Category: Basketball

Globe Warriors’ Stephen Curry becomes first active player to have an exhibit at Basketball Hall of Fame

CelticsBlog Celtics linked to Bradley Beal; Is he worth it?

Celtics Reacts Survey: who could win Most Improved Player next season?

NBC Sports BostonIs there a case for Bradley Beal in Boston?

Celtics Census: The ultimate Boston Celtics survey

Why Hugo Gonzalez has potential to be Derrick White-level player

NESN Celtics Couldn’t Sign Bradley Beal Without Cutting $2.4 Million Guard

Chris Cenac Jr. Ready to Prove Doubters Wrong With Celtics

Why Celtics Should — And Shouldn’t — Sign Bradley Beal To Help Jayson Tatum

Jaylen Brown, Rafael Devers and the Boston Curse of Oct. 24, 1996

ESPN Gives Celtics Worrying Grade For Jaylen Brown Trade, Other Offseason Moves

Celtics Linked To 3-Time All-Star For Jayson Tatum Reason

Mass LiveTwo former Celtics forwards linked to Warriors in free agency

Former Celtics center explains leaving Boston in free agency

Celtics free agency rumors: Former All-Star guard considering Boston

Celtics WireReport: Bradley Beal considering teaming up with Celtics and friend Jayson Tatum

Celtics fans might want to buy some stock in Dillon Mitchell

Best of Jaylen Brown with the Boston Celtics

Amari Williams is blossoming before the Boston Celtics’ eyes

Best of Chris Cenac Jr. with the Celtics at Las Vegas Summer League

Celtics history: Anderson, Potapenko dealt; Pressey inked; Archibald cut

How much can Celtics expect from Chris Cenac Jr. this season, beyond?

Grant Hill on why he passed on Jaylen Brown vs. other Celtics for Olympics

Best of Hugo Gonzalez with Boston Celtics at 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League

New Boston big Chris Cenac Jr. hosting basketball camp in New Orleans

Hardwood HoudiniIsaiah Thomas’ Celtics legacy finally gets the credit it deserves

Celtics Summer League Grades: No one came away looking better than Dillon Mitchell

Signing Bradley Beal would be a horrible idea for the Celtics

LeBron James may decide whether Celtics get Jayson Tatum’s best friend

Only diehard Celtics fans can name every all-star in franchise history — can you?

Chowder and Champions Celtics’ starting lineup should be obvious after Jaylen Brown trade

CLNS Media/YouTube Summer League Reactions: Did Hugo Gonzalez Show ENOUGH? | Celtics Daily

Ryan & Goodman Look Ahead to Jaylen Brown’s Return to TD Garden

Analytics EXPERT Gives Jaylen Brown Trade Breakdown | Celtics Daily

Why Celtics MUST Get Extension Done with Jordan Walsh | The Big 3 NBA Podcast

Locked on Celtics HOW Do the Boston Celtics MAKE UP Jaylen Brown’s Lost Production?

SI .comDeep Dive: How Do the Boston Celtics Make Up For Jaylen Brown’s Lost Production

Celtics RoundtableBoston Celtics Given Nice Break in Regards to Preseason Schedule

Team USA Basketball Leader Opens Up on 2024 Jaylen Brown Controversy

Boston Celtics’ Rookie Earns Interesting Distinction with Summer League Performance

WEEI/YouTube Justin Turpin Joins The Show | Rich and Ken with Ted Johnson

Fadeaway World 5 Contenders That Need To Improve Their Bench Ahead Of The Season

P.J. Tucker: Celtics Won’t Regret Jaylen Brown Trade, Don’t Sleep On Paul George

HeavyKevin Garnett Sends Warning To Boston Celtics Over Jaylen Brown Trade

Celtics Named Among 3 Teams Likely To Target Bradley Beal

Yahoo SportsPistons, Heat and Celtics make the most sense for Demar DeRozan’s services

Hoops Rumors Atlantic Notes: Johnson, Brown Trade Reactions, Sixers Picks, Brunson

FansidedDisclosure Day: 6 NBA conspiracy theories we’re just waiting to find out are true

Hoops WireNBA Notes: Sixers, Jaylen Brown, Knicks, Jalen Brunson, Clippers

WCVBInside Robert Parish’s journey to becoming a Celtics legend

CBS Sports/YouTube Salary cap expert gives offseason grades to NBA teams 👀 | Knicks, Celtics, 76ers, Heat, & More

Clutch Points1 undrafted Celtics 2026 NBA Summer League star who could make roster

ESPNNBA offseason grades: Which teams had best trades, signings, deals?

