Klay Thompson

Southwest Notes: Popovich, Thompson, Morant, Boston

December 16th, 2024 at 8:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has released a statement via the team’s PR department regarding his recovery from a stroke and the support he’s received since he stepped away from the team (Twitter link). Popovich mentioned that he anticipated returning to coaching at some point.

“This has certainly been an unexpected six weeks for my family and me,” Popovich said. “As we work together on my recovery, I want to take a moment to share that the outpouring of support we’ve received during this time has been truly overwhelming in the best possible way. While I wish I could get back to each one of you, for now, let me say that my family and I are forever grateful. We’re thankful for our wonderful community, the entire Spurs organization, and our family and friends.

“No one is more excited to see me return to the bench than the talented individuals who have been leading my rehabilitation process. They’ve quickly learned that I’m less than coachable.”

Popovich suffered a mild stroke on Nov. 2. This was his first public statement since the Spurs initially announced he would be away from the team. Assistant Mitch Johnson has served as the club’s acting head coach in Popovich’s absence.

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Longtime Warriors guard Klay Thompson scored a season-high 29 points in the Mavericks’ win at Golden State on Sunday. It was the second trip back to his former home arena and Thompson said he was much more relaxed. “Way easier,” Thompson said, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “Especially not seeing all the captain’s hats. I saw a few of those. Much easier. Felt more settled in than the first time I was out here.” Warriors employees lined up along the walls of the ramp where the visiting team arrives at Chase Center and saluted Thompson with a tip of a captain’s hat in Dallas’ first trip there last month.
Grizzlies guard Ja Morant said earlier this month that he doesn’t want to dunk anymore as he tries to avoid injuries any way he can. However, his teammates are somewhat skeptical, according to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I don’t think that he’s serious,” forward Brandon Clarke said. “I just don’t think that he’s going to dunk as many on people because that’s when it’s a risk of getting fouled hard or getting hurt.”
The Pelicans lost their 13th straight road game on Sunday but they got a strong effort from reserve two-way player Brandon Boston, who scored 20 points to lead five Pelicans in double figures. “His confidence is growing more and more as he progresses throughout the season,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said, per the Associated Press. “He’s understanding his role. He’s started some games. Right now he’s in the second unit. He’s getting solid minutes each and every game and he’s very confident in what he can do once he touches the floor.”

Mavericks Notes: NBA Cup, Lively, Grimes, Prosper

December 9th, 2024 at 5:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks visit the Thunder on Tuesday in an NBA Cup quarterfinal matchup. The winner goes to Las Vegas for the semifinals, while the loser gets knocked out of the tournament.

“I think it’s great to be able to play to go to Vegas tomorrow,” coach Jason Kidd said, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “This is the second year and it’s our first year being involved this far. It’s a great measuring stick on the road against the best team in the West. I think it’s great for both organizations, a great test for both teams.”

Dereck Lively, who played at Duke, compared it to an NCAA Tournament game.

“It brings me back to my Tournament days, trying to be as competitive as possible, trying to bring as much energy, as much discipline and as much focus as we can to these games. There’s a lot on the line,” he said.

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Quentin Grimes says that being teammates with veteran guard Klay Thompson has been a learning experience. “Watching Klay has been huge for me,” Grimes told Grant Afseth in a Sportskeeda post. “Whether he’s having a great shooting night or a rough one, he has no conscience—he keeps shooting like it’s going to go in every time. That’s big for shooters like me. Seeing his consistency and his mentality, where every shot is taken with confidence, has helped me focus on impacting the game and trusting my work. The shots will fall because of the effort you put in.” Grimes, a restricted free agent after the season, is shooting a career-best 42.3% from 3-point range.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper continues to have a limited role in his second NBA season. The 24th pick of the 2023 draft has seen 10-plus minutes of action in each of the last two games and will look to build off of that. “My game is predicated on energy and effort,” Prosper told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “When I come in, I try to impact game in those ways. I feel like now, every day, whether I’m playing or not playing, is a growth opportunity for me. What I see out there, I try to apply when I get on the court. It’s a long season, a long journey, and I stay the course and learn every game, whether or not I’m playing.”
In case you missed it, Luka Doncic was named Western Conference Player of the Week. Get the details here.

