Category: Basketball

Trading a franchise icon after the best season of his career is going to be an extremely unpopular decision within your fanbase. Yet, that is what the Celtics just did by trading Jaylen Brown to the rival Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first round picks and two second round picks.

There is a basketball reason that the Celtics did this. The cap sheet played into it and not paying two players the 35% max for years and years to come definitely played a role in this, especially in the second apron era.

However, Paul George is only making about $3 million less than Brown will this season and has one fewer season left on his deal, so money isn’t the entire reason Boston wanted to make this move so badly.

The Celtics are making two big bets by moving Brown and they are very much interwoven.

The first is that they don’t believe Jaylen Brown is as good as the fans and Boston media do.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst was the first to mention this on The Hoop Collective podcast the night of the trade.

“The Celtics felt that even though Jaylen Brown was talking about himself for MVP or there was this MVP campaign for Jaylen Brown, the Celtics did not feel that Jaylen had the best season on their team. They felt that Derrick White had a better season.”

"Even though Jaylen Brown was talking about himself for MVP, the Celtics did not feel like Jaylen had the best season on their team…They felt that Derrick White had a better season."

— Brian Windhorst. 😳

(h/t @MrBuckBuckNBA)

pic.twitter.com/zwY9tORjoV

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 2, 2026

You probably disagree with that take and so do I, but I believe that they believe it.

Brown is a great player, who carried the Celtics offense for much of the seaso,n made All-NBA second team and finished 6th in MVP voting.

Yet, according to databallr.com, the Celtics were 6.2 points per 100 possessions better with Brown off the court vs. when he was on.

Yesterday, Brad Stevens talked about how maximizing Jaylen is maximizing his usage and that having two players taking up that much usage doesn’t work in the modern NBA.

Stevens, and the rest of the Celtics brass, clearly don’t think that having two players who always need the ball, isn’t a formula for winning anymore and that it was time for them to move off of that philosophy.

This ties into the second bet that Stevens and the Celtics are making: the infrastructure they have is good enough to withstand trading Brown.

Stevens did also mentioned that the analytics played a small part in doing this deal. “For me, Mike (Zarren) and his staff might get mad at me, they do everyday, but I would say (the analytics were) a small piece of information.” However, I am unsure if I believe that.

The Celtics believe that they found a formula last season that was a gold mine to winning games in the regular season and they don’t need Brown to do it. The return of Jayson Tatum certainly helps them believe that.

They want to win the rebounding and turnover margins and trading away Brown does not hurt either of those areas. The signing of Mitchell Robinson also indicates their belief in this.

The bottom line is that the Celtics don’t think that Brown was as important to their success last year as he, the fans or the media did and by trading him to Philly, the Celtics are betting against him in a big way.

At noon Monday, the NBA’s annual race for proven talent — free agency — began but for Brooklyn Nets fans, it was a bit of non-starter. The Nets made some moves, all of them already agreed to and not surprising. However, the big move so far this Summer did not materialize: the multi-team trade that will send Nic Claxton to Chicago and bring Julius Randle and an exchange of picks from Minnesota to Brooklyn. The reason why was for the most mundane of reasons, as Keith Smith pointed out late in the day…

Gueye, a 6’9” journeyman, had been added to the trade that already included the Nets, Bulls and Timberwolves. On arrival in Minnesota, Gueye is expected to be waived. Could the trade be expanded further? Sure, but at the moment, there’s nothing rumored. Rui Hachimura, the most recently rumored target of Sean Marks & co. signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Another apparently more serious target, Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, remains a restricted free agent. Watson could wind up as the subject of an offer sheet or moved in a sign-and-trade either with the Nets or another team. Again, though, there’s nothing but speculation on that front. Part of that speculation has been driven by PWat’s friendship with Michael Porter Jr. Indeed, Watson was hosted by MPJ on a yacht in the Mediterranean last week.

And while Brooklyn didn’t sign Moe Wagner, they did ink Cleveland 3-and-D guard. That signing like Wagner’;s had previously been reported, but the Nets made Ellis official but not Wagner’s. Marc Stein reported that that may be the result of nothing more than a logjam at league offices where each trade must meet CBA muster from the NBA league department before officially being blessed.

The Nets may also be considering alternative routes to sign the 6’11” 29-year-old. He could be signed for example out of cap space or the Room MLE which is valued at $9.4 million. That’s just about what he will make in the coming year as part of a two year, $18 million contract.

