The Langston Galloway Foundation and Five-Star Basketball are teaming up for an exclusive, fully-funded court renovation campaign, “Every Court Has a Story,” in partnership with Project Backboard and Local Hoops. One hooper from around the world will get the opportunity to make an impact in their community by having their home public court renovated.

Submissions are open now. To enter, share the story behind your favorite public basketball court on everycourt.local-hoops.com.

Five-Star Basketball is the renowned basketball camp that played a part in producing talents such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and hundreds of NBA standouts.

Once submissions close, the finalists will be chosen by Galloway, followed by a fan vote, to determine the overall winner. Project Backboard will work with your local municipality to execute the basketball court renovation, and together with Five-Star Basketball and Local Hoops, they’ll help celebrate the new court with an unveiling event in your community. 

The post Langston Galloway, Five Star Basketball and More Want to Renovate your Home Court Through New Campaign appeared first on SLAM.

The 26-year-old has solidified himself as one of the best rim protectors in the NBA, and he is having his best scoring season to date during this 2022-23 campaign. Turner is averaging 16.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks on an efficient 54.1 percent from the field. Amongst centers in the League, his accuracy from downtown is remarkable at 41.7 percent from three. The highest right now for the center position this year.

Despite being mentioned in some trade rumors in the past several months, it shouldn’t be surprising that the Pacers want to continue having Turner in Indiana. He can stretch the floor and defend at a high level: The quintessential modern-day big man that’s hard to find.

His experience of having already played eight seasons in the NBA increases Turner’s value. With Indiana’s promising young core of Tyrese Haliburton and rookie Bennedict Mathurin making their mark this season, Turner can help take this team to the next level. If negotiations break down, the 26-year-old can become a free agent when the season ends.

The Pacers (16-16) are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference, with the same record as the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks (16-16) and the seventh-seeded Miami Heat (16-16). Indiana will look to change that when they play their next game versus the Heat on Friday.

The post REPORT: Myles Turner and Indiana Open Up Contract Extension Talks appeared first on SLAM.

The Mavericks will host the Los Angeles Lakers for a holiday. As the face of the franchise’s cherished history since 1998, Nowitzki will never be forgotten for leading Dallas to an NBA Championship in 2011. The championship victory came in six games against the star-studded Miami Heatles led by LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh.

The 2011 Finals MVP was pleased to hear he will be getting a statue built after him on the global holiday.

“That’s going to be there forever,” Nowitzki said per NBA.com. “I think that’s what’s so unbelievable, that this statue will stand there, and my kids will grow up with it. That’s what’s really mindboggling and so amazing about it –  That this piece is for really for eternity and will be there long, long after I’m gone.”

During his time with the Mavericks, Nowitzki solidified himself as an NBA legend and a building bridge between the inspiration the Dream Team created during their Gold Medal campaign in the 1992 Olympics. Nowitzki saw what Team USA did, and his success paved the way for more international players to cross the world and become NBA stars, like former teammate Luka Doncic or Giannis Antetokounmpo.

When talking about his impact on the game in this aspect, the former superstar admitted it is a humbling feeling.

“Along the way, if I inspired somebody to pick up a basketball or if I motivated a guy to work harder or dream of the NBA, of course, that’s humbling to me,” said Nowitzki. “Super humbling. That makes me proud, for sure.”

The post Dallas Mavericks Set to Unveil Dirk Nowitzki Statue on Christmas appeared first on SLAM.

The six-time All-Star expressed how he was grateful that the NBA at least sent Miami to play in Mexico this year since they are not getting any nationally televised games.

“I don’t feel like the NBA rock with the Miami Heat too much anyway,” Butler said per Heat Nation. “At least we get to play somewhere. We don’t got no TV games or nothing.”

The Miami Heat finished the 2021-22 campaign with an Eastern Conference-best 53-29 record. Although Miami was last year’s top seed in the East, the Heat weren’t even in the top 10 for most games televised on the major networks. Surprisingly, teams who were missing key pieces for most of the season, like the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers, had more nationally televised games.

Earlier in December, Heat center Bam Adebayo also chimed in on Miami not getting enough media attention.

“You’ve got to think about: we were No. 1 in the East and people didn’t even pay us any mind,” Adebayo said. “Us being where we’re at, they’re definitely not talking about us. The biggest thing for us is to keep stacking these wins.”

The post Jimmy Butler Finds Motivation in Miami Playing Zero National TV Games appeared first on SLAM.

Mexico City continues to establish itself as a lasting venue for the NBA to host games. In fact, the G League has made it a home for one of their franchises, the Mexico City Capitanes. Before tip-off between the Spurs and the Heat, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed how, at this rate, Mexico City may prove to be a place that can one day have its own NBA team.

“Mexico City (is) doing all the things necessary to demonstrate to the league that, ultimately, we may be in a position to house an NBA team here,” Silver said, per Forbes. “When you look at the success we’ve had in Canada to the north, beginning in the early ’90s, it makes sense to me that we would expand to the south, as well.”

According to Forbes: “Mexico is already the fifth biggest market for the NBA League Pass on-demand streaming service.” In addition, “Mexico is also the fourth biggest market for the NBA’s online merchandise store.” It shouldn’t come as a surprise if the NBA decides to expand to Mexico City.

The post Adam Silver: Expansion Franchise in Mexico City ‘Makes Sense’ appeared first on SLAM.

In only 45 games, the Australian averaged 7.2 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.9 rebounds on 40.4 percent shooting. When Ingles became a free agent during the offseason, the Milwaukee Bucks signed him to a one-year deal. Now, the veteran is set to make his debut for Milwaukee and return on Monday against the New Orleans Pelicans after missing almost a year of action. His Bucks (20-8) are currently second in the Eastern Conference.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Ingles still has to complete a 5-on-5 workout on Saturday to ensure he is ready to be back on the court. The 35-year-old has already participated in practices with the Bucks’ G League affiliate for the past couple of weeks.

There’s still concern about what version Milwaukee will be getting when Ingles returns to the court. He has not played in a game since January, and recovering from an ACL injury can be quite the challenge. 

The Bucks will play the Utah Jazz next Saturday at 8 PM.

The post Joe Ingles Set to Return as Soon as Monday When Milwaukee Plays New Orleans appeared first on SLAM.

“I would be hugely disappointed if certainly in five years we haven’t seen our first female head coach in the NBA,” Silver told NCAA reporter Bonnie Berstein on a recent podcast.

If there’s anyone that will be the first to accomplish such a feat in this unknown territory, it’s Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon.

Hammon spent eight years as an assistant coach for Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs. She is already the first woman to serve as the head coach in an NBA game in 2020, a game where San Antonio took on the Los Angeles Lakers. After getting interviewed by several teams in the League like the Portland Trail Blazers, the 45-year-old did not receive a head coaching position from any of the teams that interviewed her.

Hammon would then fulfill the head coaching duties in Las Vegas, leading them to their first WNBA Championship during her first season as the head coach.

Hammon will likely be a top candidate to become a head coach in the NBA. Same for Theresa Witherspoon and Kara Lawson. Sooner, rather than later, a woman will break down those barriers.

The post Adam Silver Wants a Female Head Coach in the NBA Within ‘the Next Five Years’ appeared first on SLAM.

“Before Reddish’s recent benching in New York, the Knicks originally engaged the Lakers to see if they’d have interest in swapping Evan Fournier for Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn,” according to Scotto. “Beverley and Nunn will both become unrestricted free agents after this season.”

Beverley is having one of his worst seasons, averaging 4.5 points on a dreadful 29.8 percent shooting from the field in 27 minutes per game. As for Nunn, he has not looked like the same player he was playing for the Miami Heat. Both Lakers guards are in the final year of their contracts.

The Frenchmen is having a tough season himself, averaging just 6.9 points in 13 games for the Knicks. It has been a struggle for him to get on the court for New York this year.

The Knicks will be back in action on Wednesday when they take on the Chicago Bulls after their win on Sunday. The Lakers face their next challenge Tuesday night when they welcome the Boston Celtics (21=7), who hold the league’s best record.

The post REPORT: Potential Three-Player Swap Between the Knicks and Lakers Has Stalled appeared first on SLAM.

“I’d like to think it works to our advantage,” said Hill, per The Athletic. “I think we have to be mindful and respectful that these players are on airplanes all throughout the regular season and kind of move from city to city, bed to bed, hotel to hotel. It’s a grind. I think once we get there and we get settled, we can kind of plant some roots for a couple of weeks. I think it is something that can work to our advantage.”

Team USA came up short in their last World Cup, finishing only seventh place while losing to France in the quarterfinals. The red, white, and blue had previously won the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

In FIBA’s latest power rankings, the U.S. was ranked second behind Spain for the first time since 2010. Although the U.S. won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, this was not convincing enough to take the number one spot. 

The draw for the 32-team World Cup field will begin on April 29.

