There’s nothing quite like being drafted into the NBA. A decade’s worth of blood, sweat and tears has all led up to that surreal, life-affirming moment when one’s name is called to the stage. But even in a place where one’s wildest dreams come true, rarely do the stars align like they did for a then-18-year-old Carlton “Bub” Carrington.

Mere minutes after being selected 14th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers, Carrington was informed that he’d be traded to the Washington Wizards. He couldn’t believe it. He recounts thinking, “There is no way … Wait, what is happening right now?” Because, to Carrington, there’s more to repping the Wizards than individual pride; he’s repping his home state, too.

Take a 40-minute drive northeast of Capital One Arena, and you’ll arrive at Carrington’s childhood roots in Baltimore, a city that exudes its own grimy, uber-competitive basketball culture. However, compared to the abundance of opportunities in cities like New York or Los Angeles, there are only so many spots to be filled in Baltimore. “You’re trying to make that one team, you’re trying to go to that one school, trying to be in that one area,” Carrington says.

Point-blank, if you want to make it in Baltimore, you have to earn it. Carrington is no exception to the rule, and it’s not far-fetched to presume that’s where the battle-tested guard developed his pedal-to-the-metal tenacity. Just ask the man himself. “In some way, shape or form, [you’re] a product of your environment,” Carrington says. “On the court, it’s always been that one mode for me: you got to kill that person in front of you. Figuratively, of course.”

As Carrington puts it, it doesn’t matter if your opponent is someone you’ve never played before or someone you’ve been rivals with for as long as you can remember, every ball game is a battle. For Bub, some of his most formative memories came from those long-standing rivalries. Those battles became his statement to the city that he’s got the drive and game to back up his merciless mode of playing.

One battle stands above the rest, however.

When Bub first arrived at St. Francis Academy, one of the city’s most well-known prospects, Jahnathan Lamothe, was also there. 

“He blew up big,” Carrington says. And for the rest of high school, whether it was the final minutes of practice or the AAU circuit, an overlooked Bub made it a point of emphasis to earn his stripes through his battles with Lamothe. “I wasn’t, like, talked about, or anything … [so] he was on my list. He was on me and my dad’s list, telling me you had to go at him every day. [My dad would say] wherever you see him, you got to go at him.”

Those are words you don’t take lightly. Bub’s father, Carlton Carrington II, is a revered local AAU coach, and his insight into the sport allowed Bub to stay one step ahead of his contemporaries. “You see the game from a different perspective, from a coach’s perspective. A lot of kids see from a coach’s perspective for an hour, for however long you’re in practice…I see it every hour of the day,” he says.

That father-son, coach-player dynamic is unique. It’s a high-wire balancing act for them both, and sometimes, when players are younger, those lines are blurred beyond comprehension. “When I was younger, I used to think there was no switch,” Carrington recalls. But once Bub matured, he began to see the fruits of his labor as his understanding of the people around him started to crystallize. “I stopped trying to think I’m smarter than him. He knows what he’s doing…[and] it’s always a good thing to have someone that knows what they’re talking about.”

All this culminates in the player he is today: a 6-4 guard who’s a magician pulling up from the mid-range and a smooth operator from the pick-and-roll; a player who, in an effort to be the best player he can be for his team, embraces the little things and the not-so-glamorous aspects of basketball.

But, with all of Baltimore’s unrelenting competitive spirit, there is also a cherished sense of community. Ask any basketball player from Baltimore, and they’ll tell you everyone is trying to be nothing less than the best in the city. But when that once-in-a-generation player reaches the top, and their sky-high aspirations carry into college and beyond, the whole city relishes in their success.

That pride only intensified with Carrington playing so close to home, and to Bub, it’s only right to give back to a community that shaped him into Washington’s guard of the future. So, while the NBA eagerly waits for Carrington’s first game, he hasn’t wasted any time putting his charitable activism into effect. He’s already taking part in local back-to-school and annual Thanksgiving food drives while also conceptualizing community-oriented projects with fellow teammates.

“I’m trying to be a voice. I’m trying to actually be active in the community,” Bub says. “I like helping people. I help people because I was helped.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Washington Wizards Rookie Carlton “Bub” Carrington Reflects on His Baltimore Roots and Playing Close to Home appeared first on SLAM.

“I’m not missing this game,” he says. “If it happens, it happens.”

What happened next broke the internet. Insider tweets, push notifications and jersey swap graphics flooded social media. Another superteam shaking things up and with it came the inevitable question: Can the Suns’ new Big Three of Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker win a championship?

When Beal first heard that the deal was in play, he had his own questions. “I was like, Why are they trading Book? Like there’s no way that this is happening,” Beal says. “Like, this can’t be, this isn’t right. But fast forward, he’s here, I’m here and Kevin’s here and DA [Deandre Ayton]’s here. It’s surreal and crazy to think about how the deal even came to fruition, but it’s done and I’m in an awesome situation where I can compete every single night for a chance to win.”

Bradley Beal has arrived. SLAM 245 is out now, shop here.

The future can be exciting, but with it comes letting go of the past. For Beal, that meant saying goodbye to the city he and his family have lived in for the past decade and to the organization that drafted him as the third overall pick in 2012.

The kid from St. Louis is now leaving as a 30-year-old man, a father and the second-ranked player on the Wizards’ all time scoring list. “It definitely was an emotional time for sure throughout the whole transition of the trade,” he admits. “I’ve been in DC for 11 years and that, that is, uh, a long time, and I’ve established a lot of great bonds and relationships with people in the organization and in the city itself. It was definitely a lot of emotional ties [and] a tough decision to be able to walk away from it, but it was one that was necessary. It’s a new chapter, you know. So I’m excited for it, for both parties, for us, for me moving forward, and for Washington and them moving forward. It’s bittersweet, but I’m happy that I get to move forward into another opportunity.”

Beal turned up for his birthday in DC and then flew to Phoenix the next day for his introductory
press conference with his new team while his family stayed behind to pack and move all of their
belongings out of their home. He had just landed that morning when we met up with him at the Footprint Center for his first-ever SLAM cover shoot. There are screens all over the arena, including on the jumbotron and in the lounge where we’re set up, with a picture of his face and the words, “WELCOME BRADLEY BEAL.”

“It feels like I got drafted all over again,” he says, wearing his Suns uniform for the first time. “I got drafted on my birthday at the age of 19 in 2012. And then here you go, fast forward 11 years later, the age of 30. I’m with a new team. It is definitely coming full circle. Feels surreal in some ways, but I’m definitely excited for this new journey.”

There’s a misconception about adulthood that by the time you’re 30, you’re supposed to have it all figured it out. NBA superstars aren’t the exception to that—they, too, have to deal with big life changes, career moves and saying goodbye to people they’ve spent time with. For Beal, that meant his teammates, coaches and the Wizards ownership group. “It was tough to have those conversations [and say] goodbye, but it was also encouraging. Everybody gets a chance to continue to move forward—some guys get bigger opportunities and bigger roles in DC, which [will] be great for them. And now I have a bigger and better opportunity in front of me, too.”

He can’t help but smile when he talks about how excited he is for what’s next. The respect is already there between Beal and his new teammates: he knows what KD and D. Book are about on the court, having competed against them both over the years. But there are still a lot of questions lingering around how the Suns’ Big Three can work together.

Beal has some thoughts on that, as well as where he wants to take his game next season.

SLAM: Let’s get right into it. A lot of people are wondering how so many offensive superstars can coexist. What’s your perspective on that?

Bradley Beal: In terms of our balance, we’ve talked subtly about how this thing can work. We know it won’t be easy. It’ll be a challenge, but the biggest thing is understanding [that our] one goal at the end of the day is winning. You know, we’re all gonna have our own individual goals, but I think the beauty about our group is that we’re so unselfish. And sometimes we might have to, like, yell at each other to shoot the ball or yell at each other to be aggressive because we have that mentality of deferring to the next man.

So I think it’s gonna be very fun. It won’t be easy. It’ll be a work in progress, I think. You know, it’s very hard to win in our League. I think a lot of people kind of think—they see a team, Oh, they’re gonna win. But, you know, we still have to figure it out. We still have to be blessed and be healthy throughout the year and make it work. But we’ll be a challenge. I think we have a great group that’s ready to fill their roles and accept it.

SLAM: Have you had a chance to connect with your new teammates?

BB: Yeah, my new teammates have been awesome. K [Kevin Durant], Book, D. Ayton, Cam [Cameron Payne], everybody’s been unreal in this whole transition. This is all new for me, but I’m embracing it, and these guys have all embraced me. It’s like, I’m ready to get to work, you know? This is definitely an awesome group of guys to be a part of. We’re still building on our team, but it’s been a joy so far.

SLAM: Do you guys have a group chat already?

BB: Yes, we do have a group chat already that has [been] assembled. That started ASAP.

SLAM: What have the first texts been like?

BB: It’s nothing wild. I think the first thing honestly was Book saying, like, Yo, let’s go work out. That’s what I would love to be a part of, man. I’m just super excited to be around like-minded guys who wanna push each other each and every day…To have that first text be, Let’s get in the gym. I think that’s a great message [for] the season.

SLAM: You and KD go way, way back, and you and Booker play the same position. Having competed against both of them for years, what were your first impressions?

BB: That they’re very humble, and that’s something I take [pride in]. I try to carry myself the same way, with humility at all times. We’re given so much, we’re looked at as role models and we’re blessed. To be able to just be so down to earth like these guys and be selfless, that’s what I wanna be around. That’s what I wanna surround myself with. And like-minded guys on the floor who just want to go win. Whatever that looks like, whatever it takes, that’s what they want to do.

SLAM: After averaging 23.2 points last season, what are your personal goals for the upcoming season?

BB: Oh man, it’s tough. I haven’t really thought about my own goals yet, but I would say the biggest individual piece is getting back to being one of the best two-way players in the League. Showing that I can really compete at a high level and play a meaningful game. You know, playing in the playoffs, winning in the playoffs, advancing past rounds.

Granted, I wanna get back to my All-Star level of play. I really believe that that’s who I am: All-NBA guy, All-Star guy. And I have a good group that can push me to be that every single day. So I’m excited about that opportunity. I get to be around like-minded guys and guys who will push me to make sure that I’m the best version of myself every day.

SLAM: Have you had a chance to talk to head coach Frank Vogel yet?

BB: Yes, Coach Vogel is awesome. I’ve had several instances of speaking with him. A brilliant mind in the game of basketball, NBA champion, defensive-minded coach. You know, I’m definitely excited to be able to see where he’ll take us, our team and where he’ll push us to. I’m definitely ecstatic with his knowledge of the game and his presence as a head coach.

SLAM: Looking back at your time in DC, do you have a favorite memory or defining moment that you’ll carry with you into this next chapter?

BB: I had so many great memories and so many great moments in DC. It’s really hard to pinpoint one. I think I’m just grateful for all the bonds and the relationships I’ve built. I think that’s what I’ll propel into my next chapter of life. I want this chapter to be more or less open and me not trying to control everything.

I think we, as humans, sometimes try to control our lives a little too much. I want to just let this wave kind of take me where it wants to go and let God lead the way and enjoy it every step of the way.

SLAM: What’s the legacy you hope to leave after your 11 seasons in DC?

BB: My biggest thing when it comes to legacy is always the impact I leave on people. You know, whether it’s teammates, the community, my coaches, the organization as a whole, the people that you encounter on a day to day [basis].

I just want, you know, my encounters to be great. I want you to remember me as just a great human being. I can be good at basketball. We’re all good at basketball, but, you know, what kind of person was I? I don’t want to be somebody who puts themselves above everybody else. So, I always try to say my interactions and my moments with people are always my biggest legacy. I want to leave lasting memories with them.

SLAM: With all the hype and attention on the Suns right now, what can we expect from the team next season? What type of time are y’all on?

BB: Expect a very fun team to be playing in Arizona this year. The Phoenix Suns will be hungry. We’ll be very aggressive, but it’ll be a very fun style of play that every fan will love—love to tune in to watch. So, we can’t wait. We’re excited. We have a lot of very talented guys, so we’re excited about it.

SLAM 245 Gold Metal Edition + Cover Tee are available now!

Portraits by Erik Isakson.

The post Bradley Beal’s Next Chapter: Phoenix’s New Star Opens Up About Getting Traded, His Legacy and Returning to His All-Star Form appeared first on SLAM.

The 6-7 forward was the obvious choice for this month’s “G League Player to Watch”—not just because of his absurd individual production, but because he led the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on an impressive run to sneak into the playoffs.

First, a brief history lesson. Rio Grande Valley (RGV) has been the most successful franchise in the history of the NBA’s official minor league, reaching six finals and claiming four championships since 2010. Last season, an RGV squad led by MVP Trevelin Queen cruised to the title, going undefeated in the playoffs. The Vipers also won it all in 2019 with a roster that included Gary Payton II and Isaiah Hartenstein.

This year…it wasn’t looking good. Heading into March—the last month of the regular season—RGV had a 10-12 record. The team had dropped four of its previous five, including an embarrassing 26-point loss to the South Bay Lakers at home. If the Vipers wanted to keep their streak of six straight playoff appearances (excluding the season canceled due to COVID) alive, then they had to turn things around right away.

OK, back to Days. An undrafted rookie out of LSU, he signed a Two-Way contract with the Houston Rockets back in October. The 23-year-old is an extremely versatile forward, capable of filling multiple positions with his size, strength and mobility. He has spent most of this season with the Vipers and proven to be a reliable 3-and-D player. At the beginning of March, he stepped up big time…

27 points, 7 rebounds vs. Oklahoma City

33 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals vs. Birmingham

26 points, 10 rebounds vs. Greensboro

28 points, 11 rebounds vs. Iowa

32 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals vs. Iowa

22 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals vs. Memphis

The Vipers won all six of those games to climb back into the playoff picture, and after splitting their next four, they locked up the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. Days posted 25.7 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game across that stretch, shooting 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. He barely turned the ball over—just seven times in 10 games—despite averaging 38.6 minutes (the fifth highest mark in the league). Less than 72 hours after the Vipers clinched their playoff spot, he was named G League Player of the Month for March.

