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Lakers Notes: LeBron, Davis, Russell, D. Johnson

August 10th, 2024 at 6:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

The two Lakers who collected gold medals in this year’s Olympics have differing plans for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. LeBron James, who won MVP honors while leading Team USA to a 6-0 record, responded “I can’t see myself playing in L.A.” when reporters asked about the possibility, tweets Marc J. Spears of Andscape. However, Anthony Davis said “I think so,” per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link).

James’ outlook makes sense considering that he’ll turn 40 later this year and will be 43 when it’s time for the 2028 Olympics. Even after signing a new two-year contract with the Lakers, there’s a good chance he’ll be retired – and possibly part of a team’s ownership group – four years from now.

Davis is only 31 and should have a few more years of high-level basketball left, assuming his body holds up. He played 76 games last season, his highest total in four years, and was able to avoid significant injuries. It’s possible that all three of Team USA’s centers — Davis, Joel Embiid and Bam Adebayo — will return to the team for 2028.

There’s more on the Lakers:

After watching James perform at an elite level during the Olympics, Dan Wolken of USA Today calls out Lakers management for not putting a better team around him. While James has lost some of the athleticism he had at his physical peak, Woken notes that he’s still an exceptional passer who knows how to make the right plays and can drive to the basket as well as anyone when he needs to. Wolken criticizes general manager Rob Pelinka for not making any moves to improve the roster around James and basically wasting the final years of his career.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report suggests a three-team trade that would give the Lakers some additional depth and create a way to sign free agent guard Markelle Fultz. Pincus’ proposal sends D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Cam Reddish and Christian Wood to the Hornets, who would ship Tre Mann and Nick Richards to L.A. and Vasilije Micić to the Jazz. Utah would also receive a 2031 protected first-rounder from the Lakers. L.A. would get trade exceptions worth $13.8MM for Russell and $3MM for Wood, while Charlotte would get a 2025 first-rounder from the Jazz (the second best of the three they own) and a $1.1MM trade exception for Richards. Pincus argues that the move makes the Lakers younger while giving them proven backups at point guard and center. Fultz can add backcourt depth by signing a contract starting at the $5.2MM taxpayer mid-level exception.
The G League South Bay Lakers have parted ways with head coach Dane Johnson, the team announced (via Twitter). Johnson served as the Lakers’ Summer League coach last month in Las Vegas.

U.S. Wins Olympic Gold Medal In Paris

August 10th, 2024 at 4:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Team USA closed out an unbeaten run through the Olympics by defeating France 98-87 in Saturday’s gold medal game.

In front of a thunderous home crowd, the French team was able to close within three points late in the contest, but Stephen Curry sealed the victory by sinking four dramatic three-pointers in the final three minutes. Playing in his first Olympics, Curry hit eight shots from beyond the arc Saturday and led the U.S. with 24 points.

“That was an unbelievable moment,” he told NBC’s Mike Tirico. “I’ve been blessed to play basketball at a high level for a very long time. This ranks very high in terms of the excitement and the sense of relief getting to the finish line.”

Kevin Durant reached a milestone by becoming the first men’s basketball player with four Olympic golds. He made his first start of this year’s Olympics in the gold medal game and contributed 15 points.

LeBron James, who picked up his third career gold, posted 14 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, while Lakers teammate Anthony Davis had eight points and nine boards. James earned Olympics MVP honors.

It’s the fifth straight gold for Team USA, which hasn’t lost in Olympic competition since 2004. With 11 All-Stars on the roster, this year’s squad has drawn comparisons to the 1992 Dream Team as one of the most talented groups ever assembled.

“I think we might be the only team in the world whose fans are ashamed of them if they get a silver medal,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr said, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “That’s the pressure that we face. But our players, and you saw Steph, they love the pressure. They appreciate this atmosphere and they were fantastic.”

The French took home silver for the second straight Olympics after also losing to the Americans in the gold medal game at Tokyo. Victor Wembanyama had his best game of the tournament on Saturday with 26 points and seven rebounds, while Guerschon Yabusele added 20 points.