Southwest Notes: Thompson, Mavs, Smart, Wembanyama

December 6th, 2024 at 8:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Klay Thompson is averaging just 12.6 points per game with career-worst shooting percentages of 38.1% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc through his first 19 games with the Mavericks. As ESPN’s Brian Windhorst writes in an Insider-only story, Thompson has started every game he has played so far for Dallas, but hasn’t always been part of the team’s closing lineup.

“Klay has been an awkward fit so far,” one Eastern Conference executive told ESPN. “Derrick Jones shot the ball better and played better D for them last year.”

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps points out in the same story that the Mavericks are running into a similar issue Golden State did last season — since Thompson has lost a step following ACL and Achilles injuries, playing him alongside two offense-first guards (Stephen Curry and Brandin Podziemski last year; Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving this year) compromises his team’s defense.

“He’s the exact same player he was with the Warriors,” one scout told Bontemps. “A quality spot-up shooter who can get hot and make shots still and who can occasionally guard.”

While Thompson certainly hasn’t come flying out of the gates this season, the Mavericks have been better with him on the court (+9.8 net rating) than off it (+4.5). And at least one scout believes it’s too early to be concerned about the veteran sharpshooter’s production.

“Klay has been fine,” that scout told ESPN. “His impact will be determined in the postseason, and if he has a few big games, then no one will remember what he shot from three in November.”

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Asked about nearing the end of a grueling 28-day stretch in which the Mavericks have had 15 games on their schedule – including 12 on the road – and have had to repeatedly traverse several time zones, head coach Jason Kidd acknowledged it hasn’t been easy, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “We’ve gone as far as you can go west, and now we’re going as far as we can go east,” Kidd said. “We’re not going to complain about it. It is what it is, but it’s not fair if you want players to play. And so when guys sit out, they (the NBA) can’t complain about guys sitting out when you have a schedule like this.” The Mavs have handled the travel- and schedule-related challenges admirably, having gone 10-4 entering the final contest of that 15-game run on Saturday in Toronto.
Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart will be looking to get a rare win against his old team in Boston on Saturday. The Celtics have beaten Memphis in 16 of their last 17 meetings dating back to 2016, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “You want him to get that win and get that feeling of beating the team that traded him or whatever,” Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. said. “At the end of the day, we want to have Marcus’ back and go up there and get the win.”
Victor Wembanyama tested his sore lower back in warmups on Friday before being ruled out of the Spurs‘ game vs. Sacramento, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). Head coach Mitch Johnson said “the hope” is that Wembanyama will be good to go on Sunday against New Orleans after missing two games this week. Tre Jones (left shoulder sprain) is missing a third consecutive contest for the Spurs on Friday, while Devin Vassell (right foot injury management) is sitting the second end of a back-to-back, but should be available Sunday.
In case you missed it, we passed along a handful of Pelicans-related notes and rumors earlier this evening.

Mavericks Notes: Gafford, Lively, Doncic, Irving, Thompson, Grimes

December 2nd, 2024 at 5:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks have fielded some inquiries regarding Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively but haven’t shown any interest in trading either big man, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports.

However, the Mavericks could be active in the trade market. They could seek potential upgrades by parting with their 2025 first-round pick or their 2031 first-rounder. They could also add a young piece such as Quentin Grimes and Olivier-Maxence Prosper in a trade package, Scotto notes.

Dallas is approximately $5.3MM above the luxury tax but might be able to drop below that figure if it is able to deal Maxi Kleber, Scotto adds. He’ll make $11MM this season, with a matching cap hit for 2025/26.

