There’s his team, the Sacramento Kings. He’s their clutch architect, entrusted with the responsibility of winning close games. He’s so nice with that part. So nice that he was fifth in total clutch points scored last season and third in most clutch field goals made, too. 

He’s the Kings’ offensive foundation in all the other moments of the game. He breaks defensive walls with speed that scares. Got defenders looking like the Popeyes lady. They can’t catch him or their breath. He makes dudes in their mid-20s look like grey beards at the barber shop, the ones talking about how nice they used to be. But he’s really that nice. 

He’s got five straight seasons of 20-plus points per game to his name. And with how he’s stacked the improvement of his career, the numbers don’t illustrate the way he’s pieced everything together. 

Bop, bop–quick cross. He’s found space. Lots of it. Could be a faster-than-light pull from the midrange. Defender won’t even get their hand up. That kind of speed. Could be a left-handed smash at the rim over a skyscraper. One of those dunks where his legs kick back behind him. Something to see the Flow outsole real good. Could be a dish to one of the many shooters that now call Sacramento home. Could be a drop-off to the big. But it will be a bucket. And it will be rapid. 

Alright, offense orchestrated. Time for defense. The kind of defense that some coach in the middle of the country is gonna show their star player. “See, see, this is that desire,” he’s gonna say. “You play like this? You play like this? You’re gonna make it.” He’s gonna almost plead with the kid. He’s gonna show Fox picking up three-quarter court, sitting on the point guard’s strong hand. When that point guard does a lazy spin move to try and get back to his dominant side, Fox will pick him on the turn. Boom. Bye bye. Another bucket. 

That’s the way Fox has been upping his game. He’s got the Kings in prime position to scare the daylights out of the West. 

But it’s the night lights that are coming to define this All-Star. There’s the beam. It gets lit every time the Kings win a game. It rises high through the Sacramento sky, a vertical line of purple, built as a warning shot.

Not night lights of the city, though. Nah, not those kinds that are made for social outings. He intimately knows the night lights of weight rooms, of empty gyms, of phone screens. After the workouts that nobody sees, Fox has been building something else. He’s been working on the Fox 1 by Curry Brand. 

Now all those texts messages, emails and FaceTimes back and forth with Ed Wallace, Senior Designer at Curry Brand and Under Armour, have been realized in a physical product. 

The Fox 1 by Curry Brand is here.

A Friday under the daylight of Rancho Cordova, CA, is where all the time under the night lights pays off. Fox, along with his wife Recee and their daughter Poppy, saunters into the athletic facility where we’ve set up our cameras. Fox gets his hair cut by Kevin McClain of Skills Barbershop. Recee eats some lunch. And three colorways of the Fox 1 are waiting for all of us. 

The “Happy Fox Day” is a blue/orange joint inspired by one of Fox’s favorite Christmas movies, Jingle Jangle. The purple/green “Light the Beam” is an homage to the aforementioned winning signal that shines over Sac-Town. 

No. 5’s favorite edition of the trio we have here on set is the “Happy Fox Day Alt.” It’s a green option, also inspired by that same movie. Green is the lefty’s favorite color and it induces a vocal reaction from him when he sees it. 

Slowly, without even realizing it, Fox has been working on a database of colorway ideas. He loves video games, he loves anime and he loves his kids. Those are just the foundations for what we’ll see on the Fox 1. 

“Ed would come to me and ask, you know, five, six, seven different questions and then you give him an answer and I’m thinking, I don’t know what the hell he’s gonna do with that answer,” Fox says. “Then he comes back with, like, 75 different concepts of the 10 things that you might have told him. So just how the creative people are behind the scenes, just having him take those words, come back, you know, a week or two later and putting them on a paper and then asking, you know, Which ones do you like? That process was crazy.”

Wallace heard a lot about Dragon Ball Z and Avatar in his early conversations with Fox. They started to make him PEs of the Curry 1, Curry 2 and the Curry 4 that were callouts to some of his interests, including one for his son, Reign. But as Wallace got to work on the signature, things took an unexpected turn. 

“I started looking at more animals, like foxes,” he says. “Normally I wouldn’t have a reason to do that. It’s just something I thought about. Like, This can be cool to put a little fur up there [on the tongue] and having a strap as I was thinking about speed and brought that to a point [where] I was like, I can make this look like a little fox tail. So those were the things I never explored before.” 

The Fox 1’s defining design piece is the midfoot strap. Each of these different colorways has a different visual across the strap. It’s something De’Aaron had always wanted, ever since he was playing in Under Armour silhouettes as a middle schooler. 

“A big thing for me was having a strap,” Fox says. “One of my favorite shoes to play in growing up was the Bloodlines with Brandon Jennings. That and the Black Ices. The Black Ices also had a strap, too. Those were kind of the concepts that I thought about. I didn’t know what the strap would look like exactly, but when going through the process, I’m like, That’s a big thing for me.” 

Wallace, who is also the lead designer on the Curry line, said that he initially sat down with Fox at a photo shoot for the Curry 11. Fox mentioned then that he wanted a strap. Wallace ended up with a fixed strap and a two-mesh upper, along with no-sew wrapping near the toe area and a heel overlay that provides support under the heel. The traction is powered by Flow, the mainstay cushioning for No. 30 since the Curry 8. Curry Brand’s innovators found out how to remove rubber from their products, resulting in premium grip on the outsole. The Brand’s namesake is always heavily involved in the sneaker creation process. But he wasn’t for this one and it resulted in an amazing memory. 

“When we were in China actually, he hadn’t seen the shoe yet,” Fox says about the trip that he accompanied Stephen Curry on in September. “So when we were in China, we were about to lift in the hotel and he was like, Yo, you got your shoe? I’m like, No, I don’t got them on me. He was like, Damn, I wanna see them.”

When he finally did see them, it was a wrap. 

“He didn’t let them go,” Fox continues. “We went through a whole workout actually, he was, like, holding them, putting them down, doing his thing and then, like, [he’d] be looking at them… Like, Steph’s 10 years older than me, right? I think he’s played eight more years than me. But I watched—I was in high school when Steph won his first MVP, when he won his first championship. Since I’ve gotten to a certain level, I’ve never really, like, necessarily idolized guys. But then when we went on that trip, I’m, like, Steph is on a different level. The way that people react when they get around Steph is, like… But then when you actually see it, we can’t even walk through an airport. Just being around someone of that stature and then seeing him love the product that has my name and my logo on it is just, like, that’s a different feeling, too.”

It won’t be the last time that Fox sees someone wearing his sneaker. He’s already heard from teammates and opponents about the silhouette, although it was just preseason by the time we went to print. He wants to see them on teammates, on his opponents and on fans in the streets. 

“We knew we had to bring a lot of energy and make the shoe fun,” Wallace says. “He also talked about wanting to make the shoe look fast. We know his playing style, so we knew that we needed the shoe to look fast, and he also mentioned that he wanted it to look runner-esque.”

Fox and his close friend Reno have also been mentioning that they’re trying to usher in a bygone era with the Fox 1’s aesthetics. 

“Reno definitely was the most excited,” Fox says. “We kind of knew how we wanted it to look a little bit. He was like, I’m wearing them with jeans, [with] sweats. I’m bringing back the wearing basketball shoes with jeans.

“I’m like, yeah, I want a shoe that you don’t only wear on the basketball court because especially, like I said, this day and age, people aren’t going to buy basketball shoes to not play in them. So we wanna kinda have that. We wanna try to have the best of both worlds.”

So Fox is building with the Kings and with his signature sneaker. And Curry Brand is building out their larger family. 

That’s the key word—family. 

Type of family that goes all the way to China and then comes back for a barbecue on a Sunday afternoon. Where Canon Curry plays around with Reign Fox. Where No. 30 and No. 5 go head-to-head in postseason matchups and then hug it out afterward. Curry Brand is a family, where athletic gifts take a backseat to morals. 

“I couldn’t think of a better athlete and person to join the Curry Brand team,” the best shooter ever says of Fox. “To have somebody that believes in what you’re doing, believes in what the brand stands for, and believes in not just being a Curry Brand athlete, but taking that and building that into your identity as a player is special. And that’s exactly why we chose De’Aaron—he believes in Curry Brand and our mission as much as he believes in himself on the court. I’m grateful to have a partner that is so dedicated to our brand and invested in what our collective future holds.” 

What does that future hold? Lots and lots more clutch shots. Lots and lots more speed that scares. Lots and lots more steals. And lots and lots more Fox 1 colorways. Because brick by brick, step by step, De’Aaron Fox is building. 

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

The post De’Aaron Fox on the Fox 1 by Curry Brand, Family and His Love of Christmas appeared first on SLAM.

For the next 30 days—Monday through Friday— we’ll be unveiling the full list here. We’ve also got an exclusive retro collegiate collection, out now, that pays homage to each squad’s threads. Shop here.

Despite being a youthful roster filled with talented stars, the 2017 Wildcats would be questioned at every corner. De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Bam Adebayo, and Derek Willis. Those are only a few names that glued this team together and allowed them to go on the crazy run they accomplished during this season. 

Fox was the facilitator and a pestering defender who averaged 17 points per game and lived up to his social media handle, swipathefox. Meanwhile, Monk brought intensity and determination from start to finish of every game and Bam left opponents shook in the paint. Collectively this group set the tone at the start of every game. From a drop off to Bam in the paint, pass and shot by Monk, or a pass and crazy move from Fox, this Kentucky team would run you up and down a court like no other. And because they were so young, they never got tired, or at least never showed it. There was always some fight and scoring left in them at every game. Running teams out the gym, the Wildcats had over 15 games where they beat their opponents by at least 10 points in the regular season. They were ultimately a scoring madhouse. 

Led by the only John Calipari, their athleticism, drive, and determination brought them all the way to postseason: first, winning the SEC championship and then the NCAA tournament, where they swept past opponents like Northern Kentucky, Wichita State and UCLA—a game in which Fox dropped 39 points in a matchup against the Bruins’ star, Lonzo Ball. 

The Elite Eight showdown against UNC was, well, elite. The pressure was on, especially for Fox and his Wildcats, who eventually lost to the Tar Heels. An emotional Fox later revealed to us that summer: “Just knowing that was my only opportunity to win a National Championship—competitiveness spilled over,” Fox told SLAM. “Just knowing that we were up 5 with like two to three minutes left, knowing that we could have won that game is what really [hurt]. Just losing that game the way we did. It was tough losing like that. It’s not the same when you have another chance to win it. That was the part that hurt the most.”

Despite the season that could’ve been, the 2017 Wildcats helped cement Kentucky’s legacy as one of the most dominant and competitive programs. Fox, Bam and Monk are all hoopin’ in the L today, and never hesitate to support BBN whenever they get the chance, either. That’s just what happens when you rock Kentucky blue…

Photos via Getty Images.

The post The 30 Most Influential NCAA MBB Teams of SLAM’s 30 Years: 2017 Kentucky  appeared first on SLAM.

March 2016 is the last time a Kings’ player has been on the cover but it’s time to spotlight De’Aaron and Domantas. The guys open up about the stigma of playing in Sacramento, rebuilding the culture and how the two lefties figured out how to play with each other.

Here’s an exclusive, behind the scenes look from their SLAM 242 cover shoot. Check it out below.

Get your copy of SLAM 242 featuring the Kings’ superstars, plus Cover Tees and MORE!

The post WATCH: Go Behind the Scenes of De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis SLAM 242 Cover Shoot appeared first on SLAM.

ICYMI: 

Most of the fireworks on Friday night happened in Houston in an absolute shoot-out between the Rockets and Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray combined for 83 points, but it wasn’t enough. After leading by as much as 16 points in the third quarter, Atlanta squandered the lead, and the Rockets surged late to capture their fourth win of the season, 128-122.

Despite Murray scoring a career-high 39 points and making a career-high eight threes, the Hawks couldn’t get the job done. A big reason for this was their performance on the boards in the absence of Clint Capela, who was out due to dental pain. Houston outrebounded Atlanta 59-28. This included a 22-6 drubbing on the offensive boards and a 37-22 advantage on the defensive boards.

Most of the headlines after the game were about the aftermath of a third-quarter scrum between each team’s respective backcourt. Young and Murray did plenty of showboating on the way to scoring a combined 83 points, and you get the sense that Green and Kevin Porter Jr. didn’t like it one bit. Green and Porter took to Instagram to mock Young following the game. Green waved goodbye to the Hawks after their 18-point fourth quarter. 

Ja Morant messed around and dropped a triple-double in Madison Square Garden, dropping 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 dimes. He’s been highly productive during Desmond Bane, who suffered a sprained big toe injury on Nov. 15 and won’t be back for at least another week.

Postgame, Morant credited New York Knicks point guard and Chicago/Memphis legend Derrick Rose for paving the way for hyper-athletic guards by saying; 

“He really made it to where people believe in guys like me,” Morant told the Commercial Appeal. “Coming in, athletic guards, I felt like he was pretty much the one who kind of made it more famous. With how acrobatic his finish is, his touch around the rim, and how explosive he was. Coming in, he was my comparison. It’s crazy to be out there on the floor sharing a court with him.”

Klay Thompson was off to a rough start on the offensive side of the ball to begin the season, but he’s beginning to get on track. He shot 61.5 percent from the field in Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Golden State scored 47 points in the first quarter and never really looked back. They had crisp offensive execution the entire game. 

The Boston Celtics continued their winning ways. They have won 12 of their last 13 games. They are a League-best 16-4 on the season. Jaylen Brown had 36 points in their most recent win sans Jayson Tatum against the Washington Wizards. The Celtics are poised for a return to the NBA Finals if they keep playing the way they’re playing. 

Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and the Brooklyn Nets are now only a single game under .500 following their 111-97 win against the Trail Blazers on Sunday night. Seth Curry was a big factor in the win against his former squad, with 29 points on 11-15 shooting. 

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox has been playing out of his mind and is turning some heads. Fox has been shooting a career-high 53 percent from the field, helping him average 25.1 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.

Fox has the Kings sitting in sixth place in a jammed Western Conference with a record of 10-8. Fox’s play has been so good that this past weekend, he inked a deal with one of the biggest and most well-known sports agencies in basketball Klutch Sports. For Sacramento, Fox’s recent play and lead role in the Kings’ resurgence could be just what the team needs to end their 16-year playoff drought.

The Kings have the talent and youth to be very disruptive if given a postseason opportunity. The team’s additions of Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk (in addition to Fox’s play) have been a great fit. Hopefully, Fox and the team can continue this momentum.

Over the weekend, the Lakers played the San Antonio Spurs for the third time in their last four games. During the third quarter of Saturday’s game, Russell Westbrook was going up for a layup after previously grabbing a rebound and was fouled on the way up by Spurs center Zach Collins. When Westbrook rose up from the ground heated from the foul, you could see that he had a cut and was visibly bleeding from his forehead.

The two teams got together for what seemed like a couple of seconds after the foul, but everyone was calmly escorted to their respective benches. Westbrook, who was fuming for a good reason, was taken away by LeBron James, who quickly compressed Westbrook’s head wound with a towel and walked him over to the bench to be further examined by the Lakers team doctors.

Once the situation calmed down, a Flagrant 2 foul was given the Collins, and a tech was given to Westbrook. Postgame, James commented on the altercation, saying;

“I saw where the cut was immediately. It was just common sense to put pressure on the cut right away. Don’t let it continue to go. Before we became teammates, we’ve always been like brothers and cool and things of that nature. His health is more important than the game of basketball. We were just trying to stop that and let the training staff do their job after we got him over to the bench.”

Miami center Bam Adebayo has had a quiet yet phenomenal stretch over the Heat’s last six games averaging 25.5 points per game and 10.2 rebounds on 52 percent shooting from the field. However, in Adebayo’s last two games, he has scored over 30 points and has been a key contributor toward the end of games on both the defensive and offensive sides.

The Heat are currently on a three-game win streak led by Adebayo’s diverse and consistent play, and the team looks to carry that momentum into their Wednesday matchup with the 2022 Eastern Conference Champion Celtics. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND:

Ja Morant’s father asked for his son’s jersey for the first time in Morant’s career. Morant stated that it was “special” for him to get a triple-double in the Garden and that it was a place that he always had a special feeling for.

Morant admitted after Sunday’s game that MSG was special for him to have a triple-double since it was a place he watched in so many games on television as a kid — which was why his father made the unusual request for his jersey.

“It’s just the bright lights, man,” Morant told ESPN post-game. “Having a triple-double in the Garden is crazy. Growing up actually watching teams come here and play, watching the Knicks play — everybody loves the Garden. We really called it the bright lights. Everybody is watching. So for me to be able to go out and play like I played tonight was big-time for me.”

The post ICYMI: We Got You Covered With Thanksgiving Weekend News appeared first on SLAM.

A win against teams like that can build a spark to the locker, but being on the losing end creates questioning on where the Kings need to improve their roster.

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The Kings find ways to look solid for four quarters by relying on the two-way prowess of former all-star Domantas Sabonis and the point guard wizardry of De’Aaron Fox. He currently averages 16.3 points, 11.1 rebounds (8th best in the League), and 6.1 assists per game. In the three games played in November, the center has averaged 36 minutes a game which is the most amongst others in his position.

In this case, the Kings’ frontcourt depth isn’t as solid as Brown would have hoped to start the season. However, their 2010 fifth overall pick DeMarcus Cousins believes he has the intangibles at 32-years-old to push the Kings out of their 16-year playoff drought in a recent Twitter reply.

In his seven years with the Kings from 2010-2017, Cousins averaged 21.1 points per game. His last two seasons with the franchise were one of the most dominant showings of a big in the modern era, as he averaged over 25 points a game to pair with a double-double in rebounds. Not to mention, Cousins also recorded a 56-point outing, the third most among active NBA centers.

Boogie hasn’t been the same since tearing his quad and ACLbut is still capable of turning back the clock to his All-Star level of play. In his current form, Boogie is a reliable force down low; he can spread the floor as an occasional floor spacer and rebound at a fearsome pace off the bench.

Cousins has become a journeyman in the latter stages of his career due to the injuries above. However, being a significant contributor on a playoff squad could help him become a franchise legend and help him land a job on another team if he so chooses.

The post DeMarcus Cousins Believes He Can Contribute to Kings Making a Playoff Push appeared first on SLAM.

The talent may not be elite on the roster, but that’s what makes Lakers Coach Darvin Ham even more impressed with Brown’s start.

“Mike [Brown] is a great ambassador for the game and a great coach in his own right,” Ham told the Sacramento Bee after the Lakers lost to the Kings to end the preseason. “making sure they’re detail-oriented, making sure they’re consistent. He’s a guy that’s passionate but not emotional — At the end of the day, he’s going to make sure he has all of his resources in order — to reemphasize why they should be doing exactly what he’s asking of them to do.”

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Brown is at the helm of a team in a 16-season playoff drought, the longest of any franchise in the history of the NBA. It may be a mountain to climb in this new tenure, but Brown has been through the highest and the lowest of being an NBA head coach.

Notable moments of Brown’s career were when he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a trip to the 2007 NBA Finals, surrounding the team’s former superstar, LeBron James, with various shooters and stout defenders. Later in his tenure with the Cavs, Brown orchestrated back-to-back 60+ win seasons, earning Coach of the Year honors in 2009.

Although his coaching career took a slight bump with the Cavs and Lakers in the early 2010s, Brown picked his name right back up as an assistant coach on Steve Kerr’s coaching staff, winning three championships in five years (2017-2022) with the Golden State Warriors.

One of the philosophies Brown has seemed to incorporate into the Kings from the Warriors is the expectation of relentless defense from the young assets. Kings star De’Aaron Fox believes Sacramento has benefitted from Brown’s heavy ‘attention to detail’ defensively. James noticed that playing defense is also a tenet of Brown’s coaching philosophy.

“He’s someone that, if you don’t defend, you won’t get on the floor,” James said. “When he came to Cleveland, we became one of the best defensive teams in the League every single year. That gave us a chance to win every single night. Offensively, some nights we weren’t that good, but we were always in games because we defended.”

IT’S GAME DAY! #RoarWithUs pic.twitter.com/2CsVAhTlTi

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) October 19, 2022

Sacramento fans could be heavily intrigued by that, considering Fox hasn’t returned to that pesky defender he once was in the 2018-19 season, where he attributed 133 total steals (sixth best). Of course, Brown first wants to see stout defensive teamwork before jumping into individual accolades.

“Although we want everybody to bring it defensively as an individual, it’s not one guy guarding the ball,” said Brown, per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “It’s five guys guarding the ball, so we want to see five guys on a string. We want to communicate — Those are some of the things which are staples that we want to see on the defensive side of the ball, but the biggest thing is competing.”

The Kings aren’t expected to become the NBA’s best defensive team or break the 16-year curse of missing the playoffs, but wilder things have happened from first-year coaches, and Brown looks to fill the hearts of the many Sacramento fans that have been desperate for a team built towards long-term success.

The post ‘Detail-Oriented’ Mike Brown Inspiring Confidence in and Out of Sacramento appeared first on SLAM.

