Steph Curry isn’t one to chase records, but he’d be lying if he said one in particular wasn’t in the back of his mind as he approaches Year 17 in the NBA.
Curry continues to creep up the NBA’s all-time scoring list, passing Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West in April for the 24th spot. Of the 23 players in front of him, only four — LeBron James (No. 1), Kevin Durant (No. 8), James Harden (No. 11) and Russell Westbrook (No. 20) — currently are active.
The Warriors superstar admitted reaching the top-10 is something he has his eye on — and something not far out of reach.
“I wouldn’t say I don’t care. I do the math every once in a while,” Curry told Complex’s Speedy Mormon in a recent interview. “Every time you catch somebody and they do the thing in the arenas like, ‘Oh, congratulations, you passed Jerry West,’ which was a special one for me, that’s when you’re like, oh, how far can I go? So I do the math. If I average 20-something [points], two and a half seasons, I’m playing 70 games, I do that math all the time just to get in your head how long do you have to play and to what level to catch the top of that list?
“But after I do that, I don’t think about it again until the next time it happens. So it’s just a fun way to keep yourself in the moment and give yourself, for a hot second, something to look forward to. But that’s not why I’ll keep going. It’s more that I want to get to a level where we’re competing and playing for championships.”
Curry currently boasts 25,386 points to his name, which is 2,903 points away from the No. 10 spot, currently occupied by Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame forward Carmelo Anthony (28,289).
He is 819 points away from the No. 20 spot and 1,324 points away from the No. 15 spot.
Florida point guard Boogie Fland is recovering from sports hernia surgery, and coach Todd Golden expects the Arkansas transfer to be full speed by the time fall camp begins in September. Speaking at a booster event Thursday evening, Golden said Fland had surgery July 3 and will be sidelined up to six weeks. “He'll be back when school starts,” Golden said.
Kansas basketball coach Bill Self had two stents inserted into his heart to treat blocked arteries Thursday at Lawrence Memorial Hospital after he "felt unwell and experienced some concerning symptoms.” “The procedure went very well, and he is expected to make a full recovery,” the Kansas athletic department said in a statement. Self has led Kansas to national titles in 2008 and 2022 and is the school's career victory leader with a 609-156 record.
Andre Iguodala is now the full-time executive director of the NBPA, having quietly shed his interim tag last year without any formal announcement from the union.
Iguodala became “acting executive director” in late 2023, replacing Tamika Tremaglio following her dismissal from the NBPA. At the time, it appeared Iguodala would hold the role until a permanent successor took over—Sportico’s story on his appointment called it “temporary”—but that changed over the course of his first three months on the job.
In February 2024, according to someone familiar with the matter, the NBPA’s executive committee and board of player reps, which includes members of all 30 teams, voted to make Iguodala’s position more permanent with a new multiyear contract. There was no formal process that included any outside candidates, said the person, who was granted anonymity because the process was not public.
The union did not publicize Iguodala’s new status or his contract. The word “acting” was removed from Iguodala’s bio on the union website at some point in between Feb. 19 and March 1 of 2024, according to a review of cached pages. The NBPA used the new, shorter title—without the word “acting”—in a press release in August.
Iguodala’s salary is set by the union’s player reps. He was paid $2.8 million in the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30, 2024, according to the NBPA’s LM-2 filing, with $2.09 million of that in gross salary.
A union rep declined to comment on the specifics of the process or his contract. Iguodala, currently in Spain for a week-long offseason performance retreat for players, also declined to comment.
Iguodala made $185.2 million in salary across his 19-year NBA career, according to Spotrac. He was a four-time NBA champion, and was MVP of the Finals in 2015 with the Golden State Warriors. As a player he served for more than a decade on the NBPA’s executive committee, including a four-year term as first vice president from 2019-2023.
He has been an active investor as well, both as a player and after retiring, including venture and early-stage investments in Coinbase, Allbirds, Zoom, DataDog and Dapper Labs, which has partnered with both the union and the league on its Top Shot NFT product. He is co-founder and managing partner of Mosaic, a $200 million venture capital firm; Mosaic’s portfolio includes Athletes First, an agency primarily representing NFL players.