France became the first nation to win a medal while hosting the Games since Team USA did it in 1996.

“For sure, it’s a disappointment because we expected we could do it,” French coach Vincent Collet said. “But we have to recognize at the end that they are better. We are very close … When they make fantastic shots, that’s the difference.”

Serbia claimed the bronze medal by defeating Germany earlier today.

NBA 2024 Offseason Check-In: Dallas Mavericks

August 10th, 2024 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is checking in on the 2024 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, recapping the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll take a look at each team’s offseason moves and consider what might still be coming before the regular season begins. Today, we’re focusing on the Dallas Mavericks.

Free agent signings

Klay Thompson: Three years, $50,000,000. Includes 15% trade kicker. Signed using Bird rights and acquired via sign-and-trade from Warriors.
Naji Marshall: Three years, $27,000,000. Includes 5% trade kicker. Signed using non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
Spencer Dinwiddie: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Jazian Gortman: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Emanuel Miller: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Jamarion Sharp: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.

Trades

Acquired the draft rights to Melvin Ajinca (No. 51 pick) from the Knicks in exchange for the draft rights to Ariel Hukporti (No. 58 pick), the draft rights to Petteri Koponen, and cash ($1MM).
Acquired Quentin Grimes from the Pistons in exchange for Tim Hardaway Jr., the Raptors’ 2025 second-round pick, the Heat’s 2028 second-round pick, and either the Clippers’ or Hornets’ 2028 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable).
Acquired Klay Thompson (sign-and-trade) and either the Nuggets’ or Sixers’ second-round pick (whichever is more favorable in a six-team trade in exchange for Josh Green (to Hornets) and the Mavericks’ 2031 second-round pick (to Sixers).

Draft picks

2-51: Melvin Ajinca
- Signed with ASVEL in France.

Two-way signings

Kessler Edwards
Brandon Williams

Departed/unsigned free agents

Greg Brown (unsigned)
Derrick Jones (Clippers)
Markieff Morris (unsigned)

Other moves

Waived Alex Fudge.

Salary cap situation

Operating over the cap ($140.6MM) and above the luxury tax line ($170.8MM).
Carrying approximately $176.1MM in salary.
Hard-capped at $178,132,000.
Approximately $4.25MM of mid-level exception available; full bi-annual exception ($4.67MM) available.
Two traded player exceptions available (largest worth $16,193,183).

The offseason so far

The vibes were good in Dallas after the Mavericks made an unexpected run to the NBA Finals this spring, with general manager Nico Harrison suggesting after the team’s loss to Boston that his plan was to simply keep the core intact and to find a way to re-sign starting small forward Derrick Jones.

The Mavs’ ability to give Jones a raise on his previous minimum-salary contract was limited because they only held his Non-Bird rights, but Harrison vowed that bringing back the talented defensive swingman was “priority 1A and 1B” for the organization.

When Dallas struck a deal to send Tim Hardaway Jr. and some future second-round picks to Detroit in exchange for Quentin Grimes, the team’s intentions looked pretty clear — having created nearly $12MM in extra cap flexibility as a result of that move, the Mavs gained the ability to use the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to re-sign Jones.

That didn’t happen though. Instead, Jones opted to sign a three-year, $30MM contract with the Clippers, prompting the Mavs to pivot to another free agent, Naji Marshall. Dallas used a portion of its MLE to bring in Marshall – a three-and-D forward – on a three-year, $27MM deal.

That signing hard-capped the Mavs at the first tax apron for the rest of the 2024/25 league year, but the front office wasn’t done wheeling and dealing yet. The club reached an agreement with the Warriors and Hornets on a three-team trade that would send Josh Green to Charlotte and Klay Thompson to Dallas on a three-year, $50MM contract. The move was eventually combined with a handful of other transactions and completed as a six-team deal.

