Category: Basketball

Jackson Rowe fuels Warriors' summer league win in absence of 2025 draft picks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Warriors fans will have to wait to watch the team’s two picks from last month’s NBA draft in action for the first time. 

Alex Toohey and Will Richard did not play in Saturday’s California Classic summer league game at Chase Center against the Los Angeles Lakers. In fact, they couldn’t. 

The Warriors went into the second round of the draft with one pick at No. 41 overall. Before the round even began, they traded the pick to the Phoenix Suns for the No. 52 and No. 59 overall picks. Toohey was taken at No. 52, but the Warriors weren’t done wheeling and dealing. They then moved up from No. 59 to No. 56 in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies to select Richard. 

Neither trade has been made official, which is why Toohey and Richard couldn’t suit up Saturday, NBC Sports Bay Area was told. Sunday at 9 a.m. PT marks the first day of the new league year. The hope is that Toohey and Richard can play Sunday, if the trade is made official before the Warriors’ 3:30 p.m. PT tipoff against the San Antonio Spurs. 

In their absence, the Warriors started off slow and sloppy but came out roaring in the second half under Lainn Wilson in his head coaching debut to beat the Lakers, 89-84. 

“Our intensity level as a team really raised up after halftime,” Wilson said. “Their pressure, I think, threw us off a little bit in that first period. We struggled to make some open shots, but they did a really good job of speeding us up. They were a really physical team, so our guys after halftime really took it up a notch with their intensity as well and kind of exceeding that and broke the game open.” 

The Warriors trailed 19-11 after the first quarter as the Lakers pressured them all over the court. Slowly but surely, adjustments were made. Upping the ante themselves, the Warriors outscored the Lakers 28-24 in the second quarter to go into halftime down 43-39. 

At the half, the Lakers were whistled for 14 fouls while the Warriors totaled nine. The way the Lakers were hounding the Warriors defensively, however, led to eight turnovers – five in the first quarter and three in the second. 

Wilson’s halftime message was to not back down and use spacing to their advantage. Message received. 

“I think we were getting used to the 10-foul rule,” Jackson Rowe said. “Everybody kind of didn’t want to get fouled, and then we realized we got 10 to give.” 

Summer league rules are different from standard NBA rules, including how many fouls a player can have and remain in the game. Instead of fouling out at six fouls, players are can hack away until they’re called for 10 fouls, resulting in a different product much of the time. 

After adjusting to the style of play, the Warriors needed only one minute in the third quarter to regain their first lead since it was 2-0 in their favor. The Warriors outscored the Lakers 30-17 in the third quarter and held on in the fourth to come out with a win. Rowe was a major reason why. 

As the most experienced player on the Warriors’ summer league roster, Rowe is taking on a leadership role and put the team on his back down the stretch. He led the Warriors in points (13), rebounds (eight) and blocked shots (two), also adding two assists and two steals as a game-high plus-13. Rowe scored nine points in the second half, including six in the fourth quarter. 

He proved to be a big-time scorer in the G League last season for the Santa Cruz Warriors, twice scoring at least 30 points, and exceeding 20 points seven times. It was the other side of the ball he was most proud of Saturday. 

“My favorite plays were the defensive plays,” Rowe said. “Getting some blocks and trying to change the momentum of the game.” 

The Warriors signed Rowe, 28, to a two-way contract on Jan. 28. He remains two-way eligible this season, and is well aware his calling card isn’t going to be trying to take over offensively. Rowe says he has gained 15 pounds of muscle already this offseason with an emphasis on getting his body right to be relied on more defensively as someone who can do all the dirty work for Golden State. 

Like Juan Toscano-Anderson years ago, Rowe’s journey with the Warriors began at a tryout. Rowe even admitted he never expected to be in the position he is today. The Warriors saw his talent, and as his game has grown, so has his mindset. 

