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With LeBron James instructing him courtside, Bronny puts on a Summer League show

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives.
Lakers guard Bronny James drives to the basket during L.A.'s 94-81 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in NBA Summer League play in New Orleans on Saturday. (Ryan Stetz / NBAE via Getty Images)

The crowd inside the Thomas & Mack Center began to stir a few seconds before the Lakers took the court, the buzz caused by LeBron James strolling into the arena to see his son play.

The elder James took a baseline seat as Bronny James and the rest of the Lakers took the court for warmups ahead of Saturday night’s NBA Summer League game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

There was a point early in the second half when LeBron James began to offer advice to Bronny — the kind of encouragement that helped Bronny put up a solid performance during the Lakers’ 94-81 win.

Read more:Bronny James and Lakers come up short against Cooper Flagg and Mavericks

He had 14 points on five-for-11 shooting. He made one of four three-point attempts and also had three assists and two steals.

Bronny's defense was solid as well.

“Yeah, we want him to play on the ball,” said Lindsey Harding, Lakers assistant coach and Summer League coach. “Especially in tight moments, I like the ball in his hands and I want him to make those decisions. You can go through as many drills as you want, but nothing beats live.

Lakers star LeBron James sits courtside during the team's NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Lakers star LeBron James sits courtside during the team's NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas on Saturday. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

"So even after this, he will sit with his coach and watch his reads. Some are great, some can be better. ... But it comes with confidence and even this game, whether he made the shot or not, that’s not what it’s about. It’s about making the right read.”

A few possessions after Bronny got the crowd cheering by driving the length of the court and scoring on a left-handed layup, LeBron started instructing him.

“More. More. Get downhill more,” LeBron told him.

On his next play, Bronny did just that, driving in for a layup.

Early in the fourth quarter, Bronny drove baseline and threw a pass that was tipped out of bounds.

“Pull-up,” LeBron told him. “Going right, that’s a pull-up.”

When a pass was thrown ahead to Bronny in front of the Lakers' bench in the fourth quarter, LeBron yelled, “Knock it down!”

Bronny did, drilling a three-pointer. He did this despite nursing a sore hip after falling hard to the court earlier in the quarter.

Having coached up his son enough, LeBron left with about five minutes remaining.

Late in the first quarter, Darius Bazley blocked a shot and took off down court.

“Go Baz,” LeBron James uttered. “Go Baz.”

And Bazley did, finishing with a dunk.

Bazley had a complete night, producing a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. He also had five blocked shots.

Read more:Dodgers unveil Kobe Bryant bobblehead to be given away Aug. 8 at Chavez Ravine

“I guess I would show all my shows are on the defensive end,” Bazley said. “I’m trying to prove that I can switch one through five. I can be in the right spots, protect the rim, all that type of stuff. Offensively, just doing what’s asked — offensive rebounding. Like you said, being a screener, creating advantages for other guys.”

Even with a sore ankle that was taped after the game (Harding said he would be fine), Bazley left an impression.

“Bazley is an amazing defender,” Harding said. “He can guard on-ball. He can guard the point guard. He can guard the center. He does a great job off the ball. Sometimes defenders are great on-ball and not on-ball and vice versa, but he can do everything. He’s long. We need him for every position and they were huge blocks.”

Etc.

Dalton Knecht, who said he suffered cramps in both his legs during Thursday night’s game against the Mavericks, didn’t play Saturday.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Fred VanVleet elected president of National Basketball Players Association

It's been a good summer for Fred VanVleet. The veteran point guard got a new two-year, $50 million contract with the Houston Rockets, a team that has loaded up and will enter next season as a title contender.

Now he has also been elected the new president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA, the players' union).

"It's truly an honor to be elected as President of the NBPA by my peers and I look forward to continuing to advocate for the best interest of all the members," said VanVleet. "With a deep appreciation for the complexities and challenges players face on all levels of their NBA journeys, I am committed to approaching this role with the passion, dignity, and dedication every player deserves."

VanVleet takes over for CJ McCollum, who guided the NBPA through the last CBA negotiation with the league.

VanVleet is the kind of respected veteran player who is well-suited to lead the union —a level-headed person who can push back against the league when necessary. It wasn't just VanVleet who was elected, so was the full board. Here are the other officers:

• Grant Williams, First Vice President
• Mason Plumlee, Secretary-Treasurer
• Jaylen Brown, Vice President
• Jaren Jackson Jr, Vice President
• Donovan Mitchell, Vice President
• Garrett Temple, Vice President
• Karl Anthony Towns, Vice President
• Gabe Vincent, Vice President

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Cooper Flagg scores 31 in duel with Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant

LAS VEGAS- In a battle that featured three 2025 lottery picks, the anticipation didn’t outweigh the on-court production.

The No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg played much better than he did against the Lakers on Thursday, which was a welcomed sight for Dallas fans. He finished with a game-high 31 points in the Mavericks' 76-69 loss to the Spurs on Saturday. Flagg continued to facilitate well, but he only ended up with one assist after having four against the Lakers, and he was once again impactful on the defensive end.

