Category: Basketball

Despite the Toronto Raptors’ proven track record in the first round of the draft, the selection of Allen Graves at No. 19 in the 2026 NBA Draft was met with confusion, annoyance, and uncertainty.

Several analysts, fans, and personal group chats had already convinced themselves of what ‘type’ of player the Raptors should target. Instead, General Manager and Vice-President Bobby Webster doubled down on his front-office believed translates to a playoff environment.

Graves’ early returns after Summer League are sparkling and have caused a handful of critics to look back on their own scouting reports to unearth what they could’ve missed.

After four Summer League games, the fascinating jumbo-wing is averaging 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Graves also chipped in 3.3 stocks (steals and blocks) while shooting 50 per cent from three.

With one matchup remaining against the Denver Nuggets on July 19, expect Graves to continue building on his momentum leading into his first pre-season with the organization. Raptors fans can continue to voice their opinions ahead of the upcoming season on FanDuel.

The Knicks lost their backup center, but took a low-risk flier in search of a replacement, signing restricted free agent Moussa Cisse to an offer sheet.

In a move first reported by The Stein Line and confirmed by The Post, the Knicks signed local product Cisse to a two-year offer sheet Saturday. Dallas will have 48 hours to match it, until 11:59 p.m. Monday.

Cisse’s salary will be half guaranteed this season, and nonguaranteed in 2027-28.

It would become fully guaranteed Oct. 1, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

The Knicks had let backup center Mitchell Robinson walk to the rival Boston Celtics in an effort to duck the punitive second apron.

They signed hulking veteran Andre Drummond, but the reigning champions have still been searching for ways to improve around the margins, targeting for an athletic young big.

After sniffing around Charlotte’s Moussa Diabaté and New Orleans shot-blocker Yves Missi on the trade market, they turned to the 23-year-old Cisse, who had eight games last season of at least five rebounds.

After growing up playing soccer in Conakry, Guinea, Cisse moved to New York when he was 14.

He started playing his high school basketball at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark (N.J.) alongside former Knick Precious Achiuwa.

He then moved on to Christ the King in Queens, leading them to the Class AA state title game.

Cisse impressed in his lone outing against the Knicks last season, with 15 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in just 20 minutes.

Now he’s signed an offer sheet with the Knicks, and could be on the brink of a homecoming of sorts, if the Mavericks don’t match the offer.

We had overused the basketball witticism, “He can jump out of the gym” to the point that it had lost all meaning.

Then Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu materialized before us, as if from thin air, on the Dallas Mavericks Summer League roster, to remind us what jumping out of the gym really looks like.

You can’t overthrow this guy on a lob. Believe me, Sergio de Larrea and Vsevolod Ishchenko have tried on several occasions over the course of the four games Akobundu-Ehiogu has played with the Summer Mavs.

His standing vertical is said to be better than 41 inches, and his maximum vertical has been measured at 48 inches. Already standing 6’10”, that makes him one of the highest flyers the basketball-watching audience has ever seen.

“My mom was 5’8” and my dad was short,“ Akobundu-Ehiogu said in a video for something called Whistle Sports back in 2022. ”It doesn’t make any sense.“

Dallas has been a big part of his sidewinding journey in and out of the game of basketball, and not just because he’s become a Summer League sideshow this year while wearing a Mavericks uniform. He was born in Imo, Nigeria, near Lagos, where he spent his early childhood, before his parents both passed within the span of 11 months, according to a report from WATN-TV.

Akobundu-Ehiogu was just six years old at the time. An aunt who was living in Mesquite brought him and his siblings over to live with her and began the years-long process of officially adopting them.

He didn’t start playing basketball until less than three weeks before tryouts for the seventh-grade team. He was just 5’4” at the time, but would grow more than 14 inches over the next five years, until he stood 6’6” entering his senior year of high school at Mesquite Poteet.

His only offer after high school was to play for a tiny private Christian school just south of Dallas in Waxahachie. It was then called Southwestern Assembly of God University (SAGU), but it now called Nelson University. He played for one season there before telling his coach he wouldn’t return for a second year, because his dream was to play for a Division 1 program. He suffered a Jones fracture in his foot toward the end of the year. He said in the video above that he broke his foot while playing ball in the rec center at SAGU after informing his coach he wouldn’t be back.

It’s important to note here just how sparingly he was used in 2018-19, his freshman season at SAGU. His season-high point total was just seven points. He appeared in 25 games.

His name means “patience” — though that virtue seemed to elude Akobundu-Ehiogu as he kicked and scratched for his place in the game of basketball. The D1 offers were not piling in. He was going to go find one.

This part is somewhat murky, but here or soon after enters one Mike Schmitz. Then a mere NBA Draft analyst, Schmitz would receive his own big break in the game years later when he grappled his way into a front office position with the Portland Trail Blazers. He’s now, of course, the Mavericks’ general manager under Masai Ujiri.

Somehow, after that stint at SAGU, Akobundu-Ehiogu ended up at UT Arlington for the 2020-21 season. He did not play anywhere the prior year, instead working with a trainer with a focus on coming back from the broken foot. He reportedly worked at Home Depot while taking a couple of classes at Collin College to improve his academic transcript before he could transfer in. Can you imagine the value he must have held to his Home Depot coworkers, standing 6’10” with a 7’4” wingspan?

Akobundu-Ehiogu would average 3.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and a jaw-dropping 3.3 blocks per game in the Sun Belt Conference in his redshirt sophomore season at UTA.

Word has it that Schmitz was already onto Akobundu-Ehiogu at the time. Word is that Schmitz knew someone at UT Arlington, and word is that connections were made. Whatever the case may be, Schmitz was interested enough in Akobundu-Ehiogu a year later to descend upon the basketball mecca of Arlington a year later to see the athletic specimen in person.

