Category: Basketball

The Brooklyn Nets’ final Summer League game — two leagues in two states, eight total games over 16 days — wasn’t much of a contest as Brooklyn kept all of its eight contract players on the bench in street clothes vs. the winless Oklahoma City Thunder. The remaining eight players, several destined for the Long Island Nets, were enough to defeat OKC, 108-90 Sunday afternoon.

The win, which was up against the FIFA World Cup on local TV in New York, mean the Nets would finish the Las Vegas Summer League with a 3-2 record and their two leagues with five wins and three losses. The Nets played three games in the California Classic in Sacramento, winning two of them.

While Brooklyn did not get any bling in either league, the Nets experience had to have been an overall positive for the organization. Both last year’s lottery pick, Egor Demin, the No. 8 pick, and this year’s Mikel Brown Jr., the No. 6, played well and gave fans a first, if limited, limited look at the two. Their play, both individually, and strong personalities won them the nickname, “Aura Bros.”

In addition to the lottery picks, three other first rounders from last year — Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf — sat, as did the two two-ways already signed, Chaney Johnson and Tyler Bilodeau, plus the Nets other first rounder from June, Joshua Jefferson. Grant Nelson, who played for Long Island and Brooklyn last season, was a DNP as well. Although on the Summer League roster, the 7-footer was never scheduled to play in either league, recovering from a procedure to treat his jumper’s knee issue. He was seated with the team in both.

All that gave a number of young players, some with promises of Exhibit 10s and/or a job in Long Island, a chance and the Thunder were no match, with the Nets getting out in front, 37-22, at the end of the first quarter. OKC was the only winless team in Las Vegas at 0-5. Very few of their youngsters made the trip.

For Brooklyn, the big story was that Dion Brown, a 6’4” combo guard out of St. Louis, finished with a triple-double: 16 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists to go along with two steals and shooting splits of 42/67/100.

Brown, reportedly is in line for an Exhibit 1o signing. That could include an invite to Brooklyn’s training camp and preseason come October. But it basically ensures that Brown will wind up on the Long Island roster, assuming he doesn’t get other, more lucrative offers. Brown spoke post-game, saying the accomplishment is helping the transition from college shooting guard to NBA (and/or G League) point…

Brown was one of seven young Nets who wound up in double figures by game’s end. John Ukumadu , a 6’7” wing, finished with 23 points, having scored 12 early in the Nets first quarter blowout.

Also putting up numbers were former St. John’s wing Aaron Scott with 15, starting center Dain Dainja with 14 points, nine boards, three steals and three blocks. Duke Brennan, out of Villanova had 12 points as did combo guard Hunter Sallis. Dwight Murray completed the list with 10. According to reports, at least two of the group will get to sign Exhibit 10 deals: Brennan and Sallis. Don’t be surprised if Dainja with his 260-pound frame and 7’7” wingspan, winds up at Nassau Coliseum as well. Only PF Ben Humrichous didn’t reach double digits. He had six.

Teams can sign up to six Exhibit 10 deals but can only designate four players for assignment to Long Island. In the past, the Nets have signed players to Exhibit 10s, then waived them near immediately,

The high scorer for Brooklyn in the two leagues was Demin, who averaged 23.0 points in two California Classic games and 21.0 in Vegas. He finished second in the Classic and 12th in Vegas. The big difference between last year’s summer performance and this was that the 6’9.5” guard-forward was healthy and that he used his newfound muscle to drive the paint … and finish.

The next time players wearing the Nets’ black-and-white colors will take the court will be in early October for the NBA preseason. So far, only one date has been publicized: October 14 vs. the Heat in Miami.

• Box Score: Brooklyn Nets 108, Oklahoma City Thunder 90 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 108, Oklahoma City Thunder 90 (Video) – NBA

The Lakers will look a lot different when they take the floor for the 2026-27 season.

Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Walker Kessler are Lakers. Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura and LeBron James are no longer part of the franchise.

Though much has changed, one thing the Lakers can still rely on is Austin Reaves. He remains with the Lakers and is now unequivocally the No. 2 option.

Throughout his career, whether he’s coming off the bench, starting, scoring in bunches, or doing the grunt work like taking charges, Reaves has demonstrated that he’ll do what it takes to impact winning.

In a Dave McMenamin article for ESPN, Reaves discussed the dramatic changes to the Lakers and his commitment to making any sacrifices necessary for the team’s success.

“Everybody knows it’s a completely different team,” Reaves said. “There’s going to be different things asked of different people, and if that’s what JJ [Redick] and the staff asks of me, I’ll do it to the best of my ability.”

Reaves will likely remain a high-usage player and should be in a great position for a career year. LA is compensating him as a top player, and he needs to do everything that comes with that level of pay on and off the court.

However, it’s great that he is open to any scenario now, just like he’s been before.

With so many new players, this is a different era of Lakers basketball. Reaves was around when the top guys were LeBron and Anthony Davis, survived the transition to Luka Dončić and now he is a key part of LA’s future.

Later in the story, Reaves elaborated on how pumped he is about the upcoming year.

“The pieces that are coming in, I’m very excited about and I’m happy to get started today and see where it goes,” Reaves said.