When the dust settled, the Mavs had essentially replaced three wings – Jones, Hardaway, and Green – with three new ones in Thompson, Marshall, and Grimes. Thompson isn’t the perennial All-Star he once was, and Grimes is coming off a disappointing, injury-plagued season, but between Thompson’s shooting ability and Marshall’s and Grimes’ three-and-D skill sets, Dallas has a good chance to come out ahead in the series of wing swaps, strengthening a roster that just won the West.

The Mavs also brought back Spencer Dinwiddie, who had a down year with the Nets and Lakers in 2023/24, but thrived in Dallas during the one-year period from the 2022 trade deadline (when he was acquired in the deal sending Kristaps Porzingis to Washington) to the 2023 deadline (when he was sent out as part of the package for Kyrie Irving). A potential bargain on a minimum-salary deal, Dinwiddie will provide additional depth behind the star-studded backcourt of Irving and Luka Doncic.

Up next

The Mavericks have 15 players on standard contracts, but they’ll likely make a change to their 15th spot at some point before training camp. Reports throughout the summer have indicated that veteran forward Markieff Morris is expected to return to Dallas on a new deal.

A.J. Lawson, who is on a non-guaranteed contract, would almost certainly be waived if Morris officially re-signs, since he’s the clear 15th man and the Mavs don’t have enough flexibility below their hard cap to eat a guaranteed salary.

Dallas also still has a two-way slot available alongside Brandon Williams and Kessler Edwards. It’s unclear if the Mavs have anyone specific in mind for that opening or if the team’s current Exhibit 10 players (Jazian Gortman, Emanuel Miller, and Jamarion Sharp) might get a chance to compete for that last two-way deal.

The Mavs have several players who are either already extension-eligible or will become eligible for new deals prior to opening night, though it’s possible none of them will sign contracts before the regular season tips off.

Maxi Kleber has one more guaranteed season on their respective contracts after 2024/25, so there’s no urgency to work something out this year. Grimes, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension, has yet to suit up for the Mavs and will likely need to prove 2023/24 was an aberration before the team is willing to invest long-term in him.

Doncic could technically sign an extension now, but despite meeting the performance criteria for a super-max contract, he needs to have one more year of experience under his belt to actually sign that super-max, so he’ll wait until 2025.

Third-year guard Jaden Hardy is an interesting extension candidate, but unlike the three aforementioned players, he’ll remain eligible for the entire 2024/25 season, not just until October 21, so the Mavs could postpone their decision on him until the winter or the spring.

Cavs Notes: Roster, Okoro, Bates, Nance, Travers

August 10th, 2024 at 2:27pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers are still carrying just 10 players on standard guaranteed contracts for the 2024/25 season. However, the team doesn’t appear likely to make a series of roster additions before the regular season begins.

Craig Porter, who has a partially guaranteed salary, and Sam Merrill, who has a non-guaranteed deal, are penciled in as the 11th and 12th players on the 15-man regular season roster. And, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com explains, one of the other roster openings remains earmarked for restricted free agent Isaac Okoro. There hasn’t been any movement recently in negotiations with Okoro, per Fedor, with Cleveland having made its position clear to the forward’s camp.

If Okoro returns as the 13th man, the 14th spot on the roster would likely be reserved for a “cost-effective, playable, end-of-bench veteran,” according to Fedor, who suggests that the ideal target would be a player who could provide depth and locker room leadership, like Tristan Thompson did last season.

New Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, who is serving as an assistant for the French national team, is expected to meet with members of Cleveland’s front office after the Olympics to discuss what he’s looking for with that 14th roster spot, as well as possible targets, Fedor writes.

As for the 15th spot, the plan is to leave it open to begin the regular season in order to save some money and maximize the team’s roster flexibility, Fedor concludes.