“If you want to make the NBA, oftentimes you’re not going to be the guy taking 30 shots a game,” Rowe explained. “You’re going to be the guy getting rebounds, playing defense and helping those main guys score. If you just watch what I’m doing, I think it’s a good example of how you can play in the NBA, or at least get as close as possible.” 

After earning his two-way contract last season, Rowe played six games for the Warriors, seeing the floor for a total of 52 minutes. He tallied 22 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four steals in that span. Though he wasn’t on the active roster for the playoffs, he remained with the team and continued to absorb every ounce of knowledge. 

Now, he’s the one encouraging summer league teammates for boxing out strong, running the floor and making the extra pass. Of course he’d love to drop 30 like he’s in Santa Cruz. He’d love to start the season with at least one of the Warriors’ three two-way contracts even more. 

“You’re not going to replace Stephen Curry,” Rowe said. “It’s like, big surprise, you’re not going to fill that guy’s shoes ever. You gotta think, how can you impact the game in other ways? They’ve taught me how to do that.” 

Playing and leading like Rowe did to open his summer league campaign will earn him the right to have plenty of space for his own shoes inside the Warriors’ locker room next season.

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The Nets were extremely active during the 2025 NBA Draft, as they became the first team in league history to use all five of their first-round picks last month. And in a matter of days, the newest group of rookies will get its first taste of pro competition.

With annual Summer League action scheduled to tip-off late next week in Las Vegas, the Nets announced their roster for the showcase on Saturday. The 16-player roster will be headlined by guards Egor Dëmin (selected No. 8 overall) and Nolan Traore (No. 19 overall), and their three additional first-rounders -- forward Drake Powell, guard Ben Saraf, and forward Danny Wolf -- are making the trip as well.

The Nets are also sending a few non-rookies to the Vegas courts, as center Drew Timme, forward Tosan Evbuomwan, and guard Tyson Etienne are featured on the roster. All three players logged minutes for the Nets last season, and two are currently signed to two-way contracts.

Nets assistant coach Steve Hetzel will lead the team for a second straight summer. They're slated to play at least four games, with their first coming next Thursday, July 10, against the reigning champion Thunder (5:30 p.m.). The Nets will also battle the Wizards on July 13, the crosstown rival Knicks on July 15, and the Magic on July 16.

The Nets' entire 2025 Summer League roster can be found below.

summer squad ☀️🏀😎 pic.twitter.com/TE0KIW84IC

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) July 5, 2025

Earlier this week, SNY’s Ian Begley reported that the Knicks selected head coach Mike Brown as the successor to Tom Thibodeau, who was relieved days after the team’s first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in a quarter century. Both the firing and hiring have drawn natural anxiety from the fanbase, given Thibodeau’s historically successful tenure at The Garden and Brown’s mixed resume.

But placing aside the benefit of the doubt that team president Leon Rose has earned, this was an objectively smart hire for the Knicks as they look to take the next step forward and win a championship.

Assuming that moving on from Thibodeau was completely necessary -- despite what the national talking heads spewed -- the Knicks ran a strong and competent search to seek out Brown. It was a multi-week process that began with, as comical as it may have seemed, the savvy move of trying to poach the NBA's best employed coaches. 

In the meantime, the Knicks interviewed multiple coaches from different levels for multiple rounds, eventually leading to Brown. And of all the available coaches, there’s an easy argument to make for Brown being the best of the bunch.

Brown has coached in the NBA for 28 years, assisting under names like Rick Carlisle, Gregg Popovich, and Steve Kerr. He was at the helm for LeBron James' first tenure with the Cavaliers. He had some spotty followups with the Steve Nash-Dwight Howard Lakers, and then a return go-around in Cleveland. He also won his second Coach of the Year award with the Kings in 2023-24 before being fired last winter.

Around the league, Brown is known for being a creative schemer and strong connector to his players. Given the franchises and rosters involved, there’s plenty of gray surrounding all four of his firings.

