Category: Basketball

Hawks fans get their first look at Kingston Flemings and the rest of the young players as they start their three-game Summer League stretch against Darryn Peterson and the Utah Jazz.

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen

Location: Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT

Start Time: 5:00 PM EDT

TV: ESPN U

Radio: N/A

Streaming: Prime, Fubo

Does it fit Quentin Dolan being named president, chief operating officer and alternate governor of the Rangers?

Here's how his dad, Garden boss Jim Dolan, defends the very decisive Blueshirts developments: 

"Since Quentin's arrival overseeing our Player Performance and Science Department, he has made a strong impact on the Rangers and Knicks organizations," says James Dolan. "As a result we are pleased that he will step into this elevated position."

The Rangers and Knicks are part of the expanding Dolan enterprises. That includes theaters such as the Beacon on Broadway and the Sphere in Las Vegas, among others. The Rangers need help and young Dolan has completed his basic training:

James Dolan: "Quentin has quickly become an incredibly valued member of the Rangers franchise and played a key role behind the scenes with the Knicks during their championship run. I look forward to seeing the positive influence he can make in this expanded and critical role."

The Knicks have obliterated the Rangers on the Garden landscape. Quentin's appointment is a necessary component in upgrading the Blueshirts to the lofty position of the Knicks.

Tim Hardaway Jr. is following in his dad’s footsteps on the Heat — but he won’t be wearing his father’s old number.

The younger Hardaway agreed to a one-year, $6.5 million deal to join the franchise where his father starred for six seasons from 1996-2001.

And while Hardaway Jr. will look to emulate his dad’s sharpshooting in South Beach, the Hall of Famer wants to maintain his “legacy” and keep his No. 10 uniform retired.

“My legacy is my legacy. Even though he likes to wear No. 10, that is not coming down from the rafters,” Hardaway Sr. told WQAM radio in Miami. “That is tough to do. And when it’s up there, you want [it] to stay up there, and you don’t want nobody to touch it.

“I love him. I love him. I’m happy for him. …. Watching him play through college and the NBA, he’d been to three places I’d never been: the Final Four, a championship, and now, he’s going to his hometown team. I never done that, and so, I’m happy that he’s doing it,” Hardaway Sr. continued about his son, who grew up in South Florida.

“But no, he can’t wear No. 10.”

The 34-year-old wing has worn No. 10 for the Hawks, Mavericks and Nuggets, and his father also wore the number in Miami before the franchise retired it in 2009

Hardaway Jr. has also worn Nos. 3, 5, 11 and 8 during his career, though only No. 3 is currently available on the Heat roster.

He had a solid year for the Nuggets last season as he averaged 13.5 points per game and finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting.

Now, with the Heat’s trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo expected to be finalized soon, Hardaway Jr. will look to serve as a complementary piece around the two-time MVP.

Brian Gregory and the Suns have moved with purpose this offseason, securing three of their own free agents and adding Miles Bridges to the mix, but as the dust settles after the opening skirmishes of the offseason, they find themselves with a couple of round holes to fill and a bag full of square pegs.

Adding talent isn’t the same as getting better, and on paper, the fit of the projected starting lineup of Booker, Green, Brooks, Bridges and Williams seems dubious. There’s not a lot of three-point shooting, Brooks is the only plus defender at his position, there’s not a clear answer to the rebounding issues, and there’s only one ball. So while the roster has a lot of scoring options, who’s getting the shots? Or more importantly, who’s giving up their shots?

The Jalen Green mock trades have been flying since he landed in Phoenix. I’ve written about his fit previously.

I think Jalen Green is a number one option on a team. He’s not going to be a guy who thrives being the second, or in the case of last year, the third option. He’s been consistently Jalen Green throughout his career, and I think it’s unlikely that he would be effective in or even open to accepting a different role. It may be mutually beneficial for Jalen Green and the Suns to part ways this offseason. I’ve taken the time to help expedite the process by coming up with five mock trades that I would like to see in the event the Suns move off of Jalen Green.

So Brian Gregory, if you’re listening, this is how you fix the Suns.

The first option I see for constructing a Jalen Green trade is to package him with the recently signed Mark Williams to upgrade the center position. In these scenarios, we would improve at center but also open up a spot in the starting five for Collin Gillespie.

Trade Target #1: The Bucks

Suns Get:

• Myles Turner
• Kyle Kuzma
• Gary Harris

Bucks Get:

• Jalen Green
• Mark Williams
• Ryan Dunn

Projected Starting Lineup: Booker, Gillespie, Brooks, Bridges, Turner

Turner is a stretch five who could open up the floor so that Booker, Brooks, and Bridges can go to work. The Suns also get Kyle Kuzma, a 50% shooter who can guard 1-5, according to Kyle Kuzma, on a $30 million expiring contract, as well as Gary Harris. Milwaukee gets the new engine of their offense as they work to rebuild their team after Giannis’s departure. Mark Williams and Ryan Dunn are two more young players who may better fit their timeline.