The Vipers upset the 2-seed Lakers in the Conference quarterfinals with guard Jalen Lecque sealing the deal with this tough game-winning lay-up. And Days? He delivered, of course: 21 points (on 7/13 shooting), 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. 

You can catch Days and the Vipers in the G League Finals as they face off against the Delaware Blue Coats. Tune in now through April 9 on ESPNU and ESPNews.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Luka Garza, Forward, Iowa Wolves: 30.5 points, 10 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 blocks, 68 FG%, 46 3P% (4 GP)

Carlik Jones, Guard, Windy City Bulls: 26.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6 assists, 2.3 steals, 46 FG%, 35 3P%

Jahmi’us Ramsey, Guard, Oklahoma City Blue: 26 points, 4.4 rebounds, 58 FG%, 38 3P%

Lester Quinones, Guard, Santa Cruz Warriors: 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 46 FG%

Jack White, Forward, Grand Rapids Gold: 23.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, 55 FG%, 38 3P%

Trevelin Queen, Guard, Fort Wayne Mad Ants: 23.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.1 steals, 50 FG%

Mfiondu Kabengele, Forward, Maine Celtics: 21.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 61 FG%, 41 3P%

Zavier Simpson, Guard, Lakeland Magic: 17.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 1.7 steals, 50 FG%, 43 3P%

REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS

Eastern Conference: Long Island Nets (23-9)

Western Conference: Stockton Kings (25-7)

Scoring Champ: Carlik Jones (26.1)

Assists Champ: Jacob Gilyard (9.7)

Rebounds Champ: Jayce Johnson (13.5)

Blocks Champ: Jay Huff (3.1)

Steals Champ: Jaden Springer (2.3)

3PT Champ: Mychal Mulder (129)

MARCH CALL-UPS

Luka Samanic, Forward, Maine Celtics to Utah Jazz

Xavier Sneed, Forward, Greensboro Swarm to Charlotte Hornets

Jay Scrubb, Guard, Lakeland Magic to Orlando Magic

Lester Quinones, Guard, Santa Cruz Warriors to Golden State Warriors (twice this month)

Trevor Keels, Guard, Westchester Knicks to New York Knicks

Lindell Wiggington, Guard, Wisconsin Herd to Milwaukee Bucks

Jamaree Bouyea, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Washington Wizards

Jared Butler, Guard, Grand Rapids Gold to Oklahoma City Thunder

Sam Merrill, Guard, Cleveland Charge to Cleveland Cavaliers

Jay Huff, Center, South Bay Lakers to Washington Wizards

Xavier Moon, Guard, Ontario Clippers to Los Angeles Clippers

More below:

Willie Cauley-Stein, Center, Rio Grande Valley Vipers to Houston Rockets

Kobi Simmons, Guard, Greensboro Swarm to Charlotte Hornets

Gabe York, Guard, Fort Wayne Mad Ants to Indiana Pacers

Skylar Mays, Guard, Mexico City Capitanes to Portland Trail Blazers

Shaquille Harrison, Guard, South Bay Lakers to Portland Trail Blazers

Jeenathan Williams, Guard, Salt Lake City Stars to Portland Trail Blazers

Justin Minaya, Forward, Mexico City Capitanes to Portland Trail Blazers

Photos via Getty Images.

The post G League Player to Watch (March): Darius Days appeared first on SLAM.

It was hard not to go with Mac McClung. 

In the span of a few days, the Delaware Blue Coats guard earned a call-up from the Philadelphia 76ers, signed a sneaker deal with Puma, and, oh yeah, brought back the NBA Slam Dunk Contest with an unforgettable performance in Salt Lake City (also, I have to call out this 360 layup from Monday night). But…

Carlik Jones has been that good. Really, pretty much unstoppable. The Windy City Bulls star has been one of the best players in the G League all season, and just wrapped up perhaps the busiest month of his career so far. It started with a dominant performance against the Herd in Wisconsin: Jones dropped 40 points on 16/25 shooting from the field and 8/9 from three on February 3. Two days later, he took the court in Greensboro and hung 31 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals on the Swarm. Not a bad road trip.

After going undrafted out of Louisville, Jones first joined the G League in October of 2021, when he was acquired by the Texas Legends. He immediately established himself as an elite scorer and playmaker—on opening day against the Lakeland Magic, he casually put up 37 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in a win. 

Jones always plays at his own pace, patient and under control. He lulls defenses to sleep and then attacks the paint with force (I was there at the Comerica Center when he did this… and oh my God). At just 6-0, he relies on his athleticism, exceptional handles, and nifty footwork to create offense, both for himself and for others. Pull up any highlight video of Jones and you’ll see the full package: he shoots confidently from behind the arc, stops on a dime for smooth midrange jumpers, finishes through and around rim protectors at the basket, and finds teammates for easy opportunities.

Last year, Jones led the Legends to the second round of the playoffs and was named to the NBA G League All-Rookie Team and the All-NBA G League Third Team. He began this season on a standard G League contract but was called up to the Chicago Bulls in December, inking a two-way deal. Since then, he has mostly remained in the G, but did manage to score the second field goal of his NBA career in Paris when the Bulls met the Detroit Pistons in January’s NBA Paris Game.

Appearing in eight G League contests throughout February, Jones averaged 27.5 points (on 46% shooting), 8.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 2 steals. Windy City, a team fighting for a playoff spot, went 6-2 in those games. Jones also logged 22 minutes for Chicago—the most he’s received in an NBA game to date—during a nationally-televised matchup with the Bucks on Feb. 16 (he finished with 1 point, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists). 

From there, Jones was off to Salt Lake City for All-Star Weekend. He was one of 24 players invited to participate in the first-ever G League Next Up Game, which also featured previous “Players to Watch” Luka Garza, Kenneth Lofton Jr., and Isaiah Mobley.

Of course, McClung was the G Leaguer who stole the show out in Utah. The spotlight has (rightfully so) found him in February, and he has used it to help promote the level of talent in the G. Asked to deliver a message to NBA executives, McClung said, “I’d really encourage them to watch the G League. There’s a lot of people in the G League who deserve the same light.”

People like Carlik Jones. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS (FEBRUARY STATS)

Xavier Moon, Guard, Ontario Clippers: 26.4 points, 5.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 52 FG%, 47 3P%

Johnny Juzang, Guard, Salt Lake City Stars: 26.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 49 FG%, 41 3P%

Alize Johnson, Forward, Wisconsin Herd: 17.0 points, 14.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 66 FG%

DaQuan Jeffries, Guard, Westchester Knicks: 23.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.9 steals, 1.1 blocks, 49 FG%

Lester Quinones, Guard, Santa Cruz Warriors: 23.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 47 FG%, 38 3P%

Kenneth Faried, Forward, Mexico City Capitanes: 13.9 points, 14.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 2.3 blocks, 49 FG%

Chris Chiozza, Guard, Long Island Nets: 14.7 points, 8.4 assists, 4 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 52 FG%, 52 3P%

FEBRUARY CALL-UPS

Willie Cauley-Stein, Forward, Rio Grande Valley Vipers to Houston Rockets

P.J. Dozier, Guard, Iowa Wolves to Sacramento Kings

Kris Dunn, Guard, Capital City Go-Go to Utah Jazz

Frank Jackson, Guard, Salt Lake City Stars to Utah Jazz

Keaton Wallace, Guard, Ontario Clippers to Los Angeles Clippers

Nate Darling, Guard, Ontario Clippers to Los Angeles Clippers

Mac McClung, Guard, Delaware Blue Coats to Philadelphia 76ers

Olivier Sarr, Forward, Oklahoma City Blue to Oklahoma City Thunder

Joe Wieskamp, Forward, Wisconsin Herd to Toronto Raptors

Quenton Jackson, Guard, Capital City Go-Go to Washington Wizards

Stanley Umude, Guard, Motor City Cruise to Detroit Pistons

Jamaree Bouyea, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Photos via Getty Images.

The post NBA G League Player to Watch (February Edition): Carlik Jones appeared first on SLAM.

February 9th 2003. How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days was the number one movie in the world. “All I Have” by Jennifer Lopez featuring LL Cool J was sitting atop the Billboard Hot 100. Kobe Bryant was on the cover of SLAM 66 wearing a jet black Lakers jersey with his three Larry O’Brien trophies. It was a cloudy night in Georgia but even then there were 24 extra stars in the Atlanta sky. On that night at Philips Arena, the NBA hosted its 52nd Annual NBA All-Star Game. 

It was a time before TikTok, NFTs, and NBA Twitter. It’s now 2023 and at times it feels like we’re living in some twisted up future, but at least the game of basketball is still good. 

By the time you’re reading this, the League will be getting ready to host the 72nd Annual All-Star Game in Salt Lake City and if we’re lucky, it’ll be a classic much like Atlanta’s game 20 years prior. Generally speaking, ‘03 is a year strongly etched into the memory of all within the culture. Baggy pants, bulky kicks, triple-layered headwear, spinning rims, Playstation 2… could it have all been so simple then? 

The 2003 NBA All-Star Game was one of the most stacked events of all time, both in star power and personality. Society was reaching a breaking point when individuality, charisma, and style were placed on a similar level as skill. The Western Conference All-Stars included Steve Francis, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and Yao Ming as starters, with Shaquille O’neal, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Gary Payton, Stephon Marbury, and Peja Stojakovic coming off the bench. The West was helmed by then-Sacramento Kings head coach, Rick Adelman. Peja was an injury replacement for his teammate Chris Webber.

The Eastern Conference All-Stars included Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O’Neal, and Ben Wallace as starters, with Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Paul Pierce, Brad Miller, Jamal Mashburn, Antoine Walker, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas coming off the bench. Isiah Thomas, who coached the Indiana Pacers at the time, led the charge for the East.  

There are a lot of things you may have forgotten about the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. So, allow us to remind you. 

First off, the jerseys. It marked the first time since the ‘90s that the NBA designed and deployed All-Star Game jerseys. In the previous five years, players just wore their own jersey from their respective teams (All-Star Weekend in 1999 was canceled due to the lockout). And the jerseys were fresh as hell. The retro design recalled some of the late ‘80s All-Star Game jerseys, swapping out the short shorts for a baggier option. 

The main focus entering All-Star weekend was Michael Jordan, who was preparing to retire for a third and final time. He was a starter and an All-Star for the 14th time in his career, an accomplishment that didn’t come without its fair share of controversy. Allen Iverson and Vince Carter were both near at the peak of their popularity in 2003 and were voted as the starting backcourt for the Eastern Conference by the fans. Carter had missed a big chunk of games that season as a result of injury and there was a ton of pressure on him to give up his starting spot to Jordan. He resisted the notion for quite some time but he eventually relented and gave up his starting spot to his elder UNC alum just before gametime. The scrutiny turned ugly after a while, and the Atlanta crowd even booed Carter when he was being introduced before the game. 

For the record, Jordan was perfectly fine with coming off the bench. When asked about it during the game, Jordan said, “Vince surprised me. I told him as I told the rest of the players, I started 13 times, I didn’t need to start [a] 14th time. You know, they were adamant about getting me to start. Vince actually came to me right before we went out and said that he would love for me to take his spot. He’s very respectful. I think he took some undue punishment, all during this week about him being very honorable to the fans, and even at the end, when he gave it up, I really didn’t want him to back down from what he actually stood for and I’ve supported him in that sense. But he wanted me to take his spot and I thought it was very gracious of him and very respectful.”

Problem solved, Jordan started. 

Another wrinkle out of the gate was Jordan’s coach for the game, Isiah Thomas, who is arguably Jordan’s biggest rival and definitely his most prevalent foil. If Jordan had a nemesis, it was Zeke (or Jerry Krause). But Thomas had coached the Pacers to the best record in the East by the break, so he was his coach for the night. Infamously, there is a conspiracy that Isiah Thomas led a charge to freeze Jordan out of his first All-Star Game in 1985. Jordan was a rookie and finished the game with seven points on 22.2 percent shooting in a 140-129 loss. And now 18 years, two retirements, and 13 All-Star appearances later, Michael Jordan was the elder statesman in the All-Star Game, with Yao Ming as the lone rookie to participate in the game. 

Jordan, however, was aggressive but wasn’t hot right out of the gates. He started the game 0-7. He began the game only 10 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points in the All-Star game’s  history and the Atlanta crowd was hungry for him to break the record (a record that’s been snapped by the late-Kobe Bryant and LeBron James since then). Each missed attempt by Jordan was followed by hushed sighs of resignation by the crowd but the voracious outbreak when he finally made a jumper was well worth the wait. 

The first quarter was a relatively competitive defensive performance for both sides, the first quarter ended with the East leading 23-18 off the strength of a 13-0 run. Jordan never really got any hotter from the field, but he eventually broke the record and finished with 20 points on 9-27 (33.3 percent) shooting. 

The pace and level of play picked up considerably but the defensive effort faltered in the second quarter when the reserves checked in. The signature playground style of all-star ball had infiltrated every corner of the game and it was fun as hell. A sequence of lobs from Brad Miller to Vince Carter followed by Stephon Marbury to Shawn Marion early in the second quarter was especially electrifying. Shortly afterwards, Dirk Nowitzki went on a mini-heater in two minutes and scored all nine of his points for the night. All-Star games are interesting in that way. Basketball is improvisational like jazz and these are the best artists in the world. You never know when a player might go off onto a solo and strut his shit. 

Rick Adelman decided to indulge every hoops fan everywhere and played a lineup of Francis-Garnett-Duncan-Shaq-Yao. If any lineup with four seven-footers could work in a real game, I feel like this would be the one. Great mix of shooting, passing, mobility, length, and defense. They went on an 8-2 run in just over two minutes to secure a 55-52 lead heading into halftime. 