The post Team USA Will Play the 2023 World Cup In The Philippines appeared first on SLAM.

Despite having versatile weapons like Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, the Pelicans’ defense has been responsible for the team’s early success. In particular, it has been the highly criticized Zion Williamson at the forefront of it.

Williamson has averaged a career-high 1.3 steals a game to go with 0.6 blocks. According to ESPN, the acrobatic sensation has held opponents to 37.4 percent shooting as the contesting defender, which ranks fifth amongst players contesting 10 shots per game this season.

Looking back at New Orleans’ defense last year, they were 18th in the League in defensive rating without Williamson, who was out with a broken bone in his right foot. This season, the Pelicans are No. 3 in the League defensively, thanks to their 107.6 defensive rating.

Although Williamson’s impact and improvements defensively have surprised many this year, Ingram noticed the change before the campaign started and highlighted this aspect of his teammate’s game during the preseason.  

“You know what I’ve seen differently, especially on ball, is his defensive awareness,” Ingram told ESPN before the Pelicans’ preseason game versus the Miami Heat. “It looks like he has it in the back of his mind to have the effort on that end. That’s going to be something big for our team – We know we can score the basketball. But if everybody is defending and setting examples for everybody to go out there and defend, then that’s going to be much more difficult to beat us.”

As the 22-year-old’s defense continues to thrive, don’t let this distract you from what he is capable of offensively. This season, Williamson has still managed to put up 23.9 points and 7.2 rebounds on his regular impressive, efficient shooting from the field at 59 percent. The Pelicans forward will look to continue his all-around form with New Orleans again on Friday when they takes on the Phoenix Suns on Friday.

The post Zion Williamson’s Improved Defensive Play Raises the Pelicans’ Ceiling appeared first on SLAM.

After undergoing an MRI on Thursday, the team revealed that the Knicks forward suffered a non-displaced fracture on his right calf bone. The 2020 lottery pick is set to miss two to three weeks before getting re-evaluated.

Toppin has played in all of New York’s 25 games this season, averaging 7.7 points and 3.8 rebounds while logging 17 minutes per game. The 24-year-old has also shown early improvements in his shooting from behind the arc, shooting it at a career-high 35.1 percent from downtown.

The Knicks (12-13) are currently the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference and will take on the Charlotte Hornets in their next matchup on Friday.

The post Obi Toppin Set to Miss 2-3 Weeks With Right Leg Injury appeared first on SLAM.

Simmons, who already missed several games this season because of a back injury, has missed the past three games due to a left upper lateral calf strain on top of experiencing some knee soreness. He first felt irritation in his calf on Nov.27 when Brooklyn took on the Portland Trail Blazers and later felt it again on Nov.28 against the Orlando Magic.

The only difference between these two games was Simmons asking to come out after playing 11 minutes in the matchup with Orlando and didn’t return. The Nets forward logged 34 minutes versus Portland despite experiencing discomfort in his calf. Since being sidelined, the 26-year-old has progressed his calf and knee. He has reached a point where he is now excited to be where he is in the recovery.

“I’m excited where I’m at right now,” Simmons said after practice on Tuesday with the Nets. “So I’m looking for Friday to get back on the court – It’s a lot of load for coming back from a back injury and then also the knee, so I’m glad I had this time to build some muscle around it, and we’ll work on it.”

The three-time All-Star continued to touch on how the back surgery he had over the summer may be related to his recent injuries on his knee and calf. 

“I think it’s all related,” Simmons said. “When you start talking about back injuries, you start using different muscles; you want to load and lean or whatever it is. I think they all relate in some aspect.”

Moving forward, Simmons plans on being more careful with his minutes. Whether or not he can play both games during back-to-backs is now in question.

“I think we’re definitely going to look at it a lot different,” Simmons said. “I don’t know if it’s measuring minutes, maybe not back-to-backs, whatever it is. I think that’s going to be a joint thing with the training staff and myself and letting them know how I’m feeling.”

So far this year, Simmons is averaging a career-low 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. Brooklyn (13-12) currently sits sixth in the Eastern Conference. If this team looks to reach its full potential down the line, they are definitely going to need Simmons.

The Nets will take on the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday in their next game.

The post Ben Simmons Hopeful to Return On Friday Against the Atlanta Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

Everything is going right for this Sacramento team, and this is something that the franchise has been lacking for 16 long years.

Kings head coach Mike Brown has been the missing leader this organization needed; De’Aaron Fox is quietly making a case for himself as an All-Star this year, Domantas Sabonis has settled in well into this Kings offense since arriving from the Indiana Pacers, Kevin Huerter is shooting lights out, and the rookie Keegan Murray is emerging as a promising young talent. 

On Sunday, when Sacramento defeated the Chicago Bulls 110-101 to win their third consecutive game, seven players for the Kings impressively ended the game, scoring in double-digits. Malik Monk led the way with 20 points. Following the victory, Monk told NBC Sports that the Kings are legit this year.

“We’re legit, man. We’re legit, because [Kings coach] Mike [Brown] is going to push us so hard that we can’t not be legit,” Monk told NBC Sports California’s Kyle Draper and Kenny Thomas on “Kings Postgame Live.” “There’s a lot of stuff that goes into it. We’re a young team and a lot of guys that need to get to the playoffs. A lot of us haven’t been there yet, and we all want the same goal.

Sacramento will look to keep up their winning ways against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.

The post Malik Monk: the Kings Are ‘Legit’ Playoff Contenders This Season appeared first on SLAM.

As this team marches on, Marcus Smart and currently rehabbing Robert Williams are set to rejoin the squad soon after suffering minor setbacks from injury. When the Celtics are at 100%, there’s no telling how far they can go.

In the postgame press conference after the win, Brown told NBC Sports that he envisions Boston returning to the NBA Finals.

“I want to get to the playoffs, and I want to show what I can do there,” said the Celtics star. “I think I could play with the best of them. I know what my capabilities are, but my emphasis right now is on winning games and leading this team back to the Finals. So that’s where my point of emphasis is. Anything else that comes along, whatever — I’m really focused on getting us back to the NBA Finals.”

Boston has significantly improved since losing in the NBA Finals in June. They currently have the best offensive rating in the League at 120.7, according to statmuse.com. New acquisitions like Malcolm Brogdon and Blake Griffin have unlocked another gear for this team.

Grant Williams is one of the League leaders in three-point accuracy, hitting triples at an incredible 46 percent. Last but not least, to put the icing on the cake, Jayson Tatum is playing at an MVP level. He’s averaging 30.7 points and 8.1 rebounds on 48.1 percent shooting, which are all career highs for the 24-year-old. It’s safe to say that the Celtics’ revenge tour is in full effect.

The Celtics will try and repeat the same success they had against the Nets on Monday when they face the Toronto Raptors at 7:30 p.m.

The post Jaylen Brown is Focused on Leading the Boston Celtics Back to the NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

After the loss, Kerr addressed the media about the NBA’s lack of enforcement on travel calls this year.

“I think only based on consistency,” said Kerr on Thursday via 95.7 The Game’s “Damon and Ratto” when asked if travel calls are currently being enforced in the League. “On tape, all seven of ours were definitely travels. There was one on Dallas that I did not think was a travel — But there were also five or six other plays in the game that were definitely travels, including where Luka (Dončić) carries the ball in the post when he’s backing you down, and he puts his hand all the way underneath the ball. That’s a travel, and you’ve got to enforce it all — especially if you’re going to call the one on Steph (Curry) at the end with the game on the line when it’s a tiny little shuffle.”

By all means, the nine-time champ is not disagreeing with travel calls being called more since players are somehow getting away with them nowadays. He is just saying that these rules have to be called both ways during games, and it has to happen with all the other 29 teams in the NBA. Kerr made sure to reiterate this point too.

“You know me; I’m Mr. Travel. I’m all for enforcing traveling,” Kerr pointed out. “But it just has to be done all the time. And it can’t just be sort of selective.”

These comments on there being more balance with which teams are being called out more for travels trace back to what Kerr touched on earlier in November after a game with the Miami Heat. Warriors guard Jordan Poole had more travel calls called on him than the entire Heat team by the final buzzer. 

“Jordan Poole has been called for, I would guess, seven or eight palming violations over the last month since the League decided to really enforce all that stuff,” Kerr said following the Warriors’ loss to Miami on Nov.1. “And if that’s the case, then we’ve got to call it on everybody – And that’s my only beef, is that these things are happening a lot. We got called for a bunch of them. I have no problem with it. Like I said, a rule’s a rule, but let’s just be consistent. That’s all I ask.”

The Warriors will be back in action on Friday in a showdown with the Chicago Bulls.

The post Steve Kerr Frustrated with NBA’s ‘Selective’ Officiating on Travel Calls appeared first on SLAM.

