Category: Basketball

In the 1980’s and into the 1990’s, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers defined and completely revived the NBA.

The primary stars of that rivalry, of course, were Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, but both teams were full of great players. L.A. had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and others, while Boston also featured Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. All of these players are in the Hall of Fame.

But there were more great players on those teams, including Michael Cooper for L.A., and the late Dennis Johnson for Boston.

In this video, Dee Brown, who joined the Celtics in 1990, talks about his teammate, Dennis Johnson, and tells Cooper something he never would have imagined.

Johnson, he explains, counted opponents dribbles, and watched how they dribbled when they were relaxed and under stress. Basically, he was applying his own form of analytics to opposing ball handlers.

Cooper marvels at this, and says that it explains why Johnson – who Bird called his favorite teammate ever – was constantly getting steals in the fourth quarter.

It’s a level of basketball intellect that, until Brown revealed it, no one knew about Johnson.

Cooper, still amazed, says that even at 70, he’s still learning things about the game that surprise him.

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Jahmir Young is making his case for a roster spot for the Miami Heat this summer.

Surrounded by teammates wearing jerseys numbered in the 60s and 70s, Young has taken the NBA Summer League by storm. His latest outing saw him drop 30 points and 12 rebounds in the Heat’s 99-90 loss to the Toronto Raptors.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE ALERT 🚨 Jahmir Young WENT OFF for the @MiamiHEAT summer league squad with a game-high 30 PTS and 12 REB 👏 pic.twitter.com/6YmgdGpxEZ

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) July 17, 2026

Young shot 12-of-24 from the field and 5-of-13 from 3-point range while also contributing three assists, two steals and a block across 33 minutes.

However, his seven turnovers in the game also led his team, something that could hold Young back from getting on the court alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and crew come October.

Young and the Heat finished 1-3 in the Summer League, placing 22nd in the standings. They are set to next play either on Sunday or Monday, depending on the results of other games.

In other news

Maryland women’s basketball alum Chloe Bibby scored a career high 14 points in the WNBA.

Former Terp Chloe Bibby had a career-high 14 points for the Chicago Sky 🐢 pic.twitter.com/oQS6gLBjvp

— Inside Maryland Sports (@Terrapins247) July 16, 2026

We are less than a month away from college sports being officially back.

One month away from being back! ⏰

Terps season and home opener against Fordham is August 16th! 📆 pic.twitter.com/BPxreGwRKJ

— Maryland W. Soccer (@TerpsWSoccer) July 16, 2026

Former Kentucky Basketball standouts Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo have found themselves in the headlines for an unexpected reason after reports surfaced of a physical altercation between the two former Miami Heat teammates in Las Vegas.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the incident occurred on July 10 after Adebayo confronted Herro over comments made on social media following Herro’s offseason trade to the Milwaukee Bucks in the blockbuster deal that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami. The confrontation escalated, with reports stating Adebayo struck Herro before others stepped in to prevent the situation from worsening.

Days later, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported that Herro is ready to leave the incident behind.

“Honestly, I’m just trying to move past all of it,” Herro told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. “I’m focused on Milwaukee and building something special.”

Herro also expressed excitement about returning to his hometown team.

“I’m ready to come home and not prove everyone wrong,” Herro said. “But just be able to represent the city and the state because I wanted to do that coming out of school as well.”

The situation is disappointing for Kentucky fans, as both players remain among the program’s most recognizable NBA alumni. Adebayo starred on Kentucky’s 2016-17 Elite Eight team alongside De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk before becoming a multi-time NBA All-Star. Herro helped lead Kentucky to the Elite Eight in 2018-19, the Wildcats’ most recent appearance that deep into the NCAA Tournament.

While emotions boiled over following their split in Miami, Herro’s latest comments suggest he’s eager to turn the page. Kentucky fans will now hope both former Wildcats can move beyond the incident and continue thriving in their NBA careers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will wrap up what has been a successful Summer League on Friday when they take on the Chicago Bulls for their fifth and final game.

You want to see your recent draft picks flash in Summer League. Meleek Thomas has certainly done that. He proved that he can be an efficient, high-volume scorer in this environment. What that means in the grand scheme of things is anyone’s guess. Summer League success doesn’t always translate to the NBA, but it’s a good starting point as we inch closer to training camp in the fall.

Thomas didn’t play in the last game and presumably won’t be playing this one either. The main selling points to this contest will be the battle for a two-way spot. Even though all three spots are currently filled by Tristan Enaruna, Riley Minix, and Ernest Udeh Jr., two-way deals don’t count against the cap, so players can be cut at any time.

