Category: Basketball

Kevon Looney reveals truth behind decision to leave Warriors in NBA free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Kevon Looney got some things off his chest while honestly reflecting on the end of his Warriors tenure.

Looney, who signed a two-year free-agent contract with the New Orleans Pelicans last week, joined Marcus Thompson II on the “Warriors Plus/Minus” podcast and shared how he felt a bit slighted by some of Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s rotation decisions, including the choice to play then-rookie Quinten Post over him, particularly in the playoffs.

“I guess,” Looney said when Thompson II asked him if Post was the final straw for him. “I wouldn’t say it like that, but it was anybody but me it seemed like at this point. It wasn’t no one moment. Even this year, probably the playoffs. We going up against Steven Adams. This is what I do. They’re not really giving me the chance to really let me do what I do.

“It’s like, ‘All right, y’all don’t trust me? I thought y’all trusted me.’ They put me at the end in Game 7, it’s like why’d we have to wait for that point?”

Looney played just 9.3 minutes per game in the seven-game series against the Houston Rockets in the opening round of the playoffs. In a Game 6 loss, Looney played just two minutes as Houston forced a do-or-die Game 7.

Meanwhile, Post played 17 minutes per game during that series.

While Looney has been the reliable force the Warriors could depend on whenever, he reached a point where it was too much.

“Nah, you get sick of that at some point,” Looney told Thompson II. “When you prove yourself the first four, five years, all right, cool. But after 10 years of it, it’s like, all right. You either trust me or you don’t.”

While Looney felt some type of way about Kerr’s decisions, he knows it’s not personal.

“I just know it’s never personal with Steve,” Looney said. “He’s going to do whatever is best to try to win. It ain’t just me. He’s done this to everybody. I might’ve been the one it was happening to the most because I was here the longest. I know it’s not personal. He just wants to win.

“You can’t be mad because the results showed that. It usually worked. You talk about sacrifice and win, he’s going to really test that sacrifice part.”

As a 10-year NBA vet, Looney understands the business side of the league. And in the end, regardless of the jersey he’s wearing, he’ll always be a Warriors legend in Dub Nation’s eyes.

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Mazzulla had a predictable reaction to Jordan Walsh's ejection vs. Heat originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jordan Walsh’s ejection in Las Vegas on Monday night was ill-advised — unless you ask his conflict-loving head coach.

The Celtics forward was tossed from Boston’s NBA Summer League matchup with the Heat in the first half after he shoved Miami guard Pelle Larsson following a foul call. It was Walsh’s second technical foul of the game, which meant an immediate ejection for the 21-year-old wing.

Considering the stakes for Walsh at Summer League as he aims for a larger role in Boston’s rotation this season, getting thrown out in the first half isn’t ideal. But when he hit the showers Monday night, he encountered some words of encouragement from Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.

“He told me he loved it,” Walsh said of Mazzulla, via SB Nation’s Noa Dalzell. “As soon as I got ejected, I got to the locker room and checked my phone and he was texting me like, ‘I love this out of you.’

“So, take that for what it is. But Joe was hyped.”

That message is coming from the same person who said he wants to “bring back fighting” in the NBA, so perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that Mazzulla enjoyed Walsh’s chippiness. And that chippiness appears to be a point of emphasis for the 21-year-old as he enters his third NBA season.

“I feel like I’m trying to get under people’s skin,” Walsh added. “… I’m trying to get them confused and throw them off their rhythm. [It] ended up happening to me, but I want to disrupt everybody. I want to take out your rhythm. I want to take you out of your plays, your sets. I want to speed you up.”

While there’s value in being a disruptor, Walsh also needs to avoid crossing the line and hurting his team. He had a team-high 13 points at the time of his ejection, and Boston’s offense struggled in his absence en route to a 100-96 loss.

Walsh has a golden opportunity to expand his role this season with Jayson Tatum sidelined due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, and he’s proven he can make an impact with his defense and hustle. He shot just 36.1 percent from the floor and 27.3 percent from 3-point range last season, however, and if he can’t contribute more offensively, he may find himself behind second-year wing Baylor Scheierman on the depth chart.

Walsh and the Summer Celtics will be back in action Thursday night against Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers at 9 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.

Watch Jordan Poole's live reaction to Pelicans signing ex-teammate Kevon Looney originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

NBA free agency has been nonexistent for the Warriors, but familiar faces will be reuniting in New Orleans.