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Luka Doncic returned from a wrist injury on Sunday and racked up 36 points and 13 assists against the Trail Blazers. He posted on social media that it was “great” to be back from a five-game absence. Doncic complimented the team on how it performed without him. “Obviously, I think their pace was great. They were playing amazing,” Doncic said, per ESPN News Services. “So, [I was] just trying to adapt to that. They beat some tough teams, and I was just happy to sit back, watch and enjoy.”
Dallas defeated Portland despite having several other starters and rotation players sidelined. Kyrie Irving (right shoulder soreness), Lively (right knee hyperextension), Klay Thompson (left foot plantar fascia), Naji Marshall (illness) and Dante Exum (right wrist surgery) all missed the game, the Mavs PR department tweets.
Grimes, who joined Dallas in the offseason trade with Detroit, has been on a hot streak of late. He’s averaged 24.3 points over the last three games. “I’m glad to see my confidence growing,” Grimes told Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal. “I’m just playing downhill, not overthinking, and focusing on helping on both ends of the floor.” Grimes will be a restricted free agent after the season, as he and the team were unable to reach a rookie scale extension by the October deadline.

Mavericks Notes: Marshall, Doncic, Klay, Gafford, Washington

November 30th, 2024 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

It came as a bit of a surprise on the first day of free agency this past summer when the Mavericks – whose stated top priority was re-signing starting forward Derrick Jones – lost him to the Clippers and pivoted to signing Naji Marshall to fill Jones’ three-and-D role on the wing. But Marshall has played his role admirably in Dallas so far, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link) writes.

Known mostly for his defense, Marshall didn’t average more than 9.1 points per game in any of his first four NBA seasons, but he’s up to 12.0 PPG on a career-best 55.4% shooting in his first 19 games as a Maverick, and he has been on fire as of late. In Dallas’ past four games, he has averaged 23.0 PPG on .633/.556/.667 shooting.

“Yeah, I think he’s taking full advantage of being able to get to the paint and use his floater, and he’s now shooting the three,” head coach Jason Kidd said in explaining Marshall’s recent offensive outburst. “And so just, you know, understanding who’s on the floor with him and creating where he doesn’t have to create a lot of space in the sense of his shot because of who’s on the floor. But his aggressiveness and ability to finish were at a high level.”

Marshall’s recent streak of four straight 20-point games came with Luka Doncic sidelined. Klay Thompson also missed the two most recent contests. When the Mavs are healthier, Marshall will likely take a step back offensively. But as Afseth writes, it’s an encouraging sign for Dallas that the defense-first forward is finding his three-point stroke during this stretch. Marshall has knocked down 10-of-19 outside shots since last Friday after making just 4-of-30 (13.3%) in his first 15 games this season.

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Thompson (left foot plantar fascia) didn’t take part in Friday’s practice, but Doncic (right wrist sprain) and Daniel Gafford (illness) were participants, tweets Afseth. Thompson will miss a third straight game on Saturday when the Mavs visit Utah, while Doncic is still listed as doubtful. Gafford is off the injury report and should be active.
Doncic may not return to action on Saturday, but he appears to be close to playing for the first time since November 19. Kidd said the Mavs star “looked good” in Friday’s practice, per ESPN. Saturday’s contest is the first in a back-to-back set, so if Doncic doesn’t suit up tonight, it’s possible he’ll be activated for Sunday’s game in Portland.
Marshall isn’t the only Maverick who has stepped up his game with Doncic and Thompson out. Spencer Dinwiddie (back-to-back 20-point games), Quentin Grimes (21 points on Wednesday), and P.J. Washington (four straight double-doubles) have been standouts and have helped lead Dallas to a 4-1 record in games Doncic has missed. “We need guys like P.J. and Naji to maintain this level of aggressiveness when Luka comes back,” Kidd said, according to Afseth. “It’s not just about one or two players carrying the load—it’s about everyone knowing their role, being confident, and contributing. That’s what makes us dangerous. … Everything we’ve done without (Doncic) only makes us stronger when he’s back.”
Kyrie Irving agreed that the Mavs’ successful stretch without Doncic should only benefit the team in the long run, per Afseth: “This gives our role players an opportunity to step up, take more shots, and learn in real time. When Luka comes back, we’ll be stronger because of it. I’d prefer for us to be 100% healthy, but since that’s not the case, we’re making the most of the situation. I’m staying present and appreciating the effort this team is giving. We know every night is a battle, and I’m proud of how we’ve competed.”

