Draymond Green believes Kobe Bryant isn't in the GOAT conversation due to his short-lived time as being the best player in the NBA.
Despite being one of the greatest players to play the game of basketball in the 2000’s, Kobe Bryant is often left out of the GOAT conversation.
Bryant’s former partner in crime, Shaquille O’Neal had Golden State Warriors defensive star Draymond Green on his podcast “The Big Podcast” and revealed that due to playing in the same era as LeBron James, that’s why he isn’t in the GOAT conversation.
“Kobe kind of fell in a weird time,” Green said to O’Neal on The Big Podcast. “[Michael Jordan] left the league. When Mike left the league, y’all started to dominate. And then, you left the Lakers. When you left the Lakers, they had a few rough years.”
Draymond Green believes Kobe Bryant isn’t in the GOAT conversation due to his short-lived time as being the best player in the NBA. AFP via Getty Images
Draymond Green explains to Shaquille O’Neal why Kobe Bryant is often left out of the GOAT conversation
Shaquille O’Neal: “How come my guy’s not in that conversation?”
Draymond Green: “Kobe? Yes, for sure. One hundred percent.”
Green went on to say that while Kobe was trying to find his way in the NBA without O’Neal, the emergence of James started to steal the spotlight as Bryant was playing at a high level, but the Lakers weren’t winning a lot of games.
O’Neal departed from the Lakers to the Miami Heat following the 2004 NBA season.
Green and Bryant developed a close relationship over the years before Bryant’s sudden passing in 2020. NBAE via Getty Images
Without O’Neal beside him for the first time in his career, Bryant and the Lakers struggled to win as they missed the playoffs in 2005 and were eliminated in the first round the next two years.
It wasn’t until the Lakers added Pau Gasol to play alongside Bryant that they started to win again.
“In those years, LeBron was starting to make his name, and is he the best player?” Green said. “I think the amount of time it was the consensus that Kobe was the number one in the league, like the top guy.
“I don’t think it was long enough for everyone to say, like, put him in that conversation, because Bron came and put his name in the conversation. And so from that point on, it’s tug of war.”
Despite three years where the Lakers weren’t winning a lot, Bryant’s career finished with him winning 5 NBA titles, 1 season MVP, and 2 Finals MVP’s, while James is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and has 4 NBA titles, 4 MVPs, and 4 Finals MVPs.
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LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 13: The sneakers worn by Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the game against the Dallas Mavericks during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 13, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The timeframe for when LeBron James will make his free agency decision does not appear to be imminent.
James’ longtime friend and agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, said Monday evening on the latest episode of his podcast “Game Over” with co-host Max Kellerman that they’re not going to be rushed in making a decision.
“He has a choice to make. He has a business choice to make,” Paul said. “We’re not going to sit here and decide or allow someone else to decide when he makes that decision, or choice. It’s a business choice he’s making.”
Rich Paul speaking with LeBron James during a Lakers game. Getty Images
It’s been three weeks since James informed the Los Angeles Lakers that they can move on without him next season, as he has become a free agent for the first time in eight years.
James has been under heavy scrutiny, as many believe he is taking too long to decide where he will play next.
“From a business perspective, if you are making a choice between jobs, high-level jobs, and you earned the right, you’re a big-time executive, with an unbelievable, arguably the best resume in the history of your job, who’s rushing you?”
After Silver made those comments, Paul said that he spoke with him, and reaffirmed that it’s still his choice and remained adamant about not rushing it.
Paul went on to say that James is not trying to make his decision a spectacle, like he notoriously did in 2010, when he went on live television to announce “The Decision” he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers and taking his talents to South Beach to join the Miami Heat.
Kellerman went on and told Paul that some people believe, “LeBron loves the attention,” to which Paul dismissed.
Since James became a free agent, rumors have circulated that the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat are considered the favorites to land the future Hall of Famer.
James added to the speculation over the weekend at Fanatics Fest by saying, “Trust the process,” leaving many wondering he might consider signing with the 76ers, to which he later rebuffed and said he’s been saying that phrase since 2003.
On Monday morning, James’ former teammate and longtime rival Patrick Beverley tweeted that “Rumor has it Bron makes his decision today!!!”
“These people don’t know anything,” Paul said. “I don’t know when his choice is going to be made, but it could be 48 seconds [from now]. It could be 48 minutes. I don’t know. Again, you can’t make somebody know something that they don’t know.”
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Jaylen Brown attends a game between the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers on July 11, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Choi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Eventually, LeBron James will pick a new team.
Or an old team.
Either way, we won’t know the full scope of the Sixers’ offseason until James makes his decision for the 2026-27 season. ESPN’s Shams Charania has consistently mentioned the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Sixers as the top-three destinations, with the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves on the periphery. Anyone insisting they know where he’s going is … well … probably full of shit. Admittedly, my gut tells me he’s not coming here, but I also don’t feel comfortable ruling it out. I really, truly don’t know (see, you’re allowed to say that!).