Halftime was a show in itself. The NBA had orchestrated a tribute for Michael Jordan that involved Mariah Carey coming out and singing in two different Jordan jerseys. She sang “Boy (I Need You)” while wearing a mini-dress styled to look like Jordan’s Bulls jersey. While they played a montage of Jordan highlights, Seinfeld clips, Gatorade commercials, SNL monologues, and Spike Lee poetics, Mariah Carey changed into a floor-length dress designed after Jordan’s Wizards jersey.

Mariah Carey gave chilling renditions of “My Saving Grace” and “Hero” at the center of a stage placed on the court. Jordan was moved to tears during the performance and Mariah Carey introduced Jordan to the crowd for an opportunity to address them. It took the standing ovation over a minute to calm down enough for Jordan to even get any real words out. When he could finally speak, he tearfully thanked the fans, his family, and expressed his gratitude for being able to pass the game along to the next generation. Much of the next generation was sharing the floor with him in this game and they’d determine how it would end. 

 If basketball is jazz, Tracy McGrady’s third quarter was like Miles Davis at his peak. He was cashing jumpers from all over the court and making daring forays to the cup, it was very clear why he was arguably the best scorer in the world at that moment. Iverson got it going as well with the pass-first Jason Kidd by his side in the backcourt to start the half rather than Michael Jordan. For the West, Kevin Garnett continued his impressive play on both ends of the floor. He hardly missed anything and remained a conduit of unbridled energy. Kobe got it going as well after pretty much sleepwalking through the first half.  

In the third, Shaq was throwing Jordan’s layup back to the three-point line. The crowd booed Shaq for hampering their hero but the East largely controlled the third quarter, eking out a 93-86 lead heading into the final frame. 

As usual the fourth quarter was more competitive than the rest of the game. Shaq dominated the reserve minutes but most of the Eastern Conference starters remained on the floor, even at the beginning of the quarter. Both of the Boston Celtics young guys, Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker, complained about the lack of playing time they received in the game. Zydrunas Ilgauskas of the Cleveland Cavaliers did not publicly complain but he only played four minutes. Isiah Thomas met all complaints with a closed ear, “it’s my team” he commented.   

Michael Jordan is one of the clutchest players in NBA history, if not the most clutch. He had won games, and championships, with his elite shot making ability with the game on the line. With 10.1 seconds left and the game tied at 120 a piece, and a young Shawn Marion on him with overtime looming, Jordan posted up in complete isolation. He took a few dribbles in the midpost, then turned over his shoulder and shot his patented turnaround jumper. He missed. The crowd sighed as it clanged off the rim. Overtime, the sixth instance this happened in All-Star game history. 

And then it’d eventually go into double overtime—the first time in NBA All-Star game history. 

Isiah Thomas must have felt guilty about the lack of minutes allocated to his bench players (along with the starters probably being exhausted with the extra basketball time on this night) because he put in a few guys who hadn’t seen many minutes down the stretch to start double OT. The West quickly jumped out to a lead and never relinquished it again. Garnett dominated against the smaller East lineup, finishing with 37 points on 70.8 percent shooting. The West held on to win the game 155-145 despite Iverson’s best efforts. 

The game came to a close with the usual procession of handshakes, hugs, and high-fives, as the players rushed to get off to a night on the Atlanta streets. Peace to mankind, it was a beautiful time to be alive. 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Here’s a Look Back at the 2003 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta  appeared first on SLAM.

“How you doing, man?” the 52-year-old Russell answers jovially when I call the number that Utah Jazz Director of Alumni Relations Quincy Lewis gave me. Attention ’90s hoop fans, please feel free to re-read that sentence for the full experience. 

Not that it was easy to hear Russell talk over the music thumping in the background but a) he apologized for the noise and b) why shouldn’t he be partying on a Thursday night? In the “Calabasas area,” where he lives, no less? This is a gentleman who spent 13 seasons in the NBA and cleared more than $25 million in the process.

And Russell was about as relevant a non-All-Star could be for several of his seasons in, of course, Utah. A second-round pick for the Jazz out of Long Beach State in 1993, the 6-7 swingman from San Bernardino, CA, spent the first nine years of his pro career in Utah, making the playoffs every last one of them (and the Finals twice; we’ll get back to that in a minute).

While he was occasionally deployed as a versatile sixth man, the bulk of Russell’s time in Utah was spent starting alongside the legends Karl Malone and John Stockton, usually guarding the opponent’s best player. Over his nine seasons in SLC, Russell averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals, numbers that speak to all the ways he provided value.

Asked for a favorite memory of his time there, Russell doesn’t hesitate, if not in the way you might expect from a multi-NBA Finalist. 

“Everything there is a positive memory,” he gushes. “There was never a dull moment, and it was all phenomenal. When I played there, we had great chemistry, great teammates and great coaches. And the atmosphere was great, too—probably the loudest fans in the League, I’d say.”

All this to say that, yeah, if you want to remember him for something else, like, being the defender Michael Jordan made his famous “last shot” over to lock up the ’98 NBA Finals and give the Bulls their second straight six-game Finals win over Russell’s Jazz, fine. Bryon is not sweating it. “I wish we woulda got one, sure,” he says. “But I’m not mad or disappointed at all. We did our best.”

Russell certainly did. In the ’97 Finals loss, he played a workmanlike 39 minutes per game, second only on the team to Malone, scoring 11.3 ppg in the process. Similarish story in the ’98 Finals, when Russell was second to Malone with 36.2 mpg. And almost all of these minutes, over both series’, were spent covering the greatest player of all time. What a time for Bryon Russell to be alive.   

With Utah’s near-dynasty winding down in the early ’00s, in the summer of 2002 Russell signed a free-agent contract with the Washington Wizards, who featured none other than…Michael Jordan, playing his truly last season. The year in DC was followed by a season with the Lakers—where he played for former nemesis Phil Jackson and with long-time teammate Malone—and then wound it down with two seasons in Denver.  

Russell’s been out of the League since ’06, and mostly out of the spotlight as well. As mentioned up top, he lives happily in or near Calabasas, heading back to Utah “whenever [the Jazz] call me.”

The outro on our call is as amusing as the intro. When I follow standard current protocol and ask Bryon what fans could look out for from him—anything to plug, so to speak?—he says, “just look out for Bryon having a good time.”

Good night. 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Bryon Russell Reflects on His NBA Career, Playing in Utah and What He’s Been Up to Since Then appeared first on SLAM.

Beal suffered the injury in the second quarter of Washington’s eventual 123-113 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He posted eight points and four assists in 13 minutes before he left the game. Washington said that the three-time All-Star will miss the next three games and will be re-evaluated in one week.

Bradley Beal was diagnosed with a low-grade left hamstring strain after undergoing an MRI.

Beal will be out for the team’s next three games and will be re-evaluated in one week.

: https://t.co/nmqIvOVwAB pic.twitter.com/K2ZWlWZrcU

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) January 5, 2023

Beal is averaging 22.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game on 52.5 percent shooting from the field and 34.0 percent from beyond the arc for a Wizards (17-22) team fighting for a play-in tournament spot.

The post Bradley Beal Will be Evaluated in One Week After Suffering Hamstring Strain appeared first on SLAM.

After 10 seasons and one championship with the Bucks, the Greek Freak is ready to be so dominant that it becomes a regular thing to expect. That it’s “boring” to see him put up the type of performance he recently had against Washington. Antetokounmpo dropped 55 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists on Tuesday as the Bucks beat the Wizards 123-113, snapping Washington’s five-game winning streak.

“I want to get in a position … that my game is boring,” Antetokounmpo said. “I just do what I do, and people don’t talk about it because it becomes boring — I do it every single night. That’s what I want to do. I want other people to feel like my game is boring. But I don’t get bored. The greats — the best players — never get bored. They go out there, and they always give their best any given night.”

Giannis joins Moses Malone and Russell Westbrook as the only players since 1976-77 with 40+ points and 10+ rebounds in three consecutive games!

Dec. 28: 45 & 22
Dec. 30: 43 & 20
Jan. 3: 55 & 10 pic.twitter.com/UdU37BCc9D

— NBA (@NBA) January 4, 2023

The back-to-back MVP has put at least 40/10/5 in all three of his last outings. The only other players to replicate that kind of stat line in NBA history are Elgin Baylor in 1961 and ’63 and Russell Westbrook in 2016. The only other Bucks to score at least 40 in three straight appearances are Flynn Robinson in February 1969 and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in February 1972.

Create art. pic.twitter.com/t4JIc1yYYh

— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) January 4, 2023

The 2021 Finals MVP is averaging a career-high 32.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.2 rebounds on 53.6 percent shooting from the field. The Bucks are set to take on the Raptors to end their latest set of back-to-back games

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo is Aiming to Make His Nightly Dominance ‘Boring’ appeared first on SLAM.

Drafted in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft, Gibson remained with the Bulls for 8 years. While he may not have put up all-star statistics in Chicago, averaging 9.4 points and 6.4 rebounds, his value and legacy to the franchise are palpable. 

Gibson enjoyed special moments in the United Center, playing alongside all-time Bulls greats Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. The 37-year-old was a consistent contributor during the Bulls’ 62-win and conference finals season in 2011-12 and during the 2013-14 season when he was runner-up for Most Improved Player (averaging 13 points and 6.8 rebounds).

Hard-working and loyal, Gibson was a steady supporter, a confidante, and a respected leader in the Bulls’ locker room. One of the most beloved players by coaches, teammates, and fans, Chicago never fails to make Gibson feels special during his “homecoming” games.

“The love stays the same. The love gets better and better every time”, Gibson said Wednesday after losing 111-115 in Chicago, per MSN. 

Despite the loss, Gibson had a special feeling being back in United Center while Bulls fans gave him love.

The vet returns to Chicago on February 26th.

The post Taj Gibson On ‘the Love’ He Gets From Chicago Bulls Fans appeared first on SLAM.

Of all the standout players in the G during November, Iowa Wolves star Luka Garza shined the brightest. A quick reminder what the 6-11 center did at the University of Iowa: 2020-21 consensus National Player of the Year, two-time First Team All-American, the only player in Big Ten history with at least 2,250 points and 900 rebounds. Garza graduated as Iowa’s all-time leading scorer and had his No. 55 jersey retired by the program. His list of accolades is seemingly never-ending—just scroll through his bio page here.

And yet…Garza was not a top NBA prospect. There were a lot of questions about how his old-school game would translate to the pros, and whether he was mobile and athletic enough to still be productive at the next level. Despite a remarkable college career, the Hawkeye legend fell all the way to the 52^nd pick in the 2021 Draft, where he was scooped up by the Detroit Pistons.

As a rookie, Garza played in 21 games for the G League’s Motor City Cruise, averaging 21.6 points and 9.1 rebounds. He was named to the G League All-Rookie Team and the All-NBA G League Third Team. He also appeared in 32 games for the Pistons, contributing 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest (17.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per 36 minutes).

Detroit moved on from Garza this past summer, and the 23-year-old eventually signed a two-way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was able to learn from All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert throughout training camp and preseason. Since then, Garza has spent much of his time with Minnesota’s G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves.

“That was one of the draws of coming here—being able to develop my game, but do it in a place that’s basically my second home,” Garza told reporters in mid-October. “I’m from DC, but now it feels like I’m from Iowa. I love it out there, so I’m super excited.”

Back in his “second home,” the big man averaged 27.3 points (second in the G League), 8.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists (first among centers) in November. His efficiency was ridiculous—he shot 67.6 percent from the field and 55.2 percent from behind the arc (on 4.1 attempts per game). Just look at the array of ways he scores in the highlight clip below: finishes out of the pick-and-roll, fade-away baseline jumpers, put-backs, three-pointers, floaters in the lane, crafty post moves—he does it all.

With Garza in the lineup, the Iowa Wolves went 6-1 in November; without him, they were 0-2. After Towns suffered a right calf strain a week ago, Garza was temporarily called up from Iowa to Minnesota. In December, our “G League Player to Watch” might just get an opportunity to prove himself on the big stage.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (NOVEMBER STATS)

Jaden Hardy, Guard, Texas Legends: 29 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 55 FG%, 48 3P%

Jay Huff, Forward, South Bay Lakers: 17.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 4.4 blocks, 68 FG%

Sharife Cooper, Guard, Cleveland Charge: 26.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 51 FG%, 45 3P%

Kenneth Lofton Jr, Forward, Memphis Hustle: 27.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 57 FG%

Mark Williams, Center, Greensboro Swarm: 23.1 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 63 FG%

Chris Chiozza, Guard, Long Island Nets: 15.1 points, 11.9 assists, 6.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals

Jamaree Bouyea, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce: 18.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.5 steals, 53 FG%

Luka Samanic, Forward, Maine Celtics: 21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 blocks, 53.7 FG%. 

NOVEMBER CALL-UP TRACKER

DaQuan Jeffries, Guard, Westchester Knicks to New York Knicks

Alize Johnson, Forward, Austin Spurs to San Antonio Spurs

Dru Smith, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Saben Lee, Guard, Raptors 905 to Philadelphia 76ers Toronto Raptors

Devon Dotson, Guard, Capital City Go-Go to Washington Wizards

Ibou Badji, Center, Wisconsin Herd to Portland Trail Blazers

AJ Lawson, Forward, College Park Skyhawks to Minnesota Timberwolves

Orlando Robinson, Forward, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Jordan Hall, Forward, Austin Spurs to San Antonio Spurs

The post NBA G League Player to Watch: Luka Garza (November Edition) appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers took on the Washington Wizards on the road, and Davis was in his bag as he went off for 55 points on 22-30 shooting from the field (73.3 percent), 17 rebounds, and three blocks. With yesterday’s performance, Davis now joins Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal as the only two Lakers in team history to record 40+ points and 10+ rebounds in back-to-back games.