Western Notes: Lakers, Vassell, Thompson, Malone

November 25th, 2024 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers are near the bottom of the league in defensive field goal percentage, with opponents shooting 48.5% against them. They know they need to improve their defense and rebounding to be a true contender. The Lakers face Phoenix in an NBA Cup matchup on Tuesday.

“Our personnel isn’t, you know, I think if we’re going to be honest with ourselves, isn’t the best defensively,” Austin Reaves told Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “Obviously we’ve got AD (Anthony Davis). That covers up a lot. But we have to be physical out on the perimeter and especially when boxing out. We got to be a better defensive rebounding team and transition as well.”

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The Spurs have officially listed Devin Vassell (left knee bone bruise) as out for Tuesday at Utah, according to Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link). It’s not a cause for concern, as he’s expected to return Wednesday against the Lakers. Vassell hasn’t played since Nov. 15.
Mavericks guard Klay Thompson missed his first game this season on Monday due to left foot plantar fascia, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon tweets. Thompson is averaging 13.2 points per game in 17 starts for Dallas this season. Without Thompson and Luka Doncic, the Mavs still defeated Atlanta, 129-119.
Michael Malone passed Doug Moe as the winningest coach in Nuggets history with his 433rd regular-season victory on Saturday as his team defeated the Lakers. Malone reached that win total in 56 fewer games than Moe, according to the Denver Post’s Bennett Durando.

Southwest Notes: Mavs, Marshall, Spurs, Pelicans, McCollum

November 23rd, 2024 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

After a late-game defensive breakdown resulted in a frustrating two-point loss in Utah last Thursday, the Mavericks immediately watched film and held a post-game meeting, with “accountability, effort and unselfishness” among the themes, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.

“We talked about a lot of things, and got a lot of things out in the open,” Mavericks forward P.J. Washington said, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. “But the main thing is that we knew we were better than that, and that we had to be better going forward.”

“We needed to stop playing ‘I’ basketball and we needed to play ‘we’ basketball,” center Dereck Lively added, per Curtis. “That’s what we’ve been doing these past couple of games and it’s been working.”

As Lively points out, the Mavericks have turned things around since falling to 5-7 with that loss in Utah. The team will take a four-game winning streak into Miami on Sunday, having registered a pair of comfortable home victories over San Antonio and New Orleans along with two impressive road wins in Oklahoma City and Denver in the past week. While that loss to the Jazz has cost the Mavs a few spots in the tightly congested Western Conference standings, Washington is happy that something good came out of it.

“In a way I’m kind of glad that it happened,” he said. “Because you never want to lose like that. We all knew that we were capable of doing a lot of things better. We needed to be accountable to each other. So, that’s why we kind of talked about it right after the game.”

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Mavericks forward Naji Marshall helped seal Friday’s win over Denver, playing clutch minutes in the fourth quarter with Klay Thompson on the bench, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda spoke to Marshall about adjusting to a new team this fall after spending four years in New Orleans and talked to some of Marshall’s new teammates about the impact the newcomer has had so far. “This is the most talented team I’ve been on,” Marshall told Afseth. “The coaches are great, the front office is amazing, and the training staff is incredible. I really have no complaints.”
Devin Vassell (sore left knee) will be unavailable for a fourth straight game on Saturday, but it appears Victor Wembanyama (bruised right knee) will make his return after missing the past three contests. After initially listing both players as questionable, the Spurs have ruled out Vassell and upgraded Wembanyama to probable, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News.
The Pelicans have lost 13 of 15 games since opening the season with back-to-back wins and now hold a 4-13 record. However, Zion Williamson remains optimistic that the team has time to turn things around, especially once more key players – including Zion himself – return from injuries. “We know the position we are in right now,” Williamson said, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “It’s not a good one at the moment. We come in the gym every day in good spirits. We are going to figure it out.”
One injured Pelicans player who appears to be nearing a return? CJ McCollum. The veteran guard has been on the shelf since October 29 due to a thigh injury, but told reporters that he went through a contact practice on Saturday and hopes to suit up on Monday vs. Indiana (Twitter link via Will Guillory of The Athletic).