So far, Reaves’ career has been steady improvement year after year. This season, he’ll have high expectations, and every Lakers fan desires an All-Star campaign from Reaves.

Based on how well he’s done so far, that’s a very realistic goal. But beyond that, Lakers head coach JJ Redick can continue to expect him to give the full effort he’s known for.

So yes, Reaves will put up some gaudy numbers and have iconic shots. But he’ll also put his body on the line as a screener. Reaves will dive on the floor fighting for a loose ball. And he’ll speak up, rally his team when the pep in their step is missing.

Reaves is a fierce competitor and will do whatever it takes to win. He’s already demonstrated this recently by taking less money so the Lakers can have some flexibility in the future to add other players.

Whether Reaves helps raise a championship banner for the Lakers remains to be seen, but if he falls short, it won’t be due to a lack of effort.

That’s something Reaves has always been willing to do, and that’s unlikely to change just because his checks have gotten bigger.

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

Cameron Carr has yet to play in a regular-season game for the Lakers and is already making a name for himself.

Isaiah Thomas, a former Lakers guard, raved about Carr’s NBA summer league performance.

“We’ve been giving a lot of praise to the top four or five picks this week, but Cam Carr has been someone I’ve seen since the [NBA draft combine],” Thomas said. “He probably had the best showing at the combine, and as you see him now, in the summer league, he’s a hooper’s hooper.”

Carr played in four games during the NBA summer league and averaged 18 points, 2.3 rebounds and one assist.

During the Lakers’ summer league opener against the Heat on July 5, Carr had an incredible debut, scoring 26 points and making four 3-pointers.

“I think he’s gonna have a real big impact on the Lakers just cause he can space the floor, he can catch and shoot, and he can put the ball on the ground and make a play for others,” Thomas said. “That’s always good when you’re a young guard coming into this league.”

“So, he’s impressed me the most out of you know, not the top guys, but still somebody in there where everybody respects this guy and his game.”

Before Carr was drafted by the Lakers with the 24th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, he played college basketball for three years at Tennessee and Baylor.

In his lone season at Baylor, Carr led the team in scoring, averaging 18.9 points per game.

Year of the Rat-line: You are optimistic, gullible, and prone to make poor decisions with money. You’re most compatible with the Diamondbacks and the Cardinals; avoid the Lakers and the Spurs.

38.5? Seems low. A little too low. The brains at FanDuel must have blown a gasket when it comes to the Phoenix Suns’ win projection.  Or maybe they tried to replace their brains with AI, and it hallucinated a team that didn’t just move Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale (and a first-round pick) for Miles Bridges and Luke Kennard.  Maybe they didn’t see Khaman go a cold 40% from three-point range in the Summer League. Maybe they missed the Brightside press releases during free agency, when Gregory sealed his key free agents like envelopes. First Collin, then Goodie, then Mark. 

Suns fans are going to start this season screaming 50 wins. I’ll be right there with them. How do the Suns not hit this over? Maybe people aren’t paying close enough attention to what the Suns are doing? 

Or maybe Suns fans are so deep into the nuances of the team they aren’t seeing the full picture? Maybe the FanDuel algorithm doesn’t factor in the value of the Gillespie, Goodwin, and Williams contracts? I’m guessing it power ranks teams then estimates the win total off of where the teams fall in their conference.

And where does FanDuel think the Suns fall in projected standings in the West?

9th. Not many 50-win teams come in 9th. There’s quite a disconnect between fan expectations and odds maker projections. You’d expect some. Not an 11-win difference. Someone is right, someone is wrong. Fans and Suns content creators are sure it’s the oddsmakers that will be on the wrong side of history.

When the first line hit Twitter, with @bet365_us coming in at 41.5 wins, the knee-jerk reaction in the Suns sphere was disbelief, and to some (me included) the line seemed a little disrespectful to what we’ve all been watching these Suns build since the KD trade. It was just last year that basically this same Suns team smashed the 30.5 line that Vegas set.

Flex in Jersey had this to say.

And then when the 38.5 FanDuel line hit, he followed up with this.

The PHNX Suns Podcast posted a video with the byline: Got Worse? Phoenix Suns disrespected by absurd win total projection.

But don’t transfer your mortgage money into your FanDuel account just yet. Enter the Rat-line. Some might also refer to it as a trap line. When you can’t think of a single reason anyone would bet on the other side of a line, that’s a reason in itself to reconsider your assumptions.

Let me give you a couple of examples from my personal fandom.

In 2017, the Nebraska Cornhuskers were hosting the Northwestern Wildcats. The Nerds from Northwestern came into Lincoln as 1.5-point dogs. On the road against a Husker team that on paper would have had a clear talent advantage. The Husker fans reacted to the line like the Suns fans are reacting to the FanDuel line. Northwestern beat the Huskers in OT.

The very next year the Huskers, with a shiny new coach, hosted 1-3 Purdue, which came into Lincoln as a 3-point dog. Husker fans couldn’t believe Vegas could make so much money yet be so stupid. The Purdon’t QB David Blough went buckwild, and the Huskers lost 42-28.

The chatter going into these games was the same as the chatter on Twitter about the Suns’ line.

“But Tom, this is different because Vegas was way off on the Suns’ win projection last year. It’s just more of the same this year.”