The Nets also signed both Day’Ron Sharpe and Josh Minott to extensions Monday, Sharpe at two years and $20 million and Minott at two years and $9 million. Sharpe has no option in his deal but Minott has a team option next summer.

Brooklyn also seems to have ended its relationship with both Ziaire Williams and Ochai Agbaji, renouncing their Bird Rights, a sure signal that a return is highly unlikely…

Williams acquired in July 2024 in a trade that was a spin-off of the Mikal Bridges trade. In two seasons, the 24-year-old Stanford product played 119 games, averaging 10.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals, but was seen by many in the organization as inconssistent and sometimes lacking energy as Fernandez noted when he held Williams out of game in late November. In that same 2024 trade with Memphis Grizzlies, the Nets also acquired and retain the Mavs second round pick in 2030.

Agbaji came to the Nets at last season’s trade deadline in a three-team salary dump. Brooklyn acquired the 6’5” wing, $3.5 million in cash considerations and the Raptors second rounder in 2032 for the draft rights to a Serbian guard who had blown his achilles tendon 10 days before the trade. Agbaji played 20 games for the Nets averaging 6.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 16 minutes per game.

The move will also clear up cap holds for the two players, a bit of a housekeeping move in free agency. Interestingly, the Nets did not denounce the rights to Jalen Wilson.

The Nets will have 15 guaranteed contracts once all the paperwork is concluded.

The Bucks put up one hell of a fight in their final game in Sac, but couldn’t outlast the Kings in a tight one, losing 95-89. Brayden Burries debuted and was impressive in somewhat limited minutes, while Cormac Ryan and Pete Nance did not suit up. Zack Austin led the Bucks with 17 points, while Darius Acuff Jr. was the Kings’ best with 22 points and three assists.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap

The Bucks started out slow, with Brayden Burries looking to get his feet wet right away: Burries pulled a transition three on his first possession, then beat his man to the rim but failed to see the help defender come over, getting his shot blocked. At last, Milwaukee’s No. 10 pick drove off the side pick-and-roll to get himself to the free throw line. the Kings, on the other hand, were rolling, with their first-round pick Darius Acuff Jr. scoring in bunches to give his team a 15-4 edge halfway through the first. Other than Burries getting to the line, the Bucks simply couldn’t find a consistent source of offence, making just one of their first 13 shots to be down 25-9 late in the period. Thankfully, new Bucks two-way Kam Jones checked in late and powered the team to a 13-3 run to close the frame—featuring some nifty finishes in the lane—down just six, 28-22, after one.

Amid the Kings’ hot start to the second, Burries nailed a tough side-step three for his first field goal of the game, followed by a stampede to the rim in transition; he looked the goods on both ends of the floor. Still, Milwaukee couldn’t reduce the deficit past ~eight points in the opening six minutes of the frame, with missed boxouts doing them in time after time. As the period drew to a close, Milwaukee continued to struggle locking down Acuff, but crucial buckets from Jesse Edwards, Kam Jones, and BJ Boston kept the “visitors” within shouting distance, down 55-48 at the half.

After a quiet first half, 60th pick Malique Lewis was aggressive to open the third, knocking a kick-out three followed by a transition rack-attack to reduce the margin to just three. Unfortunately, the lead blew back out to the customary ~eight-points as Milwaukee missed some easy chances and got hurt the other way. King’s second-year man Dylan Cardwell was playing on another level than most of the guys out there, beasting in the paint on both ends. There weren’t too many highlights to end the frame for Milwaukee, but BJ Boston’s lob to Zack Austin was certainly one. Bucks down 74-66 after three.

Consecutive threes from Marquel Sutton and Isaiah Stevens to open the final frame immediately put the Bucks behind the eight-ball, but an 8-0 run shortly thereafter—headed primarily by Bogi Markovic—had the deficit right back down to six. Milwaukee, for the first time in the game, then knuckled down on defence and were finally able to get on level terms behind an extended 19-5 run in which Austin was key. Crucially, the unit that got the team back in the game stayed in the game, with Burries taking a seat on the pine to finish this one. Unfortunately, a few key misses from Markovic, paired with crucial makes from Cardwell and Acuff, meant the Kings took the W.

Stat That Stood Out

Milwaukee’s bench was huge, notching 50 of their 89 points. Sac’s bench scored just 24.