Despite a dramatic jump in scoring, it never felt like Flagg was forcing shots, which Mavericks coach Josh Broghamer was complimentary of.

"I think he just continues to make the right plays,” Broghamer said. “Whether it's drive by the guy who's pressuring him or, we used him a little bit more as a roller and off the ball a couple of times, just to kind of get him some easier catches... But again, he just continues to make the right plays and do the right things."

Flagg’s two-way impact was on full display at the end of the third quarter. He drove through the middle of the paint and dunked the ball with a few seconds left and followed that up by blocking a last-second three-point attempt.

Though Flagg shot far more efficiently, life still wasn’t easy for him, especially early on. Carter Bryant, who San Antonio selected with the No. 14 pick in the draft, was a big reason for that. He matched up with Flagg almost every single time they were both on the floor, and his defensive ability that made him a lottery pick was evident.

When Flagg wasn’t on the floor, Bryant spent a few possessions guarding Ryan Nembhard. There is a huge difference between guarding an undrafted, six-foot guard and a 6’9” forward that was taken with the first pick, but Bryant was effective in both roles. He has the upside to be an elite defender in the NBA from day one, though he does tend to find himself in foul trouble. He had four fouls in 27 minutes against Dallas, and he averaged 4.3 fouls per 36 minutes as a freshman at Arizona last season.

Bryant didn’t have much success on the other end, missing all seven of his shot attempts. However, he wasn’t bothered by his poor shooting performance.

“The shot’s gonna fall, and the shot’s not gonna fall,” Bryant said. “At the end of the day, I’ve been shooting the basketball the same exact way since I’ve been four or five years old. It’s gonna fall, I believe I’m gonna be one of the best shooters in this league. You know, an 0-for-7 performance, I think I shot like 1-for-6 in the last game, like that’s not gonna define what I am as a basketball player. So, being able to have other things to fall back on, to be able to affect the game positively outside of making shots and scoring the basketball is just my main focus.”

Of course, Dylan Harper, who San Antonio added with the second pick last month, made his Summer League debut after missing their first four games with a minor groin injury. He played a little less than 20 minutes, which was by design. There was no reason to make him play heavy minutes in an exhibition game.

During his time on the floor, he was effective on both ends. Harper finished with 16 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in the win. He displayed the ability to create shots for both himself and others, which was why he was drafted so early. However, his defensive production stood out.

"I think if you don't play defense, you're not going to be able to play on the court,” Harper said. “So, just trying my best, just learning new stuff, how to go over screens, guard the ball, stuff like that. It's definitely an area I look to grow and just keep on getting better at."

Bryant was complimentary of Harper’s block, saying “he looked like me a little bit.”

The future combination of Harper and Bryant on the perimeter is scary enough, but having Victor Wembanyama sitting behind them as well is going to make this team quite difficult to score on, especially in the playoffs.

Harper also was effective as the primary ball handler and in an off-ball role. On a team that also has De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, it’s encouraging to see Harper make an impact in a role that he could play a lot during his rookie year.

The best part of this for fans is that the Mavericks and Spurs will face off at least four times every season, so this entertaining matchup could develop into one of the best divisional rivalries in the league over the next few years.

"It was a good game,” Harped said about his matchup with Flagg. “I had a good game. We kind of just showed the NBA world what we're about... I mean, we're going to play him a lot this year. So, I mean, the future battles are going to be great."

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3 observations after Sixers come back vs. Hornets but fall just short of summer win

3 observations after Sixers come back vs. Hornets but fall just short of summer win  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers stormed back into the game but couldn’t secure a first Las Vegas summer league victory on Saturday night. 

Despite the Sixers’ comeback effort, the Hornets pulled out a 96-94 win.  

Judah Mintz had 24 points, five rebounds and four assists. Dominick Barlow put up 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals. 

VJ Edgecombe (left thumb sprain) remained out. The rookie is “progressing in his recovery and will continue his on-court workouts over the next two days,” a Sixers official said. 

Now 0-2 in Las Vegas, the Sixers will play the Wizards on Tuesday night. Here are observations on their loss to the Hornets: 

Pros and cons from Bona 

Adem Bona faced off with rookie Charlotte center Ryan Kalkbrenner and was especially active in his first stint. Overall, Bona brought exceptional energy and effort as usual. 

He made a great defensive play early when he smothered Kalkbrenner on the perimeter and ripped the ball from his hands. A minute or so later, Bona leapt high to reject Sion James at the rim. 

The 22-year-old was not at all mistake-free, though. He committed three first-quarter turnovers, including a travel in the post and a moving screen. Bona has progressed considerably on offense since becoming a Sixer, but it’s clear he still needs to work on polishing his fundamentals. Regardless of role, it’s always important to be reliable with the basics. 

Bona ended the night with eight points, six rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists in 21 minutes.