Here’s more on the Cavs:

Cleveland doesn’t yet have any players signed to two-way contracts for the coming season, but Fedor expects Emoni Bates to return in one of those slots. A two-way qualifying offer remains on the table for Bates, making him a restricted free agent. Pete Nance, who finished last season on a two-way contract and played a significant role on the Cavs’ Summer League team, is another strong candidate for a two-way deal, Fedor adds.
When draft-and-stash prospect Luke Travers left Melbourne United to pursue other professional opportunities, he made that decision in conjunction with the Cavs, sources tell Cleveland.com. However, the plan for Travers remains up in the air — having him sign a two-way contract is the most logical outcome, but it isn’t a certainty yet, says Fedor.
As Fedor observes, as long as the Cavs are carrying just 14 players on their standard roster instead of 15, their two-way players are limited to 90 total games (instead of 50 apiece), meaning Travers could spend plenty of time in the G League with the Cleveland Charge if he comes stateside on a two-way deal. That might be fine with him, but Fedor suggests that a deal in Europe – where he’d presumably have a bigger role than he would in the NBA – is another option that may still be in play for the 22-year-old Australian wing. The Cavs could also trade Travers’ NBA rights, though there’s no indication they’re pursuing that path.

Latest On Christian Koloko’s Comeback Effort

August 10th, 2024 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Raptors big man Christian Koloko, who missed all of the 2023/24 season due to a blood clot issue that was said to be career-threatening, is on the comeback trail, according to Aaron Rose of SI.com.

After Sportsnet’s Blake Murphy reported last month that Koloko had received medical clearance to resume playing, agent Calvin Andrews of Klutch Sports provided an update to Rose on where things stand now with his client.

“We had a major breakthrough with his blood clot issue,” Andrews said. “They found the issue and he had corrective surgery and has been recovering (for) the last four months.”

According to Andrews, Koloko has been off blood thinners for the last month and will undergo a scan for blood clots later in August. “If there’s none, then everything is fine,” Andrews said.

Koloko held a workout for potential suitors during last month’s Las Vegas Summer League and has been able to participate in five-on-five, full-contact drills in recent weeks as he attempts to get back to 100% health. Chris Johnson, a trainer who has worked with a number of NBA players, posted a YouTube video this week of Koloko taking part in a scrimmage alongside Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jalen Johnson, Jordan Clarkson, Delon Wright, and several other active NBAers.

However, Koloko isn’t free to sign an NBA contract yet. As Rose details, the seven-footer will still need to be cleared by the league’s Fitness-to-Play panel, which could take a few more weeks. The hope is that it will happen before the start of the 2024/25 season, in which case Koloko would be able to join any NBA team — including his former club.

“The Raptors have kept very close eyes on his situation,” Andrews said. “And Koloko would have no problem coming back to the Raptors.”

The 33rd overall pick in the 2022 draft, Koloko appeared in 58 games for Toronto as a rookie, averaging 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 block in 13.8 minutes per game across 58 appearances (19 starts). The former Arizona standout is still just 24 years old.

Olympic Notes: Curry, Gobert, Fournier, Wembanyama

August 10th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

While no Team USA player wants to be remembered for missing out on a gold medal, the experience would be worse for Stephen Curry, who is likely involved in his only Olympics at age 36, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. The reputation of the 2004 bronze medal team was among the thoughts going through Curry’s head when the U.S. faced a double-digit deficit against Serbia in the semifinals. The Americans were able to rally for a 95-91 victory, but the same pressure will return today in the gold medal game against France.

“I came into this experience thinking that this would be my one and only time to play in the Olympics and experience this stage,” Curry said. “So that was part of my sense of relief and joy (in the game). I didn’t want to be on the team that, (like) ’04, didn’t make it to the gold-medal game and get a gold medal in my one opportunity here. So you’re thinking about (all that) while you’re still just trying to have fun playing the game that you know. It’s an interesting dynamic, because we all signed up for this, to accomplish a mission, and we’re one game away from doing it.”

Today’s matchup will be the first actual road game for Team USA, which will try to capture the gold in front of a hostile crowd in Paris. France has benefited from the rabid fan support, Amick adds, along with a lineup change that sparked upsets over Canada and Germany on the way to the gold medal contest.

Coach Vincent Collet decided to bench Rudy Gobert and play Victor Wembanyama at center, while inserting Guerschon Yabusele and Isaia Cordinier into the starting lineup. France has looked much better over the past two games, and that’s without a dominant performance from Wembanyama, who’s shooting just 6-of-27 since knockout play began.