If you want to talk LeBron, we can, but I’m not sure I have much to add to the conversation at this point. He’s either coming here or he’s not and we’ll act accordingly.
With that said, I’m curious to know what other Sixers things are on your mind right now. Hit me with your questions below and I’ll do my best to answer as many as I can!
Years ago, Celtics insider Chris Forsberg learned from Kyrie Irving (by way of the ever-so-wise Brad Stevens) a simple truth about life: Comparison is the thief of joy.
That may be true, but when it comes to projecting ceilings for young players, comparisons are often the clearest way to try to envision what the future may hold. And in the case of Hugo Gonzalez — Boston’s selection at No. 28 overall in the 2025 draft — the comparisons and projections are starting to fly.
On the latest edition of the Celtics Talk Podcast, Forsberg and SI’s John Karalis focused on the 20-year-old Gonzalez after his performances at Summer League and FIBA qualifying competition, with Karalis using Derrick White as a potential comparison.
“I think he could be one of your top-three guys, and I don’t think it’s the top two. I don’t think he’s going to be a multiple-time All-Star. That’s why I compare him to Derrick White,” Karlis said on He’s not the same player as Derrick White, but there are some things in there where it’s energy, it’s defense, and some of the instincts that Derrick had that made Gregg Popovich go, ‘Just be confident and the rest is gonna come.’ I think with Hugo, I don’t think the confidence is lacking at all. It’s just learning the game.”
Forsberg noted that Gonzalez’s passing this summer has been better than expected and used a former Celtics guard as a point of comparison.
“He’s got that sort of competitiveness of Marcus Smart where he just wants to go make the right play,” Forsberg said. “I don’t think scoring will ever be his thing. If he’s a little bit more disciplined than Marcus with the shot selection, which he does feel like he will be, then I love the profile of what he can be. And obviously he’s bigger than both those guys [Smart and White]. He’s stronger, which is weird to say, because Marcus was really strong. But Hugo is freakishly strong and he’s got the wingspan, he’s got the giant hands, he’s got the potential to be a legitimate force on the defensive end and we’ll see how that manifests itself.”
SI’s Chris Mannix also chimed in on Gonzalez, noting that the sky is seemingly the limit for his growth.
“I love Hugo, and I think he does have the highest ceiling of any of the young players on this roster,” Mannix told Forsberg. “I think Hugo has as much room to grow as anyone, because he is kind of a blank slate. Like, he doesn’t know anything about offense. He just doesn’t. … But the things that he does — cutting, rebounding, offensive rebounding, a nose for the ball — you can’t teach that stuff. So I hope the work with Hugo begins immediately.
“I hope we see him polishing around those edges, because I think this guy has all the tools that you want in a rotation player,” Mannix added. “I think this guy has the ability to be a 10-year role player in this league and do it at a pretty high level.”
Also in this episode:
Main takeaways from Summer League
Chris Cenac Jr.’s rebounding ability at the NBA level
If it feels like the LeBron James free agency saga has dragged on and on, it's because it has. Free agency officially opened more than three weeks ago (June 30), and you can be sure LeBron's agent, Rich Paul, had conversations with other teams before that (the NBA is a tampering league).
"We're not going to be rushed. We're not going to be rushed. It's his choice to make, and when he makes the choice, he'll make it...
"I don't know when his choice is going to be made, but it could be 48 seconds. It could be 48 minutes. I don't know. Again, you can't make somebody know something that they don't know."
Paul also pushed back on the idea that LeBron was in no hurry because he enjoys this spotlight and having the NBA waiting on his decision. Again. He said people trying to predict when the announcement will come down have no inside info, this is a process LeBron is still going through.
"I think it's important for people to understand: We're not making this about attention and a spectacle. It's not about a 'Decision' or anything like that. He has a choice to make. He has a business choice to make... It's a business choice that he's making. And I think as an athlete, why is it that an athlete has to rush his choice?"
When asked if there's a frontrunner for LeBron's services next year, Paul said he had nothing he could say about that.
Cleveland, Miami and Philadelphia are the teams most discussed (Golden State and Minnesota are also in the mix), with league sources continuing to tell NBC Sports they believe he will return to the Cavaliers. But nobody really knows. It's all just speculation until LeBron announces his decision.
And that will come whenever it comes. LeBron will not be rushed.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 16: Caleb Wilson #8 of the Chicago Bulls dunks in the second half of the 2026 NBA Summer League game against the Los Angeles Lakersat the Thomas & Mack Center on July 16, 2026 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 Louis Grasse/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA Summer League has officially concluded after the Golden State Warriors took down the Memphis Grizzlies to win the Summer League title. Less than 24 hours after the final game ended, outlets began dropping their mild to hot takes from what they saw over the last few weeks, and naturally Caleb Wilson has come up a bit. But it’s ESPN’s take on the dynamic Tar Heel that has been perhaps the most interesting so far.