He’s also the first Laker to score 40 points in back-to-back games since Kobe Bryant did it in 2013. Davis’ season-high effort had the road crowd chanting MVP, and his teammates backed it up with their post-game comments;

“Jayson Tatum is playing his a** off, but when you’re talking about people in the MVP race or category, that probably will change after tonight,” Lakers guard Patrick Beverley told ESPN. “Davis should be up there for sure.”

LeBron James also chimed in with his thoughts on Davis and the MVP race, stating;

“He’s been unbelievable, man, on both sides of the floor, I mean, playing like the MVP of this league. Just straight dominance.”

When Davis was asked if his goals this season included winning his first MVP award, he said his main goal is to win a championship and that “the rest will take care of itself.”

“To win a championship, that’s it. If your mindset is on winning a championship, the rest will take care of itself. That’s always been my thought. I put the team first over any individual awards or accolades that come with it. So if we continue to do what we do and win basketball games, the rest will take care of itself.”

It’s great to see AD showcasing his true potential and talent out there on the court again after battling a series of nagging injuries. Laker nation, hold on to your seats because it looks like the LakeShow is coming back!

The post Anthony Davis Is Focused On Titles: ‘the Rest Will Take Care of Itself’ appeared first on SLAM.

Let’s get it.

AD Went Off and Dropped a 55-Piece in Washington, DC:

Hear straight from Mr. 55 Points pic.twitter.com/ktoVNdXLO1

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 5, 2022

Anthony Davis dropped a season-high 55 points (31 in the second half) on 22-30 shooting from the field (2-3 from beyond the arc) and grabbed 17 rebounds to help the Lakers drop the Wizards 130-119. Davis is the first Laker to drop back-to-back 40 balls since Kobe Bryant did it in 2013. AD scored 44 against Milwaukee on Friday. He’s averaging 35.3 points per game over his last nine appearances.

“Our team is locked in right now,” Davis said, per ESPN. “Very focused on both sides of the ball. Overall, we’re just trying to make up ground.”

The Lakers (10-12) won their fifth straight road game and are now 8-2 over their last 10 games after starting the season with a 2-10 record.

He’s Baaaaack:

Khris Middleton returned to Milwaukee’s starting lineup on Friday when the Bucks took on the Lakers. The former champion played 27 minutes and posted 17 points on 6-11 shooting (3-4 from the three-point line), two rebounds, and seven assists in a 133-129 loss to Los Angeles.

“It felt really good to be back out there with the guys competing, playing,” Middleton said, per ESPN. “Just a range of emotions. Been through a lot these last couple months — happy, sad, anxious, nervous. To finally get out there and play and get a lot of those nerves past me, it felt pretty good.”

Khris made his return to the court tonight.

17 PTS | 2 REB | 7 AST | 3-4 3PM pic.twitter.com/gMCAWWyNlA

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 3, 2022

Grand Theft Alvarado Makes Pelicans History:

Jose Alvarado dropped a career-high 38 points on 12-19 shooting (8-11 from downtown) to help the Pelicans sail past the Nuggets, 121-106. Alvarado’s 38-point effort was the most a reserve has scored in Pelicans history. It’s also the most scored by an undrafted player in franchise history. Alvarado has also set the season-high mark for a bench player to score.

“It’s amazing,” Alvarado said, per ESPN. “Like, it could never get old. It is my second year, and every time they scream out ‘Jose’ and do the chant or just show me so much love, it keeps giving me goosebumps. And it makes me want to keep playing as hard as I can.”

JOSE’S WORLD

WE’RE JUST LIVING IN IT pic.twitter.com/1qddXzB7wB

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 4, 2022

Ja x Jaden Jersey Swap Moment:

Ja Morant and Jaden Ivey, the two most explosive point guards in the League, exchanged jerseys after their latest battle over the weekend. Morant led the Grizzlies past the Pistons, 122-112, after contributing 33 points, 21 in the third quarter, and 10 assists to help Memphis win for the fifth time in their last five games.

Morant was on fire, going 8-10 from the floor and assisting on all three buckets he didn’t score to help Memphis build a 101-83 lead. Ivey (10 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals) has looked at Morant as a big brother since his mom, Notre Dame WBB head coach Niele Ivey was hired as an assistant on Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins’ coaching staff during the 2019-2020 season.

Ivey and Morant formed a tight bond while Morant would do his pregame workout, primarily by talking about upcoming games or life. Coach Ivey was also responsible for pregame scouting reports and did skill work with players. That relationship helped Jaden gain the confidence to pick Morant’s brain whenever he was at Memphis games or practices.

The two explosive point guards share a similar electrifying downhill style. Morant’s success as Rookie of the Year and All-Star can be a blueprint for a rookie looking to become a centerpiece of the Pistons’ rebuild toward championship contention.

Draymond Gets Fined, but a Fan is Cool With It All:

On Thursday, Draymond Green was fined $25k for “directing obscene language toward a fan” when the Warriors took on and lost to the Mavericks, 116-113.

The fan involved in the interaction, Alykhan Rehmatullah, defended the four-time champ on Twitter after identifying himself as the fan Green was arguing with. Rehmatullah said he and Green “were just having fun” and offered to “match the $25k to your favorite charity or NBA Cares.” Rehmatullah told ESPN that he “didn’t take offense” and when Green called Rehmatullah’s pledge “a cool gesture” and said, “you don’t see that happen.”

The exchange occurred with 11:20 left on the clock when the teams were lined up for a free throw attempt after Rehmatullah started giving Green a hard time about his sneakers. In Green’s perspective, there was “a lot of name-callings,” which led to Green turning around and telling the fan to “sit down, shut up, and watch the f——ing game.”

The two haven’t spoken to each other, but Green said he was planning to do so while saying that “the money should go somewhere” and that it should specifically “help someone’s kid.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post NBA Weekend Recap: Khris Middleton is Back (and Better) While Anthony Davis Made Lakers History appeared first on SLAM.

Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star forward Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with a right calf strain, sources tell ESPN. Towns underwent imaging on Tuesday and the expectation exists for a full recovery and return sometime in January.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 29, 2022

The Timberwolves are reportedly optimistic that Karl Anthony-Towns avoided suffering a major injury to his lower right leg, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns will undergo an MRI on Tuesday, but there’s some early optimism that he may have avoided a substantial injury to his lower right leg, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 29, 2022

KAT fell to the ground and grabbed his right calf with 5:25 left in the third quarter of Minnesota’s blowout loss to the Washington Wizards Monday night. Minnesota called KAT’s injury a calf strain, and according to Woj, the former Rookie of the Year is set to undergo an MRI on Tuesday.

“Obviously, super concerned about that. Big blow for us,” said head coach Chris Finch per Fan Nation. “We’ll have an update tomorrow,”

Finch said he’s hopeful it’s a calf strain, not a torn Achilles. Minnesota will look to get back on track and pick up a win against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.

The post REPORT: Karl-Anthony Towns Set to Miss 4-6 Weeks With a Calf Strain 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.

SGA wrote another chapter of his breakout season after hanging career-high 42 points, six rebounds, and seven assists on 14-22 shooting, including the game-winning three-pointer to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder over the Washington Wizards 121-120. The former Kentucky Wildcat scored 11 points over the final minutes of the game.

“Those are shots I’m comfortable shooting,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, per ESPN. “I found a sweet spot, and really just take what they give me.”

The Thunder delivers a thrilling 15-point comeback win over the Wizards, capped off by a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander game winner!

Watch more | https://t.co/FQqDnVhTHN pic.twitter.com/pZFmDYHMep

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) November 17, 2022

SGA became the third player in franchise history to score at least 35 points in three straight games after dropping back-to-back 37-point outings against the Knicks and Celtics. Franchise legends Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant did it four times and once, respectively.

“He’s very crafty,” Bradley Beal said. “He probably doesn’t blow you away with his speed — When you’re confident in yourself, and you’re playing at those levels, he doesn’t think anybody can guard him. He really has that mindset that he attacks everybody. We should have started fouling (him) and put him on the ground, do something to alter him.’

Shai’s caption >>> pic.twitter.com/RmR87qhDAR

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 17, 2022

He’s also been playing stellar defense, ranking fourth in the League in steals (1.9 per game) and 12th in blocks (1.4 per game). Before the stunning win against the Wizards, SGA led a half-court defense that ranked seventh in the League, per Cleaning the Glass and is 3.3 points per 100 half-court plays better with SGA on the court than without him.

They also force more turnovers more frequently than all but three teams, with an 8.5 steal rating and the fourth-best ranking (15.8) scoring points off turnovers.

rockstar. pic.twitter.com/1YDJtEtnvq

— LeagueFits (@leaguefits) November 16, 2022

SGA and the Thunder (7-8) look to build off their latest win with a road game against the Memphis Grizzlies (9-6).

The post Shai Gilgeous-Alexander On His Game-Winner: ‘Just Take What They Give Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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The injury happened in Charlotte and started a wild string of injuries for the Nets.

Before Dinwiddie was injured, numerous trade rumors were swirling around involving Dinwiddie and eventual-now-former Net James Harden. If Dinwiddie had not gotten hurt, then there is a huge chance he might have been involved in a trade deal for Harden. Had Dinwiddie stayed in Brooklyn, he would have played a significant role as the primary point guard because of the vaccination rules situation with Kyrie Irving.

Due to the injury, Dinwiddie was traded as part of a 5-team sign-and-trade that dealt him to the Washington Wizards.

Let it fly pic.twitter.com/W3U2W50lL6

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) October 26, 2022

Dinwiddie was always a media favorite during his time as a Net. After the Maverick’s win against the Nets Thursday night, Dinwiddie was asked if he ever thought about how his career would look if his time in Brooklyn never ended on an ACL tear.

“I don’t know if the trade still happens or not or if I’m in it,” Dinwiddie said per The Athletic. “Regardless of whether it happens or not, I believe the Nets are a championship team. Just because if you look how close that team was, we were steamrolling people before I got hurt. Even if they make the trade and I’m in it, that means they probably get to keep one of Caris (LeVert) or Jarrett (Allen), which obviously really would have been needed. Or I’m not in it; it means I’m still here, and I’m with Harden. So either way you slice it, all three of those scenarios, the team probably wins the championship.”

The Nets would definitely benefit from an energetic rim protector like Jarrett Allen right now, who has emerged as an All-Star center since signing a five-year deal worth $100 million with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Though Nets coach Steve Nash said a while ago, he wasn’t sure the team would have been able to offer Allen the five-year, $100 million contract he got from the Cavs. Ironically since all this, Allen and Caris LeVert have reunited and are once again on this year’s Cavs squad.

One thing is for sure; both guys are currently making huge differences for their respective teams. It is still early in the season, so there is still a ton of optimism for Net’s fans that the team will be able to turn things around. The team, without question, has enough talent to make a deep playoff run with a lineup headlined by Irving, Kevin Durant, Patty Mills, and Ben Simmons.

Just need to give them some time and let the chemistry develop because they still have a long season ahead.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie Opens Up About Getting Traded After His Knee Injury appeared first on SLAM.

The USC product suffered an ankle injury and was forced to sit out at the end of training camp and Cleveland’s first three preseason games. Because of that untimely injury, Mobley lost the valuable opportunity to play alongside the combination of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Caris LeVert.

Without sizable time to find a rhythm post-injury and to build chemistry with the Cavs’ new backcourt in Garland and Mitchell, Mobley feels like he has “gotten off to kind of a slow start,” per The Athletic. 

Following Sunday’s OT win against the Washington Wizards, the 21-year-old hadn’t taken double-digit shot attempts this season. On Sunday, Mobley shot 28.6 percent from the field and finished with two field goals. 

After Tuesday’s practice, Bickerstaff said, “we’ve gotta get him more involved.” 

“Again, it’s a mix of time together and where he was in the preseason and then him coming back and then Darius being gone. There are some things that we’re still working through. He’s so skilled and so talented, and we want him involved in our offense in a bunch of different ways.”

pic.twitter.com/9PmVr6NJaY

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 27, 2022

Bickerstaff likes the shots Mobley is taking but wants him to take more. The Cavs believe Mobley is “the guy who can help take [them] to the next level.” In his rookie season, the center averaged 15 points on 50.8 percent from the field, 25 percent from three, and 66.2 percent from the free-throw line. For Cleveland to rise to a championship-level team, they need Mobley to continue to improve his strength and consistency. 

“Evan’s basketball IQ is what we teach every single day,” Bickerstaff said during training camp. “We were talking about teaching guys how to play basketball; that’s what Evan excels at naturally. He just understands the game at a higher level than most second-year players do, and even as a rookie.”

Mobley is looking to play with more freedom and ease on offense, becoming a simultaneous creator and attacker. 

At Wednesday morning’s shootaround, he said he is “going to stay consistent with it.” 

“I know shots are going to start falling,” Mobley said “And I’m going to be in a better position to take those shots as well.”

On Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic, Mobley seemed to have regained some of his flow. The second-year center finished with 22 points on 9-15 shooting, including 17 points in the second half. 

“He was determined to help us win this game,” Bickerstaff said. “We know what he’s capable of. We believe in him a lot. And he was attack-minded, and he went out to prove a point. I think he did that.”

Step back 2⃣ #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/24Vi3YypFd

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 27, 2022

Teammate Dean Wade added: “every time he touched a ball, he’s looking to be aggressive. That’s always good to see, especially out of him. Sometimes he goes to make a play but doesn’t look to score, and I think tonight he was always looking to score, and that’s what we needed him to do. So wh n he plays like that, we’re a hard team to beat because he’s going to take at least two guys to stop him. And he’s obviously a great passer, so he can make those passes out. Tonight was exciting to see him just attack every time he touched it. It was fun.”