The timestamp on that post reads Nov. 1, 2021. If you cross-reference the UTA men’s basketball schedule for the 2021-22 season, you’ll see there was no game that night. That means that Schmitz was in the College Park Center, where the Dallas Wings now play, likely for a preseason scrimmage. That’s an incredibly high level of interest in an extreme far-fringe prospect, but it would come back around less than five years later, when Akobundu-Ehiogu was selected as a member of the Summer Mavs.

But first, he played two years at UTA, then another at Memphis, under Penny Hardaway. In those three seasons combined, he had a block rate of close to 17%. After that, he played in Europe for four seasons, with a Summer League stint for the Denver Nuggets squoze in last year.

If you find yourself asking whether Akobundu-Ehiogu is simply benefiting from the passing genius of the young Spaniard de Larrea or if there is some there there with his game, I’d bet on Akobundu-Ehiogu at least breaking through this year into a roster spot with the Mavericks’ G-League Affiliate the Texas Legends.

Schmitz’s whole energy as an analyst, a scout and now a prominent member of the Mavs’ front office has screamed, “I know something you don’t know” at every turn. He clearly believes in this guy, even though his offensive game clearly still needs a couple of levels of graduation. Add in the fact that the Mavericks are being put to a decision on whether or not to match the offer sheet restricted free agent center Moussa Cisse signed with the New York Knicks on Saturday, and there might be room for Akobundu-Ehiogu in the organization.

The Mavs have until Monday to decide whether to match New York’s offer to Cisse, but even if they do bring Cisse back, giving Akobundu-Ehiogu an opportunity to develop for one more year in the G League may be just what Schmitz was after all along.

Do not be surprised if the highlight dunks we’ve become acquainted with during Summer League play become old hat if Akobundu-Ehiogu spends a year in Dallas with the Legends.

If he can pull it off, it will be a remarkable full-circle moment for a kid from Nigeria whose world travels in the game of basketball have always been routed through Dallas.

Perhaps it’s kismet. Maybe Kao is meant to be here. Maybe Schmitz knew it all along.

The New York Knicks are bringing back most of their championship roster to the team next season, with one glaring exception.

Mitchell Robinson, the longest-tenured member of the team, left New York after eight seasons to sign with the rival Boston Celtics in free agency. Bleacher Report contributor Grant Hughes believes losing Robinson is a downgrade for New York.

“Mitchell Robinson, a more prominent rotation piece than any of the Knicks’ retentions, was the one that got away,” Hughes wrote.

“He’ll play for the Celtics next season in the first year of a three-year deal worth $47.4 million.

“The Knicks didn’t have to let him go, and there’s a good chance they’ll miss his elite offensive rebounding and defensive force. Sure, health concerns and the foul-shooting struggles that rendered Robinson occasionally unplayable during the title run loom large. But it’s nonetheless disappointing to watch a defending champion lose a critical piece over money.”

Robinson was offered far more than the Knicks were willing to spend, which ultimately led him to leave the team. In his place, Andre Drummond steps in for his 15th NBA season. Drummond was a two-time All-Star with the Detroit Pistons back in 2016 and 2018, but he has been primarily a backup since leaving the Pistons in 2020.

Drummond will be asked to step up to the plate with Robinson no longer on the roster, but it’s clear that the team is not getting the same amount of value.

We’re about to find out exactly how valuable Robinson was to the Knicks. It showed a lot in this past season when he was healthy and the team’s best rim protector, but replacing him with Drummond could have long-term effects that could prevent the Knicks from repeating as champions.

P&T community, how do you feel about swapping out Robinson for Drummond? Let us know in the comments section below.

It feels like it’s 2010 all over again in the NBA.

LeBron James is still trying to figure out where he will take his talents next season, while the rest of the NBA is waiting on the future Hall of Famer to make his decision.

Notably, before James joined the Heat in 2010, which led to the assembly of the “Big Three” made up of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, James had the NBA on pause until he decided where he would play next.

Earlier this week, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league is waiting for James to make his decision because it will affect the NBA schedule, including opening week and Christmas Day.

At Fanatics Fest on Thursday, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton was a guest on James’ podcast “Mind The Game” and told James he should announce his decision to the 5,000 in attendance. James said, “We don’t have an announcement to make just yet.”

During Day 2 of the event Friday, James dropped his biggest hint of free agency as he had 76ers fans riled up by saying, “Most important is I want to compete. I want to compete at a high level. I want to join a franchise that kind of shares the same motto as myself and that’s practicing championship habits every day but trusting the process more than anything.”

Once James said “trust the process,” 76ers fans in attendance reacted with a mix of boos and cheers at the New York event.

James said he’s been saying “trust the process” since he entered the NBA as a rookie in 2003.

The term “trust the process” was coined by the 76ers in 2013 and picked up by Joel Embiid after he joined the franchise in 2016.

James later on joked about the phrase and said he wasn’t even sure if Embiid was even born when he first said it in 2003.

Philadelphia has had one of the better offseasons in the NBA after it traded Paul George and two first-round picks and two second-round picks to Boston for Jaylen Brown.

The 76ers could look to make another splash by pursuing James. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported on Tuesday that Embiid, Brown and Tyrese Maxey have all been in communication with James and have been attempting to recruit him to Philadelphia.

Based on James’ recent comments about his desire to win as he is set to enter his 24th season in the league, while turning 42 later this year, Philadelphia could be a perfect destination to help him land his fifth NBA title.

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Boston Celtics (3-1)  vs  Orlando Magic (3-1)
Saturday,  July 18, 2026
4:30 PM ET
Summer League Game #5
TV:  NBCSB, Prime Video
Thomas and Mack Center

Both of these teams have played 4 games so far in Summer League as neither team played in Salt Lake City or California prior to Las Vegas. Both teams are 3-1 in Las Vegas. The Magic lost their first game to Charlotte and then won their next three over Miami, Portland and Philadelphia. The Celtics beat Toronto, Charlotte, and Sacramento but lost to Atlanta.