Iguodala is a minority owner in NWSL franchise Bay FC, English soccer club Leeds United and the TGL franchise in San Francisco. He invested in the latter two teams alongside other active NBA players, including Russell Westbrook, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Larry Nance Jr. and T.J. McConnell. Iguodala disclosed all of his necessary investments as part of his transition to becoming executive director, the source said.
Iguodala has kept a low profile since assuming the acting position in 2023—a contrast to Tremaglio. He doesn’t do many formal interviews or speaking events in his capacity with the union, nor does he show up often in union press releases. His official status at the union has continued to create confusion in news reports for more than a year after the “acting” label was removed.
He has, however, reshaped the union’s leadership over the past year. In February the NBPA hired David Kelly, then the chief legal officer of the Golden State Warriors, to be the union’s managing director. It’s common for sports unions to be led by executives with legal experience, and Kelly, who also serves as the union’s general counsel, now heads the union’s legal efforts as a supplement to Iguodala’s leadership.
Kelly is one of a handful of union leaders to have joined under Iguodala’s tenure. Others include chief people officer Michelle Crenshaw, chief financial officer Cameron Jones, EVP for player operations Morgan Cato, and VP of brand communications Jacinda Ortiz.
The NBA’s current CBA, which took effect in 2023, runs through the 2029-30 season.
Parting ways with Davison puts the Celtics back under the second apron of the luxury tax. Boston now has an open roster spot, though any addition would put the organization back over the second apron.
!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}})}();
The Celtics initially selected Davison in the second round (53rd) of the 2022 NBA Draft. The Alabama product appeared in only 16 games for Boston last season, averaging 2.1 points over 5.8 minutes per game. However, he thrived with the Maine Celtics in the NBA G League, averaging 25.1 points, 7.6 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game to earn G League MVP honors.
Davison earned a championship ring with the Celtics in 2024. After appearing in only 36 games over three years with Boston, he should have a chance to earn more playing time with a new team for next season and beyond.
A call came from Luka Doncic a couple of times, at first making Marcus Smart think it wasn’t true and then eventually making him believe that Doncic was a Lakers salesman and that he wanted Smart to be a part of what they were building here in Los Angeles.
It wasn’t like they had a strong “relationship,” but Smart said he and Doncic have “a mutual understanding and respect for each other” from meeting on the court in past seasons.
So, when the calls came while Smart was training while trying to figure out his next move after he had agreed to a contract buyout from the Washington Wizards, he was swayed by Doncic to join the Lakers after clearing waivers.
Smart, who signed a two-year deal for $11 million with the Lakers, with a player option for the second season, smiled as he told the stories during his introductory news conference Tuesday about talking to Doncic and being persuaded to join him and LeBron James.
“It first came, my agent, I’m working out, and I get a call from my agent saying, you know, ‘Hey Luka reached out.’ And I’m like ‘yeah whatever’ you know?’ Like all right,” Smart said at the Lakers’ practice facility. “And then another day, same thing — Luka reached out again and now it’s real. It’s no longer what-ifs. It’s real and it’s something we need to talk about. And that was a great feeling, like I said, and that’s kind of what kind of got things going for me to be here and I’m excited to be here.”
The Lakers were in need of a point-of-attack perimeter defender such as Smart, especially with Dorian Finney-Smith going to Houston.
Smart was the NBA’s defensive player of the year in 2022 when he played for the Boston Celtics and has been on the NBA’s All-Defensive first team three times.
Knowing that Doncic and James are “two greats with [the] greatest basketball IQs that I’ve ever seen in this era” made it easy for Smart to become their teammates.
“And when you get a guy like Luka, calling, referencing, checking on you, trying to see where you at to see if you want to come and join something special that he’s trying to cook up over here,” Smart said. “And for him to say that he can really use my help, that meant a lot. Played against Luka a lot. Been on a lot of opposing ends of Luka magic. And to be able to come out and be on his side at this time, it means a lot.”
Doncic has a decision to make with the Lakers.
On Aug. 2, Doncic and the Lakers can talk about a contract extension.
He can sign a four-year deal for $224 million or a three-year deal for $161 million with a player option in 2028, which would then allow Doncic to sign a max deal in 2028 that would give him 35% of the salary cap for that season.