The Providence Journal Who is Joe Mazzulla? What to know about the Celtics coach from RI

Good Morning It’s Basketball Meet the NBA’s Zone of Shame

BasketNewsFive NBA players headline Spain’s roster for August FIBA window

Celtics enter race with Heat for Bradley Beal, per NBA insider

Bleacher ReportEvery NBA Team’s Most Disrespected Hidden Gem

The Sixer Sense76ers quietly made one major flaw even worse despite blockbuster summer

The Sporting NewsCeltics trade rumor helps the Jaylen Brown trade make much more sense

NBA Big BoardSummer League Notebook: Second-Round Picks and Undrafted Gems Who Impressed

SportsnautBoston Celtics Rumor Claims 3-Time All-Star Wants to Join Roster to Play With Jayson Tatum

Heat RoundtableMiami Heat Battle Familiar Foe in All-Star Sweepstakes

Fan RecapWhy The Jaylen Brown Deal Could Still Transform Bostons Future

Last Word on Sports Analyzing The NBA Teams Who Still Have Work To Do With Roster

Victor Wembanyama has returned to the States after vacationing in France since the NBA Finals ended, and it has been an eventful week for him. He was spotted at the FIFA World Cup Final and naturally went viral, both due to his height and taking advantage of it to shield the sun in a manner no one else in his seated position ever could. (I’m sure it would have been an even better experience for him had France made it out of the semi-finals.)

Travis Scott, Carlos Alcaraz, & Victor Wembanyama linked up at the FIFA World Cup Final 🏆 ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/c1l8udTZoj

— OnThinIce (@OnThinlce) July 20, 2026

🏀 @NBA superstar Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio @Spurs is here for the FIFA World Cup Final pic.twitter.com/epJRIeUVBx

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026

Another big event for him this week was he received the honor of being on the cover of the NBA 2k27 Standard edition, which will be released on September 4. He is joined by Caitlan Clark and Derrick Rose, who will be on the Deluxe and Ultimate edition covers, respectively.

Ball Over Everything 💯

Pre-order NBA 2K27 now! ➡️ https://t.co/xIMBzDuP2Bpic.twitter.com/RTSpX2Ecox

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) July 22, 2026

While Wemby is the first Spur to make the cover of the Standard edition, other Spurs who have made covers in the past include Tony Parker on the NBA 2K17 French edition, Pau Gasol on the same Spanish edition, and Tim Duncan on the NBA 2K17 LIMITED edition.

If we want to get really technical, Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell can also make the same claim thanks to cameo appearances, since Wemby’s image comes from his celebration of hitting a game winner against the Phoenix Suns late in the regular season — the shot that clinched the Spurs’ first playoff berth in 7 years — and those two were captured. According to the Spurs themselves, this is the first time teammates have been on the cover.

The first cover in 2K’s 25-year history to have teammates included 🤝

(via @NBA2K) pic.twitter.com/ccOHQyQTvt

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) July 22, 2026

Finally, Wemby recently spoke to Jason Jones of The Athletic, and he explained his decision to waive the supermax escalator, which will keep his extension worth the max of 5 years, $252 million without the possibility of it rising to a supermax worth $303 million, saving the Spurs $50 million in cap space over the next five years (beginning next summer). The odds of it escalating would have been very likely considering all it would have taken was he win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, or make an All-NBA Team — all of which he very well may enter the season as the odds on favorite for.

“We have a good team, we had a very good playoff run, and we had a very good regular season. But what’s even better and greater is our potential. The reality of today’s NBA is that often, the potential of teams is not fulfilled because of money. I just want to make sure it’s never our case.”

While many keep referring to Jalen Brunson as someone who took a similar discount, it’s been going on a lot longer than that in San Antonio, as Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker were all known for taking discounts to keep the team together for the sake of winning over money.

It has been an eventful week in the U.S for Wemby, but soon he will be back overseas to suit up for the French National Team for two FIBA World Cup Qualifers against Slovenia and Sweden on August 27 and 30, respectively. It’s pretty rare for players to play at that level of international play right after making the NBA Finals, but clearly Wemby is ready to get going again. After being robbed of being able to play much basketball and develop last summer while he recovered from deep vein thrombosis, you can’t blame him for wanting to make up for lost time this summer.

It might not look like it, but the Cleveland Cavaliers are busy.

The weeks-long race for LeBron James is turning into a marathon. One that would have disastrous results if the Cavs came out of the other end empty-handed. A contingency plan is needed. That’s why the Cavs have continued to keep tabs on another small forward who could help bolster their depth on the wing.

“While LeBron James remains atop their wish list, the Cavaliers have continued to keep tabs on Kuminga consistently,” said Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Kuminga is an unrestricted free agent after the Atlanta Hawks declined his $23 million team option. The Hawks are reportedly interested in keeping Kuminga in a one-plus-one deal. However, they’ve shown interest in potential sign-and-trade scenarios with teams including the Cavaliers.

Other teams reportedly interested in Kuminga are the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks.

The Cavs, being one of the most financially restricted teams in the NBA, would likely make a consolidatory move to free up space for Kuminga. That means salary dumping Dennis Schroder or Max Strus, two players whom they have explored options for this summer.

“Amid Cleveland’s pursuit of both players [James and Kuminga], Max Strus and Dennis Schroder have come up as potential trade candidates,” said Scotto.

Cleveland has reportedly garnered attention from the Charlotte Hornets, who have their eyes on Schroder as a backup point guard.

