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Kevin Durant Available For Team USA’s First Game

July 28th, 2024 at 9:55am CST by Arthur Hill

After missing the entire exhibition slate due to a strained right calf, Kevin Durant has been cleared for Team USA’s Olympics opener today against Serbia, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Durant will be used off the bench, Charania adds (Twitter link).

Durant had been trending toward playing after being sidelined for several weeks with the injury. Head coach Steve Kerr said earlier this week that Durant’s status would be a mutual decision with input from the training staff, Durant’s representatives, Suns officials and Durant himself.

Durant was considered “day-to-day” for exhibition games Monday and Wednesday in London. He didn’t take the floor in either contest, with Kerr saying he preferred to see how Durant’s calf responded to back-to-back practices and a scrimmage.

Durant is hoping to become the first player to ever win four Olympic basketball gold medals. He led the team in scoring in the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Games and is the top scorer in U.S. Olympic men’s basketball history. He also captured gold in the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

After today’s opener, Team USA will face South Sudan on Wednesday and Puerto Rico on Saturday.

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Ware, Larsson, Christopher

July 28th, 2024 at 9:05am CST by Arthur Hill

Bam Adebayo has a chance to become the first player ever to win multiple Olympic gold medals as a member of the Heat, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Adebayo, who was the starting center for Team USA three years ago in Tokyo, is coming off the bench this time around. He has teamed with Anthony Davis as part of a successful double-big combination during exhibition play.

“I’m not there to go get 30 points,” Adebayo said. “Obviously, we have enough people out there to get 30. But my role is bigger than that. Just being one of the leaders, being one of the guys who over-communicates, the defensive anchor and being able to put guys in the right positions where they can be successful.”

Adebayo’s future in Miami is secure after signing a three-year max extension this summer, Chiang adds. He’s already among the franchise leaders in career points, assists and steals and he’s on pace to eventually pass Udonis Haslem as the Heat’s top all-time rebounder.

“Going into year eight, you think about how fast it goes,” Adebayo said. “Every year, I just sit there and reflect about where I started when I got drafted to being a potential two-time Olympic [gold medalist] and being able to have a chance to defend the gold. It really puts it in perspective for me and just being blessed to have these opportunities.”

There’s more on the Heat:

First-round pick Kel’el Ware was one of the stars of the Las Vegas Summer League, earning first-team honors while helping Miami capture the title, Chiang states in a separate story. The rookie center was dominant around the rim, averaging 18 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 61.8% from the field. Ware believes he can be effective playing alongside Adebayo instead of just being his backup. “Me and Bam can definitely play beside each other because we complement each other so well,” he said. “His position is really the four and so me coming in as the five man, I can protect the paint and just being able to do what I always do.”
Pelle Larsson shot 42.7% from three-point range last season at Arizona, but the Heat view him as more than just a long-distance marksman, Chiang adds in another piece. His talents as a ball-handler and defender were also on display during Summer League. “I think it could be a misconception if you just look at the stats and you see 40% from three,” Larsson said. “But if you actually watch film and look into the games, you can see that being a well-rounded defender on and off the ball is kind of my strength and just playing within the team. By playing within the team and playing with good players, they’re going to find you for open shots and you’re going to get advantages just from that.”
After his breakout performance at Summer League, Josh Christopher urged the NBA to get serious about expansion, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. A first-round pick in 2021, Christopher was stuck in the G League all of last season. “It’s time for a couple of expansion teams, man. Come on NBA,” he said. “I know I’m one of the little fish in the sea, but come one, it’s time for more teams, with so much talent in the G League. Honestly, it’s the second-best league in the world, if you ask me.”

Olympic Notes: Wembanyama, SGA, Giddey, Landale, Team USA

July 27th, 2024 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Victor Wembanyama has already been through a lot of big moments in his basketball career, but the idea of playing in the Olympics in front of his home fans made him nervous, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. That may be why the 20-year-old star got off to a slow start in Saturday’s opener against Brazil, but France began to pull away as he worked through the jitters. Wembanyama finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks in his Olympics debut, and he has the French team looking like a legitimate contender for the gold medal.

“I think for the first time of his career, he was a little bit stressed,” coach Vincent Collet said. “… In France, everybody waits for him like — I don’t know which word to use, but everybody waits for him. You have the people who know basketball, and they understand he’s only 20 years old. But people that like sports but (who) don’t know basketball, they think Victor is already Michael Jordan. (But) take time. Take time.”