The Celtics are coached by Amile Jefferson. Jefferson was named Director of Player Development for the Duke Blue Devils in 2021. He was promoted to assistant coach at Duke for the 2022-23 season. In 2023, Jefferson became an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics under head coach Joe Mazzulla. Jefferson played with Jayson Tatum at Duke and he played for the Celtics on an Exhibit 10 contract before being hired as an assistant coach.

The Magic are coached by DJ Bakker. He started his coaching career as a video coordinator for the Bulls in the 2009-10 season. Then he was hires as a scout for the Magic for thr 2013-14 season. He then was the player development coach for the Mavericks for the 2015-16 season. From 2016-2018, he was the player development coach for the Raptors. From 2018-2020, he was the player development coach for the Pistons. And from 2020-2023 he was an assistant coach for the Pistons and for the 2021-22 season, he was the head coach for the Motor City Cruise. He was a Bucks assistant coach for the 2023-24 season and from 2024-2026, He was an assistant coach for the Hornets and head coach for the Greensboro Swarm. He was hired in June as an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic.

The Celtics are averaging 41.3 rebounds per game while the Magic are averaging 35.5rebounds per game. The Celtics need to continue to crash the boards and beat the Magic to rebounds. The Celtics are turning the ball over 17.3 times per game while the Magic are averaging 19.3 turnovers per game. It’s not unusual for Summer League teams to turn the ball over a lot because of limited playing time together. The Celtics could help themselves if they could take better care of the basketball.

The Celtics as a whole have not shot the ball very well, but they were able to play enough defense to get wins in 3 games. The Celtics are shooting 37.4% from the field and 31.4% from beyond the arc. The Magic are shooting 49.4% from the field and 39.5% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to continue to play good defense to slow down the Magic’s offense.

The Magic is the more experienced team in this match-up, They have one player with 6 years of experience, 2 players with 4 years experience, 3 players with 3 years experience, 2 players with 2 years experience, 4 players with 1 year experience and 8 rookies. The Celtics, on the other hand, have 13 rookies, 2 players with 1 year experience and 1 player with 3 years experience.

Celtics Summer League Roster
Mohammad Amini #54 R
Chris Cenac, Jr #12  R
Tucker DeVries  #41 R
Hugo Gonzalez #28  1
Caleb Grill #37  R
Curtis Jones #26 R
Kyle Mangas #43  R
Dillon Mitchell #20 R
Hank Morgan #51  R
Nick Pringle #40  R
Day Day  Thomas  #38  R
John Tonje #8  R
Milos Uzan #29  R
Chauncey Wiggins #50  R
Alondes Williams #46   3
Amari Williams #77 1

Head Coach
Amile Jefferson

Starters in 1st 2 games
Curtis Jones, John Tonje,  Hugo Gonzalez, Dillon Mitchell, and Amari Williams

Starters in 3rd game
Curtis Jones, John Tonje, Tucker DeVries, Dillon Mitchell, and Chris Cenac, Jr

Starters Game 4
Milos Uzan, John Tonje, Hugo Gonzalez, Tucker DeVries, Amari Williams

Celtics Players to Watch

Hugo Gonzalez – Hugo was the 28th pick in last year’s draft.  In last year’s Summer League,  he averaged 10.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.  He averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 14 minutes per game last season.  His +11.9 rating was the highest for any rookie that played at least 100 minutes.  So far in Summer League he is averaging 15.5 points, 8 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 31.8% from the field and 25.9% from beyond the arc. 

Dillon Mitchell – Mitchell is a 4 year college player who was drafted with the 40th pick.  He is 6’8″ with a 6’10” wingspan. He is a super athlete, good finisher, rebounder and defender.  He averaged 8.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game over 37 games with 25 starts last year.  He was named to All Big East 3rd team and Big East All Defensive team.     In the first 4 games, he is averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 47.2% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc. 

John Tonje  – Tonje came to the Celtics as a 2-way player from Utah in the Chris Boucher trade at last year’s deadline.  At the end of last season, his contract was converted to a standard contract.  His option wasn’t picked up this season but the way he has played in Summer League, he is earning at least a 2 way contract again.   He has started all 4 games so far and is averaging 15 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.5 assist, and 1.3 steals while shooting 47.6% from the field and 46.2% from beyond the arc. 

Amari Williams – Amari was the 46th pick in last year’s draft.  He spent most of last season on a 2-way deal but was converted to a standard contract at the end of last season.  He averaged 1.4 points, and 1.8 rebounds in 6.6 minutes with Boston last year.  He averaged 15.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.8 blocks with Maine last season.  He has already been signed to a 2-way contract for this season.  He is averaging 11.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.7 blocks while shooting 55% from the field with no 3’s.   

Orlando Magic Roster
Ricky Council IV  #7  2
DJ Armstrong  #10  R
Jase Richardson  #11  1
Ace Baldwin, Jr  #12  R
Colin Castleton  #14  3
Ty Ty Washington, Jr  #15, 4
Tre Holloman  #16   R
Keon Johnson #17  4
CJ Elleby   #18 
Phillip Wheeler   #20  1
Lester Quinones  #24  3
Izaiyah Nelson   #25   R
Johnell Davis   #28  R
Alex Morales  #30   1
Hunter Tyson  #31   3
Cam Reddish  #33   6
Malik  Reneau  #42  R
Mike Sharavjamts   #44  R
Will Baker  #45   R
Noah Penda  #93   1

Magic Starters Games 1,2 and 4
Jase Richardson, Lester Quinones, Alex Morales, Noah Penda, and Colin Castelton

Magic Starters Game 3
Ty Ty Washington, Lester Quinones, Alex Morales, Phillip Wheeler and Colin Castleton

Magic Players to Watch

Jase Richardson –  After spending 1 year at Michigan State, Richardson became the 25th pick of the Orlando Magic in the 2025 draft.  In 18.9 minutes, he averaged 4.4 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists  while shooting 47.3% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc.  He is the son of former NBA player Jason Richardson.  In Summer League, he is averaging 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 steals while shooting 54.1% from the field and 50.3% from beyond the arc. 