Ben Golliver wrote a piece discussing who he thought was the best player during Summer League play, and while he decided that Cameron Boozer was the Summer League MVP, he dubbed Wilson as the most electric rookie. Here is what he had to say about Wilson’s impressive four-game performance:
Wilson, 20, performed like an athlete forced to bottle up his energy and competitive juices for the past five months. In between monster two-handed slams, he blocked shots at the rim, pushed the ball in transition, threaded 40-foot bounce passes on the run and showed off his improved three-point shot. While the 6-foot-9 Wilson seems like a natural fit at power forward, it’s possible that he’s quick and versatile enough to also function as an oversize wing.“
Golliver went on to discuss Wilson’s impressive athleticism and overall performance compared to the other members of the big four (AJ Dybantsa, Boozer, and Darryn Peterson). He also discussed some of the things that didn’t go quite as well during Summer League play — mainly the turnover issue — but wrapped things up by saying that Wilson looks like the most exciting Bull since Derrick Rose, which is music to Bulls’ fans ears.
While Golliver had some good thoughts about Wilson’s four-game stretch, it has to be pointed out that Wilson did not have good pieces around him. Fellow rookie Dailyn Swain had an awful showing, sophomore forward Noa Essengue looked rough around the edges outside of his defense, and it really wasn’t until Wilson sat during the final game that anybody else stepped up in a notable way offensively — Donovan Atwell went off for 22 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Wilson will have much better pieces around him during the Bulls regular season, and with that I’d expect fewer turnovers and forced situations.
Overall, the Bulls front office has to be excited about Wilson, as do Bulls fans around the world. What do you think about Wilson’s Summer League performance? Do you plan to watch/follow him during his rookie season? Let us know in the comments below.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 16: LeBron James speaks onstage during the TIME100 Sports Gala at Pier 60, Chelsea Piers on July 16, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for TIME) | Getty Images for TIME
While reports continue to suggest that LeBron James is favoring a return to the Eastern Conference, the Golden State Warriors continue to be mentioned with an outside shot of landing King James. As James allows his free agency saga to continue deeper and deeper into the offseason, in his quintessential melodramatic fashion, fanbases around the league are dealing with a Schrödinger’s roster, one with and without James at once. A recent poll of Dub Nation from SB Nation Reacts asked Warriors fans how they would feel about signing James, given the team’s prolonged rivalry with the former Cavs, Heat, and Lakers star.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for those around the fanbase, the majority of fans who responded to the poll “like” or “love” the idea of adding James (60%). While the Warriors have obviously had some contested moments with him over the years, they have not faced off in the postseason since 2023. Moreover, neither James nor the Warriors have come close to the NBA Finals in recent seasons. It’s far easier to put that history aside with Dub Nation desperate to see Steph Curry contend for a championship once again.
LAS VEGAS – Yaxel Lendeborg’s introduction to Dub Nation was more in line with a No. 30 on the back of a Warriors jersey than a rookie rocking No. 1. He couldn’t miss. At all.
The Warriors’ top draft pick this year, taken No. 11 overall, was a perfect 6 of 6 from the field and 4 of 4 on threes in his first NBA Summer League game at the California Classic. Lendeborg wasn’t known as a shooter in college, but it was impossible to ignore this summer.
Between the Cali Classic and Las Vegas, Lendeborg shot 48.4 percent from the field (44 of 91) and 45.9 percent from 3-point range (17 of 37) while averaging 14.9 points per game. Lendeborg scored off catch-and-shoot threes and off the dribble. He bullied opponents with his massive 6-foot-9 and 240-pound frame, and showed great body control in the air thanks to a 7-3 wingspan. In transition, he’s a wrecking ball that throws defenders out of his way.
It’s easy to forget that Lendeborg is the height of LeBron James, the weight of Al Horford and has the wingspan of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Nobody is perfect. Not even an NBA Summer League MVP. As Lendeborg continued to shine throughout summer league, questions about his defense were impossible to ignore.
Lendeborg in his college career was known first for his defense than his offense, which is the side of the ball that was expected to stand out first this summer and early into his pro career. He was a back-to-back America Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year at UAB and then was named to the Big Ten All-Defense team his one year at Michigan. Those kinds of accolades didn’t show up early this summer.
There weren’t multiple instances of Lendeborg getting beat off the dribble. It’s not that players were blowing past him or muscling through him. It’s that his level of awareness defensively was lacking to the point where Lendeborg was out of position or looked uninterested.
“I think with Yax, it’s just an overall level of awareness you have to have defensively at all times,” Warriors summer league head coach Khalid Robinson said after practice on July 13. “You can’t really switch off. The very good defenders in the league have that constant level of awareness, knowing that when they can go put out a fire and be proactive.