Enaruna has missed the majority of Summer League due to an illness.

Minix has struggled mightily to find his shot. He’s averaged 8.3 points on .308/.005/.667 shooting splits in four games.

Udeh has shown to be a good rim protector and rebounder, but the lack of scoring has been concerning. He’s averaging just 4.5 points per game on 40% shooting.

The latter two’s struggles have opened the door for someone else to lay claim to that role.

It’s worth mentioning here that Malaki Branham, who’s had an impressive showing this summer, isn’t eligible for a two-way spot because he has four years of NBA service time.

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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Chicago Bulls

Where: Thomas & Mack Center – Las Vegas, NV

When: Fri., July 17 at 7 PM

TV: ESPN

Point spread: Cavs -1.5

Cavs notable players: Meleek Thomas, Ernest Udeh Jr., Riley Minix, Tristan Enaruna, Malaki Branham

Bulls notable players: Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain, Noa Essengue, Jaylin Sellers, Tobe Awaka

---

The Washington Wizards play the Atlanta Hawks tomorrow night in the NBA Summer League. Let’s preview one last game before we have no more Wizards games until the preseason.

Game info

When: Saturday, July 17 at about 7 p.m. ET

Where: Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas

How to watch: ESPN, Monumental Sports Network

What to watch for

The Wizards finished their four game NBA Summer League record with a 2-2 record. That is clearly not enough to get to the semifinals so the consolation round it is. There’s only one consolation game based on seeding, where they will play against the Hawks who have a 3-1 record.

Atlanta’s Roster is headined by numerous rookies by Kobe Johnson, the No. 8 pick in the 2026 Draft; Zuby Ejiofor, the No. 23 pick and Henri Veesaar, all of whom are averaging double digits in scoring. Johnson and Veesaar have also played every Summer Leauge game for Atlanta.

Assuming this holds, the Hawks will likely be favored to beat the Wizards, who won’t have AJ Dybantsa, Tre Johnson or Will Riley. Chris Livingston, Seth Trimble, Kadary Richmond and Reece Beekman have been the only Wizards to play in all four games so far. Expect them to get significant minutes tomorrow night as they look to make one last good impression before the front office decides on training camp invites and potential G League moves with the Capital City Go-Go.

He’s not a legendary championship coach holding on too tight and for too long. Not Bowden or Beamer or anyone else in their twilight whose next move is retirement. 

Dabo Swinney’s next job could be his best job yet. 

“You get a lot of love, you get a lot of hate in this (coaching) world,” Swinney said Thursday at ACC media days. “I’ve had bunch of both, enough for a lifetime.”

And now it might be time to move on.

Let’s get something perfectly clear from the jump: this isn’t a Dabo hot seat diatribe. It’s not about how many wins he needs to feel safe (whatever that means), or how many losses he can endure in what has become a crossroads season. 

That it’s even a nonsensical narrative right now is utterly laughable. 

He’s the guy with 13 seasons of double-digit wins in 17 full seasons as coach at Clemson. He has won 11 championships in the last 15 years, including two national titles. 

His players don’t get in trouble, his program has never been in the NCAA crosshairs.

Yet there he was this entire offseason, and during his time at ACC media days, playing defense. The six losses in 2025 were his fault, he said, blame him. 

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Bad coaching, bad execution. Just bad all around. 

All that just months after staring down detractors during last year’s shocking regression, and daring Clemson to fire him. If they don’t want him, they can hire someone else.

At one point, he looked dead in the press conference cameras and declared, “I ain’t going to the beach. I gotta long way to go.”

Swinney breathes Clemson. The community, the people and what it has done for him — professionally and personally. A more than two-decade love affair as an assistant and head coach. 

But that doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t end. He’s 56, he’s in fantastic health and has a plan that’s been wildly successful at the highest level of the sport.

You’ve got to be kidding if you think Swinney couldn’t take Tennessee and build an absolute monster. Or Florida State. Or North Carolina or Oklahoma. 

Or any job with the money and will to make it all happen. Any job, any year, is available in this volatile age of win or walk or leave for the NFL.   

TURNING POINT: Make-or-break seasons for six elite quarterbacks starting over

STAMPEDE: SMU and Kevin Jennings perfect fit for CFP, Heisman Trophy dreams

Now think about this: the very thing that fueled those elite Clemson teams is on the verge of circling back. If college sports legislation currently working its way through Congress leaves players with one free transfer in a five-year playing window, Swinney’s high school recruiting and development takes center stage again.