The New Orleans Pelicans signed Kevon Looney to a two-year, $16 million free-agent contract and Jordan Poole’s live reaction is a must-see.

“Elite duo right there,” Poole, who was acquired by the Pelicans from the Washington Wizards earlier in the offseason, said when reacting to the news.

The former Warrior duo played four seasons together before Poole was traded to the Washington Wizards in 2023, and then to the New Orleans Pelicans earlier this month.

During their time together, they were key contributors to the Warriors’ 2022 NBA championship. Poole averaged 13.2 points in the finals, while Looney averaged five points along with seven and a half rebounds.

“I’m so happy bro … that’s some of the best news I’ve heard yet,” Poole continued.

Shortly after the signing was announced, Looney Facetimed his former teammate. Poole had a wholesome response when answering the call.

“Welcome bro … it’s been a long time comin’ bro,” Poole said.

These two were beloved in the Bay, and now they’ll be competing against Golden State in a stacked Western Conference.

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Warriors release 2025 NBA preseason schedule with three games at Chase Center originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors basketball soon is approaching, Dub Nation.

Golden State released its preseason schedule for the 2025-26 NBA campaign, with three of its five games at Chase Center.

Here is the full five-game schedule:

• Oct. 5: Warriors vs. Lakers at Chase Center
• Oct. 8 Warriors vs. Trail Blazers at Chase Center
• Oct. 12: Warriors vs. Lakers at Crypto.com Arena
• Oct. 14 Warriors vs. Trail Blazers at Moda Center
• Oct. 17 Warriors vs. Clippers at Chase Center

Times and TV info have yet to be released.

Following a gutwrenching end to the 2024-25 NBA season, Golden State will look to bounce back in 2025-26 around its core of Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.

That task begins in just a few months.

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Drew Peterson leaving Celtics to join Hornets on two-way deal originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Another member of the 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics has left the team in free agency.

Forward Drew Peterson, who entered this offseason as a restricted free agent, has agreed to a two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets, his agents confirmed to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Peterson spent the last two seasons on a two-way deal with the Celtics, appearing in just three games during the 2023-24 campaign while spending most of the season in the G League with the Maine Celtics. He saw more opportunity last season, however, playing in 25 games for Boston’s parent club and averaging 2.2 points over 7.4 minutes per game in those appearances.

The 25-year-old Peterson is an excellent 3-point shooter who has shot 42.1 percent from distance over 28 NBA games. He’ll reunite in Charlotte with former Celtics assistant Charles Lee, who took over as Hornets head coach last season.

While Peterson showed some promise in Boston, his departure seemed likely after the Celtics reportedly signed both of their second-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft — big man Amari Williams and guard Max Shulga — to two-way deals. Forward Miles Norris also is on a two-way deal with Boston, meaning the team has no more open two-way slots.

Peterson joins Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet among the players leaving the Celtics this offseason, while veteran Al Horford is expected to depart in free agency as well. If Horford signs elsewhere, forward Torrey Craig would be Boston’s final unsigned free agent.

Even with all the sports dignitaries in attendance and even though they were watching a rivalry game of sorts between the Lakers and Clippers, the fans inside the Thomas & Mack Center still were mostly enamored with Bronny James.

That is the kind of drawing power James had even with his dad, LeBron James, watching again from his baseline seats. That’s the kind of draw James had even with Steve Ballmer, Tyronn Lue, JJ Redick and Rob Pelinka in attendance.

Even with Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton and Kawhi Leonard looking on, Bronny James was the center of attention yet again.

Read more:Kobe Bryant not in NBA's all-time top 10? Shaq thinks that ranking is 'criminal'

James had one of his better NBA Summer League games, but it was the Clippers who came out on top in a 67-58 win Monday night at Nevada Las Vegas.

James had 17 points, five rebounds and five assists in 24 minutes and 17 seconds.

He was six for 10 from the field and three for five from three-point range.

And, yes, he was happy to have the support of his family and teammates.

“It definitely gave me a little boost, seeing them cheer for me and my teammates,” James said. “It’s great to get in the gym with them.”

The star of the night was Clippers forward Jordan Miller, his 19 points and seven rebounds a big reason why the Clippers are 3-0 in the summer league.

His three-pointer late in the fourth quarter gave the Clippers a lead they never lost. He scored nine of the Clippers’ last 11 points.