“The Charlotte Hornets have been linked with interest in Schroder, league sources told HoopsHype. It’s worth noting that Hornets executive Jeff Peterson is said to still be a fan of Schroder dating back to their time together in Atlanta,” said Scotto.

Whether the Cavs end up with their crown jewel or a consolation prize — moving one of Schroder or Strus is likely required. Doing so would open up the financial flexibility they desperately need to improve the roster. Big or small, it’s the first stepping stone to any upgrades.

Kuminga is 23 years old and can patch up some of Cleveland’s holes on the wing. He’s an athletic forward who, at times, has shown microwave scoring ability as a punishing slasher. Kuminga also has raw defensive potential that has yet to be fully realized.

Then, there’s the finished product that is LeBron James. Cavs fans are familiar with what James brings to the table. Even the 41-year-old version of him would provide sweeping improvements to everyone on the roster. This is the type of player that undoubtedly raises your ceiling. It’s who the Cavs are primarily hoping for.

---

After an undefeated start to the Las Vegas Summer League, the Lakers’ run ended in the semifinals at the hands of the Warriors. Though there will be no hardware this year, or even any NBA All-Summer League recognition, the results were an unquestionable success for the franchise.  

LA’s most recent draft picks, Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero, were the star headliners for a fun and feisty athletic roster, but the player leading the team in scoring was surprise standout in Arthur Kaluma. He showed a versatile offensive game and an interesting athletic profile, a seemingly perfect match for the roster direction the Lakers headed towards.

The 24-year-old out of Texas played a year on the Lakers’ G League affiliate last season where he averaged 13.8 points and shot 37% from three. At 6’7” with a 7’1” wingspan, he has strong measurables for a prototypical modern forward.

As with any wings surrounding Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, it all begins with their ability to shoot in head coach JJ Redick’s offense. Kaluma led the Lakers in both 3-pointers made and percentage in Vegas, hitting a blistering 50% of his outside attempts. He hit seven more threes in Vegas than the next closest player.

​The stationary catch and shoot was there as he operated as an effective spacer for ball handlers in the half-court, or caught and fired in transition, showing off his consistent form in the clip below.

His versatility was highlighted by head coach Ty Abbott, who used him as an off-ball mover, as shown in the clip below. He comes to set the on-ball screen, then immediately receives a flare screen. A shot fake jab flows into a difficult break rhythm 3-pointer.

In addition, Kaluma showed a fluid handle when teams overplayed him as a shooter. In the clip below, he receives a flare screen with his defender in a lock-and-trail position. After faking his defender, he catches on a curl, drives, and finds his teammate for a lob at the basket.

On lower volume, Kaluma also ran some actions as the main ball handler. Skilled enough to attack off the dribble and creatively finish at the basket, he comes off the inverted screen and gets downhill. A long euro step through the lane leads to the reverse layup on the other end.

In addition to being red hot from three, Kaluma shot an efficient 15-20 (75%) on his two-point attempts in Vegas. The offensive package is clearly there, and it will only be more empowered next to high-level playmakers, which was the lone blind spot on the Lakers’ summer roster.

Where he and the other end-of-the-roster players will earn their minutes is on the defensive end. Summer League isn’t exactly the situation for perfect defensive evaluation, but there’s a definite toolbox to work with.

​Kaluma defended multiple positions, at times getting beat off the dribble while other times showcasing his quick feet to stay with his matchup. He transitioned from end to end quickly, and a chase-down block shown below exhibited his athleticism.

In his five breakout games in Vegas, Kaluma averaged 18.6 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 50% on his 3-pointers. His stellar performance was promptly rewarded with a two-way roster spot.

LA has clearly gone with a youth movement over the summer with their additions. With reports of talks on a Jonathan Kuminga signing stalling, there are minutes to possibly be had. If Kaluma proves the Summer League shooting to be real, his athletic profile gives a real pathway to potential minutes next season.  

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu.

Even before winning last season’s NBA title, the New York Knicks long ago established themselves as one of the Association’s flagship franchises. Knickerbockers have been All-Stars going back to 1951, when Vince Boryla, Harry Gallatin and Dick McGuire were all selected. 15 different Knicks have been named to All-NBA teams, beginning way back in 1947-48 with Carl Braun making Second Team. No Knicks made it the season before, the Year One of American professional men’s hoops. In that first season, a Bones McKinney made BAA First Team, and is in rare company as a two-time All-NBAer who shot below 30% from the field for his career.

There’ve been Olympians, starting with Jerry Lucas in 1960 and including Bill Bradley, Charles Smith, Patrick Ewing and Carmelo Anthony. Stephon Marbury was there when the Dream Team suffered the worse loss in U.S. men’s hoops history against a certain magical island from the Caribbean.

New York has won 60-plus games twice and lost 60-plus twice (interestingly, in 80 seasons they’ve only finished .500 once), made the playoffs 47 times, been coached by a Dick, a Red and a Herb, and run by a Gordon, a Glenn and Steve Mills. Twice. They’ve played 6,269 games. They went 24 years without a title, then three, then 53. Knicks fans have seen it all. Except one thing: the best player alive wearing blue and orange.