It’s true the Suns greatly exceeded their projections last year, and I would bet the oddsmakers are factoring that in, but maybe in the opposite way as Suns fans. Suns fans think we upgraded a 45-win team this offseason. I think the oddsmakers think we upgraded a 30-win team that won 45 games. Considering last year’s projected win total, the people at FanDuel think the team got better, 8 games better.

This isn’t financial advice. I’m a horrible gambler, and I almost never win. But I’ve lost enough to speak confidently about the dangers of these types of WTF lines. Yes, an operation like Fanduel has been tracking all the positive steps the Suns have made this offseason, but they are also considering the positive moves other teams have made. If you think the Suns belong further up the list, who do you move down?

Last year the Suns would have needed 50 wins to make the top six in the West. The Timberwolves ended up in the sixth spot with 49 wins.

The Thunder have moved pieces, including Lu Dort. The Spurs have a real conundrum with Fox standing in the way of a surging Harper and no real answers off the bench when Wemby goes down. Neither of these teams, outside of major injury issues, is falling below the Suns.

The Lakers and the Wolves made significant changes to their rosters but not any that would signal stepping back in the standings. Both of them seem to be thinking win now.

Houston has grabbed the Suns’ cape of continuity and is running with it. They won 52 games in a disappointing season last year. Should Suns fans expect them to take a step back? I wouldn’t.

If the Suns are going to move up into the top six of the conference, they are going to play like they upgraded a 45-win team. Even then, the fan bar of a top six finish might be a tough ask in the West. Even if the top teams take a step back, teams like the Trailblazers, who beat the Suns in the first Play-In game and added Ja, Golden State, who had worse injury luck than the Suns last year, and the Jazz, fresh off a successful tank, will all be improved and looking to push the Suns further down in the standings.

The Suns have some real questions about how the pieces fit. The effort is there, but that only takes you so far in a hotly contested Western Conference, and this year the element of surprise will be gone. Teams will know what to expect when they play the Suns this year.

Do I think the Suns can push for a top six seed this year? I do. I was pretty confident they would.

Until I saw that FanDuel line. Now I’m not so sure.  I know a rat-line when I see one.

Just moments before the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina was set to kick off, a Lakers champion revealed he is at the game.

Pau Gasol posted a photo of himself and his wife, Catherine McDonnell, at the game during pregame festivities.

Gasol, a native of Spain, is one of the many celebrities and former top athletes of the world watching the biggest soccer match of the year between Spain and Argentina.

Gasol is an avid soccer fan and has been a huge FC Barcelona fan. He has long admired Lionel Messi and has called him a “special player.”

Throughout this year’s tournament, Gasol has been active in watching it and has raved about watching Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.

Recently, Gasol made a major investment in soccer by investing 55 millionEuros ($62.7 million) into FC Barcelona’s top-flight women’s soccer competition, the Liga F.

Outside of his love for soccer, Gasol began his professional basketball career in Spain when he played for FC Barcelona’s basketball team from 1998 to 2001.

In 2001, Gasol was drafted by the Grizzlies with the 27th pick of the NBA draft and was later traded by the Grizzlies to the Lakers in 2008.

During his time with the Lakers, he helped Kobe Bryant win back-to-back NBA championships. In 2023, the Lakers made Gasol the 12th player in franchise history to have his number retired as his No.16 now sits alongside Bryant’s, hanging from the rafters in Crypto.com Arena.

“I feel like we got something else to go win”. That was Karl-Anthony Towns’ response when Mark Grigsby, the studio head of Infinity Ward, asked him how it felt to be a champion. At a recent Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 event that took place in a private section of the Flatiron restaurant, Aqua Roma, Towns, who’s long been known to be a Call of Duty player, was a special guest.

Towns spoke glowingly about the franchise and how he grew up playing the games all the time. Towns also revealed that he used to play a lot with his close friend, Devin Booker, and also shouted out former teammate Anthony Edwards, with whom he also used to play often.

When Tyler Bahl, the chief marketing officer at Activision, asked the big man who’s between him and the guys he mentioned were better, he answered, “Right now, D-Book,” before jokingly adding, “We were busy trying to win a championship,” to which the crowd applauded.

Towns was then asked about who plays on the Knicks. “I would say JB (Jalen Brunson), Ariel Hukporti, JC (Jordan Clarkson) here and there,” Towns said. Bahl also asked him if there was any trash talking following their gaming sessions. Surprisingly, there apparently isn’t much. He did say that they’re all just “goofy as hell”.

This is when Gigsby, who actually got his start as an animator at Infinity Ward and served as the voice actor in Call of Duty 4, asked the now champion about how it’s all felt. Towns spoke passionately about growing up as a Knicks fan and understanding just how much pain and suffering the fanbase had experienced.

“Honestly, so surreal. I grew up a Knicks fan, and I know how it is to see grief and misery in the fans’ eyes. So to give them something to cheer for, myself, as a Knicks fan, it’s kind of crazy.” Towns said, “I honestly feel as a player, I actually haven’t won a championship yet. We got something else to go win. I’m already locked in.”