“We tell these guys we don’t want you to be reactive, we want you to be proactive. It’s something that all these guys have to continue to grow at.”
The practice where Robinson was asked heavily about Lendeborg’s defense came after his second summer league in Las Vegas, having already played two at Chase Center in the Cali Classic. He beat former Michigan teammates Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara in his first two Las Vegas games, and even admitted after that it was hard for him to lock in against his friends with the Warriors having large leads in more of a relaxed environment.
Robinson says the foundation to a young player learning more defensively begins with a lot of fundamental technique. It’s a mix of group work and 1-on-1 individual workouts with coaches where players can really hone in their technique on the ball and off the ball. Then comes film, reiterating decision points and highlighting the film when someone is making a mistake or when they’re doing well. Robinson, a respected assistant on the Warriors’ staff, is keen on being able to build a person up and not just crush someone.
“You want to correct and you want to teach,” he said.
Has Lendeborg been open to that kind of coaching?
“From the day I met him right after the draft, up until now, he has been very open to coaching and wanting to be coached and wanting to know how he can get better on both ends of the ball,” Robinson said. “He is a very coachable guy. When you sit down and watch film with him, he is very attentive. He asks questions, so it’s exactly what you want from a young player that’s trying to grow this week.”
Any funny business was put to the side the next day. Lendeborg was done playing against his friends and finally was going to battle with a growing rival. The Warriors’ third game in Las Vegas was vs. Cameron Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies. Like their one game against each other in college, Lendeborg was on the losing end.
He again outscored Boozer, this time 15 to 12. Lendeborg had more rebounds than him too, nine to seven. A new level of competitiveness was apparent watching Lendeborg play Boozer’s Grizzlies in a game that also was Steve Kerr’s first appearance of the summer. And it was the most 1-on-1 opportunities defensively Lendeborg had through five games.
Following the loss, I asked Lendeborg how he would evaluate his defense up to that point.
“My defense has not been what it’s been before,” Lendeborg said. “I would probably evaluate myself as like a C. I’ve been missing a lot of off-ball assignments. I haven’t really had the opportunity to guard too many people on-ball, so I haven’t really been able to showcase that as much as I could.
“When the regular season starts, if I’m able to play with the big squad, I’m going to try to prove that I am a willing defender, a pretty good defender, and hopefully everything starts going upwards.”
The next game was Lendeborg’s worst from a scoring and shooting standpoint. He scored just three points on 1-of-9 shooting and was 1 of 6 on threes, yet that didn’t stop him from having his best defensive game of the summer. Lendeborg was a plus-12 in a 10-point win over the New York Knicks with one steal and two blocked shots.
His defensive activity in the win was much more reminiscent of who we saw in college. Lendeborg disrupted passing lanes and his motor didn’t turn off. His one steal came in the fourth quarter, as did one of Lendeborg’s two blocked shots.
Lendeborg then had another game of one steal and two blocked shots in the semifinals to send the Warriors to the summer league championship. Unsurprisingly, his second blocked shot came in the clutch with a little more than a minute remaining and the Warriors ahead by three points.
Though Lendeborg wasn’t credited with a blocked shot in the championship game, he did have another two steals. He also had six defensive rebounds, including two huge ones in the last 37 seconds of the win.
With 48.5 seconds left, the Grizzlies had the ball under their basket and trailed by one point. They got it to Boozer at the top of the arc, and Lendeborg immediately picked him up. Lendeborg fought through a screen and stayed in front of Boozer until he found just enough space to attempt a go-ahead layup, but Lendeborg deterred the shot with his left hand and then grabbed the rebound.
“I keep hearing that my hips are stiff, so I got to figure out how to loosen up my hips,” Lendeborg said after the Warriors’ championship win. “A lot of what I’ve been hearing too is like a point-of-attack defender. … So I want to try to work on those two things, just the little things to fix that up.”
The one question Lendeborg has asked Steph Curry about is how he got his stamina up to becoming the most conditioned player in NBA history. Lendeborg has acknowledged he needs to get his conditioning to a better point after taking time off his feet from playing through two different leg injuries in Michigan’s national title run.
Don’t be discouraged from a few summer league blips in Lendeborg’s defense. Be encouraged by his coachability and honest self evaluations as his competitiveness and defensive pride found a new level in the biggest moments.
Over the past few days, several players from the Brooklyn Nets’ 2025-26 squad have found new homes, specifically forwards Jalen Wilson, Ziaire Williams, two-way guard Tyson Etienne, and Trevon Scott, a forward who had two 10-day contracts with the team to close out the year.
It is of course not unusual for a team in the rebuild phase following a season where the team won 20 games and had an overhaul that included three new draft picks, a big trade and a couple of free agent signings.