LeBron James is still a free agent, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are still one of the teams trying to secure his services for next season. Whether or not they’re the front-runners to do so is anyone’s guess, even though other teams seem to think that they are.

LeBron has always handled free agency differently than most. He and his team have always played things pretty close to the vest. While there are signs that James could be leaning one way or another, the only people who really know what he’s thinking are he and his team.

Not directly meeting with prospective teams is a new wrinkle James is adding this go around. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, James’s agent, Rich Paul, will be the one meeting with teams, and then will relay that information back to James for his decision.

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Figuring out what exactly this means for the Cavs or their chances is truly anyone’s guess.

On one hand, it’s easy to see this news and talk yourself into being a good thing for the Cavaliers. After all, why would James have to meet with Dan Gilbert and/or Koby Altman to discuss? LeBron has worked with both during his time in Cleveland. It’s not like they would need to get to know each other or anything like that. This could mean that he isn’t seriously considering a drastically different environment like the Minnesota Timberwolves or Golden State Warriors.

However, if you wanted to read this more pessimistically, you’re more than able to do that as well. Paul has been pretty complimentary of the other teams in the process, especially ones like the Philadelphia 76ers, on his podcast, Game Over, with Max Kellerman. Could any particular preference Paul has for a team possibly sway James’s opinions?

Maybe LeBron comes back to Cleveland. Maybe he doesn’t. How much of a factor James not meeting with individual teams, but letting Paul do so, is truly anyone’s guess. But that’s how much of the last few weeks have gone. We don’t know what LeBron is thinking, and we won’t until he officially tells us which city he’ll be playing for in his 24th season.

The NBA Summer League gives fans a first-look at the recent draft prospects who are making their professional debuts.

On Monday, July 6, the league featured a matchup between the No. 2 and 3 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft with Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer going head-to-head in a matchup as the Utah Jazz took on the Memphis Grizzlies at the tournament in Salt Lake City.

Boozer and Peterson were named co-MVPs at the 2025 McDonald's All-American classic. Now, on the NBA stage in summer league, both rookies did not disappoint.

Peterson, the No. 2-pick out of Kansas paced the Jazz with a double-double tallying a game-high 25 points, 12 assists and two steals. He shot an efficient 53% from the field, including 33% from 3-point territory going 3-for-9 from deep.

As for the No. 3-pick from Duke, Boozer had a productive 18 points for the Grizzlies, including a thunderous slam and four field goals from long range. He shot 6-for-9 (66%) from the field, including going 4-for-5 from 3-point distance.

Boozer has looked like the son of a NBA veteran (his father, Carlos Boozer played 13 seasons in the NBA, including six in Utah). The younger Boozer looks and moves like he's already been in the league for a decade. Throughout the game, he effectively moved the ball, dishing out four assists. He was also a force on the boards, grabbing seven rebounds.

However, despite the stellar play from the first-year players that has their fanbases excited for fall ball, it's the Jazz who had the advantage in the contest when it was all said and done. Utah defeated Memphis, 109-100.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer deliver in head-to-head NBA Summer League game

Don’t worry Nuggets fans, Nikola Jokic isn’t saying goodbye anytime soon. 

Following a FIBA World Cup qualifying game Monday, the Serbian star reaffirmed his desire to extend his contract and finish his career with the Nuggets, though he plans to wait to sign his deal. 

“My idea and desire is to stay in Denver,” Jokic told reporters in Serbian. “My desire is to play the rest of my life in Denver.”

Jokic, who’s been with the Nuggets since 2014, is under contract for two seasons and has been eligible since June 14 to sign a four-year, $278 million max extension. 

But by waiting until next offseason for an extension, Jokic would be eligible to sign a five-year, $359.5 million deal as a free agent, which would be the largest contract in NBA history and push his career earnings to $724 million. 

The 31-year-old was also eligible to sign a three-year, $200 million extension last offseason, but opted to delay the process. 

Over 11 years with the Nuggets, Jokic has blossomed into one of the greatest centers in NBA history. 

Not only did he help the Nuggets to their first title in 2023, but he’s also won three MVPs (2021, 2022, 2024) and has averaged a triple-double the last two seasons. 

Jokic hasn’t averaged fewer than 24 points per game since 2019-20 and has shot well from downtown the last few years, too. 

For the second straight season, Jokic was the MVP runner-up behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as he averaged 27.7 points per game on 56.9 percent shooting. 

He also led the league with 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game. 