Lester Quinones  –  Quinones was a 3 year player at Memphis before going undrafted in the 2022 draft.  He has played for the Santa Cruz Warriors and the Birmingham Squadron of the G-League and has signed 2-way contracts with the Warriors, 76ers and Pelicans.  In 4 games so far in Summer League, he is averaging 16.3 points, 3.8 reebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal while shooting 51.2% from the field and 47.6% from beyond the arc. 

Noah Penda – Penda is a French player who was drafted by the Celtics in 2025 but traded to the Magic on draft night.  He played 59 games for the Magic last season, averaging 3.8 points. 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 12.8 minutes per game.  He shot 40.4% from the field and 32.3% from beyond the arc.   So far in Summer League, he is averaging 15 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 56% from the field and 47.1% from beyond the arc. 

Colin Castleton –  Castelton was a 5 year college player between Michigan and Florida. He went undrafted in 2023.  He has played for the Lakers, Memphis, Toronto, Philadelphia and Orlando.  He has also played for the South Bay Lakers, Memphis Hustle, Raptors 905 and Osceola Magic of the G-League.  He averaged 3.3 points, and 3.1 rebounds over his career, while shooting 47.9% from the field and 12.5% from beyond the arc. 

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It's semifinals time at the NBA Summer League, with the Memphis Grizzlies battling the Houston Rockets, while the Las Angeles Lakers take on the Golden State Warriors.

My predictions see the Grizzlies and Lakers going through to the finals, while I also like the Spurs to win a consolation matchup tonight.

Keep reading to see my NBA Summer League picks for Saturday, July 18. 

NBA Summer League predictions for July 18

Pick
Grizzlies moneyline	-186
Lakers moneyline	-117
Spurs moneyline	+100
💰 All three parlayed	+470

Today's Summer League picks

Grizzlies moneyline (-186 at Kalshi)

The Memphis Grizzlies are coming off a massive win over the previously undefeated Atlanta Hawks, winning by 32 points to fight their way into the Summer League semifinals.

Cameron Boozer lived up to his hype as the No. 3 overall pick with 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting on Thursday, while Cedric Coward poured in 23 points of his own.

Memphis has put up 96.8 ppg and is playing a more talented and more experienced group than the Houston Rockets. I'm backing the Grizzlies to move on to the final in Vegas.

Lakers moneyline (-117 at Kalshi)

The Los Angeles Lakers are the only undefeated team remaining in the Summer League, heading into the semifinals with a 4-0 record. They've outscored opponents by an average of 17.5 points, and lead all playoff teams in both points scored (97.8 ppg) and allowed (80.3 ppg).

Cameron Carr is putting up 18.3 ppg for the Lakers in Vegas, while Arthur Kaluma (20.3 ppg) is impressing as a three-and-D guy who's fighting for a roster spot after spending last year in the G-League.

This team is playing extremely well and should overwhelm Yaxel Lendeborg and the Golden State Warriors tonight.

Spurs moneyline (+100 at Kalshi)

Beyond the semifinals, there's some great action in store in the consolation games, including the matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns. 

Spurs draft pick Ja'Kobi Gillsepie has starred in Summer League play, scoring 16 ppg and going for 25 points against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Guard RJ Davis has also been making his case for a roster spot, putting up 12.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

The Suns have found success playing a consistent lineup in Vegas, but San Antonio's older talent should win out against a younger Phoenix squad led by 19-year-old Khaman Maluach.

Saturday’s NBA Summer League parlay

Grizzlies moneyline

Lakers moneyline

Spurs moneyline

+470 at Kalshi

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Michael Porter Jr. was at the Fanatics Fan Fest in New York Friday and made a bit of news both on the free agency of his friend and former Denver Nuggets teammate Peyton Watson as well as his own.

While most pundits do not put the Brooklyn Nets in the forefront of potential landing spots for the 6’9” 23-year-old Watson, there he was with Porter Jr. yesterday at the Jacob Javits Center on Manhattan’s West Side pushing the idea. As a fan recorded, MPJ has not giving up on bringing PWat to Brooklyn…

His key line from an impromtu conversation involving him, Watson and a fan went something like this:

“He boutta sign for $130 million. I’m tryna get him in Brooklyn, though.”

At the moment, pundits think Watson who averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists with 49/41/73 splits last season, is likely to return to Denver or wind up in a sign-and-trade with the Bucks, Clippers or Hawks. That’s what Tony Jones wrote for The Athletic Friday. He doesn’t even mention the Nets, in fact. Last week, Jake Fischer also didn’t mention Brooklyn in his analysis of Watson’s free agency. The Nuggets want to keep him and basically have tried to scare off competitors by indicating they will match any offer for the restricted free agent. Sign-and-trades, while possible, are tricky under the new CBA.

The $130 million figure MPJ mentioned would seem to match the prevailing league wiseom that Watson wants a starting salary of around $25 million and a five-year deal.

It’s always possible that Porter Jr. was trolling fans but the close friendship between the two has been one big reason that, until recently, the Nets were thought to be legitimate contenders for Watson’s services. Porter mentored Watson in his early years in Denver. The Nets of course still have a deep cache of draft assets including 10 tradeable first round picks which became more valuable with the change of NBA lottery rules. Ironically, their biggest non-draft asset would have to be Porter.

Putting Watson aside, however, the comment by MPJ had additional revelance in that he readily admitted he was recruiting for his current team. This week, Sean Marks told media in Las Vegas that while he wants to MPJ back and happy, he was not in a rush to engage Marc Bartelstein. Two days later, Chris Haynes of TNT speculated that if there isn’t progress in talks on an extension, the Nets might deal MPJ, which seemed unlikely considering all the positive things the two sides have had to say about their relationship. Indeed, Haynes said it’s possible the two sides could talk as early as this weekend.