“You expect them to play the game of their life, because they’re gonna have the home court adrenaline (and) they’re riding big momentum after these last two games,” Curry said. “You’ve got to expect them to play great, but we expect that from ourselves as well.”

There’s more from Paris:

Gobert logged nine total minutes in the past two games, but Collet indicated that his role might increase against the taller U.S. team, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “Obviously, Rudy would prefer to play more,” Collet said. “But clearly, for the moment, this adjustment allowed us to play better in these two games. But on the other hand, the cards can be very redistributed on Saturday. Different matchups, with teams with different profiles.”
Evan Fournier is among the French players with experience in facing Team USA, beating them in the 2019 FIBA World Cup and losing a tight game for the Olympic gold medal three years ago in Tokyo, notes Aris Barkis of Eurohoops. He’s looking forward to today’s gold medal rematch. “I think we know that France has a lot of potential, but the potential has got to go on the court,” Fournier said. “We have to be able to play team basketball.”
Wembanyama has been among the most visible athletes at the Olympics, with Nike ads in the Paris subways and a giant image of him placed on scaffolding in the city, per Jeff Zillgitt and Kim Hjelmgaard of USA Today. It’s an extreme amount of pressure for a 20-year-old who’s expected to be the future of both French and NBA basketball. Wembanyama talked this week about having a “feeling of responsibility” as he tries to deliver the nation’s first-ever gold in Olympic basketball.

Brad Stevens Provides Update On Kristaps Porzingis

August 10th, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis is working out in Latvia, but the team still doesn’t expect him back on the court for several months, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in an interview with Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

Porzingis missed most of the playoffs after suffering a strained right calf in Boston’s first-round series against Miami. He underwent surgery in late June for a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg and was given a five- to six-month recovery timeline that could delay his return until sometime in 2025.

“He’s starting to do more and more and more,” Stevens said of Porzingis, who recently posted an online photo of himself during a workout. “He was in a boot for a while there, but every indication is he’s progressing well and he’s on the right timeline. But it’s going to be a while.”

Surgery had already been planned for Porzingis when he was given permission to return for Game 5 of the NBA Finals. He played 16 minutes as the Celtics wrapped up their 18th championship, saying he was willing to risk further injury to be part of the experience. Stevens explained the process that led to the decision to have Porzingis play.

“He was going to have to have surgery regardless,” Stevens said. “He was moving better than he was before Games 3 and 4 and had probably gotten more used to it. And the outcome wasn’t going to change whether he played or not after that moment. It was just, really, could he do it? I was pretty impressed that he did. I don’t know exactly what he felt like, but I know he wasn’t 100 percent. But the toughness to get out there and do it was awesome. But that didn’t make it worse, and it wasn’t going to.”

Stevens touches on several more topics in the lengthy interview:

The Celtics have a strong Olympic presence with Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White all playing for Team USA, but Jaylen Brown was upset with the process that led to his exclusion. Stevens said he talked with USA Basketball director Grant Hill, who expressed interest in having Brown as part of the 2028 team. “I think Jaylen is one of the best players in the world,” Stevens added. “And one of the best things about Jaylen is whether he gets the call and makes the team or doesn’t get the call, he’s going to use it as motivation to get better. So I know he’s working and he’s excited about improving. I think he’ll truly embrace the challenges that come with winning last year. That’s who he’s always been. And this will probably add more fuel to his fire. But he doesn’t need much fuel added. He finds it.”
It’s been a frustrating Olympics for Tatum, who has seen limited playing time so far. Stevens said Tatum hasn’t complained about the experience and suggested he could still be a factor in Saturday’s gold medal game against France. “When we’ve talked, he’s been all about the team,” Stevens said. “This is such a unique opportunity to win a gold medal in the Olympics. He’s always ready. The championship game will be a great road environment, and he shines in those situations.”
Stevens reiterated his support for head coach Joe Mazzulla, who was under fire last summer after losing to Miami in the conference finals. “[The criticism] was more intense than it should have been on him the year before, and that’s one of the reasons I am happy for him, because he didn’t deserve that the year before,” Stevens said. “And to his credit, I think he’s been super humble about this achievement, because that’s necessary, too. He has to handle this right, because people are going to follow his lead.”