Discovering some offense

Rookie shooting guard Hunter Sallis posted eight points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in his first summer start. He had multiple shots blocked and has unsurprisingly seemed to be early in the process of adjusting to professional size and physicality. 

As a team, the Sixers again had a rough time trying to generate offense early without Edgecombe. They fell behind 12-3 on a Tidjane Salaun and-one layup and trailed by 15 points late in the first quarter. 

The Sixers eventually found regular baskets.

Barlow had a bright stretch in the second quarter, converting a couple of put-back buckets and turning a steal into a fast-break slam. Mintz was in the middle of a Sixers run late in the second, nailing a corner three-pointer and hitting a mid-range jumper that cut the Hornets’ lead to 48-38. 

Sixers make Hornets sweat

Justin Edwards’ cold shooting persisted. After going 2 for 6 from the floor in the Sixers’ Vegas opener, Edwards missed his first six field goals Saturday.

Even with Edwards misfiring, the Sixers managed to make a serious comeback and competed well. Johni Broome drained two pick-and-pop threes in the third quarter. 

Edwards finally got a jumper to drop in the third and also threw down an and-one dunk off of a slick give and go with Bona. 

The Sixers sustained their comeback in the fourth quarter and Barlow played a key part. He cut sharply to the hoop and jammed home an alley-oop dunk courtesy of a Broome dish. Barlow’s three gave the Sixers an 80-79 edge.

Charlotte regained the lead on a KJ Simpson jumper with 1:03 left and just about held off the Sixers.

After Liam McNeeley split two free throws with 4.4 seconds to go, Mintz raced up the floor in search of a game-tying hoop. Kalkbrenner denied him, blocking Mintz’s pull-up attempt and ensuring the Hornets didn’t need overtime.

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3 observations after Sixers come back vs. Hornets but fall just short of summer win

3 observations after Sixers come back vs. Hornets but fall just short of summer win  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers stormed back into the game but couldn’t secure a first Las Vegas summer league victory on Saturday night. 

Despite the Sixers’ comeback effort, the Hornets pulled out a 96-94 win.  

Judah Mintz had 24 points, five rebounds and four assists. Dominick Barlow put up 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals. 

VJ Edgecombe (left thumb sprain) remained out. The rookie is “progressing in his recovery and will continue his on-court workouts over the next two days,” a Sixers official said. 

Now 0-2 in Las Vegas, the Sixers will play the Wizards on Tuesday night. Here are observations on their loss to the Hornets: 

Pros and cons from Bona 

Adem Bona faced off with rookie Charlotte center Ryan Kalkbrenner and was especially active in his first stint. Overall, Bona brought exceptional energy and effort as usual. 

He made a great defensive play early when he smothered Kalkbrenner on the perimeter and ripped the ball from his hands. A minute or so later, Bona leapt high to reject Sion James at the rim. 

The 22-year-old was not at all mistake-free, though. He committed three first-quarter turnovers, including a travel in the post and a moving screen. Bona has progressed considerably on offense since becoming a Sixer, but it’s clear he still needs to work on polishing his fundamentals. Regardless of role, it’s always important to be reliable with the basics. 

Bona ended the night with eight points, six rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists in 21 minutes.

Discovering some offense

Rookie shooting guard Hunter Sallis posted eight points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in his first summer start. He had multiple shots blocked and has unsurprisingly seemed to be early in the process of adjusting to professional size and physicality. 

As a team, the Sixers again had a rough time trying to generate offense early without Edgecombe. They fell behind 12-3 on a Tidjane Salaun and-one layup and trailed by 15 points late in the first quarter. 

The Sixers eventually found regular baskets.

Barlow had a bright stretch in the second quarter, converting a couple of put-back buckets and turning a steal into a fast-break slam. Mintz was in the middle of a Sixers run late in the second, nailing a corner three-pointer and hitting a mid-range jumper that cut the Hornets’ lead to 48-38. 

Sixers make Hornets sweat

Justin Edwards’ cold shooting persisted. After going 2 for 6 from the floor in the Sixers’ Vegas opener, Edwards missed his first six field goals Saturday.

Even with Edwards misfiring, the Sixers managed to make a serious comeback and competed well. Johni Broome drained two pick-and-pop threes in the third quarter. 

Edwards finally got a jumper to drop in the third and also threw down an and-one dunk off of a slick give and go with Bona. 

The Sixers sustained their comeback in the fourth quarter and Barlow played a key part. He cut sharply to the hoop and jammed home an alley-oop dunk courtesy of a Broome dish. Barlow’s three gave the Sixers an 80-79 edge.

Charlotte regained the lead on a KJ Simpson jumper with 1:03 left and just about held off the Sixers.

After Liam McNeeley split two free throws with 4.4 seconds to go, Mintz raced up the floor in search of a game-tying hoop. Kalkbrenner denied him, blocking Mintz’s pull-up attempt and ensuring the Hornets didn’t need overtime.