Porter, 28, will earn $40.8 million next season has been eligible since June 19 for a four-year extension worth as much as $234 million. It’s likely a final number would be more in the four year, $160 million range, however.

And in a live interview on ESPN from the FanFest, MPJ once again talked about his happiness with the Nets and their fans while adding “we’re building something special over there.”

“It’s really an honor because as an athlete because during the season, a lot of it is going to the gym, going to play games, coming home and you don’t get a chance a lot to interact with the fans and see how much love they really have. So to come out here and shake people’s hands and sign their autographs and take pictures of them is really an honor.”

Asked to compare his experience in Denver where he won a championship with last year in Brooklyn where he was mired in rebuild. Porter put this spin on things.

“Las year, it was a like new rookie season. It felt that drastic of a chance — in Denver being one of the younger guys, part of an established culture and winning a championship to come to Brooklyn and be the leader on the team, one of the oldest guys on the team — we have five rookies, youngest team in the NBA — was a completely different role that I had but it was soemting that I cherished and we’re building someon this special over there.”

There’s no urgency for the Nets to ink an extension with Porter. They have until next summer to finalize things. And it’s not at all absurd to suggest that Marks wants the additional team — and cap resources — to work on other possibilities. Perhaps PWat?

The NBA is a community. Even when players are on different teams, the degree of separation between them and other organizations is small.

Quentin Grimes is a perfect example. On the surface, he is the newest Laker and a five-year player who has spent most of his time in New York and Philadelphia.

However, for a brief moment, he was a teammate of Luka Dončić on the Mavericks. And when you factor that he’s worked out multiple times with Lakers head coach JJ Redick, even staying at his guest house during one of those sessions, it’s obvious he is entering into this new situation with some familiarity.

During an interview on ESPN LA’s Mason & Ireland Show, Grimes discussed the ties he’s had with the Lakers.

“I think everybody wants to be wanted as a player and I feel like there was a lot of mutual interest between me and the Lakers for a while now. “Nobody expected Luka [Dončić] to be with the Lakers and we had a good little run with Dallas. I knew JJ [Redick], I knew Jarred Vanderbilt, I knew Kurt Rambis and Greg St. Jean and everybody so it was kind of like a no-brainer and a great fit honestly.”

Grimes has the respect from his new team, which should make chemistry a breeze. Redick wouldn’t have worked with Grimes before if he didn’t like his game and work ethic.

Still, it’s almost a certainty that other teams had interest in Grimes as well. So it’s going to take more than that for a player to join a franchise. Besides his four-year, $60 million deal, Grimes selected the Lakers because the role he was pitched enticed him.

He elaborated on this during the next portion of his interview.

“That was really one of the bigger selling points. Talking with JJ and then having them be able to pitch me what my role [will] look like, having a pretty big offensive role within the team. But also having a big leadership role on defense as well as taking on that challenge every night of guarding the best players and wanting that responsibility. I want to have that challenge every night. So, that was really the two main things when I was choosing [a team] in free agency.”

Grimes averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game last season. With six of LA’s top 10 scorers from last year gone, there is a need for additional scoring and Grimes could be the answer.

What’s also interesting from this quote is Grimes viewing himself as a defensive leader. He’s assuming that he’ll defend some of the best players on most teams. Grimes being a top two-way player for the Lakers is a big ask, but he’s looking forward to answering the call.

Knowing Grimes has a connection with LA’s superstar, their head coach, other players on the team and the front office people, he knows what he’s getting into.

Grimes understands the pressure and is up for the challenge. The interest has been mutual and this fall we’ll hopefully see why both sides wanted this partnership to happen.

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

You would believe there was a regular-season game played on Friday, as the SummerKnicks and the SummerMavs combined for a dumb 198 points in both team’s Summer League Consolation game.

New York used 15 players, and Pacome Dadiet had himself a day to preserve his value entering next season while big man Liam Robbins put up a solid outing to remain alive in the race for a spot as a backup center. Here’s today’s links and notes.

• No recap nor Scenes, so here’s a bunch of notes from Sin City’s finale.
  • Dadiet dumped 19 points in 23 minutes on a 7-of-15 shooting performance (still 1-of-5 from three) and added five boards, a dime, and a steal to that. He committed two turnovers and finished with a minus-12, but you can’t win all fronts.
  • Robbins put up 14 points, went perfect on two attempts from the charity stripe, and pulled down four rebounds while swatting a shot from the SummerMavs in 20 minuts of playing time.
  • Tyler Nickel got his cardio up with a 30-minute run in which he hoisted a monster 11 treys but hit just three of them. Still, nine points for the neophyte to go with two rebounds, three dimes, three steals, and just one turnover.
  • The rest of your mob — starters and benchmen included — didn’t feature anyone playing above mediocrity levels. Dillon Jones went 6-5-2, Jack Kayil put up a goose egg with zero points on just two shots (10 minutes) but three assists and a rebound, and Jaden Akins the only other double-digit scorer with a solid 11-2-3-2 stat line.
• Not that we didn’t already know, but the Summer League is over and the Knicks’ frontcourt problem is still the one roster issue pending fixing. The Daily News’ Kris Winfield argued that New York has enough spacing and could live without giving Tyler Nickel the last standard contract, especially with Landry Shamet already around, prioritizing adding a center between now and tip-off time next October.
• Kris also touched on Deuce McBride’s long-term future, which might be connected to the upcoming financial squeeze the Knicks will need to navigate with Karl-Anthony Towns extension-eligible and Jalen Brunson due for another deal soon enough. Deuce is likely to ask for a sizable salary (a la Mitch), so unless somebody/everybody takes less or the cap sheet changes, odds are he departs before or on July 1, 2027.
• Related to everything discussed above, Daily Knicks’ Jack Simone expanded on how Nickel could represent exactly the kind of player contenders like the Knicks need under the current CBA if they want to stay on Tier S.
• Jack Kayil’s situation is perhaps more frustrating, and our own John Grove couldn’t have written about it any better. A two-way contract is the obvious out-of-context path and would allow the Knicks to keep Kayil in Westchester, but that would prohibit New York from paying his ALBA Berlin buyout, and he would have to cover it himself, which is not exactly a reasonable request for a 20-year-old starting his career. Read the story for a much better understanding!

