Category: Basketball

Observations after Sixers' huge comeback falls short in summer league defeat to Magic  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers gave the Magic a comeback scare but fell to a second consecutive summer league loss Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Orlando earned a 99-92 win to move to 3-1 in Vegas. The Sixers dipped to 2-2. 

Amani Lyles scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Sixers. Duke Miles added 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting and three assists.

Labaron Philon Jr. had 15 points, six assists and six rebounds.

The Sixers’ loss confirms they won’t advance to the summer league semifinals. The details for their fifth and final game are to be announced. 

Here are observations on the Sixers’ defeat to the Magic:

“The Big Fish” starts 

Center Isaac Johnson started for the first time in summer league. Johni Broome sat out. 

Johnson won the opening tip-off, leading to an immediate Philon layup. “The Big Fish” also scored an early fast-break lay-in of his own. 

The 7-foot Johnson has shown he’s comfortable with the ball in his hands. He’s been happy to take long-range jumpers and looked worthy of some respect beyond the arc. The Hawaii product has also had solid stretches serving as an offensive hub in the middle of the floor. 

The main downsides for Johnson seem to be that he’s an unexceptional athlete and doesn’t have great rim protection or rebounding instincts for his size. He logged 11 minutes Wednesday and posted two points, one rebound and six fouls.

Cold first half for Philon 

Second-year guard Jase Richardson starred for Orlando with 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting.  

A Richardson driving layup capped a 15-0 Magic run in the first quarter. Former Sixers Lester Quinones, Colin Castleton and Phillip Wheeler also featured as Orlando’s lead ballooned as high as 29 points in the second period. 

After his opening bucket, Philon missed the next nine field goals he tried. His shooting fortunes improved in the second half and he went 7 for 24 from the floor on the day (1 for 13 from three-point range). For the most part, the No. 22 overall pick attempted reasonable looks and simply had an off shooting performance. 

Philon has been decent as a passer throughout summer league. Four games in, he’s averaged 5.8 assists and 2.5 turnovers. He’s rarely appeared to be rushed or seriously bothered by the defense. 

Sixers make a game of it

Orlando’s advantage expanded over 30 points in the third quarter. 

By early in the fourth, the Sixers’ deficit was down to 13 points. Three-pointers from Miles and Matt Rogers helped fuel the Sixers’ unlikely comeback surge. Lyles also played his part with a second straight double-figure scoring game.

Miles’ showing was by far his best of the summer. He’d gone just 3 for 14 from the field over the past three games but found a scoring groove Wednesday.

Incredibly, the Sixers continued eating into the Magic’s lead.

They played an energetic, effective, swarming full-court press in the final minutes. Following an Ayayi steal and dunk, Dante Maddox Jr. drilled a jumper to cut the deficit to 93-86. The Sixers then forced another turnover and Lyles canned a three.

Ultimately, Orlando held the Sixers off. The Sixers won’t hoist a summer league championship trophy, but they’ll aim to end on a good note and finish over .500.

Meleek Thomas has been one of the best stories of Summer League.

The Cleveland Cavaliers‘ recent second-round pick has been lighting up the scoreboard through three exhibition games. His 28.3 points per game lead all Summer League participants. The impressive part is how efficient it’s been. Thomas is doing this on .500/.458/1.000 shooting splits.

That scoring onslaught was seen on Monday when he dropped 35 points against the Miami Heat. Thomas was simply able to get wherever he wanted on the court, as he found ways to efficiently score at all three levels.

The excitement of Summer League can wear off after the first weekend and three games. The last two contests can be pretty lifeless. Thomas changes that. He’s been must-see TV through three games and should be for a fourth if the Cavs decide to let him play again.

According to Chris Fedor of cleveland.com, the Cavs may be without Thomas. It would make sense if he didn’t play. There’s nothing left for him to prove in Summer League. However, this game is a lot less fun if he doesn’t go.

While Thomas has been impressive, you’d like to see some of his teammates step up more. Two-way player Riley Minix has really struggled to make an impact. He registered no points on 0-5 shooting against Miami and is averaging just six points on .286/.000/.500 shooting splits through three games. We’ll see if he can bounce back tonight.