Meanwhile, Smart was asked what kind of recruiter is Doncic.
“It’s the same. He’s a competitor. He’s just the same way. He has that competitive nature when he’s talking,” Smart said. “He’s intrigued and that’s it. He didn’t really have to say much. Luka, his name, his ability, what he has done, [speaks] for himself. And for me, like I said, I’ve been on the other end of Luka magic. So to be able to come and join and see it and witness it on the other side is something that I was like, ‘why not give it a shot?’”
Wizards guard Marcus Smart (36) drives against Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio during a game last season. (Duane Burleson / Associated Press)
Smart, 31, played in only 54 games the last two seasons, injuries costing him time that he spent both with the Memphis Grizzlies and Wizards. In the 34 games he played between both teams, Smart averaged 9.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and shot 34.8% from three-point range.
“Yeah, I’m very motivated. You know, the last two years, for me, was in my eyes, a disappointment,” Smart said. “Injuries kind of stopped me and held me back. But like I told my wife and my family, you know, everything happens for a reason. And it’s funny that 12 years ago, I could have been here [with the Lakers] and now it’s full circle and I’m here. And like I said, everything happens for a reason. And I just look at those reasons was for me to be here, to not play for people to look at me and say, ‘you know what, maybe he isn’t the same?’ And now that allows me to be in a place where I’m supposed to be.”
Smart was at his best with the Celtics, where he spent nine years and reached the playoffs every year, including reaching the NBA Finals in 2022.
Over the course of his 11 seasons in the NBA, Smart averaged 10.6 points per game, 3.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists.
The Lakers were 50-32 last season, but lost in the first round of the playoffs.
But he knows the Lakers are about winning championships and the chance to play with Doncic and James in high-stakes basketball games played a part in his decision as well.
“It’s at the top,” Smart said. “I mean, the main goal, the reason you go out and you compete the way you compete is to try to win championships and what better place to be able to do that than here, where the show starts and where the show ends. So, that was definitely a big part of it, being able to get back on that stage, being able to get to a team that definitely could use me and I know I can make an impact and I can help as well and that was a perfect fit here.”
LeBron James' future was the hottest topic at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, but the conversations often followed the same pattern: A discussion of the tone of agent Rich Paul's statement when LeBron picked up his $52.6 million player option, a discussion of how the Lakers are now focused on a Luka Doncic based future, then things quickly turned to shrugs as soon as trying to figure out a LeBron trade that works for everyone became the topic. There wasn't a good one. And nobody thinks he's giving a bunch of money back in a buyout to become a free agent.
With that, LeBron trade chatter has died down, something Zach Lowe discussed on The Bill Simmons Podcast.
"I've heard it's kind of gotten quiet now after it was the talk of Summer League. There doesn't seem to be like a clean solution either way. Everyone's saying we should expect them to be on the Lakers. That's my expectation.
Then Lowe discusses Simmons' idea of a Miami reunion for LeBron.
"Like on paper there's a Heat trade that is not crazy for either team. Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell for unhappy LeBron in January and maybe some sort of pick swap and maybe that's all it is as crazy as that sounds. I think for the Lakers Kel'el Ware has got to be in it."
Everything may look different by the February trade deadline, but does this trade work for LeBron? He has a no-trade clause and wants to compete for a title in the years he has left in the league. Is Miami one of those teams? Even in a down season in the East, it's hard to see Miami being a championship-caliber team that could beat Cleveland, New York, Orlando, and others, with or without LeBron. Currently, he is on a Lakers team that is not a top-three favorite to emerge from the deep West, but with Doncic, Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, and the rest of the roster, this should be a strong team. The Lakers are closer to LeBron's goals than the Miami Heat.
All the other fake trades also run into real-world logistical problems. Cleveland can't trade for him because they are over the second apron of the luxury tax and can't aggregate salaries in a trade (it would have to be one-for-one and the Cavs don't have anyone making LeBron-level money). New York would have to gut its roster of depth to make this trade, which would not improve their team.
The most likely scenario remains that LeBron stays with the Lakers this season, then becomes a free agent next summer, and things get very interesting.