Willis Reed is the only Knick ever to win regular-season MVP. I’ve always argued Ewing was better than people think, even compared to contemporaries of his held in higher esteem. I wrote a very wordy slider piece for FanSided early in my career ranking the ‘92 Dream Teamers and had the audacity to rank Ewing fourth, behind the three you can guess and David Robinson. Reader, Ewing was better than the Admiral. But that’s another argument for another day.

The Knicks winning the title this year cast a lot of my prior facts and feelings in new light. The ‘90s Knicks, for example, are already mutating a bit in terms of their meaning to me, because for most of my life they represented an apex. But now that I’ve seen the mountaintop, the surrounding landscape hits different.

The best player on Earth today is Jalen Brunson. Full stop. Don’t believe me? Let’s go for a ride among the other leading candidates and see how and why JB is the GOAT.

STEPH CURRY

Not gonna lie: being the only NBA player ever with your own exhibit in the Hall of Famewhile you’re still active is a pretty sick flex. Steph isn’t merely a first-ballot HOFer; his ballots should arrive in the mail with his name already circled. And for most of the time his career has overlapped with Brunson’s, Curry’s been ahead of him and virtually everyone else.

But I’m writing this in 2026, not 2020. Golden State hasn’t won 50 games since Kemba Walker was a Knick. That’s not Curry’s fault, but he’s missed 85 games in that span. They’ve won as many playoff series since (2) as years they’ve missed the playoffs. He’s nearly a decade older than Brunson, yet in all that time only won two championships as his team’s best player. Brunson’s already halfway there, nipping on his heels with one.

LEBRON JAMES

LeBron is fortysomething; on any title contender he would be — at best — their third-best player, maybe fourth. Brunson, still twentysomething, is the most valuable player on the defending champions, something James hasn’t been since 2020. Plus James has grown more and more annoying as a public figure over time, while Brunson is easier to love than puppies. Also, James is built like a Sherman tank while Brunson is closer to a fire hydrant. Clearly the Knick star is doing far more with less. And we aren’t constantly bombarded with who-gives-a-**** updates from Brunson’s agent. Advantage JB.

CADE CUNNINGHAM

Call back when he gets a legit second banana and beats a two-way team in the playoffs.

LUKA DONČIĆ

I love Luka. A few years ago, he was the one player in the league I’d have moved heaven and earth and whatever else it took to bring him to the Knicks. But he hasn’t played for a team that’s won a playoff round since he was still a Dallas Maverick. And he was traded for garbage. So he’s clearly got some work to do. Also, I bet you he misses having Brunson alongside him. You think at any point last year Brunson thought “Wish Luka were here?” Fat chance.

NIKOLA JOKIĆ

Back in 2020, Jokić averaged 9.7 rebounds per game. Had he added another three tenths, he’d currently be on nine consecutive seasons averaging a double-double; last year was his second straight averaging a triple-double. Russell Westbrook did the latter three years in a row and four outta five, but doing so while shooting below 45% from the field and 30% from deep dings a little of that luster. By contrast, 2020 is the last time Jokić shot below 57% from the field, while his 36% career mark from deep is more accurate than any single season of Westbrook’s.

It isn’t Jokić‘s fault that he plays for such cheapskate owners in Denver. It also isn’t his fault that he’s about a foot taller than Brunson. If he were a foot shorter, you think he’d be nearly as good? HA! Now, take Brunson’s postgame and footwork and added 11 inches to his height, and whaddya got? An even GOATier GOAT.

SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER

SGA couldn’t handle the same Spurs team Brunson put in a blender during the Finals. And for all the deserved heat Wembanyama took for his “ethical basketball” tripe before assaulting multiple playoff opponents, the truth is the biggest difference between the Thunder and the Knicks (besides Jalen Williams being injured and OG Anunoby not) is that Gilgeous-Alexander used his skills to try and draw fouls, while Brunson used his to try and make shots.

Or maybe the biggest difference was SGA shooting 29% from deep while Brunson canned 39%. I dunno. All I know is the Thunder are always at the top of power rankings, they have the deepest roster in human history and 39,737 draft picks this decade, and even with homecourt advantage they couldn’t beat the same team the Knicks beat without it. So how good could SGA be, really?

VICTOR WEMBANYAMA

LOLOLOLOL! Is this your king?

Welcome to the offseason’s dry period, where the lasting impressions of Summer League hoops have come and gone, left in the rearview by LeBron’s final “decision” and a rumor mill that at this stage in the summer, feels more like bored gossip than true reporting. 

But we recently did get a Celtics-related nugget from reporter Jake Fischer, who took to a Bleacher Report live stream to talk about potential happenings around the league, including that of 33-year-old free agent Bradley Beal.