Wednesday’s outing will be Cleveland’s fourth of five games. The league announced that the Cavs will wrap up their trip to Vegas on Friday when they take on the Chicago Bulls at 7 PM.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Where: Cox Pavilion – Las Vegas, NV

When: Wed., July 15 at 5:30 PM

TV: Prime Video

Point spread: Cavs -3.5

Cavs notable players: Meleek Thomas, Ernest Udeh Jr., Riley Minix, Tristan Enaruna, Malaki Branham

Pelicans notable players: Jaron Pierre, Hunter Dickinson, Josh Oduro, MIcah Peavy

LeBron James is leaving the Lakers, but the organization does not appear ready to send Bronny James out the door with him.

The team does not view the father and son as an inseparable package now that their historic run together is over in Los Angeles, according to The Athletic.

LeBron’s departure after eight years has not changed how the franchise evaluates Bronny or its investment in his development.

That distinction matters after two seasons in which nearly every conversation about the younger James was tied to his father. The Lakers selected Bronny with the No. 55 pick in 2024, allowing the pair to become the first father and son to appear together in an NBA game. Some speculated that the senior James was the driving force behind the draft decision.

Now Bronny has a chance to establish a future in Los Angeles on his own merits.

The Athletic reported that the 21-year-old is well-liked inside the locker room, respected for his work habits and viewed as a player who has made meaningful progress. He attended the Lakers’ Summer League victory in Las Vegas and joined the veteran minicamp that began Monday, hardly signs of someone disconnected from the team’s plans.

The Lakers also guaranteed his $2.3 million salary for next season before LeBron’s decision became public.

Bronny’s production remains modest at the NBA level. He averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 assists across 42 games last season, but his development became more noticeable late in the year.

Injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves pushed him into the rotation, and he averaged 6.6 points over the final five regular-season games before receiving meaningful playoff minutes against Houston.

His G League numbers offered another encouraging sign. Bronny averaged 15.6 points in 14 games with South Bay while shooting 45.6% from 3-point range and cutting down his turnovers.

Teams pursuing LeBron have reportedly discussed the possibility of acquiring Bronny, but that does not mean the Lakers feel compelled to cooperate. Los Angeles has already invested two years in his development and controls his contract beyond next season.

Bronny will now face a more crowded backcourt featuring Doncic, Reaves, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Jaden Hardy and rookie Cameron Carr.

But the Lakers’ stance appears straightforward: LeBron’s next destination will not automatically determine Bronny’s.

For the first time in his professional career, the younger James has a chance to make the Lakers’ decision about him entirely about basketball.

Doc Rivers explains why one LeBron James trait is perfect for the Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LeBron James has proven for decades that he elevates any team that he’s a part of.

Former Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers caught up with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole at the American Century Championship golf tournament last week to discuss why James would fit perfectly with the Warriors.

“Their passing,” Rivers stated. “Obviously, you play through Steph [Curry] all the time. But Steph uses Draymond [Green] a ton.”

The two-man game between Curry and Green has been evident for several years. Since Klay Thompson’s departure and a weaker Warriors roster than in years past, Golden State’s offense has been stagnant when Curry and Green aren’t on the court together.

“When Draymond goes off the floor, you don’t have a passer,” Rivers explained. “Now you have LeBron, so you’re going to always have an elite passer on the floor for 48 minutes of a game. I think it really makes them good.”

It’s fun to imagine what the Warriors would look like with Curry and James as NBA teammates. We saw how successful the duo was together in the 2024 Summer Olympics. But until James makes a decision, all the speculation still is just a yearning desire to see the two superstars together again.

James and Green recently spent some time together and talked about what the former’s future could look like.

Rivers has seen and coached a lot of basketball, so his opinion on roster evaluation carries weight. He was blunt when asked about James fitting in well with Golden State.

“They’re a better basketball team,” Rivers proclaimed.

If James does end up choosing the Warriors, the team’s collective basketball IQ will be through the roof. James reportedly is in no rush to make his decision, so we all will continue to wait and see if Curry and Green are able to recruit the all-time scoring leader to the Bay.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the handful of teams hoping that LeBron James chooses them in free agency. The appeal of Cleveland is understandable for James from an off-court perspective. There’s a certain level of poetry to potentially finishing his career where it started in 2003, for the closest team to his hometown of Akron.