The last time Middleton was on the court, he went down with an MCL sprain during the first round of last year’s playoffs versus the Chicago Bulls. Despite still winning the series, the Bucks would later lose in seven games to the Boston Celtics in the semifinals. Milwaukee missed Middleton’s contributions, and it left many wondering what would have happened if he had been out there.

In response, Milwaukee has bounced back well to start the season. The Bucks are second in the East with a 15-5 record, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing out of his mind, averaging a career-high 31.3 points per on 53.3 percent shooting from the field. 

When Middleton is back, this will certainly make Antetokounmpo’s job easier. He will have less of a scoring load to carry for Milwaukee, thanks to his co-star.

Last season, the 31-year-old averaged 20.1 points and 5.4 assists per game. The offense will significantly improve as well because of Middleton’s ability to play off the ball. Expect Milwaukee’s 17th-ranked 111.2 .offensive rating of to shoot up. Having such a middling offense really highlights this team’s top-ranked defense (106.5 defensive rating) for their early success.

If the Bucks can win their Friday matchup with the Lakers, that will make it four consecutive wins for this team.

The post REPORT: Bucks Star Khris Middleton Set to Return on Friday appeared first on SLAM.

The Greek Freak won the duel by putting his stamp all over the game, scoring 30 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Doncic was left praising the 2021 Finals MVP after the buzzer. 

“It’s hard to go against a guy like that,” Doncic said per CBS Sports. “He’s the best player in the NBA right now. He’s almost impossible to stop. It’s really fun to see him play, but it’s not that fun to go against him — He improves every day. He works really hard, you can see it. He works on everything, he works on his shot, and he’s gotten better at a lot of things. He just gets better every day.”

Antetokounmpo was delighted to hear what Doncic said about him following Milwaukee’s win, and he made sure to let us know what it meant to him coming from one of the game’s best.

“That’s a great compliment, and I appreciate that,” Antetokounmpo said. “When you play against the best players in the League, being able to say something like that feels good. No matter wins or losses, just being respected by your peers, it’s always a good feeling.”

Doncic is putting up insane numbers to kick off the new season. The Mavericks guard is scoring 33.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.4 assists on 50.4 percent accuracy from the field. Despite Dallas getting off to a 9-10 record, there should be no reason why Doncic is not in any MVP conversation.

As for the Bucks star, he is putting together quite a campaign of his own. Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.1 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists on 53.4 shooting from the field. His efforts have his team sitting with a 14-5 record, which is good enough for second in the Eastern Conference.

The post Luka Doncic Says Giannis Antetokounmpo is ‘the Best Player in the World’ appeared first on SLAM.

Paolo’s debut.

27 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST. More on the way. pic.twitter.com/JE76Woc910

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 20, 2022

After missing seven games with a sprained left ankle, Orlando Magic’s first-year sensation Paolo Banchero is inching closer to a return. Banchero injured his ankle on Nov. 7 against the Houston Rockets. On Wednesday, the team was relieved to see their number-one pick come to practice after missing some time. 

gradual improvement @Pp_doesit pic.twitter.com/q0pRzxzjxo

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) November 23, 2022

Before getting hurt, the Magic rookie was the clear favorite for winning Rookie of the Year despite it being too early in the season. Banchero leads all rookies in scoring, averaging 23.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. 

With the first-year forward in the lineup, the Magic have only gone 2-9. Although they have managed to secure a 3-4 record without him, there’s no doubt Orlando could use their rising star right about now. The Magic are only 5-13 on the season and currently sit two games back from the 12th-seeded Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference. This team will need all the help they can get to turn their season around.

According to the Magic, Banchero’s status for Friday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers is up in the air. How he responds to the practice session and treatment will determine whether or not he’ll be ready to suit up.

The post Paolo Banchero Practices for the First Time Since Suffering Ankle Injury appeared first on SLAM.

However, as the Grizzlies prepare to take on the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday at 8:00 P.M, the team listed their All-Star point guard as questionable via NBC Sports. A potential return to the court after missing only one game against the Brooklyn Nets is definitely possible.

For the Grizzlies, there’s no better time to get Morant back than now. The Kings are on a six-game winning streak, and with Memphis still without Desmond Bane, it’s going to take a little more from this team to come out with a win. Bane was averaging 24.7 points with an impressive shooting percentage from three at 45.1 percent.

On the season, the Grizzlies are 10-7, which is good enough for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. These next two games will be important because Memphis has a chance to overtake the fifth seed from Sacramento (9-6). A win on Tuesday for the Grizzlies and a win on Friday versus the New Orleans Pelicans (10-7) will put them in a prime position to do so.

The post Ja Morant Set to Return From His Ankle Injury Sooner Than Expected appeared first on SLAM.

Lillard has already missed five games because of this same injury in his calf. After returning from the injury on Nov. 7 versus the Phoenix Suns, the six-time All-Star first started experiencing tightness in that calf on Saturday, forcing him to leave during the third quarter of the Blazer’s game versus the Utah Jazz. 

“The last time was worse,” Lillard said on his calf, per NBA.com. “When I first strained it, I knew right away. The reason I took myself out is so hopefully, this time, we can get ahead of it instead of me staying out there and putting myself in a worse position.”

In 11 games this season, the 32-year-old is averaging 26.3 points and 7.0 assists per game on 42.2 percent shooting from the field.

Without Lillard this year, the Blazers are 3-2. With him, they are 7-4. Portland has already shown that they can win without their superstar, but doing so again, just like they did in the short time he was out for earlier this season, may not happen again. Nevertheless, this is yet another challenge the Blazers must welcome and attempt to overcome until Lillard returns.

Portland will play the Milwaukee Bucks Monday at 8:00 P.M.

The post REPORT: Damian Lillard Set to Miss 1-2 Weeks with Calf Injury appeared first on SLAM.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Conley will be out for at least two weeks.

Sources: Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley Jr. avoided major injury or ligament damage on the non-contact left knee injury suffered Saturday night. He has a knee strain and is expected to miss at least two weeks.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 20, 2022

If it’s one thing that the Jazz are going to miss with Conley out, it’s definitely going to be his ability to create shots for this young team.

Despite the 35-year-old nearing the end of his magnificent career, it is actually now where he is averaging a career-high in assists with 7.9 dimes a contest, along with 10.2 points. With a record of 12-6, the Jazz does not have a lot of breathing room between them and the Phoenix Suns. The Suns are second in the Western Conference and are only a game behind Utah. 

The situation calls for Jazz guards Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton to step up. Expect the two to have more playmaking responsibilities with Conley out. Clarkson is averaging 18.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.9 rebounds this season. As for Sexton, he’s putting up 13.1 points and 1.9 assists for the campaign.

Next up, the Jazz will be back at it again tonight at 10:30 P.M when they take on the Los Angeles Clippers.

The post REPORT: Mike Conley to Miss at Least Two Weeks with Leg Injury appeared first on SLAM.

The Hornets star was putting the finishing touches to his best game of the season after scoring a season-high 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field and six assists. Ball was forced to go to the locker room before the Hornets ruled him out for the rest of the game and now, more than likely, the next couple of games. It was only his third game back since returning to the court.

Losing the 21-year-old again will only add to Charlotte’s early-season injury woes. Gordan Hayward has missed the last eight games due to a shoulder injury, Dennis Smith Jr. has missed the previous three games because of an ankle sprain, and Cody Martin, who only played for one minute the entire season, is out for four weeks after getting knee surgery.

After losing to the Pacers, Kelly Oubre sounded off on how the team copes with these injuries. The 26-year-old is averaging 18.2 points for the season.

“It’s very tough, but we have to be professionals about it,” said Oubre, per ESPN. “It’s the game of basketball, and those things happen. But people who are suited up and who are healthy enough to go out there, we have to go pick up that slack.”

PJ Washington also chimed in on things, reiterating that the Hornets have to find ways to win games. Charlotte is only 4-12 on the season, which is good for 14th in the Eastern Conference.

“We all know at some point everybody’s going to get back out there, and we can’t wait for it,” Washington said. “But right now, the problem is we’re losing games, so we’ve got to figure it out and start getting some wins.”

The Hornets will aim to turn things around on Friday when they play the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30 P.M.

The post Kelly Oubre and PJ Washington Reflect on Hornet’s Early Season Injury Woes appeared first on SLAM.

The two sides have yet to come up with an agreement, but negotiations may have to pick up soon now that another team has entered the frame. The Lakers’ neighbors, the Los Angeles Clippers, have been rumored to be interested in acquiring Turner as well, according to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus.

Clippers big man Moses Brown is the only pure big man after Ivica Zubac on the Clippers’ roster, but head coach Ty Lue has only gone to him for eight games this season. Instead, Marcus Morris has been the go-to backup center for Zubac so far.