The conversation then transitioned to the Knicks’ 29-point comeback. Town was asked by Bahl if any of the Knicks had heard about or known about Wu Tang Clang foreshadowing the comeback via their Knicks in five proclamation at the end of their halftime performance. He got laughs out of the crowd when he started off his reply with an honest, “I ain’t hear [expletive] about that,”. Towns did open up about what the feel of the locker room was like before the historic comeback, though.

“I just went straight to the back and started talking to everybody about how we got the experience. We knew we could win the game. I never had a doubt that we would win the game” Towns said. “We just had to start in the third quarter fast. We had to make sure we got right to work.”

One of the guests then asked the Knick if there was a song or anything that they used to get them hyped. Towns kept it a buck. “I ain’t gonna lie to you. I don’t think no music was played. I was just talking at halftime. Jose Alvarado spoke up. Mike [Brown] came into the room and was like, ‘Hey, I guess we swing for the fences.’”

He went on to elaborate that he felt like there was no way the Knicks would lose two straight at home. Towns admitted that he and the rest of the team felt like they couldn’t let the fans down and cited last year’s Celtics series as to why he was so confident.

After the Q&A, I was able to speak to Towns one-on-one for a quick conversation. I asked him how the off-season was going, how his body was feeling after the physical postseason, and how he felt about the team going forward in light of the offseason moves. Towns, as expected, still feels very good about where the team is, and as previously mentioned, was already looking ahead to what needs to be done to make it back-to-back championships.

The big man, though, did joke that it had only been four weeks given, which feels odd given the quick turnaround. He cited Brunson’s surgery, Hart’s finger, his own lingering injuries, as well as other guys’ ailments as a major reason why the guys had taken their time, which, to be fair, is very deserved. Towns then finished off our conversation joking about how he wants to go on a trip with his fiancée, Jordyn Woods, but has yet to find the time to do so. “I hope maybe next week,” he said, but also added that he doesn’t even know what he’s doing tomorrow, so it’s been difficult for him to plan the offseason.

This was all a part of an incredible evening put together by the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 team that was in the city for Fanatic Fest, which took place this weekend. The gaming franchise has now amassed 500 million copies sold and has generated over $35 billion to date. They were one of the pioneers in connecting the gaming world to the sports world when they featured Kobe Bryant in a live-action trailer for Black Ops back in 2010. Since then, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant have become playable characters in games, while championship teams like the Thunderand these Knicks have credited the games as a way to enhance chemistry and communication.

Modern Warfare’s story mode is centered around North and South Korea, as can be seen in its exciting reveal trailer. And their highly anticipated multiplayer map “Kill Block”, which was inspired by Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium’s retractable pitch, results in dynamic battlefields that change between rounds, giving players over 500 different configurations.

At Fanatic Fest, they once again represented why they are considered the bridge between sports, gaming, and even Hollywood. Inde Navarette, the actress who has blown up after her performance in the horror movie Obsession, director Peter Berg, and Durant, participated in a panel moderated by Katie Nolan, Bahl, and Grigsby. And earlier in the day, Towns was named the champion of the first-ever Call of Duty Battle of New York when he beat Josh Hart, who subbed in for Brunson, who is recovering from surgery.

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A month after the Knicks’ championship, it’s still ridiculous to think that it was the Hawks that challenged the Knicks the most. It wasn’t a 76ers team that had Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who have given the Knicks all kinds of trouble in the past. It wasn’t the Cavaliers who, at least on paper, had one of the most talented and balanced starting fives in the entire league. And no, it was not the Spurs and their generational big man who has a combination of size and talent the world has never seen before.

It was the Hawks. C.J. McCollum’s tough shot-making, Onyeka Okongwu’s two-way play, and Dyson Daniels’ defense, with just enough from Jalen Johnson, Josh Kuminga, and Nickel Alexander-Walker, were what pushed the eventual champions. On Sunday morning, the only team to take more than one game in a series against the Knicks got a little better. Shams Charania of ESPN reported that they were involved in a three-team deal that landed them former Thunder, Lu Dort, and former Maverick, Andrew Nehmbard, with Zach Risacher heading out.

But in an Eastern Conference that looks more loaded and competitive than it has in years, does this move the needle? A top eight consisting of McCollum, Alexander-Walker, Daniels, Dort, Johnson, Okongwu, Aaron Wiggins, and Jock Landale is solid. And they are definitely better than they were last season. Dort provides them with even more defense, some much-needed toughness and physicality, and championship experience. He’ll provide some great leadership for a team that is still relatively young.

The Thunder are a smart team, though. They don’t simply trade guys away whom they deem irreplaceable. Dort has played a pivotal role in the Thunder’s long journey to becoming champions. But he’s also seen some decline. Some of that has come due to the rise of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. But it’s important to note that he’s now four years removed from his career season, when he averaged 17.2 PPG. Since then, his scoring average has gone down every season, and he’s coming off a season in which he shot just 38.5% from the field and just 34.4% from three on 5.4 attempts per game.

As things stand right now , a lot of their improvements come in areas they were already good in. Their defense will be amazing, and opposing guards and wings will have a difficult time trying to score against them. And in the regular season, they should be able to skate by without a real offensive star thanks to their balance and fast-break scoring.