The potential downside to playing in Cleveland could be the roster, at least according to the speculation of some pundits. Particularly, how LeBron would fit next to James Harden.

James’s agent, Rich Paul, stoked these flames during his infamous “whiteboard episode” of the Game Over podcast. In that episode, Paul said that trading Darius Garland for Harden was a minus. It’s worth noting that Paul is also Garland’s agent.

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According to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, some of the concerns about a personal clash between Harden and James are overblown. Robinson reported that Paul told him that he likes Harden. “He’s actually my friend.” And, that there’s no ill will between Klutch and the Cavs for the Garland trade.

Additionally, there is previous reporting that LeBron would be open to sharing the court with Harden. Back in 2024, Dave McMenimin reported that James would be willing to take a pay cut with the Los Angeles Lakers if it meant playing with a “playmaker such as James Harden.” Whether or not that is still true from LeBron’s perspective remains to be seen.

On the other hand, Harden appears willing to play alongside LeBron. It’s been reported that one of his motivations for opting out of his previous deal was to give the Cavs more flexibility to sign a player like James. Additionally, Robinson reported that a source close to Harden said that there’s “no animosity” between James and Harden and that the duo is “cool.”

Paul went on to tell Robinson he rocks with Dan Gilbert, Koby Altman, and Brandon Weems. And, that “LeBron will make his own decision” about where he wants to play next season.

We’ll see what this all means for the Cavs chances of landing LeBron. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess as to what James is planning on doing or when an announcement will be made.

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With eight NBA Summer League games in Las Vegas today, the slate is loaded with young players hungry to prove themselves, including Liam McNeeley of the Charlotte Hornets.

McNeeley's matchup against the struggling Milwaukee Bucks is among the games headlining our NBA Summer League picks for Wednesday, July 15.

NBA Summer League predictions for July 15

Pick
Hornets moneyline	-194
Celtics moneyline	-133
Spurs moneyline	+133
💰 All three parlayed	+519

Today's Summer League picks

Hornets moneyline (-194 at Kalshi)

The Milwaukee Bucks are one of just two teams yet to win an NBA Summer League game in Sin City. It's been a tough go for a young Bucks lineup that's been outscored 304 to 254 across three games.

The Bucks now take on a Charlotte Hornets team that's shown plenty of promise in Las Vegas, thanks to Liam McNeeley (65 points in 81 minutes). Last year's first-round pick has been one of the hottest hands in NBA Summer League, hitting 52.6% from behind the arc.

With McNeeley and rookie first-round pick Christian Anderson Jr. providing sharpshooting on the outside, while Hannes Steinbach and Ryan Kalkbrenner own the paint, Milwaukee is going to struggle to keep up with Charlotte.

The Bucks are shooting just 39.6% from the floor and 64.1% from the free-throw line in Vegas.

Celtics moneyline (-133 at Kalshi)

The Sacramento Kings have lost their last two NBA Summer League games by 51 points, and it's becoming increasingly clear that if rookie Darius Acuff Jr.'s shot isn't falling, the team is in trouble.

His shot has not been falling lately, with the No. 7 pick shooting 36.5% from the floor and 26.3% from three in Vegas. And since the Kings played last night, there's also a chance Acuff sees limited minutes tonight.

That spells trouble for the Kings, with the Boston Celtics' Summer League lineup featuring so much length and athleticism. Dillon Mitchell (39 points in 79 minutes), Chris Cenac Jr. (32 points in 68 minutes), and Hugo Gonzalez (31 points in 70 minutes) should create problems for Sacramento's frontcourt.

Boston also has steady guard play coming from Milos Uzan (24 points and 15 assists in 85 minutes) and John Tonje (42 points in 74 minutes), something the Kings lack.

Spurs moneyline (+133 at Kalshi)

Why are the Utah Jazz favorites tonight? It must be because of No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson, who didn't play in Utah's lone win in Las Vegas.

While Peterson's numbers have popped in Vegas (47 points in 56 minutes), his shooting has been unimpressive (33.3% from the floor, 30% from three). That won't cut it against a San Antonio Spurs Summer League roster predominantly made up of high-upside defenders.

San Antonio has allowed just 222 points in three games, thanks in large part to the length and physicality of its lineup, with players like Carter Bryant, Tarris Reed Jr., and Maliq Brown. Those three have helped the Spurs rack up 10 steals and 7.3 blocks per game.