C.J. Spiller and Da'Quan Bowers. DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins. Vic Beasley and Shaq Lawson ― and so many more we've all forgotten in the wake of Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence.

When players are given one free transfer, it’s no longer about annually turning over rosters with the transfer portal, of which Swinney has never been a fan. It’s about organic recruiting and development, about finding the best players and the best fit.

The last thing Swinney should be doing is apologizing for a six-loss season. Or letting the frustration of such a season push him to telling Clemson if you don’t want me, I’ll find the door.

“I’ve been dead, I’m gone,” Swinney said. “I think I’m still here, all right?”

But that doesn’t mean his best days aren’t still in front of him. Doesn’t mean he can’t start over at another school and take his plan and passion and beat the brakes off everyone again.

In a perfect world, Swinney gets the ship righted, the Tigers are back in the College Football Playoff and it’s Nehis and Moon Pies for everyone in Clemson. If it only it were that simple. 

When you’re a victim of your own remarkable success, there’s only one way to go. It may just be time to start over. 

That, or eventually become the guy holding on too tight for too long.    

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB. Listen to him daily on 1010XL-Jacksonville.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Clemson coach Dabo Swinney's next college football job will be his best job

The SummerKnicks wrapped up their scheduled Las Vegas slate with an 87-77 loss to the SummerWarriors, ending their Sin City run with a 1-3 record and a consolation game against the SummerMavs later today.

No recap nor scenes, so here’s a kinda sorta summary of the most important performances we watched, along with a bunch of other links and notes.

• The Knicks roster is mostly settled, but there are still a couple openings in the 15-man squad and one of those must be filled before the start of the regular season:
  • It keeps looking like Tyler Nickel has the cleanest NBA skill and could contribute buckets off the pine with gusto.
  • German will-he-won’t-he-stash Kayil has the most intriguing upside and has had the highest of highs and lowest of lows through Summer League.
  • Jaden Akins had the biggest scoring game and explosion, but that might as well had been a one-off thing.
  • Big man Liam Robbins fits the biggest positional need, but he hasn’t been any convincing.
  • Dillon Jones was already in tow last season has the Brown’s trust advantage.
  • Pacome Dadiet looked good for a minute but not so much the rest of the way, as well as having a fourth-year option deadline looming.
• Akins was the man of the minute on Thursday, coming off the bench and dumping 21 points on 9-of-20 shooting and 3-of-8 from three, but his late case for one of New York’s two-way slots might have come, well, too late. At the end of the day, Akins had scored two points in his previous appearance.
• Nickel scored nine points, all from three, and remains the most reliable shooter and perhaps even all-around player in the SummerKnicks roster at this point, even though he’s got a clear 1A skill and then a bunch of Ds elsewhere is his toolbox. The defense looks competitive enough—against similar SummerTeam opponents, mind you—but it’s increasingly likely we see Nickel here and there from October on.
• Robbins continued to make his own case to land one of the spots as the Knicks third-string center with 13 points, nine rebounds, four blocks, and two assists, in a cool performance with numbers across the board.
• Kayil came down to earth and looked like a 20-year-old second-round pick, finishing with four points on 2-of-9 shooting and missing all seven of his threes. That said, put up a solid stat line with five rebounds, four assists and one steal, but the offensive shine disappeared a bit and he committed three turnovers.
• Dadiet had another rough shooting night, scoring nine points on 3-of-12 from the field and 1-of-7 from deep. The Knicks have until Oct. 31 to decide on his fourth-year option, and the evidence so far has not exactly made the $5 million question easier. If anything, New York could pick it up to move him later if they fear/don’t want to lose him for free in free agency next July. Not sure if you can dump Paco for anything in return, though.
• Jones finished with five points, seven rebounds… and seven turnovers. Not six, seven. He remains valuable to Mike Brown behind the scenes and has two championship rings in two seasons, but Summer League point-forward Dillon Jones may need to return to the laboratory.

Greatness respects greatness 🏆 @nyknickspic.twitter.com/mTxafYZnIE

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) July 16, 2026

• Jalen Brunson spoke at a Wall Street Journal’s sports event, per the New York Post, and revealed the biggest challenge facing the Knicks as the reigning champs. Target on thy back! Also, as for Mitchell Robinson, Brunson said he will always love him, except for a very precise 192 minutes.

“How are we going to evolve as a team? How are we going to figure out what’s the next step for us? And that’s going to be a really big, important question coming in the training camp: How are we going to be better? How are we going to literally look at the trophy, know that was last year and then forget about it? And so, it’s going to be a very interesting training camp to see where our mind’s at. But I’m excited for the challenge.”