Despite Jokic’s heroics, the Nuggets lost to the Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs and haven’t advanced past the second round since winning the title in 2023.

Darryn Peterson took over the media world two days ago in the Utes’ own Huntsman Center. A 28-point debut? Theoretically implausible. But what about Peterson’s eight turnovers? Maybe he isn’t a winning player. Maybe he is just as selfish as everyone said he was.

That would’ve been my conclusion if I hadn’t watched Peterson completely take over the floor against the #3 pick in a duel with the Grizzlies. Stat-sheet analysts warned us not to pass up on the family reunion by returning Cam Boozer to his father in Salt Lake. But the Jazz let that opportunity pass in hopes of a much larger ceiling with Darryn Peterson.

Turns out the ‘that boy nice’ Fanclub had the advantage over the Stat Sheet Fanclub. Utah won its second consecutive game in Utah in a 109-100 finish. Jazz subtly had the edge over Memphis all night. They just looked like they were on a completely different level from these young cubs.

We found out earlier today that Ace Bailey wouldn’t be participating in this one; the team hasn’t ruled him out for Las Vegas, but they’re being extra cautious moving forward.

In what many were anticipating, rather than a measly World Cup match for the US, this Salt Lake City Summer League game lived up to the hype. You couldn’t write a better opening: Peterson took the first shot and nailed the turnaround jumper. Boozer answered with a pull-up triple on the other side. AJ Dybantsa utters a profanity on the other side of the country, as Washington gets no early Summer League hoops.

Peterson’s media takeover took away some love from some of the other young Jazzlings. Blake Hinson is much more fun to watch when he isn’t costing your team a lottery ball. After losing over 25 pounds, he looked like he had a higher motor and shot the lights out of the building.

The non-rostered guys left a huge impression in their second game. 6-7, near 260 pounds, Eric Dixon is more agile than he looks. He netted 11 points and 6 rebounds in 16 minutes, which included 2 triples on the box score. Like Luka to Hayes, Utah native Jaxon Kohler was absolutely feeding off dimes from Peterson. He scored 6 of his 8 points in three consecutive possessions. Justin Harmon plays with a motor that is difficult to match, diving for loose balls and showing the energy on defense every coach wants to see.

Alright, settle down, everyone. Let’s discuss Darryn Peterson. He crowned himself in front of Boozer, we can only officially crown Peterson as the top rookie over Dybantsa once they finish their duel Thursday night in Las Vegas. DP hit the 20-point mark once again in the third quarter, finishing with 25. The real story, however, was the all-around game he displayed. He totalled 12 assists in 27 minutes; a polar opposite of what he displayed against the Hawks.

He once mentioned back at the combine that he wanted to show more of his point guard abilities at the NBA level. The impression he left tonight is going to make him so much more valuable as a secondary playmaker next to Keyonte. We saw how well that worked for the Knicks at the NBA Finals.

Jazz fans have to be giggling and kicking their feet like a teenage girl, because Peterson already looks like a five-year veteran in his limited sample size. He IS the closer, he can get HIS shot, and he WILL be the future. We deserve not to be suffering for once.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens spent Monday afternoon trying to justify trading away Jaylen Brown as Boston fans stewed in anger and confusion over seeing another star depart the organization. 

Brown was traded to the rival 76ers in a deal that included the Celtics receiving Paul George and draft picks, which Stevens said helped give Boston “optionality” going forward.

The Celtics executive expressed appreciation for Brown’s contributions to the organization, but outright said that he did not want 70 percent of their salary cap tied up between two players — Brown and Jayson Tatum. 

Even with Stevens saying Monday that Brown’s contract made it more difficult to field a competitive roster, the decision to trade the star has still been a shock after he produced an MVP-caliber campaign during the 2025-26 season. 

“We’re not up here to defend ourselves in this decision, which will certainly be scrutinized,” Stevens said. “We’re OK with that. We’re more so trying to deal with the emotions of Jaylen not being here.”

George’s contract is slightly more cap-friendly than Brown’s, with George having a cap hit of $57.7 million this upcoming season and a player option for 2027-28 that has a cap hit of $56.5 million.

Brown has three more years on his deal, with him being owed the same amount this coming season, while making $61.6 million the following season and $65.6 million for the 2028-29 campaign. 