Serbia Captures Bronze Medal At Olympics

August 10th, 2024 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Nikola Jokic posted the fifth triple-double in men’s Olympic basketball history on Saturday as Serbia defeated Germany in the bronze medal game, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. The Nuggets star had 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists and led Serbia to a 93-83 victory in a battle of teams coming off heartbreaking losses in the semifinal round.

Two other NBA players had prominent roles in Serbia’s victory, which brought the nation its second Olympic men’s basketball medal. Hornets guard Vasilije Micic also scored 19 points, while the Hawks’ Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbia’s captain and career leading scorer in Olympic competition, added 16.

“It was difficult to sleep (after the Team USA loss),” Bogdanovic admitted. “We didn’t sleep that day, that night at all. It was a late game, but the next day, we all wake up and (Serbian coach Svetislav Pesic) was ready with the (team) meeting. He was ready with the same meeting that he did the whole year — a little bit longer, of course. But that was his way. We believed. We didn’t complain. We weren’t late. Yeah, we play together. We win together. We lose together. We are together. We celebrate together.”

Serbia took advantage of hot shooting to build an early lead, making 12 of its first 17 shots. They were up 46-38 at halftime and broke open the game with an 18-7 run in the third quarter that pushed the lead to 19 points. With Dennis Schröder, Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner all struggling to make shots, the Germans weren’t able to make a serious run after that.

“We weren’t going home without a medal, especially after what happened two days ago,” Serbian big man Filip Petrusev said. “We owed it to ourselves. We owed it to the country, to the people that supported us. Two days ago, the whole country was so proud of us, so we had to bring something home. That was the mentality. You all saw it two days ago against the best team ever (in Team USA), maybe, that needed all kinds of help, and maybe luck a little bit (to win). … But I just hope this is not our last time altogether. I think this team can … in the future, be even better. This might be one of the best teams Serbia ever had.”

It was a disappointing outcome for Germany, whose men’s basketball team has still never medaled in Olympic competition. After going unbeaten in last year’s FIBA World Cup, the Germans looked like the most serious challenger to the U.S. through group play, but back-to-back losses mean they’re going home empty-handed.

Despite the outcome, the 30-year-old Schröder told reporters that he’s far from finished with international competition, tweets Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

“Coach, I said I’m going to play until 40,” he said to Gordon Herbert at the post-game press conference. “I don’t know why they’re asking me this. I’m playing until I’m 40. That’s my goal. Hopefully, if I play until 40, my teammates can play until 36-37 and make it special.”

The game may have been the last Olympics appearance for Pesic, whose contract as coach of the Serbian national team has expired. He talked about his future following the game, relays Kevin Martorano of Sportando, saying he’s unsure what he’ll do next, but he hopes to have a role in continuing to build Serbian basketball in advance of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

New York Notes: Brunson, Lessort, Schröder, Nets

August 9th, 2024 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking on Thursday to reporters, including Stefan Bondy of The New York Post, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson explained why he was willing to accept a four-year, $156.5MM contract extension this summer. The deal was the biggest one Brunson was able to sign at this point, but he could have landed a significantly more lucrative payday if he had waited another year.

“Priority A, I secured I think a decent amount of money to support myself and my family, my extended family in the current time. I didn’t have to wait a year,” Brunson said. “Like I said, a lot can happen in a year. Everyone in this room has seen a lot happen in a year when players wait out. So that’s one thing. No. 2 — I would love to be here, I want to be here the rest of my career. And winning trumps everything I do individually. Like I said, when you win as a team, individuals can grow from that. That’s at the front of my mind at all times — what can I do to win?”