Mavericks Notes: Irving, Thompson, Doncic’s Injury, NBA Cup

November 22nd, 2024 at 11:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Even though he holds a player option for next season, it’s unlikely Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving will test the free agent market, Tim MacMahon of ESPN said on the latest edition of the Hoops Collective podcast (hat tip to RealGM). MacMahon expects the two sides to reach a long-term agreement that will keep Irving in Dallas.

“He has a $42MM player option,” MacMahon said. “Look, I’m not telling you exactly how it will work out. My guess is he’ll end up declining that player option. But what I would say is I would be extremely surprised if Kyrie Irving is not in Dallas for the next few years. The Mavericks have already demonstrated that they are willing to pay, not market value, because they could have quote unquote won the negotiations with him. Remember, they were criticized for giving him the contract because nobody else (would).”

After a few uneasy years in Boston and Brooklyn, Irving has found stability since the Mavericks traded for him midway through the 2022/23 season. He’s continuing to perform at an All-Star level at age 32, averaging 24.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists through 14 games, and he has an important role off the court as well.

“The point is they have demonstrated, ‘We value you and we will pay you how much we value you within the ability to have a little bit of wiggle room financially,'” MacMahon added. “They are going to put a big number on the table for him. He has been extremely happy in Dallas. They are extremely happy with him. He’s the leader of this locker room. That’s unquestioned. And, right now, he is playing as well as he ever has. Certainly as efficient as he ever has.”

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Boating enthusiast Klay Thompson admits he’s encountered some “rough waters” during his first season with the Mavs, but he’s confident things will get better, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoop Journal. In 15 games, Thompson is averaging 14.0 PPG while shooting 39.7% from the field and 37% from beyond the arc, but he knows the team is counting on more from him. “I’m so grateful to be playing every night and to be healthy,” Thompson said. “That’s why the shooting nights when I’m off don’t bother me as much anymore. It’s a long season, and I know there are bigger nights ahead.”
The Mavericks will need production from other players while Luka Doncic is sidelined with a wrist injury, notes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. It’s already the fourth injury for Doncic since training camp opened, and he has been ruled out for at least the next four games. “Pretty much just the same mindset: Next man up,” Daniel Gafford said. “Just be ready to guard the best man or just have the best man guard you. It’s going to be a lot on Kai (Irving). It’s going to be a lot on Klay, but I feel like we’ve done a pretty good job whenever Luka has been off the floor.”
Even though points matter for tie-breakers in the NBA Cup, Dallas didn’t try to keep scoring in the closing seconds of Tuesday’s 132-91 win over New Orleans, according to Dwain Price of Mavs.com. “That’s not what this game is all about or the tournament is all about,” coach Jason Kidd said. “It’s playing the game the right way. They’ve got a lot of injuries over there. We’re not trying to embarrass anybody. We’re not looking to score again. We scored 132 points. That’s enough points.”

NBA Considering Turning All-Star Game Into Tournament

November 15th, 2024 at 5:45pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA is seriously considering turning the All-Star Game into a four-team tournament, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN.

The proposed changes would take effect starting with this season’s All-Star weekend, which will take place in San Francisco at the Chase Center, Golden State’s home arena, from Feb. 14-16.

Instead of the typical two teams with 12 players each, the 24 All-Stars would be separated into three teams of eight players apiece, Charania explains. The fourth team would be the winner of the Rising Stars competition. The tournament would feature two rounds, with the victors of round one (Team 1 vs. Team 2, Team 3 vs. Team 4) advancing to the final.

While the plans have not yet been finalized, all signs point to the league eventually implementing the changes, two sources tell Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link).