This trade addresses any issues Phoenix might have with spacing in their starting lineup. Myles had a tough year last year, but he’s only one year removed from being a core piece in the Pacers’ run to the Finals. He is a better rim protector than Mark Williams, averaging two blocks a game over his career. Personally, I feel he’s a better long-term fit with Devin Booker than Mark Williams, and if Ishbia and crew are serious about building a contender around Booker, they could do much worse than a player like Myles Turner. However, one drawback is Turner isn’t a great rebounder, which remains an area of concern for the Suns going into the 2026-27 season.

Trade Target #2: The Kings

Suns Get:

• Domantas Sabonis
• Malik Monk
• Dylan Cardwell

Kings Get:

• Jalen Green
• Mark Williams
• Dillon Brooks

Projected Starting Lineup: Booker, Gillespie, Bridges, Fleming, Sabonis

In trade two, we take a huge cut, trading away Green and Brooks. 

Jalen Green has always seemed like a King to me, so the fit seems natural as the Kings move to rebuild around their recent lottery pick. Dillon Brooks would give the young team a veteran who’s proven to be a leader who can help establish a culture. They’ve been openly shopping Sabonis for a while now, but he carries a large contract. He would, however, be a great fit for Jordan Ott’s offense, as a strong screen-setter and playmaker at center. He’d also immediately impact the Suns’ rebounding woes. He’s long been one of, if not the best, rebounders in the league.

I really like the fit of Sabonis and Booker. It would give Booker an outlet for when teams try to press him off the screen. He could also act as a connector, in ways similar to how Oso operates in the offense. He would be a clear upgrade over Mark Williams on the offensive end and on the glass, but the Suns would sacrifice some length inside. In addition to Sabonis, the Suns would add Malik Monk to replace the bench scoring of Grayson Allen, and Collin Gillespie, who would be moving to the starting lineup.

The second option I see for trading Jalen Green is to replace him with another guard who is more complementary to Devin Booker’s game. The following trades will involve three different types of guards: a ball-handling combo guard, a two-way guard, and a playmaking guard.

Trade Target #3: The Mavs

Suns Get:

• Kyrie Irving

Mavs Get:

• Jalen Green

Projected Starting Lineup: Irving, Booker, Brooks, Bridges, Williams

The most common response I’ve heard to fans asserting that Devin Booker needs a point guard to take the ball out of his hands is that there aren’t any point guards left and that, beyond being a table-setting point guard, CP3 was a Hall of Fame, top 75 player. Where do you find another guy like that?

In Dallas.

Kyrie has a similar skill set to Jalen Green in that he can put downhill pressure on the rim, but that’s where the similarities end. Kyrie is one of the best finishing guards ever. He’s great with the ball in his hands, but he’s also been successful in the number two role next to LeBron and Luka. He’s older and coming off an injury, but if he makes a healthy return, he’d give the Suns what they really need to free up Devin Booker: a second offensive threat the defense takes seriously.

Teams will not be able to take Devin Booker out of the game if it means giving up space to Kyrie Irving. This trade would also give the Suns a closer in the fourth quarter who is a great ball handler and good in tight spaces and big moments. It would take some of the pressure off of Booker and give the Suns more options to attack at the end of games.

There are some concerns about Kyrie’s age and just Kyrie in general, but if the Suns want to compete for championships over the next three years, an all-time great like Kyrie next to Booker would put them in contention.

Trade Target #4: The Blazers

Suns Get:

• Jrue Holiday

Blazers Get:

• Jalen Green

Projected Starting Lineup: Holiday, Booker, Brooks, Bridges, Williams

Holden Sherman from Bright Side has already posted an article about a hypothetical trade with Portland to put Jrue next to Book. At the time of the article, it didn’t seem likely to happen, but Portland just added Ja Morant and Dame Lillard is returning from injury with a no-trade clause.

Portland has said they are not shopping Jrue, but they still have some questions to answer about their roster and some of their young guards. If they choose to move on from players like Henderson or Sharpe, then a player like Jalen Green might give them back some of the pop they’d be giving up. While a Jrue trade may still be unlikely, the fit next to Booker is unquestionable.

Jordan Ott could field a different type of defense with this hypothetical lineup. A defense more aligned to his desire to create turnovers and extra shot opportunities. At the same time, Jrue is an opportunistic scorer, capable of huge games, but not needing to put up a lot of shots to make an impact. I think for the Suns this makes a lot of sense, but it may not make as much sense on Portland’s end.

Trade Target #5: The Bulls

Suns Get:

• Josh Giddey
• Isaac Okoro

Bulls Get:

• Jalen Green

Projected Starting Lineup: Giddey, Booker, Brooks, Bridges, Williams

This trade has been making the rounds on Twitter for a while now. I don’t like this trade. Giddey is a young star ascending and would add playmaking and rebounding to the Suns. He can handle the ball and allow Booker to work in more of a traditional shooting guard role. But that defense…that defense looks so awful I can’t stand it.