According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Wilson is the latest. He is signing a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks for the 2026-27 season after his team option was declined by Brooklyn earlier this offseason.
The Atlanta Hawks and Jalen Wilson have agreed to a two-way deal, league sources told @hoopshype. Wilson averaged 7.4 points per game in three seasons with the Brooklyn Nets. pic.twitter.com/2VHOBcMhRQ
Wilson, 25, was selected by the Nets with the 51st overall selection in the 2023 NBA draft, after Dariq Whitehead and Noah Clowney were selected with back-to-back picks (Nos. 21 and 22 overall).
Throughout his three seasons with the Nets, he played a significant amount of minutes in the NBA for a second-round selection and even led the team in minutes during the 2024-25 season.
Overall, he appeared in 176 NBA games for Brooklyn (27 starts) while averaging 7.4 points, 1.4 assists and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 40.1% from the field and 34% from beyond the arc.
His primary limitation is his lack of athleticism. Standing at 6’6”, he has not logged a single dunk in his NBA career. For someone his size, that’s unacceptable.
Ultimately, the Kansas product gets another NBA opportunity on a two-way contract with Atlanta.
Williams, who like Wilson, is 24, wasn’t renewed by the Nets at the end of June. He had a $6.3 million team option that the Nets declined to exercise. A native of Southern California and a Stanford produce, the signing with the Lakers is a homecoming.
Free agent forward Ziaire Williams has agreed on a one-year, $3 million deal to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/peHUxlls6d
Williams was acquired by Brooklyn in July 2024, a couple of weeks after they had traded Mikal Bridges to the Knicks for five firsts but also Bojan Bogdanovic and the non-guaranteed contract of Mamadi Diakite. The Nets used that contract in a salary dump that brought them Williams and a future second rounder from the Grizzlies.
The former No. 10 pick had been a disappointment in Memphis but to a large extent rehabilitated his reputation during his two years in Brooklyn, finishing with a career high 10.2 points and 1.4 steals in 22.9 minutes last season. In his two years, Williams played 119 games for the Nets, 58 of that starts. Although he had flashes, particulary on defense, he had issues with inconsistency and early last season it led to him getting a DNP for a game.
Williams is one of a number of short-term signings for Lakers this off-season. After losing LeBron James, they’re currently building around Luka Doncic and newly re-signed Austin Reaves.
Unlike Wilson and Williams, Etienne and Scott are packing their bags and heading overseas.
Etienne, 26, has signed with Paris Basketball in France, his agency first announced, while Scott is going to Germany to play for the Bamberg Baskets as we first reported.
As we reported, the Nets didn’t extend a qualifying offer to Etienne in June, losing his restricted free agency rights at the time.
He has spent the past two years in Brooklyn’s organization, appearing in 31 games while also becoming the Long Island Nets’ all-time leading scorer (their G-League affiliate).
Throughout 24 NBA games last year (two starts), Etienne knocked down 39.8% of his 3-point tries while averaging 7.9 points, 1.7 assists and 1.1 rebounds in 15.8 minutes.
Both Etienne and Wilson had been praised for their leadership and high character, something the Nets’ organization deeply values in its players.
As for Scott, who’s entering his age-30 season, going overseas makes the most sense. It was highly unlikely that he would earn an NBA contract or a two-way this season, and the money overseas is largely better than the sub-$50,000 standard G-League players make per year.
In six games with the Nets last year (four starts), he averaged eight points, 2.0 stocks, 1.7 assists and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 38% from the field and 31.6% from 3-point range.
All three now begin the next chapter of their basketball career, albeit on very different paths.
Previously, E.J. Liddell, who had a short stint as a Nets two-way, had agreed to sign with Aris Thessaloniki of the Greek Basketball League. Of the Nets end-of-season roster, only Malachi Smith, waived earlier this month, and Ochai Agbaji, whose contract was not renewed, have yet to find a home,
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 04: Rich Paul talks with LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half at Crypto.com Arena on January 04, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Monday morning, Patrick Beverly made (minor) waves across the internet, stating that “rumor has it Bron makes his decision today”. While that raised a few eyebrows, it’s nothing new. We have been told enough over the last three weeks that a LeBron James free agency decision was imminent from someone supposedly in the know, only for it not to come through. Bottom line, we all still don’t know.
On The Ringer’s “Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul” podcast, Paul (LeBron’s agent) took some time to address the decision timeline and highlighted Beverly as an example.
“Pat’s (Beverly) not doing that (breaking news), and neither is anyone else…we do not need other people to perceive what’s going on.” Paul went on to say bluntly, “None of these people know anything, nobody knows nothing. I say this respectfully because we (presumably LeBron and Paul) haven’t made it to where anybody knows anything”.
“I’ll say it again, none of these people know anything. Nobody knows nothing, and I say that respectfully because we haven’t made it to where anyone knows anything,” – Rich Paul on LeBron’s free agency.