Mobley’s bounce-back game helped the Cavs seal a 103-92 win over the Magic and earned him the infamous Junkyard Dog Chain award for the night.

While he may have gotten off to a slower start to the season, Mobley looks to build on his 22-point performance against the Boston Celtics tomorrow night.

The post J.B. Bickerstaff On Getting Evan Mobley ‘More Involved’ Offensively appeared first on SLAM.

That team ethos would be becoming an elite defense. Last season, the Wizards were a tough defensive unit before they fell off the cliff a quarter of the way through the season. The Wizards ultimately ended the season ranked 25th in points allowed per possession. Unseld and his coaching staff spent the summer coming up with some different ways to figure out how to improve their defense.

2-0 at the crib

highlights from last night's dub, presented by @Verizon pic.twitter.com/0C46rVxdvN

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 26, 2022

The solution came in simplifying some X’s and Os’ so Washington could play based on their instinct. They also created a Defensive Player of the Game belt that a player would earn after each victory. The results of these changes have helped the Wizards become the seventh-ranked team in points allowed per possession.

It also helps that the Wizards have seen team leader Beal “sacrifice” his body competing and playing hard on the defense side of the ball. On Tuesday night, Beal drew some praise after he drew a charge as Saddiq Bey attempted to drive to the rim. It’s the type of sequence that galvanize your teammates and lets them know Beal will never expect them to do something he wouldn’t do.

“I know that — if I’m engaged and locked in and energetic and ready to go on the defensive end, that speaks volumes to the rest of the team, and everybody else follows suit,” Beal said. “We almost have a saying: ‘If Brad can do it, everybody can do it.’ So if I can get down in a stance and get after it, everybody can. It’s something that we hold each other accountable to do, starting with me.”

"Brad's just been making plays for everybody."

Full Media Availability: https://t.co/2Mc7ekzR8E#DCAboveAll | @MedStarHealth pic.twitter.com/2K6nbweNOT

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 26, 2022

Although Beal will never be confused as a DPOY candidate, the three-time All-Star has exceeded expectations as a two-way stud within the young season. He embraced the task of guarding DeMar DeRozan during their clutch win over Chicago. Against Detroit, Beal showed his mental fortitude taking the same kind or charge that led to him suffering a season-ending wrist injury against Memphis.

With that kind of context, Beal drawing a charge resonated deeply.

“You see his sacrifice also on the defensive end,” Wizards teammate Deni Avdija said. “You see he ends up on the floor. It doesn’t really matter (what) your role on the team (is). Everybody’s sacrificing somehow.”

u already know.

DUUUUUUUUB pic.twitter.com/kYp0k1NWR2

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 26, 2022

Unseld added on to the sentiments by calling Beal’s commitment “huge” and “another point of emphasis” that’ll help sustain their early season success. It’s helped, to a certain extent, Washington hold opponents to 42.7 percent shooting from the field.

“Oh, it’s huge,” Unseld said. “It’s just another point of emphasis that we can point to. If he can do it, anybody can do it. We’re asking a lot of him, and he’s bought into the defensive side. I think he’s been unbelievably good on the defensive end with his energy, his attention to detail and asking him to do it on both ends of the floor. Thus far, he’s done it.”

Washington is set to host the Pacers on Friday.

The post How Bradley Beal’s ‘Sacrifice On the Defensive End’ Is Setting the Tone For Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

“It meant a lot,” Mitchell said. “The guys in the locker room, when I saw RoLo get it last time, I was like, ‘Oh, this is pretty dope.’ For me, just to feel a part of the group. They’ve accepted me since day one. Just to go out there and continuously just find my way, whether it’s offensively, defensively. Then to get this, it’s awesome.”

Even before Mitchell arrived in the Land, it was becoming clear that the team was truly starting to buy into the underdog-mentality. Darius Garland, who averaged a career-high 21.7 points last season, once described the team as a “pest” on the hardwood, and that’s become apparent not only in their on-court play and defensive dominance, but in their demeanor. Lamar Stevens was the one who started the barking last year, and since then, the whole team has caught on to it.

“Lamar [Stevens] started it, but I kinda adopted it,” Jarrett Allen told SLAM. “I think it’s perfect for what the team is trying to achieve…. We’re a young team, but we have the talent to back up the scrap.”

The Junkyard Dog Chain perfectly encapsulates all of the energy and excitement building around the Cavs’ young squad—designed by The Foundry at Jared, the hardware is made up of 14k Yellow Gold and features the 216 Cleveland area code, JYD [Junkyard Dog] acronym and Cavalier logos from throughout franchise history on the piece. Past recipients to rock the Junkyard Dog Chain, which is given to a player after every team win, includes Stevens, Garland, Kevin Love, Dylan Windler, Isaac Okoro and 2021-22 Rookie of the Year runner-up Evan Mobley.

Last Saturday, Robin Lopez became the first recipient of this season’s Junkyard Dog Chain after putting up 12 points in his Cavs debut.

As the latest Cavalier to win the award, Mitchell is continuing to impress and is setting franchise records, including being the first in Cavs’ history to put up back-to-back 30-plus point games to start the season. With a new superstar at the helm and a stacked roster of hungry talent, this is only the beginning of the team’s continued ascension.

But then again, Darius Garland did warn us back in February that the Cavaliers are ready to earn their respect.

“I think we’re starting to put the League on notice that we’re not just any slouch anymore. Like, you just can’t come into Cleveland and roll over us. I think we definitely deserve our respect.” 

Photos via Cleveland Cavaliers.

The post How the Cleveland Cavaliers Have Bought into the Underdog Mentality this Season with the Junkyard Dog Chain appeared first on SLAM.

The team has relied on Max Strus and Duncan Robinson to handle the load at the power forward slot, but the team looks to be losing hope in their defensive powers as reports suggest the Heat are looking at trade suitors.

“Kyle Kuzma and Taj Gibson aren’t the only potential moves that the Heat have been linked to recently,” according to Heavy.com’s Thomas Darro. “Link them to PJ Washington from the Charlotte Hornets, as well as finalizing a reunion between Crowder and the Heat. But another has been Bojan Bogdanovic from the Detroit Pistons and Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz.”

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Kuzma of the Washington Wizards is off to a fantastic start to the young season as he’s averaging 19.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and a staggering shooting at 46.5 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc. His size and length could turn him into a problem under the talented Heat coaching staff, but Heat President Pat Riley always keeps the door open to other options.

Washington is a restricted free agent this upcoming off-season due to the inability to negotiate a contract extension. The Hornets may be focused on providing their star point guard LaMelo Ball an enormous deal for the 2024 season, leaving little cap space to work for Washington.

The Heat wouldn’t mind one-year rentals, especially when there’s a lot of talent that needs to be proven out of the group. The 24-year-old would add the floor spacing, agility, and defensive intangibles that much up well against star rivals like Jaylen Brown, Khris Middleton and Demar Derozan.

Finally, the reunion Heat fans would welcome with open arms. Not too long ago, Phoenix Suns’ Jae Crowder was part of the resilient 2020 Heat squad that, as a 5th seed, went six games against the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. The chemistry on display, both offensive and defensively, is in no way bound to be lost in just the two seasons apart.

With this possibly being his 10th straight playoff appearance, a reunion with the Heat opens the door to a final run at a championship.

The post REPORT: Heat Linked to Kyle Kuzma, P.J Washington, and Jae Crowder appeared first on SLAM.

LaVine told reporters he wasn’t experiencing specific pain or soreness in the knee and described his absence the same way the Bulls did, injury “management.” The injury hasn’t sparked concerns in LaVine, especially after they decided to re-sign the former UCLA Bruin.

“I just want to make sure I’m safe with bringing myself back in and managing it the way it is,” LaVine said, per the Chicago Tribune. “Just going forward, I want to make sure I’m 100% at the end of the season.”

Zach LaVine (left knee management) is OUT for tonight’s season opener in Miami. pic.twitter.com/U6njQJ833h

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 19, 2022

The Bulls haven’t announced LaVine’s availability in a road game against the Washington Wizards or their home opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Sources: Zach LaVine may also miss Friday’s game vs. Wizards, with likelihood the two-time All-Star makes his season debut in Saturday’s home opener vs. Cleveland. https://t.co/YdRRrgua5y

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 19, 2022

However, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that LaVine would miss Chicago’s contest against Washington. Furthermore, Chicago said that there’s no timeline or goal date to determine what his availability will be going forward.

“I wish I had a crystal ball to look into the future. I really do,” LaVine said. “It’d be great if I could figure that out. I’d look up some lottery ticket numbers if I could do that.”

The post REPORT: Zach LaVine Ruled Out for the First Two Games of the Season appeared first on SLAM.

Everyone knew it was a big game, even the scalpers. The cheapest tickets available were going for $700. Chi decided he’d watch the game at a karaoke bar instead in the neighboring Koreatown, surrounded by people who looked just like him. And together, they all witnessed one of their own, Jeremy Lin, an undrafted Asian American point guard that went from Harvard to the NBA, drop 38 points on the Lakers in an electric 92-85 victory. 

“Looking back at that experience, I don’t think I would have traded it for actually being at the Garden, if I’m being totally honest with you,” Chi says over the phone. “I [was] surrounded by people who look like me, maybe a little older. Jeremy played out of his mind the whole game so we had two hours of people just losing it. People are crying, they’re running around, they’re screaming.  It’s unbelievable.I’m doing all of these things too, but I’m like what is this? Is this a cathartic reaction to seeing [someone] break the stereotypes we all deal with?”

A decade later, things have now come full circle for Chi, who is the director of 38 At The Garden that captures Lin’s incredible run in 2012 while playing on the Knicks. The film is a Mr. Fahrenheit and GTG Entertainment production and was spearheaded by GTG Entertainment Group’s founder Samir Hernandez, who produced the documentary alongside Academy-Award winner Travon Free. 

38 At The Garden, which premiered on HBO this October, was inspired by that night Chi spent watching Lin take over at the Garden, but the idea for the film didn’t come into fruition until eight years later after a conversation he had with Free in late 2020. 

“We were talking about impossible moments. An impossible moment is when society at large assigns to a group of people that you can’t do something and someone just comes out of nowhere and just shatters that to pieces. We were talking about that in the context of Obama,” Chi tells SLAM. “That is the biggest impossible moment any of us have lived through. Travon is a producer. And a director. We were just talking about stories. And I was like, the only other moment that has felt like Obama to me, and I’m Asian, was Linsanity. This is why the movie was called 38 At The Garden. The two most magical nights of my life: the first was the night Barack Obama was elected president. The second was the night Jeremy Lin dropped 38 at the Garden.” 

Chi admits that he dealt with his own doubts about the film. He was initially unsure if this was a story that anyone cared to hear during a time when there was so much anti-Asian hate and violence going on around the country, and the world.

“The first thing I did was doubt it,” Chi says. “I was like, ‘That was eight years ago. Nobody cares what Asian people think in this country. We’re invisible.’ So I thought about it for a couple weeks. I hate that that was my first reaction but that’s my trained instinct in me as an Asian person. This was 2020 and anti-Asian violence was starting to creep up.”

“We spent a little time going back and forth about whether it was possible or what that looked like,” Free adds. “[Chi] sat with it for a little while and then he came back to me like, ‘Okay, I made a deck.’ That’s when I knew he couldn’t let it go. I’m glad he didn’t. It ended up being such a fun movie to make. But also just an important movie to make.” 

While the movie does spotlight the personal triumph of Jeremy Lin’s transcendent basketball journey, and features interviews from Lin himself, as well as former teammates, journalists and comedians, the movie is about much more than just basketball. 

“There’s a way to explain this film without any basketball whatsoever. It’s this: part 1 is about stereotypes. Part 2 is about what happens when someone shatters those stereotypes on the world stage. And part 3 is about today, what happens when those stereotypes have been weaponized,” Chi says. “And when they’re weaponized, they turn into anti-Asian violence. That’s a very easy film to understand once you say it out loud. Once we got to that conversation, a lot of things clicked.”

“Being able to have this POV and take this from then to now, it’s the perfect moment to tell this story and this zeitgeist as opposed to leaning into more divisiveness, we are able to bring people together,” Hernandez says. 

It was important to Chi, Free, and Hernandez to spotlight Lin’s experience as an Asian American to further explain the significant impact his story has had on so many people around the world. 

“People don’t realize that sports and politics have always been married in this country. Sports and politics have always been married in the world. It’s hard to separate the idea that the political nature of our lives stops outside the gate of the stadium when so much of who we are is what makes great athlete stories important,” Free explains. 

With so many emotional layers jam-packed into the film, fans of the game can expect so much more than a highlight reel of Lin’s time on the Knicks. It’s a story meant to inspire, and resonate with everyone, especially those who have had to battle against stereotypes and doubt.

“It’s bigger than a basketball movie and ultimately, it’s not really about basketball. And that’s kinda where we left it,” says Free.   

Photos via Getty Images.

The post ‘38 at the Garden’ Tells the Powerful Story of Jeremy Lin and How He Not Only Transcended the Game, but Inspired the World appeared first on SLAM.

The journey of an 82-game NBA season always has storylines and developing factors that can create a remarkable year. In Wall’s case, one of the highlights he expects from this upcoming season is his return to Washington, D.C.

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Wall was the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft for the Washington Wizards, and after nine years with the team, he is expecting a standing ovation when he crosses the country to play against his former squad.

“I never had the opportunity to be back to play in front of [Wizards] fans,” Wall said. “So, hopefully, I’ll get that big standing ovation that I think I deserve.”

Wall believes he’s a candidate for the ovation because of his five All-Star seasons with the Wizards and his leading the team to four consecutive playoff appearances from 2014-2018. Wizards fans saw Wall at his best during the 2017 playoffs when he averaged 27.2 points, 10.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. He hit a game-winner in Game 6 of the Wizards’ second-round series against the Celtics, but Washington’s season ended after losing Game 7.