Keegan Murray in Summer League (6 games):

21.8 PPG
7.2 RPG
49/40/84%

He has as many 20-point games as Paolo, Chet, Jabari, Ivey and Mathurin combined (5). pic.twitter.com/9DC7BnCk2H

— StatMuse (@statmuse) July 14, 2022

Murray’s performance at the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League has impressed incoming head coach Mike Brown. Brown was hired after playing a prominent role in the Warriors, winning three titles from 2017-2022.

“I’m just getting to know Keegan,” Brown said per Fox40, who was asked if Murray’s approach to the game and personality was similar to Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, “All those thing are correct, his temperament, he’s about as even-keeled as I’ve seen from any young person. His work ethic, so far, is off the charts. His development from his first year at Iowa to this year has been amazing; he went on a huge growth spurt. There’s a lot of positives about him — it’s gonna be interesting to see which way he goes in this business.”

“I will say one thing about him. I know at maybe 35, 36, when I got my first head job in Cleveland, I wasn’t as composed as he is right now — I compare myself at 35 to Keegan at 21; he’s light years ahead of where I was then. He’s gonna be fine in that area, and obviously, he’s showing a lot of promise as a young player, and I’m excited about being around him, and I hope all of Sacramento is too. “

Sitting down with Kings head coach Mike Brown, who chats about Sacramento’s offseason thus far, style of play, gushes about Keegan Murray (clip below), reflects upon his coaching history, strong first impression of De’Aaron Fox & more.

FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/wUHcChQQ9N pic.twitter.com/jplgv9JId2

— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) July 15, 2022

Brown also complimented how efficient Murray’s shooting stroke has been and was impressed at how Murray didn’t “chase points, did he chase the ball” when he struggled during the second game of the California Classic. Being able to be impactful beyond just getting a bucket proves how patient and understanding of his role Murray is even as a rookie. He also lauded Murray’s defensive acumen against Paolo Banchero and Bennedict Mathurin.

As an assistant coach on Coach Steve Kerr’s coaching staff, Brown collaborated with Kerr and Draymond Green to implement a Warriors defensive scheme that has helped to make the Warriors the defensive standard of the NBA as a switch-heavy defense.

Brown has also served as the head coach of the Cavaliers in two separate tenures (2005-2010, 2013-2014) and led the Lakers (2011-2012) as well. Brown was an assistant coach on Wizards, Spurs, and Pacers before taking the Cavs job in 2005.

The post Mike Brown Impressed by Keegan Murray’s Play at Summer League appeared first on SLAM.

The Pacers are trading Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday to the Kings for Tyrese Hailburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson, per @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/VwjKcZ0BkA

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 8, 2022

The Pacers are also sending Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday to the Kings and will be receiving Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson.

Sabonis has been involved in trade rumors since December. When the reports first came out, it was reported that the Pacers not only wanted to trade Sabonis but Caris LeVert and Myles Turner to jumpstart their rebuilding process. So far, only LeVert has been moved after the Michigan product was traded to the Cavaliers over the weekend.

The Kings moving Haliburton comes as a surprise after Sacramento told potential trade partners they wanted to keep De’Aaron Fox and Haliburton and build around the budding backcourt. However, the NBA is a business, and when you get a chance to acquire an All-Star, you have to pull that trigger sometimes.

Sabonis averages 18.9 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, one of seven players in the League to put up similar numbers.

The Pacers (19-36) face the Hawks (25-28) on the road on Tuesday.

The post Update: Pacers Sending Domantas Sabonis to the Kings appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN’s NBA insider Brian Windhorst had some insight on the rumored news Friday on The Hoop Collective podcast.

“This has been reported elsewhere, but I’ve heard as well that the Knicks have shown some interest in De’Aaron Fox,” Windhorst said. “The player that makes the most sense in that swap is Julius Randle.”

Sacramento, who recently took themselves out of the running for a potential Ben Simmons deal last week, still hasn’t officially taken Fox off the trading block due to a crowded backcourt that includes Tyrese Haliburton, Davion Mitchell, and Buddy Hield, to name a few.

Fox has been out since January 19 with an ankle injury but has been solid when healthy for the Kings. Fox averages 21.0 points, 5.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 2021-22.

Since Randle was voted the NBA’s Most Improved Player last season, he has struggled mightily not only with his play but with his relationship with the Knicks fanbase. His thumbs-down gesture caused a controversy that Randle apologized for shortly afterward. His scoring average of 18.5 points is far lower than the 24.1 points per game he scored last season. Randle also averages 9.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.

What makes the trade intriguing is that the contracts match up with Fox in the first season of a five-year, $163 million deal, while Randle’s four-year, $117 million extension kicks in next season. With both teams looking to shake up their rosters and two players possibly looking for new scenery, look for this rumor to last up to the deadline.

The post REPORT: New York Knicks Interested in DeAaron Fox-Julius Randle Deal appeared first on SLAM.

It hasn’t been all bad, though. Tyrese Haliburton, the Kings second-year guard out of Iowa State, has taken a major step forward in the absence of De’Aaron Fox, averaging 20.2 points and 8.2 assists on the team’s recent road trip. And so has rookie Davion Mitchell. 

The ninth overall pick from Baylor joined the starting lineup last Wednesday. Since then, he has averaged 19.4 points (on 49 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent from three) and 5.6 assists per game. When Sacramento drafted Mitchell this summer, the decision was met with some backlash, given his small size (6-0) and the number of young guards—Haliburton, Fox, Buddy Hield—already on the Kings roster.

“Certainly, when you just look at the team we had and who we had drafted the year before and Tyrese and who we already had on the team with De’Aaron, and you say, ‘Why would you draft another point guard?’” general manager Monte McNair told The Athletic in November. “[But] this is where we talk about being a best player available in the draft. And it’s a hard thing to do sometimes, but we truthfully sit here and try to [draft] best player available. And when Davion is sitting at the top of our board, we do not hesitate to draft him.”

It was hard to argue with Mitchell being there. Here’s what the 23-year-old managed to accomplish during his two seasons at Baylor: 2021 NCAA Champion, 2021 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, 2021 NABC Defensive Player of the Year, 2021 Lefty Driesell Award winner and two-time All-Big 12.

As those accolades suggest, Mitchell was renowned primarily for his defense coming into the NBA, having averaged just under two steals per game the previous year. He was undoubtedly one of the best on-ball defenders in all of college basketball, using his energy, quickness and athleticism to pester opposing guards. That lockdown ability has carried over to the League, where Mitchell now faces elite scorers on a nightly basis. Below is a rundown of how some of those guys have fared in head-to-head clashes with the Kings rookie, per NBA.com: 

Russell Westbrook in 11:31 matchup minutes: 1/11 from the field

Damian Lillard in 9:16 matchup minutes: 1/14 from the field

Trae Young in 4:47 matchup minutes: 1/8 from the field

Jalen Brunson in 11:55 matchup minutes: 2/8 from the field

Jordan Clarkson in 10:21 matchup minutes: 3/10 from the field

Tyrese Maxey in 11:41 matchup minutes: 3/11 from the field

Numbers like that are the reason Mitchell earned the nickname “Off Night” while at Baylor. All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland shot well against him, but combined for seven turnovers in 19 total matchup minutes.

Mitchell’s offense has been steadily improving, too. He was an incredibly efficient scorer in college, shooting 51 percent from the field and 45 percent from deep in 2020-21, but has struggled to find his rhythm at times this season. His confidence hasn’t wavered, though. He dropped 20 points and hit four three-pointers against the Hawks last week. Three days later, he had 15 points and knocked down 3/7 from behind the arc against the Sixers. Then, in his first game at Madison Square Garden, he put up 18 points, 6 assists and 2 blocks. 

On Wednesday, Mitchell helped Sacramento get a 112-101 win over Brooklyn, posting 18 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, and defending Kyrie Irving extremely well, holding him to 2/6 shooting in seven matchup minutes. He also spent time on James Harden, who had one of his worst performances as a Net (4 points, 6 turnovers).

Just look at the activity in the clips below. This is why they call him “Off Night.”

Davion Mitchell since being moved into the starting lineup (four games):

17.7 PTS
2.7 REB
5.0 AST
44% FG
35% 3PT

Limited sample size, but it’s hard to not be impressed by what the rookie has done in a starting role.

Also, the defense… pic.twitter.com/rrLwPsy3Lx

— Franklin Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) February 3, 2022

Davion puttin’ the pressure on Kyrie pic.twitter.com/amj7BHsJDH

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) February 3, 2022

Davion steal -> Damian pic.twitter.com/vESWMANuED

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) February 3, 2022

He followed that up with perhaps the best game of his young career at Golden State: 26 points (on 11/17 from the field and 3/5 from three) and 8 assists.

Davion Mitchell drives and finishes to set a new career-high (23 PTS)

Watch Now on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa pic.twitter.com/54J3aqWVe6

— NBA (@NBA) February 4, 2022

For the season, Mitchell is now averaging 10.1 points, 3.4 assists and 2.3 rebounds. He will represent the Kings in the Rising Stars Game at All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, along with Haliburton.

With losses mounting and trade rumors swirling as the deadline nears, things have been bleak in Sacramento lately. But Mitchell’s success, development and potential have provided a glimmer of much-needed hope. 

The post SLAM x Panini Rookie Spotlight: Davion Mitchell appeared first on SLAM.

The list of players the Sixers currently are monitoring is just as long as the rumors in the news cycle of potential players that included Damian Lillard, De’Aaron Fox, and Draymond Green going back to last summer.

Morey and the team recently discussed a potential Simmons package with the Atlanta Hawks for John Collins. But as soon as Tobias Harris was added to the deal, the Hawks quickly said no, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

“The 76ers and Hawks briefly kicked around a trade of Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris for John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Danilo Gallinari, League sources told HoopsHype. However, those talks stalled quickly, with Atlanta uninterested in Harris and unlikely to be able to flip him to a third team.”

This year, the Sixers have been looking for specific pieces to put around Embiid for a championship run. Collins’ athleticism and his ability to defend inspired Philadelphia to put an offer together. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Sam Amick, the asking price for the Sixers hasn’t changed.

“In return for Simmons, the 76ers have wanted a top-level All-Star or a package featuring a bevy of first-round draft picks for Simmons.”

It is understood that this Simmons deal may be pushed back to the offseason, especially with rumors of James Harden being unhappy in Brooklyn.

The post REPORT: Philadelphia 76ers Made A Ben Simmons Offer For John Collins appeared first on SLAM.

According to The Athletic, the Kings will remain active in trade conversations but have informed teams in the trade market that are intent on building their franchise around Fox and Tyrese Haliburton. The Kings reportedly informed Fox and his representation that they do not want to trade him and want to center the team around him and Haliburton as well.

The Athletic further reports that a deal for Domantas Sabonis will not happen. It remains to be seen how the Kings decision will impact their ability to trade for Ben Simmons.

According to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee, the Sacrament Kings are shopping De’Aaron Fox in trade talks for Indiana Pacers All-Star Domantas Sabonis and Ben Simmons ahead of the NBA’s trade deadline in February,

Fox was reportedly off the table in trade discussions during the offseason, but the Kings (18-28) are 11th in the Western Conference and have reversed course as they fight for a spot in the play-in tournament.

The Kings were also rumored to have been involved in trade talks with the Philadelphia 7ers for Simmons during the offseason, but negotiations stalled since the Kings didn’t want to give up Fox. That has reportedly changed, per Anderson, The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported on The Athletic NBA Show podcast that he sees Sabonis and Simmons as the KIngs’ two biggest priorities ahead of the trade deadline.

The Kings rewarded Fox with a five-year contract extension after the 24-year-old point guard averaged a career-high 25.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game last season while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from deep. The front-office brass reportedly had lofty expectations of Fox, expecting the Kentucky product to match or exceed those numbers during the 2021-2022 season.

Through 42 games, Fox is putting 20.9 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds on 45.7 percent shooting from the field, and a career-worse 25.3 percent from downtown.

For Sabonis, his name has been involved in trade talks since December. The Pacers are 15-29, 13th in the East, and are reportedly looking to rebuild and move Sabonis, Caris LeVert, and Myles Turner. The two-time All-Star has put up solid numbers, averaging 18.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.0 steal per game on top of shooting 57.3 percent from the floor.

Exchanging Fox for Sabonis or Simmons could reverse the fortunes of the Kings who have toiled through two decades of perennial futility. Sacramento hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2005-06, the longest active drought in the League by 10 years. Trading Sabonis, LeVert, and Turner will only accelerate the Pacers’ reported intent to rebuild.

The post REPORT: Kings Intend On Keeping De’Aaron Fox and Building Around Him and Tyrese Haliburton appeared first on SLAM.

“The Philadelphia 76ers canvassed the prospect of a Fox, Ben Simmons trade package as recently as a few days ago, but dialogue remains exploratory due diligence, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

The Kings, under second-year general manager Monte McNair, are expected to be aggressively active at the trade deadline, sources said. The front office has been given the green light by team owner Vivek Radavine to survey all options with the goal of drastically improving the roster.”

With the Interest in Fox and his backcourt teammate, Tyrese Haliburton, increasing with each passing day, Fox understands this is a part of the business of being in the NBA. His focus right now is not worrying about things he can’t control.

“If you do have a change of scenery, it changes everything. I’ve been here for five years. I’ve built a life here, a family here. But once I’m on the court, all that is out the window.” Fox said. “You’re not thinking about anything else that can happen outside of your control. 

But I’ve been through some deadlines. I’ve seen people get traded at the last second. You try not to think about it, but you know it’s a business, and anything can happen. I’m not sure what’s going to happen. Obviously, you see reports on Twitter. Am I worried about it? No. Can it happen? Yeah, it can definitely happen.”

Simmons reportedly has already made it clear that he is “open” to a trade to the Kings back in October.

De’Aaron Fox is averaging 20.9 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds this season.

The post De’Aaron Fox Speaks On Potential Ben Simmons Trade Rumors appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA has had 63 players enter the league’s health and safety protocols this season, 47 of whom have been in December before the League insider reported that Kings center Alex Len entered protocols adding a 48th player to the extensive list.

Wojnarowski also notes that two head coaches, Indiana’s Rick Carlisle and Sacramento’s Alvin Gentry, and one executive, Toronto’s Masai Ujiri, have also been placed in protocols.

On Thursday alone, De’Aaron Fox, Russell Westbrook, Bobby Portis, Jabari Walker, Avery Bradley, Isaac Okoro, and Len were all placed in the league’s health and safety protocols.

Several teams have been hit hard by COVID-19; the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings, and Brooklyn Nets all have had multiple players missing due to outbreaks.

The post REPORT: 48 Players Entered Into NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols in December appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday, The Atheltic’s Shams Charania reported that the Sacramento Kings are experiencing an outbreak among a “handful of total players entering protocols along with several more staff members.”

According to Charania, a few Kings members have already entered into the league’s health and safety protocols, including staffer; De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III, Alex Len, and interim head coach Alvin Gentry. 

Although he plays for the Kings’ G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings, Louis King also entered protocols per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

This season, the Kings are far from the only team to have an outbreak problem. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Los Angeles Lakers have four players in the League’s protocol after Malik Monk cleared protocols Thursday night. The Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets reached experienced outbreaks of their own in recent weeks.

The Kings’ next game is Friday night at home against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The post REPORT: Sacramento Kings Experiencing COVID Outbreak Among Team appeared first on SLAM.

According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, Kings general manager Monte McNair’s decision to select two-point guards in the previous drafts, Tyrese Haliburton in 2020 and Davion Mitchell in 2021, may point to the Kings thinking about moving on from Fox.

The Kings were also mentioned as a trade partner with the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, despite the King’s three-guard rotation being deemed unavailable. Shooting guard Buddy Hield has been brought in trade rumors.

Fox has been tremendous during his time with the Sacramento Kings; in just five seasons, the Kentucky product has averaged 18.3 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, becoming a driving force behind their 39-43 record in the 2018-2019 season, their best in recent years. Fox is down in the scoring and passing department in year five, averaging 20.1 points and 5.5 assists per game. The figures are his lowest since the 2018-2019 campaign.

The post REPORT: De’Aaron Fox Could Be A Central Piece in Kings Trade Talks appeared first on SLAM.

The latest development in this ongoing story comes on Friday when the The Athletic’s David Aldrige reveals that Simmons would be open to a trade to the Sacramento Kings.

“I’ve written this on Simmons to Sac before, and the rationale still holds. Simmons is an elite defensive player. He’s an elite passer. He has four years left on his deal. (He would have no problem going to Sacramento, I’m told, so strong is his desire to get out of Philadelphia.)”

It remains to be seen whether Ben Simmons gives in and shows up to the Sixers.

What was made clear to @sam_amick is that all hope of reconciliation is gone.

More: https://t.co/5z4nkg2gr3 pic.twitter.com/hkKBOrSaCe

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) October 8, 2021

Earlier in the Summer, reports came out that Simmons had an interest in playing for three different California teams leaving Kings fans to question if they were amongst one of those group teams.

It was also reported that the Sixers asking price was too steep for the Sacramento with the Kings having no interest in trading franchise centerpieces such as De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton.

Sacramento has since drafted former Baylor standout Davion Mitchell, and Aldrige notes that the Kings’ current backcourt log jam could be fixed if Haliburton or Mitchell is utilized as the main piece in a Simmons trade.

Veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield’s name has also shown up in multiple trade rumors regarding the 76ers.

While Kings have struggled to gain any consistency, missing the playoffs for 16 consecutive seasons, pulling off a trade for one of the best young players in the game in Simmons could certainly help trigger the turnaround. Stay tuned for more details and updates as Simmons’ time in Philadelphia comes to a close.

The post REPORT: Ben Simmons Open to Trade to the Sacramento Kings appeared first on SLAM.

During rounds up with the media, the 23-year-old point guard was vocal about becoming a better defensive player, despite commonly being heralded as one of the better defensive point guards in the League.

“I know that I have to be more consistent on that end of the floor from the first quarter to the fourth quarter,” Fox started to the group of local reporters.

“For the last few years, I’ve been near the top of the League in deflections and steals but it’s a lot more than that; it’s a lot more than just getting your hands on balls.”

Fox experienced a breakout season last year, averaging a career-high 25.2 points, 7.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field.

However, despite Fox’s reputation as a defensive stud, the Kings’ defensive rating (per 100 possessions) when Fox was on the floor fell to 118, the worst in franchise history. When Fox was off the court, the team’s rating was rated 10th overall (111.8).

Consequently, in the 2021 NBA Draft, Sacramento targeted Baylor guard Davion Mitchell with a top-10 pick. Mitchell became a household name during the 2021 NCAA Tournament thanks to his impressive defensive performance for the Bears.

With Mitchell (6’2”) and second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton (6’5”) both capable of holding their own on the perimeter, Fox’s improvements on that end could work wonders for a team looking to end a 16-season playoff drought.

Especially as, at 6’3,” Fox is a player who could legitimately play extensive minutes beside those two guards.

The post De’Aaron Fox, Kings Focused on Defensive Improvement Heading Into 2021-22 appeared first on SLAM.

Fellow Kings guard De’Aaron Fox spoke to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee about just how great Mitchell will be for the team this season. 

Mitchell could make an enormous impact as a rookie with his defensive upside. Sacramento is a team that has obtained talent over the past few seasons, but can never put together wins. 

This is largely due to them being one of the worst defensive teams in the entire NBA. Although they already had a crowded backcourt, the Kings made a smart move in acquiring perhaps the best defender in this rookie class to change the mindset of the team defensively. 

Mitchell will have a real opportunity to be a vocal leader, even as a rookie, on defense this season in Sacramento. In NBA Summer League last month, he started to show flashes of that ability. 

The 2021-22 NBA season kicks off in less than a month, when Sacramento attempts to end their long playoff drought. 

The post De’Aaron Fox is Excited For Defensive Mindset Davion Mitchell Brings the Kings appeared first on SLAM.

However, rumors about Fox may have been somewhat silenced on Tuesday when The Ringer’s Paolo Uggetti reported that Fox is “content” in Sacramento.

“A League source said Fox is content in Sacramento,” Uggetti reports.

Fox had been linked in a potential move to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the disgruntled Ben Simmons, but those rumors had been shot down before news of Fox’s feelings surfaced.

Fox has been excellent for the Kings in his four seasons in the NBA, averaging 18.2 points, 6.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game over his career thus far. Fox had a career-best season last year, averaging 25.2 points, 7.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

Fox signed a five-year max extension reportedly worth $163 million he signed in November of last year.

The Kings will be looking to rebound from last season, where they were ranked 12th in the Western Conference with a record of 31-41.

The post De’Aaron Fox Reportedly ‘Content in Sacramento’ appeared first on SLAM.

While bringing the ball upcourt in the third quarter, Haliburton attempted a behind-the-back crossover dribble and his knee appeared to give out. That ended his night, and with 11 points and 5 assists in 23 minutes.

The bad news is that play also ended Tyrese’s run during the regular season, the team announced on Tuesday.

Tyrese Haliburton Medical Update » https://t.co/7XcDXOSjE9 pic.twitter.com/qFm8xKGaQG

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) May 5, 2021

The team also stated that Haliburton is expected to make a full recovery without surgery and will participate in “normal offseason training”.

The two-time Rookie of the Month has been one of the few bright spots for Sacramento this season, averaging 13 points and 5.3 assists, shooting 47.2% (including 40.9% from long range) in 30.1 minutes.