Amick notes that Wembanyama has already become a leader for France despite the presence of Nicolas Batum, Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier, who have been with the national team for years. Batum said that along with Wembanyama’s obvious physical gifts, he has an IQ for the game that makes everything easier.

“He knows who he is. He knows what he has to do to be great,” Batum explained. “On one play, he was like, ‘OK, I’ll go to set a screen.’ I said, ‘No, no, no, no. Stay down there and take the ball and play. Take us home. That’s who you are right now.’ He’s not scared for the moment. He showed that in the first half.”

There’s more from the Olympics:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hit a huge basket down the stretch as Canada withstood a furious comeback by Greece and a 34-point performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo, per Domantas Urbonas of BasketNews. Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 21 points, five rebounds and seven assists, thought his team played well but needs to finish better. “We were the aggressors for most of the game. Especially in the first half, we were very good, we had the control of the game. I think we just closed the game a little bit better defensively,” he said. “Offensively, I think we got good looks down the stretch, just didn’t make them. Obviously, it’s never an excuse, you can always get stops and seal out the W in a nicer way.”
Josh Giddey and Jock Landale led the way as Australia opened the tournament with a win over Spain, observed Kane Pitman and Olgun Uluc of ESPN. They controlled the game with their chemistry in the pick-and-roll as Landale posted 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists to go with a +30 rating, while Giddey contributed 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. “He’s got a fire about him,” teammate Nick Kay said of Landale. “You can see it in the warmups, you can see it every day at training. He’s really brought that to this group.”
Ahead of Sunday’s opener against Serbia, Rohan Nadkarni of NBC News examines how this year’s U.S. roster compares to the original “Dream Team” in 1992.

Southeast Notes: Valanciunas, Sarr, Carrington, Wallace, Salaun

July 27th, 2024 at 9:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Adding a physical center like Jonas Valanciunas should make life easier for rookie big man Alex Sarr, but that’s not the only reason the Wizards acquired him, writes Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network. Regardless of who else is on the court, Valanciunas will handle the traditional center duties of rebounding, setting screens and providing a rugged presence on defense.

“I think it allows optionality for our whole team,” coach Brian Keefe said. “He’s an anchor down there on both ends, this is why we wanted his presence and his physicality. It’s not just for Alex, it’s for our whole team.”

Hughes notes that Valanciunas was previously in a similar situation in Memphis, where he played alongside Jaren Jackson Jr. early in Jackson’s career. Valanciunas gives Keefe an opportunity to exploit size advantages, depending how he decides to handle his lineup. That should help alleviate a rebounding problem that plagued the team last season.

“That’s why we got him. He’ll bring that physicality, bring that toughness,” Keefe said. “Then, his ability to make plays, too, and pass. He’s a professional. He’s been doing this for a long time. We’re thrilled to have him.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Sarr’s defense is far ahead of his offense, Hughes adds in an overview of the Wizards‘ Summer League performance. The big man registered 10 blocks in four games and altered many other shots with his relentless effort. Although he often struggled with his shot, Sarr looks “NBA ready” on defense, according to Hughes. Fellow lottery pick Carlton Carrington was a standout in Las Vegas, averaging 15.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.0 steals in five games. It’s the fourth-highest rebounding figure for a rookie point guard in Summer League history, Hughes adds.
Keaton Wallace “impacts winning,” assistant coach Ryan Schmidt posted on Twitter after the Hawks signed the free agent guard to a two-way contract, per Lauren Williams of The Journal-Constitution. Wallace is hoping to take advantage of the opportunity after spending the past three seasons in the G League. “I feel like I still have more to show,” he said. “I can always be better in a lot of categories of my game. But I do feel like my work has paid off and it’s just a blessing. I think it could be great for me just trying to learn and be better and get advice from other guys and just leaning on my teammates to get better.”
Hornets rookie Tidjane Salaun only appeared in two Summer League games, but he has displayed a strong work ethic to go along with his physical talents, observes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. As the first draft pick under new president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson and head coach Charles Lee, Salaun is the type of self-starter they’re looking to build the organization around. “For me, it’s playing confidence,” Salaun said. “That makes the difference. That’s always been the key for me, always been the key for me, because when you have confidence even if the shot is hard with my confidence I know I’m going to make it.”