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Myles Turner on joining Bucks: 'Ultimately it was about just staying competitive'

LAS VEGAS — Myles Turner signing with the Bucks was the biggest surprise of the NBA offseason. Turner was considered a lock to re-sign in Indiana (especially after their Finals run), and Milwaukee didn't have the cap space to chase him. Then, the Pacers' ownership balked at paying the luxury tax and lowballed Turner, while the Bucks were historically aggressive, waiving and stretching Damian Lillard to create cap space to get their man.

For Turner, the reason to sign with the Bucks was more about competitiveness than just money.

"Ultimately, it was about just staying competitive," Turner said at an introductory press conference in Las Vegas on Friday. "Two years ago, [the Pacers] got to the Eastern Conference Finals. Obviously, last year we got to the NBA Finals. But being there, being part of it, winning basketball has just changed my entire perspective on this league, and I saw a chance to remain competitive here. Jon [Horst], even Doc [Rivers] has assured me that winning is a top priority here, and we just align with our visions."

Turner wanted to be paid at the level of other quality centers in the NBA — Isaiah Hartenstein at $29 million a year average on his contract, Jarrett Allen $30.2 million, Nic Claxton $24.3 million, as examples — and the Bucks stepped up with a four-year, $107 million contract.

Last season, he averaged 15.6 points per game while shooting 39.6% on 3-pointers, plus adding 6.5 rebounds and two blocks per game.

For Milwaukee, Turner is an upgrade over where Brook Lopez is at this point in his career. For Turner, the chance to compete alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, rather than against him, was part of the draw.

"I was tired of taking damned shoulders and elbows to the chest all the time," Turner said with a laugh. "It's a rarity to be alongside him. He's a generational player, arguably one of the greatest players to play this game. I'm sure we're going to talk here in the weeks to come. I've played against Giannis for quite some time now. Very familiar with his game and what he's capable of. I do see a seamless fit. He's someone that is able to push the ball, get out in transition, create for people. He's developed a jumper. Defensively, his intangibles are there. I think our fit is going to be a pretty cohesive fit."

It's more than just Antetokounmpo, Turner sees a chance to compete for more in a down Eastern Conference next season.

"I just look at this roster and I've competed against these guys. There's a respect from afar of just how they go about their business. There's a reason why guys are there. Gary Trent just signed. Bobby Portis just signed. Taurean Prince just signed. Ryan Rollins just signed. Everybody sees the vision. They didn't sign just to do it. I just think that there's a real belief in this organization. I've aligned myself with that."

The one thing that could end the Bucks' postseason dreams would be Antetokounmpo asking for a trade, although that seems increasingly unlikely to happen. Most importantly, Antetokounmpo said he was “probably” staying in Milwaukee. Bucks coach Doc Rivers, sitting next to Turner, also threw cold water on the trade rumors.

"Giannis came to me the day after the season and we were talking about next season already," Rivers said. "So, there's far more talk outside of Milwaukee than there is inside of Milwaukee. Giannis loves Milwaukee. We love Giannis, and it's been a great relationship... So, we are communicating a lot. It's about next year, and it's about winning."

That winning is aided by having Turner in Milwaukee.

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Watch Warriors star Steph Curry make wild accidental trick shot at ACC tourney

Watch Warriors star Steph Curry make wild accidental trick shot at ACC tourney originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Programming note: The American Century Championship’s final round will air locally Sunday, July 13, on NBC Bay Area (KNTV) from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT.

Steph Curry might not be able to do this again if he tried.

The Warriors superstar is known for making some incredible trick shots, but he did something he wasn’t even attempting to do while shooting hoops backwards during the American Century Championship on Saturday in South Lake Tahoe.

It’s hard for Curry to shock himself, but even he couldn’t believe he wedged the ball far left of the hoop set up at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort’s golf course.

The crowd went wild for the chance occurrence, which was more impressive than if Curry actually had made the shot.

Through two rounds of ACC play, Curry is tied for ninth place entering Sunday. What will the Chef do next?

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Watch Draymond Green, LeBron James join Bad Bunny on stage at Puerto Rico show

Watch Draymond Green, LeBron James join Bad Bunny on stage at Puerto Rico show originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green and LeBron James are continuing to enjoy their offseason.

The two NBA stars were seen at Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny’s concert Friday night in San Juan. Both James and Green were on stage with Bad Bunny, along with several others.

The Grammy Award-winning artist opened his Puerto Rico residency Friday for his “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” album.

Several videos circulated of James and Green dancing and singing along, and the artist even brought James out to the crowd as the arena roared.

While there has been speculation about James’ future with the Los Angeles Lakers after the superstar exercised his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season, with the Warriors reportedly among the teams considered another trade offer to acquire the four-time NBA MVP, it’s clear that James is living in the present this offseason. And he’s doing so with one of his best friends.

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NBA Summer League Day 2: Yang Hansen is fun — and Las Vegas loves him

LAS VEGAS —Two courts, eight games, there is a lot to see the first weekend of the 2025 NBA Summer League Las Vegas. Here are just some of the highlights we saw.