His numbers have jumped significantly since De’Aaron Fox has been away from the team in the NBA’s health and safety protocol. In Fox’s absence spanning five games, Haliburton averaged 18.5 points and nine assists to help lead the Kings to three wins.

The post Tyrese Haliburton Expected to Miss Remainder of Regular Season Due to Knee Injury appeared first on SLAM.

The team could look even scarier if Marvin Bagley takes a step forward in his own progression and if Hassan Whiteside carves out a meaninful role on the new squad.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Kyle Guy	5.0p, 2.0r, 1.0a
Harrison Barnes	13.8p, 8.3r, 3.8a
Cory Joseph	8.5p, 2.0r, 2.3a	–
Richaun Holmes	11.3p, 8.5r, 1.3a
Justin James	0.0p, 0.0r, 1.0a
De’Aaron Fox	20.3p, 2.8r, 6.8a
Marvin Bagley III	13.8p, 7.8r, 0.8a
Buddy Hield	16.3p, 4.0r, 2.3a
Nemanja Bjelica	9.3p, 3.3r, 1.8a
Glenn Robinson III	4.0p, 2.0r, 0.5a
Hassan Whiteside	6.0p, 6.0r, 0.5a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Sacramento Kings appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down the Kings’ depth chart for the 2020-21 season below. We’ve also previously published a summary of the Kings’ offseason.

Biggest Questions

• Is this the year Marvin Bagley stays healthy and takes the Kings to the next level? He’s got the potential to be one of the best bigs in the entire NBA but hasn’t been healthy enough to contribute towards a successful season in Sacramento.
• What is Buddy Hield’s future with the team? His name was thrown around all offseason when it came to trade talks. Additionally, the Kings used their recent lottery pick on a combo guard in Tyrese Haliburton who projects to be the guard that plays alongside De’Aaron Fox long-term.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Sacramento Kings: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart appeared first on SLAM.

The biggest question mark coming into this season is the health of Marvin Bagley. Although he has been viewed to this point as the sidekick to De’Aaron Fox, he has the talent to be the best player on this entire Kings roster. If Bagley, Fox, and the rest of this Sacramento core can stay healthy for a full season, they could have a shot at ending their playoff drought.

Kings Roster Additions

Biggest Acquisitions

• Hassan Whiteside: When it comes to bigs in the NBA, Whiteside’s name isn’t mentioned enough. While he has his flaws, Whiteside is extremely productive when it comes to scoring and cleaning the glass.
• Tyrese Haliburton: While they lost Bogdan Bogdanovic in free agency, the Kings have no room to panic with Haliburton entering their locker room. Considered one of the best guards in the entire 2020 draft class, he will be excellent now and in the future alongside Fox in the backcourt.

Kings Roster Subtractions

Biggest Losses

• Bogdan Bogdanovic: One of the most underrated guards in the league, Bogdanovic is a pure scorer. While the guard rotation seemed crowded the past few years with both him and Buddy Hield, losing Bogdanovic for nothing in return isn’t ideal.
• Harry Giles: His numbers don’t jump off the page, but Harry Giles has an extreme amount of potential and is still only 22 years old. While he was never a huge part of the Kings’ rotation, they could look back in a few years and wonder why they let him walk in free agency.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Sacramento Kings: Offseason Summary 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

Adebayo’s extension will run through the 2025-26 season, a term the Heat are able to offer by making him a designated player. He’ll play out the 2020-21 campaign on the fourth year of his rookie deal.

Like the extensions we’ve seen with De’Aaron Fox, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum, Adebayo can qualify for a greater base salary in 2021-22 if he meets the criteria of the Rose Rule.

If Adebayo wins MVP, Defensive Player of the Year or is named to an All-NBA squad in 2021, he’ll earn the 30% max, which would equate to roughly $195 million over the course of the five-year deal instead of $163 million.

Those figures are based off of a $112 million salary cap in 2021-22.

If Adebayo doesn’t qualify for the 30% max, he’ll sign on for the 25% that players with less than seven years of experience are typically granted.

The post Bam Adebayo to Sign Five-Year Max Extension appeared first on SLAM.

The deal will be worth at least $163 million, based on the the cap projection for next year, but could climb to as high as $195 million if Tatum meets the requirements for the Rose Rule.

Essentially, given his service time, Tatum is only eligible to sign for a 25% max contract, meaning 25% of the salary cap. In the event that he wins All-NBA (or Defensive Player of the Year or MVP), he can qualify for the 30% typically reserved for players with seven or more years experience.

Tatum was named to the All-NBA third team in 2019-20.

Tatum’s extension falls in line with those we’ve seen from De’Aaron Fox and Donovan Mitchell, a sign of just how strong the 2017 NBA Draft class was.

Tatum averaged 23.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game for the Celtics in his third year. He’ll play out Year 4 on his rookie contract before the extension kicks in for 2021-22.

The post Celtics, Jayson Tatum Agree on Five-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Fox will play out the fourth and final year of his rookie deal this year after putting up 21.1 points and 6.8 assists per game in Year 3. Next offseason, when the 2021-22 cap figure is official, his payday will begin.

Fox can earn 25% of the salary cap on a max rookie scale extension, with raises of 8% baked in each season. ESPN’s Bobby Marks calculated the $163 million amount based on a projected $112 million cap.

Fox can increase his haul further by reaching All-NBA teams in 2020-21.

With his extension on the books, the first of any player from the 2017 NBA Draft class, Fox can turn his focus back to putting the Kings back on the map. Sacramento missed out on the postseason in the bubble but they had their best season in over a decade in 2018-19.

The post De’Aaron Fox to Sign Max Contract Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Kings head coach Luke Walton and second-leading scorer Buddy Hield are bumping heads, at odds over Hield’s starting role and playing time. Bogdan Bogdanovic and Harrison Barnes, arguable the team’s two most talented wings, are rumored to be being pursued by the Milwaukee Bucks. Promising center Harry Giles is likely out of the door as well, as Sacramento can only pay him $3.9 million in free agency after foolishly declining his option for the 2020-21 season.

Related: Full Sacramento Kings 2020 Salary Cap Preview

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Kings Draft Needs

What will it take to bring the Kings out of dysfunction once again?

Nobody can be sure of the answer to that question but with four picks in the 2020 NBA Draft, including a lottery selection, Sacramento needs to improve the team culture.

The Kings may also need to replace Bogdanovic through the draft, as the $9.3 million mid-level exception is the best deal they can offer impending free agents. If a deal between Bogdanovic and the Bucks does transpire and Harrison Barnes is involved, matching salaries may result in Milwaukee sending a versatile defender and elite shooter in Khris Middleton to Sacramento. However, the Kings can’t guarantee the deal will occur, so they need to have multiple plans to replace the Serbian swingman.

2020 NBA Draft Prospect Watchlist

What The Mocks Are Saying

Projected Roster

Team-by-Team NBA Draft Guides

More: SLAM’s 2020 NBA Draft Preview

The post Sacramento Kings: 2020 NBA Draft Preview appeared first on SLAM.

Gentry had previously been the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans, stabilizing the franchise through the transition from the Anthony Davis to Zion Williamson era. He was dismissed by the Pels in the summer.

Gentry has 35 years of experience on the sidelines and was previously a head coach with the Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns. He won a title as an associate head coach with the Golden State Warriors in 2015.

The Kings will draft 12th in next month’s draft, eager to shore up a rotation around De’Aaron Fox.

While the franchise has seen some change already this year, general manager Vlade Divac stepped down, the team has been committed to Walton as their head coach.

The post Kings Hire Alvin Gentry as Associate Coach appeared first on SLAM.

“I was like, I kind of want to go five, I want to be the fifth (pick) and go to the Kings,” Fox said. “For me, it’s just like, imagine being one of those players on a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs in a decade, almost two decades, a decade and a half. And then being the first team to make it to the playoffs.”

That type of mentality has always impressed sports franchises and Fox is undoubtedly one of Sacramento’s cornerstone pieces. Nicknamed “Swipa” because his ability to rack up steals, the speedy Fox is one of the games’ best young players.

In the 2018-19 season, Fox led his team to a 39-43 record, their best since the 2007-08 season. They also finished ninth in the Western Conference that season, evidence of just how close they are to reaching the playoffs.

The post De’Aaron Fox Hoped to Land with Kings Prior to Draft appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve listed the entire roster with comparisons to last year’s launch rating below. We’ve also identified some general NBA 2K21 ratings trends for the league as a whole.

Kings NBA 2K21 Ratings

View the NBA 2K21 player ratings for other teams below.

The post Sacramento Kings: NBA 2K21 Ratings appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve seen no shortage of memorable appearances in the past, ranging from two-time NBA lottery good luck charm Nick Gilbert, son of Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, to Brooklyn Nets minority owner Jay Z.

We’ve seen Jami Gertz, the Atlanta Hawks owner and former matriarch of early aughts family sitcom Still Standing, grace the dais, not to mention undisputed WNBA royalty in the form of 2004 Phoenix Suns rep, Diana Taurasi, then a rookie with the Mercury.

Often, teams wills submit a member of the front office or a particular player from the roster but there are no guidelines as to who teams can submit for the symbolic role.

For a reminder of what’s at stake in this year’s lottery, we’ve rounded up the big boards of some of the web’s foremost NBA draft authorities.

The deadline for submitting representatives for this year’s event, which will unfold Thursday, Aug. 20, is today. We’ve tracked down the submissions that have been made public.

2020 NBA Draft Lottery Reps

The post 2020 NBA Draft Lottery Representatives appeared first on SLAM.

Divac had been involved with the franchise since 2015, bridging the DeMarcus Cousins Era to today. Divac oversaw the team’s decision to trade Cousins back in 2017 and their 2018 decision to draft Marvin Bagley III over Luka Doncic.

While that last decision especially will haunt Divac’s legacy, there’s no denying that the Kings of the past two seasons have been the most formidable they’ve been in some time. Despite recording their best win percentages of the past decade in 2018-19 and 2019-20, Divac’s run has ended.

The incoming general manager will inherit a Kings team with intriguing young assets like De’Aaron Fox, Harry Giles and Bagley III, as well as several veterans on significant long-term contracts. Buddy Hield and Harrison Barnes will earn over $150 million between now and 2023-24.

Stepping into the interim general manager role is Dumars, who joined the team last summer. Dumars was the architect behind the 2004 NBA champion Pistons but fell out of favor toward the end of his run with the franchise and stepped down in 2014.

Marc J. Spears of ESPN reports that Dumars could potentially be considered for the full-time general manager role if he’s interested.

The post Vlade Divac Steps Down as Kings GM appeared first on SLAM.

The team benefited from Bogdan Bogdanovic getting hot before the shutdown, as he averaged 17.0 points in the days before the suspension, up from 14.2 prior.

Point guard De’Aaron Fox, too, took a similar leap forward offensively. Fox averaged 23.8 points per game in March, up from the 20.0 he put up on the season previously. Both he and Bogdanovic will need to carry a significant offensive load if the team is to make any noise in the bubble.

Richaun Holmes, sidelined in early January, was just returning to action when the hiatus began.

SLAM’s Heat Check series compares each individual player’s personal production in the month of March with their production prior. The goal is to get a sense of the direction in which players were trending when the league stood still. For a more in-depth description, check out our Heat Check (Hiatus Edition) introduction.

Heat Check Sacramento Kings

Bogdan Bogdanovic
Kent Bazemore
Harrison Barnes
Harry Giles III
De’Aaron Fox
Alex Len	–
Cory Joseph
Buddy Hield
Justin James
Nemanja Bjelica
Yogi Ferrell
Richaun Holmes

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check (Hiatus): Sacramento Kings appeared first on SLAM.

Each member of the SLAM Fam was assigned a team to pick for. Below are the results + explanations.

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1. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: Anthony Edwards (6-5 Guard, Georgia)

CLASS: Freshman (18 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 40% shooting from the field

First things first: The Golden State Warriors are not about to draft a third Splash Brother. Anthony Edwards may not be a great three-point shooter, but that’s arguably the only thing he doesn’t already do at an elite level. As he showed pretty much every night during an SEC Freshman of the Year campaign at Georgia—and as comparisons to Donovan Mitchell, Victor Oladipo, and even Dwyane Wade make clear—the 6-5, 225-pound combo guard has all the tools necessary to be a difference maker in the NBA. With Steph and Klay both in their 30s and coming off major injuries, the Dubs need to be thinking about the backcourt of the future. Edwards could be their next All-Star SG. — Ryan Jones

2. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: LaMelo Ball (6-8 Guard, Illawarra Hawks of the NBL)

AGE: 19 years old

2019-20 STATS: 17.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.6 steals, shooting 38% from the field

I’m gonna ignore that this pick adds a third point guard to a young team and just roll with the kid that I think is an incredible talent that any team would be lucky to have. Last we saw of LaMelo, he was a 6-7 point guard who can shoot from deep, put the ball on the floor and make the smart pass. Now I hear he’s sprouted to 6-8, grown into his lanky frame and become a more confident playmaker. That’s tough to pass on, regardless when the pick is being made. I realize this would create a logjam at the PG spot—LaMelo, Collin Sexton and Darius Garland seem unlikely to successfully share the ball—but it gives Cleveland a hell of a group of young players to develop and/or trade for other guys as the next season nears (or in the distant future). — Adam Figman

3. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: James Wiseman (7-1 Center, Memphis)

CLASS: Freshman (18 years old)

2019-20 STATS (three games): 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, shooting 77% from the field

Karl-Anthony Towns’ capacity to match imposing physical size with guard-like quickness has proven to be the quality that separates him from many of the League’s bigs. James Wiseman has a skill-set, frame and athletic ability that almost mirrors that of Towns. Wiseman, who left Memphis after just three games, has consistent 20-point, 10-rebound potential written all over him. Pairing a forceful yet talented big man duo with D’Angelo Russell could be the right way to finally bring the Wolves back to the hunt. — Max Resetar

4. ATLANTA HAWKS: Obi Toppin (6-9 Forward, Dayton)

CLASS: Sophomore (22 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, shooting 63% from the field and 39% from three

The 6-9 redshirt sophomore became a SportsCenter regular thanks to his high-flying finishes, but overall was a super-efficient scorer despite a high usage. Prior to the NCAA suspending all remaining games, the Brooklyn native had positioned Dayton as a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Flyers held a 29-2 record—easily the best season in school history.  He was already named National POY by USA Today, CBS Sports, NBC Sports and The Athletic, and is widely considered the front-runner for the prestigious Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year award. Additionally, Toppin was the only unanimous selection for the AP All-America teams. While the Hawks already have John Collins and Clint Capella in the paint, Toppin’s resume is worthy of serious consideration. — Franklyn Calle

5. DETROIT PISTONS: Deni Avdija (6-9 Forward, Maccabi Tel Aviv)

AGE: 19 years old

2019-20 STATS: 7.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, shooting 51% from the field (19.8 mpg)

Four of the highest ceiling prospects have already come off the board, but the Detroit Pistons can still pocket a valuable building block with this No. 5 pick as they turn to the future. Despite the fact that they already have ambiguously tantalizing combo forward Sekou Doumbouya and breakout stretch Christian Wood, the Pistons should take a long look at 19-year-old utility forward Deni Avdija. Avdija has impressed as a transition quarterback in the Israeli Premier League and looks comfortable enough handling the ball and pulling up from beyond the arc to project as an intriguing offensive option at the next level. Defensively, his length and discipline should help him at least make an impact, but if he’s going to see time at the three, or even at the four, in today’s small ball era, he’ll need to show that he can match NBA speed and athleticism.  — Austin Kent

6. NEW YORK KNICKS: Cole Anthony (6-3 Guard, North Carolina)

CLASS: Freshman (19 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 18.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, shooting 38% from the field and 35% from three

This just makes sense for so many reasons. 1) The Knicks continue to search for a consistent playmaker at the point guard position. Cole uses his explosive athleticism to get to the paint and put constant pressure on the defense. Which brings us to 2) The Knicks offense currently ranks 29th in the NBA and they desperately covet scoring. Cole averaged just under 20 points per game for the Tar Heels and, while a solid facilitator, is more aggressive than passive. Right now, the Garden needs that. And, of course, there’s 3) Cole grew up in New York City and his father, Greg Anthony, was a PG for the Knicks from 1991-95, when the team was making deep playoff runs. As long as Cole takes care of the ball and RJ Barrett improves his perimeter shooting, the two could form the backcourt that turns things around for a franchise that hasn’t finished over .500 since 2012-13. — Alex Squadron

7. CHICAGO BULLS: Tyrese Haliburton (6-5 Guard, Iowa State)

CLASS: Sophomore (20 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 15.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.5 steals, shooting 50% from the field and 42% from three

The underachieving Bulls showed that they need help in several areas—shooting and defense in particular. Iowa State sophomore point guard Tyrese Haliburton excels in those domains, and then some. Haliburton, who just turned 20, averaged 15.2 points (on 50/42/82 shooting splits), 6.5 dimes, 5.9 boards and 2.5 steals this season. A pass-first playmaker, he would fit perfectly alongside scorers Coby White and Zach LaVine. Standing 6-5 with a crazy wingspan, Haliburton could easily guard positions 1-3, giving Chicago more switch-ability on the perimeter. And not to be overlooked, Haliburton brings great character to a team—lauded by Iowa State coach Steve Prohm for his “winning demeanor.” — Ryne Nelson

8. CHARLOTTE HORNETS: RJ Hampton (6-5 Guard, New Zealand Breakers of the NBL)

AGE: 19 years old

2019-20 STATS: 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, shooting 40% from the field

RJ Hampton, a 6-5, 185-pound point guard would be a nice, perhaps long-term fit for the Charlotte Hornets. The 19-year-old, who skipped college and took his talents to Australia, would have an uphill battle for minutes in a backcourt featuring Devonte’ Graham and Terry Rozier. Hampton is an elite ball-handler—able to break down defenses with dribble penetration—and has plenty of athletic ability. Unlike most of his peers in the 2020 NBA Draft, RJ had a taste of the fierce competition that awaits him in the League. His New Zealand Breakers faced both the OKC Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies in a pair of exhibition games last October, and though his jumper struggled, Hampton knows he’s well on his way: “I’m having a lot of fun.” — Marcel Mutoni

9. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: Onyeka Okongwu (6-9 Forward, USC)

CLASS: Freshman (19 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, 1.2 steals, shooting 62% from the field

If you’d heard of Onyeka Okongwu before 2018, it was probably as a footnote in a story about his world-famous high school teammates. Okongwu played at Chino Hills with the Ball brothers, where he spent his early years in anonymity before LaMelo left California for Lithuania. Thrust into a leading role, Big O led Chino to a state title, and added a 35-point, 14-rebound, five-block performance against Zion Williamson at the 2018 Hoophall Classic along the way. In one season at USC, the crazy athletic 6-9 big showed enough potential to warrant top-5 pick consideration. Okongwu’s NBA comparisons range everywhere from Montrezl Harrell to Bam Adebayo—at minimum, he’s a versatile defender who can step in right away and protect the rim for a Washington team sorely lacking in that area. Projecting him alongside a healthy Wall, Beal, Hachimura and (maybe) Bertans in 2020-21 would certainly have Wizards fans eyeing a return to the postseason. — Abe Schwadron

10. PHOENIX SUNS: Nico Mannion (6-3 Guard, Arizona)

CLASS: Freshman (19 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 14.0 points, 5.3 assists, 1.2 steals, shooting 39% from the field

Nico Mannion is one of the smoothest and most skilled point guards in this year’s draft. His father, Pace Mannion, played in the NBA and finished his career in Italy, where Nico was born. Once they moved back to the states, Nico played in Phoenix at Pinnacle High School and then for the Arizona Wildcats. At 6-3, he has great pace and court vision. He’s smooth off the bounce and can create for himself and his teammates. He’s a shot maker and has all the tools to be an elite guard at the pro level. Phoenix is a good fit for Mannion, as he can learn alongside Rubio in the city where he’s been playing for years. — Bryan LaRussa

11. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Jaden McDaniels (6-9 Forward, Washington)

CLASS: Freshman (19 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 13.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, shooting 41% from the field and 34% from three

I’m well aware of what happened in his lone season at Washington and what scouts and analysts have said regarding a player that they feel teams should take caution with. I know about the benchings at UW, critiques of his decision-making on the court and the other asterisks that might have been attached to his name. But the Spurs’ culture—and everything they stand for—couldn’t be a better place for McDaniels to start his NBA career. There are valuable OGs on that roster—Patty Mills, DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay and LaMarcus Aldridge—and another Washington guy in Dejounte Murray that could take the incoming rook under their wings. And did I mention being in the same vicinity and learning from a HOFer in Tim Duncan? The Spurs have a “we-over-me” ethos and a track record that speaks for itself. San Antonio is a perfect destination for someone with Jaden’s stature and skill set. — Drew Ruiz

12. SACRAMENTO KINGS: Isaac Okoro (6-6 Forward, Auburn)

CLASS: Freshman (19 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 12.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, shooting 51% from the field