Celtics Notes: White, Brown, Harper Jr., Olympics

July 27th, 2024 at 8:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

Derrick White had to alter his summer vacation plans when he got an offer to join the U.S. Olympic team in the wake of Kawhi Leonard‘s injury, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Instead of traveling to Cabo San Lucas, White and his family are spending two weeks in Paris, but he won’t get to relax until he’s done trying to win a gold medal.

“I just had to change plans really quickly. I was super excited,” White said about the invitation. “Once I got that call, I changed my focus. It’s really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Along with Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday, White will be trying to pull off the rare accomplishment of winning an NBA title and Olympic gold just a few weeks apart. In between those feats, he signed a four-year, $125.9MM extension that will keep him under contract through the 2028/29 season.

“I’m excited,” White said. “I wanted to stay in Boston and was able to get it done early, so I don’t have to think about it or talk about it too much. I’m just excited to be in Boston for as long as possible.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

White confirmed to Himmelsbach that Jaylen Brown called him to explain social media comments he made about not being considered for a spot in the Olympics. Brown said he’s happy for White, but he was expressing his frustrations over the selection process. “Jaylen gave me a call and I was like, ‘Yeah, you didn’t need to call me. I know we’re good,’” White said. “He gave me a call and said he just wanted to clear things up and I told him we’re all good. Never any problem or issue with us, for sure. He’s a hell of a player and I’ve never had a bad thing to say about JB.”
Ron Harper Jr. is hoping to make a strong impression on the Celtics after signing a non-guaranteed training camp deal earlier this month, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Harper appeared in 10 total games on a two-way contract with Toronto before being waived in December following a season-ending shoulder injury. “I was feeling real good before the injury,” he said. “I was going through some shoulder stuff and ended up tearing my labrum, having surgery in December and wasn’t really cleared to play until June. I’m still trying to get into the flow of things. It’s been a long process. It’s the longest time I’ve ever gone without playing basketball since I started hooping. To get back into the flow is real important but I feel like I’m doing a good job.”
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla will have to be careful not to overextend his three Olympians, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. Tatum, Holiday and White had little time to rest after the NBA Finals ended, and they’ll only have a few weeks off between the conclusion of the Olympics and the start of training camp. Robb expects Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard to take on larger roles early in the season.

Nuggets Sign Jahmir Young To Training Camp Deal

July 27th, 2024 at 6:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jahmir Young has signed a training camp contract with the Nuggets, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Denver’s agreement with Young was first reported after last month’s draft.

The 23-year-old point guard earned All-Big Ten honors in each of the last two seasons at Maryland. Prior to that, he played three years at Charlotte and was named to the All-Conference USA team each season.

Young appeared in 32 games with the Terrapins as a super senior, averaging 20.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 35.4 minutes per night. He played for Denver’s Summer League team in Las Vegas, posting 9.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in five games.

Denver also recently signed forwards Gabe McGlothan and Jaylin Williams to training camp deals.

Boogie Ellis To Sign With Kings

July 27th, 2024 at 5:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

Boogie Ellis has reached a contract agreement with the Kings and will compete for a roster spot in training camp, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The 23-year-old guard played for Sacramento’s Summer League team after going undrafted out of USC last month. He averaged 11.2 PPG in five games while shooting 51.3% from the field and 54.5% from three-point range.

Ellis began his college career at Memphis in 2019 before transferring to USC two years later. He earned second-team All-Pac 12 honors last season while averaging 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 29 games with the Trojans.

The Kings currently have 13 players with standard contracts, and that number will grow with the expected signing of Orlando Robinson. Sacramento’s three two-way slots are filled by Mason Jones, Isaiah Crawford and Isaac Jones.

Joe Lacob Reluctant To Trade Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski

July 27th, 2024 at 5:18pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors are rumored to be among the teams with the most interest in trading for Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, but team owner Joe Lacob tells Tim Kawakami of The Athletic that it would be difficult to part with either Jonathan Kuminga or Brandin Podziemski in any deal. Lacob says teams have inquired about both players, but he sees them as future franchise cornerstones.