“I was told today that Bradley Beal’s decision is not exactly being held up by LeBron, but is being impacted by it,” Fischer said. “I do think there’s some Miami interest there, and I would not rule out Boston for Beal because of the connection with Jayson Tatum.”

Okay so, obviously that’s still just a speculative guess based around Beal’s long-standing relationship with Jayson Tatum. Probably not something to put all that much stock in, but we’re already here, so let’s talk about it. 

Around this time last offseason, it was rumors of Ben Simmons interest that got us talking in the dead heat of the summer, even if they ultimately came from an unreliable/fraudulent Twitter source in which nothing came out of it. 

In a nutshell, this is the same conversation. A former All-Star with the baggage of being glued to one of the worst contracts in the league and consistently marred by injuries is now available for the low, low price of a bag of chips and a ham sandwich (also known as the veteran minimum). 

The logic is the same as the Simmons discourse last year. You take all that baggage into account, but at the end of the day, a vet minimum contract makes those concerns significantly less grave. Player perception is important, and Beal, like Simmons, has terrible perception among the fan community, further dug in by an immediate season-ending injury 6 games into the 2025-26 season. 

What’s also worth mentioning is that, as it currently stands, singing Beal would put Boston back over the dreaded tax line they’ve worked so hard to avoid. However, another move can be made to get back under the tax, so that’s not as dire as it sounds. 

Never know how much pull Tatum could have for his long-time friend, but Bradley Beal's 1yr vet minimum is $2.4M, which even at its discounted rate would push C's over the tax line. Is he a slam dunk to play on this roster? Major crunch at wing spots already. Don't see him coming.

— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) July 22, 2026

But what do you get from Beal in his current state? A left hip fracture took him out six games into his season with the Clippers, and he played 53 contests in each of the prior two seasons, but he hasn’t played 60 or more since 2020-21. 

Last year doesn’t give us much to work with in terms of on-court contributions, so let’s move to the previous season, where the Suns got Beal for 53 regular season games and four in the first round of the playoffs. 

Despite sharing his high shot volume with two other All-Stars, he was exactly what we’ve come to expect over his 14-year career. 

It was the lowest shot volume of his NBA career outside of his rookie season, but he was efficient in those opportunities (50/39/80 splits). He was also a fine playmaker (3.7 assists to 2 turnovers) and a negative defender (his -1.0 Defensive Box Plus-Minus is right on par with his -0.9 DBPM career average). 

He’s still an impressively skillful shot creator that can work well on and off the ball, but what he offers outside of that is mostly a bare cupboard. And I say this as someone who has had to watch a lot of Beal basketball over the years, both because the Wizards are my local market team and because I interned for a media company that had me run Beal’s website for a year (they made me refer to him as “Brad” or “BB” a lot in those posts, I never got used to that). 

The biggest thing I’m considering is what Beal would look like on the floor next to someone like Tatum, a star that can completely dictate the game and draws significant defensive attention into his orbit. 

Beal has always been a strong off-ball shooter. He’s good on pindowns and flare screens as an off-the-catch threat, and he wraps around handoffs with the intent to attack, showing consistent touch on pull-ups in the mid-range. 

In his final season in Phoenix, he maintained positive scoring efficiency across the three levels of the halfcourt. He was a 74% rim finisher (85th percentile according to Basketball Index), a 46% shooter on mid-range pullups (77th percentile), and a 39% shooter on threes (37% above the break, 41% on catch-and-shoots, and 41% from the corners). Even as his stock as a star has plummeted, Beal is still, at the end of the day, a more than capable bucket-getter. 

I feel confident that Beal would be a plus offensive presence, but I’m also confident that you’d actively have to hide him defensively. No available name on the market is perfect at this point, but if you can’t hold up on the defensive end when there are other wings and backcourt options on the roster that have proven to be capable on that side of the floor, do we think Joe Mazzulla would trust that the good on offense outweighs the bad on defense? 

Whether you fall on the side of “why not, sure” or “God no,” I think what we can all agree on is there are no handcuffs in this scenario. Beal on a veteran minimum is possibly the easiest thing to move off of. A signing today does not mean a roster spot past the trade deadline. If you’re bringing Beal onboard to provide a bench scoring boost and it doesn’t work out, chances are you won’t have to deal with it for too much longer. And if it does work out? That’s a professional scorer on a good short-term contract. 

We shouldn’t pretend that Bradley Beal in 2026 moves the needle significantly in either direction, but the Celtics could use more scoring punch off the bench and they could afford to add another cheap backcourt option. 

If I’m being honest, it feels unlikely that this move will happen, especially if it ends up as a decision between Boston or Miami.  

Miami provides a more guaranteed opportunity for high volume and is kind of desperate for proven scorers to round out its roster. Boston is not in a desperate place. Signing Beal would be a small-scale luxury move with low risk/high reward potential. 

In Boston, he wouldn’t be brought in under the expectation of being a 20-point scorer. He’s more likely to be asked to be a 20-minute player (he played exactly 20.2 minutes per game in his brief Clippers stint). 