A year ago, you might not have known the name Isaac Okoro. Coming out of McEachern High School in Atlanta, GA, Okoro was a four-star recruit who didn’t have the hype he likely warranted. That changed quickly, though. The 6-6 freshman was surrounded by seniors in the starting lineup at Auburn and still separated himself. With his versatility and explosiveness, Okoro climbed the ranks and shouldn’t fall past this spot in the 2020 Draft. Isaac is a lockdown defender who can score in a variety of ways but doesn’t demand the ball offensively. He’ll have no problem letting guards De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovich (should they all return) run the show, sliding in seamlessly right away and hopefully helping the Kings level up after a disappointing 2019-20 season. — Alex Squadron

13. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: Precious Achiuwa (6-9 Forward, Memphis)

CLASS: Freshman (20 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, shooting 49% from the field

First off, this pick is for Queens, NY, being that I can’t remember the last time the borough had an NBA lottery pick. Coming off an eventful freshman season, Precious Achiuwa averaged 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game before the sports world was put on freeze. Achiuwa should be a major addition to the young highlight reel Pelicans. The 6-9, 225-pound forward has all the tools to make an impact right away. With Lonzo Ball coming off his best NBA season and Zion’s short, but dominant, run, the Pelicans should look to add another forward with their star Brandon Ingram possibly testing the FA market this summer. Regardless, Precious will bring more athleticism and explosiveness to a budding roster. — Nick Torres

14. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: Devin Vassell (6-6 Guard, Florida State)

CLASS: Sophomore (19 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 12.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals, shooting 49% from the field and 41% from three

With the Blazers set to enter the 2020-21 season at nearly full strength after an injury-filled 2019-20 campaign, the team needs reinforcements to shore up its roster and make a run at the Western Conference’s best. A rookie that could step in and provide shooting and defense on the wing would help strengthen the team’s supporting cast around the Lillard-McCollum-Nurkic core. Enter Devin Vassell. The 6-6 guard from Florida State evolved into the team’s leading scorer (12.7 PPG) after averaging under five points in his freshman season. He showed off his range with the Seminoles, shooting at or above 41.5% from deep in each of his two seasons. Vassell also brings value on the defensive end, with averages of 1 block and 1.4 steals per game. The forward is the essential 3-and-D complement that Portland has lacked in recent years. He projects as an instant contributor with the potential to take over the wing from the Blazers’ older forwards. — Isaiah De Los Santos

15. ORLANDO MAGIC: Theo Maledon (6-4 Guard, ASVEL of the EuroLeague)

AGE: 18 years old

2019-20 STATS: 7.4 points, 3.1 assists, shooting 46% from the field and 37% from three

There are a lot of good guards on the the board that are excellent talents, but from the standpoint of trying to find a solid backcourt mate for Markelle Fultz, the Magic should consider Theo Maledon. Highlights are obviously skewed, but his decision making as a playmaker seems to be there, both in transition and half-court play. He plays with a patience that is rare to see in an 18-year-old in the EuroLeague. This past season for ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne, he shot 37% from beyond the arc. If he wants to maintain a spot in the NBA, he’ll need to maintain that shooting percentage as his three point attempts go up. — Arvind Pitchai

16. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (VIA BROOKLYN): Tyrese Maxey (6-3 Guard, Kentucky)

CLASS: Freshman (19 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 14.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, shooting 43% from the field

Earlier in this mock, the Wolves snagged James Wiseman with the No. 3 pick, pairing him with star Karl-Anthony Towns to give them a massively talented frontcourt for the foreseeable future. With the recently acquired D’Angelo Russell reliably running point, the Wolves still need a wing who can get buckets. Maxey is super shifty and already sports an impressive floater package. He has a strong handle and can effectively slash into the teeth of the defense. He’s also a fantastic on-ball defender. And while his three-point percentages are subpar, his feathery floater touch and excellent free throw percentage (83% on the season) suggest he will be just fine. His 6-3 frame may be on the small side for a SG, but his tremendous strength compensates for the slight height disadvantage. Maxey is young and has tons of room to grow. The Wolves should take a shot on a kid with huge upside who could transform into a perennial 20-point per game scorer. — Isaiah Freedman

17. BOSTON CELTICS (VIA MEMPHIS): Josh Green (6-6 Guard, Arizona)

CLASS: Freshman (19 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 12.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals, shooting 42% from the field and 36% from three

The Celtics are locked in for the future. They have an All-NBA point guard in Kemba Walker, budding superstars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, a lockdown perimeter defender in Marcus Smart, and the perfect complementary pieces to round out the roster. This gives them the flexibility to take the best, most talented player available—Arizona freshman Josh Green. One of the top defenders in the draft, the shooting guard can cover 1-4 with his 6-6, 210-pound frame and 6-10 wingspan. Offensively, he is an elite athlete who can handle the ball and hit open shots, as he knocked down 39.5% of his three-point attempts in the second half of the season. He fits with what the Celtics continue to stockpile—competitive, versatile wings who can cover and play multiple positions. Green is just 19 years old, but can contribute right away as a role player for a Celtics team that has current championship aspirations. — Ben Simon

18. DALLAS MAVERICKS: Isaiah Stewart (6-9 Forward, Washington)

CLASS: Freshman (18 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 17.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, shooting 57% from the field

Sitting right on the verge of serious contention, the Mavericks will be looking for a player who provides reliable depth and immediate contribution. Washington big man Isaiah Stewart fits that mold. As a freshman, Stewart was a model of consistency for the Huskies. A 250-pound forward with a 7-4 wingspan, Stewart combines impressive athleticism and mobility with a polished finishing ability, making him a perfect fit in a pick-and-roll with Luka Doncic. He shot 77% from the FT line and showed a solid midrange touch. Stewart’s biggest strength, however, is that few, if any players in the draft play with a higher motor. While his back-to-the-basket offensive game may not translate to the next level, his energy and physicality will certainly make him effective as a rim protector and a rebounder on both ends. With Dwight Powell recovering from a ruptured achilles, Stewart can provide immediate depth at the 4 or 5 for a Mavericks team looking to win now. — Sam Squadron

19. MILWAUKEE BUCKS (VIA INDIANA): Vernon Carey Jr. (6-10 Center, Duke)

CLASS: Freshman (19 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 17.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, shooting 58% from the field

There’s a reason why Vernon Carey Jr. was voted ACC Freshman of the Year in his lone season at Duke. The 6-10 lefty has an efficient offensive game and can score in a multitude of ways. Vernon has a quick first step and is extremely tough to guard within five feet of the basket. He’ll be joining a team already poised to make a deep playoff run, so there will be little to no pressure for the rook to carry a large load. However, if there’s anything we learned from Vernon Carey Jr in college, it’s that he shows up when it matters most. — Theus McBee

20. BROOKLYN NETS (VIA PHILADELPHIA): Saddiq Bey (6-8 Forward, Villanova)

CLASS: Sophomore (21 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, shooting 48% from the field and 45% from three

Bey is an athletic forward standing at 6-8, 216 pounds that has levels to his game, but the biggest draw is that he’s a knockdown shooter. He shot 45% from beyond the arc in his sophomore year at Villanova, up from 37% in his first year. The Julius Erving award winner could be a perfect fit for the Nets, who are currently the fifth worst three-point shooting squad in the League based on percentage. Brooklyn will be getting back major offensive pieces next year in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but with the contract of Joe Harris in question, Bey could be a strong addition should the Nets need to fill that role. — Camille Buxeda

21. DENVER NUGGETS (VIA HOUSTON): Jalen Smith (6-10 Forward, Maryland)

CLASS: Sophomore (20 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, shooting 54% from the field and 37% from three

Jalen Smith is a rim-running, athletic big with great hands. He’s also a willing and gifted post player who can step out and shoot the three. The 6-10 power forward has a high motor—Smith can bring chasedown blocks, offensive rebounds, and defensive toughness to the Pepsi Center. For good measure, he’s got the lateral speed and shiftiness necessary to defend at the next level. The Baltimore native is fresh off a stellar sophomore season, in which he led Maryland to a 24-7 record and a Big Ten title. Stix was the best player on a Terps team on pace for a 3-seed and poised for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, and Smith would pair well with Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic in Mike Malone’s system. Paul Millsap, Mason Plumlee and Jerami Grant are all free agents this summer. Smith fits Denver’s position need, and he projects to be the kind of player most GMs are looking for in 2020: a stretch-four who defends. — Eli Schwadron

22. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (VIA OKLAHOMA CITY): Aaron Nesmith (6-6 Forward, Vanderbilt)

CLASS: Sophomore (20 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 23.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals, shooting 51% from the field and 52% from three

When JJ Redick fled from the City of Brotherly Love on the first day of free agency last summer, the Sixers’ long-range marksmanship took an immediate hit. Through 65 games, Philadelphia ranked 14th in three-point field goal accuracy (32.6%), down from eighth the season before. The solution? Enter Aaron Nesmith, the best pure shooter in this year’s draft. Vandy’s 6-6 sophomore slinger averaged 23 points and 4.9 rebounds over 14 games while shooting 52% from deep, before a season-ending stress fracture in his right foot. Nesmith was the fifth-leading scorer in the nation and was on pace to have one of the best three-point shooting seasons in college basketball history. Possessing a combination of size, strength, and deadeye shot-making ability, Nesmith’s game is tailor-made for the modern NBA and fills a much-needed void in Philly. — Peter Robert Casey

23. MIAMI HEAT: Killian Hayes (6-5 Guard, ratiopharm Ulm of Basketball Bundesliga)

AGE: 18 years old

2019-20 STATS: 12.8 points, 6.2 assists, 1.5 steals, shooting 46% from the field and 39% from three

Already an Eastern Conference playoff contender, Pat Riley will search for the final pieces of the puzzle starting in the 2020 Draft. As Goran Dragic enters unrestricted free agency, the Heat will likely target youth to take over the reigns. Although he’s only 18, Killian Hayes boasts the experience and toughness it takes to make an impact in the NBA immediately. Originally born in Lakeland, FL, before moving to France due to his father’s pro career, Hayes has used basketball to bridge the gap between both countries. After playing against older opponents his entire childhood in Europe, Hayes turned professional in France at the age of only 16. During his career with Cholet, Killian also represented the French National team. Now a 6-5 PG with a tight handle, sharp vision and the ability to finish at the rim, he holds all the intangibles NBA scouts seek. The Lakeland native took the opposite journey to the League, and the risk may be worth the reward. Once idolizing Dwyane Wade, Hayes now has the chance to honor Flash as he returns to his home state and aims to ignite South Beach once again. — Daren Scarberry

24. UTAH JAZZ: Aleksej Pokusevski (7-0 Forward, Olympiacos B of the Greek A2 Basket League)

AGE: 18 years old

2019-20 STATS: 10.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.8 blocks, shooting 49% from the field and 32% from three

It’s time to meet your future favorite player, and he goes by the name of Poku. Joining the storied lineage of Serbians (Vlade, Peja, Nikola) in the NBA, Aleksej Pokusevski is the youngest prospect in this year’s draft, not turning 19 until the day after Christmas. And while his 7-0 frame has caused folks that have never heard of him or seen him play to make assumptions, don’t get it twisted—Poku is a point guard trapped in a center’s body. Just like KD (6-10), Giannis (6-11), Jokić (7-0), and Porzingis (7-3), he’s a vertically inclined man with playmaking ability and perimeter skills. Unfortunately, he’s barely seen any EuroLeague action for Olympiacos since joining the club at the age of 13, but he’s had the privilege of learning from legendary Greek teammates Vassilis Spanoulis and Georgios Printezis, along with former head coach David Blatt. While this season he was assigned to play with the development team, Olympiacos B, his time spent with the Serbian national squad has been fruitful and excited NBA scouts. Last July, he opened the FIBA U18 European Championship with 16 points, 13 rebounds, 7 blocks, 5 assists, and 3 steals in a win against Germany. If Poku somehow slips this far to Utah, a team who flew to Athens to see him play in November, they’re in for a treat. — Aron Phillips

25. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (VIA DENVER): Jahmi’us Ramsey (6-4 Guard, Texas Tech)

CLASS: Freshman (18 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals, shooting 44% from the field and 43% from three

Jahmi’us Ramsey, the highest ranked recruit to ever attend Texas Tech, finished off the 2019-20 regular season as Big 12 Freshman of the Year. He’s an explosive combo guard with a great jump shot who can create space, elevate and finish with authority at the rim. Put simply, Ramsey gets buckets. Ramsey would slot right into an Oklahoma City Thunder backcourt that has thrived under the guidance of head coach Billy Donovan and veteran point god Chris Paul. Integrated into a system with a strong track record of player development, Ramsey could carve out a role as a long-term rotation piece in OKC. — Dave Schnur

26. BOSTON CELTICS: Zeke Nnaji (6-11 Forward, Arizona)

CLASS: Freshman (19 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 16.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, shooting 57% from the field

Two Celtics picks and two Arizona Wildcats. After choosing Josh Green at 17, the Celtics can afford to take a shot on a sleeper. That comes in the form of Zeke Nnaji. I say sleeper, but he was actually much more productive than Green in their one season of college. The Minnesota native averaged 16.1 points and 8.6 rebounds (including 3.1 offensive boards, giving him the highest total in the Pac 12), while shooting 57% from the field, second best in the conference. The Celtics’ roster is filled out, but they do have one glaring need: a big man who can run the floor and play above the rim. Nnaji can do just that… and then some. He’s an elite finisher who even showed an ability to knock down jump shots. The building blocks are there for him to be an efficient three-point shooter. Nnaji still has glaring struggles on the defensive end, but with Daniel Theis, Vincent Poirier, and Robert Williams under contract next season (Enes Kanter is under a player option), there’s time for him to develop. It’s a low risk, high reward pick that could hopefully fill one of the Celtics’ few holes. Oh, and if you’re short on a pregame National Anthem performer, Zeke Nnaji can do that too.  — Ben Simon

27. NEW YORK KNICKS (VIA CLIPPERS): Jordan Nwora (6-7 Forward, Louisville)

CLASS: Junior (21 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, shooting 44% from the field and 40% from three

During the past two seasons, Jordan Nwora established himself as the go-to guy for the Louisville Cardinals and deserves to be taken in the first round of the upcoming NBA draft. At 6-7, he’s extremely versatile and has a well-rounded offensive game. Nwora led the Cards in scoring for the second straight year, averaging 18 points on 44% shooting from the field and 40% from deep. He can spread the floor and create spacing for a Knicks team that ranked dead last in total threes in 2019-20. If the Knicks take Cole Anthony at the No. 6 spot to pair with RJ Barrett, they’re going to be searching for reliable prospects like Nwora—athletic forwards who can run in transition, knock down jumpers consistently and don’t clog the paint. — Alex Squadron

28. TORONTO RAPTORS: Yves Pons (6-6 Guard, Tennessee)

CLASS: Junior (21 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 10.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, shooting 49% from the field and 35% from three

While the SEC’s DPOY doesn’t boast the numbers of other first round picks, he has elite athleticism that allows him to guard positions 1-4. Pons is another skilled defensive player, similar to OG Anunoby, who will help the Raptors in an Eastern Conference that is deep at the G/F position. At 6-6, Pons averaged 2.4 blocks per game last season. He will fit right in to Toronto’s talented bench squad. Although his defensive prowess is what will get him drafted, Pons shot 35% from the three-point line in his last season as a Volunteer. This makes him an intriguing possible deep threat, and given the Raptors’ track record of developing talent (Siakam, VanVleet, Powell), he will have a great opportunity to develop his offensive game further. — Greg Cohen

29. LOS ANGELES LAKERS: Tyrell Terry (6-1 Guard, Stanford)

CLASS: Freshman (19 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.4 steals, shooting 44% from the field and 41% from three

LeBron loves a point guard that can shoot, and Terry does just that. He’s a score-first PG who also possesses impressive passing ability. Terry is a three-level scorer and a particularly elite three-point shooter. This past season, he shot 48% on catch and shoot threes and is also capable of knocking down jumpers off the dribble. He has a very good feel for the game, knowing when to pass and when to look for his own offense. Tyrell can operate out of the pick-and-roll and moves very well off the ball, similar to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Overall, he’s a playmaker that will develop into a premier guard in the League. — Christian Quezada

30. BOSTON CELTICS (VIA MILWAUKEE): Tre Jones (6-3 Guard, Duke)

CLASS: Sophomore (20 years old)

2019-20 STATS: 16.2 points, 6.4 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 steals, shooting 42% from the field and 36% from three

The oldest position on the Celtics? Point guard. Although Kemba Walker is still earning All-Star appearances, he is less than a month away from being 30. Brad Wanamaker, despite just two years in the NBA, is already 30. Carsen Edwards provides some youth, but might be better served as an off-ball gunner. The Celtics are young and talented at pretty much every other position (center was solved with our last pick). Increased PG depth could provide a nice cushion. Tre Jones brings just that. But the 6-3, 185-pound guard is more than the prototypical backup point guard. Sure, he has a high floor. That happens when you receive ACC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors. Not only can he contribute right away, but he has the chance to grow into a legitimate NBA starter. After shooting just 26% from three during his freshman season, he bumped his average up to 36% this year. He’s a mature, smart guard who can complement the Celtics’ stars by playing defense, facilitating, hitting open threes, and scoring when needed. With Jones and Marcus Smart, they could have one of the best defensive backcourts in the NBA. He’s already a great backup option right now, but as Walker climbs into his 30s, Jones has a chance to be the Celtics’ point guard of the future. — Ben Simon

The post SLAM’s 2020 NBA Mock Draft appeared first on SLAM.

Charlotte led the entire game en route to defeating the Russell Westbrook-less Rockets.

Terry Rozier dropped a team-high 24 points with 6 dimes. Devonte Graham added 23 points and 6 dimes.

Jazz 111 (41-22), Pistons 105 (20-44)

Utah blew a 16-point third quarter lead, but battled back to win their fifth straight game.

Rudy Gobert double-doubled with 10 points, 12 boards, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Bojan Bogdanovic added a game-high 32 points.

Nuggets 102 (42-21), Cavs 104 (18-45)

Cleveland battled back from a double-digit second quarter deficit to snap a 4-game losing streak.

Kevin Love dropped a game-high 27 points with 6 boards. Collin Sexton dropped 25 points with 6 boards and 5 dimes. Filling in for injured Darius Garland, Matthew Dellavedova dropped a career-high 14 dimes.

Hawks 101 (19-46), Grizzlies 118 (32-32)

Memphis completely dominated the game from start to finish.

Ja Morant dropped 24 points (4-4 3FG) with 6 dimes. Jonas Valanciunas added a game-high 27 points with 17 boards.

Sixers 114 (38-26), Warriors 118 (15-49)

With Stephen Curry sitting out with the flu (the ordinary illness), Golden State outscored the Sixers by 12 in the fourth quarter for the comeback victory.

Damion Lee dropped a game-high 24 points on 10-17 shooting. Marquese Chriss dropped 13 points with 10 boards, 8 dimes and 1 clutch block.

Kings 123 (28-35), Blazers 111 (28-37)

In a game with major playoff implications, Sacramento thoroughly dominated from start to finish—leading by as much as 26 points during the fourth.

Bogdan Bogdanovic dropped a game-high 27 points with 8 dimes. De’Aaron Fox added 15 points with 11 dimes.

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Jamal Murray hit a fading game-winner to break the tie in the closing seconds and earn Denver a victory. Murray finished with a team-high 18 points, one of seven Nuggets to hit double-digit scoring.

Clippers 120 (43-19), Rockets 105 (39-22)

L.A. dominated this matchup of top Western Conference teams, leading for almost the entire game. Kawhi Leonard dropped a cool 25 points in 28 minutes.

76ers 125 (38-25), Kings 108 (27-35)

Philadelphia received the scoring punch it needed to overcome the Kings from Tobias Harris (28 points) and Shake Milton (20 points). De’Aaron Fox put up 23 points in the loss.

Raptors 121 (44-18), Warriors 113 (14-49)

This game marked a special occasion for Golden State, as they welcomed back Stephen Curry to the lineup after he missed 58 games with a broken hand. Curry didn’t disappoint, scoring 23 points and providing several highlight moments.

Toronto came out victorious, however, as Pascal Siakam’s last bucket helped seal the game and clinch a playoff berth for the Raptors.

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In Tim Duncan’s head coaching debut, the Spurs picked up a win in a tight game on the road in Charlotte. San Antonio was led by Dejounte Murray, who finished with 21 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. For the Hornets, Terry Rozier dropped 20 points to go along with 5 assists and 6 rebounds, and PJ Washington added 19 in the loss.

Nets 129 (27-33), Celtics 120 (41-19)

It was an absolutely wild one in TD Garden.

The Nets trailed by as many as 21-points in the second half, and were down 17 heading into the fourth. Then Caris LeVert put on a show. The Nets outscored Boston 51-34 in the fourth to force OT behind an insane 26-POINT quarter from LeVert. He stayed hot in OT, scoring all 11 points for Brooklyn and lifting them to the win. Despite having just 14 points at the start of the fourth quarter, LeVert finished with a career-high 51 on 17-26 shooting and 5-10 from downtown. The Boston defense just had no answer for the Michigan product, who put on one of, if not the best performance of the 2019-2020 season thus far.

The Celtics were led by Jaylen Brown, who dropped 22, and Kemba Walker, in his return from injury, who added 21. Marcus Smart stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals in the loss.