“We got it done,” said Clippers assistant coach Jeremy Castleberry, who is the team’s summer league coach. “We got it done. We did what we needed to do, the second night of a back-to-back. For a lot of those guys, it was the first back-to-back they played in a long time. So, happy we got it done.”

James started strong, shooting a three-pointer to open the scoring. He added a step-back three in the second quarter, those two shots being part of his 12 first-half points on four-for-four shooting.

He made a three-pointer in the fourth quarter that tied the score 51-51.

Read more:Brook Lopez could see a potential 'twin towers' role with Ivica Zubac on Clippers

“Yeah, I can see growth, for sure,” James said. “Honestly, I just feel like my confidence is growing over the last year and a half or so. So, I’m just going to grow on that and keep my mind right.”

The Lakers shot 34.4% just from the field, 30% from three-point range and 38.5% from the free-throw line (five for 13). They also turned the ball over 19 times.

Lakers assistant coach Lindsey Harding said the team showed signs of “fatigue,” which she expected considering it was their sixth summer game (they played three games at the California Classic in San Francisco).

“It just seemed like we didn’t have much pop,” said Harding, the Lakers' summer league coach.

But not James. He seemed energized the entire game.

"Bronny came ready. He came ready. He had the spark," Harding said. "You want these guys, especially him in that position and who he’ll be with us with the Lakers, when you get your minutes, go hard. Play until exhaustion, we’ll take you out and then we’ll put you back in. I thought that he did that today.

"He did a great job, even on the offensive end in finding players, making reads on pick-and-rolls. I think they struggled guarding him and he did a great job on the defensive end.”

But James wasn’t the only one who got the fans excited.

Clippers rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser threw down a nasty dunk on Cole Swider in the third quarter, which brought the crowd to its feet.

Niederhauser had another strong outing for the Clippers with 10 points, two rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes.

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.

The Clippers team Brook Lopez grew up watching as a young kid in Southern California is not that same franchise anymore.

These Clippers are about putting a winning product on the court and about putting together the right talent to win games — and that is what sold Lopez on signing with them.

“It’s crazy to see, but it’s very cool — seeing the climb, the ascent,” Lopez said Monday afternoon at a news conference hours before the Clippers and Lakers played each other in an NBA Summer League game at Nevada Las Vegas. “I’m a Cali boy. I grew up in the Valley, in North Hollywood. Obviously things were very different back then and to see where the Clippers have come now, it’s just astonishing, it’s beautiful. I’m glad to be a part of it and hopefully I can help take them even further up.”

Read more:Despite injury, Kobe Brown showcases his potential for Clippers in Summer League win

Lopez decided not to return to the Bucks after seven seasons in Milwaukee and opted not to sign with the Lakers, joining the Clippers on a two-year, $18-million deal.

He liked the idea of playing with Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Ivica Zubac, a former teammate when they played on the Lakers in 2017-18, and for Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. Lopez also had a connection with Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations. Frank was the coach of the New Jersey Nets when Lopez was there.

“Looking at my options, I was just thrilled the Clippers reached out and were one of them,” Lopez said. “They’ve been a great team for quite a while now. They have a ton of great players, obviously Hall of Famers, All-Stars, great young players. My guy Zubi! And there is a great chance to win a championship here.”

Over the course of his career, Lopez has been a starting center. He played in 80 games last season with the Bucks, averaging 31.8 minutes per game. And he was still productive at 37, averaging 13 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 blocks, while shooting 50.9% from the floor and 37.3% from three-point range.

But Zubac has emerged as one of the top centers in the NBA, even making the NBA’s All-Defensive second team.

Out of the 1,105 regular-season games Lopez has played, he has started in 1,064. With the Clippers, however, he'll likely come off the bench.

“I’m just trying to come in and help the team win,” Lopez said. “Whatever that may look like, that’s what I’m here to do. Wherever my minutes may come from when I’m on the court, the beginning of the game, middle of the game, end of the game, I’m trying to be out there trying to help my team win and beat the other team on the court.”

Because he can stretch the floor with his outside shooting, the 7-foot-1 Lopez can see a world in which he and 7-0 Zubac are on the court playing together.

“I think we complement each other extremely well,” Lopez said. “Obviously, we’ll be very big. I think we’ll be great defensively, just dominating the paint, sealing the paint off. And then offensively, we complement each other there as well. I’ll spread the floor for him, give him all the room in the paint to go wild.”