“We’re extremely high (on Podziemski),” Lacob said. “By the way, so are a lot of other teams that are interested. We get a lot of calls on both him and JK. We do on Moses (Moody), as well, by the way. … I do believe that if you talk about Podz in particular, I said it at the Summer League, I think he has the potential to be an All-Star in this league. And I absolutely believe it. And so does everyone in our organization. I think that JK is in the same boat. He has the potential to be an All-Star in this league. The potential.”

Podziemski showed he was ready for a rotation role in his first season, averaging 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 74 games and finishing fifth in the Rookie of the Year voting. Kuminga, who is extension-eligible this summer, has taken longer to develop his game, but he’s coming off a breakthrough season with career highs in virtually every category.

A recent report stated that Golden State hasn’t included Podziemski or Kuminga in its offer for Markannen, instead centering the package around Moody, other contracts and draft assets. That hasn’t been enough to sway Utah, which may not feel a need to move Markkanen before he becomes eligible to renegotiate and extend his contract on Aug. 6.

“I’m not going to get into specifics like that, there’s no way,” Lacob replied when asked if he would be willing to deal Podziemski. “(But) I don’t want to give him up, or JK. We love these guys. And Moses, Trayce (Jackson-Davis). These are good young players.”

Lacob offers more insights in the wide-ranging interview:

On a possible deal with Stephen Curry, who is eligible for a one-year, $62.6MM extension this summer that would push his contract through the 2026/27 season:

“We have not discussed it. He’s busy right now and he should stay busy and focused on that with the Olympics. But if he wants to talk about that, that’s up to him. He’s not said that at all, but if he wants to, we’ll certainly entertain that discussion. … Let’s put it this way, Steph Curry I fully anticipate he’ll be a Warrior for life. I thought Klay (Thompson) was going to be, too, but I was wrong.”

On Curry’s recent comments that he wouldn’t want to stay with the Warriors if they were to become a “bottom feeder”:

“From what I’ve heard, all he said was what you’d expect, I’d think, which is, ‘I want to win.’ And if we were a really bad team, I guess he would rethink, you know, whether he really wanted to finish his career here. But he didn’t expect — that’s not the case and he didn’t expect that to be the case. And certainly from any conversations I’ve had with Steph, and I’m pretty close to Steph, we talk a lot. I think we have a great relationship. I think he’s very comfortable with the path of the franchise and how hard we do try to put a great, as good a product on the court as we can.”

On the loss of Thompson, who had been an important part of the franchise since being drafted in 2011:

“To be frank and honest, Klay made the decision prior to the beginning of free agency and he informed us of it that his intention was to not come back. … He called me and said the same things you heard (at Klay’s Dallas news conference). Klay is an open book. He felt he needed for a variety of reasons to have a fresh start. I would love if Klay had been a Warrior for life. And under a fair and equitable basis, we wanted to try to achieve that very badly. We did achieve it with Draymond (Green) (last summer), a different situation. Steph’s under the contract. So we felt we on a path to do that. It just didn’t work out. … And we had to move on and accept that.”

Four NBA Restricted Free Agents Still Available

July 27th, 2024 at 4:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Nearly four weeks into the NBA’s 2024/25 league year, there are only four restricted free agents who have yet to reach agreements on new deals, including just one who is coming off a standard contract.

Here are the unsigned RFAs:

Isaac Okoro, Cavaliers ($11,828,974 qualifying offer)
Emoni Bates, Cavaliers (two-way qualifying offer)
Jacob Toppin, Knicks (two-way qualifying offer)
Oscar Tshiebwe, Pacers (two-way qualifying offer)

There are still a couple teams with cap room available, so one of those teams – the Pistons and Jazz – could make life difficult for the Cavaliers by giving Okoro an offer sheet in that $12-15MM range, but there has been no indication either club plans to do so. A sign-and-trade to an over-the-cap team is another possibility, and Fedor confirmed in a subscriber-only story for Cleveland.com that the Cavs have had talks with some possible trade partners about a deal, but it doesn’t sound like any real progress has been made on that front.

Barring a late-summer push from a new suitor, Okoro may ultimately have to decide whether he wants to earn a higher salary in 2024/25 and bet on himself again as an unrestricted free agent in 2025 or if he prefers the security of a multiyear deal that would pay him less in year one.

Okoro’s leverage is limited, but even his “worst-case” scenario would be a guaranteed $11.8MM salary for next season. Bates, Toppin, and Tshiebwe have far less leverage and a far less appealing set of choices.