The Knicks interviewed some other recent head coaches in James Borrego and Taylor Jenkins, but they lack Brown’s experience. Other accomplished retreads like Terry Stotts, Mike Malone, and Mark Jackson were floated by the public, but they too have their respective flaws and concerns.

The Knicks could've gambled on an untried assistant, but given the stage, expectations, and starpower surrounding the team, it may have been too big of an ask. It’s certainly possible they missed out on the next Ime Udoka or Mark Daigneault, but it's equally understandable why they didn't test this route.

Sometimes the correct answer is the simplest one -- replace the coach you fired with the best replacement available. Even if one argues that Brown wasn’t the No. 1 option, he checks plenty of other boxes as well.

As much as Thibodeau’s results spoke for themselves, they clearly didn't meet the front office’s standards, and the processes behind them left much to be desired from management, the players, and fanbase.

Few in-season practices, late to adjust, failure to experiment with schemes, and the popular minutes concern are just a few of the key weaknesses of the Thibodeau-era that led to this moment.

Naturally, in seeking out his replacement, the Knicks wanted a coach that would address these specific flaws. Reports suggested that they wanted a more collaborative coach, both with management and assistants. One with a more dynamic approach to schemes that would look to utilize the full roster, rather than rely strictly on key players.

For the most part, the Knicks got their man. If one wants to contend that Thibodeau is the better overall coach, by all means. But Brown is a different one, and different just might be what this Knicks team needs.

Brown implements motion offenses that emphasizes player and ball movement, while his defenses have featured lots of aggressive and creative coverages to make up for weak defenders. We saw the latter work to the Knicks' advantage deep in the playoffs with surprising effectiveness, given they spent little time with these schemes during the season. 

Their offense never felt truly maximized, given the personnel and individual production levels, and the unit was at its poorest in the playoffs. Perhaps Brown’s less-sticky approach to schemes and rotations can untap that potential... or will it merely expose the roster as more flawed on that end than anticipated?

Ultimately, it’s easy to see why the Knicks find the upside here. Given the roster, is what they need an effort-maximizing coach that's set in his systems, or a malleable, more strategic coach that's still extremely player-first?

Obviously, in covering up these issues, Brown’s own unique deficiencies will come out and bring their own set of problems. We’ll see how they’re addressed throughout the season and how damaging they still are in the playoffs. But the front office is betting on the team climbing higher under Brown.

The Knicks entered free agency with limited avenues to improve the roster. But even with meager resources, they made two deals on the margins to add offensive versatility to their lineup.

New York agreed to a deal with guard Jordan Clarkson on the first day, and Day 2 saw the club agree on a two-year, $12 million contract with Guerschon Yabusele with a player option in the final year. The Knicks now have more shot creation and can trot out lineups with more perimeter shooting that defenses have to respect.

The two free-agent additions add scoring punch and depth to what was a limited Knicks bench. Last season, they were dead last in bench points per game (21.7) and second-to-last in the category during the playoffs.

Clarkson’s never been an uber-efficient scorer, but he’s been a consistent shot creator over 11 NBA seasons. A former Sixth Man of the Year, Clarkson has never averaged fewer than 15.0 points in the last seven seasons, despite being a full-time starter in just one of those years.

Clarkson is comfortable with the ball in his hands. He shot 36 percent on 114 pull-up three-point attempts last season, per NBA Stats. As we saw during the playoffs, the Knicks lacked perimeter shot creation outside of Jalen Brunson. The 33-year-old Clarkson is capable of being a consistent pick-and-roll ball-handler that the Knicks can go to when Brunson sits.

He’s not a very good finisher at the rim -- shooting just 58.4 percent in the restricted area over the last two seasons, according to NBA Stats -- but Clarkson’s able to get into the paint, which could provide good returns for New York’s other players.

Clarkson has also improved as a passer. He’s not a natural point guard by any stretch, but he’s averaged 4.5 assists over the last three seasons after not having averaged more than 3.5 assists in any of his first eight seasons.