“If the Knicks choose to offer Kayil a two-way contract, NBA regulations prohibit them from paying his overseas buyout. According to the rules, the buyout would have to be executed strictly between the player and ALBA Berlin. Yes, Kayil would have to independently pay for his buyout in order to accept a two-salary. Truthfully, this financial decision is unlikely.

“While a two-roster spot may be available, the Knicks likely lack the cap space to offer their 20-year-old guard a standard NBA contract. That contract is the only legal way New York can cover his international buyout. Of course, this dampens things a little bit.”

• Brunson refused to sign a Giants helmet at Fanatics Fest, and instead ended up scribbling “Go Birds” on it.
• In his talk with The Wall Street Journal, Brunson revisited his discount deal ($113 million left on the table!), his preference for financial security, and touched on his lifestyle, big-money purchaes, and a bunch of other staff.
• Pat Benson of Kicks on SI must have had a blast of a time speaking to Jose Alvarado on his partnership with AND1. The match is perfect and I can’t love it anymore. Here’s one (can you guess the question?), but go read all of his quotes!

“Fat Joe, J.Lo— and Wemby!“

• Anthony Edwards was at the Fanatics Fest and talked about Jalen Brunson — not Victor Wembanyama — as well as about KAT and the “cheat code” advice he gave him heading into the NBA Finals.
• Fred VanVleet is finding inspiration in the Knicks’ title run.
• John Calipari spoke extensively with the New York Post and shared a lot of stuff about his former pupil Towns. Spoiler: don’t flop. Full quotes: in today’s Bulletin.
• Charles Barkley brought his Michael Jordan feud to the table, which lasted 15 years but has seemingly, finally, ended!?
• LeBron James said his daughter Zhuri is the deciding factor in his upcoming free-agency decision. Zhuri did not answer James’ question about where to go next immediately after he told him about his departure from Los Angeles, and would tell him later, or simply even write her feelings down at some point. Imagine Zhuri choosing Memphis.

He puts the New York in the Knicks.

Knicks guard Jose Alvarado is still riding high off New York’s championship win — and hoping to inspire local youth with his story.

The Brooklyn native, who grew up in the Roberto Clemente projects in Williamsburg, said the positive to being the only native New Yorker on the team is he can show city kids “that there is hope.”

When asked what it’s like to be the sole player from NYC, Alvarado, 28, said “it’s the best.”

“Especially when you win a championship,” he told The Post from the ESPYs red carpet at the Josie Robertson Plaza at Lincoln Center on Wednesday.

“It’s cool being home and being a kid from here and just to experience all this.”

Surprisingly, his teammates don’t ask him for tips on the best food spots in the area, Alvarado said.

“I mean sometimes, but you know, they already know where to go to get good food … But I just go to my own spots where I’m from.”

His father, Jose Sr., a union electrician with Local 3, moved the family to Flushing to give his then 8-year-old son more opportunities in sports.

“My dad is a hard-working man, so he got me in the right situation with my mom, and so it was just perfect,” he said.

After the Knicks won Game 5 in San Antonio, Alvarado changed out of his series-clinching uniform in the locker room — and gave his jersey, shorts, sneakers, headband and even NBA champions t-shirt to his father.

“He thrives on every accomplishment I had in my life, he takes it and basically hangs it like a trophy … uniforms, trophies, everything.”

Every player showers the team they joined with praise upon signing. However, with the Lakers, it’s typically a bit more authentic.

The Lakers are a big brand and garner attention and respect that few NBA teams can. Given their rich history and championships, players often enter the franchise with strong emotions about the Lakers.

Sandro Mamukelashvili is no exception.

In an exclusive interview with Khobi Price of the California Post, he outlined why he’s excited to don the purple and gold this upcoming season.

“Just the name itself – all of the legends play for the Lakers,” Mamukelashvili told the Post of why he signed with the Lakers. “The organization is a very high-level organization. They’re starting a new page and it’s just unbelievable to be part of it.”

Mamukelashvili, who got a “Mamba Mentality” tattoo while he was in college at Seton Hall, grew up a fan of late Lakers icon Kobe Bryant.   

“I could only imagine this really in 2K, that I would be playing for this team,” Mamukelashvili said. “I’m so excited, so happy. The coaching staff is amazing and I can’t wait to just put the jersey on, go out there and just play my heart out every night. You gotta have a chip on your shoulder when you play for the Lakers.”

It’s one thing for a player to compliment the Lakers and talk about their love for Kobe Bryant. It’s another for that player to have a Bryant tattoo on their body.

It certainly sounds like Mamu is aware of the special position he’s in and is ready to make the most of it.

Clearly, Mamu has a ton of love and respect for the Lakers. After all, he signed with them, so obviously it’s where he wants to be. Hopefully, that will translate into production this year. Last season, Mamu averaged a career-best 11.2 points along with 4.9 rebounds per game. He also shot 38.9% from 3-point range.

While playing for the Lakers is a high-pressure environment, and Mamu and other new players like Walker Kessler will certainly feel that, in the end, all fans want is for guys to give their all.

If Mamu is hustling hard and playing with that chip on his shoulder he talked about, he will become a fan favorite. All he has to do now is match his words off the court with his play on it.