• The New York Post dropped their early NBA power rankings following the end of free agency—pending LeBron James’ decision—and ranked the Pacers as the biggest threat for the Knicks in the East… while burying the ECF Cavaliers all the down to No. 16.
• LeBron James gave the Knicks some significant praise during his live Mind the Game appearance at Fanatics Fest, naming the Knicks’ “unsung hero” of the entire championship run and giving Mike Brown big kudos for his tweaks.
• Tyrese Haliburton tried to get LeBron to announce his decision during Thursday’s live “Mind the Game” podcast, without luck.
• A Queens kid got more out of LeBron than Haliburton did.
• Adam Silver revealed why the NBA has not finished next season’s schedule.
• Pat Riley is not being subtle about Miami’s intentions.

Jon Elmore celly got me weak pic.twitter.com/ucz9dG1ma7

— … (@MindOfBron) July 16, 2026

Warriors must love the trajectory of rookie Yaxel Lendeborg's summer league originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Yaxel Lendeborg’s rapid rocket ride into the galaxy is, six games into NBA Summer League, descending back toward Earth. The Warriors could not have scripted it any better.

The rookie introduced himself with savvy passes, rebounds in traffic, forceful drives to the hoop and deep shooting that was too fantastic to sustain. He didn’t do more than enough to drizzle a fine mist of optimism over Warriors fans, who, while waiting for a LeBron James decision, are longing for any reason to cheer.

Through Lendeborg’s first four games – two in the California Classic, two in Las Vegas – the team’s 2026 lottery pick, No. 11 overall, did plenty to satisfy his new employer. His shooting was particularly impressive, as the 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward was 13 of 21 (61.9 percent) from deep.

The next two games brought a dose of reality. Lendeborg on Thursday delivered his poorest scoring performance yet: a scoreless first half, finishing with 1-of 9 shooting from the field, including 1 of 6 from deep, in an 87-77 win over the New York Knicks. He played 28 minutes, scoring three points.

Two nights earlier, the Warriors were blown off the floor by the Memphis Grizzlies. The 106-85 loss was Golden State’s worst showing thus far. Lendeborg played 29 minutes, scoring 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 0 of 2 from distance. He had a game-high nine rebounds and a game-high four turnovers.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, in Las Vegas to witness each of the last two games, was able to witness the rookie look like a rookie. There were a few highlights – mostly on defense and passing – but enough lowlights to expose flaws to address.

Kerr surely loved what he saw. Lendeborg submitted the kind of work that puts a smile on the face of any coach because it creates a smooth runway to constructive criticism. There wasn’t much to critique when Lendeborg was the best offensive player on the floor, displaying a high hoops IQ and shooting as if in a dream. Dreamy shooting from the jump sometimes can get into the head of a rookie, convincing him that maybe the NBA isn’t so challenging.

Oh, it is.

The best thing for Lendeborg’s psyche was to have a couple games in which he makes little impact and can’t find his shot. Seeing shots go through the net is a source of energy, especially for young players. It breeds confidence that can seep into other elements in a positive way. It also can lead to overconfidence – which is the worst enemy of someone who has yet to play an official NBA game.

The early read on Lendeborg is that he is confident but not driven by ego. He listens to coaches, sees his teammates and values what they’re able to contribute. That was the case last season, too, as he led the University of Michigan to a national championship.

In his first three weeks as a Warrior, he has done nothing to alter that assessment.

Moreover, Lendeborg has been openly critical of himself. He knows his place in the league’s hierarchy – he doesn’t need reminders from new teammate Draymond Green – but also knows he belongs. Lendeborg has done enough encouraging things for the Warriors to shut him down in Vegas. There is no better way to send a rookie into a disciplined offseason program than knowing he struggled in front of live audiences.

This dip in performance gives Lendeborg plenty to study as Summer League moves into the playoffs. He wants, and knows he needs, to improve his conditioning before training camp begins in late September.

The incredible beginning, followed by a reality check, is the ideal way for a talented rookie to wade into the hardest part of his offseason.

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LJ Cryer made it to the Final Four twice in his college career, going to the finals each time. His five three-pointers lifted the Golden State Warriors to a date with the Los Angeles Lakers in the semifinals of NBA Summer League on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

LJ Cryer is putting on a show!
He's got five from deep 👌

📺 @NBCSAuthenticpic.twitter.com/flhsuJDuww

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) July 17, 2026

The Warriors defeated the New York Knicks, 87-77, on Thursday, behind Cryer’s 17 points and five assists. That raised their record to 3-1 in summer contests, and earned them the No. 4 seed in the summer playoffs thanks to a +6.3 point differential (nine teams went 3-1). The second seed is the Memphis Grizzlies, who rode their roster of 23-year-old and four-year Summer League veterans to a 3-1 record and a +11.5 differential, and the third seed is the Houston Rockets (+11.0), who have gotten huge scoring efforts from No. 31 pick Bruce Thornton.