Timberwolves 139 (18-42), Pelicans 134 (26-35)

In a high-scoring affair, the Timberwolves outscored the Pelicans 30-23 in the final frame to pick up the win on the road. Malik Beasley led the way, finishing with 28 points on 11-13 shooting and 4-5 from three. DeAngelo Russell added 23 points and 8 assists in the win, and James Johnson dropped 19 points, 5 assists, and 6 rebounds off the bench.

Zion Williamson extended his streak of 20-point games to 12, finishing with 25 points and 8 rebounds on 10-19 shooting. Zion was one of five Pelicans to finished with 24 or more points. Jrue Holiday was awesome, completing a triple-double with 27 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Lonzo Ball added 26 points (including 7 threes), 8 assists and 5 rebounds, and Brandon Ingram dropped 24.

Clippers 109 (42-19), Thunder 94 (37-24)

In a battle between two Western Conference playoff teams, the Clippers picked up the impressive win on the road, their 5th straight victory. Kawhi Leonard scored 25 to go along with 8 rebounds, and Paul George added 16 to lead the way. For OKC, Dennis Schroder dropped a team-high 24 in the loss. Chris Paul added 14 points and 7 assists.

Warriors 116 (14-48), Nuggets 100 (41-20)

The Warriors picked up one of their most impressive wins of the season, beating the Nuggets by double digits in Denver. Andrew Wiggins showed out, finishing with 22 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds to lead Golden State. Eric Paschall added 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists off the bench. Paul Millsap and Will Barton each dropped 18 in the loss for Denver. Nikola Jokic added 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Raptors 123 (43-18), Suns 114 (24-38)

Trailing by 7 at the break, the Raptors rallied in the second half to beat the Suns in Phoenix. Pascal Siakam was dominant, dropping 33 points on 12-20 shooting and 5-9 from deep. Kyle Lowry added a very solid stat line of 28 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds, and Norman Powell dropped 26 in the Raptors win. Devin Booker scored a team-high 22 and added 10 dimes, and Cam Johnson finished with 21 points on 5 made threes in the loss.

Lakers 120 (47-13), 76ers 107 (37-25)

The Lakers blew the game open in the second quarter, outscoring Philly 37-19, and maintained the lead in the second half to secure the home win. Anthony Davis went off, scoring 18 of his game-high 37 in the second quarter. AD also finished with 13 rebounds and 4 blocks. LeBron added a light 22 points, 14 assists and 7 rebounds on 9-16 shooting in the win. Without Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, Philadelphia was led by Glen Robinson III, who dropped 25 points on 10-15 shooting off the bench.

Kings 133 (27-34), Wizards 126 (22-38)

The Wizards stormed back after being down by 28, outscoring Sacramento 46-19 in the third quarter to tie the game heading into the fourth. But Washington responded, winning the final frame 38-31 to secure the win on the road. The Kings were led by De’Aaron Fox, who dropped 31 points on 12-19 shooting in the win. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 21, and Buddy Hield scored 17 off the bench. For the Wizards, Bradley Beal finished with a game-high 35 points in the loss.

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Kristaps Porzingis posted a season-high 38 points in the W, his third straight game with 20 or more points. Seth Curry was Dallas’ second-leading scorer with 27 points. Luke Doncic missed Sunday’s action with a thumb sprain.

Bucks 93 (52-8), Hornets 85 (21-39)

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored the last nine points for the Bucks, finishing the day with 41 points to give Milwaukee its sixth straight win. The Greek Freak also grabbed 20 boards. Brook Lopez added 16 points.

Clippers 136 (41-19), Sixers 130 (27-24)

The Clippers had four players who finished with 20-plus points as Kawhi Leonard led all scorers with 30 points. Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams, one of the L’s top 1-2 bench duos, finished with 24 apieces in L.A.

Nuggets 133 (41-19), Raptors 118 (42-18)

Nikola Jokic messed around and had a triple-double (23 points, 18 rebounds, 11 assists) on Sunday night. This was Jokic’s 43rd triple-double of the season. Jamal Murray finished with 22 points.

Kings 106 (26-34), Pistons 100 (20-42)

De’Aaron Fox sealed the game with a bucket down the stretch, scoring 11 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. Sacramento overcame a 17-point deficit in front of their home crowd. Buddy Hield put up 19 points off the bench.

Lakers 122 (46-13), Pelicans 114 (26-34)

It was one of those nights from LeBron James, who posted 34 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds against the Pelicans in the Big Easy. With no Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma filled in the void, scoring 20 points in the win. Averly Bradley and Danny Green had 10 apiece.

Wizards 124 (21-37), Warriors 110 (13-47)

Bradley Beal scored 22 of his 34 points in the first half. His streak of 25-plus point games is now at 18 (franchise record). David Bertans went 8-of-10 from beyond the arc and put up 29 points in 30 minutes.

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The Magic played incredible, with Terrence Ross recording a season-high 33 points, Nikola Vucevic having 27 points and 10 boards and Aaron Gordon enjoying his first triple-double of his career with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists.

D’Angelo Russell was solid for the Wolves, scoring 28 points and dishing 7 assists with a respectable +8 plus/minus on the night.

Hawks 141 (18-43), Nets 118 (32-36)

This wasn’t just a promising game for the Hawks because they won, but also due to the fact that their young core of players were the biggest contributors to their success. Trae Young dropped 22 and 14 assists. John Collins popped off for 33 and 12 boards. Kevin Huerter scored 15 on an efficient 60% from the field. The rook DeAndre Hunter had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Cam Reddish had perhaps his best game of the season with 26 points on 6-9 from deep.

As for the disappointing Nets, Spencer Dinwiddie did his best with 24 points and 13 assists, but it simply wasn’t enough.

Hornets 99 (21-38), Raptors 96 (42-17)

Well, this was a surprise.

The Raptors usually steamroll objectively inferior opponents, but not tonight, apparently. No Hornets starter even scored 20 points, but they all reached double figures. Solid performances from Pascal Siakam, Norman Powell and Kyle Lowry weren’t enough to offset a bench that only mustered nine points.

Despite all that, there was still a chance to win, with the game tied at 96 with about two seconds left, Hornets ball. But Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was called for an off-ball foul. Tough way to lose.

Heat 126 (37-22), Mavericks 118 (36-24)

This was a very quality win for the Heat, beating a bona-fide playoff team in the West and one of the best offenses in league history. Jimmy Butler predictable led the way in scoring with 26, but Duncan Robinson (24 points, 6-9 from deep, +24 plus/minus) and Kelly Olynyk (13 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists in only 19 minutes) were the unsung heroes.

For Dallas, despite a Seth Curry explosion of 37 points and stars Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis both scoring in the 20’s, Miami was too tough.

Kings 104 (25-34), Grizzlies 101 (28-31)

The Kings are closer to the 8th seed than you think. After beating the Grizzlies, a team currently above them in the chase, Sacramento is only three games out of a playoff berth. De’Aaron Fox led the way with 25 points in what was a very solid all-around team win.

The Grizzlies are crumbling right now, through no fault of their own. Young bigs Jaren Jackson Jr and Brandon Clarke are out with injuries, and they traded two reliable wings in Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill for a Justise Winslow, who is still recuperating from injury. Dillon Brooks led all scorers with 32.

Bucks 133 (51-8), Thunder 86 (37-23)

This was simply an annihilation. The scary part is OKC is a tough, gritty and respectable team with the second best record in the entire damn league since Thanksgiving. But they were no match for Milwaukee and their unskilled star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who dropped an easy 32 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists in 27 measly minutes.

Pelicans 116 (26-33), Cavaliers 104 (17-42)

The Pelicans have now won six of their last 8 games thanks to a mixture of superhuman Zion Williamson efforts and excellent supporting cast members in Brandon Ingram (an All-Star!), Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball, plus a deep cadre of role players.

Ingram led the Pels with 29 points, Zion followed with 24 and Holiday had 22.

Pistons 113 (20-41), Suns 111 (24-36)

We were just treated to a throwback Derrick Rose game.

Rose dropped 31 points and the game-sealing bucket, a beautiful driving, off-balance floater. Also, shoutout to Brandon Knight, who has endured many tough injuries, for scoring 19 points in the win.

Jazz 129 (37-22), Wizards 119 (21-37)

Between a losing streak, uncharacteristic drop in efficiency and some epic role confusion over who is starting and sitting between Mike Conley, Joe Ingles and Royce O’Neale, Utah needed this. Donovan Mitchell once again put the team on his back, going for 30 points and this monster dunk on poor Rui Hachimura.

Bradley Beal can’t be happy after dropping 42 points, 5 boards, 10 assists and 2 steals and still coming away with a loss.

Clippers 132 (40-19), Nuggets 103 (40-19)

Big win for the Clips, who inch closer to the Nuggets for 2nd place in the Western Conference standings.

It was quite the balanced victory, with all ten rotation players notching between 19 and 25 minutes.

Paul George had 24 on an efficient 9-15 shooting, and Kawhi had 19 points on 50% shooting.

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Domantas Sabonis led the way with 21 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists on 8-10 shooting as Indiana cruised to a win at home. Five other Pacers scored in double figures, including T.J. Warren (19) and Malcolm Brogdon (15). Myles Turner was dominant on the defensive end, finishing with a career-high 8 blocks. The Hornets were led by Miles Bridges who dropped 17 in the loss.

Bucks 108 (50-8), Raptors 97 (42-16)

In a much-anticipated battle between the top two teams in the East, the Bucks pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring the Raptors 34-19 en route to their 50th win of the season. Khris Middleton dropped a team-high 22, while Giannis stuffed the stat sheet with 19 points, 19 rebounds, and 8 assists. Eric Bledsoe added 17 and 7 rebounds, and Brook Lopez finished with 15 points and 5 blocks in the win. Pascal Siakam finished with 22 points and 5 3PM in the loss.

Thunder 124 (36-22), Bulls 122 (20-39)

It was a wild one in the Windy City. The Bulls erased a 24-point second half deficit to tie the game late. The comeback was led by Coby White (35 points, 6 3PM, 7 rebounds) and Zach LaVine (41 points). But big-time buckets from Chris Paul and clutch free throws from the entire Thunder team held off the Chicago surge and secured the road win. Danilo Gallinari finished with a team-high 24 points, and Dennis Schroeder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each dropped 21 in the win. CP3 added 19 points and 9 assists for OKC.

Nuggets 115 (40-18), Pistons 98 (19-41)

The Nuggets picked up their 40th win of the season, led by 29 points off the bench from Jerami Grant. Jamal Murray added 16 points and 8 assists in the win. For Detroit, Derrick Rose and Christian Wood each dropped 20 in the loss.

Celtics 118 (40-17), Trail Blazers 106 (26-33)

Boston also secured win number 40 on the road in Portland. Jayson Tatum was unstoppable, dropping 36 points, including a career-high 8 3PM to lead the Celtics. Jaylen Brown added 24 points, and all five Boston starters finished in double figures. Without Damian Lillard, the Blazers were led by CJ McCollum, who dropped 28, and Hassan Whiteside, who finished with 18 points and 19 rebounds in the loss.

Lakers 118 (44-12), Pelicans 109 (25-33)

It was the game every NBA fan had been waiting for: the first installment of LeBron vs. Zion. And it did not disappoint.

The Pelicans battled tough with the West’s top team, but the Lakers pulled away in the fourth, outscoring New Orleans 30-23 in the final frame. LeBron showed out, dropping a season-high 40 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 6 assists in the win. Anthony Davis finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 blocks, and Danny Green added 17 points on 5 3PM. Brandon Ingram led the way for New Orleans, dropping 34 points on his former team. In Zion’s first matchup with the King, he finished with 29 points, including 13-19 from the free throw line.

Kings 112 (24-33), Warriors 94 (12-46)

Harris Barnes and De’Aaron Fox each finished with 21 points to lead the Kings to the win on the road. Bogdan Bogdanovich dropped 17, and Buddy Hield added 19 off the bench in the win. The Warriors had all five starters finish in double figures, led by Marquese Chriss with 21, and Andrew Wiggins with 16.

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Four of five of Milwaukee’s starters finished in double digits with Giannis Antetokounmpo (33 points) leading all scorers. Khris Middleton was the Bucks’s second-leading scorer with 28 points and Brook Lopez had 19.

Hawks 129 (16-41), Heat 124 (35-20)

With Quavo in attendance, Trae Young put up a career-high 50 points at Phillips Arena on Thursday night. De’Andre Hunter and Kevin Huerter put up 17 points apiece and rookie Cam Reddish added 16 points off the bench.

Hornets 103 (19-33), Bulls 93 (19-37)

Charlotte took care of business in the Windy City. Miles Bridges led all starters with 22 points and Malik Monk added 25 points off the bench.

Malik Monk taking FLIGHT (via @BR_NBA) pic.twitter.com/bkad4zC7GO

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 21, 2020

Sixers 112 (35-21), Nets 104 (25-29)

The Nets only scored one point in overtime as Philly prevailed at home. Joel Embiid finished with 36 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. Tobias Harris had a double-double of his own (22 points, 12 rebounds) and Alec Burks had 19 points.

Kings 129 (21-33), Grizzlies 125 (28-26)

Harrison Barnes (32 points) and De’Aaron Fox (26 points) combined for 58 points in the home win. Buddy Hield added 20 points.

Rockets 135 (34-20), Warriors 105 (12-44)

Houston jumped out the gate with a double-digit lead and had that cushion throughout the contest. The Rockets also shot 25 3-pointers, including 15 in the first half.

All five of the Houston’s starters finished in double figures. James Harden put up 29 points in 30 minutes and Russell Westbrook had 21 points and dished out 10 dimes.

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Markelle Fultz registered a double-double of 12 points and a career-high 14 assists to beat the Hornets on the road. Teammate Nikola Vucevic added 22 points and 7 rebounds.

Knicks 139 (15-36), Cavaliers 134 (13-38)

Amid swirling trade rumors, New York came out with a win. Marcus Morris Sr. led the team with 26 points. Kevin Love put up 33 points in 41 minutes.

Mavericks 112 (31-19), Pacers 103 (31-19)

It was a battle of the big men as Kristaps Porzingis (38 points, 12 rebounds) and Domantas Sabonis (26 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists) dueled in Indiana. Dallas grew its lead in the second half to secure the victory.

Warriors 125 (12-39), Wizards 117 (17-32)

Golden State enjoyed double-digit scoring from six players, led by Alec Burks’ 30 points. Bradley Beal impressed with 43 points, but fell short of the win.

Celtics 123 (34-15), Hawks 115 (13-38)

Boston featured three 20+ scorers against Atlanta: Jayson Tatum (28 points), Gordon Hayward (24 points) and Jaylen Brown (21 points). Trae Young dropped 34 points and 7 assists for the Hawks.

Suns 97 (20-30), Nets 119 (22-27)

Brooklyn took control after the first quarter, growing their lead to as large as 26. The Nets shot 48% from the field and 44% from deep to sink the Suns. Caris LeVert led Brooklyn with 29 points.

76ers 106 (31-20), Heat 137 (34-15)

Jimmy Butler feasted against his former team. He scored 38 points in the first three quarters, sitting for the entire fourth as the Heat cruised to a win. Goran Dragic also contributed 24 points for Miami.

Pistons 82 (18-34), Grizzlies 96 (25-25)

Jonas Valanciunas set the tempo for Memphis, leading the team with 26 points and 17 rebounds in the home win. Andre Drummond registered a double-double of 25 points and 18 rebounds for Detroit.

Timberwolves 109 (15-34), Kings 113 (19-31)

The losing woes continue for Minnesota, who just dropped their 12th straight game. De’Aaron Fox (31 points) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (23 points) gave Sacramento the scoring edge.

Spurs 105 (22-27), Clippers 108 (35-15)

The Clippers used a late run to retake the lead and beat San Antonio. Paul George (19 points) hit the dagger to put the game out of reach.

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Toronto held off a Cleveland rally late to hold on to the road win. Serge Ibaka led the team with 26 points, while Kyle Lowry added 23 points. Collin Sexton and Kevin Love each scored 23 points for the Cavs.

Hornets 107 (16-32), Wizards 121 (16-31)

Bradley Beal was fed up with his All-Star snub. The Washington guard went out and let his game do the talking, posting a near triple-double of 34 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists.

76ers 117 (31-18), Hawks 127 (13-36)

Trae Young had a career night and earned the victory to boot. Young posted 39 points, 18 assists (a career high) and 6 rebounds to beat Philadelphia. Ben Simmons led the 76ers with 31 points.

Warriors 104 (10-39), Celtics 119 (32-15)

Boston took control after the first quarter, growing their lead to as large as 19 while they coasted to a win. Three Celtics hit 20+ points: Gordon Hayward (25), Marcus Smart (21) and new All-Star Jayson Tatum (20).

Jazz 100 (32-16), Nuggets 106 (33-15)

The Nuggets outscored the Jazz by eight in the second half, which was enough to lift them over Utah. Nikola Jokic put up a double-double of 28 points and 10 assists. Jordan Clarkson went off for 37 points for Utah.

Kings 124 (18-30), Clippers 103 (33-15)

Sacramento blazed the Clippers from beyond the arc, setting a franchise record with 21 made threes in the win. De’Aaron Fox also registered a career-high 34 points.

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Zion Williamson had the world buzzing as he scored 17 straight points in the fourth quarter, nearly taking down San Antonio by himself. The No. 1 pick finished with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in just 18 minutes of work in his NBA debut.

Pacers 112 (29-16), Suns 87 (18-26)

TJ Warren scored a team-high 25 in his return to Phoenix to lead the way to victory. Domantas Sabonis did his part, too, adding 24 points (8-for-11 shooting) and 13 boards for the Pacers.

Jazz 129 (31-13), Warriors 96 (10-36)

D’Angelo Russell put up 26 points in 28 minutes, but the Jazz’ depth — 13 different players got on the scoreboard — was far too much to overcome for the depleted Warriors. Rudy Gobert had 22 points and a team-high 15 boards and Donovan Mitchell scored 23 in just 22 minutes.

Nuggets 105 (30-14), Rockets 121 (27-16)

The Rockets’ backcourt was completely in sync as Russell Westbrook and James Harden combined for 55 points, 21 rebounds and 13 dimes to edge the gap between them and the second place Nuggets.

Timberwolves 110 (15-29), Bulls 117 (17-29)

Zach LaVine (team-high 25 points) was able to get the W over his former team despite a 40-point outing from Karl-Anthony Towns. Lauri Markkanen added 21 to aid the Bulls.

Wizards 129 (14-29), Heat 134 (31-13)

The Heat’s bench backcourt duo of Tyler Herro (25 points, 7 threes) and Goran Dragic (22 points, 10 assists) took care of business as Miami scored 16 points in overtime to down the Wizards.

Bradley Beal scored a team-high 38 for Washington.

Grizzlies 95 (20-24), Celtics 119 (29-14)

The Grizzlies had the lead at the end of the first quarter, but the Celtics bounced back to dominate the rest of the night as Jayson Tatum scored 23 in 26 minutes of work.

Lakers 100 (35-9), Knicks 92 (12-33)

LeBron James picked up a win in his favorite arena to travel to, leading the way with 21 points, 6 boards and 5 dimes for Los Angeles.

Thunder 120 (26-19), Magic 114 (21-24)

Dennis Schroder scored 31 points (13-for-18 shooting) and had 9 dimes off the bench to lead the Thunder.

Clippers 95 (31-14), Hawks 104 (11-34)

The Clippers were only able to score 35 points in the second half as John Collins’ 33-point night pushed the Hawks ahead. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Patrick Beverley didn’t suit up for Los Angeles and Trae Young missed the night for Atlanta.

Kings 106 (15-29), Pistons 127 (17-28)

Derrick Rose, Christian Wood and Reggie Jackson combined for 67 to lead the Pistons’ charge against the Kings.

De’Aaron Fox had 22 in the effort.

76ers 95 (26-17), Raptors 107 (30-14)

Fred VanVleet’s 22 points and Pascal Siakam’s 18 points and 15 boards led the Raptors past the Sixers in a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals.

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Carmelo Anthony scored 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds as he picked up a win in the city that let him go a season ago. CJ McCollum and Dame Lillard combined for 49 points.

James Harden had a season-low in points, scoring 13 in 36 minutes.

Pistons 116 (15-27), Celtics 103 (27-12)

Sekou Doumbouya scored 24 points on just 13 shots and Derrick Rose added 22 as the Pistons picked up an upset win in Boston.

Magic 119 (20-21), Lakers 118 (33-8)

Aaron Gordon (21 points) put on a dunk show at the STAPLES Center and Markelle Fultz (21 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) came up big in crunch time to take down the No.1 team in the west.

LeBron James had 19 points and 19 dimes in the effort.

Nets 106 (18-22), 76ers 117 (26-16)

Tobias Harris scored a game-high 34 on 14-for-20 shooting and grabbed 10 boards to lead the Sixers’ scoring effort. Ultimately, Philadelphia’s defense secured the W, holding Brooklyn to 16 fourth quarter points after trailing at the end of the third quarter.

Wizards 106 (13-27), Bulls 115 (15-27)

Zach LaVine’s hot streak continued, and this time it got the struggling Bulls a win. The Seattle-native finished with 30 points, 7 boards and 7 assists as he went 6-for-11 from deep.