The 32-year-old hopes to play a full season since his ruptured Achilles in 2019 had kept him away from the game for nearly two years. If he does stay healthy, Wall can fulfill his wishes of playing Washington as an opponent for the first time on Dec. 10, a game that will feature deep emotion and gratitude from both sides. At the end of the day, it’ll be great to relive some of his favorite career moments in the city that first adopted him.

“My ultimate goal was trying to bring a championship there,” said Wall. “everything I gave to that city, from playing through my injuries, giving back to the community, it felt like a second home to me.”

Houston will play in Washington on Dec. 10.

The post John Wall Hopeful For A ‘Big Standing Ovation’ From Wizards Fans appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wall has had a rough go of it the past few years since he was traded from the Washington Wizards to the Houston Rockets back in 2020. However, Wall’s time with the Rockets was sadly cut short due to a Grade 2 hamstring strain. On top of that, Wall had also been dealing with off-court losses after his mom passed away in 2019.

Fast forward to 2022, and Wall seems completely rejuvenated and back to making his signature behind-the-back finishes at the rim.

“You see somebody’s that happy, you know? Enjoying the game,” said Wall’s teammate Paul George in a postgame interview after the Clipper’s preseason game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. “When it’s taken away from you, and you don’t know where you’re going to go from there. You get an opportunity to come back to it, man; you appreciate it.”

On Sunday, Wall led the team in scoring with 20 points on 5-11 shooting from the field. Wall even dished out three assists and picked up one rebound in his 20 minutes of action. It’s been more than a year since we last saw the Wall Star, and it’s so great to see him back on an NBA court hooping with the best-of-the-best.

This seems like a great beginning to ana fantastic comeback story for Wall. By joining forces with NBA superstars George and Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers, we may also get a chance to see Wall in playoff games down the road too.

The regular-season is grueling, but so far, Wall “has been looking great.” according to Leonard. Only time will tell what is in store for these new-look Clippers; however, they are a team to pay close attention to.

The post Paul George on John Wall’s Joyful Return: ‘You See Somebody That’s Happy’ appeared first on SLAM.

That persistence paid off as the third-year big man played well at Summer League, where his tantalizing skillset shined. Wiseman said he felt good after Summer League play and Coach Steve Kerr recently raved about Wiseman gaining a lot of confidence in his knee.

In the Golden State Warrior’s first preseason game in Tokyo, Japan, versus the Washington Wizards, Wiseman sure looked like his old self finishing the game with 20 points on 72.7 percent shooting from the field while grabbing nine rebounds and one block as well.

“This is my first game out of two years,” Wiseman said. “But I just went out there and just played my game. I wasn’t trying to do as much; I wasn’t trying to do something that was outside of my boundaries, just keep the game simple and just be myself out there.”

Wiseman’s preseason debut lasted a little over twenty-three minutes a. The brief stint filled Warriors fans’ minds with optimism as the Dubs look to win back-to-back championships. Given the Golden State Warrior’s strong foundation, a budding young core of talent, and a roster full of elite vets, there talented is no reason why the Warriors should not be top favorites to win it all again this season.

With the 2023 NBA season set to tip off in just a few more days, the Warriors start their long journey to become the back-to-back champs Tuesday, Oct. 18, versus the Los Angles Lakers.

The post James Wiseman: ‘Just Played My Game’ During First Warriors Preseason Game appeared first on SLAM.

According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, when Sheppard was asked if this year’s Wizards team was a playoff team on paper, the Wizards exec said: “I think we just continue to improve. Obviously, that’s everybody’s goal: to make the playoffs. I think we’ve got to see the improvement on the defensive end. I think we addressed that this summer. You find out in the winter what you did in the summer.”

The Wizards made some interesting moves this off-season, trading Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith to the Denver Nuggets for Will Barton and Monte Morris. Unseld stated that he had seen an “immediate impact” coming from Morris.

“He’s a connector,” Unseld said. “And he’s a guy that, I’m not sure how, but around the league, everyone knows Monte, and he does a terrific job of ingratiating himself beyond just between the lines. He’s obviously a point guard at heart. He prides himself on running the team, and I think that’s going to be a huge benefit to this group because he’s going to know what the group needs at the right time.”

Some other noteworthy off-season additions Washington made include acquiring Delon Wright and Taj Gibson and using their 10th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft to secure Johnny Davis.

“I think all the guys that are new to our roster bring a whole different mentality may be in terms of their expectations of themselves,” said Sheppard. “Walking in the door, defining themselves as players, it’s obvious that they don’t have to tell you about it. They show you.”

It seems Washington’s coach and front office staff took the steps they felt were necessary to drastically improve the team’s chemistry issues and move forward from last season’s struggles. With the 2022-2023 NBA Season set to tip off in just a few more weeks, the clock is ticking to see if this Wizards team can back up these words.

The post Wizards Are ‘Hopeful’ Their Off-Season Moves Will Lead to a Playoff Appearance appeared first on SLAM.

Though many believe the acquisition of the former MVP has yielded disastrous results, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green thinks it’s just a matter of time until Westbrook returns to form and contributes to an 18th banner.

“Who wouldn’t ask for Russell Westbrook?” Green said, per the Checc’n In Podcast, after being asked whether he believes LeBron James asked for Westbrook to be traded to the Lakers. “You’d be out of your mind not to ask for Russell Westbrook.”

Westbrook, who is due $47 million this season, has been involved in many trade talks just one year after being sent from the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and the No. 22 overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft from the Lakers. The deal hasn’t worked out thus far, but Green believes the reason for that is because of how on-the-ball dominant each of the three superstars is.

“I 100 percent think the fit is terrible,” said Green. “I don’t think you could talk to Russell Westbrook right now, and Russell Westbrook wouldn’t think the fit is terrible — just, because the fit is terrible, don’t mean you don’t go for it. Because guess what, if you go for it and it works, then you got a championship.”

The star power of the Lakers is undoubtedly one of the best in the League, but the Lakers finished 33-49, 11th in the Western Conference. Many Lakers fans worry Westbrook’s turnover issues and inability to hit shots at the rim will hold back the Lakeshow.

Health issues were also a more significant issue last season. James and Davis missed a significant amount of time sitting on the sidelines last season, missing a combined 68 games without one of them appearing on the court.

Meanwhile, Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists last season, per ESPN. Coach Darvin Ham has confirmed that he thinks Westbrook “has a ton left in the tank” and that he has a “wholehearted plan” to utilize Westbrook to the best of his abilities. Davis, James, and Westbrook also chopped it over the phone to reconfirm their commitment to each other as well

Green may be a rival, but he certainly notices the potential this squad has. With former MVPs and defensive player of the year caliber players, the Lakers are expected to make a playoff run this upcoming season, but if all fails again this season, the NBA world will likely call for the Lakeshow to move on from Westbrook and trade him elsewhere.

The post Draymond Green Defends Lakers Trade for Russell Westbrook: ‘Who Wouldn’t Ask?’ appeared first on SLAM.

After Beal opted out of signing his player-option, the three-time All-Star emphatically answered that question when he signed a five-year extension, a deal that includes the 10th ever no-trade clause, to play for the Wizards until 2027. Beal signed the max contract following a season cut short due to wrist surgery, where he averaged 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game on 45.1 percent shooting from the field.

Beal’s signing marked an interesting debate on NBA Twitter. For many, loyalty to where you first played and winning a title with them make a player legendary. However, by today’s player-empowerment standards, players are expected to be willing to leave and team up to create the best scenario to win a title.

“I feel like if I win a championship here in D.C., the grind of it, with everything I’ve been through, all the adversity and ups & downs, that would make a win that much sweeter, make me appreciate it that much more. I do love the grind.” Beal said per Haute Living Magazine.

Players like Beal, Damian Lillard, or four-time champ Stephen Curry who remain loyal to their first teams, are uncommon. Beal is here to say that none of that outside noise matters, and his goal remains the same. To lead the Wizards to their first championship run since winning it all in 1978.

“People always look at me like I’m crazy, but I have a huge desire to want to make it work here and win here. This is the team that drafted me. They’re super loyal; I have a great relationship with ownership and a great relationship with our front office.”

The deal makes Beal not only the face of the franchise for the long haul but also the leader of a team filled with new faces after the Wizards signed Taj Gibson and Delon Wright and drafted Johnny Davis 10th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Heading into 2022-23, the Wizards will look to return to the playoffs led by a potentially dangerous 1-2 punch headlined by Beal and Kristaps Porzingis as the anchor in the paint. The Wizards last made the playoffs in 2021, led by Beal and Russell Westbrook.

“Plus, there’s not a lot of chances in the careers of NBA players to be notated as the franchise guy, you know? To be able to have that opportunity, to be able to be in a position to where I can write my own story, that’s everything.”

By the time Beal suffered a season-ending wrist injury in February, the season was washed. Beal and the Wizards started the season hot, owned the top record in the East for a moment, and had a top 5 defense. That sweet moment was short-lived, though. The team went through a cold December, losing three games in a row twice. They lost six straight in January as well. The Wizards finished the season 35-47, good for 12th in the East.

The key is to figure out how to make that early-season success consistent. A tall task that Beal and Coach Wes Unseld Jr. will have to figure out.

The post Bradley Beal Speaks On What It Would Mean to Win a Title in D.C. appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: NBA’s 2022-23 Opening Night, Oct. 18 on TNT:

– 76ers at Celtics
– And as previously reported: Lakers at Warriors

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 16, 2022

Shams Charania of The Athletic leaked the opening day and Christmas Day contests over the weekend. Some other key dates include the All-Star weekend that’ll be contested from February 17-19. The regular season will end on April 9, the Play-In tournament will take place from April 11-14, and the playoffs will start a day later on April 15.

The most noteworthy game will most likely be between the Grizzlies and the Warriors. The Warriors beat the Grizzlies on their way to winning their fourth championship since 2015. The two Western Conference foes have formed a fierce rivalry over the last two years after a pair of intense and physical playoff games and their recent second-round playoff series.

Sources: NBA’s 2022 Christmas Day schedule:

Bucks at Celtics
76ers at Knicks
Suns at Nuggets
Lakers at Mavericks
Grizzlies at Warriors

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 14, 2022

The 2022-23 season will see the Warriors attempt to defend an NBA title for the first time in eight years. With their foundational core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green returning and their future stars like Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole all returning, the Dubs will be loaded.

The Boston Celtics will look to run it back and return to the NBA Finals after losing to the Warriors in six games. There will be some exciting storylines coming out of Beantown as Boston looks to integrate Malcolm Brogdon into the lineup. It’ll also be interesting if the front office continues to pursue a Kevin Durant trade. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will also return as perhaps the top wing-duo in the League.

Don’t count out the Bucks, Heat, and 76ers either. The Heat are always a threat, the Bucks lost after suffering injuries at the most inopportune time, and the 76ers will have an entire season of James Harden x Joel Embiid to work with.

Another question that needs answers will be can the Phoenix Suns continue their dominant stretch and improve upon their 64-18 record from last year. Getting better after being the top seed in the playoffs is difficult, but Phoenix brings back their entire team and is still headlined by Devin Booker and Chris Paul.

It’ll be fun to see how Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz will fare after Jalen Brunson and Rudy Gobert left for New York and Utah, respectively. The Minnesota Timberwolves are throwing it back to yesteryear with a twin tower lineup featuring Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. Not to mention how much better the Grizzlies will be after earning the second-best record in the NBA last season.

Last but not least, how will the LA teams play? The Lakers are coming off a tumultuous season but added a new head coach in Darvin Ham, who’s been trusted to improve a roster that still boasts LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis. The Clippers are perhaps a more significant title threat with the return of Kawhi Leonard and the addition of former All-Star point guard John Wall to the lineup.

Below are the team schedules for each team by division and conference. The Eastern Conference is first followed by the West.

Team Schedules

Eastern Conference

Atlantic

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

New York Knicks

Philadelphia 76ers

Toronto Raptors

Central

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Detroit Pistons

Indiana Pacers

Milwaukee Bucks

Southeast

Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte Hornets

Miami Heat

Orlando Magic

Washington Wizards

Western Conference

Southwest

Dallas Mavericks

Houston Rockets

Memphis Grizzlies

New Orleans Pelicans

San Antonio Spurs

Northwest

Denver Nuggets

Minnesota Timberwolves

Portland Trail Blazers

Oklahoma City Thunder

Utah Jazz

Pacific

Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Phoenix Suns

Sacramento Kings

The post NBA Releases 2022-23 Regular-Season Schedule appeared first on SLAM.

Many hurdles remain, but talks resurfaced with training camp about six weeks away. The teams tried to get a deal done during July but no dice from either side.

The Knicks will have to send at least $24.2 million in salary to make the trade go through, according to Ian Begley of SNY, on top of the high asking price that Utah wants for Mitchell.

The Jazz has also clarified that they will be content with holding onto Mitchell if no deal is reached.

If they land Mitchell, the Knicks could have a potential starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, who they signed during free agency, Mitchell, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson for the upcoming season.

The blockbuster trade could help the Knicks could turn around their disappointing 2021-2022 season into one where they find themselves back in the NBA playoffs.

The post REPORT: Donovan Mitchell Trade Talks Re-engaged Between the Jazz and Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

Will Barton is on an adventure. Reflection, sedulous hard work and his quiet self-confidence are his guides. His family, though, provides him with reminders of his achievements, ones that only a select few humans could ever attain.

But now we’ve come to the portion of the journey where, according to Barton, “It’s time to reflect.”

The 10-year NBA vet will be the first to tell you that a five-game first round exit was nowhere near what the Denver Nuggets expected to accomplish in the playoffs last season. The early exit, however, did provide Barton more quality time with the family and friends who aid in his mental fortitude throughout the season.

“It’s a grueling process over here during the season, you don’t have much time for anything or anyone to the level that you want,” Barton tells us over Zoom, just days after getting bounced from the playoffs, which ultimately became the end of his time with the Nuggets after he was traded to the Washington Wizards right before the start of free agency this summer.