The Grizzlies handed the Warriors their only loss in Las Vegas with a dominant effort, helped in part by having a team full of players who were born while “Friends” was still on the air. Memphis suffered their only loss when Jaden Springer, who has played in the NBA for five seasons, had a big game for the Dallas Mavericks off the bench. That’s really the best way to win at Summer League: Be too old for the tournament.

That’s especially true for the top-seeded, undefeated Lakers. They overwhelmed the Chicago Bulls Thursday thanks to three three-pointers and five assists from 30-year-old Calgary Surge star Jon Elmore, who debuted perhaps the first baldness-based celebration in NBA history after one huge shot.

Jon from DOWNTOWN pic.twitter.com/DgwU7QJDSV

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 16, 2026

How did the rest of the Warriors do? Will Richard appears to have graduated from Summer League after three games, so second-round pick Lajae Jones started in his place and scored 13 points on 6-for-16 shooting, with three steals. He threw down a very nice alley-oop from Yaxel Lendeborg early in the third quarter.

Yaxel meets Lajae at the summit‼️

📺 @NBCSAuthenticpic.twitter.com/SlZQXdEs8U

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) July 17, 2026

As for the Warriors’ first-round pick, he had only three points and shot 1-for-9, but added six rebounds, six assists, a steal, and two blocks. Two of Lendeborg’s misses came on chasedown blocks from Pacome Dadiet, and in our opinion the rookie gets a pass since he couldn’t see him either time.

Pacôme Dadiet with two great chasedown blocks on Yaxel Lendeborg (with replays) pic.twitter.com/F4IvMlHKX3

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) July 17, 2026

But he didn’t get frustrated and kept playing hard, including a number of plays where he swallowed up Knicks players. Dadiet hit the side of the backboard trying to get free of Yaxel on one play.

Replays of Yaxel Lendeborg lockdown defense.

He has 0 points on 0/5 FG, but he is doing well defensively. pic.twitter.com/vBlPgo1pO8

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) July 17, 2026

When Lendeborg finally hit a three in the 4th quarter, the crowd at the smaller Cox Pavilion gym went wild.

Yaxel had the arena HYPED 😮‍💨

📺 @NBCSAuthenticpic.twitter.com/l2Z4FswycS

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) July 17, 2026

Graham Ike continued his solid, unspectacular Summer League with 15 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks. He’s averaging 10.3 points and seven rebounds while shooting 45.2%. Malevy Leons had 13 points and six rebounds while Chase McMillian added 11 points and three triples off the bench and is now shooting 8-for-16 from behind the arc for Summer League and 57.1% in his last three games.

Deivon Smith remains a bit of a summer disappointment, going scoreless with two turnovers. He may still be coming back from a right wrist fracture that ended a short-but-stellar season with the Santa Cruz Warriors. Smith had two triple-doubles in nine game for the Sea Dubs, averaging 17.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. Expect to see him back at Santa Cruz and in training camp, where he’ll be a longshot to earn a two-way contract, based on how Cryer and McMillian have shot the ball in Las Vegas (Cryer has made 13 threes in 100 Summer League minutes, tied for 5th-most in Summer League).

Now the Warriors have to get past first-rounder Cameron Carr, 2025 second-rounder Adou Thiero, and the ageless Elmore if they want to reach the Summer League promised land. As of 2022, they’ll even get rings for winning it all.

For the first time, rings will be handed out to the Summer League champions. We got an exclusive look on NBA Today. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/HovjFNXKFE

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) July 8, 2022

We know these are exhibition games. Still, firing up Amazon Prime on Saturday at 5:30 might be your best chance to see a Warriors team make a deep playoff run this season.

Summer League has been a tremendous success for the Lakers. In the California Classic, they went 2-1, and in Las Vegas Summer League play, they’ve won all four of their games, punching their ticket to the Semifinals.

The Lakers are set to play the Warriors on Saturday. The matchup will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center at 5:30 p.m. PT and will air on Prime Video.