Spurs 100 (17-22), Heat 106 (28-12)

Kendrick Nunn dropped 33 on a blistering 13-for-18 shooting night to put Miami past San Antonio.

Mavericks 127 (26-15), Kings 123 (15-26)

Luka Doncic stuffed the stat sheet with 25 points, 15 rebounds and 17 assists and Seth Curry provided a spark off the pine with 21 points and five made 3’s.

Sacramento’s trio of De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Harrison Barnes combined for 77, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Dallas.

Hornets 86 (15-29), Nuggets 100 (28-12)

Michael Porter Jr.’s time to shine was well worth the wait. His energy off the bench (19 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals in 28 minutes) led Denver past Charlotte.

Terry Rozier scored a game-high 20 for Charlotte.

Pacers 104 (26-15), Timberwolves 99 (15-25)

Domantas Sabonis scored 29 on 13-for-17 shooting and tacked on 13 rebounds and 6 dimes to lead Indiana. His plus-minus of +21 led all players in his 36 minutes of playing time.

Raptors 130 (26-14), Thunder 121 (23-18)

Oklahoma City cut Toronto’s 30-point lead down to just three in the fourth quarter, but the defending champs were able to right the ship in the game’s final minutes to escape with a win.

Norman Powell scored a team-high 23 for Toronto and OG Anunoby added 21 points, 5 boards, 5 dimes and 3 steals.

Dennis Schroder scored a game-high 25 off the bench for OKC.

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In this post, just one of a series of 30, we’ll break down the reports that have started to trickle out about Kings players that may or may not be on the move. While there’s no guarantee when it comes to a league as wild as the modern NBA, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on each squad’s roster as the deadline draws near.

Players Unlikely To Be Traded

• Marvin Bagley
• De’Aaron Fox
• Buddy Hield
• Richaun Holmes

Marvin Bagley has struggled to stay on the court this season but despite that, he remains a major building block in the franchise’s long-term plan. De’Aaron Fox has had his own injury woes this season, though no one is going to dislodge him as point guard of the future in Sacramento. It’s highly unlikely that the Kings deal Buddy Hield before the deadline given that he just signed a contract extension and is subjected to the poison pill provision.

Heading into the season, no one would have guessed that Richaun Holmes would be a top contender for the Kings’ most valuable player. The center leads the team in NBA Math’s Total Points Added by a wide margin and he’s sporting a career-high in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, field goal percentage and player efficiency rating among other metrics. Did we mention that he’s on a team-friendly two-year, $9.8M deal? Barring a blockbuster trade, expect to see Holmes alongside the Kings’ three foundational pieces through the trade deadline.

Biggest Name Available On Market

• Dewayne Dedmon

Dewayne Dedmon, who signed a three-year $40M contract with the Kings this past offseason, has requested a trade late last month. “I would like to be traded,” Dedmon told Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “I haven’t been playing, so I would like to go somewhere where my talents are appreciated.“

The center was fined for publicly discussing his trade request and up until Holmes’ shoulder injury, which comes at a convenient time for Sacramento to showcase Dedmon for trades, the 30-year-old big man hadn’t gotten much court time with the team.

Logical Trade Pieces

• Trevor Ariza
• Bogdan Bogdanovic

To say the Kings are in the playoff race is taking the glass-is-half-full mentality when there’s just a few drops of water in your cup. As of this writing, only the Pelicans and Warriors have a worse record than the Kings in the Western Conference and while there is a lot of time left in the season, Sacramento would need to go on a massive run to capture a playoff berth.

The team pulled off a three-game winning streak just once this season, though they followed it up by losing nine of their next 10 contests. Unless the front office truly believes it’s going to find some positive consistency over the back half of the season, trading away Trevor Ariza, who’s contract for next season is non-guaranteed, would be a prudent move.

Trading away Bogdan Bogdanovic makes sense if the Kings feel he’s going to garner more than they are willing to pay on the open market. The team failed to come to terms on an extension with the wing prior to the season and that has fueled trade speculation around the league. The 27-year-old Serbian-native will be a restricted free agent after the 2019-20 campaign.

Trades Are Possible

• Harrison Barnes
• Cory Joseph
• Nemanja Bjelica
• Yogi Ferrell
• Harry Giles
• Caleb Swanigan
• Justin James

Harrison Barnes is in the first season of a four-year, $85M deal. It would be surprising if the Kings moved on from him before the deadline. Cory Joseph has embraced his role as a backup point guard and was a nice fill in during the stretch where Fox was sidelined. He’s in the first year of a three-year, $37.2M contract, though the final season on that pact in non-guaranteed. Nemanja Bjelica has seen his role fluctuate with various injuries on the team. The power forward’s $7.2M salary for next season is non-guaranteed. Yogi Ferrell is in the final season of his two-year contract. He’s seeing just 12.8 minutes per game under coach Luke Walton. Harry Giles hasn’t had much of a role this season and his long-term future in Sacramento seems grim with the team turning down his fourth-year option. Wenyen Gabriel signed with Sacramento in October and can’t be traded until Jan. 21. Caleb Swanigan has seen more minutes in the G League (99) than in the NBA (23) this season. Second-round pick Justin James has seen over 20 minutes of playing time on just three occasions this season and under a minute of action in 22 contests.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Sacramento Kings appeared first on SLAM.

The Wiz have played admirably without star guard Bradley Beal. Jordan McRae scored 29 points, Troy Brown Jr chipped in 18 and 10 boards off the bench and Davis Bertans treated us to a surprising flush.

Pelicans 123 (14-25), Knicks 111 (10-29)

Watch out for the Birds. After a pitiful start to the season, they’re finding their stride, with an easy schedule and Zion Williamson on the horizon. In the present, Brandon Ingram went off for 28 points, Lonzo Ball had 11 assists and rookie Jaxson Hayes had 18 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks.

No matter how many starting lineups they try, the Knicks still find a way to lose. At least all five starters scored, and we glimpsed signs of life from the mysterious Frank Ntlikina.

Nets 117 (17-20), Heat 113 (27-11)

Spencer Dinwiddie is so under-appreciated. He’s kept the entire Nets boat afloat while Kyrie nurses a shoulder injury, and tonight was no different. Dinwiddie dropped 26 points and 14 assists to take down the Heat.

Pacers 116 (24-15), Bulls 105 (13-26)

Without arguably their best player Malcolm Brogdon (plus Victor Oladipo having missed the whole season thus far), the Pacers still took care of business against an inferior Bulls team. Center Myles Turner produced one of his best games yet, with 27 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks.

The Bulls wasted a fantastic Zach LaVine 43-point scoring outburst (he scored 20 in a row at one point), and look poised for another year in the lottery.

Grizzlies 134 (17-22), Spurs 121 (16-21)

The new guard beating the old guard. There’s something symbolic about that, and Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson are the future, but the present is pretty damn good too. Jaren had 24 points on an efficient 8-11 shooting. Ja also had a complete game with 22 points, 14 assists and 7 rebounds.

The Spurs had beaten the Bucks and Celtics in recent games, yet they succumbed to the pesky Grizzlies. DeMar DeRozan had a 36-9-9 stat line, but it was not enough.

Suns 98 (15-23), Magic 94 (18-21)

The Magic were leading the Suns 94-90 with less than a minute to go.

Then, Devin Booker happened. The star shooting guard drained a 3-pointer, then caught a steal on defense and came back down to splash another 3. Game, set, match.

Jazz 109 (26-12), Hornets 92 (15-26)

The Jazz are rolling. Trading for Jordan Clarkson has been a godsend, as the seemingly minor trade simultaneously excised poor, yet consistently injured Dante Exum and brought in a much needed bucket-getter. Clarkson scored 20 points on 8-15 shooting, while Rudy Gobert provided his usual dose of stingy defense with 5 blocks and a modest double-double. The Jazz have won 13 of their last 14 games.

Lakers 129 (31-7), Mavericks 114 (23-15)

LeBron James did LeBron James things with his superstar sidekick Anthony Davis sidelined. Bron dropped 35 points, 16 rebounds and 7 assists to dismantle the Mavs, making him the first Laker to put up such stats since Shaq in 2003. Kyle Kuzma stepped into the starting lineup admirably with 26 points of his own.

Bucks 127 (34-6), Kings 106 (15-24)

Another day, another Bucks win while Giannis doesn’t even play 30 minutes. Khris Middleton (27 points, 11 rebounds) and Eric Bledsoe (24 points, 5 assists) led the way to crush the Kings, who actually stayed competitive through halftime.

De’Aaron Fox was phenomenal stuffing the stat sheet, with 19 points, 9 boards, 10 assists, 4 steals and even 2 blocks in the loss.

Clippers 109 (27-12), Warriors 100 (9-31)

The Dubs played them close, but the Clippers still took care of business even without star Paul George. Kawhi had a monster slam dunk, and 36 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Pat Beverley was one assist shy of a triple-double.

The post Post Up: Lakers Defeat Mavericks in Final Regular Season Meeting appeared first on SLAM.

It was the Melo show in Toronto tonight. He dropped a season-high 28 points on 10-17 shooting, including a game-winning pull-up jumper with 3 seconds left to lift the Blazers to the impressive road win. Damian Lillard added 20 points and Hassan Whiteside finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds for Portland. For the Raptors, Kyle Lowry dropped 24 in the loss.

Pistons 115 (14-24), Cavaliers 113 (10-27)

Detroit outscored Cleveland 31-18 in the fourth quarter, and Derrick Rose hit a smooth go-ahead floater with 26 seconds left to secure the win on the road. The bucket gave Rose 2 of his team-high 24 points, and Andre Drummond was a monster again, finishing with 23 points and 20 rebounds. Kevin Love led the Cavs in the loss, dropping 30 points on 12-15 shooting.

Thunder 111 (21-16), Nets 103 (16-20)

After Chris Paul tied the game with a pull-up jumper, Spencer Dinwiddie missed a free throw in the final seconds, sending the game to OT. The Thunder outscored the Nets 10-2 in overtime, giving struggling Brooklyn their 7th straight loss. CP3 was awesome, dropping 20 of his game-high 28 in the fourth quarter and OT. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his stellar play, dropping 22 for OKC. The nets were lead by Taurean Prince, who finished with 21 points and 8 rebounds, and Caris LeVert, who dropped 20 off the bench.

Grizzlies 119 (16-22), Timberwolves 112 (14-22)

The Grizzlies scored 37 fourth quarter points to secure their third win in a row. Memphis was led by Ja Morant, who finished with 25 points (12-18 FG) and 7 assists, and Dillon Brooks, who dropped a game-high 28 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points in the win. For Minnesota, the rookie Jarrett Culver finished with a season-high 24 points on 8-11 shooting.

Kings 114 (15-23), Suns 103 (14-23)

The Kings stormed back late to beat the Suns, winning the fourth quarter by a score of 36-16. De’Aaron Fox led the way with 27 points and 6 assists, and Nemanja Bjelica added 19 points and 7 rebounds. For Phoenix, Devin Booker dropped 34, his seventh straight game with 30+ points. Deandre Ayton added 21 points and 9 rebounds in the loss.

Lakers 117 (30-7), Knicks 87 (10-27)

The Lakers dominated the Knicks throughout to pick up their 30th win of the season. LeBron James led the way, finishing with 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Anthony Davis left the game in the third quarter after a scary fall, but x-rays on his lower back were negative. For the Knicks, RJ Barrett dropped a team-high 19 points.

The post Post Up: Melo’s Game-Winner Lifts Blazers Over Raptors appeared first on SLAM.

TJ Warren’s 36 points helped give Indiana the scoring edge over Charlotte. Terry Rozier scored 28 points in the loss.

Nets 89 (16-19), Magic 101 (17-20)

Markelle Fultz continues to thrive in Orlando. The third-year guard notched a career high of 25 points in the home win. Aaron Gordon added a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds.

Thunder 113 (20-16), 76ers 120 (24-14)

Philly took the lead heading into halftime and never gave it up. The 76ers connected on 50% of their 3-point attempts on the night; Josh Richardson led the team with 23 points.

Celtics 94 (25-9), Wizards 99 (12-24)

Washington never trailed in their home win, holding a lead as large as 11. Ish Smith paced the team with 27 points. Jaylen Brown put up 23 points and 12 rebounds for Boston.

Nuggets 123 (25-11), Hawks 115 (8-29)

Nikola Jokic’s career-high 47 points powered the Nuggets over the Hawks. Trae Young stood out with several highlight moves and registered 29 points, but fell short of the victory.

Jazz 128 (24-12), Pelicans 126 (12-25)

New Orleans had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer, but missed the layup as time expired. Bojan Bogdanovic impressed with 35 points; Brandon Ingram matched him with 35 points of his own.

Bulls 110 (13-24), Mavericks 118 (23-13)

It was another night as usual for Luka Doncic. The second-year player registered a triple-double of 38 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the win.

Bucks 104 (32-6), Spurs 126 (15-20)

San Antonio bested Milwaukee after losing to them in their previous game. DeMar DeRozan (25 points) and Patty Mills (21 points) helped the Spurs get the home victory.

Warriors 98 (9-29), Kings 111 (14-23)

The Kings’ stud backcourt of Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox accounted for 21 points apiece as Sacramento overwhelmed the Warriors. Glenn Robinson III scored a team-high 16 points.

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Cleveland and Charlotte went back and forth in the final minutes, but Hornets guard Devonte’ Graham hit the crucial go-ahead bucket that helped his team get the win. Graham finished with 16 points in 41 minutes, while Terry Rozier led Charlotte with 30 points.

Nuggets 124 (24-10), Pacers 116 (22-31)

It was a career night for Michael Porter Jr., who scored his most points in a game yet with 25 against the Pacers. Jeremy Lamb notched 30 points in the loss.

Raptors 76 (23-12), Heat 84 (25-9)

Miami gutted out the win in this low-scoring affair between two top Eastern Conference teams. Bam Adebayo led the Heat with a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Jazz 102 (22-12), Bulls 98 (13-22)

Five Utah players hit double-digit scoring, led by 19 points from Bojan Bogdanovic. Rudy Gobert added a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds. Zach LaVine scored 26 points in the loss.

Warriors 84 (9-27), Timberwolves 99 (13-21)

Robert Covington and Shabazz Napier each contributed 20 points to Minnesota’s home win. Glen Robinson III led Golden State with 16 points.

Nets 111 (16-17), Mavericks 123 (22-12)

It was another night of MVP-level play from Luka Doncic. The forward registered 31 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists to propel the Mavs over Brooklyn. Spencer Dinwiddie notched 19 points for the Nets.

Thunder 109 (19-15), Spurs 103 (14-19)

OKC outscored San Antonio 35-27 in the final frame to steal the road win. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander provided a spark with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. DeMar DeRozan put up 30 points for the Spurs.

Grizzlies 123 (13-22), Kings 128 (13-22)

Sacramento received the scoring edge from the duo of De’Aaron Fox (27 points) and Buddy Hield (26 points) to come back and beat Memphis. Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant led the team with 23 points.

Pistons 112 (12-23), Clippers 126 (25-11)

Six Clippers players scored 12+ points, led by Montrezl Harrell’s 23 points in 27 minutes. Lou Williams (22 points) and Kawhi Leonard (18 points) added to the offense as well.

The post Post Up: Michael Porter Jr. Scores Career-High 25 Points in Win appeared first on SLAM.

Cleveland has popped off three straight wins. The Cavs’ backcourt duo of Collin Sexton (25 points) and Darius Garland (21 points) stepped up to provide the scoring. Trae Young put up 30 points for the Hawks.

76ers 125 (22-10), Pistons 109 (11-20)

Ben Simmons dropped a career-high 17 assists to top off his triple-double; he also contributed 16 points and 13 rebounds. Philadelphia enjoyed a team-high 35 points from Tobias Harris.

Raptors 115 (21-9), Pacers 120 (21-10)

Indiana prevailed in overtime to secure the home win. The Pacers were led by 24 points apiece from Myles Turner and TJ Warren. Kyle Lowry scored 30 points in the loss.

Wizards 121 (9-20), Knicks 115 (7-24)

Bradley Beal (30 points) and Troy Brown Jr. (26 points) helped propel Washington to a road victory. Julius Randle put up 35 points for the Knicks.

Bulls 95 (12-20), Magic 103 (13-17)

Jonathan Isaac registered an all-around game, notching 13 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks. Terrence Ross led the team with 26 points and six made 3-pointers.

Jazz 104 (18-12), Heat 107 (22-8)

The Heat pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Utah 31-23. Miami had six players in double-digits, led by Jimmy Butler’s 20 points. Joe Ingles paced the Jazz with 27 points.

Spurs 145 (12-17), Grizzlies 115 (11-20)

The scoring came in bunches for San Antonio. LaMarcus Aldridge put up a monster night of 40 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. DeMar DeRozan added 26 points and 10 assists.

Nuggets 113 (21-8), Suns 111 (11-19)

Denver and Phoenix were tied late until Jamal Murray sunk a dagger into the Suns. Murray, who scored a game-high 28 points, found room with two seconds left to hit the step-back game-winner. Teammate Nikola Jokic contributed a double-double of 22 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

Pelicans 102 (8-23), Blazers 94 (14-17)

Portland wasn’t able to overcome a poor shooting night, going just 4-29 from deep. On the other side, five Pelicans hit double-digit scoring, led by Jrue Holiday (21 points).

Rockets 113 (21-9), Kings 104 (12-18)

James Harden (34 points) and Russell Westbrook (28 points) helped Houston fend off the Kings. De’Aaron Fox scored a season-high 31 points in the loss.

Timberwolves 104 (10-19), Warriors 113 (7-24)

D’Angelo Russell and Alec Burks combined for 55 points as Golden State held onto its lead late. Andrew Wiggins put up 22 points for Minnesota.

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Sometimes, the Cavaliers can be very competent. John Henson (remember him?) swatted 7 shots, Jordan Clarkson exploded for 33 points on 12-17 shooting, and Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love both recorded double doubles in a solid victory.

Meanwhile, even though they lost, Ja Morant was this close to smashing home the dunk of the century.

Pacers 119 (20-9), Kings 105 (12-16)

What the Pacers are doing is so admirable. They play team ball, no one is selfish and you don’t hear a peep from them about how much they miss star Victor Oladipo, who is still recovering from a quad injury. By dismantling the Kings, Indiana just won their fifth game in a row, with all starters and two bench players hitting double digit points. Just imagine this team when Oladipo is back out there wrecking poor fools.

The Kings are slowly getting back their injured young guns De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley, and they’ll have to sort out a crowded front court when everyone is back to full strength.

Celtics 114 (19-7), Pistons 93 (11-18)

The Celtics keep on rolling, this time with a dub over the middling Pistons sans Blake Griffin and Reggie Jackson. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum each had 26 points, while Enes Kanter gobbled up 18 rebounds and rookie Grant Williams had a career-high 18 points off the pine.

Thon Maker was the Pistons’ highest scorer with only 15 points. Yup, it was that kind of night for Detroit.

We were also treated to some Tacko Time, and the fans in TD Garden gave his a standing ovation as he entered the game.

Raptors 122 (20-8), Wizards 118 (8-19)

You simply have to tip your cap to the Raptors. In the past few days, they’ve lost Marc Gasol, Pascal Siakam and Norman Powell to injuries, and they’ve already withstood injuries to Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet and Serge Ibaka. But nonetheless, the wins keep coming. Lowry had 26 points and 9 assists, VanVleet had 18 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists, and Ibaka added 23 points, 10 caroms and 3 blocks.

Meanwhile, Bradley Beal continued his phenomenal season with 27 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Also, shoutout Ish Smith for dropping 26 on 9-9 shooting. That type of efficiency deserves to be appreciated.

Heat 129 (21-8), Knicks 114 (7-22)

The Heat are now 12-1 at home after easily dispatching the Knicks. It goes to show how deep they are when seven players hit double digits and Jimmy Butler wasn’t even one of them. We were treated to a fantastic Derrick Jones Jr dunk and a smooth Goran Dragic between the legs dime.

Mavericks 117 (19-9), 76ers 98 (20-10)

Kristaps Porzingis is starting to shake off his post-ACL rust and the result is terrifying. The Unicorn recorded 22 points, 18 rebounds and 3 blocks to crush the 76ers at home. Tim Hardaway Jr also lit it up from deep, with 27 points and seven 3-pointers.

Other than a touching Boban reunion with their former beloved role player, the 76ers did not bring it. Joel Embiid was the only player to show up, with 33 points and 17 rebounds, but when the rest of the starting lineup manages only a combined 38 points, that is…not good, chief.

Thunder 126 (14-14), Suns 108 (11-17)

The Thunder have won 9 of their past 13 games, and it’s pretty great to see a team so at peace with themselves. For a franchise that has been worrying about superstar departures for the past few years, it must be refreshing to be thriving amid small expectations while potentially cultivating their next star…Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:

Nuggets 109 (19-8), Timberwolves 100 (10-17)

Someone help the Wolves. Losers of nine in a row, they have to pick up the intensity to prevent a lost season.

At least Nikola Jokic has broken out of his slightly underwhelming start to the season. He dropped a 22-10-10 triple double with 2 blocks and has looked much more engaged recently. The league is better off when the Serbian Star is pleased and balling out.