I enjoy narratives of character redemption or shifting perceptions. Beal would have that opportunity to change the tune around the back-half of his career with a good season in Boston, and I can support that. 

So what the heck, sure. 

In today’s Dub Hub:

• Steph Curry exhibit to open at Basketball Hall of Fame, marking a historic first for an active NBA player.
• Bleacher Report ranks Draymond Green as the 10th-best defender in NBA history.
• Victor Wembanyama, Caitlin Clark, and Derrick Rose named NBA 2K27 cover athletes.

One thing is clear: no player has left a greater imprint on modern basketball than Stephen Curry.

The Golden State Warriors superstar revolutionized the NBA with his unprecedented three-point shooting, becoming the league’s all-time leader in three-pointers made while leading the Warriors to four NBA championships and earning two MVP awards.

While Curry continues to add to his resume through 17 NBA seasons, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is already honoring his impact with a historic first. On Tuesday, the Hall announced “Stephen Curry: Beyond the Arc,” a new exhibit that marks the first time in its 75-year history that an active NBA player has received a dedicated immersive experience.

He inspired a generation to dream bigger and shoot farther. Now, for the first time in its nearly 75-year history, the Hall of Fame will feature a dedicated experience honoring an active NBA player.

“Stephen Curry: Beyond the Arc” – a limited time only exhibit opens Friday,… pic.twitter.com/7jbbhYc0x5

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) July 21, 2026

According to the Hall of Fame, the exhibit follows Curry’s journey from an undersized prospect to one of the greatest players in NBA history, celebrating not only his accomplishments on the court but also the impact he’s had on the game and beyond. For Curry, the recognition is a humbling honor, and he’s grateful to the Hall of Fame for telling his story while he’s still playing.

Via Basketball Hall of Fame:

“Being part of the Basketball Hall of Fame in this way is hard to put into words,” said Stephen Curry. “When I think about my journey, I think about the people who believed in me, the work that happened when nobody was watching and the moments that shaped me on and off the court. To have that story told while I’m still playing is something I don’t take lightly. My hope is that fans walk through this experience and feel the joy, the purpose and the gratitude that basketball has given me, and maybe see a little bit of their own journey in it too.” 

It’s a fitting tribute for a player who forever changed the way basketball is played. And with Curry still going strong at 38 years old, there’s every reason to believe his story is far from over.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Wednesday, July 22nd:

Warriors News:

Basketball Hall of Fame breaks historic tradition with new Stephen Curry immersive exhibit | Basketball Hall of Fame

“We are thrilled to partner with Stephen and the Thirty Ink team to bring this unprecedented exhibit to life,” said John Doleva, President & CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “Stephen has not only redefined how the game of basketball is played, but he has also set a blueprint for what it means to be an exemplary role model.  We appreciate his personal involvement in helping bring his story forward to ‘The Vault’ while he is still actively building his legacy.  This is truly a historic moment for us and for basketball fans worldwide.”

Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg’s defense a mixed bag in NBA Summer League | NBC Sports Bay Area

“I keep hearing that my hips are stiff, so I got to figure out how to loosen up my hips,” Lendeborg said after the Warriors’ championship win. “A lot of what I’ve been hearing too is like a point-of-attack defender. … So I want to try to work on those two things, just the little things to fix that up.” 

The one question Lendeborg has asked Steph Curry about is how he got his stamina up to becoming the most conditioned player in NBA history. Lendeborg has acknowledged he needs to get his conditioning to a better point after taking time off his feet from playing through two different leg injuries in Michigan’s national title run. 

Bleacher Report votes Draymond Green as the 10th-best defender of all time

Is this too low for Draymond? 🤔

FULL B/R RANKINGS HERE: https://t.co/RNZEt3ZxRppic.twitter.com/6rdYKsQqE6

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 21, 2026

NBA News:

Heat say link for LeBron James presser posted by mistake | ESPN

The Miami Heat posted a link to a scheduled live stream titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference” followed by the date July 27 to its YouTube channel in what a team spokesperson said was a mistake.

The spokesperson told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday that the club’s social media department was preparing for the possibility of James’ signing and mistakenly posted the link to the team’s YouTube page. The post was later deleted.

Victor Wembanyama, Caitlin Clark, and derrick Rose revealed as the NBA 2K27 cover athletes

NBA 2K27 COVERS JUST DROPPED 🔥

🎮 Standard edition: Wemby
🎮 Deluxe edition: Caitlin
🎮 Ultra edition: D-Rose@NBA2Kpic.twitter.com/mG5HtqiNzR

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 22, 2026

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Yaxel Lendeborg wins Summer League MVP

Lendeborg beat out a talented field of Summer Leaguers that included No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer and No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson, both of whom made the All-Summer League first team. Boozer averaged 18.5 points, eight rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals, while finishing second in points and third in rebounds. He’d likely have been Summer League MVP had the Grizzlies managed to close out the Warriors, but the Dubs’ Yaxel-driven rally — he scored seven straight points to take the lead — relegated the Duke forward to the lesser honor. Boozer was quite good, but the elite defense from Lendeborg and his team’s success seemed to be the tiebreaker.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: a Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons. Submit your question in the comments section here or on Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @BobbyBuckets313. If you’re on BlueSky, you can also send to @bobbybuckets313.bksy.social.