Yang Hansen is fun

That went better than expected.

It's just one Summer League game, and Yang Hansen still has a long way to go to prove he can hang in an NBA rotation — let alone live up to the starry-eyed expectations of some Trail Blazers fans — but his Summer League debut went as well as could be hoped.

What's undeniable is that Yang is fun to watch — and the late-night Las Vegas crowd loved him.

" In the game, the coach told me to go to high post and be a play-making player today," Yang said. "Be a hub for everyone. I just followed the coach's execution and did my job."

Yang finished the night with 10 points on 3-of-7 shooting, with five assists and four rebounds (and six fouls).

"I think he played how some of us expected him to play," Portland Summer League coach Ronnie Burrell said. "He showed a lot of facets to his game. We know he's very versatile and skilled, and I just like the fact that he was having fun. He was loose and relaxed. He played tough, and he made some amazing plays tonight."

Yang was the surprise No. 16 pick of the Trail Blazers, a guy projected to be drafted in the middle of the second round went in the middle of the first. The 7'1" big-bodied center from China was known as a high-level passer (that skill was on full display in Las Vegas), and he shot the ball better than expected at the NBA Draft Combine (which also continued to Friday night). However, there were questions about his athleticism, his defense (especially if pulled out on the perimeter), and his strength when battling for rebounds or needing to be physical inside.

One good Summer League game does not answer all those questions, but it was a good start.

And it was fun. —Kurt Helin

Reed Sheppard dominates at Summer League. Again.

Reed Sheppard didn't see the floor much during his rookie season on a competitive Rockets team. They traded away some of their depth to bring in Kevin Durant, which should open the door for him to take on a larger role.

He proved that he's ready to rise to the occasion.

In a loss to the Clippers, Sheppard finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals, three blocks and six three-pointers.

He scored 15 of his 28 in the third quarter, which included three straight threes to bring them from down 12 to only down three points entering the fourth quarter. However, he was held scoreless in the final frame.

Sheppard spent most of the game as the lead ball handler, and he did a good job facilitating to his teammates. He led the team in assists and set up numerous other clean looks that just didn't fall, which included some impressive one-handed skip passes with both his left and right hands.

He also spent some time on the floor with Kennedy Chandler, who has spent the last two seasons in the G League after appearing in 36 games for the Grizzlies as a rookie during the 2022-23 season. Chandler finished with 22 points and three assists, and Sheppard credited him as someone who can "bring the ball up the floor, go get a bucket on his own and put you on the spot to get an open three."

Sheppard said the focus for him this offseason has been "trying to get in the weight room, get a little stronger. Work on defense, being more physical, offensively and defensively."

The work was evident in this game. He totaled seven defensive stats and was also active defensively in other ways that didn't end up in the box score. Houston boasted the fifth-best defensive rating in the league last season, and it seems that inserting Sheppard into the rotation in a larger capacity isn't going to drag that number down. —Noah Rubin

Other news and notes

• Hornets may have something in McNeeley; Knueppel struggles. The latest addition to the "don't read anything into a Summer League debut" file is Charlotte's Kon Knueppel. Friday was not his day: 1-of-8 shooting, 0-of-5 from 3, four assists but three turnovers, and some rough defensive rotations. What matters with rookies at Summer League is that there is growth, we'll see how he looks next time he steps on the court.

Hornets fans, ignore Knueppel and focus on UConn's Liam McNeeley.

" It seemed like he was everywhere the entire day," Hornets Summer League coach Chris Jent said of McNeeley. "Just what stood out about how he competed today. I think his competitive nature and also his conditioning. I thought of all the guys out there, he was able to kind of sustain it. So that's really impressive for a young player. Probably hasn't played much basketball through the draft process at all, but he's able to maintain that same pace throughout the game." —Helin

• Kobe Bufkin's good day. Kobe Bufkin is entering his third season with the Hawks after they made him the 15th overall pick in 2023. He spent most of his rookie year in the G League and suffered a season-ending shoulder injury early during the 2024-25 season, so he has only appeared in 27 NBA games so far.

He scored a game-high 29 points against the Heat, with 17 of those coming in the fourth quarter to help the Hawks secure the victory.

Atlanta added Nickeil Alexander-Walker on a four-year contract, so there isn't a guarantee that Bufkin will be in the rotation if everyone is healthy. However, if he's dominating the Summer League like a player entering his third season should, he'll be in contention for the backup point guard role behind Trae Young. —Rubin

• Matas Buzelis windmill slam. Without Collin Murray-Boyles, who was sidelined with a left adductor strain, the Raptors still had no issues dominating the Bulls. A.J. Lawson (22 points), Alijah Martin (16 points) and Jonathan Mogbo (15 points) led the scoring charge for Toronto, while Jamal Shead facilitated well and was a menace defensively, which shouldn't come as a surprise whatsoever.