Blazers 118 (13-16), Magic 103 (12-17)

It was a vintage Blazers backcourt game. Dame Lillard did his thing, with 36 points and 6 assists with 7 treys, while CJ McCollum dropped 31 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists to handle the Magic. Hassan Whiteside also chipped in 17 boards and 5 blocks.

The Magic were outmatched, but Nikola Vucevic had a vintage game with 23 points, 12 rebounds and an impressive 6 steals.

Markelle Fultz also unleashed this vicious dunk:

Warriors 106 (6-24), Pelicans 102 (7-23)

Behind 25 points and 7 assists from D’Angelo Russell and 20 points from Damion Lee, the Dubs squeezed out the win against the pesky Pelicans.

Brandon Ingram and Jrue Holiday each had 25 points, while Lonzo Ball swiped 6 steals off the bench.

The post Post Up: Kristaps Porzingis Dominates 76ers in Convincing Victory appeared first on SLAM.

Malcolm Brogdon finished a tough, go-ahead layup with 36 seconds left to lift the Pacers over the Lakers, snapping LA’s 14-game road winning streak. The Lakers streak will finish as tied for the third longest in NBA history, 2 shy of the all-time record. For the Pacers, Domantas Sabonis recorded his 13th straight double-double, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Dwight Howard led the Lakers, dropping 20 points on 10-10 from the field. LeBron added 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists in the loss.

Hornets 110 (13-17), Kings 102 (12-15)

The Hornets outscored the Kings 30-23 in the fourth quarter to secure the win in Charlotte. Malik Monk led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds on 9-12 shooting for the Hornets. De’Aaron Fox returned after missing 17 games with an ankle injury, dropping a team-high 19 points in the loss.

Knicks 143 (7-21), Hawks 120 (6-22)

The Knicks’ 143 points is the most the franchise has scored in regulation in 39 years. New York was led by RJ Barrett, who dropped a career-high 27 points on 10-13 shooting. Mitchell Robinson also finished with a career-high of 22 points (9-13 shooting) to go along with 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. The Knicks’ youth movement is showing out under interim coach Mike Miller, who is now 3-3 since taking over for David Fizdale. Even in the loss, Trae Young went off for 42 points and 7 made threes. Vince Carter added 15 off the bench in his final game in MSG.

Nets 108 (15-12), Pelicans 101 (6-22)

The Nets outscored the Pelicans 15-8 in overtime to pick up the win on the road. Spencer Dinwiddie led the way, finishing with a game-high 31 points. Joe Harris added 24 points, and Jarrett Allen finished with 12 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 blocks for Brooklyn. New Orleans was led by Brandon Ingram, who finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Jazz 109 (16-11), Magic 102 (12-15)

The Jazz held off a late surge from Orlando to secure the win at home. Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic each dropped 30 points in the win, the first time since 2008 that two Jazz players finished with 30+ points in the same game. Rudy Gobert added 12 points and 19 rebounds in the win. For the Magic, D.J. Augustin scored 14 of his team-high 22 points in the fourth quarter.

Clippers 120 (21-8), Suns 99 (11-16)

Kawhi Leonard (20), Lou Will (24), and Paul George (20) all dropped 20+ points as the Clippers dominated the Suns in LA. For Phoenix, Deandre Ayton returned from his 25-game suspension and led the team with 18 points and 12 boards. Kelly Oubre added 19 points on 8-14 shooting in the loss.

The post Post Up: Pacers Snap Lakers’ Road Win Streak appeared first on SLAM.

A sprained ankle forced Luka Doncic to exit Dallas’ Saturday night contest in the first quarter of action. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon confirms the sprain and notes that x-rays performed on the injury have come back negative.

The Mavericks guard sprained the ankle while driving into the key early against the Miami Heat, he hit the deck and appeared to grab high up on his ankle leading some to speculate that it could be a high ankle sprain.

We’ve seen several prominent NBA players fall victims to ankle sprains so far this season, most recently Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox and Orlando’s Aaron Gordon. Those two examples illustrate just how different the prognosis for ankle sprains can be.

Fox was projected to miss three-to-four weeks with his ankle sprain and is nearing a return next week (after five weeks). Gordon simply missed three games.

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Fox worked out hard on Thursday and felt no pain a day later, Ham writes. That bodes well for the franchise eager to get their third-year star back in the fold.

In the nine games that Fox played prior to suffering the ankle sprain, he averaged 18.2 points and 7.0 assists per game. The Kings squad he’ll re-join currently sits ninth in the NBA’s Western Conference and could sneak into the playoff picture that they narrowly missed in 2018-19.

Fox was initially expected to be sidelined three-to-four weeks but the club is in no hurry to rush their franchise cornerstone back prematurely. Journeymen Cory Joseph and Yogi Ferrell have handled the point in Fox’s absence.

The post De’Aaron Fox Nearing Return From Ankle Sprain appeared first on SLAM.

The loss of Fox will come as a crushing blow for a team that’s struggled out of the gates, already down a man in sophomore Marvin Bagley. Fox will be re-evaluated in a month.

Through nine games so far this season, Fox has averaged 18.2 points and 7.0 assists per game.

More to come.

The post De’Aaron Fox To Miss 3-4 Weeks With Ankle Sprain appeared first on SLAM.

TJ Warren scored a game-high 26 points and Malcolm Brogdon was the Pacers’ second-leading scorer with 22 points. TJ Leaf scored 13 points off the bench.

Heat 129 (5-1), Rockets 100 (3-3)

Duncan Robinson (23 points) and Meyers Leonard (21 points) combined for 44 points at home; Jimmy Butler had 18 points. The Heat never trailed once in the contest and led 46-14 after the first quarter.

Kings 113 (2-5), Knicks 92 (1-6)

All five Kings players scored in double figures with De’Aaron Fox leading all scorers with 24 points.

Lakers 103 (5-1), Spurs (4-2) 96

After Friday’s overtime thriller against Dallas, the Lakers defeated the Spurs to go 2-0 on their three-game road trip. LeBron James finished with his second-consecutive triple-double: 21 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds.

Anthony Davis put up 25 points and grabbed 11 boards. Dwight Howard had 14 and 13 in 21 minutes off the bench. This is the Lakers’ best start since the 2010-11 season.

Mavericks 131 (3-2), Cavaliers 111 (2-3)

Luka Doncic dominated in The Land – 29 points, 15 dimes and 14 rebounds – on Sunday night. Doncic became the youngest player in NBA history with consecutive 25-point triple-doubles. Kristaps Porzingis had 18 points and 9 boards.

Clippers 105 (5-2), Jazz 94 (4-3)

After scoring five points in the first half, Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points to finish the night with 30. The Clippers bench outscored Utah’s, 50-19.

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It took a balanced Nets effort to beat the explosive Rockets, and ultimately Kyrie Irving‘s late-game heroics were too much to handle. Irving had himself a 22 point, 10 assist double-double, while Taurean Prince (27 points, 12 rebounds) and Caris LeVert (25 points, four rebounds, four assists) also aided in the victory.

The Rockets may have had their three-game win streak snapped, but their superstar pairing is still putting up monster numbers. Russell Westbrook had 27 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and four steals, while James Harden, in what has become a regular occurrence, scored 36 points and tossed eight assists, which is actually his AVERAGE for the season. Dude is just ridiculous.

Pacers 102 (2-3), Cavaliers 95 (2-3)

Both teams struggled to reach 40% from the field, but ultimately the Pacers came out on top through the brute force of Domantas Sabonis (18 points, 17 rebounds and two blocks) and Malcolm Brogdon‘s continued breakout season (25 points, eight rebounds and six assists).

Despite Kevin Love‘s super-charged double-double of 22 points and 17 rebounds, 95 total points just is not going to cut it in today’s fast-paced NBA.

Bucks 123 (3-2), Magic 91 (2-3)

Despite getting off to a rusty start, the Bucks made easy work of the Magic, stomping them by 31 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo had another phenomenal game, scoring 29 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, dishing six assists and snatching six steals.

No one stood out too much for the Magic, although Evan Fournier chipped in 19 points on an efficient 7-12 shooting in just 22 minutes.

Celtics 104 (4-1), Knicks 102 (1-5)

Thanks to a magnificent Jayson Tatum fade-away buzzer beater, the Celtics buried the pesky Knicks in regulation. Kemba Walker has really started to acclimate well to his new environment, scoring 33 points and making all 14 of his free-throw attempts.

For the Knicks, Marcus Morris dropped 29 points and 9 rebounds, but overall, it looks like it will be another tough season in the Big Apple.

Bulls 112 (2-4), Pistons 106 (2-4)

A battle of two middling Eastern Conference playoff teams may not look exciting on the surface, but in reality, we were treated to some quality entertainment. First off, any time Derrick Rose returns to Chicago, emotions run high, and that was reflected when the fans chanted “MVP” as Rose checked in for the first time. And while labeling Rose as an MVP is obviously superlative, he’s been a godsend to a Pistons team lacking playmaking options with Blake Griffin sidelined.

Rose added 23 points and seven assists off the bench, while center Andre Drummond continued his stat-stuffing binge, scoring 25 points and swallowing 24 rebounds. For the Bulls, Zach LaVine and Otto Porter led the team to victory with 26 and 22 points, respectively.

Lakers 119 (4-1), Mavericks 110 (3-2)

This game has an early case for Game of the Year. We were treated to a vintage LeBron James performance, as the King put up a crazy 39 points, 12 rebounds, 16 assists and four steals, as well as the perfect pass to Danny Green to force OT. In addition, the King hit a dagger step-back 3 to seal the deal. Anthony Davis also showed out with 31 points and eight rebounds.

The Mavericks took a tough loss, but they have to be even more ecstatic with Luka Doncic‘s progression from star to superstar. Doncic was phenomenal last season, but many Mavericks games were not competitive. To see him absolutely ball out to the tune of 29 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists in a primetime game is a sight to behold. Long live Luka.

Kings 102 (1-5), Jazz 101 (4-2)

The Kings are winless no more! After a surprising 0-5 start, Sacramento gutted out a gritty victory over the Jazz. Guard De’Aaron Fox led the way with 25 points, five rebounds and four assists, as well as this acrobatic circuit shot. It’s hard to explain how this even went in:

But it would have been all for nothing if Harrison Barnes didn’t come up clutch with the put-back.

Spurs 127 (4-1), Warriors 110 (1-4)

Patty Mills exploded for 31 points off the bench as the irrepressible Spurs moved to 4-1, while the Warriors embarked on life without Stephen Curry, who tragically broke his hand against the Suns.

D’Angelo Russell enjoyed the increased spotlight, as he dropped 30 points and eight assists in the loss, albeit on 9-24 shooting. After five years of dominance, it’s going to be a tough season for the Dubs.

The post Post Up: LeBron Leads Lakers Over Mavs in Thrilling OT Victory appeared first on SLAM.

Despite herculean efforts from Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry (a combined 62 points, nine assists, 12 rebounds, 11 3’s and 55% from the field), the Raptors succumbed to their first loss of the season in Beantown.

For the Celtics, who were missing center Enes Kanter to a bruised knee injury, Jayson Tatum (25 points), Jaylen Brown (25 points) and fresh import Kemba Walker (22 points) all had standout performances.

Timberwolves 121 (2-0), Hornets 99 (1-1)

Karl Anthony-Towns had another phenomenal performance, with a beastly 37 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, four steals and two blocks on 13-18 shooting. The 5th year big man has been virtually – check that – completely unstoppable so far in the early stages of the season.

For the Hornets, reserve guard Devonte’ Graham poured in 24 points, while rookie PJ Washington continued his solid start to the season with a double-double.

Nets 113 (1-1), Knicks 109 (0-2)

In the battle of New York, the Nets barely squeezed by thanks to some late Kyrie Irving clutch heroics. With just over 20 seconds to go and down one point, Kyrie dribbled up to the same exact spot on the court where he drained the Game-clinching shot in game 7 against the Warriors in 2016.

The result was the same.

Splash.

He also got to spend a special moment with his father, Drederick.

Bulls 110 (1-1), Grizzlies 102 (0-2)

After trailing 12 points at halftime, the Bulls roared back behind rising star Zach LaVine‘s 37 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block along with 25 points from rookie Coby White, who has acquitted himself nicely thus far.

This loss drops the youthful Grizzlies to 0-2, but there were some silver-linings in their young players’ performances. Jaren Jackson Jr, who turned only 20-years-old in September, dropped 23 points and 11 rebounds on an efficient 9-17 shooting. Electric rookie Ja Morant led the team with three steals, while fellow rook (and Summer League MVP) Brandon Clarke shot 7-9 and swatted away three shots.

Mavericks 123 (2-0), Pelicans 116 (0-2)

The Mavericks’ new star duo of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis is clicking into place faster than we could have expected, which is a scary proposition for the rest of the league. Luka dropped a 25-10-10 triple-double like it was nothing, while the Unicorn (wait, aren’t they both unicorns?) scored 24 and swallowed five blocks.

As for the Pelicans, dropping to 0-2 is definitely no way to start the season, but they extracted some positive play from two of their future cornerstones in Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram. Ball stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals, while Ingram chipped in 25 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.

Ball also tossed this beautiful full-length of the court dime:

Wizards 97 (1-1), Thunder 85 (0-2)

While neither team shot better than 40% from the field or 26% from three, there were some standout performances in the Wizards’ convincing win against Oklahoma City. Center Thomas Bryant, who the Wiz picked off the free agency scrap heap last season, paced the squad with 21 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and three blocks.

For the Thunder, scoring only 85 points is a rough look, but sophomore stud Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued to show he’s a beast, with 28 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks.

The Thunder are primed to have a super team when Shai grows into his prime alongside their other 2026 draft picks.

Nuggets 108 (2-0), Suns 107 (1-1)

The Nuggets gutted out the OT victory thanks to the continued brilliance of Nikola Jokić, who notched a triple-double with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists. Jamal Murray also contributed 27 points.

There are no moral victories in professional basketball, but the Suns should be proud in their first effort without starting center DeAndre Ayton. Devin Booker hit a clutch contested 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds remaining in regulation, then Ricky Rubio nailed three free throws in a row to force OT.

But it wasn’t enough, especially with Torrey Craig bursting out of nowhere like the Kool-Aid Man rejecting potential game-winning shots.

Also, Jerami Grant destroyed a rim, and that was plenty entertaining.

Blazers 122 (1-1), Kings 112 (0-2)

The result of this matchup was the same as many other past Blazer victories: Dame Lillard was simply too much for the other squad to handle. Dame dropped 35 points on an efficient 12-20 shooting with five rebounds, five assists and three steals.

The Kings remained competitive for a majority of the game, but a third quarter in which they were outscored by 10 points in a 10 point loss ultimately did them in. On the bright side, De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield continued to display their dazzling abilities, combining for 49 points.

Lakers 95 (1-1), Jazz 86 (1-1)

After a tough opening loss against the Clippers, The Lakers bounced back in spectacular fashion by trouncing the perennially competent Utah Jazz in a game that never felt very close. LeBron James and Anthony Davis were unstoppable, connecting for multiple alley-oops, swatting shots, euro-stepping all over the poor Jazz and combining for 53 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals and five blocks.

The post Post Up: Kyrie Irving Lifts Nets Over Knicks With Clutch Shot appeared first on SLAM.

The deal comes packed with incentives, including bonuses for All-Star and Finals appearances.

Hield’s contract, per Amick, will decline 8% every year until it takes up just 13.5% of the team’s payroll in the fourth and final year.

By front-loading Hield’s contract extension, the franchise can commit to the 20.7-point-per-game scorer without compromising their future financial flexibility.

If the young Kings continue to evolve as hoped, in addition to Hield, the franchise will need to pay up in order to retain their core of De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III and Harry Giles.

Hield was the chief asset that the organization took back in the DeMarcus Cousins deal and he’s improved as a player since his arrival in the NBA.

While the Kings came up short of the postseason last year, the 2018-19 campaign was their most successful in over a decade and Hield, along with the rest of the young core, figure to only get better.

The post Kings, Buddy Hield Reach Four-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

From hiring his childhood friend, Reno Dupor, as his personal assistant to his trainer, Chris Gaston, to be his agent, Fox is setting the new standard for athletes.

Check out Swipa’s episode of SLAM Day in the Life above!

RELATED: De’Aaron Fox Is The FUTURE of the Kings! FIBA World Cup Highlights

The post De’Aaron Fox Is LEVELING UP On & Off The Court 🦊 appeared first on SLAM.

Below is a list of the contract types the Sacramento Kings have heading into training camp. This resource will be updated as players are signed and waived. Check back often to see if your team’s roster configuration has changed.

Sacramento Kings

For a complete list of all the NBA teams and links to each team’s roster breakdown, check out our 2019 NBA Training Camp Index. Follow the curators of this database, Chris Crouse and Austin Kent, on Twitter.

More NBA Training Camp Rosters

The post Sacramento Kings Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

Ulis, a second round pick in 2016, began his career with the Phoenix Suns but has struggled to stay on the NBA radar since, he played one contest with Chicago in 2018-19 before his release in December and four for the team’s G League affiliate.

Ulis will have his work cut out for him competing for minutes at the backup point guard position behind De’Aaron Fox as the Kings already have Cory Joseph and Yogi Ferrell in the mix there.

Ulis will compete with Sacramento’s Exhibit 10 players, as well as Tyler Lydon, a forward on a partially guaranteed deal of his own.

The post Tyler Ulis Inks Partially Guaranteed Deal With Kings appeared first on SLAM.

“Buddy’s a big part of this team, and we’ll figure something out down the road,” Divac said. “We’re working on it and we’ll figure out something. Buddy is a very important piece to this franchise.”

Hield, 26, enters 2019-20 coming off a third straight season in which he played in at least 80 games. Not only has the 2016 first-round pick proved durable but he has also evolved in an offensive threat, averaging 20.7 points and 5.0 rebounds for Sacramento last season. Hield also shot a career-best 45 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3 last season.

The forthcoming season will be the final year of Hield’s four-year, $15.9 million rookie-scale deal. The Bahamas native is eligible for a rookie-scale extension, which would total five seasons and $158.1 million.

That would be a lofty financial commitment for a Kings team that still has budding stars De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III and Harry Giles III also on tap for extensions in the coming seasons.

The deadline for Hield and the Kings to agree on an extension is Oct. 21, the day before the 2019-20 campaign kicks off. If no deal is reached, Sacramento would have to wait until the summertime to resume negotiations, at which point a $6.48 million qualifying offer can be issued, likely making Hield a restricted free agent.

The post Kings Working On Extension With Buddy Hield appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve broken down the overall ratings for each player and sorted them by team so that you can see how your squad stacks up against the rest of the league.

Sacramento Kings NBA 2K20 Ratings

This table is updated as of Nov. 22, 2019

Can’t get enough 2K? SLAM’s dedicated gaming channel, @SLAMftw, is blowing up. Hit us with your best uploads and watch our streams!

More NBA 2K20 Ratings

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Fox dropped 12 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds in 15 minutes during the Blue vs White game before withdrawing from Team USA last week.

Peep Fox’s highlights with the red, white and blue in the video above!

RELATED: Jayson Tatum & De’Aaron Fox Catch FIRE in USA Blue vs White Game!

The post De’Aaron Fox Is The FUTURE of the Kings! 👑 FIBA World Cup Highlights appeared first on SLAM.

“It’s kind of natural,” says the 21-year-old, who is also “starting to fill out” as he heads into his third NBA season.

Fox averaged 17.3 points, 7.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds last season, and is focused on becoming a more consistent player.

Per The Athletic:

“Yeah, he’s putting a little meat on his bones,” [trainer and agent Chris] Gaston said. “His legs are even getting a little thicker. At first he was all twigs, now he’s starting to fill out.”

Now some of Fox’s peers have told him he looks faster than he did last season, but it’s not because of a specialized program of sprints. Fox is simply a sturdier version of himself.

“I don’t mess with the track, that shit hurts,” Fox said last week. “I applaud people who run on the track, but that stuff hurts my legs, I can’t do it. But as far as speed work and agility, I don’t work on it. It’s kind of natural. When people say I’ve gotten faster, it’s really when I started getting stronger, I started to get faster. But I never necessarily worked on the speed aspect.”

Fox has maintained his speed while increasing his strength and Gaston expects he’ll have a better season in 2019-20.

“For me it’s all about consistency,” Fox said. “Some of the down games that I had, you can’t really have if you’re trying to make it to the playoffs, trying to have a deep run. Just trying to remain consistent throughout the entire season.”

Related De’Aaron Fox: ‘I Don’t Crave to Be in a Big Market’

The post De’Aaron Fox Says His Otherworldly Speed is ‘Kind of Natural’ appeared first on SLAM.

Fox, 21, believes it will mean more to the city—as opposed to a bigger one—if the Kings get back on the winning track.

The lightning-quick point guard believes his on-court excellence and business savvy will earn him a large enough audience.

Per ONE37pm:

“You have guys who come into the league and one of their main selling points with a team or a brand is that they know how to use social media,” Fox says. “They know how to get their image out there.”