With no depth at the center position and not having the services of Kawhi Leonard for most of the early campaign, Los Angeles has still managed to hold on to a record of 8-6, which is good enough for the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The team’s early woes are starting to show that losing Isaiah Hartenstein in the offseason was huge.

Adding Turner to the mix will work wonders for the Clippers. The Pacers’ big man is averaging 17.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks a game. The move would immediately make this Los Angeles team one of the best defenses in the league when healthy, with Turner playing alongside the likes of Leonard and Paul George. Only time will tell if they are willing to pull the trigger on the pursuit.

Los Angeles will be in action tonight as they take on the Dallas Mavericks at 8:30 P.M.

The post REPORT: Clippers Interested in Trading for Myles Turner appeared first on SLAM.

Syracuse legend and free agent Carmelo Anthony started his legend playing for the Orange and had arguably the best freshman run any college hooper could embark on, averaging 22.2 points and 10 rebounds, and eventually led the school to its first NCAA championship.

Almost 20 years after shocking the college basketball scene, Anthony’s son, Kiyan, received an offer to play for Syracuse.  

Beyond blessed to receive an offer from Syracuse University! #GOORANGE pic.twitter.com/uBMq5Kwdv7

— Kiyan Anthony (@kiyananthony) November 13, 2022

Kiyan is a four-star sophomore playing for Christ The King High School in New York. He already has other offers to play for Memphis, George Mason, Bryant, and Manhattan, per 247sports. The 15-year-old is a shooting guard, unlike his dad who played small forward. Kiyan already ranks amongst the best in his class in the position at No. 14 and No. 62 nationally. 

“I feel like I have made big improvements since EYBL,” the younger Anthony said. “I’ve been In the gym every day working on my body and my jump shot and I’m looking forward to the season. I’m looking forward to show people what I can do on and off the ball. We got a lot of big talent on (Christ the King) and I’m looking forward to playing with these guys.”

In an interview with Dushawn London of 247sports in early October, Kiyan confessed he couldn’t go wrong playing for Syracuse if he chooses to go there.

“Syracuse is a big one for me because of my Dad,” Kiyan said. “He set the foundation over there so I won’t go wrong if I went there. My options are really open though since I’m only a sophomore.”

The post Carmelo Anthony’s Son Kiyan, Received Offer to Play for Syracuse appeared first on SLAM.

On Saturday, Boston defeated the Detroit Pistons 117-108 in a game where the Celtics star seemed almost unstoppable, erupting for 43 points. After the game, when asked whether or not he felt like he was the MVP at this early point of the season, the 24-year-old did not hold back.

“I mean, I think I am,” Tatum told Yahoo Sports. “It’s a long season. Every time I step on the floor, I feel like I’m the best player. But it’s a lot of talented guys in this League – It’s (MVP) measured by team success. We have 69 games left. The key is staying healthy, keep playing the way we’re playing and see what happens.”

Boston is currently second in the Eastern Conference, only trailing Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Tatum is a clear MVP candidate, but if the Celtics can remain one of the top teams in the League as the season goes on, he will have a case to be the clear-cut favorite.

Winning such an accolade has undoubtedly been one of his dreams since he was a kid, he clarified on Saturday; however, the goal of winning a championship is what’s most important to him right now. 

“As a kid, was one of my dreams winning MVP? Sure,” Tatum said. “If it happened, it would be a dream come true. But it wasn’t, like, ‘Come back, win MVP.’ It’s like, ‘Come back, get to the championship.’”

The post Jayson Tatum Says Possibly Winning MVP ‘Would Be A Dream Come True’ appeared first on SLAM.

Coming to NBA arenas this fall, the return of the League’s most terrifying two-way players.

Kawhi and PG cover SLAM 240. https://t.co/aTFojIRsVL pic.twitter.com/NnTVfLdhve

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 17, 2022

Moving forward, Leonard is still set to miss his 10th consecutive game on Saturday versus the Brooklyn Nets, but he is undoubtedly making progress towards a return soon after participating in a 5-on-5 workout on Friday, according to LA Clippers head coach Ty Lue. 

“Not tomorrow,” Lue said of Leonard possibly returning on Saturday, per ESPN. “But it’s gonna take a few more (workout) opportunities to get that in. Then kind of reassess him to see how he’s feeling after we go to medical and just kind of see if we check all the boxes – He played 5-on-5 with some of our guys, some of the players, and some of the coaches. The first time he was able to get on the floor and play 5-on-5, and he looked pretty good. Still have a ways to go, but that was the first sign of positivity of him getting on the floor, playing 5-on-5.”

pic.twitter.com/TV2MFHiLhL

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) October 24, 2022

Without Leonard, Los Angeles is 6-4. Teammate Paul George has been leading the way for the team while averages of 25.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. With George holding it down, for now, fans are left wondering how lethal this squad can be when his co-star returns from injury. The Clippers currently sit as the sixth seed in the West.

The post Kawhi Leonard Progressing Towards Return After 5-on-5 Workout appeared first on SLAM.

Since becoming the last coach to be a part of this feat, Vaughn has been receiving a lot of praise around the league for making this possible. Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers told the media on Wednesday, ​“It’s never been for me how many Black head coaches there are, for me it’s been about Black coaches having the same opportunity as everyone else at becoming head coach. The fact that it’s now 16 only amplifies that – Jacque Vaughn didn’t get the head job because he was Black. He got it because he was the most qualified.”

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff expressed how Vaughn’s hiring has shown growth within the hiring process for Black coaches.

“The most impressive thing about there being 16 Black head coaches in the NBA and the most significant thing is that there is equal opportunity for Black coaches to be head coaches, which hasn’t always been the case,” said Bickerstaff. “Owners and general managers are open-minded enough to see past the exterior and see the real qualifications that make leaders, teachers, and coaches.”

In what is such a momentous time for Black history, players have shown frustration on the matter over past months. Tracing back to June before the NBA Finals started when there were only 15 black head coaches, Celtics star Jaylen Brown told reporters the eventual rise of Black head coaches is related to the “grand scheme of things that kind of goes on in America.” Brown added,”I don’t understand what took so long, to be honest.”

The post Jacque Vaughn’s Promotion to Head Coach Creates NBA History appeared first on SLAM.

“Kevin clearly will have many opportunities to be associated with NBA teams and organizations, staying around the game his whole life,” said Kleiman. “I hope I do as well. And I hope that the business we’re building puts us in a position one day to be able to have an opportunity to buy into an NBA team – I think that at whatever level we were able to do it, being hands-on with an organization is also what’s really appealing. I’d love to be able to operate as a CEO of an NBA organization, and I’m sure Kevin would love to be able to have a hand in building, from a player and operational standpoint, being able to build a roster. But I think that that’s everyone’s dream right now in some capacity in our world.”

Kleiman notably mentioned Dwayne Wade, a part owner of the Utah Jazz, as someone to use as a blueprint for owning an NBA team in the near future with the Nets star. 

“I think if LeBron is able to get into Vegas and then you see D-Wade in Utah, I think that only probably opens up the runway even more so for Kevin having an opportunity to do that,” said Kleiman.

If this can become a reality in the future, there’s no doubt Durant and Kleiman will be ready with the experience they are getting now as part owners elsewhere. The duo currently holds stakes with the Philadelphia Union, a Major League Pickleball team, and NJ/NY Gotham FC.

The post Kevin Durant Wants ‘Opportunity to’ Own An NBA Team with Rich Kleiman appeared first on SLAM.

Jokic stuffed the stat sheet recording his 79th career triple-double with 15 points, 14 assists, and 13 rebounds to lead the Denver Nuggets to victory. He passed the legendary Wilt Chamberlain, who has 78 triple-doubles in his career. 

Congrats to Nikola Jokic of the @nuggets for moving up to 6th on the All-Time TRIPLE-DOUBLES list! pic.twitter.com/njUbjnNYIT

— NBA (@NBA) November 4, 2022

Following the game, Jokic’s teammates got the game ball and signed it to give to him to take home as a souvenir. When commenting on the gesture in the postgame press conference, the Nuggets big man told the media,

“It’s nice because it’s not just my success. I can not do it without my teammates. I just want to remember one day, when I find that ball somewhere in my closet, to see who I played with.”

“It’s just not my success. I cannot do it without my teammates.”

Nikola on breaking Wilt’s record and the game ball pic.twitter.com/dBwSZutnU7

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) November 4, 2022

Jokic now sits sixth on the all-time triple-doubles list, trailing the fifth place LeBron James by 26 triple-doubles.

Denver will be back in action on Saturday when they take on the San Antonio Spurs.

The post Nikola Jokic Becomes the All-Time Leader in Triple-Doubles For Centers appeared first on SLAM.

The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/S7WLKgkOv5

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) November 3, 2022

The Clippers weren’t the only team to get in trouble for doing so recently. The Oklahoma City Thunder ruled out Josh Giddey for their matchup with the Orlando Magic on Tuesday but later listed him as active only moments before the start of the game. Giddey played for 25 minutes to pick up a crucial 116-108 win, recording seven points and 10 assists.