Read more:Clippers trade Norman Powell to Miami Heat as part of three-team deal, net John Collins

When the Bucks visited the Clippers last season, Lopez got to see the Intuit Dome.

He was impressed by the arena that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer built and that also played a role in his decision.

“He texted me right away, (saying) how excited he was to have me on the team,” Lopez said. “I told him the same thing back. I’m excited to win and I think that’s what we’re all here for and it’s going to be so much fun.”

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.

Steph Curry reveals Warriors' key to success during crucial 2025-26 NBA season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry revealed the key to the Warriors’ success for the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season.

In an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole at the American Century Championship in South Lake Tahoe, the four-time NBA champion detailed how Golden State can return to glory.

“I mean, we’ll talk about X’s and O’s and the philosophy of how this particular team that’s coming in next year needs to play to win, and that’ll evolve over the course of training camp and the 82-game schedule,” Curry told Poole. “Right now, it’s everybody taking advantage of an unfortunately longer offseason to get refreshed and rejuvenated, mentally and physically. Our last 35 games and the playoffs felt like a full-on sprint.”

There is no secret formula for the Warriors’ potential success in Curry’s eyes. Golden State simply has to take advantage of its time off.

The Warriors have played into the second round of the Western Conference playoffs in nine of the last 13 seasons. Golden State, too, might have earned its seventh trip to the NBA finals in 11 seasons if Curry didn’t suffer a hamstring strain in the semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves and miss the remainder of the 2025 postseason.

So, yes, the Warriors must value rest when they have it.

Regardless, there still are several unknowns surrounding the Warriors’ upcoming 82-game slate; will key players such as Jonathan Kuminga or Gary Payton II still be with the team? Will Curry or star teammates Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green show their ages? Does Golden State enter the season with an ideal center, say, like Al Horford?

No one knows. However, Curry and the Dubs have been there and done that. The 11-time NBA All-Star isn’t too worried about Golden State at this point in time.

“We know how to win; we know how to play; pieces fit,” Curry told Poole. “We’ll kind of commit to that and embrace the challenge of trying to climb the mountaintop again.”

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Spurs' Victor Wembanyama says he's been cleared to return following blood clot originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama expects to play this coming season and has been fully cleared after dealing with deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder for the past few months, he told the French newspaper L’Equipe in remarks published Monday.

A person familiar with the situation later told The Associated Press that the Spurs have indeed received word that Wembanyama has been cleared to resume play and, barring anything unforeseen, will be able to fully participate in training camp when it opens this fall. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not revealed that detail publicly.

It has been expected that the team anticipated Wembanyama would be able to start this coming season, though there was no official word until now.

“I’m officially cleared to return. … I’ll finally be able to play a bit of basketball again,” Wembanyama told the French sports daily.

The fact that Wembanyama has been cleared suggests that his type of DVT was provoked, which would rule out a genetic predisposition to a clot returning. The Spurs have not disclosed specifics of Wembanyama’s shoulder issue, but there is a type of DVT that appears when a blood vessel in someone’s upper arm can be compressed by a rib (the top rib is removed in some cases to relieve the compression, if that is the cause) or a muscle. Such issues have proven to be treatable in the past.

Many other athletes have dealt with similar issues. Serena Williams came back to dominate women’s tennis after a clotting issue following the birth of her daughter; Williams needed four surgeries to address the matter. Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Bosh had to eventually retire from the NBA after he was diagnosed with multiple clots. In hockey, Tomas Fleischmann developed clots and went on to play for years afterward; Tomas Vokoun needed surgery to relieve his clotting problem and never played in the NHL again.

“I was afraid of not being able to play basketball anymore,” Wembanyama said in the interview. “I think that we all have thoughts sometimes. Irrational thoughts about the things we care about most. But this type of thinking also changes you as a person, for the better.”

Wembanyama was the league’s rookie of the year two years ago, Spurs guard Stephon Castle won that same trophy this past season, and the team has added another high pick — this year’s No. 2 selection, Dylan Harper — to a super-promising young core. Wembanyama was the front-runner to be defensive player of the year last season when he was diagnosed with the blood clot in his right shoulder in February.

“My injury was an adventure, obviously, but the hardest part is over,” he told L’Equipe. “I’m much better today, physically and mentally.”