Shooting upgrade

Yabusele is essentially taking Precious Achiuwa’s place on the Knicks' roster. At 6-foot-8, Achiuwa was often too small to play center, but it was also difficult to play him as a power forward, as he shot just 27.8 percent on 36 three-point attempts last season.

Yabusele’s ability to stretch the floor is one of his standout skills. The fourth-year forward connected on 104 of 274 three-pointers (38 percent) with the 76ers last season. As a stretch four, Yabusele will allow the Knicks to have size in the frontcourt, while simultaneously being able to field five-out lineups with shooters at every position.

That would be useful for Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, who both saw crowds of defenders in the paint. But Yabusele’s more than just a spot-up shooter -- the Frenchman shot 71 percent in the restricted area last year.

Despite carrying a 260-pound frame, Yabusele is like a freight train, attacking on drives. He also runs the floor very well. With a full head of steam, there are not many players willing to get in front of Yabusele.

Defense second

Adding both players will not improve New York’s defense. In Clarkson’s case, the defensive end will be a concern. Much like Brunson, teams will look to force him to switch on to their best offensive players. However, the Knicks have to live with Clarkson’s weaknesses at that price point.

Defense is not Yabusele’s best skill either. With 76ers centers Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond out for large portions of last season, Yabusele was forced to play more center than expected. With the Knicks, expect him to man the four position almost exclusively. That should mitigate Yabusele’s limitations as a rim protector or a lateral defender.

Neither of these signings broke the bank or were home runs, but it was important for the Knicks to find a way to add depth. For large chunks of the playoffs, they fully trusted only seven players in the rotation. Now, new head coach Mike Brown will have more options and versatility to mix and match different lineups throughout the regular season and playoffs.

NBA rumors: Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors, other teams to meet in Las Vegas originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The waiting game with Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors could extend into mid-July.

With no solution in the early hours of Day 5 of NBA free agency, Kuminga and the Warriors are planning to meet during the annual NBA Summer League showcase in Las Vegas if the situation remains unresolved by next week, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported Thursday, citing league sources.

Kuminga, his agent Aaron Turner, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy and Warriors coach Steve Kerr are the ones scheduled to meet and discuss a possible path forward, Slater added, with Kuminga’s return to Golden State still “very much on the table.”

However, if a decision isn’t made by next week, Slater writes that Kuminga and his camp also plan to hold face-to-face meetings with other potential suitors in Las Vegas.

Thus far, various teams have shown some level of interest in the 22-year-old athletic forward, including the Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings, and, a potentially new emerging suitor per Slater, the Washington Wizards.

Summer league action in Las Vegas begins next Thursday, July 10, at the Thomas & Mack Center & Pavilion.

Should the situation prolong another week, Kuminga and the Warriors’ highly anticipated decision could be made in Sin City.

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Bronny James stood with his back to the wall with both hands buried in his workout shorts, his practice with the Lakers summer league team complete, his voice sounding more confident now that he’s entering his second season in the NBA.

He had to endure the outsized pressure and criticism of playing last season with his superstar father, LeBron James, a season in which Bronny and his dad made history by becoming the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game.

Now, Bronny is more assured about his talents and he’ll get to showcase what he’s worked on when the Lakers play the Golden State Warriors in the California Classic on Saturday in San Francisco.

The Lakers will play three games there and then head to Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League.

That is where the most anticipated summer game could take place because the Lakers open the action against Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft, and the Dallas Mavericks on July 10.

Like all last season, James knows a lot of people will pay attention to that game — to him, still, and to Flagg.

Read more:Hernández: Can LeBron James help maddening Deandre Ayton transform into a reliable center?

“Last year it was a crazy environment for me to step in and produce right off the rip, like being nervous too,” Bronny said. “So, I feel like this year, I'll be able to go out and play freely and know what I'm gonna go out and do for me and my teammates. So, yeah, I'm just really excited to be able to play nervous-free.”