On the season, Giddey is averaging 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game for the Thunder.

The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/M4tZFzDVaW

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) November 3, 2022

The NBA is strict about its policies, especially regarding reporting players’ availability before tip-off. The Thunder failed to do so promptly, while the Pelicans ultimately didn’t list Diabate and Boston Jr. as active in the first place. Disciplinary action had to be taken, and the rest of the League was put on notice just in case they tried to do the same thing further down the line during the campaign.

The post NBA Fines Clippers and Thunder $25K For Violating League Policies appeared first on SLAM.

The Sixers are now left to look elsewhere for more offensive production, and there’s no replacing the Beard. As the team’s primary playmaker, he put up solid numbers of 22.0 points, 10.0 assists, and 7.0 rebounds per contest. 

Joel Embiid will likely take on most of the load with Harden out, although he is still dealing with an illness. Last season, before Ben Simmons was traded, Embiid was putting up MVP numbers and kept the Sixers as contenders in the East before acquiring Harden.

The young and emerging Tyrese Maxey is also a player that will have a more significant role in the absence of Harden, particularly in the playmaking department. He’s averaging a career-best 24.2 points on 51.6 percent shooting. There’s no question he will take care of the playmaking responsibilities for now because he did just that last year when the Sixers still had Simmons.

If one thing is for sure, these next few games are really going to show what this team is made of. 

Philadelphia is currently the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 4-5. Their next game will be against the New York Knicks on Friday.

The post REPORT: James Harden Expected to Miss a Month with Foot Injury appeared first on SLAM.

While Vanderbilt has been productive on the glass and in the scoring department, his versatility and ability to defend multiple positions make Miami interested in the 23-year-old.

“They hoped to get Utah to give up Jarred Vanderbilt—they want defense at that spot,” said the executive to Heavy Sports.” They want to see what they have with guys like Caleb Martin, see how he handles that spot.”

Losing P.J. Tucker during the offseason was a significant loss for the Heat, and not bringing in any critical players on top of that did not help their case either. Tucker’s absence is starting to show after Miami opened up the campaign with a disappointing 2-5 record. 

Adding Vanderbilt to this struggling roster can work wonders, and it may just be what this team is missing. The young forward has even shown signs of his new and improved three-point shot, shooting it at a career-best 42.9 percent. Undoubtedly, he would adapt nicely alongside Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt, which operates mainly in the paint. Nevertheless, the Heat have time to make this call. The NBA trade deadline is on Feb.9.

Miami is back in action on Nov. 1 when they take on the defending champs, the Golden State Warriors.

The post REPORT: Miami Interested in Acquiring Jarred Vanderbilt appeared first on SLAM.

He first injured his shoulder in a game versus the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. Despite still finishing the game with some discomfort, the pain became a lingering problem. Recently, the veteran was not able to practice with the team on Monday because of it. 

In just his short stint with the team, Drummond has already made a big impact in his role off the bench. He’s averaging almost a double-double with nine points and 10.2 rebounds.

The Bulls will take on the Nets on Tuesday at Barclays Center.

The post Andre Drummond Out Against Brooklyn Nets with Left Shoulder Sprain appeared first on SLAM.

The revenue is expected to come from the League becoming more competitive upon the rule going into full effect. This will give each team a hard cap that they can not exceed. Contenders like the Warriors, Clippers, and Nets, who have more than half a billion dollars due in luxury tax, will be directly impacted. Owners believe the spending gap between the smallest and largest markets in the League is unsustainable long-term. 

According to Woj, the National Basketball Players Association has opposed the owner’s proposal of having an “upper spending limit” and called the issue a “non-starter.”  

The CBA currently in place expires after the 2024-25 season. The owners and the players association will make a final decision on Dec. 15, where they can decide to opt-out of CBA in December ’23.

The post REPORT: NBA and NBPA Discussing Creating An ‘Upper Spending Limit’ appeared first on SLAM.

As Boston weathered the storm behind their decision to suspend Udoka for violating team policy, team owner Wyc Grousbeck said that promoting Mazzulla “was never in question.”

“But during those talks, the one part that was never in question was who would step in if it wasn’t going to be Ime,” co-owner Wyc Grousbeck told the Boston Globe. “[Stevens] put his mark on that when he said, ‘I stand by this recommendation and feel extremely strongly about Joe.'”

The 34-year-old is undoubtedly a mastermind at what he does. He went from being a contributor to West Virginia’s 2010 Final Four team and carving out an overseas career to catching the coaching bug while helping other professional players work out. That realization led him to coach at D2 Glenville State, where he constantly studied film and searched for unique strategies and drills.

By 2013, he became an assistant coach at Fairmont State, becoming a player development guy as he designed workouts programs for each player in the program. Mazzulla then became an assistant on the Boston G League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, where he caught the eye of former team executive Danny Ainge. After one season, he returned to Fairmont as their head coach from 2017-2019.

“Some coaches know X’s and O’s, and some are really good with building relationships, but very few can do both,” former Red Claws head coach Scott Morrison said. “Joe showed he could do both right out of the gate.”

As the leader of Fairmont, Mazzulla became legendary for his long hours watching game film, his knowledge of the college basketball rulebook, and for holding himself accountable and putting himself through a military-style workout for being one minute late to a workout. That obsessiveness led to Stevens hiring him as an assistant in 2019.

“We always knew Joe was too good to be at a Division 2 college,” former Fairmont forward Vince Franklin said. “His brain was just working way too much for that.”

When Ime Udoka was suspended for the 2022-23 season, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens wasted no time promoting Mazzulla to interim coach. As Boston figured out what they would do regarding Udoka, team owner Wyc Grousbeck said that promoting Mazzula “was never in question.” That confidence in Mazzulla came from Stevens witnessing Mazzulla’s competitive fire, basketball resume, and maniacal preparation

“He just told me he believed in me and that I was ready,” Mazzulla said. “And I just said, ‘Let’s do it.’

The Celtics, who are 3-1 on the season, are back in action on Friday when they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden.

The post Celtics Owner Wyc Grousbeck: Hiring Interim Coach Joe Mazzulla ‘Was Never in Question’ appeared first on SLAM.

The 76ers picked up their first win of the season after beating the Pacers 120-106 on Monday due to a herculean effort from Harden. The ten-time All-Star dropped 29 points, dished out 11 assists, and grabbed nine rebounds in the game. Joel Embiid was left praising Harden upon the final buzzer.

“He’s been doing great,” said Embiid. “I’m happy for him, and we’re gonna need it. We’re gonna need him to be confident and really feel himself, and he’s been doing it. So now we just got to get everybody playing at the same level so we can win games.”  

29 PTS | 11 AST | 9 REB

Alexa, play Jimmy Cooks

presented by @PALottery pic.twitter.com/5X7o8Pd3BY

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 25, 2022

With the performances Harden has been putting on, The Beards showing shades of his MVP form. In four games so far, the Beard is averaging 26.8 points, 9.8 assists, and 8.5 rebounds. 

Embiid understands how much work the 33-year-old put in during the summer to reach this point. In fact, it was the Sixers’ big man who told reporters that the Philly version of Harden wasn’t the Houston version after the 76ers got eliminated by the Miami Heat in the playoffs last year.

“I am sure since we got him, everybody expected the Houston James Harden,” said Embiid following a loss to the Miami Heat in Game 6. “But that’s not who he is anymore. He is more of a playmaker.”

Game Highlights vs. Pacers | 10.24.22

pres. by @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/wJc8If2hHb

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 25, 2022

With Harden’s scoring numbers up, it’s going to be interesting to see if the team shifts scoring options between him and Embiid as the go-to scorer moving forward. Philadelphia will play the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.

The post Joel Embiid ‘Happy’ for James Harden Amidst His Hot Scoring Start appeared first on SLAM.

Since getting drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 2017 as the fifth pick, the franchise has not made the playoffs. This year, Fox wants to be at the forefront of getting them there. The Kings reshaped their roster for the second half of last season when they acquired two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, and Justin Holiday from the Indiana Pacers.

Sacramento traded Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson in return.

On Draymond Green’s podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” Fox admitted that the trade shocked him. As the primary point guard for the franchise, the 24-year-old felt that the trade sent an important message to him from the organization.

“For me, it’s like yo, they believe in me,” said Fox. “But two, it’s like motherf*****, we just traded somebody who could be a franchise point guard either here or somewhere else. So, you better get on your s***; you better start winning.“

The King guard is fresh off scoring 33 points in a 108-115 defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers and understands that there will be added pressure for him in this campaign.

“Does it add pressure? Yeah, a little bit,” said Fox. But, at the end of the day, I’ve been trying to get us in the playoffs for years, so it’s a little added pressure. It ain’t hurt anybody.”