Matas Buzelis shot 4-of-14 from the floor. Toronto's defensive intensity certainly altered some of his shots, though there are certain shots that defenses just can't do much about.

That intensity also bothered rookie Noa Essengue, who finished with five points and seven turnovers. His debut for the team that drafted him with the 12th overall pick last month wasn't everything they hoped and dreamed it would be, but the 18-year-old has plenty of time to figure things out. —Rubin

• Bucket of the day. As great as the Buzelis dunk is, the bucket of the day goes to Tre Johnson — the former Texas star is entertaining because he has yet to meet a shot he doesn't like, you can't take your eyes off him. He's going to score a lot of points as a rookie, and he's going to take a couple of years off Wizards' coach Brian Keefe's life. —Helin

• It was a good day to be Kasparas Jakucionis. Summer League should be about growth. Miami Heat's Kasparov Jakucionis struggled through games in the California Classic Summer League. But Friday in Vegas the No. 20 pick showed why some scouts had him as a late lottery selection, scoring 19 in the first half on his way to 24 points and four assists.—Helin

• Utah Jazz bright spots. It's shaping up to be another season for Jazz fans. We're going to try to find them bright spots wherever we can.

First. Kyle Filipowski is a quality offensive center who just knows how to get buckets. Summer League is about growth and Filipowski showed a lot of it.

Also, guard Isaiah Collier was very physical on his drives, used that to create space, and finished with 16 points and 9 assists. Whatever is getting built in Utah over the next few years, he can be part of it. —Helin

• Khaman Maluach is going to be good... eventually. Two things became clear about the Duke center and the Suns' No. 10 pick Khaman Maluach. First, he's going to be a quality NBA center, he showed flashes on both ends of the court of his potential. Second, he's a couple of years away from being that guy. He's a project. (Is that how the Suns see him?) —Helin

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Mike Dunleavy discusses Warriors' quiet NBA offseason, stumble in Las Vegas

Mike Dunleavy discusses Warriors' quiet NBA offseason, stumble in Las Vegas originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Sin City had its way with the Warriors to open their slate of Las Vegas NBA Summer League games this year. 

The Warriors dropped their final two games of the California Classic at Chase Center, and then were blown out by 33 points, 106-73, Friday night against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Thomas & Mack Center. From the start, the Warriors’ play made it obvious what kind of night they were in for. An ugly one, to keep it tame. 

Offense rarely arrived for the Warriors. They trailed 9-0 after the first minute and a half before Will Richard made a 19-foot jump shot the next possession. The Warriors went nearly three minutes without scoring, making two free throws, and were stuck at four points until there were two minutes left in the first quarter. 

That slow of a start, where the Warriors went 4 of 21 from the field and had seven turnovers, put them in a 34-13 deficit. A strong second quarter, where the Warriors outscored the Blazers 27-19, cut the lead to 13 points, but Golden State could only muster 12 points in the third quarter as Portland put up a 20-point advantage in the second half. 

It was another tough game for Alex Toohey, too. The Warriors’ top draft pick at No. 52 overall was a minus-47 in 23 minutes. Toohey scored seven points, all in the last three minutes, on 2-of-9 shooting with three rebounds, one assist and four steals. 

He’s now a minus-81 in his first two games, over 47 minutes.

Fellow rookie Richard had another strong overall performance. Richard also played 23 minutes but had 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, adding four rebounds, three assists, three steals and no turnovers. 

“When you go into the second round, we’ve identified players that we feel like can fit in and not only make the NBA but play within our system,” Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy said to ESPN’s Katie George during halftime. “I think those are two guys that can play both ways. We like the way they think the game. We like the way they defend. Will can make shots, we think Alex will be able to make shots. Mostly just two guys that are winners, competitors. 

“Will won a national championship at Florida. Alex has competed with professionals in the Australian league. We like those guys. We’re lucky to get them in the fifties. We think they’ll be a big part of our future.” 

Dunleavy had one pick at No. 41 going into the draft, and then made two trades to add two players. The Phoenix Suns then landed sharpshooter Koby Brea out of Kentucky with the Warriors’ original pick. 

Brea earlier in the day scored 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting and was 4 of 5 on threes in the Suns’ 19-point win. But that’s beside the point. 

Throughout Dunleavy’s halftime interview, he was asked six questions. None of his answers broke news. They just were more compelling than anything Toohey, Richard, Jackson Rowe, Taran Armstrong and the rest of the Warriors were doing. Such as when George asked Dunleavy about the Warriors’ quiet offseason. 

“So far, so far,” Dunleavy said. “We’ve got a ways to go here. I consider the offseason kind of from the time the season ends all the way to training camp, so we’ll give ourselves that buffer to add to our roster. … We’ve got the whole summer to do it.” 

Free agency began essentially two weeks ago. Only one team is yet to make a single move: The Warriors.

What kind of players do the Warriors need to add? Dunleavy addressed a specific trait for a frontcourt player, and one for a backcourt player.

