Last season, DeRozan averaged 18.4 points (lowest-mark since 2012-13), 4.1 assists, and 1.0 steal while shooting 49.7 per cent from the field and 32.0 per cent from three. While DeRozan doesn’t fit the defensive identity that carried the Raptors against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs, the veteran would immediately one of the best scorers on the roster.

Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with more Reacts.

LeBron James’ free agency has officially moved from the rumor mill to the back nine.

As the NBA waits for James to decide where he will play next season, the four-time MVP was spotted golfing with Draymond Green in Puerto Rico, instantly adding fuel to the Golden State Warriors speculation that has followed him since he left the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this month.

The sighting was shared by ESPN Cleveland, which posted that “someone” had spotted James and Green on the course. It is not clear whether the two were discussing basketball, free agency or just trying to keep their drives out of the rough.

But with James, every offseason sighting now feels like a clue.

Someone has spotted LeBron and Draymond golfing in Puerto Rico pic.twitter.com/wdMJHXX7Lk

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 9, 2026

Green and James built part of their legacies by barking at each other through four straight Finals matchups. Now they’re sharing tee times, which makes the recruiting picture a lot more interesting: is Green selling the Warriors, is James selling Green on his next stop, or are two old rivals simply enjoying a few swings while the rest of the sporting world loses its mind?

The idea of James joining Green and Stephen Curry in the Bay Area has gone from impossible fathom to one of the most fascinating possibilities of the summer.

Green’s own free agency has only made the picture more interesting. He declined his $27.7 million player option, a move widely viewed as a way to give the Warriors more flexibility to pursue James.

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But Kevin O’Connor recently raised another possibility: what if Green is not just helping Golden State recruit James, but keeping himself available to follow James somewhere else?

It is speculation, but not outrageous. Green’s defensive IQ, passing and playoff experience would fit almost any contender chasing James, whether that is Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia or Golden State.

Then there is the funniest subplot of all: golf has somehow become central to LeBron’s free agency.

Shams Charania reported that James has been spending time with family and friends, including plenty of golf, while operating without a firm timetable. Curry, speaking at a golf event of his own, even joked that the Bay Area has “good golf” while making Golden State’s pitch around basketball intelligence, competitiveness and the chance to play with people who know the game.

Rich Paul has also framed James’ decision around “complete happiness,” not just money. Paul even joked that market size is not the deciding factor as long as there is access to indoor and outdoor golf.

At this point, that line feels less like a throwaway joke and more like a real campaign plank, especially in light of how the James camp has demanded the league communicate with him at this point.

The Warriors can offer Curry, Green, championship experience and, apparently, a respectable golf scene. Cleveland offers the storybook ending and familiar roots. Miami offers history and a loaded roster. Philadelphia offers another star-heavy path to a ring.

James has earned the right to take his time.

But when he is golfing with Green while the Warriors rumors swirl, the NBA ecosystem is going to notice.

The free agency race may not be decided on a golf course.

It just keeps looking more and more like one.