While Brunson will have a chance down the road to make up much of the money he “lost” by signing an early extension, his deal will provide the Knicks with added cap flexibility for the next few seasons. The veteran point guard told reporters that he has studied team-first champions from other sports, such as Tom Brady and Derek Jeter, and that he took those examples into account when making his decision.

“First, Tom Brady and Derek Jeter are in a class of their own. I’m not saying I’m a part of that class,” Brunson said. “Second, those dudes are the epitome of winning. They did whatever it took to win. That was on the forefront of their minds. I just knew if I did this, it would give us a lot of flexibility and put us in position to win.

“And I know that a lot of people don’t agree with it. A lot of people are saying it’s not the smart thing from a personal standpoint. But I just know — I’m comfortable here. This is home for me. I don’t worry about what anybody else says, what they think. That’s their opinion. They can have it.”

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:

The Knicks, who acquired Mathias Lessort‘s draft rights back in 2020, inquired earlier this offseason about the 28-year-old’s interest in coming stateside, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. However, the two sides weren’t able to find common ground, says Begley. Vincent Collet, the head coach of the French national team, recently expressed surprise that Lessort isn’t in the NBA.
In a conversation with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Nets point guard Dennis Schröder talked about growing up in Germany, playing in the Olympics, and his desire to remain in Brooklyn for the final year of his current contract — and potentially well beyond that. “I want to be in Brooklyn long-term. Hopefully that works out,” Schröder said. “I want to be a veteran who shows the young people the way and how we should play and how we play as a team. I understand that the NBA is always more individual, but I want to make one team like we had in Atlanta where it was about just winning and really not (caring) who scores. And I want to bring that back to the NBA, to the Brooklyn Nets.”
While plenty can change between now and July 2025, the Nets are currently the only team projected to have significant cap room next summer, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Even before accounting for possible in-season trades and/or extensions, cap projections can vary significantly depending on which cap holds and options are assumed to be on the books, but Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link) also projects Brooklyn to have the most cap space of any team in 2025.

And-Ones: Guy, WBD Lawsuit, 21-And-Under Players, More

August 9th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Virginia star Kyle Guy, who was the 55th overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, is returning to his alma mater as an athlete development mentor and special assistant, according to a press release from the program.

“C’ville I am back!” Guy said in a statement. “I want to sincerely thank Coach (Tony) Bennett and (athletic director) Carla Williams for trusting me with the opportunity to come back and begin this next chapter of my life. This was not an easy decision for me, but knowing how much love I have for this culture and community made it very clear where I should be with my family. I’m beyond excited to help this team and the University in any way needed.”

Guy, who will turn 27 on Sunday, spent three years in the NBA from 2019-22, appearing in a total of 53 regular season games for the Kings and Heat and averaging 3.1 points in 8.1 minutes per contest. He spent the past two seasons playing internationally in Spain and Greece. However, his new role and his accompanying statement suggest that he’s prepared to put his playing career behind him.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

The judge who is overseeing Warner Bros. Discovery’s lawsuit against the NBA has given the league until August 23 to respond, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic (Twitter link). If the NBA moves to dismiss the suit, WBD would have until September 20 to file its opposition, then the league would have until October 2 to respond again. The lawsuit was a response to the league rejecting TNT’s right to match Amazon’s offer for NBA media rights.
James L. Edwards III, Kelly Iko and Will Guillory of The Athletic conducted a 24-player mock draft of NBA players who were 21 or younger at the end of the 2023/24 season. Victor Wembanyama, unsurprisingly, was the top pick, followed by Paolo Banchero, Alperen Sengun, Brandon Miller, and Dereck Lively.
The rest of the basketball world hasn’t caught up to the United States, but a down-to-the-wire semifinal game against Serbia at the Olympics was a reminder that the gap is narrowing, writes Seerat Sohi of The Ringer. Sohi notes that France, led by Wembanyama and youngsters like Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, Tidjane Salaun, and projected 2025 lottery pick Nolan Traore, could be a future powerhouse, while Canada is still on the rise despite a disappointing 2024 outcome.

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