“I think we learned a lot about the team this past year, especially since we’ve added Jimmy [Butler],” he said. “We feel like we have a group going forward that’s going to be pretty good. What do we need to add? I think from that standpoint, we want to look to the frontcourt to add some shooting, in the backcourt some defense. 

“Offensively, guys that can shoot, pass and dribble. There’s tons of needs, but I think we’ve zeroed in on some areas that we can address. As the summer unfolds, we’ll continue to try and do that.” 

He then explained how the Warriors were given a boost on the court from Butler’s arrival, as well as spiritually. Having him in the locker room brings a new sense of confidence alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green. 

But that trio wasn’t the same whenever Jonathan Kuminga tried to join the party. Coach Steve Kerr quickly decided it’s better to keep Kuminga on the waiting list than mess up any chemistry. Now, the Warriors are held up by his restricted free agency after one of the more perplexing seasons for one of their players in years. 

“It was a tricky situation,” Dunleavy admitted. “When Jimmy arrived, Jonathan was out. He had a sprained ankle and missed a bunch of time. So as everyone was getting acclimated with Jimmy, JK wasn’t in the lineup. He had to come back and we had this great run and he had to sort of figure it out. 

“I think it was a little challenging for him and the team, but when Steph went down, he stepped up. That was admirable from JK’s standpoint, and that’s a big reason why we want to bring him back.”

Don’t look too far into those last few words. Dunleavy isn’t making a plea to Kuminga and his camp. He’s keeping it professional, using his words as any kind of proof of interest to other teams. 

There also is the real possibility Kuminga’s ultimate fate is returning to the Warriors … and then is back to being in trade talks come December.

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

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Kobe Brown #21 of the LA Clippers shoots a three point.
Clippers forward Kobe Brown shoots a three-pointer during a 95-92 NBA Summer League win over the Houston Rockets in Las Vegas on Friday night. (Logan Riely / NBAE via Getty Images)

The Clippers' NBA Summer League contest Friday against the Houston Rockets offered a chance for Kobe Brown to show he's capable of being a rotational player for the Clippers this season.

But misfortune struck in the third quarter when Brown got tangled with a Rockets defender who fell on his right ankle. Brown sat on the Clippers’ bench for a few minutes before he limped to their locker room.

Brown didn't return in the Clippers' 95-92 win at Cox Pavilion on Friday night after sustaining what the team described as a right ankle contusion.

Brown is entering his third season with the Clippers and the team is eager for the 2023 30th overall draft pick to make an impact. He’ll make $2.65 million this season and will have a qualifying offer for next season at $4.7 million.

Read more:Clippers set roster for Summer League in Las Vegas

“He’s just got to continue to do what he did tonight,” said Clippers assistant coach Jerry Castleberry, the team’s Summer League coach. “Play great defense. Make the right reads. We’ve been talking about it all training camp. Get in the paint, draw two, make the right reads and if they put a small on him, he showed his ability to be able to score against a mismatch tonight and doing it the right way — quickly, getting downhill, not dancing, just getting straight to the point.

Brown scored 10 points in the first quarter, going four for five from the field, making both of his three-point attempts. On one of those threes, he ran the length of the court and took a pass for a lob dunk.

Brown finished with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes.

“Ankle is good,” Castleberry said. “Ankle is fine. Just precautionary. He’ll be OK.”

The Clippers waived Jordan Miller before summer league started, but they still had a roster spot so he was added to the team.

He did not disappoint Friday, producing 23 points and 11 rebounds.

Miller has been given an opportunity to show the Clippers — and any other team — how the Summer League is useful for him.

“With this team it takes a lot of humility. Not thinking less of yourself but also thinking less of yourself,” Miller said. “Just finding a way to maximize whatever role it is. It’s not just for me, but it’s for all the guys. We got guys that can score. The only way we’re going to get on the floor is defending and making open threes. That’s just the reality of it. ... But for the most part, just working game reps. Like, you’re not going to get a lot of ball-screens. You’re not going to get a lot of touches. So you just got to work on your off-ball shooting, movement shooting and being able to not mess up defensively.”

It was on defense where Clippers rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser was at his best.

Niederhauser blocked four shots and had 10 rebounds. He used his seven-foot frame as a deterrent and displayed why the Clippers drafted him out of Penn State.

“He did everything he was supposed to do,” Castleberry said. “He was great with rim-protection, changing shots and I just thought he was good.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Pacome Dadiet leads the way, but Knicks blown out by Pistons in Summer League opener

The Knicks got shellacked in their 2025 Las Vegas Summer League debut, falling 104-86 to the Detroit Pistons.

It was a forgettable offensive performance from the franchise’s prospects that left little to write home about. 

Here are some takeaways...

- New York's 2024 first-round pick Pacome Dadiet led the way with 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting, making hay attacking closeouts and leaking out in transition. Marjon Beauchamp scored 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting from two and 0-for-4 shooting from three. Kevin McCullar Jr. finished with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists on 5-of-14 shooting, while getting a large portion of the backcourt creation reps. 