Back home in Baltimore, being constantly surrounded by the voices of his loved ones, Barton is in better spirits. Working out has been easier, training just miles from his home while his kids watch him net jumper after jumper from the sidelines.

Last season, coming off three years as a solidified starter in the Mile High City, Barton only continued to excel in his transition off the bench, averaging 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists.

As one of the most consistent pieces for a Western Conference favorite year after year, Barton’s ability to rain down buckets in bulk was ever more apparent during his two 11-game streaks of double-figure scoring. Or maybe it was when he lit up the Lakers for a 25-piece, including six threes, while missing just four shots. Or maybe it was when he became the Nuggets’ all-time leader in three-pointers last season—but we’ll get to that later. 

Amidst his success, Barton admits that as a professional athlete who constantly sets lofty goals, the result is more often than not him being self-critical. “Now it’s about me mastering it mentally and being able to dominate the game in that way,” Barton says. His inner circle, however, is always reminding him to take a step back in order to appreciate and assess the entire body of work. Rumination can be a powerful tool.

“It was a good season for me. They helped me realize that because they know how hard I am on myself, they know how much I want to win and how much I’m always looking to do better. So you need that balance,” Barton adds.

For Will “The Thrill” Barton, reflection comes in many forms. Dabbling into a new lane last year, he launched his own YouTube channel fitted with videos detailing his 2021 summer workouts, including a 26-minute short film on his offseason in Baltimore. When we ask if the channel will be making a comeback this summer, he alludes to something bigger in the works, having just taken a break from working on his upcoming documentary.

Over the past five years, Barton has enlisted the services of videographers to document the highs, the lows and everything in between, on and off the court. “At first, it just started off as getting various moments of my life. I didn’t know I was going to do a documentary at first,” Barton tells SLAM. 

From entering free agency in 2021, to eventually signing a two-year, $32 million deal with Denver, to various celebrations with his family and even capturing how he prepares in the lab, Barton has established another pathway to capturing his journey. He’s reminded of it each day when he sits down to churn out the day’s to-do list.

As a former second-round pick who bounced around between the Portland Trail Blazers, the Idaho Stampede (now the Salt Lake City Stars) and Denver during his first three seasons in the League, Barton’s not only built to be resilient, but also with an insatiable desire to never settle after reaching the next rung on the ladder.

“I’ve done a lot, but there’s still things that I haven’t achieved that I think I could. That’s how I got to this point in my career,” Barton says. “I’ve gotten good at chasing things, whether they happen or not, because greatness comes with that.

“I’m always putting something in my mind to keep me going, to keep me wanting to better myself and become a better player.”

A decade into his career in the Association, Barton’s still just as hungry as when he was selected with the 40th pick by the Blazers in 2012, scratching and clawing to make an impact. The fuel to that insistent desire is rooted in his family’s reinforced perspective, allowing Barton to attack his goals with clarity.

He’s still challenging himself, still setting goals, still looking to evolve.

As the 2012 C-USA Player of the Year at Memphis, Barton knew that in order to “survive in the NBA,” consistent shooting from three was essential in a League that was continuing to favor the deep ball. Yet in his breakout sophomore year—when he averaged 18 points, 8 boards and 1.4 swipes a game—he shot just 34.6 percent from beyond the arc.

But “hard work, dedication and confidence can take you a long way,” he says.

On March 4, with 2:47 left in the third quarter of a home game against the Houston Rockets, Barton’s adventure reached another milestone: the Baltimore native became the Nuggets’ all-time leader in threes made.

Initiating a dribble hand-off into a pick-and-roll with JaMychal Green on the left wing, Barton effortlessly stepped back behind the arc and knew as soon as the ball fell through the net that he’d just hit three No. 769.

“No one forced me to get in the gym and become a better shooter,’’ Barton says. “It was just something that I wanted to do for myself to better my game and take my game to the next level.”

Despite his early shooting struggles, Barton has never been one to shy away from a challenge. Standing amongst the raucous applause at Ball Arena after becoming the Nuggets’ new three-point king, it was more than a full-circle moment for him.

“To go from that—knowing I had to work on it that much, to now it being a strength in my game, a reliable point and something that makes me very tough to guard, and then being able to translate all of that into the franchise leader—is special, very special,” Barton reflects. “A lot of people don’t get to do things like that.”

As our Friday afternoon call begins to wrap, our conversation transitions into his current views on the rap game, given that we’re speaking with a fellow spitter who’s got some current tracks in the works.

Future’s I Never Liked You has been on repeat every day since its late-April release, he says.

“I can take a little bit [from] anyone doing great at anything in life. Whether that’s basketball, music, someone working a 9-5. Greatness respecting greatness, that’s what I always say,” Barton adds. “You gotta respect greatness no matter what field it is. So I try to find inspiration from anything that I see that’s great. And then from there, try to dissect my own game and figure out my strengths and weaknesses and what I need to get better [at], being brutally honest with myself and learning.”

Harkening back to his days as a young hooper who was still trying to solidify his name within the League, a particular lyric from Future Hendrix’s DS2 album was in constant rotation in his mind, still ringing true to this day.

“My hard work finally catching up with perfect timing,” Barton playfully recites.

As we dish on one of the best rappers in the game, Barton says the multi-platinum emcee still doesn’t get his credit, that his genius still isn’t truly realized, that his impact is still partially unmeasured. Another trait the two may share. Consistent hard work, self-confidence and the role of remembrance have emboldened both. But as Barton puts it, “The people that know, they know.”

Washington Wizards fans will soon know, too.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Will Barton Reflects on His NBA Journey Thus Far, Becoming the Nuggets’ All-Time Three-Point Shooter appeared first on SLAM.

Beal is the 10th player in League history to ever have a no-trade clause in his contract. He is also the only player in the NBA with a “true” no-trade clause.

Beal becomes only the 10th player to have a no trade clause joining LeBron, KG, Melo, Dirk, Kobe, DWade, Duncan, David Robinson and John Stockton.

The contract also has a 15% trade kicker and player option in year 5. https://t.co/NcUmDcyUMM

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 6, 2022

Beal’s massive deal comes off a tough season for Washington. The Wizards couldn’t capitalize off their playoff appearance last year and struggled to a 35-47 season after Beal underwent season-ending wrist surgery in February. Beal’s max contract also ends any speculation that he wanted to leave Washington via free agency. He told Taylor Rooks that his decision was about more than money.

“If I feel like I can win in D.C., that’s what I’m gonna do, and I want people to respect that,” Beal said.

Speculation ramped up after Beal opted out of the final year of his last contract. However, the 29-year-old has complete control over his future with his current contract. The former Florida Gator averaged 23.2 points. 4.7 rebounds, and a career-high 6.6. assists per game after averaging at least 30 per game over the last two seasons.

The post REPORT: Bradley Beal Becomes 10th-Ever Player to Have No-Trade Clause in Contract appeared first on SLAM.

All-Star guard Bradley Beal has agreed to a five-year, $251 million maximum contract to stay with the Washington Wizards, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Beal agreed to the deal shortly after declining to sign his player option during the extension deadline on Wednesday. The former lottery pick was the subject of many reports and rumors saying he was prepared to leave Washington for greener pastures. However, Beal stayed the course and is locked in with the Wizards for the foreseeable future.

The three-time All-Star averaged 23.2 points and 6.6 assists per game before receiving season-ending surgery on his wrist in February.

The post REPORT: Bradley Beal Signs Five-Year Deal to Stay in Washington appeared first on SLAM.

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has declined his $36.4M option and become a free agent, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. Beal is eligible to sign a 5-year max to return to Wizards – or sign elsewhere on a 4-year deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Beal averaged 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and a career-high 6.6 assists per game last season before undergoing season-ending wrist surgery in February. Beal is eligible to sign a five-year max if he decides to return to Washington. The three-time All-Star can sign to another team on a four-year deal otherwise.

Beal has said in the past that his free-agent plans will depend on whether he thinks the Wizards can be a winner while he’s there. He recently refuted reports that he planned on leaving.

However, During the regular-season, Beal embraced “holding the cards” and being able to dictate the tone of how his extension talks were going. He has historically remained mum on his decision and, as recently as two weeks ago, said he knew what he wanted to do while making an appearance at a court refurbishment in D.C. he helped fund.

The post Bradley Beal Set to Hit Free Agent Market After Declining Player Option appeared first on SLAM.

Washington is finalizing a trade to acquire Denver’s Will Barton and Monte Morris for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Smith just returned to the Wizards after playing half of the season with the Hornets. If he plays one game for the Nuggets, it’ll be the record-setting 13th team he’s played for. He was a part of a trade deadline to move Montrezl Harrell to Charlotte. KCP arrived during a blockbuster trade last summer to send Russell Westbrook to the Lakers.

Barton spent the last eight seasons with the Nuggets, becoming the all-time franchise leader in made three-pointers last March. Morris spent the entirety of his career in Denver after the Nuggets drafted him 51st overall in the 2017 NBA Draft.

The post REPORT: Wizards Trading Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for Will Barton and Monte Morris appeared first on SLAM.

So far we have seen the Knicks land, Jalen Brunson, on a massive four-year deal, and Nikola Jokic and Karl-Anthony Towns have re-signed to their teams on supermax deals. Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal will remain with the Bulls and Wizards respectively after signing max deals. Young All-Stars like Ja Morant, Darius Garland, and Zion Williamson have also signed max extensions with their teams.

The Warriors will also look to be putting a different bench mob on the court this coming season after they let Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr., and Juan Toscano-Anderson walk away in free agency. The decision seems to imply that the Warriors will invest 100 percent into their win-and-develop model as they keep their championship core intact while empowering Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman, and Moses Moody.

Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber is finalizing a three-year, $33 million contract extension, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Kleber was entering the final year of his deal, now under contract through 2025-26.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 8, 2022

Montrezl Harrell is headed to Philly after a tumultuous offseason where he dealt with some legal troubles surrounding marijuana trafficking that was later reduced to misdemeanor possession in a Madison County (KY) courthouse. The charge will be expunged from his record in 12 months if Harrell doesn’t get in any more legal trouble.

James Harden recruited Harrell due to their relationship as teammates on the Rockets. Harrell is expected to bring some toughness and grit to a Philly team that needed a backup big man behind two-time MVP runner-up Joel Embiid.

ESPN Sources: Free agent C Montrezl Harrell is signing two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, including a player option. Harrell brings more toughness to a team searching for it this offseason. He was Sixth Man of the Year with Doc Rivers/Sam Cassell in 2019-2020 w/ Clippers.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 6, 2022

Sources: The Toronto Raptors signed Thaddeus Young to a two-year, $17 million extension, which includes player incentive bonuses and a $1 million partial guarantee for the 2023-24 season, @hoopshype has learned.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 5, 2022

Gary Harris’ two-year extension with the Orlando Magic is flat $13M each season. The second season is fully non-guaranteed, a league source told @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 5, 2022

Sumner is fully recovered from a torn left Achilles that cost him the entire 2021-2022 season. He had been coming off his best NBA season with the Pacers prior to the injury, and now he’ll join the Nets’ backcourt rotation. https://t.co/5HfzZmkDZN

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 5, 2022

Free agent TJ Warren has agreed to a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

Free agent center Gorgui Dieng has agreed to a one-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

Cole Swider signed a two-year Two-Way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, a league source tells @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 4, 2022

Free agent center Serge Ibaka has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2022

The Brooklyn Nets signed Wake Forest Alondes Williams to a 2-way deal.

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) July 4, 2022

Dragic is signing a one-year, $2.9M deal with the Bulls, sources said. https://t.co/f6VK9np1cf

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

Free agent Josh Okogie has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has agreed on a five-year, $193 million designated maximum rookie extension that could earn him as much as $231 million, CAA Sports’ Co-Head of Basketball Austin Brown tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/z4lnVLD1GM

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Restricted free agent Cody Martin has agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal to return to the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2022

Free agent G Eugene Omoruyi has agreed to a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent Mike George of @OneLegacySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland has agreed on a five-year, $193M maximum designated rookie contract extension that could be worth as much as $231M, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. It is the largest deal in franchise history.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Free agent guard Damion Lee has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Free agent Donte DiVincenzo has agreed to a two-year, $9.3M deal with the Golden State Warriors, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent guard Raul Neto is signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Kevon Looney has agreed to a three-year, $25.5M deal to return to Golden State, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent forward Derrick Jones Jr. has agreed to a two-year, $6.6 million deal to return to the Chicago Bulls, with player option in second season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Robin Lopez has agreed to a one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent F/C Drew Eubanks is returning to the Portland Trail Blazers on a one-year deal, his agent James Dunleavy of @excelbasketball tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

John Wall officially agrees with the Clippers on a two-year deal for the taxpayer midlevel. https://t.co/5yCuV4cePg

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 1, 2022

Free agent C Jusuf Nurkic has agreed on a new four-year, $70 million deal to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/6vmHrdOZI3

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

NBA All-Star Zach LaVine has agreed to a five-year, $215.2 million maximum contract to return to the Chicago Bulls, with a player option in Year 5, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

The defending champs lose another valuable two-way star after Otto Porter Jr. signed with the Raptors on a two-year deal that has a player option.

Free agent Otto Porter Jr. — vital member of Golden State Warriors championship team — reached an agreement with the Toronto Raptors on a two-year deal with a player option, league sources tell @YahooSports. https://t.co/ck81fptKZh

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2022

Free agent G Theo Pinson is returning to the Dallas Mavericks on a one-year deal, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent Aaron Holiday has agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Mitchell Robinson has agreed on a new four-year, $60 million contract to stay with the New York Knicks, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @Wassbasketball tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/dnKtVQmln9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Bruce Brown has agreed to a 2-year, $13M+ deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN.