Join us live on Thursday afternoon for the show where we wrap up Summer League and discuss what’s next in Detroit’s offseason. Where do Jalen Duren contract talks stand? Is Detroit showing interest in DeMar DeRozan? What does the depth chart look like right now?

Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.

The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.

The Pindown: a Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:

When: Thursday July 23 at 2:45 p.m. ET

Where: Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel

How to submit questions:

• Detroit Bad Boys Website: Comment section of the weekly Pindown episode articles.
• Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message to 45 seconds or less.
• Twitter: @detroitbadboys, @BobbyBuckets313, or @therealwesd3
• YouTube: Chat section of The Pindown live recording — Subscribe here

As always, leave any questions or topics you want to be discussed in the comment section below.

Go Stones.

The Houston Rockets are maneuvering through their offseason trying to get better with smaller details compared to last year’s big, splashy trade for Kevin Durant.

The team has made moves that haven’t shaken the league, but they have given the Rockets a chance to improve. CBS Sports contributor Sam Quinn graded the team’s offseason and gave the Rockets a “C-plus” for their efforts.

“I’m a bit concerned with how much stock they’re putting into the returns of Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet to solve last year’s problems. These are both injury-prone veterans in their 30s. There are still long-term questions to answer, but most of what the Rockets just did makes sense,“ Quinn wrote.

The only teams that ranked higher than the Rockets were the Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers.

The Rockets brought back Tari Eason on a five-year deal to secure him as part of the core moving forward. That was arguably the team’s biggest to-do item of the offseason and they managed to accomplish that.

The biggest addition the team made was signing Marcus Smart to a two-year deal. His experience with Ime Udoka could come in handy, but it isn’t a move that is guaranteed to make the Rockets better. Udoka will have to manage his backcourt differently this season with Smart and Fred VanVleet back in the fold. If he can find the right rhythm, it could unlock a new level for the Rockets, but it could also set them back if things falter.

TDS community, what do you think of the Rockets’ offseason so far? Do you agree with the grade on the report card? Let us know in the comments section below.

How NBA teams reportedly could ‘sway' LeBron James into signing with them originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The LeBron James saga continues as the world still is waiting for which team the 41-year-old superstar will sign with during the 2026 NBA free agency period.

Due to the lengthy amount of time James is taking to make his decision, a theory has surfaced that the four-time NBA MVP is dragging the process out to see if any of his potential suitors could find a way to acquire either guard Kyrie Irving or forward Anthony Davis, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin O’Connor.

“The popular theory around the league is that LeBron has been slow-playing his decision to see if any of his suitors could find a way to land Irving or Davis. If a team proved capable of acquiring one of his championship teammates, sources say, it might sway him in that direction,” O’Connor wrote.

With this theory in consideration, the Warriors, along with other NBA teams, significantly would increase their chances of landing James if they were able to trade for a championship-caliber player such as Irving or Davis.

Throughout his illustrious NBA career, James has always signed with a team in which he is either paired with another superstar or placed in a “Big Three” situation.

In 2010, the 22-time NBA All-Star selection joined the Miami Heat alongside Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Four years later, James returned to his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and joined forces with Irving and forward Kevin Love.

Then in 2018, James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, acknowledging his first year with the team would be a bridge toward a blockbuster deal, which turned out to be the acquisition of Davis.

While trading for Davis seems to be a long shot at this point of the offseason for Golden State, the Warriors stay in the running as one of James’ potential destinations in free agency. However, if the organization can find a way to acquire Davis, Golden State likely would become more attractive as James’ final landing spot.

But with Warriors superstar Steph Curry already in the building alone, Golden State should remain as an attractive team to sign with, especially with the championship culture the team has built over the last decade.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

A Portland teenager found a random old Lakers jacket in a Goodwill bin in January.

He paid $3.07 for it.

Seven months later, the item sold at auction for $89,600.

Turns out the old jacket wasn’t so random after all.

Verified by Sotheby’s auction house, it was a warmup jacket worn by NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain at least three times. That includes during the 1972 NBA Finals in which the Lakers defeated the New York Knicks in five games and Chamberlain was named the series MVP.

Read more:Rare Kobe Bryant trading card 'at the top of every wish list' sells for record sum

“This is Truly a once in a lifetime find,” Quinn Brown wrote on Instagram in January. “I am so grateful this jacket has landed in my hands.”

Brown, 19, has been reselling his thrift-store clothing finds online for the past three years. When he saw someone toss the short-sleeved Lakers jacket with “Chamberlain” on the back into a bin of clothes outside Goodwill, Brown grabbed it for his online shop.

Then he did some research. Brown found an online photo of Chamberlain wearing a jacket that looked very similar. He also discovered that the four-time league MVP’s jersey measurements closely matched those of the jacket.