Fox’s (offseason) presence in San Clemente is emblematic of his approach to opportunity in the sport and outside it. San Clemente is laid-back and near San Diego, which Fox prefers to Los Angeles. With all the movement in the NBA this offseason toward larger markets—Los Angeles and NYC/Brooklyn, in particular—Fox’s feelings on being in a big market are dampened by knowing he can find an audience anywhere.

“I don’t crave to be in a big market,” he says. “After last season, there was a buzz in Sacramento. Everyone in Sacramento is a Kings fan. If we start making the playoffs, or if we become a championship contender, the entire city is going to go nuts. That’s the difference between a big market and a small one.”

Related De’Aaron Fox Says He is the Fastest Player in the NBA

The post De’Aaron Fox: ‘I Don’t Crave to Be in a Big Market’ appeared first on SLAM.

Fox had been one of the biggest stars still available for Team USA and seemed destined to play a significant role with the team when the anticipated international competition kicks off next month.

According to Haynes, Fox has withdrawn in order to focus more on the upcoming NBA season and Sacramento’s quest to sneak into the Western Conference playoff picture.

The 21-year-old point guard averaged 17.3 points and 7.3 assists per game for the Kings in a breakout sophomore season and will look to continue that momentum in Year 3.

Related: Who will represent Team USA at the FIBA World Cup?

Related: Our 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Preview

The post De’Aaron Fox Withdraws From Team USA Ahead Of FIBA World Cup appeared first on SLAM.

USA Basketball will play its first official contest on September 1 against the Czech Republic. The team is coached by Gregg Popovich. Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, and Villanova coach Jay Wright will serve as assistants on his staff.

Many of the top American NBA players will not participate, as we previously detailed. Anthony Davis, James Harden, and Bradley Beal are among the stars who have decided they will not play.

Team USA needs to trim down their roster to 12 men before heading to China for the tournament. Here’s an up-to-date list of players who are still in the mix for a roster spot:

Kyle Lowry, who has yet to be medically cleared to return from a thumb injury, was expected to make the team but he opted to sit out in order to preserve his health.

Thaddeus Young and Bam Adebayo were cut from the team to make room for Derrick White and Marvin Bagley, each of whom had been practicing with the Select Team. Bagley has since dropped out of the competition.

De’Aaron Fox withdrew his name from consideration in order to focus on the upcoming NBA season, while P.J. Tucker was forced to withdraw due to an ankle injury.

Kyle Kuzma injured his ankle in an exhibition with Australia and withdrew from the team.

The post Who Will Represent Team USA In The FIBA World Cup? appeared first on SLAM.

De’Aaron Fox had a few highlight reel dunks, while Jayson Tatum poured in a game high 17 points in only 20 minutes of action. Catch all the highlights in the video above!

RELATED: Anthony Davis Watches USA Practice in Las Vegas!?

The post Jayson Tatum & De’Aaron Fox Catch FIRE in USA Blue vs White Game! 🇺🇸 appeared first on SLAM.

Peep the video above for all the highlights. And be sure to check our Instagram video to watch De’Aaron Fox and Kuzma put on a dunk show!

RELATED: Donovan Mitchell Grabs HUGE Dunk!? USA Practice Gets HEATED

The post Anthony Davis Watches USA Practice in Las Vegas!? 🇺🇸 appeared first on SLAM.

Peep the full highlights from Day 2 in the video above!

RELATED: De’Aaron Fox vs Jayson Tatum!? ONE-ON-ONE Kicks Off USA FIBA Practice

The post Trae Young Pulls Up to USA FIBA Practice!? 👀 Day 2 Highlights appeared first on SLAM.

The red, white and blue will practice throughout this week and end on Friday with a scrimmage between the National Team vs Select Team.

The post De’Aaron Fox vs Jayson Tatum!? ONE-ON-ONE Kicks Off USA FIBA Practice 🇺🇸 appeared first on SLAM.

Anthony Davis, James Harden, Bradley Beal, and CJ McCollum are among the stars to withdraw from USA Basketball’s training camp. Damian Lillard, Tobias Harris, Kevin Love, Paul Millsap, and DeMar DeRozan have also decided against attending.

What we do know is that Gregg Popovich will coach Team USA. Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, and Villanova coach Jay Wright will serve as assistants.

Donovan Mitchell, who is arguably the top player remaining on the Team USA training camp roster is committed to playing. Kemba Walker also has declared his intention to suit up for the team and Kyle Lowry plans to give it a go. Here’s a list of players who are attending training camp:

• Bam Adebayo, Heat.
• Harrison Barnes, Kings.
• Jaylen Brown, Celtics.
• De’Aaron Fox, Kings.
• Joe Harris, Nets.
• Kyle Kuzma, Lakers.
• Brook Lopez, Bucks.
• Kyle Lowry, Raptors.
• Khris Middleton, Bucks.
• Donovan Mitchell, Jazz.
• Mason Plumlee, Nuggets
• Marcus Smart, Celtics.
• Jayson Tatum, Celtics.
• P.J. Tucker, Rockets.
• Myles Turner, Pacers.
• Kemba Walker, Celtics.
• Thaddeus Young, Bulls.

Montrezl Harrell was among the late invites to camp, though he turned down the opportunity. J.J. Redick was also invited to attend but like Harrell, he turned it down. Andre Drummond recently turned down the chance to join Team USA at training camp, opening the door for Miami’s Bam Adebayo to secure an invite, as the organization’s website shows.

Julius Randle also dropped out of the competition. DeAaron Fox, who was previously on the Select Team, has been invited to participate with Team USA and the point guard has a good chance to make the team, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports.

The FIBA World Cup has traditionally taken place every four years, alternating even-numbered years (2010, 2014) with the Olympics (2012, 2016), though it recently made the change to push it back a year and play a year directly before the Summer Olympic Games.

*This post has been updated.

The post Who Will Play For Team USA In The FIBA World Cup? appeared first on SLAM.

In 37 total games for the Kings last season, Mason III averaged 5.1 points. He averaged 7.9 points in just under 20 minutes per game during his rookie campaign.

With De’Aaron Fox now more established than he was two seasons ago and incoming backup point guard Cory Joseph on the way, Mason was in contention with Yogi Ferrell for the team’s third-string role. Jason Jones of The Athletic reports that the Kings intend to renew Ferrell’s team option.

Mason III’s 2019-20 cap hit of $1.6 million was fully non-guaranteed, so it’ll be removed from Sacramento’s books.

The post Kings Waive Point Guard Frank Mason III appeared first on SLAM.

Joseph will earn $37 million over the course of the three-year deal.

Joseph will arriving in Sacramento fresh off the team’s most successful season in a decade and will add depth to the lineup that will try to finish their 2018-19 mission and squeeze into the Western Conference playoff picture.

Joseph figures to be the primary backup to Sacramento’s breakout star De’Aaron Fox.

The post Cory Joseph Agrees To Three-Year Deal With Kings appeared first on SLAM.

Now the time has come for one individual from each of those categories to take the formal honors. Below are the winners (updated as they’re announced) and the finalists for each award.

Rookie of the Year
Deandre Ayton
Luka Doncic – Winner (98 out of 100)
Trae Young (2 out of 100)

Words: Whether they like it or not, Luka Doncic and Trae Young will forever be linked to one another thanks to the draft day trade between their two squads in 2018. What the two have done since is even more memorable.

Not only has Doncic proven himself to be every bit as solid as his cult-like following swore he was, he’s convinced the Mavs to bump up their entire rebuilding timeline. Young, after a slow start to 2018-19, has established himself as the anchor of a suddenly formidable young Hawks core.

Most Improved Player
De’Aaron Fox (1 out of 100)
D’Angelo Russell (12 out of 100)
Pascal Siakam – Winner (86 out of 100)

Words: There were whispers that began to spread last summer that Pascal Siakam and the Raptors’ bench mob had been putting in work with Rico Hines at UCLA. It’s hard to imagine that since then, the Cameroonian has since played a pivotal role in dethroning the Golden State Warriors and completely obliterated the ceiling we’d previously set for him. Yo, how do I get in on those summer workouts?

Sixth Man of the Year
Montrezl Harrell (2 of 100)
Domantas Sabonis (1 of 100)
Lou Williams – Winner (96 of 100)

Words: There’s a special place in history for Lou Williams, as explosive a volume scorer as the league has seen in recent memory. Williams has mastered the art of playing off bench in the NBA and has carved out a niche as one of the most uniquely valuable assets in the game. Nobody in the history of the game has scored more bench points than this dude here.

Coach of the Year
Mike Budenholzer – Winner (77 of 100)
Michael Malone (13 of 100)
Doc Rivers (6 of 100)

Words: Don’t get it twisted, while a lot of things went right in Milwaukee this season, Mike Budenholzer had a major impact on the Bucks’ ability to perform on both ends of the ball this season. The Bucks were a top-five team on offense and defense this year, both substantial improvements over 2017-18.

Executive of the Year
Tim Connelly (9 of 29)
Lawrence Frank (2 of 29)
Jon Horst – Winner (10 of 29)

Words: Horst shot his shot in 2018-19 and acquired a range of players to capitalize on his team’s window in the Eastern Conference. The moves to bring veterans like Brook Lopez and George Hill aboard helped give the young Milwaukee roster additional tools and experience to actually make noise in the postseason. All that said, Horst’s best decision may have come last summer, when he appointing Mike Budenholzer the new head coach of the club.

Defensive Player of the Year
Giannis Antetokounmpo (26 of 100)
Paul George (6 of 100)
Rudy Gobert – Winner (65 of 100)

Words: There are no shortage of fancy ways to measure Rudy Gobert’s impact on opponents and that, coupled with the fact that he’s a landscape altering force in the paint make him a solid choice for a second consecutive award here. Gobert is tops in the league in defensive real plus-minus and he leaches efficiency from any mere mortal bold enough to challenge him in the paint.

Most Valuable Player
Giannis Antetokounmpo – Winner (78 of 101)
Paul George
James Harden (23 of 101)

Words: Any time that basketball fans can witness a human being defy physical expectations and redefine what our species is capable of, it’s a good day. The NBA community has watched Antetokounmpo realize every ounce of the most optimistic projections we had for him when he broke onto the scene as a tantalizing freak of nature prospect. Fortunately for everybody but the 29 other teams in the NBA, the 24-year-old is just getting started.

Antetokounmpo wasn’t the only one dominant enough to change the way we view the game. James Harden, with an unprecedented skill set has managed to exploit every analytic insight to come out of the data community and should get credit for an equally historic campaign.

The post Official 2019 NBA Awards Results appeared first on SLAM.

The 2019 NBA Awards will be broadcast live from Los Angeles on June 24. That gives hoops fans just shy of 40 days to debate the merits of the three players confirmed to be in the running.

Most Valuable Player
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL
Paul George, OKC
James Harden, HOU

Rookie of the Year
Deandre Ayton, PHX
Luka Doncic, DAL
Trae Young, ATL

Defensive Player of the Year
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL
Paul George, OKC
Rudy Gobert, UTA

Most Improved Player
De’Aaron Fox, SAC
D’Angelo Russell, BKL
Pascal Siakam, TOR

Coach of the Year
Mike Budenholzer, MIL
Michael Malone, DEN
Doc Rivers, LAC

The post NBA Award Finalists Unveiled For 2019 appeared first on SLAM.

During Divac’s stint with the Kings, the team has undergone substantial turnover. It was Divac pulling the trigger on the 2017 trade sending DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans in exchange for a package anchored by Buddy Hield and it was Divac who drafted De’Aaron Fox later that year.

Fresh off of a 39-win campaign in 2018-19, the team’s best in 13 years, Divac will look for ways of helping the young squad take the necessary steps to sneak into the postseason.

In addition to his role as general manager, Divac has also been the team’s vice president of basketball and franchise operations since March 2015.

The post Vlade Divac Signs Extension As GM of Kigns appeared first on SLAM.

The footwear choice for their finales were as different as their games with Wade going with a flashy, golden “Last Dance” colorway of his Li-Ning Way of Wade 7 while Nowitzki wore the Hyperdunk X PEs he’s been rocking the entire season.

Another future Hall of Famer continued with his sick array of PEs as Russell Westbrook broke out a chess inspired design of his Jordan Why Not Zer0.2. Brodie certainly put his name in the conversation for having one of the League’s best PE games with the multitude of wild colorways he’s rocked over the course of the season.

In Los Angeles, Montrezl Harrell closed out another epic season of kicks in two pairs Kyries as he brought out the “Flytrap” 1 and the “Red Carpet” 4s. And in Portland, De’Aaron Fox capped off a sensational sophomore season in another pair of Kobes as he donned the Nike Kobe 8 System “All-Star.”

The rest of the best kicks from last night’s NBA regular season finale is just a few scrolls away.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

We start in Minnesota where the Timberwolves all wore Kickstradomis designed custom kicks for Breast Cancer Awareness. All the sneakers worn on Sunday night were auctioned off via the team’s Fastbreak Foundation with proceeds going to the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. The event was especially meaningful for Tyus Jones whose mother, Debbie, was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. Jones’ custom Nike Kyrie 5 was the highest selling sneaker of the night raising $1,550 for cancer research.

The custom trend continued in Indiana with Spencer Dinwiddie paying tribute to Nipsey Hussle with a pair of K8IROS Kronos adorned with a portrait of the late rapper and the words, “Legends Never Die.” In Detroit, Frank Kaminsky made his fandom for Game of Thrones be known with a custom pair of Jordan CP3.XIs designed with portraits of the Night King on one shoe and Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen on the other. For the Pistons, Langston Galloway wore his Q4 Sports Specialist customs which honored Detroit’s 2004 championship team.

Wrestlemania 35 was held on Sunday night and Russell Westbrook made sure to let fans know who one of his favorite wrestlers was via his latest Jordan Why Not Zer0.2. Decked out in a tough black and red colorway with red stitch details on the toe box, the Brodie paid tribute to “The Devil’s Favorite Demon” himself, Kane.

While Russ was on his wrestling wave, LeBron James took in the Lakers’ dub over the Jazz in a pair of the Nike LeBron 16 “Remix” which seemed to have instantly sold out on Nike. Last, but certainly not least, Kyrie Irving was once again in his latest Kyrie 5 colorway, the “Mamba Day” which is slated to release on Saturday, April 13, at select Nike retailers.

We have over 50 of the night’s best NBA kicks so get comfy and make sure you rifle through our latest recap.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Brodie captured the attention of sneakerheads as he debuted a Pokemon-themed edition of his Jordan Why Not Zer0.2. The shoe’s colors were drawn from one of the show’s legendary characters, Charizard, and also features Pokemon ball woven labels on the tongue. For PG, he went with two pairs of his Nike PG3 with the latter being a bright red and yellow number. In the same game, Dallas’ Trey Burke reminded us he’s no sneaker slouch as he rocked the Off-White x Nike React Hyperdunk 2017.

In Oakland, Kevin Durant rocked the upcoming “Black/White” colorway of his Nike KD 12 which is slated to drop on April 6 and Stephen Curry wore a tough two-tone grey iteration of his Under Armour Curry 6.

We close out on a somber note with Montrezl Harrell paying tribute to rapper Nipsey Hussle on his Reebok Questions. Hussle was senselessly murdered on Sunday in front of his Marathon Clothing store in Los Angeles.

Rest in peace, Nipsey.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

While DeRozan broke out an exclusive for Manu, PJ Tucker rocked one of DeRozan’s old PEs in Houston’s tilt with Denver. Tuck sported the red and white Nike Zoom Kobe 1 Protro along with a pair of the Nike Zoom Kobe 4 FTB. Since debuting his Jordan CP3.XII, Chris Paul has been wearing some pretty wild colorways and his latest pair followed that tune as it featured a two-tone white and volt upper with red accents.

Montrezl Harrell is finishing the regular season strong as he brought out another two pairs of vintage Bron lows as he donned the “Multicolor” Nike LeBron 11 and “Red Plum” Xs. Out in Miami, Derrick Jones Jr flexed with the “Easter” Nike Zoom KD 4 and Dwyane Wade wore a custom pair of his Li-Ning Way of Wade 7.

Make sure to scroll through our latest NBA sneakers’ recap located right below.

Photos via Getty Images

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The Bucks’ All-Star duo of Khris Middleton (39 points) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (34 points) combined to shoot a blistering 26-for-43 from the field as they fended off the red-hot Clippers.

Rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a team-high 21 for the Clippers.

Cavaliers 110 (19-57), Spurs 116 (44-32)

Patty Mills knocked down a dagger 3 in the game’s closing minute to give Spurs fans something to cheer about as Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker were in the house to celebrate Ginobli’s jersey going into the rafters.

DeMar DeRozan scored a team-high 25 points in the win.

Magic 98 (37-39), Pistons 115 (38-37)

Wayne Ellington knocked down seven 3’s en route to a game-high 25 points and Andre Drummond added 18 points, 18 boards and six blocks as the Pistons picked up a HUGE win in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

With the win, Detroit — currently the 6-seed — moved 1.5 games ahead of 9-seed Orlando.

Nets 110 (38-38), Sixers 123 (48-27)

Joel Embiid stuffed the stat sheet with 39 points, 13 rebounds, six dimes and three steals as the Sixers jumped out to a 15-point first quarter lead and never looked back.

Boban Marjanovic scored 16 off the pine in 18 minutes of action.

Mavericks 99 (29-46), Heat 105 (37-38)

Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki entered their final match-up tied up 17-17 all-time in head-to-head meetings, and round 35 went down to the final minute as Wade’s dagger secured himself a winning record in one of the League’s most underrated rivalries.

Wade finished the night with 11 points and four steals and Nowitzki scored 13 points and nailed three 3’s.

Raptors 117 (53-23), Knicks 92 (14-61)

Pascal Siakam scored 31 points as the Raptors blew out the Knicks at MSG. Rookie Mitchell Robinson shined for New York, scoring 19 on 8-for-12 shooting and grabbing 21 rebounds.

Nuggets 85 (50-24), Rockets 112 (48-28)

James Harden scored 38 as the Rockets blew out the Nuggets in what may have been a Western Conference playoff match-up preview.

Kings 118 (37-38), Pelicans 121 (32-45)

The Kings’ backcourt got theirs — Buddy Hield scored 27 and De’Aaron Fox had 25 — but it wasn’t enough to overcome 34 points and 11 boards from Julius Randle.

The post Post Up: Spurs Win for Ginobli, Wade Edges Nowitzki in Final Battle appeared first on SLAM.

Like we’ve often done, we’ll start off with the League’s premier footwear kings, Montrezl Harrell and P.J. Tucker. Trezz went double-duty with a pair of the Air Jordan VII Retro “Marvin the Martian” and the funky Nike LeBron 11 EXT “King’s Crown.” For Tuck, another one of his March Madness favorites was on his feet, as he donned the classic Nike Air Force Max 93.

Nike Hyperdunks were once again a prominent wear and Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with two custom Hyperdunk X bangers including a Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 themed pair. Justin Jackson used his Hyperdunk X Lows to call attention to World Down Syndrome Day and Kevin Love wore a fresh pair of PEs that tied back to the Cavs’ City uniforms. On the vintage tip, Josh Richardson took it back with the “Puerto Rico” edition of the Hyperdunk ’08.

Plenty of newer looks were also on display as Jayson Tatum came with a new colorway of the Nike Adapt BB, Kyle Kuzma rocked a Lakers’ colorway of the Nike Zoom Kobe 4 Protro, LeBron James went with another PE model of his LeBron 16s and Greg Monroe came with the “Cactus Jack” Air Jordan XXXIII.

With all of Tuesday’s heat rock around the League, make sure you get caught up on all the sneaker action below.

Photos via Getty Images

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Despite injuries to Jeremy Lamb, Tony Parker, Nicolas Batum, Cody Zeller and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Charlotte was able to explode for 19 points in overtime and close out the game.

Kemba Walker dropped a game-high 38 points with 11 dimes and 9 boards. Dwayne Bacon added 24 points with 3 steals and a +15 plus/minus.

Celtics 116 (44-31), Cavs 106 (19-56)

Boston outscored the Cavs by 10 points in the final 9 minutes to snap a four-game losing streak.

Marcus Smart scored a team-high 21 points with 6 boards, 4 dimes, 3 steals and a +18 plus/minus.

Magic 104 (37-38), Heat 99 (36-38)

Orlando outscored the Heat by 15 points in the third quarter in a game with huge playoff implications. The Magic have now won 6 straight games for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

Nikola Vucevic dropped a team-high 24 points with 16 boards and 5 dimes.

At halftime, Miami raised Chris Bosh’s jersey to the rafters in a really dope ceremony.

Bulls 103 (21-54), Raptors 112 (52-23)

Toronto had the lead the entire game, going up by as much as 21 points in the fourth quarter.

Kawhi Leonard scored 14 points with 6 steals and 5 assists. Norman Powell added a game-high 20 points.

Rockets 94 (47-28), Bucks 112 (56-19)

Milwaukee outscored the Rockets by 24 points over the course of the second and third quarters to sweep the season series with Houston.

Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped 19 points and 14 boards. Eric Bledsoe added a game-high 23 points.

Clippers 122 (45-30), Wolves 111 (33-41)

The Clippers led for the entire game, and by as much as 25 points in both the second and third quarters to win their sixth straight game.