For all of Green’s faults and ill fit on the offensive end, I feel like he has the potential to be a really disruptive defender. Maybe not the guy you match up on the other team’s best player, but more of the impact we saw in the Golden State play-in game where he gave the Suns 3 blocks and 2 steals. Giddey would only add to the Suns’ defensive woes, which saw team after team cutting through the Suns’ defense off the drive, like paper through uncalloused fingers. You can’t win games when you can’t stop the ball. Giddey is a no-go. Shame on anyone out there who thought the Suns should trade for him.

All of these trade ideas are hypothetical. I’m not an insider. I just know center is a really impactful position on the court, a position where the Suns have, at least since I’ve been in Phoenix, always been a little shaky.

We need to get more production there, and I’m not sold on Mark Williams being able to stay healthy, and the fact that they signed him to three years makes me think that Khaman Malauch is not close to starting. I don’t think they signed Williams to be a backup at that price, not when they have Oso, who Ott turned to last year in the fourth quarter over Mark. Before the Suns signed Mark, if you had asked me whether I think we should trade for Myles Turner or Domantas Sabonis, I might have said, “No, it would interfere with Khaman’s development.” I’m not so sure about that now.

If the Suns were to trade Green, I’d prefer them to package him with Mark for a center.

Let me know in the comments what return you would like for Jalen Green or if you think the Suns should keep him. If anyone has a good Hornets trade, let me know. I looked there first and couldn’t find anything, but I’m sure Gregory could cook something up.

The basketball world is waiting with bated breath regarding where LeBron James will sign in free agency.

ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania already conveyed James’ decision is likely among six teams: the Cavaliers, the Heat, the Nuggets, the Warriors, the 76ers and the Timberwolves.

James already has played for two of these franchises (Cavaliers and Heat) and has spent two separate stints with the Cavs.

This is why seeing LeBron spend July 3 (and presumably July 4) in Akron, Ohio, about 40 miles from Cleveland, is drawing interest in the NBA community.

Instagram user @smallzthevillain, who also works for Klutch Sports, made a story post that showed James getting shouted out while at a community center in Akron called House Three Thirty.

There were also videos of James dancing at the center while holding a drink in his hand.

Of course, James was born and raised in Akron, so it’s no surprise to see him there for Fourth of July weekend. And his being there isn’t any indication that the Cavaliers have a hand up in his free agency sweepstakes.

In fact, Mark Medina of Forbes reported on July 4 that there is “skepticism that [LeBron] would join the Cavaliers on a veteran’s minimum deal.”

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Ultimately, nobody knows where James is going to end up now, and all six teams seem to be viable options for the NBA legend.

Then again, perhaps being back in Ohio this weekend could convince James that ending his career in the same place he started it (and where he returned during his prime) would make for the perfect full-circle moment.

Brooklyn Nets basketball is back.

Now, it may not be regular-season action or even preseason, but Nets hoops are back, nevertheless.

Today, while America’s 250th birthday is celebrated around the country, the Nets will kick off their eight-game Summer League schedule in Sacramento, squaring off against the Sacramento Kings. Brooklyn will play three games at the California Classic in Sacramento July 4, 5 and 6, then head to Las Vegas for five games between July 9 and 19.

Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET.

Where to Watch

Early info was that the game would only be carried on Gotham Sports Net but according to the NBA App, the possibilities include NBA TV, ESPN+, NBA League Pass and Prime.

Here’s the Nets full schedule in the California Classic.

Summer League begins!

Throughout the eight-game set, it is expected that we will see all three of Brooklyn’s freshly selected draft picks: Mikel Brown Jr., Joshua Jefferson and Tyler Bilodeau.

However, it remains unknown exactly when each will make their debut. More when we know later Saturday.

If Brown Jr. makes his debut today, it will be a fun matchup for both Nets and Kings fans, as he would be in line to face off against Darius Acuff Jr., whom the Nets passed on with the No. 6 pick before Sacramento swooped him up at No. 7, which was a polarizing decision on Nets Twitter.

Given that it’s a back-to-back-to-back beginning Saturday, there is a chance that the Nets may hold Brown Jr. out of some of the Sacramento portion. As Jordi Fernandez told reporters Wednesday, you don’t want to burn out the rookies.

“We’re not going to do anything that will put their health in danger,” said Fernández before the team headed out West. “I think that we’ve proven that over and over. We have very good medical and performance staff, and right now, I don’t envision them playing all three games, because I think it’s back-to-back-to-back.”

As for Jefferson, he won’t be eligible until Vegas, since the Randle-Claxton trade which the 28th pick, won’t be processed until Monday, too late for him to play in Sacramento.

Bilodeau, who signed a two-way contract with the team after being selected with the 43rd overall pick, is expected to be a full-go.

Three of the Nets’ five first-round picks from the 2025 class will also be in action over the next two weeks: Egor Demin, Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf and Drake Powell while Nolan Traoré will miss both leagues due to a arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

Another familiar face Nets fans will see on the floor is Chaney Johnson, a late-season riser last year who was brought back on a two-way contract. Grant Nelson will travel with the team, although he won’t play as he continues to rehab from patellar tendinitis, commonly referred to as “jumper’s knee.”