- Tyler Kolek had 10 points, six rebounds, eight assists and five turnovers on 4-of-11 shooting from the field. New York went pretty deep into their bench, with 2025 second-round pick Mohamed Diawara highlighted, playing 17 minutes and finishing with seven points and seven rebounds.

- Ron Holland II led Detroit with 28 points and 11 rebounds -- he wreaked havoc defensively early and turned it up from deep later in the contest. Daniss Jenkins added 18 points on three threes while Tolu Smith finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

- The Pistons got off to a quick 16-4 start, making five of their first six field goals thanks to some sloppy Knicks turnovers. Holland made an early impact with seven points and two steals in the opening period.

McCullar Jr. made some nice plays to get the offense going after earlier miscues, long tossing off a steal to get Kolek an easy lay-up and driving hard for a reverse layup. The highlight of the quarter for New York was Diawara’s bullet to Luka Scuka inside for a bucket, though they ultimately trailed 21-15 going into the second. 

- Detroit opened the period on another run to go back up double digits behind another stalled Knicks offense. Dadiet got into the action with a three and emphatic revenge block early in the quarter.

Former Knick draft pick Trevor Keels hit a three to help the Pistons to a 6-of-14 three-point shooting half compared to a meek 1-of-9 outing from the Knicks. The team had 12 turnovers and shot 35.1 percent from the field in the opening half en route to a 46-32 halftime deficit.

- The Knicks found their groove to open the second half, going on a 9-3 run out of the gates behind a Dadiet walk-in middie and driving dunk in transition. Detroit quickly responded at the hands of Holland, showing off his newly restructured jumper with a couple threes including a tough one off the dribble in the corner.

New York missed another eight consecutive threes and fell behind by as much as 21, ultimately going into the final frame down 74-56 thanks to a full-court buzzer beating heave from Diawara. 

- The fourth quarter was more of the same as the Pistons built on their lead behind threes and stifling defense. Dadiet was able to sneak a few more transition buckets in before New York was eventually put away. 

What's next

The Knicks return to action on Sunday as they face-off with the Celtics' Summer League squad at 5:30 p.m.

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Kasparas Jakučionis bounces back to drop 24 points in Vegas debut

LAS VEGAS- The first three Summer League games for Kasparas Jakučionis came in the California Classic, and it couldn’t have gone much worse for him. He finished with a total of 12 points and 12 turnovers while shooting 1-of-15 from the floor during his three appearances in San Francisco.

That poor play didn’t carry over to Vegas.

He scored 14 points in the first quarter alone and had 19 at halftime, which included four three-pointers. He scored in a variety of ways, including some strong finishes at the basket, catch-and-shoot threes and a pair of triples off the dribble.

"I think I was a little bit more aggressive on the offensive end,” Jakučionis said. “You know, it's a process and it's usually a long process. And it takes some time just getting to know everybody, getting to know yourself during these games. And just try to learn and try to do the best I can."

Jakučionis, who was projected to be a lottery pick ahead of the draft, fell to the Heat with the 20th overall selection last month. Miami hasn’t made many moves this offseason, but they did trade for Norman Powell, which means that Jakučionis will likely join Davion Mitchell in filling out the backcourt minutes off the bench during his rookie season.

Jakučionis’ hot start didn’t stretch into the second half, but he did hit a late corner three that brought Miami within three points. He also set up multiple clean looks from deep for his teammates late in the game that would’ve given them a chance to win. They ended up losing 105-98 to the Hawks, and he finished with 24 points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals and five three-pointers. While Jakučionis was much improved, he acknowledged that there is still plenty of room for him to grow.

"Basketball is a lot more than just shooting,” Jakučionis said. “It felt good, yeah, but you know, eventually we still lost, I didn't do a great job on the other side, like, rebounding, getting on transition defense. So, yeah, but, definitely feels better with a good shot."

Summer League isn’t a reliable indicator of how successful a player will be in the NBA, but it was encouraging to see Jakučionis respond to a poor three-game stretch with a big-time performance on Friday. Seeing improvement over the course of Summer League is a great sign for a young player, and Jakučionis said that he will “watch more and more film” to help him adjust to the pace of play in the NBA.

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Pacers re-sign backup center Isaiah Jackson to three-year, $21 million contract

With a center rotation of Tony Bradley and Jay Huff, the Indiana Pacers were looking for some depth headed into the season.

Enter Isaiah Jackson. The Pacers are re-signing the center, the team announced Friday.

This is a three-year, $21 million contract, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

Jackson looked like a solid reserve NBA center for a couple of years in Indiana, averaging 7.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in the 2022-23 season. However, he played in just five games last season before tearing his Achilles (he did not take the court in the postseason during the Pacers' playoff run).

Locking up Jackson for three years is a sign of confidence in what Jackson can contribute to the Pacers in the coming years.