🚨 The 2026 NBA Summer League schedule for July 18-19🚨 pic.twitter.com/VQU0RhxsSV

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) July 17, 2026

Lakers-Warriors is always a compelling game because of the regional rivalry, but add in the fact that LA lost to Golden State in the California Classic, and this game is suddenly even more interesting. The purple and gold can avenge their only loss during Summer League and by doing so advance to the title game.

This year’s Lakers Summer League squad has had a handful of players that have stood out.

Adou Thiero has scored in double figures in each contest in Las Vegas. He’s shown off his athleticism, with some monster dunks. Cameron Carr is looking like a rotational player and has shot with tremendous confidence. Arthur Kaluma has delivered some breakout performances and is making a loud case for a two-way spot.

Lakers coach Ty Abbott has had the Lakers playing well on both sides of the ball in Summer League action. Chris Mañon is leading the defense, and LA has dominated in all of their wins in Nevada. Now they are just two victories away from winning their second Las Vegas Summer League championship.

Really nice job this summer from Lakers assistant Ty Abbott and his staff. Undefeated in Las Vegas – have done it against top-line rookies like, Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz, Morez Johnson, Keaton Wagler and Caleb Wilson

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) July 17, 2026

LA won their first Las Vegas Summer League championship back in 2017. That roster was oozing with NBA talent as the Lakers had Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Ivica Zubac, Alex Caruso and Josh Hart on that team.

Time will tell if this team has players that will be around the NBA for years to come, but so far they’ve been an impressive group and an exciting team to watch. With the Lakers aiming to get younger and more athletic all across the board, this Summer League team is an encouraging sign for what this new era of LA basketball will look like.

If the Lakers beat the Warriors, they’ll face the winner of Rockets-Grizzlies on Sunday for a shot at another Las Vegas Summer League title.

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

LeBron James has had a busy summer thus far. While everyone awaits his announcement of which team he will play for next, he was honored with the cover of Time magazine's "TIME100 Most Influential People in Sports."

In his unrehearsed speech, he discussed the importance of sports and how they got him to where he is today. He also took a personal moment in which he spoke on his gratitude for the University of Southern California medical staff that saved his son.

James' eldest son, Bronny, attended USC during the 2023-24 season. James' son suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a summer basketball workout at USC on July 24, 2023.

Bronny was diagnosed with a functionally significant congenital heart defect.

"Shout out my oldest son Bronny. ... We just had the story obviously with Damar (Hamlin), you know, those guys come up here, talk about cardiac arrest and how important that is. Our son went through something like that a few years ago at USC," the 41-year-old James said. "And obviously, if it wasn't for the coaching staff and the medical team and everybody at USC being there in a timely fashion, we'd possibly be sitting here without our son, our oldest son. So thank you to everybody and all the efforts when it comes to cardiac arrest."

Bronny made a full recovery and played his freshman year with the Trojans, albeit in limited minutes. He went on to become the 55th overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, with Bronny and LeBron James then becoming the first father-son duo to share an NBA court.

"Guys, take that serious. If you got kids in elementary, you got kids in middle school, kids in high school, colleges. Make sure they have these devices available where you can get them, practice them. It's very important, super, super important. Obviously, we know how important it is to our family, so we're a big advocate of that," LeBron James said.

Although the elder James will no longer play for the Lakers, his firstborn will remain in LA after his contract with the Lakers became fully guaranteed for $2.3 million on June 30. The 21-year-old has a contract that will pay him this year, with a team option to keep him until his deal expires in 2028.

In the 2025-26 campaign, his second NBA season, Bronny James averaged 2.9 points, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals in 8.9 minutes per game. He shot 40.9% from the field, 38.6% on 3-point field goals and 85.7% from the free throw line.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: LeBron James shouts out Bronny, USC medical staff in TIME 100 speech

While they were hoping for a playoff spot, the Summer League Toronto Raptors’ 99-90 victory over the Miami heat tonight won’t clinch them a top-four spot. Sharing a 3-1 record with a number of other teams, the final seeding came down to point differential, which doesn’t fall in the Raptors’ favour. The narrow margin of their previous wins and their victory tonight just won’t cut it.

While disappointing, Summer League isn’t over yet, and Toronto will play their final “consolation” game on Saturday, July 18 at a time that is to be determined.

Allen Graves continues to thrill as he led Toronto with 23-6-4. Seth Lundy also had a strong performance with 19-3-6 and is showing potential to find himself a contract somewhere. Bittle (13), Burnett (10), and Key (11) also scored in double figures. Everyone who checked in made a contribution to the stat sheet. 