“I think when you choose the term ‘optionality,’ you’re talking about just length of contract and assets, so that’s where the increased optionality comes from,” Stevens said when asked directly about the similar salaries. “And listen, we’re going to have to lean on our depth. This is a big part of this.”

Stevens denied that Brown was disgruntled or that the Celtics had been upset with him, and expressed appreciation for his 10 years in Boston, describing the former Celtics star as “a meaningful person in all of our lives.” 

“We all appreciate Jaylen. We’ve all enjoyed having Jaylen as a teammate. I think he’s got great relationships from here,” Stevens said. 

Celtics owner Bill Chisholm also addressed the growing feeling that there has been some mandate from ownership to bring down the team’s roster salary. 

Since the Celtics’ title run in 2024, Boston has seen Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, among others, depart the franchise. Chisholm pushed back on that, saying all decisions were basketball ones. 

“It’s not about the money at all. This was trying to put together the right set of players and assets to win,” he said. “That’s what this was about. … None of these were about money. We have some more room now, like if we see something we wanted, Brad’s got the green light to do that.”

One of the time-honored traditions of NBA free agency is finding some way to link the Lakers and DeMar DeRozan. No player has been connected more to the franchise without ever actually playing for them.

Between trade rumors and repeated free agent pushes, DeRozan has flirted with joining the Lakers time and time again. It should come with at least modest surprise, then, that the Lakers and DeRozan will not be connected this offseason.

On Monday morning, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that DeRozan and the Kings were working on an exit, which came after the two sides could not find a trade.

However, later on in the day, Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported that DeRozan would not be someone the Lakers considered signing once he hits the free agent market.

At 36 years old, DeRozan won’t have many more years left in the league. Last season, he averaged 18.4 points on 49.7% shooting from the field. But he shot 32% from three after shooting 32.8% the year prior.

In theory, he plays the four and is not a traditional big, so he could offer some spacing. But he’s also ball dominant, can’t shoot threes and isn’t a good defender.

This bucks the trend of years of him being linked to the Lakers. For old time’s sake, here’s an extensive list of all the times he talked about wanting to play for the franchise.

• Sep. 9, 2024 – DeRozan says the Lakers were a “legitimate” option in free agency before he signed with the Kings
• Sep. 29, 2022 – DeRozan says he thought it was a ‘done deal’ that he was going to be a Laker on the JJ Redick podcast.
• Nov. 15, 2021 – DeRozan says joining the Lakers “almost happened” during the offseason.
• Oct. 18, 2021 – In an interview with Draymond Green on Bleacher Report, DeRozan says he wanted to come home this summer.
• Oct. 9, 2021 — DeRozan tells Shams Charania of The Athletic it would have been a “hell of an opportunity” to play with the Lakers this season.
• July 31, 2021 – Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports that DeRozan had his “sights set” on joining the Lakers but he wouldn’t take a “significant” pay cut after the team traded for Westbrook.
• July 26, 2021 – DeRozan tells Shannon Sharpe of Fox Sports 1 that it would be a “great opportunity” to come to Los Angeles and play with Anthony Davis and James.
• July 23, 2021 – Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports that DeRozan is willing to take a pay cut to join the Lakers.
• Nov. 13, 2020 – On the “All The Smoke” podcast, DeRozan says he was honored to be linked in trade talks with the Lakers.
• Nov. 23, 2016 – DeRozan reveals that it was hard to say no to the Lakers during free agency before returning to the Raptors in an interview with Marc Spears of The Undefeated.
• July 23, 2016 – In an interview with Mark Medina, then of the Los Angeles Daily News, DeRozan says that joining the Lakers was something that would “cross your mind” as an L.A. native.
• June 30, 2016 – The Lakers were among the teams to meet with DeRozan in free agency, according to Haynes.
• May 29, 2016 – Per a report by Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report, the Lakers are “aren’t that high” on DeRozan.

Theoretically, he could still talk about wanting to join the Lakers. Don’t be surprised if he pops onto Draymond Green’s podcast and tells everyone he wanted to come to LA and the Lakers didn’t want him. Watch this space when he does.

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

The Brooklyn Nets played their third contest in July this evening, though in many ways, it felt like the true start of Summer. Mikel Brown Jr., Brooklyn’s sixth overall pick and highest drafted player since 2010, logged his first minutes in a Nets uniform tonight after sitting out the first two.

What Brown Jr.’s Summer League debut lacked in punctuality was quickly made up for in thrill. Two days after the East River fireworks had faded, he kept the “oohs” and “ahs” echoing throughout Brooklyn.