Fortunately for Sacramento, they acquired Malik Monk after a solid season with the Los Angeles Lakers during the offseason. He averaged a career-high 13.8 points on 47.3 percent shooting from the field.

The move reunites Fox and Monk for the first time backcourt pair played together at Kentucky before making it to the NBA. The question is, will these moves by the Kings in the past year pay off and earn them a trip to the playoffs?

Sacramento will suit up on Saturday to play the Los Angeles Clippers in hopes of the team’s first win of the season.

The post De’Aaron Fox on the Kings Trading Tyrese Haliburton: ‘They Believe in Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

Right off the bat, Coach Steve Kerr has decided to put four-time champions Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on minute restrictions to start the campaign for conditioning. In the team’s season opener versus the Los Angeles Lakers, Thompson played only 20 minutes, while Green finished at 25.

Kerr told reporters that the two veterans’ that he thinks their minute restrictions will be lifted slowly to their normal regular season minute level in a “couple of weeks.” 

Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins will be expected to step up during the process. In fact, they did exactly that on Tuesday. Poole dropped 12 points and seven assists in 28 minutes, while Wiggins scored 20 points in 29 minutes.

The Warriors will take on the Nuggets on Friday for their second game of the season. Perhaps Thompson and Green will see a slight increase in their playing time then.

The post Steve Kerr Expects to Lift Klay Thompson and Draymond Green’s Minute Restriction Soon appeared first on SLAM.

Dallas big man Christian Wood blamed his poor free-throw shooting in the season opener for costing the Mavs the game. He went 3-of-10 from the stripe. However, this didn’t reflect on his shooting efficiency; Wood took 15 shots and only missed six, finishing the night shooting 60 percent from the field.

When addressing his free-throw struggles after the game, the 27-year-old admitted that he just wants to be better and admits that what happened was “inexcusable.”

“It’s just getting the jitters out,” said Wood. “Just attack it. Try to be better next time. You’ve got to take it day by day.”

Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who finished the contest with 35 points and nine rebounds, did not seem concerned about the issue.

“I went through it a lot,” Doncic told Wood. “And probably will go again – hopefully not.”

Cleverly, Doncic knocked on Wood’s head to not jinx himself.

Dallas will play their next game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday in the home opener. 

The post Luka Doncic Gives Christian Wood Some Advice on Free-Throw Shooting After Suns Loss appeared first on SLAM.

The Detroit Pistons are likely to waive four-time All-Star Kemba Walker before Monday’s deadline to set regular season roster, sources tell me and @JLEdwardsIII. The move will bring Detroit’s roster to 15 guaranteed spots.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 14, 2022

This was expected to happen sooner or later. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Walker and the Pistons began negotiating a buyout deal immediately after getting traded. 

In 37 games for the Knicks last year, the four-time All-Star guard averaged 11.6 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.0 rebounds on 40.3 percent shooting from the field. Although these were decent numbers, New York Coach Tom Thibodeau took Walker out of the rotation, although he ultimately re-inserted him while the Knicks fought through a COVID outbreak. The Knicks and Walker agreed to sideline the former UConn guard for the year.

The 32-year-old still believes he has a lot more left in the tank, but no team has reached out to him yet.

“As far as closing my career, I’ve got a few more years left, in my opinion,” said Walker in a recent interview with the Boston Globe. “We’ll see. I’m just waiting. (Nobody’s) reached out to me. I’m just waiting.”

Once waivers are cleared, Cardiac Kemba will be a free agent as teams begin finalizing their rosters, with the regular season rapidly approaching next week.

The post REPORT: Detroit Pistons Expected to Waive Kemba Walker appeared first on SLAM.

A change in putting Anthony Davis as the primary center for the team may be what is needed. In his three preseason games, Davis has averaged 19.3 points per game, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game on 52.6 percent shooting from the field. He spent some of his time in these games playing at the five, although his preferred position is at the four.

On Tuesday, Coach Darvin Ham told the media that he is seriously considering starting Davis at center moving forward after practice. Following Los Angeles’ loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, the Lakers big man expressed his thoughts on the idea.

“It is what it is,” said Davis. “At the end of the day, we’re trying to win basketball games, and if that is the best situation for us to win basketball games, then that’s what we’ll look at. Me and coach had a conversation about four or five, a couple conversations doing practices and things like that. I think he’s still trying to figure out the rotations as well, and right now, it looks good when I’m at the five — If I have to play the five, it’s totally fine. I don’t care.” 

Even though the 29-year-old is willing to do what the team needs to win basketball games, he made it known shortly after that the Lakers’ head coach knows what position he prefers to play.

“I’m pretty sure he heard, ‘AD wants to play the four,’ so he knows where I stand.”

The Lakers will conclude their preseason tour on Friday against the Sacramento Kings.

The post Anthony Davis on Starting At Center: ‘if I Have to Play the Five, it’s Totally Fine’ appeared first on SLAM.

In his first preseason game with the team versus the Charlotte Hornets, the veteran notched seven points and nine rebounds in sixteen minutes. With Robert Williams still out due to a knee injury, Griffin should see the court a lot despite just recently arriving.

According to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, the veteran praised the maturity of this Celtics squad and pointed out similarities of this team to his old Clippers team. Or shall we say, “Lob City.”

“The intensity in those (preseason) games and in practice and shootaround has been something I haven’t seen in a while,” said Griffin. “Probably since my Clipper days when we were really making a run for it. The maturity of this team, and some of us sat down in the meal room for probably 2½ hours and just talked, and more and more people came, and it was a group of like 10 of us.”

It should be no surprise how hungry the Celtics must be after making it all the way to the NBA Finals last season, but falling short to the Golden State Warriors in six games. To Griffin, this team is very ready.

“That’s something you don’t really see a lot, as well, on teams that I’ve been on,” said the veteran, throwing a little shade on the other teams he’s played for. “From those aspects, this team is very ready. We still have work to do like everybody else, but I’ve been impressed by where they’re at as a team.”

This team knows they have what it takes to get there again. Perhaps Griffin’s experience can propel Boston to the same feats this season and maybe beyond.

The post Blake Griffin Compares ‘Intensity’ of Boston to ‘Lob City’ Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

The 21-year-old still found it in him to shoot the two free throws that followed this play after clearly being fouled. Ball would then immediately check out the game and head to the locker room. 

After getting an MRI today on that ankle, the results came in as a Grade 2 ankle sprain per Shams Charania of the Athletic. Ball will miss the start of the regular season as he heals. 

Charlotte Coach Steve Clifford announced Terry Rozier would start at point guard for the team while Ball recovers.

“Terry was the starting point guard on a team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals. It’s a role he is comfortable with, and if that ends up being the situation, that is how we will do it.”

Clifford also hinted at Dennis Smith Jr. getting more playing time. When the Hornets coach spoke to Ball about rehab, he could see his frustration and disappointment.

“We talked about whatever the plan is; you have to be on the rehab,” Clifford said. “The better you are with it, the quicker you will get back. He was disappointed but very upbeat. It’s just part of the NBA.”

Charlotte will play their season opener on Oct. 18 against the San Antonio Spurs.

The post REPORT: LaMelo Ball Set to Miss Start of the Season Due to Ankle Injury appeared first on SLAM.

Daniels committed a foul on Spurs forward Doug Mcdermott in the first quarter and came out favoring his right ankle, the same ankle he injured during the Summer League. The previous injury forced the Pelicans to rule him out for the remainder of the tournament to avoid any chance of further damaging his ankle.

When Daniels reaggravated that ankle on Sunday, he immediately checked out and was eventually ruled out for the rest of the game. Pelicans head coach Willie Green addressed the matter to the media following his team’s win. 

“No updates right now. As far as we know he sprained his ankle. We’ll know when we get back home – We’re hopeful we can get all our guys healthy for one preseason game; we’ll see. We don’t want to rush into that.”

The rookie was showing early promise, scoring 16 points in the Pelicans’ first preseason game against the Chicago Bulls and following that up with six points versus the Detroit Pistons. His defense shined in those two games, as expected too.

New Orleans is hoping this is just a sprained ankle and nothing more. The Pelicans are looking to get all their players on the court before the regular season commences. Unlike the Summer League, the organization will not look to rest Daniels unless it’s necessary because this is when they will need him the most.

The post Dyson Daniels Reaggravates Ankle Injury From Summer League appeared first on SLAM.

Eastern Conference contender emerges as interested suitor for Suns’ Jae Crowder: pic.twitter.com/oxw12tvnUt

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 10, 2022

The former second-round draft pick has solidified himself as a premier defender that could stretch the floor offensively. Crowder is the type of modern-day 3-and-D player any team finds value in. It’s no wonder the Hawks aren’t the only team interested in the 32-year-old.

Trade rumors surrounding Crowder came after multiple reports revealed Phoenix was shopping the veteran during the offseason; Crowder went to Twitter to express how he felt.