With Tyrese Haliburton out for next season and the luxury tax staring them in the face, Pacers ownership and management reportedly low-balled free agent Myles Turner. The Milwaukee Bucks stunned everyone by waiving Damian Lillard to create enough cap space to swoop in and sign Turner to a four-year, $108.9 million contract much more in line with his comparable value around the league.
"Since I've gotten here and for the last 10 years Myles' name has been synonymous with our organization... At the end of the day it is a business, he's gotta do what's best for him. I wish him the best moving forward. My focus is on the guys here and getting better here, but I wish him the best moving forward."
Professional athletes understand they are in a business and that they have a relatively short window to make money. With that, they rarely criticize another player for grabbing the biggest bag they can — make your money, set up your family. Players' friendships and respect don't change because of those business decisions.
In other Haliburton-related news:
• In that same ESPN interview, Haliburton said it may be more bad luck than anything else that has led to the rise in Achilles injuries in the NBA.
"Everybody thinks we play too many games, we play too many minutes -- all those things could be true, but I don't think that is what's causing these injuries... So I don't think that anybody has necessarily the answer. I think injuries are just bad luck sometimes and that's just what happened. I think that's just what happens in sports sometimes."
• Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said the team has applied for and been granted a disabled injury exception for Haliburton for next season. In this case, that gives the Pacers a $14.1 million exception to sign a player (but does not free up a roster spot). The Pacers currently have 13 players under guaranteed contracts for next season, and Buchanan said on the Setting The Pace podcast that point guard depth is something they are considering.
When Kendrick Lamar’s award-winning “They Not Like Us” song broke out after Team USA’s win over Serbia in the Olympic semifinals last summer, nearly the entire arena sang along to the catchy diss track.
Some speculated it had something to do with Curry’s close relationship with hip-hop icon Drake, whom Lamar dissed during a heated music feud last year, or if it was simply just Curry being agitated by how often and overplayed the song had become.
Almost exactly one year later, Curry explained his viral reaction to the song in that moment during a recent interview with Complex’s Speedy Morman.
“It was both,” Curry admitted. “Everywhere we went, that’s all I heard. And the fact that they knew who I was with. You can’t do anything about what the DJ’s playing. But I got sick of it at a certain point.
“It was funny that the cameras caught me because that was from the soul.”
The loyalty goes both ways, too, as Drake has Curry’s No. 30 tattooed on his arm with a halo.
Curry and Drake go way back, supporting each other’s professional careers but also having a real family-type bond as the rapper and Curry’s wife, Ayesha, both are from Toronto.
Well, now the Warriors’ Chase Center in-arena crew knows which song not to play during home games.
New reporting from ESPN’s Shams Charania indicates that might not happen anytime soon.
“The Warriors’ entire offseason has been essentially on pause for one player, and that’s restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga,” Charania said Thursday on ESPN’s “NBA Today.” “They have wanted to figure out his situation before making their other offseason moves. I saw Jonathan Kuminga this morning at a workout in Miami. He’s in good spirits. He had a good workout.
“He did tell me, though, that he is in absolutely no rush on doing a deal with the Warriors right now, and he is not accepting their current offers. He added that he wanted to continue to explore options with his agent, Aaron Turner, whether that’s continuing conversations with the Warriors, but also sign-and-trade options that are available to him in the marketplace.”
Reporting for NBA Today — the latest on restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors as August nears: pic.twitter.com/hKZMA5rBGb
Kuminga, who was selected No. 7 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, is seeking a situation where he can be a consistent contributor and the future of a franchise that backs and believes in him. That hasn’t been the case for Kuminga in Golden State over the last four years.
The Warriors aren’t moved by the offers they have received thus far, as the Kings and Phoenix Suns have been the strongest pursuers to land the athletic young wing.
“I’m told the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings are two teams that have made concrete offers with the Warriors over the last week or so,” Charania added. “They’re two of the more aggressive teams with Kuminga. They’re also offering him an opportunity for significant minutes and a starting-caliber role in their lineup — and those are two things he wants more than anything.
“The Warriors do not want anything that is being offered to them in sign-and-trades, and on the other hand, with Jonathan Kuminga, he is not ready to move forward with taking any of the Warriors’ current offers. He’s not in a hurry to do a deal there yet.”