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

The 2026 NBA Summer League is a wrap for the Knicks after a 110-88 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. New York went 1-4 during the exhibition games. But the five games offered a chance to see how some of the Knicks’ recent draft picks would fare in larger roles.

From the rookie showings of Tyler Nickel and Jack Kayil to Mohamed Diawara’s failure to launch, let’s focus on four takeaways from the five-game stint in Las Vegas.

Rookie review

On draft night, the Knicks made a series of deals to move out of the first round. In the second round, the club might’ve found two players with potential in Nickel and Kayil.

Selected 47th overall, Nickel has the clearest path to an NBA role. He is a lights-out shooter with a lightning-quick release. Nickel made 19-of-46 threes (41.3 percent) during Summer League. At the NBA level, the three-ball will be how he contributes, and he showed that in Summer League as 46 of Nickel’s 56 (82 percent) field goal attempts were three-pointers. He’ll have to work on his handle as well as attacking closeouts. Nickel was better than advertised on defense. He competes and was mostly in the right spots.

Picked 39th overall, Kayil showed flashes of being a reliable combo guard. He can run a pick-and-roll and create pull-up jumpers or stepbacks, and he looked comfortable as a passer. A 19-point, three-steal, four-assist game against the Detroit Pistons was a good showing from the 6-foot-3 guard. Still, he has some work to do. Kayil shot only 34.2 percent from the field in four games.

As Ian Begley recently noted, if the Knicks sign a third center, they wouldn’t have enough financial wiggle room to offer Nickel or Kayil a standard NBA contract. With MilesMcBride, Jordan Clarkson and Landry Shamet all on the roster next year, having Kayil stay overseas would make the most sense. Nickel could be in line for a two-way contract.

Small sample size

A rotation player for parts of his rookie season, Diawara seemed poised to have a strong Summer League. But those hopes quickly faded as the 2025 second-round pick struggled. Diawara was just 1-for-14 (seven percent from the field), scoring seven points in 49 minutes, before missing the last three contests with a finger injury.

Diawara didn’t hit enough shots from deep (1-for-10 from three) to keep the defense honest, and he wasn’t able to find clean lanes for drives to the rim.

Despite the shooting struggles, there were some positives. Diawara did a good job on the boards, collecting 5.5 rebounds per game. He also flashed good vision with some nifty passes, though it didn’t lead to many makes from his teammates.

It’s an extremely small sample size in a very different role for the 6-foot-9 forward. And it’s fair to say the lack of a true point guard on the floor was a factor in the results.

Third-year pressure

One of the rare third-year players participating in Summer League, Pacome Dadiet had an uneven showing. In four games, the 2024 first-round draft pick averaged 15.3 points, but shot just 36.4 percent from the field and 16.0 percent from behind the three-point line.

Though he struggled to put the ball in the basket at an efficient rate, Dadiet showed some signs of growth. He was much better off the ball, cutting to the rim for a few finishes near the basket. Also, Dadiet’s defensive activity was adequate.

Dadiet is still just 20 years old, but the NBA is a quick-moving league with windows of opportunity closing faster than a New York minute. The Knicks already have three wings in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart as starters. Diawara passed Dadiet on the depth chart last year. The Knicks will decide whether to pick up the fourth-year team option on Dadiet’s contract in the fall.

No solutions at center

With Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond as the only centers on the roster, the Knicks are still in search of help at the position. Summer League hasn’t provided a clear solution to the Knicks’ center depth problem. Seven-footer Liam Robbins started for New York’s summer squad and provided middling results. He was a large presence in the middle and a deterrent at the rim, blocking 2.0 shots per game. Robbins also finished well around the rim.

But he has flaws. Robbins is slow-footed, which led to a lot of fouls. At 27 years old, the former Vanderbilt center has flirted with the three-pointer but hasn’t been accurate. He shot 20 percent on long-distance attempts during Summer League and hit just 30 percent of his attempts last season in 32 G League games with the Rip City Remix.

LeBron James knows what it’s like to have the entire NBA in a chokehold as they wait on his free agent decision. James did it in 2010, 2014, 2018, and somehow he’s doing it again even on the brink of his 42nd birthday. James told the Los Angeles Lakers he would be playing for a new team in the 2026-27 season at the end of June, and after weeks of speculation on the best fits and most likely landing spots, it’s finally time for him to announce his choice.

The expectation is that James will sign in the coming week, and no one really knows where he’s going to land. The Golden State Warriors were a serious contender for a bit, but it seems like they’re out now that they won’t meet the Wizards’ ridiculous asking price for Anthony Davis. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat are also in pursuit of James, and both make a lot of sense given their championship history with LeBron. There’s one more team consistently mentioned in these free agent discussions, and at this point it doesn’t seem like a fluke: the Philadelphia 76ers are lurking as a very real suitor for LeBron, and it’s starting to feel like it could really happen.

The Sixers appear to have piqued LeBron’s interest following the shocking Jaylen Brown trade. ESPN reported that Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid have all been talking to LeBron about joining the Sixers. Maxey is a Klutch client like LeBron, and something like that tends to carry some weight when Rich Paul is running the show.

The Sixers were the first team listed on Paul’s infamous whiteboard detailing LeBron’s suitors. At Fanatics Fest this week, James said he wants to “trust the process” when making his free agency decision, which could be seen as a nod to the Sixers’ infamous tanking plan from a decade ago.

ESPN insider Shams Charania reported that James is taking the Sixers’ pitch “really seriously.” Charania has consistently mentioned Philly as a top-3 suitor for LeBron alongside the Heat and Cavaliers. ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin said “it seems like an Eastern Conference team will win the LeBron James sweepstakes,” in his most recent update.

New Sixers lead executive Mike Gansey is an Ohio native like LeBron, and LeBron actually beat him out for the 2001 Ohio Mr. Basketball award as a sophomore when Gansey was a senior. Gansey came over from the Cavs’ front office, and he was working there at the end of LeBron’s last Cleveland tenure. His brother also tweeted out this photo of Gansey and James together in high school.