ONE MUST SEEK WORK WHERE HE IS WANTED.. WHERE HE IS NEEDED.! I AM THANKFUL FOR WHAT THESE PAST 2 YRS HAVE TAUGHT ME.! NOW I MUST TAKE ON ANOTHER CHALLENGE WITH CONTINUED HARDWORK & DEDICATION.! FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CLOSED THE DOOR ON ME…. THANK YOU! 99 BACK SOON.!

— JAE CROWDER (@CJC9BOSS) September 25, 2022

He made it known that not only would he not be at training camp, but Crowder would also like to play for a team where he is wanted. Since tweeting this out, Crowder has not been seen at training camp or preseason. The organization is on the same page as the veteran as they try and find a resolution for his future.

Cam Johnson is set to replace Crowder in the Suns’ starting lineup going into the new campaign. If the trade goes through, it will be interesting to see how the veteran will fare, teaming up with the latest Big Three of Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and John Collins.

The post REPORT: Hawks Emerge as Potential Suitor for Jae Crowder appeared first on SLAM.

What the 37-year-old was referring to was what he has been foreshadowing since June on an episode of The Shop: James wants to own an NBA team in Sin City. 

Silver has previously touched on the League expanding in the near future.  “At some point, this League invariably will expand, but it’s not at this moment that we are discussing it,” said the commissioner in June. “Las Vegas, where we will be at our Summer League in July, has shown itself to be a great sports market as well.”

Following the game on Wednesday, James declared Vegas as having the best fanbase in the world. 

“It’s the best fanbase in the world,” said the Lakers star. “I would love to bring a team here at some point. That would be amazing.”

The Lakers will open up their season on Oct.18 against the Golden State Warriors.

The post LeBron James ‘Wants the Teams in Vegas’ When the NBA Expands appeared first on SLAM.

With Father Time catching up, no one knows how long the four-time NBA champion can carry the load for the Lakers. In fact, The King made it known not long ago that he is ready to take a backseat.

In 2017, he was ready to “give the keys” to his former teammate Kyrie Irving when they played against the Cleveland Cavaliers. When things didn’t end up working out, James made his way to LA, where you can now see him having that same trust in his current teammate Davis.

AD recently told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that the future Hall of Famer has been “in his ear about taking over the reins of the team.” The 29-year-old is most certainly capable of doing so. It’s all about staying healthy and getting his three-point shot back to its standard form. As a career 30.3 percent shooter from behind the arc, Davis shot the deep ball at 18.6 percent last season.

With these hurdles standing in the way of the former NBA champion, he has accepted the challenge.

“I’m excited for this challenge and what’s ahead,” said Davis. “I think we have a great group of guys to get the job done. It’s now about putting in the work – I went into this summer focusing on strengthening my body. I have to be on the court and at my best to put us in position to be our best. I’m ready to do that.”

The Lakers will open up their season on Oct.18 versus the Golden State Warriors.

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The gritty Memphis Grizzlies awaited them in the playoffs as their first-round opponent. It seemed like the two teams were evenly matched after the first four games; however, the Grizzlies came through when it mattered to close out the series.

In that same postseason, the Timberwolves struggled to close out games. Notably, in Game 3 in their series versus the Grizzlies, Minnesota scored only 12 points in the final period when entering the quarter with a 16-point lead. Memphis would go on to win by nine points to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

To add insult to injury, with the series tied 2-2, the Timberwolves went into the fourth quarter of Game 5 with an 11-point lead. This time though, they lost by two. The Grizzlies would take a commanding 3-2 lead in the series, and the momentum carried over to Game 6, where they would seal the deal and eliminate Minnesota. Anthony Edwards used the playoff loss as motivation.

“I took it personal with myself on just being better, being able to hit those shots in the clutch,” said Edwards.

In fact, according to The Athletic, Edwards also put on 11 pounds of muscle during the offseason.

“I feel like I’m in better shape, more than anything,” said the 21-year-old.” That’s going to take everything to the next level.”

Fortunately for Minnesota, reinforcements are on the way. Recently acquired two-way star Rudy Gobert has joined the party. The French big man is eager to start the season with his new team and made that known on Media Day.

“I got a few days before I came here just to settle down, relax,” Gobert said on Media Day. “I think the excitement just takes over, and I’m just really, really excited about this new season – I’m lucky to be surrounded by a group of guys that can really accomplish anything. It’s about building the right habits and just keep learning, keep getting better every day. I think the sky’s the limit for this group.”

The four-time All-Star will be joining three-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns in the frontcourt, forming what is quite possibly the most formidable frontcourt duo in the league. Gobert believes that because of this, he can now show off his passing ability.

“I’ve always loved to play with another dominant big,” said Gobert. “I’ve always thought that I could pass.”

As for the other reinforcements, Minnesota is loaded. They will be welcoming the versatile Kyle Anderson, veteran guard Austin Rivers, sharpshooter Bryn Forbes and Eric Paschall. Who, of course, has yet to reach his peak. The future is indeed bright for the Timberwolves.

Minnesota will begin the season with a matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct.19. 

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Miami is headed for another season of action as a top contender to come out of the Eastern Conference and is looking to push one of their stars Bam Adebayo, to have an increased scoring role. Doing so can take the team over the hump.

Last year, Adebayo only averaged 13.7 shot attempts a game. For someone that shoots it at 55.7 percent, the expectation is that more volume will cede more outstanding production. Even Butler chimed in about this push on Media Day.

“We know he knows we want him to score more; we want him to be aggressive. He can do it, and he’s going to — He always is and always will be the engine, the key part on both ends of the floor. So we’re going where Bam takes us.”

Adebayo understands that the team wants him to score more, so he is setting a new goal for himself going into the 2022-23 campaign. On Media Day, the Heat star revealed that he wants to average close to 18 shot attempts per game.

“I’m going to try to get it up this year,” said Adebayo. “I feel like we’re a lot better team when I’m scoring the basketball.”

If the Heat star can remain efficient with that many shot attempts this season, we are potentially looking at an early MIP candidate.

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Sixers star Joel Embiid had an MVP-worthy campaign. Tyrese Maxey had his breakout season. James Harden was brought into the mix on the trade deadline, giving the team a much-needed go-to scoring option to pair alongside Embiid, which can also facilitate. Although this seemed promising enough to go all the way, some pieces of the puzzle had to be filled.

A busy offseason for the organization led to Philadelphia bringing in players like former Sixth Man of the Year winner Montrezl Harrell, sharpshooter Danuel House, and veteran PJ Tucker. The acquisition of Tucker reunites him with Harden. The two had a lethal on-court connection back on the Houston Rockets, where they played four seasons together.

The grit that Tucker provides is something that every team needs. He will harass you on defense. He can stretch the floor. He will even trash-talk you the whole game. Since leaving the Rockets, the veteran played a crucial role for the Milwaukee Bucks on their way to winning a championship in 2021 and the Miami Heat last season when they made it to the Eastern Conference Finals as the first seed. 

On Media Day, Embiid declared Tucker as one of the X-Factors for the Heat in their series against Philadelphia in last year’s playoffs. 

“Obviously, playing against PJ, I thought if you don’t wanna mention Jimmy (Butler), I thought PJ was one of the X-Factors that really had a big impact for them against us. Obviously, Daryl (Morey) went out and did his job.”

As for Tucker’s former teammate and, of course, current teammate, Harden, believes having the veteran on the team this year is significant.

“I feel like we got the right pieces we need on both ends of the ball to make us a legit contender and be the last team standing,” said Harden during Media Day.

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At that moment, the 33-year-old admitted that he had some uncertainty with the team last year. To Durant, the franchise’s direction was going away from a championship culture, which is important to be a part of at this late stage of his career.

“As the season went on, you seen what happened with our season,” said Durant on Media Day. “Guys in and out the lineup. Injuries — just a lot of uncertainty, which built some doubt in my mind about the next four years of my career. I mean, I’m getting older. I want to be a place that’s stable and trying to build a championship culture. I had some doubts about that. I voiced them to Joe (Tsai).”

“There was a lot of uncertainty around our team last year… We came to a mutual agreement that we should keep moving forward.”

-Kevin Durant on his offseason with the Nets. #NBAMediaDay pic.twitter.com/dlYEGmeoPP

— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 26, 2022

A change of scenery seemed like the only thing that could have done the 2014 NBA MVP justice. Teams such as the Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, and even the Golden State Warriors were rumored as possible destinations for Durant. To the relief of many Brooklyn fans, the sweepstakes for the Nets star ended in late August after a meeting between Durant and the front office. 

After the meeting, both sides agreed to move forward, and Durant emphasized this on Media Day. When asked if he was surprised to be a Net going into the season, the twelve-time All-Star said he wasn’t because the Nets know how valuable he is.