The Nets came out against Golden State with Egor Dëmin handling the rock and Brown Jr. working off-ball. He assisted on Brooklyn’s first basket of the game nonetheless…

Brown Jr. told NetsDaily it was “amazing” that his first NBA bucket came off an assist from Demin who he said he’s developed a rapport.

The first quarter highlights for the Louisville product didn’t stop there. A few moments later, Brown Jr. hit a buttery triple after Dëmin came up with a steal in the Golden State backcourt. Soon after, he found Chaney Johnson for his third dime of the opening period. He hand’t seen one since February, but the Orlando kid looked more comfortable on the court than anyone early on.

Be that as it may, Brown Jr. wasn’t the only man out there for Brooklyn tonight. Johnson led all scorers in the first seven points while also coming up with two steals, two rebounds and a block. Bilodeau followed with six after splashing 2-4 threes. The Nets, however, trailed 28-24 entering the second, as the Warriors began the game shooting 6-13 from deep, leveraging the ball around Brooklyn’s aggressive ball pressure.

However, in the Summer League, margins are thin. Strengths can crumble into weaknesses in an instant. Ben Saraf, who started the game 0-2 with two giveaways, led a defensive charge to do that for Brooklyn. He and the larger Net guards continued to get in Golden State’s grill, but sped up their rotations to kickstart a 12-0 run. Brown Jr., still posting a near even touch-to-highlight ratio, finished it with more help from Bilodeau…

That run boiled into a 20-2 jolt for the Nets, putting them in position to carry a 56-46 lead into halftime. There, Johnson led with 15 points on 7-9 shooting. Bilodeau followed with 12 while shooting 4-6 from three. Dëmin reached double figures as well with 10 points along with three assists. The team also shot a collective 9-18 from three.

The subsequent period offered little-to-no movement, as the Net lead continued to bob up and down around the 10-point mark. Both teams flashed their youth with a variety of offensive fouls that collectively slowed things down.

However, the final frame saw the Nets sprint to the finish.

Brooklyn held Golden State scoreless in the fourth period until the 7:38 mark. St. John’s product Aaron Scott pitched in a quick five points as the Nets were eager to convert their stops into fast break buckets at the other end. Johnson continued to leverage his physicality, rummaging his way to four more second half points as the Nets closed things out. He finished with 19/7/2.

Saraf found his playmaking groove down the stretch as well, methodically feeding Johnson and others for high-percentage looks after squeaking past the Warrior defense. By the end of it, he had completely turned things around at the offensive end, finishing with 15 points and seven assists while shooting 6-12 from the field and 3-6 from deep. He was a team-high +28.

Bilodeau’s sixth three of the game (yes, six) gave the Nets their largest lead of the ball game with 1:49 to go, cementing his team’s second Summer victory. Bilodeau tallied 18 for the game after going 6-9 from deep. A strong second half from Dëmin saw him lead his team with 23 points while shooting 7-12 from the field and 2-7 from deep. He snuck the very last two in, just beating the clock, and enduring foe gravity.

Dëmin also notched eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three turnovers. His 23.0 scoring average over two games was second in the California Classic, following only Darius Acuff’s 23.5. Brown didn’t play beyond the 2:22 mark of the third. Dutch Gaitley confirmed to reporters post game that the 20-year-old was on a 20-minute pitch count, which would increase in upcoming games.

Gaitley said he challenged Brown Jr. to put the game out of question by the time he had to sit for good…

Challenge accepted, and challenge met. The Nets trotted calmly to a 100-79 victory. Brown Jr. finished with 10 points, four assists, a rebound, and two turnovers while shooting 4-11 from the field and 2-5 from deep.

Overall, Gaitley credited the team for winning two games with two different rotations. In Sunday’s win vs. the Kings, virtually no one who played Monday was available…

While it was no a statistical marvel, Brown Jr.’s displayed feel around the floor, vision, and shooting confidence tell an encouraging story. Plus he did it with a seeming nonchalance as if to say: don’t be surprised; this is what I do. It’s only getting started as well.

Next Up

This now concludes the California Classic for the Nets. The boys of summer, however, will play on. The Nets will next play the New York Knicks on July 10th in Las Vegas. The game will be streamable on ESPN. It tips off at 6:00 p.m. ET.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 100, Golden State Warriors 79 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 100, Golden State Warriors 79 (Video) – NBA
• Mikel Brown Jr. shows playmaking touch in delayed Nets Summer League debut ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets California Classic player grades after 100-79 win over Warriors – Sharif Keaton-Phillips – USA TODAY

Darryn Peterson is such an obvious superstar.