After he posted a photo of the jacket online, Brown was contacted by Sotheby’s about consigning it for auction. He took the auction house up on the offer, and the jacket was whisked away in an armored vehicle.

Sotheby’s photomatched the jacket to three images: an undated photo from the 1972-73 season, a photo from a January 1973 game and a photo from a 1972 home game against the Knicks that was determined to be from either Game 1 or Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

Chamberlain had 12 points and 19 rebounds in Game 1, a 114-92 Lakers loss, and 23 points and 24 rebounds in Game 2, a 106-92 Lakers victory.

Read more:$38,400 for a Bronny James jersey? To collector, he’s next chapter of Lakers’ storied history

“I didn’t even think that finding something like this was possible,” Brown told the Associated Press. “I got very, very lucky.”

Sotheby’s estimated that the jacket could go for $150,000 to $250,000. While the final amount wasn’t quite that high, Brown told KIRO-FM (97.3) in Tacoma, Wash., that he’s “obviously happy” after making back 29,000-times his initial investment.

“$90,000 is pretty good,” he said. “I was hoping it would go higher. A little surprised, sitting there the last five minutes it didn’t really get any bids. So that was a little disappointing. But, still, a lot of money — especially since I only spent $3.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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

Jaylen Brown is a 76er. Paul George is a Celtic.

That trade — and the addition of Mitchell Robinson — was the highlight of the summer and could be the difference of whether or not the Celtics surpass the pleasant surprise of their 56 wins a year ago. However, there’s also the continued internal development of so many of the players that were responsible for that unexpected regular season.

There’s Hugo Gonzalez, who seems to have added more to his tool belt based his Summer League performance. He was used as a spark plug off the bench in his rookie year, but in Vegas, we got a glimpse of what he might look like as an offensive engine and maybe more importantly, as a leader in the locker room.

What about Hugo’s superfriend, Baylor Scheierman? In a 20-game stretch last year, he averaged nearly 10-6-3 as a starter before Tatum returned from his Achilles tear. His defense improved dramatically and he’ll again bring his Swiss army knife skillset to the table, whether that’s off the bench or alongside Derrick White in the backcourt.

After the team picked up their option on Jordan Walsh’s contract, it became fully guaranteed on Monday and during a visit to Vegas, Walsh guaranteed to get better on the offensive side of the ball:

Jordan Walsh on what that shift in his offensive role looks like:

“It means being a threat at all points in the game. I feel like there's a lot of times in the season last year where it became clutch moments where we need a bucket and I have to get subbed out.

“I talked to my… https://t.co/tXPjKJPnAxpic.twitter.com/fBbaUoZle2

— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) July 12, 2026

And after bouncing around the fringes of the league, Ron Harper Jr. signed a four-year, $14 million contract with the Celtics. That’s a huge vote of confidence for the 26-year-old who could become that microwave scorer in the second unit.

The new collective bargaining agreement has made the contributions of players on their rookie deals or minimum contracts a necessary premium for teams looking to contend. In the past, teams could use the backend of their roster more for patient player development; now, they’re getting thrown right into the fire and are expected to perform and perform well. With that in mind, who’s going to be Boston’s best candidate for Most Improved Player in 2026-2027?

New Milwaukee Bucks guard Tyler Herro was in Paris when he was traded and had a stern message for the Heat the moment he learned he was being shipped out.

Herro was sent to Milwaukee, his hometown team, in a blockbuster trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat, and he couldn’t believe that he was being moved.

“Back to the motherf–king crib, dog,” Herro said in a video posted on his YouTube channel. “Y’all did lost your motherf–king mind.”

He appeared to be all smiles, singing verses of “The Boys Are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy multiple times after learning of his new team.

A passenger in the car with him then began singing “I’m Coming Home” by Skylar Grey in anticipation for his return to Wisconsin.

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

Herro went to Whitnall High School in Greenfield, Wisc., where he finished his career with over 2,000 points, was named the Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year and earned First Team All-State.

He earned a four-star ranking and was the No. 1 player in Wisconsin, per 247Sports. He chose to play for John Calipari at Kentucky instead of staying home with Wisconsin.

Herro made headlines after the trade for a physical altercation with former teammate Bam Adebayo in Las Vegas on July 10.

The incident started when Adebayo approached Herro and confronted him about comments the guard had made on social media, criticizing Adebayo and Antetokounmpo.

Herro responded verbally, which Adebayo took exception to, and the incident became physical. Sources with knowledge of the altercation told ESPN that Adebayo hit Herro in the face area.

The two left the gym on their own after others refrained them from striking each other again.

“Honestly, I’m just trying to move past all of it,” Herro told ESPN. “I’m focused on Milwaukee and building something special. They obviously just traded the greatest player in their history, so we want to come in and help continue what they’ve been doing.”

The full trade saw Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis head to the Heat in exchange for Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakučionis, plus a haul of draft picks.

Miami also awaits LeBron James’ decision on whether he will return to South Beach for this upcoming season.