“Nah, I mean … I know I’m that good that you just not going to give me away. That’s one thing that I did appreciate about Sean (Marks) and Joe (Tsai). It’s like, ‘You’re too great for us to give you away. Just that easy and that simple.’ I get that. I know who I am.”

KD and the Nets begin the season with a matchup against the Pelicans on Oct. 19.

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On the latest update for the Memphis product, things are looking solid. In fact, he’s spent the past couple of weeks playing pickup games, according to Coach Steve Kerr.

“He’s healthy,” Kerr said. He’s played in a ton of pickup games in our building – I think he’s got a lot of confidence in that knee now. That’s the first step. The next step is finding his role within this team.”   

The 21-year-old has still not scratched the surface of his potential. There’s a reason why he was selected with the second pick of the 2020 NBA Draft. When Wiseman played at Memphis, he averaged 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game on an impressive 76.9 percent shooting from the field. This translated well in his rookie season when he averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds on 51.9 percent shooting. 

With Wiseman rejoining a team that just won the championship in June, carving out a role with the Warriors will be an exciting development. Wiseman is a part of the developmental core that the Warriors have chosen to pair with their “foundational six.” The Memphis products’ two-way skillset and ability to stretch the court opens another dimension for the Warriors on both ends of the court.

Training camp and the regular-season are around the corner, and with these significant developments coming out about Wiseman, it’s time to get excited about what the third-year big man has in store for this upcoming season.

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Coach Becky Hammon had a dominant showing as a rookie head coach, winning 2022 Coach of the Year as a result of her banner year. 

Chelsea Gray won Finals MVP after averaging 18.3 points and 6.0 assists per game on 45 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Duke alum dropped a game-high 20 points, five rebounds, and six assists on 9-13 shooting from the field on Sunday, Game 4, to beat the Connecticut Sun.

The series-clinching win helped Las Vegas become the first team since the Washington Mystics in 2019 to have two different players winning the regular season and Finals MVP in the same season.

Gray joined her fellow teammate, A’ja Wilson, in doing so. Wilson took home League MVP after averaging 19.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game on 50.1 percent shooting from the field and 37.3 percent from beyond the arc.

As for Kelsey Plum, she brought home some silverware of her own after her dazzling performance at the WNBA All-Star Game, dropping an All-Star Game record 30 points to take home the All-Star game MVP. 

The three joined Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, and Tina Thompson from the 2000 Houston Comets team that won the three awards in the same season. Swoopes won League MVP, Cooper won Finals MVP, and Thompson took home All-Star Game MVP.

When you have players capable of being awarded any MVP honor, it is bound to be a recipe for disaster. Although Gray was not selected as an All-Star or All-WNBA team selection, her ability to step up in big moments is what separates her from other stars in the league. The Aces guard proved that on the biggest stage of them all, winning her second championship. 

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In May, Plum and Brady first met when the football star attended a game in Sin City between the Sun and the Aces. Plum’s squad also took the victory that day, and Plum showed out, scoring 18 points while dropping seven dimes. When the Aces star saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers veteran in the stands after the game, she came over to introduce herself. 

“Man, you’re a dog; I love you,” said Plum.

The Aces guard then began barking at him. Brady matched her energy and screamed, “Yeah!”  

“We connected,” said Plum.

you just can’t not love @Kelseyplum10 and this team #LVAces #WNBATwitter https://t.co/gqP15bSQqt pic.twitter.com/0TOVTHcf7m

— desiree (@desireexcamacho) June 1, 2022

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“Just being able to get “insight, see how other franchises and organizations do things,” said Stewart about undergoing free agency during her exit interview following the Storm’s Game 4 loss to the Aces. “Obviously, with Sue coming back, it was very sure that I was coming back to Seattle, but still able to test the waters, and I will do that again.”

There’s still hope that Stewart will return to the Seattle next season. In her exit interview, the two-time champion expressed how much she loved playing with fellow teammate Jewell Loyd.

“She’s someone that I really love playing with,” Stewart said. “Just thinking about where we started when we were 14, 15 to where we are now, it definitely makes you think about how exciting we can continue to be as we are entering our primes, in our prime. It’s a duo that’s tough to stop.”

Until she decides, the three-time All-Star will be heading to Australia to play for Team USA in the 2022 Women’s FIBA World Cup. A training camp for the Red, White, and Blue wrapped up on September 12, lasting a total of six days. With the team making their way to Australia, they will be training until the commencement of the tournament.

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Aces Coach Becky Hammon understands how serious of a time it is with the Finals still underway; however, she does not want everything to be just about winning. When talking about Colson and Plaisance, she makes sure to emphasize this.

“They’re super fun in general. They’re fun people, but I respect their professionalism because when it’s time to get down to business, they’re locked in, ready to go, those two. It takes a special kind of person to be able to flip that switch. Not everybody can do it, but those two, and I’ve said it before, this is our job, and we’re in it to win it, but also we play basketball. There’s more important things going on in the world than us putting a ball in the hoop.”

Colson also chimed in on her bench antics. She wants fans to know that she wants to be the one to use humor to relieve some of the pressure the team has in being in such a position. 

“I try to bring levity to situations. When it’s a moment when maybe it’s supposed to be really serious, but it doesn’t help to be so tight. Loosen up a little. It’s not the end of the world,” Colson said. “We have to be locked in for finals. There’s a level of seriousness and a level of focus that you have to have, but you should also be in the moment enough to know I got to have fun with this.”

Colson is known as the class clown of the WNBA, going viral on several occasions while filming her teammates or just being herself while she tweets.

The Aces will need Colson and Plaisance to keep the mood light as they look to take a 2-0 series lead over Connecticut following Tuesday’s Game 2 contest.

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Anthony, who played last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, averaged 13.3 points per game on 44.1 percent shooting from the field. The ten-time NBA All-Star has been linked to multiple teams in the past few weeks, like the Brooklyn Nets and the Denver Nuggets. Melo was recently linked to the Boston Celtics after Danilo Gallinari suffered a Torn ACL. 

One of Melo's filthier go-to moves back when he was in Denver SHEESH #STAYME7O pic.twitter.com/PlO0XQldf5

— CTRL the Narrative (@ctrlnarrative) September 12, 2022

According to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, the possibility of the Celtics signing the veteran is gaining “traction.” The Brooklyn Nets have also been a potential suitor. In fact, Kevin Durant has wanted Anthony to be a Net for quite some time now. As hinted by Brian Lewis of the New York Post, “If they (Nets) wanted to appease Durant, they could bring in Carmelo Anthony, a move he’s wanted them to make.”

Howard is another player who has made a name for himself in the NBA that remains a free agent. Howard, similar to Anthony, played for the Lakers last season. He averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game on a stellar 61.2 percent shooting from the field. The veteran is still a great addition to have for teams around the association, particularly ones that are looking for a rim protector. 

The former Defensive Player of the Year told Bally Sports’ Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson that he would be interested in joining the Brooklyn Nets, a team in need of more size at the center position.

Dwight Howard’s name has been mentioned in blogs recently as a potential Brooklyn Nets off-season signee.

I asked him if he had any interest in the Nets. His response to @BallySports was: “Yes I am.”

“Would love that.”

Howard’s an NBA Champ & an eight time All-Star. pic.twitter.com/OV0VelA5Nq

— Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) July 27, 2022

Griffin, a six-time NBA All-Star, also finds himself without a team with a new NBA season a month away. The 33-year-old played for the Brooklyn Nets last year and averaged a career-low of 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game on 42.5 percent shooting. Griffin also played a career low of 17.1 minutes per game.

The chances of the former Oklahoma Sooner returning to the Nets is unlikely, but being a solid piece off the bench for another squad is something that can be seen in Griffin’s future.

Training camp is set to begin on Sept 24.

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The four-time NBA champ won three Big 10 titles with Michigan State and led the Spartans to two Final Four trips. Green’s efforts for the program were recently recognized after MSU notified him would be inducting him into the Athletics Hall of Fame. Upon finding out the news, the former Spartan was in complete shock.

“Absolutely insane,” said Green on his podcast “The Draymond Green Show. “Hall of Fame? That’s forever. We won’t be here forever. We’ll leave, we’ll leave this world. But that’s a forever thing as long as this world is here — As a kid that went to Michigan State, everybody told me I was dumb for going there. That I would never play there, well, I’m going to the Hall of Fame.”

It’s official

Draymond Green is the newest addition to the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/71pY5FoXwO

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) September 9, 2022

Green, along with the other members of the Michigan State Hall of Fame Class of 2022, was acknowledged at halftime for their legendary contributions during halftime of the Spartans’ 52-0 win over Akron.

Moments of work, for a lifetime of memories @united || Champions Tour pic.twitter.com/uVM9zL9xa4

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) September 10, 2022

Green was inducted into the Hall of Fame over the weekend. The Warriors start their title defense against the Lakers on Oct. 18.

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