Beyond that, the Nets have three undrafted players on Exhibit 10 deals on the Summer League roster, which virtually ensures they, too, will spend time with the Long Island Nets after a stint in training camp come October.

All three will be in action over the next two weeks, though, in Vegas and Sacramento. The three players include 6’4” guard Dion Brown out of St. Louis University, Ben Humrichous, a 6’9” combo forward who came off the bench for Illinois last year, and 6’10” Duke Brennan out of Villanova.

For the first time since draft night, Nets fans will get a look at their 2026 draft class. And following a lengthy offseason riddled with poor luck, tonight is the night to sit back, relax on the 4th, and watch Brooklyn’s next generation of talent hoop.

Summer League is set to kick off for the Jazz tonight when they face the Atlanta Hawks. What, and who should Jazz fans be taking note of?

How Much Will Darryn Peterson Play?

This is clearly the most obvious and important storyline to keep an eye on, how will the second overall pick fare when going against NBA competition? This is what all Jazz fans will be most interested in seeing over the course of Summer League. Another question to consider is just how much will he actually play. It’s no secret that Peterson has injury concerns, these concerns however were not enough to dissuade the Jazz from selecting him 2nd overall, and Peterson himself has said that he has put his cramping issues behind him. Still it is something worth monitoring over the course of the Jazz’s Summer League games.

How Will Peterson Fare Against the Other Top Picks?

Peterson is set to face off against AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer in this year’s Summer League. The biggest questions will be: did the Jazz make a mistake by not trading up for Dybantsa, (no) and did the Jazz make a mistake by not selecting Cameron Boozer 2nd overall? (also no) Even if these questions are stupid, it will be very interesting to see how Peterson will stack up against the first and third overall picks.

A Preview of Year 2 Ace

Ace looked fantastic during his rookie season, where he averaged 13.8 points, and shot 34% from deep. At times, he was the sole reason most were tuning in to watch. There are some questions as to whether or not Bailey will come off the bench next season, and this Summer League will be a perfect opportunity for him to show that he is talented enough to start on a team that will be competing for a playoff spot. Even if he ends up coming off the bench next season he will still get plenty of minutes, and should be even more dangerous now that he has a year of experience under his belt.

Cody Williams

Cody will be the only player from the Jazz’s 2024 draft class who will be suiting up for this year’s Summer League. On the one hand this can be seen as somewhat of a disappointment, especially considering he was drafted 10th overall. On the other hand this will be a great opportunity for Cody to refine his game on offense, late last season he really seemed to be favoring longer twos over threes. The analytics may say this is a poor shot to take, but any production on offense from him is welcome. He could also be more important to the team than previously expected due to the departure of Walker Kessler. In my view he is the Jazz’s 7th most important player (shoutout to Jaylen Brown).

How Will Bez Mbeng Perform?

Now for the storylines only the true sickos will be dedicating their precious time to ponder. Bez Mbeng was an intriguing piece that the Jazz added towards the end of last season. It came as no surprise that the 3 time Ivy League Defense Player of the Year was a solid defender, averaging 2.3 steals per game, but can he show enough on offense to stick around as an end of the bench guy? He had his moments on offense, scoring 26, and 27 against the Pelicans and Grizzlies last season, but those were against G-League level opponents since it was so late in the season and neither team was really trying to win. Personally I believe that Mbeng could be a younger, cheaper replacement for Elijah Harkless should the Jazz elect to move off of his contract this offseason. At the very least I think that Mbeng has shown enough to be kept on the Jazz’s G-League roster to develop further.

Of the Lesser Known Players Who Will Impress?

Recently the Jazz signed Tamar Bates to a two-way contract. He was put up impressive numbers in the G-League, but can he show enough to stick around? He averaged an impressive 19.6 points per game in the G-League, and shot 44% from deep in his 12 games played.

Blake Hinson also finds himself on a two-way contract. In his 14 games played last year he showed that he is a legit NBA shooter, shooting 46.8% from three. While he is on the older side at 26, he’s still an intriguing piece to keep an eye on. Also he will be wearing a new number this season, switching from #2 to #11.

Other names to keep in mind are centers; Micah Handlogten, Jonas Aidoo, and Mohamed Wague. Even after signing Jaxon Hayes, and resigning Nurkić, the Jazz might still be wise to look to add a developmental center behind the two. Micah Handlogten might be the best bet between the three, as he is the youngest and tallest. Additionally he also averaged the most rebounds in college, which is a skill the Jazz are in dire need of.

SAN FRANCISCO — As Chris Manon was kicking off his eight-point, three-rebound performance during the Lakers’ loss to the Warriors on Friday night at Chase Center to kick off their California Classic summer league slate, the Lakers made sure he’ll be back on the team in 2026-27.

The Lakers re-signed the defensive standout to a two-way contract, filling the final two-way slot on the roster. 

The team agreed to two-way deals with Peter Suder and AK Okereke, both of whom made their summer league debuts Friday, after the NBA draft last week. They officially signed Suder on Saturday.

Manon spent the 2025-26 season with the Lakers on a two-way deal after going undrafted from Vanderbilt in 2025. 