According to Charania, NBA officials discussed the proposed format on Friday with the Competition Committee, which consists of team governors, executives, coaches, players and union personnel. The league has been discussing format changes with team officials and players for several months, and the four-team tournament quickly became the most popular plan.

Commissioner Adam Silver stated a couple weeks ago that the league was looking for a new All-Star format after last season’s contest in Indianapolis was universally panned for its lack of defense and abundance of long three-point shots. The East defeated the West 211-186 in a listless affair despite a plea from league executive Joe Dumars to take the game seriously and put forth a better effort.

“We’re looking at other formats,” Silver said. “I think there’s no doubt that the players were disappointed as well in last year’s All-Star Game. We all want to do a better job providing competition and entertainment for our fans.”

As Reynolds writes in a full story, the new format is similar to what has been used for the Rising Stars event in recent years. That four-team tournament features a target score for both the semifinal and final.

What’s less clear is how the All-Star voting process would work, according to Reynolds, who notes that at least one more coach would likely be needed as well.

Charania hears the most popular All-Star event from last season, the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA three-point shootout between Warriors guard Stephen Curry and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, will likely return in February, though it may be tweaked to include more players. Sources tell Charania that Mavericks wing Klay Thompson and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark are among the candidates to join Curry and Ionescu.

Warriors Notes: Thompson’s Return, Curry, Kuminga

November 13th, 2024 at 5:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Klay Thompson didn’t want a spectacle to surround his return to San Francisco Tuesday night, but the Warriors felt a need to do something special to honor their longtime star, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. That included having about 400 team employees lined up to cheer for him when the Mavericks‘ bus arrived at the arena and passing out captain’s hats to all fans in attendance in honor of Thompson’s love of sailing. There was also a video tribute, but a planned Stephen Curry pre-game speech was discarded by mutual agreement of the Splash Brothers.

“It was a really cool experience,” Thompson told reporters after the game. “I appreciate the fans very much. The captain’s hat ended up being a great touch, since I’m such a passionate boater. I saw a lot of familiar faces in the crowd. That was a warm-hearted feeling. So it was really cool to see fans with gratitude towards myself, and it’s something I won’t take for granted. It’s very, very awesome. It was a cool moment to feel the energy from the fans, and especially, you know, all the chatter that I heard — it was all positive. (That) just means a lot to myself, because I really enjoyed my time here and … left it all out on the floor.”

League sources told Amick that Thompson was requesting a more subdued tribute, which is an acknowledgement that his 13 years with the Warriors didn’t end on the best of terms. The organization was reluctant to commit another large, long-term contract to Thompson, who will turn 35 later this season, forcing him to consider his options in free agency. Amick reports that some people close to Thompson were hoping the team employees wouldn’t greet him when he arrived, but he was thankful after it happened.

“That was really cool,” he said. “I’m very grateful for the employees to give me that kind of love. Totally unexpected, and definitely put a smile on my face. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

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Thompson had been Curry’s teammate since entering the league, so he had never been the victim of one of the two-time MVP’s late-game scoring sprees, notes Kendra Andrews of ESPN. It happened Tuesday as Curry scored 12 of his game-high 37 points in the final four minutes to help Golden State pull out a victory. “It hurts to be on the other side of one of his flurries,” Thompson said. “Guy got hot at the end and made some ridiculous shots. I know I’ve been on the other end, and it sucks.”
Amid all the emotion of Thompson’s return, Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle believes the Warriors made a responsible decision by letting him go. Kroichick contends that the team needed to get younger, quicker and better on defense after falling in the play-in tournament last season. Instead of increasing their offer to Thompson, they were able to pursue trades for Paul George and Lauri Markkanen before ultimately adding De’Anthony Melton and Buddy Hield, who have both been productive.
Golden State has survived losing Thompson by leaning more on younger players such as Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Trayce Jackson-Davis, per Spencer Davies of Responsible Gambler. “Now it’s just the coaches trust in us a little bit more to go out there, to be you and be free,” Kuminga said. “I think that’s what it is. At this point, they’re leaning on us, and they’re really believing in us and letting us go out there and play.”

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