What should concern Hawks fans, though, is that they haven’t really improved in the areas that held them back last season. Unless Daniels and Johnson take massive steps on the offensive side of the ball, they lack the consistent offensive firepower and spacing to make a deep run. McCollum will be another year older, and he’s not a full-time point guard. Johnson can operate as a point forward during the regular season, but we saw his lack of self-creation and a midrange game render him close to useless against Josh Hart and the Knicks’ defense. Alexander-Walker was shut down by Mikal Bridges. And the Hawks still have nobody to defend Karl-Anthony Towns.

Now, the good thing for the Hawks and their fans is that they won’t be playing the Knicks every night. Not many teams have a physical big man who is as talented as Towns. Not many teams have the myriad of wing defenders that can slow down Johnson and Alexander-Walker like the Knicks do.

Atlanta should be able to perform a bit better in the regular season thanks to their offseason moves and because they’ll get to enjoy their first full season without Trae Young, with whom the Hawks were statistically worse last season. And they’ll be incredibly annoying to play against, even when their shots aren’t falling. But unless Johnson takes an incredibly large leap, this offense will struggle to generate good looks and have enough spacing when playing in the postseason.

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s cost-cutting measures continue.

Although this time, the Thunder are moving an integral piece to their contendership, and that’s all-world defender Lu Dort, who has been with the organization since signing as an undrafted rookie in 2019.

Dort is being traded from OKC to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal, per Shams Charania of ESPN.

The deal will also see the Hawks send three second-round picks to the Thunder, as well as selling off 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher to the Dallas Mavericks, who are sending Ryan Nembhard — younger brother of Indiana Pacer guard Andrew Nembhard — to Atlanta.

OKC, which also traded Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons and Aaron Wiggins to the Hawks this summer, ducked under the second apron for this coming season while adding seven second-round picks. This was a goal of theirs entering the off-season, given that Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren’s salaries were jumping from a combined $20.3 million to $83 million next season.

Dort, whose team option for $18.2 million for the 2026-27 season was accepted by the Thunder earlier this offseason, will effectively be an expiring contract for Atlanta this year, and a productive veteran on a mostly younger team.

On the court, the 27-year-old Dort — who is entering his eighth season — was fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2024-25 and named to the All-Defensive first-team.

That said, Dort won the 2025 title as a starting wing on OKC, the first since the franchise moved from Seattle following the 2007-08 season. Dort has been a fixture in OKC’s starting lineup since being a find following the 2019 NBA Draft, starting 423 of a possible 432 games in his career, along with all 54 of his playoff appearances.

Dort’s production has tailed off a bit, dropping to 8.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest and 34.4 percent shooting from three last season, down from never falling below double-digits since his rookie season, averaging 12.8 points in the five seasons prior, and as many as 17.2 with the rebuilding Thunder in 2021-22.

Atlanta already punting on Risacher is noteworthy, underscoring his underwhelming performance through two NBA seasons.

Risacher, who was second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2024-25, dropped from 12.6 to 9.6 points per game from his first two seasons, and stagnated in nearly every other category while struggling to land rotation minutes in Atlanta’s six-game playoff loss to the Knicks in Round 1 this past April.

Risacher only appeared in 22 minutes in the series, 20 of them in blowout losses.

By nature of being selected No. 1 overall, the 21-year-old French forward is due to make $13.8 million this season, which will increase to $17.4 million in 2027-28 if his fourth-year option is picked up by the Mavericks, the deadline of which will be on October 31.

The last No. 1 overall pick to have their fourth-year option declined was famous draft bust Anthony Bennett from the similarly lackluster 2013 NBA Draft class.

The last No. 1 overall pick who was given up on after two seasons did see his fourth-year option picked up: former 76er-turned-Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz, the top pick in 2017. With Fultz, his struggles were primarily due to injuries, and his fourth-year salary was $12.2 million in a non-second-apron era.

The aforementioned younger Nembhard proved to be a productive NBA player as an undrafted rookie last season, averaging 6.6 points and 5.3 assists while hitting 35.6 percent from deep, and even starting 27 of his 60 appearances for the Mavs.

Nembhard initially played on a two-way contract but was converted to a standard deal during the season. He will make $2.15 million in 2026-27 before entering free agency after the season.

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The Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies face off tonight in the 2026 NBA Summer League Championship.

My Warriors vs. Grizzlies predictions pick Memphis to get the job done in a high-scoring matchup.

Find out why in my NBA Summer League picks for Sunday, July 19.

Warriors vs Grizzlies predictions for July 19

Pick
Grizzlies -3.5	-108
/ Over 181.5	-104

Who will win Warriors vs Grizzlies tonight: Grizzlies -3.5 (-108 at Kalshi)

The Memphis Grizzlies came into the 2026 Summer League with sky-high expectations and arguably the deepest and most talented roster. They met those expectations, and tonight, they’ll bring home a championship.

Both teams are 4-1, but the Grizzlies have dominated opponents in a way the Golden State Warriors haven’t. Golden State is +31 through five games, and Memphis is +51. The Warriors’ only loss was a 19-point beatdown at the hands of the Grizzlies.

Four of Memphis’ five starters saw multiple starts in the NBA last season, and both Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Taylor Hendricks have played over 100 NBA games in their three-year careers.

Leading scorer Cedric Coward made the All-Rookie First Team a season ago, and No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer has impressed with averages of 18.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.8 steals.