He averaged 10.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.9 steals in 33 regular-season games (26 starts) for the South Bay Lakers, helping lead South Bay to the Western Conference’s best record at 26-10. 

The 6-foot-4 Manon was named to the 2025-26 NBA G League All-Defensive Team and finished second in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year. He also appeared in nine games for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2025-26 season. 

The South Bay Lakers have been renamed the Coachella Valley Lakers and will relocate to the Greater Palm Springs region starting next season.

In case you missed it buried at the bottom of the article about Culver’s the other day — the news came out as I was writing that blog! — former Marquette guard Kam Jones is no longer a part of the Chicago Bulls organization. The Bulls waived Jones back on June 30th, right before his contract guaranteed for the 2026-27 season, after they made a draft day trade to acquire the Golden Eagles’ #2 all-time scorer.

As it turns out, Jones’ time without an NBA deal of some kind did not last long. Shams Charania from ESPN is reporting that the Milwaukee Bucks will be signing Kam Jones to a two-way contract. That means that Jones will most likely spend most of the 2026-27 season with the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s G-League team, as he will have a limited number of days that he is allowed to spend on the roster with the NBA team.

It’s unclear at this point what this means for Jones and NBA Summer League. I would presume that he will not be hurrying out to Sacramento to join the Bucks for the California Classic portion of Summer League, as Milwaukee plays their first game in that event in less than three hours from when I’m typing this. It’s possible that he will join them there, of course, as it is possible that he’ll join Milwaukee for Summer League in Las Vegas when they get that started on Friday, July 10th.

As Milwaukee moves on from the Giannis Antetokounmpo era — hilariously, because of NBA league calendar rules, Antetokounmpo is actually still listed on the Bucks’ roster right this second — and starts up with new head coach Taylor Jenkins, it’s hard to say for absolute certain what Jones’ chances are of playing his way from a two-way deal into a full-time contract with the Bucks. You could make the argument that Milwaukee is entering a process of a rebuild of sorts right now, and at the end of the day, being able to sign a player like Jones to a minimum salary deal could be useful to them. That’s going to require him to prove he can hang in the league better than he did this past year with the Indiana Pacers.

Jones was the #38 pick one year ago, technically being selected by San Antonio before a trade that was finalized after the fact sent him to the Pacers. He appeared in 37 games for Indiana this past season as the Pacers went 19-63 with Tyrese Haliburton out for the year after suffering an Achilles tear in the 2025 NBA Finals. Jones started seven times along the way and ended up averaging 4.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 16.6 minutes per game. One thing that did not help Jones’ playing time was his 29.3% three-point shooting, and that was dragged down by shooting just 25% in Indiana’s final seven games of the season.

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Summer League feels different this year. It’s the first year the San Antonio Spurs haven’t had a lottery prospect to watch since 2019. There won’t be that eager anticipation of watching a Victor Wembanyama or Dylan Harper-level player suit up in the Silver and Black for the first time. With their most hyped-up draft pick, Jayden Quaintance, missing the summer games with an injury, the team is filled with depth players, two-way guys, and G Leaguers. Until Carter Bryant joins the team in Las Vegas, there isn’t really a player on the roster who is likely to factor into the Spurs’ regular-season rotation.

If anything, it makes this summer more interesting. We’ll get to see first-round pick and likely third-string center Tarris Reed Jr. get a lot of playing time. Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Maliq Brown, who just signed two-way deals, should play most of the summer and have plenty of opportunities to get accustomed to the NBA game. There will be room for a G League player to make a name for themself, just like David Jones-Garcia did last year.

Like it is every year, the first game of the Summer League was ugly. Neither of these teams has played together before, which led to 36 combined turnovers in the game. There was aggressive defense and sloppy offense. It’s more of a showcase for talent and a way for prospects to get used to the NBA game than a place where you are looking for a winning team. San Antonio’s team has an interesting collection of talent this summer, and they showed it in the 88-87 loss to Miami.

San Antonio has two open roster spots and no open two-way slots. Two-way contacts can come and go. Summer League this year is going to be about the Spurs’ draft picks showing they can contribute as depth pieces, and G League players trying to prove they can earn a two-way deal, either in San Antonio or elsewhere. Plenty of players got off to a good start on Friday toward achieving those goals.

Takeaways:

• All eyes will be on Reed Jr. in the California Classic. The 26th overall pick had an up-and-down game in his first taste of NBA action. He finished with 10 points, 7 rebounds, and a block on 3-10 shooting from the field. He looked like someone who hadn’t played an organized basketball game since March. He was a step slow and got lost a few times off-ball on defense. However, his strengths (and in this case, that is literal) were on display. Reed Jr. is massive. He takes up a lot of space in the paint, which allowed him to grab three offensive rebounds. He set hard, physical screens that freed up his teammates all game long. He had a few good passes out of the high post, showing his potential as a playmaker. He lacked some touch around the rim early, but settled in late and hit all three of his free throws. There was a lot of positive stuff in his first game, but definitely some things to improve on as the summer goes on.
• There have been videos of Reed Jr. hitting threes in workouts, and some talk that teams think he may eventually be able to space the floor a bit. His first Summer League shot was a step-back three at the end of the shot clock… it airballed. Maybe he will develop a three-point shot eventually, but it seems unlikely he will take many early in his career.
• Brown was perhaps the most impressive rookie on Friday. Defense was his MO coming out of Duke. San Antonio used him both as a wing and a small-ball backup center. He thrived in both roles, always getting to the right spots defensively while picking up a steal and a block. He’s quick enough to switch onto ball-handlers and big enough to contest shots inside with his 7-foot wingspan. What was even more impressive was Brown’s shooting. He was 2-4 from deep on Friday, knocking down standstill threes from the top of the key and the corner, important locations for a small-ball five. Brown shot 26% from three in college. It’s unlikely that he will be a high-percentage shooter in the NBA, but if he is, with his defensive skill, he could become a steal with the 44th pick.
• Gillespie was the other rookie that Spurs fans had their eyes on. He got a lot of shots up, but was largely inefficient, going 3-17 from the field for 10 points and 8 assists. Gillespie found the ball in his hands a lot on a Summer League team without many primary ball-handlers. Despite missing a lot of shots, his game management wasn’t horrible. He only had 1 turnover with his 8 assists and picked up three steals on defense. He hit two impressive three-pointers off movement, which was enough to get me excited about his shot-making long-term. His defense off the ball was pretty ugly, as he got caught ball-watching a couple of times, leading to backdoor layups for the Heat.
• If you are looking for the Jones-Garcia of the summer, I have two names for you: Miles Kelly and RJ Davis. Kelly is incredibly smooth and has a sweet-looking jump shot. It won’t surprise me if he fills it up in a few games this summer. Davis has never seen a shot he doesn’t like. He went 4-8 from the field for 15 points off the bench. His potentially game-winning three was one of the ugliest shots of the game, but hey, someone has to shoot it!
• Sicko Summer League insight inbound: I loved watching Emmanuel Miller and Jayden Nunn on the wings. They are both super athletic and have good instincts in the passing lanes. Nunn had 4 steals in the loss, while Miller had 2. That’s the type of athleticism and instinct that you bet on and keep around the G League program, in case they develop an offensive skill that can translate to the NBA.
• I really liked what I saw from RJ Melendez. He made simple plays, but has a solid 6 points off the bench after hitting two threes. He also had 4 blocks, showing his versatility defensively on the wing.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are once again vying for LeBron James’s services in free agency and could be in the driver’s seat for doing so. However, they may have to wait a couple more days to figure out whether James is coming back home.

James’s agent, Rich Paul, told Mark Medina of Forbes that he doesn’t “think this happens anytime soon.” When asked whether that means it’s days or weeks away, Paul said, “I don’t think it’ll be the next few days.”

This timeline lines up with when James made most of his other free agency decisions.

The Decision to sign with the Miami Heat in 2010 came on July 8. The return to Cleveland in 2014 came on July 11. The second week of July is when James usually makes his free agency decisions, which lines up with what Paul is hinting at. The one exception to this was when he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. That was decided on July 1.

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There’s a lot of speculation and rumors out there about what direction LeBron may be leaning. At this point, those are just that. James is supposedly valuing happiness and a chance to compete for a title on his next team. Both of those characteristics are pretty subjective. Only LeBron knows what makes him happy and what he values from an on-court fit on his next team.

The other teams that are reported to be in the mix for James’s services are the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, and Denver Nuggets.

We’ll see how this drawn-out free agency process plays out for the Cavs. Does this force them to make a move to try to impress LeBron? Trading for Anthony Davis or someone else close to James could be a way of doing that. Or are the Cavs going to stand pat, confident in their current group’s ability to compete for a title if James were added to the fold? After all, we’re talking about a core that did just make a conference finals run without James.

LeBron has spent the last eight seasons with the Lakers. The 41-year-old averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds on .513/.317/.737 shooting splits last season.

While the LeBron James free agency sweepstakes is shaping up to be the biggest story in basketball for as long as it occurs this summer, reality is that only several teams are equipped to sign the arguably NBA GOAT.

James’ agent, Rich Paul, laid out 10 potential teams on his “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman. It appears that one of these teams is feeling confident it will be able to sign James.

This team is the Timberwolves. The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski published a July 4 article that said Minnesota has “full belief” it is in the hunt to land James in free agency.

What’s more, Minnesota seems to believe it is uniquely suited to sign LeBron, as its “bold pitch,” according to Krawczynski, is that James winning a championship with Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert would end the discussion about who is the true NBA GOAT. The Timberwolves are convinced that James signing with them would cement his status over Michael Jordan.

But the Timberwolves’ front office also has practical reasons for its belief. They think their core of young stars can take pressure off James on offense, and that McDaniels and Gobert will lessen James’ defensive load, keeping him fresh throughout the season.

They also want to sell James on bringing a championship to a franchise that has never won one. What’s more, Minnesota hasn’t had a champion in any of its major men’s sports franchises since the Twins won the 1991 World Series, and it thinks the prospect of bringing a championship to the state will entice James.