And the speedy guard duo of Ja'Kobi Gillespie (39 points in 74 minutes) and RJ Davis (37 points in 72 minutes) can provide enough offense for the Spurs to secure a third win.

Wednesday’s NBA Summer League parlay

Hornets moneyline

Celtics moneyline

Spurs moneyline

+519 at Kalshi

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

LAS VEGAS — The first time that Neemias Queta showed up in Las Vegas for Summer League was in July of 2021.

Donning a Sacramento Kings uniform, the then-21-year-old began what would end up being a long fight for a spot in the NBA. After being drafted in the second round by Sacramento, he tallied 5 points and 4.5 rebounds across five games in that first summer, while showing signs he could eventually become an NBA player.

At the same time, there was also no guarantee.

Queta would go on to play in three more Summer Leagues after that first one, two with the Kings and one with the Celtics. There were moments in which he was the most dominant player on the floor. But there were also moments of heartbreak, such as getting cut by the Kings and finding himself back at square one.

But last week, when Queta walked into the Celtics’ Summer League practice, everything was dramatically different.

The 7-footer was just a few days removed from signing the biggest contract of his career, a 4-year, $56 million extension that keeps him in Boston long-term — and gives him life-changing money. At the Celtics’ first Summer League practice, he appears as a special guest, there to get in an individual workout with assistant coach Tony Dobbins, among others.

He greeted some of the current Celtics players, players who are fighting for their NBA lives, just as he once was. And, upon entering the University of Las Vegas gym, he shook hands with Joe Mazzulla, the same coach who sometimes reams him out from the sidelines, but also travelled to Portugal this summer to learn more about his childhood and upbringing, an experience Queta described as ‘surreal.’

“I couldn’t be happier to be in Boston for much more time,” Queta said. “It’s my home, so I’m excited for the future.”

In the Celtics Summer League opener, he sat on the sidelines as a spectator for the very first time, cheering on the Summer League Celtics alongside teammates Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, and Jordan Walsh.

“It’s been a long time,” Queta said. “I’ve been wishing for something like that to happen, and [it] coming down in this moment is really special.

White said he was overjoyed when he found out Queta earned his payday. The two have been teammates since 2023, and began to more extensively share the court last season.

“I was super happy for him,” White said. “Obviously, going into last year, everybody had a lot of questions about what he could do, and I think he proved a lot of people wrong. And so I’m super happy; obviously well-deserved. I texted him congrats, and it’s good to see him not here now. He’s got a couple extra dollars in his pockets.”

Queta said he always felt this type of long-term guarantee was possible, and that his inner belief never wavered, even when his on-court opportunities did. Last year, he went from being the team’s fourth-string center to their starting one.

“I think it’s more about having the trust in yourself, and belief, and work ethic that, eventually, everything will work itself out,” he said. “But I think once I figured out I’d be starting, and [be] able to play meaningful minutes night in and night out, I think it was —not pretty determined that it would come — but with the amount of work and the help that my teammates put in, I felt like it would eventually come up.”

Neemias Queta eyes another big role next season

Next year, Neemias Queta will share the center position with marquee free agency signing Mitchell Robinson, as well as Luka Garza.

He doesn’t know how those minutes will divvy up: “Joe’s the boss”, Queta said with a smile.

Regardless, he’s excited to see how he and Robinson can push one another, and make one another better.

“A lot of boxing out at practice,” Queta said. “We’re going to both crash a lot. We’re going to teach each other a little bit of what we do best, and I’ll just be positive. I’ve heard he’s a really positive guy and a really fun guy to be around, and I can’t wait to do that.”

The Michigan men’s basketball program currently has 12 representatives on NBA Summer League rosters. These players range from 2026 lottery picks to players a few years older who are fighting for an opportunity. With each team a few games into the Summer League, here’s how each Wolverine is currently performing.

F Morez Johnson Jr, Dallas Mavericks

Johnson has proven to be worth a lottery pick and then some for the Mavericks. He’s scoring 18.5 points (admittedly through just two games), grabbing 6.5 rebounds and blocking three shots per game. His Summer League debut in particular was incredibly impressive.