Wembanyama was averaging 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks and 3.7 assists per game when he was shut down in February; the only other player in NBA history to finish a season averaging all that was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975-76.

There will be an obvious ramping-up period before Wembanyama is playing at full speed again, though there is plenty of time between now and training camp for him to get back to that level.

“I have to continue specific work on my shoulder and especially get back into everything related to my basketball habits,” Wembanyama said in the interview. “It’s been five months since I’ve played a 5-on-5 match. If I had to have a game tomorrow, it would be risky. There are plenty of reflexes to find, both conscious and linked to muscle memory.”

Wembanyama has traveled extensively in recent months and spent time last month at a Shaolin temple in Zhengzhou, China. The temple is a place that welcomes visitors who wish to study Chan meditation, Shaolin Kung Fu, traditional Chinese medicine and more.

Wembanyama told L’Equipe that he studied kung fu and Buddhism during his stay there, but added that he does not identify as Buddhist.

“We were initiated there to the life of a warrior monk, which combines Buddhism and intensive kung fu practice,” he said. “It was very hard. We discovered movements that we had never done in our lives. It was more than 1,000 kicks to do per day, jumps, balance exercises, stretching. … We used muscles that we rarely used and which were quickly overloaded. I had some of the biggest aches and pains of my life.”

Paul George undergoes procedure on left knee after offseason injury  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The 2024-25 Sixers’ injury woes have bled into the offseason.

The team announced that Paul George “underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure on his left knee” Monday to “treat an injury sustained during a recent workout.”

George’s procedure was performed by Dr. Jonathan L. Glashow, who also did Joel Embiid’s arthroscopic left knee surgery in April.

“George will now begin a rehabilitation program and his progress will be monitored regularly,” the Sixers said in their statement. “He will be re-evaluated prior to the start of training camp.”

The nine-time All-Star forward dealt with injuries throughout his first season as a Sixer and wound up playing in 41 games. He averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists. George was ruled out for the season in March because of left knee and left adductor muscle issues. The 35-year-old also picked up a left pinkie injury during the Sixers’ 24-58 season.

“I think we were just in a scramble all year,” George said at his exit interview. “To be honest, I think we were just in a scramble. One player comes in, one player goes out, and it kind of was just that cycle all season long. I give Coach (Nick) Nurse a ton of credit for just picking up pieces … trying to figure things out as we were going throughout the year.

“But I think, again, there was no consistency in terms of lineups, personnel and who was on the floor in general. … There’s no consistency with just the guys being on the floor together.”

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey told reporters Friday in Las Vegas that Embiid is on track to be ready for training camp. Morey said Jared McCain (left lateral meniscus surgery) is on track, too. 

Two new teams emerge in Al Horford sweepstakes: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Al Horford remains unsigned more than two weeks into NBA free agency, but not due to a lack of suitors.

The 2024 NBA champion reportedly has drawn interest from multiple contenders, including the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers. The Boston Celtics showed interest in bringing back their prized big man, but president of basketball operations Brad Stevens called Horford’s return “unlikely.”

Two additional teams since have joined the list of potential Horford landing spots. According to ESPN’s Marc Spears, the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks have expressed interest in the 39-year-old, but he is still mulling retirement.

“Golden State obviously expected him to sign last week, he didn’t (sign),” Spears said Monday on ESPN’s NBA Today, per Brian Robb of MassLive.com. “(The) Lakers, Milwaukee, and Atlanta, I believe are also interested in a nearly 40-year-old guy who also has retirement on the table.

“He’s still considering retiring, he’s not in any hurry. He’s got a sixth kid coming on the way, he lives in Atlanta and Boston in the offseason. I’m hearing that whether it’s Golden State and a lesser extent to the Lakers, being away from the family that far isn’t going to be in that decision.”

Horford has spent the last four seasons with the Celtics (seven in total across two stints) and has played a critical role in their success, especially on the road to Banner 18. He remains a valuable player despite his age with his ability to shoot 3-pointers and defend at a high level. Assuming the Celtics don’t re-sign him this offseason, they will greatly miss his veteran leadership.

Horford won’t be the only big man Boston misses going forward. Luke Kornet left in free agency for the San Antonio Spurs, and the Celtics traded Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta as part of their effort to get under the second apron of the luxury tax.

As of Monday, Boston’s only centers on the roster are Neemias Queta, offseason addition Luka Garza, and second-round rookie Amari Williams.