As the Utah Jazz lined up a Salt Lake City matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies, Utah’s number-two draft pick, Darryn Peterson, and the Grizzlies number-three selection, Cameron Boozer, squared off for the first time since draft night. Carlos Boozer, Cam’s father and a scout for the Utah Jazz, warned teams would regret passing on his son, and this matchup marks an opportunity to make an early statement.

The pair of class foes wasted no time making their presence known in this battle, with Peterson Christening the scoreboard with a feathery floater on one end, and Boozer draining a top-of-the-key deposit for three at the opposite end.

Then Peterson got that look in his eye as he knocked through two free throws, a drifting turnaround three-pointer, and a graceful finger-roll lay-in over Boozer in succession — taking a break only to dish out for back-to-back Blake Hinson three-pointers. Peterson was so dangerous that the Grizzlies matched him up against Cedric Coward. In response, he would instigate a switch onto Boozer, whose footspeed simply couldn’t match that of the number-two selection, and he’d be forced to foul.

Peterson comfortably navigated the Grizzlies hyper-aggressive full-court press and revealed remarkable playmaking feel considering the fact that a lack of assists as a freshman was one of the drawbacks on his draft profile.

Peterson’s style of play is so potent, yet gentle. Immense, yet effortless. Every motion, every action, every shot is so smooth, it’s as if the wind learned how to play basketball. DP is the intersection of basketball and art, and I question if I’ll ever become fully accustomed to how Utah’s budding star plays the game.

Like water, he flows
Resistance is most futile
A snap of nylon
— “The Effortless Conqueror”, a haiku by Calvin Barrett, circa 2026

Needless to say, I feel rather satisfied about the Jazz’s first-round pick, and we’re just two games into Summer League. I’ll wrestle with myself to keep expectations low within the Summer League bubble. After all, we haven’t even seen what Peterson looks like against real NBA competition.

But I know I’m not alone in my elation. Peterson isn’t like the other prospects the Jazz have brought in over the years — his talent is so much more obvious than that of hidden gems Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh, Cody Williams, or Ace Bailey. I’m not accustomed to seeing players like him suiting up for the Jazz; Donovan Mitchell is the only name that compares in recent years, and he was the 13th overall pick.

Boozer’s impact was much more understated, as his court vision and rebounding were the highlights of his half. A different style of player than Peterson, Boozer’s first half won’t be posted on many highlight reels, but he’s helping his team win by doing his damage in the margins.

Boozer finished the half with 5 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal on 2-4 shooting splits.

Darryn posted a first-half stat line of 13 points, 7 assists (!!!), 1 board, and 2 steals on 3-of-6 shooting splits.

Peterson and Boozer continue their battle in the second half on ESPN and SEG+.

Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently lives in Japan and has covered the NBA and college athletics since 2024.

Luka Doncic and LeBron James are no longer Los Angeles Lakers teammates, after LeBron informed his former franchise that he intends to sign elsewhere in free agency this summer.

These two NBA greats had a solid relationship with each other, and there’s no reason to believe there’s any beef between them, both before and after LeBron’s decision. However, an answer Luka made regarding LeBron during a recent interview is sure to turn heads.

Instagram user Klemen Kopina interviewed Doncic on July 6, asking him which of many NBA icons he would choose as his “ultimate” teammate for a hypothetical 2-on-2 game.

Initially, Luka was asked to choose between Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. He selected Jokic, and continued choosing Jokic for several subsequent players, including former Lakers legends Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, and San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama.

Soon enough, Luka had to choose between Jokic and LeBron. He chose Jokic with no hesitation.

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Luka finally choose someone over Jokic when having to pick between him and Boston Celtics icon Larry Bird. Then, the interview ended with Doncic picked Michael Jordan over Bird.

For what it’s worth, asking who an ideal teammate would be isn’t the same as picking the better player, as Doncic has to consider whose skillset would best translate alongside his in a 2-on-2 setting, which is like a different game when compared to 5-on-5.

Still, the speed with which Luka dismissed LeBron is a big reason why this interview has already gone viral on social media.