Memphis has scored more points on offense and allowed fewer points on defense than Golden State in Summer League play, and the talent, experience, and cohesiveness of this team give it a clear edge.

Warriors vs Grizzlies Over/Under pick: Over 181.5 (-104 at Kalshi)

Two of the best offenses in SL clash tonight, and that should result in plenty of buckets. At 97.6 ppg, the Grizzlies rank fourth in scoring, and the Warriors rank 10th at 93.8. Both teams rank in the Top 12 in FG%, 3PT%, offensive rebounds, assists, and fewest turnovers.

Golden State has gone Over 181.5 in three of its five games, while Memphis has done so four times. When they met on July 14, the teams combined for 191 points.

Four of Memphis’ five starters are averaging 14+ points, and Golden State has a number of capable scorers and plenty of 3-point shooting to boost the final score. 

How to watch Warriors vs Grizzlies

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College athletics have long been finished; the New York Knicks and Carolina Hurricanes are already champions; the only NFL news is Travis Kelce’s wedding and the dreaded dog days of baseball are upon us. The FIFA World Cup has provided a lone lifeline to sports fans.

Yet, for the sports psychos who need a little bit more than the drama of the greatest soccer player of all time and a Spaniard destined to stand beside him, the NBA Summer League has delivered a competitive spark. College basketball stars and the promising youth of the NBA have clashed every night over the past couple of weeks. From AJ Dybantsa to Nick Martinelli, basketball is very much alive in Las Vegas.

Northwestern had four alumni play in the Summer League during July, all of whom hoped to secure guaranteed roster spots and possibly even minutes on NBA courts this upcoming season. Here’s how the Wildcat quartet fared.

Today is the last day of Summer League. The championship between the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies is at 8 p.m. CT. Brooks Barnhizer plays for the Thunder at 4:30 p.m. CT.

Pete Nance (Milwaukee Bucks): B

Following a productive four-year career at Northwestern and a final season at North Carolina, Nance went undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft and signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He struggled to find playing time in the NBA until last season with the Bucks, when he appeared in 47 games. Nance entered this year’s Summer League on a minimum contract with the Bucks with a team option for next season.

Nance didn’t appear in any of the Bucks’ first three games as part of the California Classic earlier this month, but received a starting spot upon meeting the rest of the association in Las Vegas and shined immediately. In his debut, Nance led the Bucks in scoring with 16 points on 60% shooting from the field and four 3-pointers. He followed that up with eight points, five rebounds and five assists against the San Antonio Spurs and seven points and three rebounds against the Phoenix Suns.

In the Bucks’ first win in Las Vegas, Nance played 27 minutes and had 11 points and four assists against the Charlotte Hornets. His plus-minus was a team-high plus 25, and he added three makes from beyond the arc. Nance capped off his Summer League with another 11 points and three 3-pointers in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Across the Bucks’ five games, Nance averaged 11 points and 3.8 rebounds on 49% shooting from the field and made over 2.5 threes per game. It’s always hard to draw conclusions based upon Summer League results, but Nance’s consistent all-around performances and hot hand from long range should ensure a spot on a weakened Bucks roster this upcoming season. The size and shooting ability that Nance showcased should excite Milwaukee’s front office, as he could be an incredibly useful depth guy off the bench.

Boo Buie (Chicago Bulls): C-

Despite Buie taking Northwestern basketball to new heights and scoring over 2,000 points during his time in Evanston, he’s struggled to find a home in the NBA. After going undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft and bouncing around G League teams, Buie was signed by the Bulls for the Summer League and hoped to make an impact on another Illinois team.

Buie scored two points in three minutes in the Bulls’ first Summer League game, but seemingly did enough to impress the coaching staff to warrant more playing time. He played 14 minutes in game two but struggled to shoot and finished with three points on 20% shooting from the field. Buie’s third attempt was more of the same, as his lack of size led to turnover issues and defensive lapses.

The Bulls’ fourth summer league game was Buie’s best performance, as he scored 12 points in his 19 minutes played. He also made all five of his free throw attempts and had three assists. Buie netted two triples in his fifth game, but his overall struggles continued as the Bulls dropped to 1-4.

In an overall Summer League performance he’d love to have back, Buie averaged 5.6 points on 27% shooting from the field across his five games. It’s difficult to predict what the future holds for Buie, but it’s hard to envision the Bulls or any other team giving him an NBA opportunity this season.

Brooks Barnhizer (Oklahoma City Thunder): B+

Barnhizer was drafted 44th overall by the Thunder in the 2025 NBA Draft and showed real promise in his rookie season’s 40-game sample size. Barnhizer is on a two-way contract for the upcoming season and hopes to use Summer League to expand his role within a crowded Thunder rotation.

Oklahoma City began the month in Utah against the Grizzlies. Barnhizer started the first game and scored 13 points on 50% shooting from the field with six rebounds. He struggled to shoot the ball in the second game but contributed 13 rebounds before putting up 15 points and 10 boards in game three. Barnhizer’s impact is evident in his finishing the third game with a plus-1 rating, despite his team losing by 34 points.