Of the 15 players who received two-way qualifying offers this offseason, only one (Vit Krejci of the Hawks) has agreed to a standard contract. Two others had their QOs withdrawn, while nine have returned to their respective teams on new two-way deals. The odds are good that the final three – Bates, Toppin, and Tshiebwe – will eventually have to accept two-way contracts too.

The deadline for teams to unilaterally withdraw a qualifying offer to a restricted free agent passed on July 13, so Bates, Toppin, and Tshiebwe aren’t facing any sort of short-term deadline on whether or not to accept their two-way offers. They can afford to wait a little longer to make their decisions.

Still, even if they accept their respective qualifying offers, those one-year deals come with few assurances. A two-way player can earn a $578,577 salary over the course of the 2024/25 season, but a qualifying offer is only partially guaranteed for $77,500.

The Cavaliers currently have three open two-way slots, while the Knicks have two, so I think Bates and Toppin would be well-positioned to stick around into the regular season if they accept their QOs.

Tshiebwe’s outlook is less clear. Within the last 24 hours, the Pacers filled two of their three two-way openings by signing Quenton Jackson and Tristen Newton. Tshiebwe could take the third slot, but Indiana still has an unsigned second-round pick (Enrique Freeman) who may be the frontrunner for that final two-way, as Dustin Dopirak writes for The Indianapolis Star.

Tshiebwe was an All-NBA G League first-teamer and the G League Rookie of the Year this past season, so I expect he’d draw two-way interest from other teams if the Pacers determine they don’t have room for him.

Olympic Notes: Team USA, Exum, Aldama, Theis, France

July 27th, 2024 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Team USA big men Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis have both missed practice time ahead of the club’s pool-play opener vs. Serbia on Sunday due to illnesses, while Kevin Durant was unable to suit up in any of the pre-Olympic exhibition games as a result of a calf strain. However, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN writes, head coach Steve Kerr expressed optimism on Saturday that none of his 12 players will be unavailable vs. Serbia.

“I’m confident we’ll have everybody ready (Sunday),” Kerr said.

The U.S. squad beat Serbia by 26 points earlier this month in Abu Dhabi, holding star center Nikola Jokic to 6-of-19 shooting in that game. But the Serbians were resting some key players, including Bogdan Bogdanovic. Team USA is prepared for a more competitive game on Sunday.

“Jokic, with what he’s able to do, obviously we know what he does at NBA, but maybe a little bit higher usage in the international game,” Davis said. “It’s going to be fun.”

Here are a few more notes on the Olympic tournament, which tipped off on Saturday:

NBA veterans like Josh Giddey and Jock Landale led Australia to a win over Spain on Saturday in the first Group A game, as Aris Barkas of Eurohoops details. However, the Boomers were missing one notable NBAer, as Dante Exum was unavailable due to a compound dislocation of his finger. While at least one report has suggested Exum will miss multiple games, he hasn’t technically been ruled out for Tuesday’s contest vs. Canada yet and is working to return as soon as possible. “The biggest thing at the moment is trying to just let the wound heal because it was a compound dislocation,” he said (Twitter link via Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com). “So just making sure everything [is right], but I’ll put a ball in my hand tomorrow and see how it feels and go from there.”
Although Spain couldn’t pick up a win on Saturday, Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama was impressive in defeat, racking up 27 points and six three-pointers. As Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes, those six threes represented a Spanish Olympic record.
Pelicans center Daniel Theis helped lead Germany to a win over Japan on Saturday with 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting. He suggested after the game that last year’s World Cup title puts a spotlight on the Germans in this year’s event. “I think we kind of got a target on our back. Everybody wanted to be the world champion,” Theis said, per Barkas of Eurohoops. “One of our biggest strengths is we never underestimate any opponent. We did not do it last year. We have not done it this year. Whoever we played, we never took anybody lightly. So we take everybody seriously, and that is a big strength for us.”
The top two picks in this year’s NBA draft are French, but neither Zaccharie Risacher nor Alex Sarr is representing France at this year’s Olympics. Marc J. Spears of Andscape takes a closer look at why the youngsters aren’t in Paris with the French national team this year and why they’re likely to be factors at the 2028 Olympics. France won its opener on Saturday over Brazil, with Victor Wembanyama and Nicolas Batum each scoring a game-high 19 points.