C Aday Mara, Oklahoma City Thunder

Mara has struggled in the early goings of the Summer League. Fortunately, there is plenty of time to improve. Through two games, he’s scoring just six points per game, but the playmaking is still there as he’s dishing out 2.5 assists in 24 minutes per game. The scoring touch will come in time.

F Yaxel Lendeborg, Golden State Warriors

Lendeborg has also flashed potential to be a breakout star. The boisterous forward has made quite a few headlines with his interview of Johnson and shenanigans with Mara. However, his play on the court can’t be overlooked, as he is averaging 17.5 points, six rebounds and five assists per game.

G Roddy Gayle Jr., Detroit Pistons

Gayle has not missed a single shot yet in the Summer League. Yes, you read that correctly. He is shooting 100 percent from the field through two games. After going undrafted, Gayle is just looking to secure a contract from either the Detroit Pistons or another franchise. Ten points per game and a flawless shooting percentage is a great start for him.

G Nimari Burnett, Toronto Raptors

Burnett signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Toronto in hopes of getting a full or two-way contract down the line. He has struggled to find his shooting stoke just yet, as he’s just 11 percent from beyond the arc through three Summer League games. However, he is still scoring 9.3 points per game and had this nice dunk we’ve seen a time or two in Ann Arbor.

F Danny Wolf, Brooklyn Nets

Wolf had a decent first year in the NBA with the Nets, despite the team itself being horrible. Brooklyn opted to have Wolf go back to the Summer League for a second year. Early results are promising, as he is averaging 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Wolf will look to establish himself as part of the Nets’ core moving forward.

C Vladislav Goldin, Miami Heat

Goldin was on a two-way contract with Miami during his rookie year and is primed to do so yet again. He isn’t setting the world on fire in the Summer League, but his game also doesn’t always stuff the stat sheet. He is averaging eight points, 6.3 rebounds and two blocks per game. Goldin is still a bit unpolished at the NBA level, so it will be fascinating to see how he fits in with the Heat.

G Tre Donaldson, Miami Heat

After transferring from Michigan to Miami last offseason, Donaldson went undrafted before being scooped up by the Heat. He’s off to a fast start, as he is averaging 17 points and 4.5 assists per game. More importantly, he’s showing an improved effort on the defensive end. Donaldson is still a ways away from a full roster spot, but he’s turned some heads in the Summer League.

C Tarris Reed Jr., San Antonio Spurs

After being drafted in the first round last month, Reed was immediately traded to the Spurs. Through two games, he’s scoring just 9.5 points but is also collecting 9.5 rebounds per game. Averaging nearly a double-double will turn some heads at the Summer League.

G Kobe Bufkin, New Orleans Pelicans

Bufkin is one of the oldest players participating this summer, as he’s still working to make a name for himself at the NBA level. He has played incredible, as Bufkin is averaging 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, three assists and two steals per game. He’s in the top-15 of all Summer League participants in scoring.

C Hunter Dickinson, New Orleans Pelicans

Somehow only going into Year 2 in the NBA, Dickinson returned to the Pelicans’ Summer League squad this offseason. The big man is scoring 13.3 points while hauling in 5.7 rebounds per game. He recently signed a two-way contract with New Orleans, so he will hope to play more than the five games he did last year.

C Colin Castleton, Orlando Magic

I debated whether to include Castleton on this list or not. I leaned in favor, as he did in fact spend a full season in Ann Arbor. He is on a two-way contract with Orlando and was a bit of a surprise to be sent to the Summer League given his age (26). He had a great performance against Portland followed by a few underwhelming appearances.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Indiana Pacers
Date: July 15th, 2026
Time: 2:30 PM CDT
Location: Cox Pavilion
Television Coverage: Prime Video

It has been a cruel summer for the Minnesota Timberwolves in Las Vegas. The team arrived with a few intriguing prospects, a little developmental optimism, and the modest hope that somebody might seize the moment, only to spend consecutive nights getting run out of the gym by opponents who look faster, sharper, and far more prepared to play basketball after 10 p.m.

After opening their Summer League schedule with a promising victory over New Orleans, the Wolves have lost two straight games to the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers. The Denver defeat was uninspiring enough, but Monday night’s late encounter with Portland was the performance that really drained whatever remaining energy existed around this group. Minnesota fell by 27 points in a game that was not exactly the reward Wolves fans deserved for staying awake deep into a July night to evaluate second-round picks and developmental big men.