There’s no question that Minnesota makes sense for James on paper, and perhaps this unique pitch will compel him. But the bottom line is that he has plenty of suitors to choose from, and Minnesota might be a hard sell after spending the past eight years in Los Angeles.

After being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick sat in front of the media to reflect on the year. 

The duo addressed what they felt went right and wrong about last season and what should come next. 

“If you look around the playoffs right now, I think depth is really important, athleticism and youth,” said Pelinka. “We have a lot of components of that on our roster, but we need to add to it.”

Fast forward to the present day and Pelinka’s words at the time have proved not to be just cliche front office speak, but rather an outline of what his vision for the team is. After a flurry of moves, and with more likely to come, the Lakers look drastically different from the way they did the last time we saw them. 

You can argue about the transactions they’ve made this summer and even the ideology behind them. Yet it is clear the team has aggressively picked a direction for their next chapter and is leaning hard into it. Perhaps, for the first time in years. 

If there is one common trend of the players they have added, it’s that they’re both younger and more athletic than those they are replacing. 

With an average age of 26.3, the Lakers had the seventh-oldest roster in the NBA last season. Zooming in more, their starting group’s average age was 30.8. For context, the Clippers had the oldest roster to start last season at 28.6.

Age is one thing, but the Lakers also simply were too slow compared to their counterparts, especially the elite ones. 

According to the league’s tracking data, the Lakers were the second-slowest team on offense and the slowest team on defense last year, two stats that proved to be their downfall the further they went in the playoffs. 

Their new players should help in both areas.  Although more moves are likely on the horizon, if this were the final depth chart, the Lakers would enter next season with an average roster age of 25.1. That would have ranked 12th youngest last year.

That may not sound like a drastic improvement. However, what best exemplifies the difference from this roster compared to last season’s is that Austin Reaves is currently the oldest player on the team at an ancient 28 years old. 

From a strictly age perspective, losing LeBron James also greatly improves the mean calculation. But from an athletic standpoint, even at 41, he was arguably still the team’s best athlete. Replacing him individually was always going to be an impossible task.

Instead, the hope is they can replicate it in aggregate and collectively get closer to the athletic threshold the rest of the NBA has already reached. Even if it comes in different forms.

Athleticism is not a catch-all trait. Swapping Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard for Quintin Grimes and Collin Sexton should yield immediate dividends from a run-and-jump perspective. Sandro Mamukelashvili may not look like an athletic upgrade over Rui Hachimura, but there is a degree of fluidity and versatility to his game that Hachimura’s rigidity often disallows. And Walker Kessler’s motor and defensive instincts allow him to get to places on the court that Deandre Ayton often was late to.

Beyond the free agent acquisitions, Redick and staff will likely also have to rely on their internal projects, Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr, to play actual minutes this year. Both would immediately help in this department as they become the most exciting and dynamic athletes on the floor the instant their names are called. 

The team’s shift in ethos can be seen as far as their Summer League team. Led by the aforementioned young wing duo, the summer squad is composed of uber-athletic players who possess the DNA that the main roster will try to adopt going forward. 

Players like Thiero, Carr, William Kyle, Rob Mccray, Chris Mañon and Zhaire Smith, should all be walking highlight reels this summer. As draft analyst, Ben Pfeifer pointed out, those six players have exactly 500 college dunks between them, and none have had fewer than 47 career slams. That’s a level of above-the-rim play that has been absent on the Lakers in recent seasons

There is still plenty of work before the roster is finalized, but if their recent moves are any indication, it is safe to assume whoever they add next will likely fit a similar mold. The team’s reported interest in Jonathan Kuminga (23) serves as a prime example.

It ultimately remains to be seen if this collection and approach pay off in the standings. However, there is at least a plan in place. Polarizing, yes. Yet it is something this team can at least be identifiable for.

The Lakers may not be the youngest or fastest team, still. But at least they are closer today than they were yesterday.

All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Bluesky at @alexregla.bsky.social.

The past 48 hours have been difficult for Celtics Nation, and that’s an understatement.

But with Jaylen Brown headed to Philadelphia, attention has already shifted to the next major domino still left to fall as free agent LeBron James weighs his options after departing the Lakers. James, currently considering what could be his final destination before retirement, hasn’t closed the door on many potential suitors thus far.

That includes the Celtics, according to James’ agent Rich Paul.

This offseason has seen stars such as Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMelo Ball, and Ja Morant traded, each from their respective homegrown organizations in a shocking first few days. And there are still more to come, with Paul unveiling those in the running to sign James this offseason.

Boston, off a first-round playoff exit, finally chose between the same two paths it had weighed for years: either keep Jayson Tatum alongside Brown or split them up. This time, they chose the latter, and what followed was an instinctual reaction from a passionate fanbase that hadn’t considered the real possibility of the Jays being broken up until it finally kicked in.

But that’s the reality of professional sports, and the Celtics — as special as they’ve always been — are no exception.