Dalton Knecht got some extra shots up after practice Wednesday, his stroke looking just as impressive as it did last season when he shot 37.6% from three-point range during his rookie season with the Lakers.

Knecht, too, is especially looking forward to playing in Las Vegas.

“Vegas, I mean, I feel like all of us didn’t care who we played [last summer],” Knecht said. “It was just go out there and play. Our fans always show up. We go out there all the time and it’s pretty much Laker fans that sell out that arena and show us so much love. We’re just trying to go out there and try to put on a show no matter who we are playing.”

Lakers rookie Adou Thiero, their second-round pick (36th overall) out of Arkansas whom they acquired in a trade with the Timberwolves, is dealing with a left knee injury and will not play this summer. The Lakers said Thiero is in the final stages of his return to play and expected to be fully cleared for training camp.

For James, one year of playing in the NBA has made a difference as he approaches this summer.

He appeared in 27 games last season, starting once, and averaged 2.3 points per game on 31.3% shooting, 28.1% from three-point range.

“Yeah, it's definitely some more excitement than nervousness, for sure,” James said. “I'm just ready to go out there and play and be better than I was the last time I was playing. Just having that mindset of being ready to play and ready for whatever's thrown at me, no matter the role, what I gotta do on defense, offense, everything. Being a good teammate for my new summer league team, stuff like that.”

Besides skill work, James said his plan for the summer is to be in “elite condition” and to “be disruptive on the defensive end.”

“So that's my main focus, probably why I'm getting a little leaner,” he said. “But I still got 215 [pounds] on me still. So, I'm just running a lot, getting a lot of conditioning in. And then just staying on top of my diet, eating healthy, being a professional. It's just Year 2, so I gotta lock in on the things that I didn't know before my rookie year and being better and excel with that. Yeah, my main focus is this year, or this summer, has been being in elite condition. That's what I've been talking to my coaches about.”

Knecht played in 78 games last season, averaging 9.1 points over 19.2 minutes per game.

As the season progressed, Knecht said the game slowed down for him and that allowed him to improve.

When the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Timberwolves, Knecht said he went to work right away. In his eyes, there was no time to waste.

“Right after the [playoff] loss, I pretty much started right away. Didn’t take much time off,” he said. “So I was getting in the gym, starting at 6 a.m., going with the guys at 10 and then coming back later at night just to get as many shots as I can, just working on my game and my cuts.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Report: Wizards entering mix for Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga in NBA free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Jonathan Kuminga situation still has no resolution in the early hours of the fifth day of NBA free agency.

As expected, the Warriors are exploring all options, and it appears a new potential suitor has entered the mix.

The Washington Wizards have shown interest in the last 24 hours, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported Thursday night, citing league sources, adding that the idea of Kuminga as a possible fit in Washington’s rebuild has “gained real momentum.”

Washington, which finished last in the Eastern Conference with just 18 wins on the 2024-25 season, is prioritizing the development of its young core around Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr. The Wizards also traded for CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton this offseason.

The Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets also have expressed “varying levels of interest” in the 22-year-old forward, Slater wrote, citing league sources.

Slater also notes the Kings’ offer for Kuminga, which was reported by NBC Sports California on Wednesday, of a three-team sign-and-trade being discussed that would send Kuminga to Sacramento and Devin Carter, Dario Šarić and two second-round draft picks to Golden State. The offer was balked at what the Warriors believe was a “buy-low” attempt, Slater reported, citing sources.

As for the Warriors’ asking price for Kuminga, Slater reported they are seeking “a promising young player plus a first-round pick.”

Kuminga, who was selected No. 7 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, is seeking a situation where he can be a consistent contributor and the future of a franchise that backs and believes in him. That hasn’t been the case for Kuminga in Golden State over the last four years.