While I’m not sure he has the gravity to swing a game by 27 points, the Wolves were definitely feeling the absence of Joan Beringer. Beringer entered Summer League as the most important player on Minnesota’s roster, and his opening performance against New Orleans only strengthened that belief. The 18th overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, looking stronger, more comfortable, and considerably closer to NBA readiness than he appeared during much of his rookie season. It was exactly the sort of performance Wolves fans hoped to see from a second-year player who now finds himself much closer to meaningful minutes than anyone could have anticipated a few months ago.

His back tightness has prevented him from participating in the last two games, and his availability for Minnesota’s finale against the Indiana Pacers the largest question hanging over the game. If Beringer can return, the Wolves will get one final opportunity to evaluate whether his impressive debut represented a genuine developmental leap rather than one strong July performance. More importantly, he could restore some basic structure to a team that has looked increasingly lost without him.

Beringer is not the only player worth monitoring. Roko Zikarsky continues to receive an opportunity to show whether his combination of size and shooting can eventually translate into a useful NBA role. Minnesota could desperately use a big who can stretch the floor, provide competent defensive minutes, and keep the entire frontcourt from collapsing whenever Gobert heads to the bench. Zikarsky has not yet produced the kind of performance that forces anyone to redesign the regular-season rotation, but that is why these games exist. He remains a developmental player trying to turn theoretical tools into repeatable production.

Isaiah Evans will also receive another chance to settle into professional basketball after an uneven beginning to his Summer League career. The 33rd overall pick was forced to wait for the completion of the LaMelo Ball transaction before becoming eligible to play, and struggled to find his rhythm since joining the team.

The finale against Indiana therefore offers less of a referendum and more of a final collection of clues. Can Beringer return and once again look like the most advanced prospect on the roster? Can Zikarsky provide some of the size and spacing Minnesota suddenly needs? Can Evans put together his most confident performance of the week and leave Las Vegas with something positive to build upon?

The Wolves also have a chance to finish Summer League with a 2-2 record, which would not mean very much in the grand NBA hierarchy but would at least prevent the week from ending with three consecutive defeats. There is something psychologically cleaner about leaving Las Vegas at .500, even when everyone involved knows these games are primarily glorified auditions. Nobody is planning a parade for a Summer League victory over Indiana, but nobody particularly enjoys getting embarrassed three nights in a row either.

The Canis Hoopus comments section will be open and ready for anyone interested in dissecting every Beringer rebound, Zikarsky jumper, or Evans possession. There may even be room for a little England-versus-Argentina banter as well.

The mid-July trap is in full effect. The cool air pumps through the Thomas & Mack Center, stakes are non-existent, and our brains begin their annual trick of convincing us that an undrafted point guard is John Stockton’s second coming.

Truthfully, 90% of what takes place in Summer League is a hoax. Massive point-getters barely crack the NBA roster if they get their name on it at all. However, while box scores are about as real as The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, there are translatable NBA skills that provide reasons for excitement. Yes, New York’s summer league squad looks a bit disjointed and unimpressive. Still, one massive bright spot shines through in the form of our latest second-round draft haul.

Tyler Nickel possesses translatable skills, and they’re exactly what the Knicks’ roster needs most.

Plopping his current summer league performance on top of an impressive college resume, Nickel is getting Knicks fans all sorts of giddy. The most exciting part is that he brings very real value to the court.

To fully understand Nickel’s value, we first have to understand that he is not just a guy standing in the corner looking to capitalize on a drive-and-kick. Instead, he is a pure movement shooter. Massive mechanical differences exist between a static spot-up shooter and someone who can sprint off a screen, catch the ball on the move, position himself correctly, and fire away. Nickel’s release demonstrates both quickness and confidence. Observing his off-ball sprinting brings back memories of a young Kyle Korver.

Nickel proved his shooting value at Vanderbilt. Connecting on 40% of his three-pointers while averaging over 7 attempts per game is staggering. If you need further proof of his elite shooting, remember that he shot 66.9% across all shooting drills at the NBA Draft Combine. That ranked him eighth among all prospects.