It’s understandable if people think LeBron won’t pick the Sixers because it would be weird for him to end his career in Philly. Well, what if this isn’t his last year in the NBA? James pushed back against the idea that aging athletes should retire a Fanatics Fest and cited Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones as an inspiration. I’d also note that LeBron is basically the godfather of “player empowerment” in the NBA at this point, and he’s always marched to the beat of his own drum in free agency, from bolting to the Heat in 2010 to returning to the Cavs in 2014 to choosing the Lakers in 2018.

Fans are reading the tea leaves around the LeBron discussion, and they’re starting to think the Sixers might actually be the pick.

I had the 76ers at No. 12 in my way-too-early power rankings, which was in the same range as the Cavs (No. 10) and the Heat (No. 14). What Philly really needs right now is a starting caliber four man. It’s hard to do any better than LeBron.

A starting lineup with Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Brown, James, and Embiid could be box office, and Philly would still have Dean Wade, Labaron Philon, Anfernee Simons, Dominic Barlow, Justin Edwards, Ariel Hukporti, and Adem Bona off the bench. The center position is definitely a worry given that Embiid misses so much time every season. That’s also a lot of guys who need the ball in their hands without a ton of shooting around them, but there’s no denying the Sixers with LeBron have a stacked roster.

LeBron to the Sixers makes more sense than people want to believe, especially if it’s only for one season before he bounces to Cleveland or Miami a year from now. James has four rings, and he wants one more. Philly might actually give him the best chance to get it.

This offseason looks much different than previous ones in the eyes of the Knicks and their fans, filled with celebration and catharsis instead of hunger and regret. But their magical 2026 championship run isn’t reason enough to take summer lightly; if they want to repeat, they’ll need to be even better in a restocked East.

With that in mind, let’s go over each returning player to determine what key skill they should be working on bringing into 2026-27 to help defend the throne.

Jalen Brunson - Passing through pressure

It’s no easy task to find fault in one of the greatest playoff and NBA Finals performances ever strung together on hardwood, but if there’s one thing to nitpick, it would be some of Brunson’s sloppy passing, most evidently in the Finals. 

The Spurs’ length and pressure gave him fits, leading to a muted 1.2 assist-to-turnover ratio in that series.

Brunson often found himself in the paint only to try and squeeze a tough interior pass through or get intercepted spraying out to the weak corner. He tightened up down the stretch, but can further improve this part of his game with some ball fakes and better decisions. 

Mikal Bridges - Pick-and-roll and isolation playmaking

Bridges was invaluable and hilariously efficient in New York’s playoff run, but at times it felt he had a little more to give when Brunson was being pressured, and the Knicks needed an extra dose of ball-handling. 

He stepped up with his shooting as others like Jose Alvarado took over more ball-handling duties, but this could be an area for Bridges to tap into more.

His mid-range game is so effective; being comfortable using a screen or developing some kind of go-to dribble move that creates some space when he’s out on the perimeter could take his game to another level -- it would also make defenses second-guess giving him a favorable matchup.

OG Anunoby - Scoring mentality 

Anunoby elevated his game to its peak potential during the playoffs, averaging 20 points on 62 percent shooting from two and 49 percent from three while maintaining his elite defense on the other end.

He’s long worked to develop a Kawhi Leonard-esque isolation game and wanted the opportunity to show it off, but emerged as the ultimate complementary scorer by simplifying his attack to its most dangerous looks.

Boiling it down to timely cuts, threes, and one or two dribbles utilizing his strength was key, and if he carries that mentality over to next season, he could bring this championship level of play every day. He’s now got the confidence and formula to average 20 while keeping in the flow of the team’s offense. 

Josh Hart - Three-point confidence

It’s a familiar tune, but even as late as last year’s Conference Finals and NBA Finals, Hart turned down open three-point looks because he was either struggling or thought there was a better shot available. 

Given he hit 41 percent of his threes during the regular season and 37 percent in the playoffs after the Hawks series, he needs to start putting them up with confidence, especially when opponents leave him alone. 

Karl-Anthony Towns - Driving without hooking

All the way up to the decisive Game 5 of the NBA Finals, despite the incredible performances along the way, Towns still couldn’t get a superstar or even an All-Star whistle from the officials.

A lot of contact will be allowed so long as you’re built like a bulldozer, but the non-calls aren’t as damaging as the offensive fouls he picked up for hooking opponents’ arms on drives.

The ring likely won’t change how he’s called either, so if he can at least work to take this obvious whistle out of his game, chances are he’ll stay on the floor more for the repeat run -- the Knicks will need it given what he provided on both ends. 

Miles McBride - Ball-handling

McBride probably had the quietest postseason of the regular rotation, as the pressure defenses pushed him off the ball and made it difficult for him to find any offense outside his spot-up game. This has been an ongoing critique throughout his career, so nothing new here, but a big leap in his dribble could set him up for a bigger role next season. 

Jose Alvarado - Consistency

The booms for Alvarado will be heard for generations to come -- eight massive points in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the NBA Finals above all -- but they were often preceded by busts in both the regular season and postseason. 

If he can work on bringing a more consistent performance night in and night out, his spot in the rotation should reflect that, and the Knicks would be major beneficiaries. 

Landry Shamet - Screen navigation and strength 

Shamet became a hero in the later rounds thanks to his shooting, but at times struggled during his Finals minutes battling through screens and trying to defend San Antonio’s trio of skilled guards. Some added core and lower body strength would go a long way here to making him an even more consistent contributor instead of a matchup-dependent option. 

Jordan Clarkson - Spot-up threes

Clarkson re-invented himself after a midseason benching to become a defensive hound and consistent paint toucher; the only piece that felt missing was his ability to spread the floor. 

If he can lock in that corner catch-and-shoot three, he’ll be able to contribute even more next season.