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Paul went on to send a direct message not only to the media at large making these claims, but also it seemed to fans and their expectations of when to expect a resolution to the LeBron decision 4.0.
“We’re not making this about attention and a spectacle. It is not about a decision or anything like that. He (LeBron) has a choice to make; he has a business choice to make. We’re not going to sit here and decide or allow someone to decide when he makes that decision or that choice. It is a business choice that he is making, and I think as an athlete why is it that an athlete has to rush his choice.”
Paul went on to say that LeBron’s resume entitles him to have this lengthy decision-making window. While it is fair for James to have his allotment of time, contrary to Paul’s claims, this is very much feeling like LeBron is wanting to own the moment. If you read between the tea leaves, all major sporting events have come and gone: World Cup, Summer League, NBA Draft, MLB All-Star Game, etc. There is nothing left to take away from all the eyes on LeBron.
Now, teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and fans alike sit and wonder when LeBron and his camp decide on his presumed final destination. There is nothing left to steal his spotlight, and truthfully, against Paul’s words above, that is probably exactly what LeBron wants when he adds another chapter and presumably the final one to his legacy.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Carter Bryant #11 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on July 9, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Greathouse/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After defeating the Phoenix Suns 86-81 on Saturday, the San Antonio Spurs tied a bow on a nice Summer League. After going winless in Sacramento, the Spurs bounced back in Las Vegas, going 4-1, just narrowly missing the playoffs.
Unlike years prior, the Spurs didn’t have a hyped top-10 draftee to carry fans’ attention throughout the Summer League. They did have several players who could factor into San Antonio’s long-term plans. For the most part, they played well. Let’s break down the good, the bad, and the ugly from the 2026 summer Spurs.
The Good
Rotation players
Carter Bryant and Tarris Reed Jr. were the players most Spurs fans were excited to watch this summer. Bryant played a minor role on an NBA Finals team in his rookie season, and Reed was a first-round pick who is likely to factor into next year’s team as a third-string center. The last thing you want is for players who are likely to factor into the regular season rotation looking bad in the Summer League. San Antonio did not have that problem.
Bryant had to shake off some rust in his first game in Vegas, but quickly bounced back, averaging 15.5 points in his two games. The Spurs asked Bryant to play on the ball offensively in his first game, where he struggled (more on that later). In game two, he slotted into an off-ball wing role where he thrived on straight-line drives and catch-and-shoot attempts. Bryant looked strong compared to the competition, and showed a couple of nice mid-range jumpers, clearing space with that strength. Getting those on-ball reps now will pay off come October.
Reed had a more consistent summer experience. He averaged 7.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in 23.1 minutes per game. Summer League is a guard-oriented game, so Reed didn’t get a lot of chances to dominate offensively, which is fine because he likely won’t have that opportunity in the NBA. Instead, Reed showed what will make him a serviceable NBA player in his rookie season. He sets hard, physical screens that open up a lot of space for his teammates. He has great size that allows him to clear out the paint and grab boards on both ends (8.7 rebounds in 23.1 minutes is crazy), and has good touch to score inside. His defensive foot speed could use some work, as he found himself out of place on that end on multiple occasions. He looked like a player who can provide San Antonio with spot minutes, or fill in if Victor Wembanyama or Luke Kornet need to miss games.
Second-round fliers
San Antonio also has two second-round picks on two-way contracts. Contenders rarely need their two-way player to contribute much, but if the Spurs do, Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Maliq Brown look up to the task.
Brown shined as a versatile defender with elite hands. He averaged 2.8 steals this summer, swiping the ball away under the basket or using his length to get into the passing lanes. He showed glimpses of being able to play small-ball center with his wingspan and excellent instincts as a help defender. He needs to put on a bit more muscle to play the five in the NBA, but there is potential for him to be an interesting depth piece as a 4/5 man. It’s also worth noting that Brown hit a couple of three-pointers this summer. Developing a shot would take his game to another level.
Gillespie started the summer on an ice-cold shooting stretch, but bounced back, finishing the summer averaging 16 points a game on 40% shooting from the field and 30.8% from three. He always seemed to be moving with and without the ball to get into a position to score or to find a teammate for a good look. The shots didn’t always fall, but he was able to create separation against NBA talent and get to his spots. Despite his smaller stature, Gillespie looked the part defensively, snatching 2 steals per game this summer, applying a lot of pressure on the ball. Gillespie should be solid for the Austin Spurs this season, and could factor in as a break-in-case-of-emergency ball-handler for the NBA team.
Hyunjung Lee
Lee was the surprise player that got Spurs fans talking this summer. He’s a 6-foot-7 wing with a smooth jump shot from three. He’s not an incredible athlete, but he plays hard and can knock down shots. That was no more apparent than when he had 22 points on 4/7 shooting from deep against Darryn Peterson and the Utah Jazz. Lee likely won’t get a two-way contract with the Spurs this summer, but he’s certainly worth keeping in Austin to monitor his development.