In the Thunder’s first game in Las Vegas, Barnhizer led the team in scoring and rebounding with 12 points and 10 rebounds. His second game was quieter, but on night three, Barnhizer had 12 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in a close loss to the Denver Nuggets. The Thunder’s fourth game in Las Vegas was Barnhizer’s best performance of the entire month of July, as he once again led the team in scoring and rebounding with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Barnhizer looked like a man amongst boys in the game against the Dallas Mavericks and truly showed the steps he’s taken.

The Thunder have one more game to play, but Barnhizer averaged 11.9 points and 9.6 rebounds on 41% shooting from the field across his first seven Summer League games. Barnhizer’s efficiency could have been better, but he started every game and was the one consistent option on both ends of the floor for a Thunder team that didn’t win a game. It will be hard for him to see consistent NBA minutes next season on such a loaded depth chart, but he proved once again his two-way skills and value on the court. Barnhizer will be ready when his opportunity finally comes.

Nick Martinelli (Los Angeles Clippers): A

Martinelli was drafted by the Clippers with the 55th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and signed a two-year, two-way contract. Though the guarantees in his contract give Martinelli some stability, his competitive nature compelled him to take Summer League by storm.

The Clippers started in Las Vegas, and Martinelli debuted with 11 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench in a losing effort. However, he wouldn’t let his team lose twice in a row and bounced back to lead the Clippers to their first win against the Utah Jazz, scoring 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field.

He struggled to 12 points and 10 rebounds in game three, and then put together his Magnum Opus in a blowout over the Wizards. Rewarded with the starting spot for his effective play, Martinelli had 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field with three makes from beyond the arc. He also had five rebounds, two steals and finished the game as a plus-13. The two-way impact was undeniable; his energy was consistent and contagious. As he did so many times in a Northwestern jersey, Martinelli made his teammates better and inspired the win in Las Vegas.

The Clippers’ third win of Summer League featured more highly efficient scoring from Martinelli, as he had 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting to go along with six rebounds. Martinelli’s plus-15 plus-minus compelled his team to an overtime win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, capping off a tremendous Summer League effort.

Martinelli averaged 14.8 points and 6.4 rebounds on over 60% shooting from the field across his five Summer League games. He proved to be a reliable threat on the offensive end, an above-average rebounder and a defender capable of standing his ground in the paint and on the perimeter. If Martinelli can continue to develop his long-range shot, he should grow into a valuable sixth or seventh man with the ability to change the tide of games. One couldn’t have asked for much more from the 55th pick in the draft as he’s already begun his campaign to make the 29 other front offices look silly.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are trading Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team trade, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Sunday, July 19.

OKC gets back three second-round draft picks from the Hawks in exchange for Dort; Atlanta is also sending guard Ryan Nembard to the Dallas Mavericks for former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher.

With this trade, the Thunder have now acquired seven second-round picks this offseason after previously trading Aaron Wiggins to the Hawks and Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons for two second-round picks apiece. Dort had a $17.7 million team option and rather than declining it to save cap space and let him walk for nothing, general manager Sam Presti decided to pick it up and get some value for the first-team All-Defensive wing.

Now, Dort is in a position to get the long-term contract he wouldn't have been able to in OKC and will reunite with Wiggins in Atlanta, where he projects as an ideal defensive fit alongside Dyson Daniels and Nickiell Alexander-Walker.

BREAKING: The Oklahoma City Thunder trading All-Defensive wing Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal that sends three second-round picks to OKC, former No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher to the Dallas Mavericks and Ryan Nembhard to Atlanta, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/4ewUxhRQA5

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 19, 2026

Dallas had been previously linked to Risacher at the 2026 trade deadline when his name came up as a possible candidate for an Anthony Davis trade, though his hand surgery ended up nixing any interest the Hawks had in a deal and the Mavs ended up sending Davis to the Washington Wizards instead.

In seven seasons since arriving in OKC as an undrafted free agent, Dort averaged 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists while establishing himself as one of the NBA's premier perimeter defenders.

More: Where will LeBron James play this season? Picks, predictions for next team

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

In both the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League, Lakers fans had plenty to be excited about.

The team won two out of their three games in San Francisco. In Las Vegas, they went undefeated during their first four games, advancing to the elimination round.

The Lakers lost to the Warriors and failed to advance to the title game, but in Summer League, the most important thing is seeing potential in young prospects.

From that perspective, LA got everything they wanted from Summer League. Cameron Carr averaged 18 points per game and had a plus-minus of +9 in Las Vegas. Adou Thiero looked like a second-year player ready to put Summer League play in his rearview mirror. He averaged 15.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

With Carr and Thiero playing so well, the Lakers appear to have two young players on their roster that can impact winning this fall.

For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans which player they are most excited about after this Summer League between Carr and Thiero, and the Lakers rookie won the poll by a wide margin.

Carr did it all in Summer League. He was a great scorer for the Lakers and also a vocal leader. He was talking trash on the court and letting all the opponents know he was here to play. His game backed up that chatter, and he kept that energy during his postgame interviews.

Everything fans wanted to see from Carr, he showed. He was creating on-ball, scoring big-time buckets, competing hard on defense and blocking shots.

While Carr was great, Thiero was equally impressive.

He had some monster dunks, displayed his ability as an on-ball creator and showed that he could be a good athletic wing option for the Lakers this upcoming season.