Lakers second-year forward Adou Thiero missed the team’s California Classic summer league finale Monday with a right wrist injury.

The 22-year-old was listed in the starting lineup before the game against the San Antonio Spurs, but when the game tipped off in front of an empty arena, Thiero was still in the locker room. Guard Chris Mañon started in Thiero’s place and starred with 24 points and eight rebounds in the Lakers’ 88-84 win at Chase Center.

Thiero joined the Lakers’ bench about halfway through the first quarter, wearing a black hoodie and sweatpants. He kept a towel draped over his right hand for almost the entire game to cover the black brace covering his wrist.

Read more:Lakers lose Rui Hachimura, who signs two-year deal with the Clippers

Thiero, a second-round pick in 2025, scored 22 points in two summer league games, shooting 31.6% from the field. After saying he wanted to build up his confidence and consistency with his three-point shooting, Thiero missed all three of his three-point attempts and was just three for six from the free-throw line.

First-round pick Cameron Carr played only in the first half Monday, finishing with five points, one rebound, one assist, one steal, one block and three fouls in 12 minutes and 49 seconds.

The Lakers went 2-1 in the four-team California Classic tournament and will continue their offseason in the Las Vegas summer league beginning July 10.

Lakers add final two-way player

The Lakers signed former Vanderbilt forward AJ Okereke to a two-way contract on Sunday, filling their allotted three two-way deals. Okereke, a 6-foot-7, 245-pound forward, averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and two assists as a graduate transfer with Vanderbilt after beginning his college career at Cornell. He shot 40 for 100 from three-point range. During the Lakers’ first three summer league games, Okereke had 20 points and nine rebounds.

The Lakers have also signed Mañon and guard Peter Suder to two-way deals. Mañon, a second-year guard, split time in the NBA and in the G League last season, finishing second in G League defensive player of the year voting. Suder won the MAC player of the year award last season, averaging 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, four assists and 1.3 steals while leading Miami (Ohio) to a 31-0 regular-season record.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Lakers closed the California Classic with a narrow victory over the Spurs, 88-84.

Adou Thiero was a late scratch while Cameron Carr only played in the first half. Chris Mañon stepped into the starting lineup in place of Thiero, who was out with a wrist injury.

The young Lakers had a rough start to the game, missing shots and turning the ball over. Cameron Carr was the first to score on a layup. A familiar face, R.J. Davis, had five points for the Spurs.

LA had six turnovers. With 4:11 left in the quarter, Los Angeles had only put up four points. 

Arthur Kaluma had productive minutes off the bench for the Lakers with four points. Mañon drained a triple, which was only the third shot LA converted in 12 attempts. Los Angeles was down six after one. 

The Lakers started the second period with a stronger defensive scheme. Luke Goode drained a 3-pointer for LA early. Los Angeles had gotten to within two until the Spurs scored five in a row. Scoring had been a struggle in the first quarter, but well into this period, every single Laker who played was on the board.

Mañon scored four in a row, giving himself seven points in the half. Kaluma was close behind with six and Carr had five. After just shooting 25% in the first quarter, the Lakers ended the half shooting 36%. They were down by eight at halftime. 

Carr did not play in the second half, likely getting rest after playing the first two games.

Both teams started the third period exchanging 3-pointers. AK Okereke now had seven points after scoring five early in the quarter. It was a four-point deficit for LA at the 7:56 mark. Mañon continued his strong play, ending the quarter as one of only two Lakers in double figures with 13 points. 

Goode nailed two more triples, making him a perfect 3-3 from behind the arc. At the end of the third, the purple and gold were now up by three. Los Angeles outscored the Spurs 27 to 16. 

The Lakers went up by seven early in the final frame. They continued to get production from everyone they put on the floor. Mañon now had 16 points. Kaluma was the other Laker in double figures with 15. Los Angeles led the entire fourth quarter, despite San Antonio’s efforts to take over. 

With 13 seconds left, LA called a timeout leading by three. Mañon put the team up by four with a freebie as he put the team on his back alongside Kaluma. The Spurs called a timeout with nine seconds left, hoping to pull off a miracle that did not come.

Key Player Stats: 

Mañon finished with 24 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks. Kaluma had 16 points in 27 minutes off the bench. Carr ended with five points, going 2-7 from the field. Okereke pitched in with seven points and four rebounds. LA’s bench had 45 points. 

Las Vegas Summer League begins Friday, July 10th, against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 7:00 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.