The Bad
Carter Bryant on the ball
Bryant did not look good in his on-ball reps. He doesn’t have a sharp handle, and he’s not great at creating separation against even G League defenders right now. That’s the bad news. The good news is the Spurs don’t need him to break guys down off the dribble. They have Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper to do that. Bryant will shine on the defensive end. San Antonio needs him to be an off-ball player who can play aggressively with his athleticism and knock down open jumpers offensively. He should thrive long term as the 4th or 5th option while guarding the toughest wing on the opposing team. Getting these on-ball reps in the Summer League will go a long way to developing his skills so he can step up and create shots in more limited offensive lineups.
Passing to the bigs
One thing that drives me crazy about Summer League ball is how the guards don’t look at the big men inside. There were many occasions this summer where Reed would have a player pinned on a seal after a pick-and-roll and a guard would chuck up a bad shot. The guard-dominant style of the Summer League made it hard to watch and enjoy games this summer. Which brings me to…
The Ugly
Summer League basketball
I have been accustomed to watching a lot of bad basketball in my life. I enjoy watching college and high school basketball to learn about which players will be in the league in the near future. Watching players develop is one of my favorite things about the NBA. So Summer League, in most seasons, is a fun time of year for a fan like me. But I think the 2025-26 Spurs broke me. It’s not like they were the Beautiful Game Spurs from a decade ago, but they moved the ball well and guarded their tails off. Going from that level of basketball to the Summer League this year was STARK. It was hard to watch guys chuck bad shots, turn the ball over, and drive into traffic with no plan. It was some of the ugliest basketball I’ve watched in a while, and I’m glad that the next time we see the Silver and Black play, it will be with mostly the entire NBA team.
A warmup jacket worn by Wilt Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals that was bought by a teenager for $3.07 at an Oregon thrift store sold for $89,600 at auction on Monday.
Quinn Brown had been eyeing a massive bin of clothes at a Goodwill store outside Portland in January when he saw someone toss a Lakers jacket with Chamberlain’s name on it back on the pile. Brown, who resells used clothes online, quickly grabbed it.
The jacket was auctioned by Sotheby’s, which had estimated its value between $150,000 and $250,000 before bidding closed Monday. It received a total of 48 bids, according to the auction house.
Sotheby’s
This Wilt Chamberlain jacket worn by the Lakers star during the 1972 NBA Finals was auctioned off by Sotheby’s.
Described on Sotheby’s website as an “extraordinary piece of memorabilia,” the short-sleeved yellow warmup jacket was worn by Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals, in which the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks.
“I didn’t even think that finding something like this was possible,” Brown said. “I got very, very lucky.”
Chamberlain, an NBA Hall of Famer viewed as one of the all-time greats, played in the league from 1959 to 1973. He won two championship rings — one with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967, and another with the Lakers in 1972. He holds the record for most points scored by a player in a single game, netting 100 points in a 1962 match.
For the past three years, Brown has been reselling clothes online after finding them in thrift stores. The most expensive item he had sold previously was a T-shirt of Sub Pop Records, the indie label that signed Nirvana in 1989 and released the band’s first album. It went for $250.
After buying the Chamberlain jacket back in January, Brown searched online to see if it was worth something. He found a picture on Google of Chamberlain wearing such a jacket and compared it to the one he had.
In examining the Lakers patch on the front, he noticed certain small stitching details that matched the photo. He also looked up the measurements of a different jersey worn by Chamberlain, a towering figure at 7-foot-1, and discovered that they nearly aligned.
“I really just wanted to make sure, because it was so hard to believe at the time,” he said, adding that he had only ever read about such serendipitous thrift findings.
When he posted a photo of the jacket on social media, Sotheby’s contacted him about consigning the jacket to the auction house. Brown agreed, and an armored van came to pick it up.
Sotheby’s then did its own photo verification and determined that the jacket was worn by Chamberlain during the 1972 Finals, in which he was named the Finals MVP.
“Photomatching a piece of game-worn clothing to a specific Finals series, for a player of this era, is genuinely exceptional,” Sotheby’s website says. “As photomatched items worn by Chamberlain become exceedingly rare, this jacket is a piece of sports history.”
It is not the first Chamberlain item from the 1972 Finals to fetch a hefty sum under the hammer: A game jersey he wore during the series sold for $4.9 million at Sotheby’s in 2023, the fourth most expensive NBA jersey ever sold by the auction house.
As for his thrifted find, Brown said: “That was as good as it gets.”
A warmup jacket worn by Wilt Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals that was bought by a teenager for $3.07 at an Oregon thrift store sold for $89,600 at auction on Monday.