This matters a great deal for the Knicks right now. Ever since they traded away Donte DiVincenzo, the offense has lacked Nickel’s brand of defense-bending floor spacing. New York’s offense operates at a whole different level when a movement shooter is present and constantly exhausting his defender. Players of this ilk are of the high-gravity class. If Nickel sprints full speed around a screen, the defense panics. If two defenders address the perimeter to deny him the ball, massive driving lanes open up, and undoubled post-ups become available. Mike Brown’s system demands this kind of gravity to prevent the paint from clogging. Nickel fits the geometry of that system perfectly.

Nickel’s quiet outing Monday against the Pistons cannot go completely ignored. Unable to create much of anything, the physical Detroit defenders successfully bumped him off his spots. In reality, this kind of experience is far from a bad thing.

The Pistons played a defense anchored in physicality, aggressively top-locking Nickel to deny him the ball. He needs to learn to counter that level of physical play and set better back screens when defenders overplay him. Of course, it is ideal that he learns how to survive an NBA-level physical assault in July rather than during the regular season.

Away from his offensive strengths, Nickel is not a tiny, unplayable defensive liability. Measuring at 6’6″ with a 6’8.5″ wingspan and a 217-pound frame, he has legitimate NBA wing size. Digging into his college games, there is a fantastic defensive outing from the 2026 SEC Tournament. Guarding Tennessee’s Nate Ament, Nickel put him in a blender, locking him down to an awful 1-for-13 shooting night. Combine that with his off-court intangibles, like studying the playbook in the airport and already earning a stamp of approval from veterans like Josh Hart. You have a prospect who already possesses the make-up of a player ready to call Madison Square Garden his home.

The financial constraints of this roster are no secret. Leon Rose operates with the mandate of staying below that frightful second apron. Finding and developing cheap, ready-to-play talent is now mandatory. Nickel currently fights for one of the remaining two-way contracts, but his highly specialized skill set makes him a dark horse to crack the roster and potentially find a role in the rotation.

The Houston Rockets’ core is centered around Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, arguably the two best players they have drafted in this current era of the franchise.

Shang-Goon has already been an All-Star twice in his five NBA seasons, and Thompson has earned some consideration for being one of the league’s top defenders. Bleacher Report writer Andy Bailey believes Sengun and Thompson are among the top 30 players in the league when 2030 arrives.

“Sengun could take a little better care of the ball. His jump shot and the touch on some of those adventurous finishing attempts need improvement. Defensive mobility may never get better, but his awareness can. If he does zero in and make those improvements, several more All-Star appearances are likely on the way,” Bailey wrote of Sengun.

“Thompson’s athleticism can be genuinely shocking. He already uses it to great effect on the defensive end. If he spends the next four years figuring out how to do so on the other, Thompson could be a perennial All-NBA contender,” Bailey added.

While the Rockets have flirted with the idea of trading one of these players to get better sooner, the team has to trust that they can carry Houston for the next several years. With Sengun’s IQ leading the way on offense and Thompson’s tenacity charging the defense, the Rockets have elite playmakers that can keep them in the contender conversation for years to come.

By 2030, if both players are still with the Rockets, they should be one of the best teams in the NBA.

Impressive Yaxel Lendeborg stat shows Warriors rookie's summer league dominance originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors knew Yaxel Lendeborg would be an immediate contributor when they selected him No. 11 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, and the rookie forward already is proving them correct on the NBA Summer League court.

As shared by Logan Adams on X, Lendeborg leads all NBA rookies this summer with a 15.9 BPM, or Box Plus/Minus, which estimates a basketball player’s contribution to the team when that player is on the court based only on the information in the traditional basketball box score — no play-by-play data or non-traditional box score data is included, per Basketball Reference.

Not only is Lendeborg’s BPM the highest this summer, but the highest summer league BPM of all time, per Adams.

To put the Warriors rookie’s mark of 15.9 into perspective, a 0.0 BPM is considered league average. A 2.0 BPM is a good starter, 4.0 is NBA All-Star caliber, 6.0 is All-NBA, 8.0 would be an MVP-level season and 10.0 is an all-time campaign. In the words of Basketball Reference, “think peak [Michael] Jordan or LeBron [James].”