Toronto was the first on the board in the first quarter and both teams went blow for blow for the 10-minute frame. Nathan Bittle opened up the scoring in the game with a long range shot. He showed his ability to make decisions  when being run off the line with an excellent start to the game. His rebounding and size continue to be his greatest assets and probably the things that will earn him a spot on the roster this year. 

Bittle is already up to 10 PTS. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/wVL7Rt1zgt

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 17, 2026

Without many stoppages, starters began to get winded with the pace of the game and timely substitutions brought back a little bit of the energy. Jamarion Sharp’s size helped create some highlight play as the frame expired:

JAMARION SHARP JUST TORE THE ROOF OFF. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/qPWPQSS7H7

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 17, 2026

In the second, Toronto was able to scratch back and build their own lead, with Seth Lundy making some more great shots we’ve become accustomed to. He stayed hot throughout the frame, knocking down shots with every opportunity he got.  

AND-ONE FROM BEYOND THE ARC. 😤 pic.twitter.com/YQgpFWcgVY

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 17, 2026

Allen Graves also started connecting from long range after struggling in the first frame from that distance. His court vision is the greatest thing that doesn’t stand out on a stat sheet. Reading who’s open and delivering great passes continue to demonstrate how he will fit in Toronto’s system. This was on full display throughout the entire first half as well

ALLEN GRAVES FROM DEEP. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/E4G230zJ0u

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 17, 2026

Toronto built a significant cushion by the midway point of the second frame, finding the bottom of the basket on almost everything, spending much of the quarter perfect from the floor. Going to the locker room, they boasted a 10 point lead. 

Miami made adjustments though, and started to fight back early on. Unlike the second, Toronto couldn’t convert anything in the first two minutes, giving up a 12-0 run for the Heat. Seth Lundy spearheading Toronto’s first points of the frame. 

SMOOTH FROM SETH. 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/nx0VARjSA9

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 17, 2026

The Raptors were able to stop the bleeding due to his shooting and scoring. Miami continued to charge back led by the tandem of Young and Tre White. Toronto had most of their leading scorers pulled from the floor at this point, once again resorting to a back and forth scoring stalemate. Tyreke Key tried to contribute, but struggled more in this matchup than his last couple games. A couple of incomplete putbacks were the lowlight from this quarter, but in the final minutes Toronto was able to pull back ahead. 

In the final frame, they were able to organize. The uncertainty and pressure to create as large a lead as possible seemed to set in. They finally built it to 10, but poor decision making and turning the ball over quickly made it disappear. This quarter was messy, with everyone making little plays that helped. The urgency wasn’t present for Toronto in the fading minutes of the match and some meandering play meant the game closed with only a nine point lead, a mere five points short of qualifying for the semifinal game.

Philadelphia is a potential destination for LeBron James this summer, and one of the city’s biggest stars just weighed in on the highly touted free-agent sweepstakes.

The Phillies’ Bryce Harper was asked where he believes James will play next season during the team’s series opener against the Mets on Thursday.

“I don’t know. I think he’s going to the Cavs. I think he’s going back home to end his career there. But you never know.

“Obviously, [the Sixers] got a couple guys over there that are fun to play with. They got Jaylen Brown. You wanna come to a crazy city and have some fun? This is it,” Harper said while mic’d up during the game.

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Bryce Harper on where LeBron will play next season pic.twitter.com/MG0b8fmr37

— ESPN (@espn) July 16, 2026

Harper is a leading figure in Philadelphia sports, so it’s only right he made a free-agent pitch for the 76ers. However, like many speculate, Harper believes the NBA’s all-time leading scorer will return to the place where it all began — Cleveland.

James discussed his free-agency decision at Fanatics Fest in New York on Thursday but remained tight-lipped on where he wants to go.

The veteran isn’t immune to the noise as fans began to voice their desired destination for James.

“Where? Where did I hear?” James said. “I heard Warriors … I heard Philly … Miami … This guy just told me to come to the Yankees.”

The 41-year-old is expected to make a decision soon, and the deal will certainly have implications for the rest of the NBA. As James weighs his options, it remains to be seen whether Harper’s prediction comes to fruition.

The Summer League Hawks had a matchup on Thursday evening against the Memphis Grizzlies that could have some huge implications. Coming into the game, the Hawks were undefeated at 3-0, while the Grizzlies were 2-1. If the Hawks won, they would automatically clinch a spot in the Summer League tournament, and even if they lost, they’d still have a chance, but it would have to be a point-differential situation.

The Hawks didn’t have Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor and Asa Newell, while Jacob Toppin (not with team), RayJ Dennis (Achilles) and Keshon Gilbert (adductor) were also out with injuries.