Quinn Brown had been eyeing a massive bin of clothes at a Goodwill store outside Portland in January when he saw someone toss a Lakers jacket with Chamberlain’s name on it back on the pile. Brown, who resells used clothes online, quickly grabbed it.
The jacket was auctioned by Sotheby’s, which had estimated its value between $150,000 and $250,000 before bidding closed Monday. It received a total of 48 bids, according to the auction house.
Sotheby’s
This Wilt Chamberlain jacket worn by the Lakers star during the 1972 NBA Finals was auctioned off by Sotheby’s.
Described on Sotheby’s website as an “extraordinary piece of memorabilia,” the short-sleeved yellow warmup jacket was worn by Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals, in which the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks.
“I didn’t even think that finding something like this was possible,” Brown said. “I got very, very lucky.”
Chamberlain, an NBA Hall of Famer viewed as one of the all-time greats, played in the league from 1959 to 1973. He won two championship rings — one with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967, and another with the Lakers in 1972. He holds the record for most points scored by a player in a single game, netting 100 points in a 1962 match.
For the past three years, Brown has been reselling clothes online after finding them in thrift stores. The most expensive item he had sold previously was a T-shirt of Sub Pop Records, the indie label that signed Nirvana in 1989 and released the band’s first album. It went for $250.
After buying the Chamberlain jacket back in January, Brown searched online to see if it was worth something. He found a picture on Google of Chamberlain wearing such a jacket and compared it to the one he had.
In examining the Lakers patch on the front, he noticed certain small stitching details that matched the photo. He also looked up the measurements of a different jersey worn by Chamberlain, a towering figure at 7-foot-1, and discovered that they nearly aligned.
“I really just wanted to make sure, because it was so hard to believe at the time,” he said, adding that he had only ever read about such serendipitous thrift findings.
When he posted a photo of the jacket on social media, Sotheby’s contacted him about consigning the jacket to the auction house. Brown agreed, and an armored van came to pick it up.
Sotheby’s then did its own photo verification and determined that the jacket was worn by Chamberlain during the 1972 Finals, in which he was named the Finals MVP.
“Photomatching a piece of game-worn clothing to a specific Finals series, for a player of this era, is genuinely exceptional,” Sotheby’s website says. “As photomatched items worn by Chamberlain become exceedingly rare, this jacket is a piece of sports history.”
It is not the first Chamberlain item from the 1972 Finals to fetch a hefty sum under the hammer: A game jersey he wore during the series sold for $4.9 million at Sotheby’s in 2023, the fourth most expensive NBA jersey ever sold by the auction house.
As for his thrifted find, Brown said: “That was as good as it gets.”
Yaxel Lendeborg did not mince words when describing the difference between his squad and the Memphis Grizzlies’ NBA Summer League team after the Warriors defeated them 94-90 on Sunday to win the 2026 tournament title.
Yaxel Lendeborg on how the Warriors pulled off a double-digit comeback against the Grizzlies in the Las Vegas Summer League championship game: “Man, their butts got tight. They puckered up, you know what I mean? Some of us are built for the moment and some aren’t.” pic.twitter.com/7OiRkczcYS
Lendeborg scored a game-high 21 points with 11 rebounds and led a 12-point, fourth-quarter comeback victory en route to being named MVP of the championship game, and later the entire summer league.
The rookie’s performance and comments drew the attention of Warriors veteran Draymond Green.
Throughout his 14-year NBA career, Green has earned a reputation for his outspoken personality, both on and off the court.
Since the Warriors drafted Lendeborg 11th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, he already has drawn similarities to Green for his outspoken nature and comments.
In fact, there already has been one instance of the two personalities meeting head-on in the form of the rivalry between their respective alma maters.
Lendeborg, a former Michigan Wolverine, was given the opportunity to take a dig at Green’s Michigan State Spartans on his draft night on June 23.
“I hate those guys [Michigan State]. I’ve only been there [Michigan] for one year, but I definitely hate those guys,” Lendeborg said. “All that they were saying, and they can’t really say much because I went 2-0 against them this year. So they’re going to be little brother for me forever, and I’m not going to represent the losers ever.”
“You f–king liar, Yaxel! How dare you? Just come out and lie like that! So you know me, I’m going to provide the receipts. And the receipts are very clear,” Draymond remarked before sharing a screenshot of their text thread with time stamps.
“This f–king guy! It’s the Michigan way. Of course it’s the Michigan way,” Green said. “How the hell are you going to say, ‘Man, Draymond ain’t text me back.’ So you know what I had to do. I had to expose the young fella a bit.”
Green then lightheartedly threatened to bring back rookie hazing if Lendeborg continues his behavior.
Warriors fans will be hoping the barbs will lead to the two developing chemistry rather than clashing and that the veteran will see some of himself in the rookie and take him under his wing.
Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s