As of now, all things remain on the table — including Kuminga’s return to the team that drafted him.

Only time will tell.

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A few notes on the Knicks’ offseason entering the July 4 weekend...

The Knicks are hard-capped at the second apron this season ($207,824,000). They are currently close to the second apron. But they should have enough money to sign another veteran free agent.

I don’t know if there is a specific focus for that final roster spot. But the Knicks have been in touch with multiple backup guards on the market.

Dante Exum considered the Knicks as a possible destination before he agreed to a deal with Dallas on Wednesday (per ESPN). As noted earlier, the Knicks touched base with free agent Ben Simmons this week. So it seems like the Knicks are at least keeping an eye on the market for a backup guard.

He's obviously not on their radar now, but the Knicks also did some background work on Deandre Ayton. Some decision makers viewed Ayton as a good fit next to Karl-Anthony Towns. Part of their background work included talking to the Trail Blazers about Ayton. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Blazers gave good feedback on Ayton to teams that called on him, which runs contrary to recent reports painting Ayton in a negative light. The Knicks received similar positive feedback from Portland about Ayton’s leadership with some of the younger Blazers.

I assume if the Knicks paired Ayton and Towns, Mitchell Robinson would have been the club’s backup center. Ayton reportedly signed a two-year, $16.6 million deal with the Lakers. Ayton chose the Lakers over his other suitors because he viewed Los Angeles as the best basketball fit.

IMPRESSED BY NORI

He didn’t get the job, but Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori impressed the Knicks during the interview process. According to people in touch with the team, Nori’s insight on workload/player production stood out during the Knicks’ interview process. Mike Brown, Nori, Taylor Jenkins, James Borrego and Dawn Staley were the known interviewees for the Knicks opening. The Knicks were always leaning toward hiring a head coach with NBA experience, but Nori’s interview certainly gave them something to think about.

The Lakers and free-agent center Jaxson Hayes have agreed up on a one-year contract for him to return to the team, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

With Hayes, the Lakers now have a backup center after they agreed to a two-year deal with Deandre Ayton.

Hayes became the Lakers’ starting center when Anthony Davis was part of a trade that sent him to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic.

Despite shooting a career-high 72.2% from the field as a lob threat for the Lakers during the regular season, he struggled in the playoffs. He started the first four games against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first-round series but was so ineffective that he didn’t play more than 10 minutes in any game as the Lakers lost 4-1. He did not play at all in Game 5.

In 56 games during the regular season, Hayes averaged 6.8 points and 4.8 rebounds.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Report: Warriors balked at Kings' initial trade offer for Jonathan Kuminga originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

While the Jonathan Kuminga saga awaits a resolution, there still is plenty of buzz surrounding the impending future of the young Warriors forward.

NBC Sports California’s Tristi Rodriguez reported Wednesday that the Kings, Warriors and Detroit Pistons were discussing a blockbuster three-team trade that would send Kuminga to Sacramento.

Rodriguez reported that the framework of the deal would revolve around Golden State receiving 2024 first-round pick Devin Carter and former Warriors big man Dario Šarić and two second-round draft picks, while Sacramento would send Malik Monk to Detroit, clearing a path for Kuminga to land in California’s capital.

The Warriors balked at the Kings’ offer for Kuminga, feeling the proposal was a buy-low attempt, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported Thursday, citing league sources.

Golden State extended a $7.9 million qualifying offer to Kuminga last weekend, kickstarting a restricted free agency that faces similar issues as players in comparable situations league-wide due to the lack of teams possessing a wealth of salary-cap space.

Kuminga has averaged 12.5 points on 50.7 percent shooting from the field in four NBA seasons since being selecyted by the Warriors No. 7 overall in the 2021 draft.

While it remains to be seen what compensation the Warriors would be comfortable receiving to part with Kuminga, it’s clear the Kings’ initial offer still has a ways to go before any deal materializes between the two Northern California franchises.

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