In five summer league games, Lendeborg is averaging 16.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals per contest. His versatility as a scorer and defender makes him a perfect match for a Warriors team that has no time to waste, general manager Mike Dunleavy explained to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin during Golden State’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday in Las Vegas.

“I think he seems like a seamless fit in how you can play, both offensively and defensively,” Dunleavy told McMenamin. “He is playing with our summer league team right now, but as we transition with the veteran team, we think he’ll be able to fit right in and contribute. Having a guy of his stature, experience level, size — all of that stuff is going to bode well for us.”

Only time will tell if Lendeborg’s Jordan-esque BPM will translate to the regular season once he’s on the floor with seasoned pros.

But as of right now, the Warriors certainly love what they see.

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Shouts out to the animal lovers in the comments. You make our jobs easier. Here’s today’s list of links and notes for you to enjoy.

• Per HoopsRumors, Jordan Clarkson waived the trade-veto rights he would normally receive after re-signing with the Knicks on a one-year deal. No, Clarkson is not getting traded tomorrow, but this concession could prove key mid-season when/if the Knicks need someone to match salaries or find the final piece to complete the back-to-back-champions puzzle. Are all Filipinos this charming?
• The Knicks might still be searching for another center, but we’re starting to lose it with the targets, aren’t we?
• CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn went much bigger and shared his “ultra aggressive backup center idea” for the Knicks ahead of next season. Can you guess the target? Tip: in Quinn’s estimation, it’d take sending a 2032 swap and a 2033 unprotected first the other way.
• Former St. John’s standout and SummerKnick guard Oziyah Sellers talked to the New York Post’s Zach Braziller and spoke highly of both the Red Storm and Knicks organizations, among many other things. Worth the read, here’s a tease:

“Coming from St. John’s, I feel like we had that same mentality. We wanted to win really bad. It wasn’t too hard of a transition mindset-wise. Two kinds of similar programs in terms of mindset. It’s definitely something you have to bring every day.

“Obviously, being at St. John’s we play pretty much all our home games at the Garden. So I feel like we have a lot of the same fanbase. Knicks fans, a lot of them are St. John’s fans. It’s kind of like a perfect fit, transitioning right to the Knicks. I’m just grateful for it, for sure.”

• Sports Illustrated’s Isaiah De Los Santos has seen enough from Jack Kayil to think the Knicks might have no excuse not to sign him.
• Adam Silver washed his hands and clarified that the NBA did not pause the Kawhi trade. Silver claims the very own Raptors and Clippers chose not to complete it while the investigation remains open.
• Silver also defended the second apron, saying the roster disruption is an intended consequence of it and that the system is creating competition across the league.

“It’s certainly not an unintended consequence… the purpose of this system is ultimately to create competition throughout the league and from that standpoint I think the system’s working incredibly well. The goal isn’t necessarily to have a different champion every year but we’ve had 8 different champions over the last 8 years”

• Kevin Durant spent part of Tuesday doing what he does best, no burner accounts needed.
• Bronny James’ future with the Lakers is reportedly not automatically tied to father LeBron, reports The Athletic’s Dan Woike. Shocker! Bryce, warm up.
• The Kawhi Leonard investigation has expanded beyond the original Aspiration sponsorship issue. Investigators have examined whether the Clippers paid expenses for Leonard without reimbursement and whether he had another undisclosed endorsement agreement. Remember, Kawhi is an in-limbo Clipper with the Raptors left out in the cold for now.
• Spain beat France 2-0 at the World Cup.

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We are now three games into the Vegas Summer League, with the fourth coming tonight against the Charlotte Hornets. One of the main drawcards that had fans excited to watch the Summer Bucks in Vegas was that we’d get to watch Kasparas Jakucionis and Nate Ament—both acquired from Miami in the Giannis trade—play in Bucks colours for the very first time.

Granted, it’s extremely early and there’s context to consider, but neither player has lit the world on fire so far. Jakucionis has struggled to finish at the rim and turned it over far too frequently, while Ament has looked unable to handle NBA physicality even at the Summer League level. And don’t get me wrong, I’m nowhere near ready to give up on either player, especially as they are just 20 and 19 years old. That said, I can’t say I wasn’t expecting more.

Therefore, we wanted to put it to you, the fans: have your feelings changed about the Giannis trade package after seeing parts of it in action?