With Carr and Thiero shining, Chris Mañon being a defensive menace, and Arthur Kaluma making a case for a two-way deal, the Lakers had a very successful Summer League.

They did a ton of winning and gave Lakers fans optimism that these young players will be an important part of the future.

The next time we see Carr and Thiero play will be during preseason action. Hopefully they look just as promising this fall as they did in Las Vegas and San Francisco this summer.

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

The Oklahoma City Thunder have traded one of the foundational players from their 2025 NBA championship run in an effort to trim payroll and stay out of the dreaded second apron. The Thunder traded Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal that also sends former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher to the Dallas Mavericks, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. Here’s the full breakdown of the trade:

Thunder acquire: Three future second-round picks

Hawks acquire: Lu Dort, Ryan Nembhard

Mavericks acquire: Zaccharie Risacher

The Thunder have reportedly saved $224 million in luxury tax and payroll this season by trading Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe. OKC is now under the second apron, and they are acquiring a 2027 second rounder from the Chicago Bulls (via Dallas), a 2031 most favorable second rounder from the Hawks, and a 2032 most favorable from the Hawks in the deal, according to Jake Fischer. Atlanta has added another bulldog defender on the perimeter, and the Mavs are taking a flier on a failed No. 1 overall pick.

Let’s grade this trade from every side.

Hawks trade grade for Lu Dort deal

Atlanta found some magic after trading Trae Young to the Washington Wizards in January of last season. The Hawks finished 28-15 after the trade with the league’s No. 8 net-rating at +4.9, then proceeded to take two games off the New York Knicks in the first-round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

In landing Dort, Atlanta adds another bulldog perimeter defender to pair with fDyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Dort is on an expiring $18.2 million deal for the 2026-27 season, which means the Hawks maintain a lot of cap flexibility ahead of the next summer. The Hawks are positioned to have $40+ million in cap space next season according to Charania, and they’re going to be very annoying to play against this year with arguably the league’s toughest defensive trio on the perimeter.

It feels like Atlanta has quietly become one of the best-run teams in the league since promoting Onsi Saleh to lead executive. The Hawks added Kingston Flemings via the brilliant Derik Queen trade, re-signed C.J. McCollum to a smart one-year deal, and added Devin Carter and Aaron Wiggins in trades. Risacher was drafted by the old front office, and he clearly wasn’t part of the Hawks’ long-term plans. Moving off him now seems fine to me given that he was set to make $31.2 million over the next two years. Atlanta is clearly loading up on defense around star forward Jalen Johnson, and they have the assets to make a bigger splash a year from now.

Dort is so physical defensively that he’s a borderline dirty player, and that might be putting it charitably. The East has gotten much stronger this summer, but no one will want to play the Hawks this year.

Grade: A-

Thunder trade grades for Lu Dort deal

Sam Presti always has a long-term vision in mind. He moved off Josh Giddey before he was due for an extension, and added a critical piece to a championship team in Alex Caruso in the process. Now he’s dealing Dort to significantly trim OKC’s tax bill, and potentially open up an extension for Cason Wallace.

The Thunder were always going to be very expensive once the extensions for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren all kicked in. Presti has done well to navigate the second apron as a small market team by moving off role players, replacing them with cost-controlled draft picks, and adding more future assets to potentially make more moves in the future.

The Thunder were the No. 1 team in our way-too-early power rankings. To get back to being a championship team, OKC will need Williams and Holmgren to regain the form they showed on the 2025 title run. In many ways, this team has outgrown Dort. Wallace feels like a more dynamic two-way player, and this also potentially opens up more opportunities for Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, Nikola Topic, and rookie Bennett Stirtz.

Presti isn’t perfect, it just feels that way sometimes. This is pretty good business to move off Dort, add some second-round picks, and maintain flexibility going forward.

Grade: A-

Mavericks trade grades for Zaccharie Risacher deal

Risacher was a pretty shocking No. 1 overall pick from the weak 2024 NBA Draft. I didn’t even have him as a top-10 prospect on my final board, though I shouldn’t exactly be taking a victory lap on that one given that I had plenty of bad calls on my board that year. ESPN was pushing Risacher as the No. 1 overall pick prospect that year. New Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz started his career covering the draft for ESPN, so it isn’t too surprising that Schmitz saw him as a possible reclamation project.

Risacher was always a bet on a 3-and-D wing. So far, he hasn’t been too impressive in either area. Risacher’s defense graded out in the 26th percentile on EPM last season, and he’s a 36 percent three-point shooter on 8.5 attempts per 100 possessions for his career. Risacher offers very little shot-creation or playmaking. He’s not a plus rebounder for his position, either, and his scoring efficiency has been below league-average both years of his career.

Still, he’s only 21 years old, and could benefit from a change of scenery. He could be a good fit next to Cooper Flagg long-term if he actually becomes effective in the 3-and-D areas he’s supposed to be good at, and he’s already a pretty solid transition player who should run the floor well. I’ve never been a big fan of Risacher, but there’s an outline of a good player there, and the Mavs certainly bought very low on him in this deal. Schmitz knows what he’s doing, and if he believes in Risacher’s long-term future, then this is a fine flier to take at minimal cost.

Grade: B