Brown is gone. It hasn’t even been a week since the start of free agency, and the fourth of July fireworks haven’t popped off throughout the city either. So the most unforeseen outcome for many fans is still very fresh. For Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, who will need to answer for his decision in Monday’s upcoming press conference with majority owner Bill Chisholm, there’s still plenty of work to do.

Paul, speaking with Max Kellerman on the Game Over podcast, listed 10 teams James is said to be considering: the Warriors, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Spurs, Mavericks, Heat, Knicks, Cavaliers, Sixers, and Celtics.

“Brad and Tatum,” Paul’s whiteboard read.

In the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Tatum and James won a gold medal as teammates for Team USA. That same summer, the two shared the red carpet for the premiere of Netflix’s Starting 5 docuseries, featuring both Tatum and James. Their relationship over the years has survived the longstanding rivalry between LeBron and the city of Boston, which dates back to his debut stint with the Cavaliers — back when Tatum was in elementary school.

During Tatum’s rookie season, he flushed an iconic postseason dunk in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, introducing himself to the future Hall of Famer with four championships to his name. Since then, Tatum and James have embraced each other with routine friendly encounters during their regular-season run-ins as foes on the court.

Boston, unlike Golden State and Cleveland, can only offer James the veteran minimum after using their mid-level exception to sign Mitchell Robinson to a three-year, $47.4 million contract. That means James would have to take a pay cut to join a Celtics team currently featuring Tatum, Robinson, Derrick White, and Paul George.

Last season, James averaged 20.9 points on 51.5 percent shooting as a 41-year-old in his 23rd season. Most impressively, James did so while accepting a downgraded role as the third option behind Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves in Los Angeles. So the willingness to take a backseat for the betterment of the team, while remaining effective, is a role James is capable of accepting.

Paul confirmed James won’t rush into a decision.

“I don’t think this happens anytime soon,” Paul told Mark Medina of Forbes.

Whether James lands in Boston remains up to him. If he does, it would mark one of the NBA’s most stunning uniform switches ever — surpassing Michael Jordan’s final two seasons with the Wizards by a country mile. It would also coincide with what’s already been an odd and uncomfortable offseason for Celtics fans, currently in store for a much, much different team come October.  

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There's a nice 4-pack of NBA Summer League coming at you Saturday, headlined by Darryn Peterson, the No. 2 pick in the 2026 draft, as his Utah Jazz take on the Atlanta Hawks.

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg will suit up for the Golden State Warriors again and square off against the Milwaukee Bucks, who will be showcasing their top pick, Braydon Burries, taken a pick ahead of Yax.

Check out my NBA Summer League Predictions and free NBA picks for Saturday, July 4.

NBA Summer League predictions for July 4

Pick
Hawks moneyline	-117
Bucks moneyline	-122
Kings moneyline	-117

Today's Summer League Picks

Hawks moneyline (-117 at Kalshi)

There was probably no player more speculated on heading into the draft than Darryn Peterson.

An outstanding showing early on would do a ton to quell those rumors about his desire to play and his fitness level, since he pulled himself out of so many games for Kansas this last season.

It's also a chance to see how he meshes with Ace Bailey, last year's top draft pick, as the Utah Jazz awaits his true takeoff.

The Atlanta Hawks got some nice rooks to showcase too, led by Kingston Flemings (No. 8 pick) and high-energy big Zuby Ejiofor (No, 23 pick).

Paired with second-year man Asa Newell, this is one of the nicest Summer League rosters. Their energy carries them to victory.

Bucks moneyline (-122 at Kalshi)

This will probably be the last time for a while where Yaxel Lendeborg gets to be a featured guy, as the Golden State Warriors are veteran-laced and still trying to make big moves to get into contention.

That doesn't mean Yax won't be a glue guy and a major contributor from Day 1, and his wide array of talents will be on display.

But he's going against a Milwaukee Bucks team that should be hungry. Milwaukee is in teardown mode, and there are roster spots to be filled.

While developing Brayden Burries is obviously the top priority, unearthing a couple of gems in Summer League should also be crucial (looking at you, 6-foot-11 Bogoljub Markovic!).

I'd be stunned if these guys aren't going 100mph all game – Milwaukee is where you want to be if you want an NBA job!

Kings moneyline (-117 at Kalshi)

Nothing like a pair of high-pick, explosive scoring guards to entertain on a Saturday in June.

That's what we have when the Sacramento Kings, showcasing No. 5 pick Darius Acuff Jr, face off against the Brooklyn Nets and Mikal Brown Jr, taken just a spot after Acuff.

After a brief "Light the Beam" moment, SacTown is sad again, but Acuff could be the star worth believing in. Also, drafting Alex Karaban is the right culture-shifting dude you want. We'll see how he plays at the pro level.

Brown Jr becomes the centerpiece of a Brooklyn rebuild, though he's another point guard on a team that drafted five of them in the first round a year ago.

Second-year guys Egor Demin, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf will all be in attendance in Summer League too, and that could make for an awkward fit.

Saturday’s NBA Summer League parlay

Hawks moneyline

Bucks moneyline

Kings moneyline

+526 at Kalshi

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