Starting 🖐️ for Game 4️⃣ in Vegas:

Isaiah Wong
Isaac McKneely
Kobe Johnson
Devon Higgs
Henri Veesaar

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) July 16, 2026

As for the Grizzlies, all of their players were active, which included No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer.

It’s obvious that the Hawks didn’t have their top players in this one because the first quarter was probably one of the worst ones in Summer League History. The Hawks started out the game shooting 0-6 from the field with eight turnovers, and the Grizzlies got out to an 18-0 run.

Grizzlies are playing like a team that is playing their good players, and the Hawks are playing like a team that rested their good players.

Memphis just bullying their way to easy layups.

— Kevin Chouinard (@KLChouinard) July 17, 2026

The Hawks didn’t score their first point until three minutes left in the first, and going into the second, they trailed the Grizzlies 32-2.

The good news for the Hawks is that things could only get better in the second quarter, and they did. The Grizzlies were still hot to start the quarter, but the Hawks settled in a little bit on both sides of the ball. It was the defense that stuck out the most, and Kobe Johnson had some good reps on Boozer to slow him down a little.

The Hawks went on a 9-0 run late in the quarter and cut their deficit down to as much as 23 points, but the Grizzlies got back into a groove to extend their lead again. Going into halftime, the Hawks trailed 51-22.

It was another rough start to a quarter for the Hawks, as the Grizzlies extended their lead in the third, getting whatever they wanted in the paint, while also knocking down shots from the perimeter. Throughout the game, the Hawks also lost one of their guards, as Isaac McKneely was ruled out with a right shoulder injury.

Going into the fourth, the Hawks trailed 76-42.

At this point, the Hawks were just trying to get their deficit down to less than 16 points so they could have a chance of making it to the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies were able to maintain their large lead, and the Hawks couldn’t do much to cut into it.

Isaiah Wong finished the game with 20 points, and Zeke Mayo finished with 10 points.

The Hawks will be back in action on Saturday for their consolation game.

The Nets Summer League tournament run ended in a 100-83 loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday, but not before a fourth-quarter surge nearly turned the tide. Despite trailing by 21, Brooklyn’s best was a 10-point deficit with a little more than three minutes in the fourth.

Dëmin finished the game with 21 points on 8-of-20 shooting.

Egor Dëmin looks like one of the only Nets out there semi-comfortable with the game's physicality right now. Making things happen at both ends. pic.twitter.com/Za5fsI3nRh

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) July 16, 2026

It wasn’t only Egor that sparked a little life. Brooklyn played better defense and forced five turnovers in the final five minutes — including an eight-second violation. Dëmin’s step-back jumper at the 3:31 mark brought Brooklyn within 10 points at 87-77, which was the closest they would get.

Mikel Brown Jr. was met with physicality and endured his toughest summer showing, going 3-of-15 in 27 minutes. Meanwhile, Drake Powell couldn’t carry over his recent momentum, finishing just 1-of-6. The effort was there… but the shots just didn’t fall.

With the loss, the Nets were eliminated from Summer League championship contention. However, Brooklyn’s Summer League schedule is not over — the team will play one final consolation game this weekend. 

The date, time, and opponent have yet to be announced.

For the Rockets, Bruce Thornton was the leader of the pack with 23 points, Tristen Newton added 20 points and six rebounds, and Isaiah Crawford recorded 12 points and eight rebounds before his fourth-quarter ejection.

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What’s up with Michael Porter Jr.?

Speculation is heating up. In his discussion with reporters two days ago, Sean Marks painted a positive picture of the Nets situation with Michael Porter Jr.

“I’m sure we’ll have those discussions. I think we’ve got time. There’s no immediate hurry right now with Mike. We value him a lot. He had a terrific year last year, arguably his best year as a pro. I give him a lot of credit for that,” Marks said. “It’s been great to see what Mike’s done for us. I look forward to having those discussions, and seeing what Mike can do the rest of the summer and the rest of the season.”

Marks added he won’t rush any decisions at all.

However, Chris Haynes, senior analyst for TNT, suggests that if the Nets and Porter can’t come to an agreement, a trade might be in the works.

“Michael Porter Jr’s agent…is scheduled to meet with the Brooklyn Nets…towards the tail end of summer league or at the end of summer league to begin dialogue on an extension,” said Haynes on NBA TV’s “The Association” Wednesday. “If it becomes apparent early on that an extension is not in play, then I do believe the next step will be the Brooklyn Nets and Michael Porter Jr potentially parting ways and potentially looking to move him.”

Read the full story here.

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