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) July 1, 2022

#Pistons to re-sign Marvin Bagley III, add Kevin Knox as free-agent frenzy begins: https://t.co/WVHahAmeKR

— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) July 1, 2022

Ricky Rubio played an integral part in the Cavs’ resurgence to the playoff scene last season before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in December. Rubio was traded to the Pacers near the trade deadline but the Cavs and Rubio were mutually interested in bringing back the former lottery pick point guard.

Free agent guard Ricky Rubio is nearing a deal on a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Zion Williamson, the 2021 All-Star phenom, has locked in on signing a max extension deal with the Pelicans. Williamson missed all of the 2021-2022 season while he recovered from foot surgery. The deal keeps Williamson in New Orleans through 2027-28.

Williamson said after the season ended, “I couldn’t sign it fast enough.” Indeed, the All-Star locks in commitment to New Orleans.

The deal is expected to include protections that both sides were sorting through overnight and will finalize, sources said. https://t.co/n0hyRwRk9e

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

The Golden State Warriors lose one of their best and most versatile defenders after Gary Payton II decided to head towards playing for the Portland Trail Blazers on a three-year deal. Payton led the League in steals per 36 minutes.

Warriors were unwilling to meet that high of a price tag (and resulting tax spike) for Gary Payton II and have now lost their defensive ace off the bench to the Blazers. He led the NBA in steals per 36 minutes last season. https://t.co/iaY6xmUrG7

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Andre Drummond is finalizing a deal with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent Kevin Knox has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent Kevin Knox has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent JaVale McGee has agreed to a three-year, $20.1 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, with player option for third season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Ja Morant is locked in with the Grizzlies after his agent told Woj that he signed a five-year max extension to lead Memphis as its lead guard for the foreseeable future.

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has agreed on a five-year, $193M designated rookie maximum extension that could become worth $231M, his agent Jim Tanner of @_TandemSE tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Karl Anthony-Towns has reportedly agreed to a four-year super max extension per his agent. KAT’s contract will begin during the 2024-2025 season.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns has agreed on a four-year, $224M super max extension, his agent Jessica Holtz of @CAA_Basketball tells ESPN. Deal begins with the 2024-25 season and delivers Towns’ total contract value to six years and $295M.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Jalen Brunson has reportedly agreed to the four-year deal that the Knicks offered him. Woj reported that the near-max deal includes a player option on its final season.

Free agent guard Jalen Brunson has agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with the New York Knicks, his agents Aaron Mintz and Sam Rose of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN. The deal includes a player option on the final season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Wizards have added three veteran guards to join Bradley Beal in recent days — Will Barton, Monte Morris and now Delon Wright leaves the Hawks for Washington. https://t.co/4YFMxR2o7Z

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Kyle Anderson has agreed to a two-year, $18M deal to join the Timberwolves, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @wassbasketball tell ESPN. https://t.co/fWzhFhVfkx

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris has agreed on a two-year, $26 million contract extension, his agents Austin Brown and Aaron Mintz of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Anthony Gill is signing a two year-deal with the Washington Wizards, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Restricted free agent C Nic Claxton has agreed on a two-year, $20 million deal to return to the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent Troy Brown Jr. has agreed to a minimum deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Lonnie Walker IV is signing a one-year, $6.5M deal with the Lakers, sources said. https://t.co/7xBnStLWfo

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Rockets restricted free agent Jae’Sean Tate has agreed to a three-year, $22.1 million deal to return to Houston, his agents E.J. Kusnyer and Jordan Cornish of @beyond_am tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center Dewayne Dedmon has agreed to a two-year, $9 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, agents Mike Silverman and Brandon Grier of @steinbergsports tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Davon Reed has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent guard Jevon Carter has agreed to a two-year deal to return to Milwaukee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Wesley Matthews has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Trevelin Queen has agreed a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent F Nic Batum has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Lu Dort has agreed to a five-year, $87.5M deal to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent Thad Foucher of Wasserman tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Chris Boucher is returning to the Toronto Raptors on a three-year, $35.25M deal, his agent Sam Permut of @RocNationSports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Jones’ agent, Austin Brown of @CAA_Basketball, tells ESPN the second year is a player option.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Amir Coffey has agreed to a three-year, $11M deal with the Clippers, his agents Bill Duffy and Marlon Harrison of @BDA_Sports and WME Sports tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Tyus Jones is returning to the Memphis Grizzlies on a two-year, $30M deal, his agent Kevin Bradbury of @REP1Basketball tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent Danuel House has agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Bobby Portis has agreed to a four-year, $49 million deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Deal includes a player option in Year 4.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent PJ Tucker is finalizing a three-year, $33.2 million fully guaranteed deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent Andre Buck (@andrebuck14) told @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Victor Oladipo has agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed to a two-year, $16 million-plus deal with the New York Knicks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fully guaranteed deal for Hartenstein.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center DeAndre Jordan has agreed to a deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Sources: Malik Monk is signing a two-year, $19M deal to join the Kings. https://t.co/spgbvRZspx

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns have reportedly finalized a four-year supermax extension that he will likely sign sometime next week. Shams Charania reports that he will be the cover athlete for NBA 2K23.

The Phoenix Suns and All-NBA guard Devin Booker are finalizing a four-year, $214 million supermax contract extension that he’s set to sign as soon as next week, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

Booker will also be the cover athlete for NBA 2K23, per sources.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Nikola Jokic has reportedly signed the richest deal in NBA history after signing a supermax contract extension with the Nuggets on Thursday.

Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has agreed to a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, the richest deal in NBA history, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fifth season (2027-28) will be a player option at $60M.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Bradley Beal will stay in the Nation’s Capital after he reportedly signed a five-year max deal.

All-Star guard Bradley Beal has agreed to a five-year, $251 million maximum contract to stay with the Washington Wizards, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons has agreed on a four-year, $100 million contract extension, his agent Bill Duffy of @BDA_Sports + WME Sports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

The Spurs are pulling the qualifying offer on Lonnie Walker IV, making him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Expect a strong market for Walker immediately.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Jalen Brunson is headed to New York after Shams Charania reported that he intends on signing a four-year deal with the franchise.

Free agent Jalen Brunson intends to sign a four-year, near $110M deal with the New York Knicks in free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The Mavericks never received chance to make offer, sources said.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

According to Alex Schiffer of The Athletic, P.J. Tucker will be pursued by Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Chicago. and Philadelphia during the free agency period of the NBA offseason. Furthermore, Schiffer reports that Tucker is unlikely to return to South Beach.

Multiple teams — including Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Chicago and Philadelphia — are expected to compete for PJ Tucker in free agency. All are expected to offer the full mid-level/TPMLE exception. He is unlikely to return to Miami, per sources.

— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) June 30, 2022

Trent Forrest will be an unrestricted free agent after the Jazz decided not to extend a qualifying offer to the point guard out of Florida State.

The Utah Jazz will not extend a qualifying offer to point guard Trent Forrest, making him an unrestricted free agent, League Sources tell The Athletic. There is interest in working something out during free agency. Forrest was a member of the rotation this past season

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) June 30, 2022

Per Marcus Thompson of The Athletic, Juan Toscano-Anderson will be an unrestricted free agent once the free agency period of the NBA offseason begins on Thursday. The 29-year-old became the first Mexican-American to win an NBA title after the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals.

“I got a championship with my hometown team,” JTA told Thompson during a phone interview Wednesday night.

“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me. You’ve got to give a little to get a little. And I gave up playing time to, you know, become a legend. I’m a legend in the Town. I’m a legend in Mexico. And I’m not saying that myself. It’s showing, know what I mean?”

Juan Toscano-Anderson is at peace with leaving the Warriors.

“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me.”

It’s time for the next chapter of his storybook journey.https://t.co/m94B7ILm2u pic.twitter.com/5OxoGWXG6P

— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) June 30, 2022

According to Tim Reynolds, the Heat does not have a meeting scheduled with restricted free agent Jalen Brunson on Thursday.

The Heat are not planning to meet with Jalen Brunson today, and they did not have such a meeting scheduled, per league source.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) June 30, 2022

The Cavs are reportedly expected to match offers given to restricted free agent Collin Sexton. Multiple reports say Sexton wants a “starting guard” extension. The Alabama product is coming off a season-ending torn meniscus.

Cavs Expected To Match Outside Offers For Collin Sexton – Hoops Wire https://t.co/9k5zuRmUAd

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) June 30, 2022

The Jazz won’t extend a qualifying offer to forward Eric Paschall, sources tell @Tjonesonthenba.

He will become an unrestricted free agent.https://t.co/fcOCtqEmMN pic.twitter.com/ok07Xpx9Dr

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) June 30, 2022

Kemba Walker and the Pistons have reportedly agreed to a contract buyout. Walker will be a free agent after he clears waivers. Walker last played for the Knicks last season before he was traded to the Pistons as New York clears space to sign fellow free agent Jalen Brunson.

Four-time All-Star guard Kemba Walker and the Detroit Pistons are finalizing a contract buyout, sources tell ESPN. Once Walker clears waivers, he’ll join free agency.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, the Heat have guaranteed the contracts of Max Strus, Gabe Stevenson, and Omer Yurtseven as of Thursday morning.

Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Omer Yurtseven are still on the Heat’s roster this morning, which means their full $1.8 million salaries for next season are now guaranteed. This was seen as a formality. Carry on.

— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) June 30, 2022

The Sacramento Kings are exercising the option on PF/C Chimezie Metu for the 2022-2023 season, sources tell ESPN. Metu averaged 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 21 minutes a game for the Kings last season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Patty Mills will be exploring his options on the free-agent market after declining to sign his player option with the Nets on Wednesday afternoon.

Brooklyn Nets guard Patty Mills declined his $6.2M option and will become a free agent, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Kings won’t be offering a qualifying offer to Donte DiVencenzo, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Sacramento Kings are declining to offer Donte DiVencenzo a qualifying offer, which will make him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell ESPN. There will be significant interest in DiVencenzo on the open market.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Lu Dort will be a restricted free agent after the OKC Thunder decided to not sign Durt’s team option for the 2022-23 season, per Shams Charania.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are declining the $1.9 million team option on froward Lu Dort for 2022-23 season, which makes him a restricted free agent and allows sides to negotiate a new deal in free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

James Harden will hit the free-agent market for the first time in his career but he is likely to re-sign with the 76ers.

ESPN Sources: 76ers star James Harden has declined his $47.3M option and become a free agent. He keeps real the possibility of negotiating a new deal that would deliver the Sixers roster-building flexibility in free agency – including use of the full $10.5M exception.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Bobby Portis told the Bucks that he’ll decline his player option and will instead become a free agent.

Portis has early bird rights in Milwaukee.

The maximum that he can sign for is 4 years/$49M.

The contract has to be for a minimum of 2 seasons and cannot include an option in year 2. https://t.co/Nu5KC9G8D9

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 29, 2022

Bradley Beal has made his long-awaited decision and will become a free agent for the first time in his career after declining his player option.

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has declined his $36.4M option and become a free agent, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. Beal is eligible to sign a 5-year max to return to Wizards – or sign elsewhere on a 4-year deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Jae-Sean Tate will be a restricted free agent after the ROckets declined his team option for the 2022-23 season. Shams Charania reports that Houston and Tate are mutually interested in signing a new deal once free agency begins on Thursday.

The Houston Rockets have declined forward Jae’Sean Tate’s $1.8 million team option for next season, making him a restricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Rockets and Tate have mutual interest in discussing new deal in free agency beginning Thursday night.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

The Cavaliers have reportedly elected to not offer Moses Brown a qualifying offer to Moses Brown, per Michael Scott of the Hoopshype. The decision allows Brown to enter the free-agent market as an unrestricted free agent.

Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers won’t tender a qualifying offer to center Moses Brown, @hoopshype has learned. The 7-foot-1, 22-year-old center will become an unrestricted free agent. Brown could be an intriguing development option for NBA teams around the league.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 28, 2022

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Taurean Prince and the Timberwolves have reportedly agreed to a two-year contract extension.

Minnesota Timberwolves F Taurean Prince has agreed on a two-year, $16 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Ivica Zubac and his reps have reportedly agreed to a three-year extension with the Clippers, per Woj. The Clippers declining to sign his team option led to the agreement with Zubac.

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac has agreed on a three-year, $33 million extension, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Mike Lindeman of @excelbasketball tell ESPN. The Clippers declined his $7.5M team option for 2022-2023, clearing the way for Zubac’s new deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

Tony Bradley is reportedly opting into his player option and will remain with the Bulls next season, per Woj.

Chicago Bulls center Tony Bradley is exercising his $2M player option for next season, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

The post 2022 NBA Free Agency Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

Without further ado, here is the running NBA Trade Rumor Thread:

7/25:

Shams Charania from The Athletic reports that the Wizards, Raptors, Hornets, Kings, Heat, Hawks and the Knicks have expressed interest in Donovan Mitchell.

Per Charania, the Jazz, Knicks and Paces are also reportedly interested in Russell Westbrook and draft capital from the Lakers.

The Boston Celtics have emerged as a potential suitor for Kevin Durant, reportedly offering up Jaylen Brown as the main piece in the initial trade proposal. However, according to The Athletic, that offer was reportedly rejected. Read more here:

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly offered Collin Sexton a three year contract in the range of $13.3 million per year for three seasons. Sexton is reportedly “dismayed” with the team’s current offer.

Sexton played 11 games this year before tearing his meniscus.

“Utah had asked about a package involving Mitchell Robinson, and at least 3 first-round picks and the Knicks declined to meet that asking price”@IanBegley with the latest on the Donovan Mitchell trade front, including the Jazz asking for Quentin Grimes in a deal pic.twitter.com/4m1x30mgY5

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) July 15, 2022

REPORT: The Jazz-Knicks deal was “close” on Tuesday night, but the Knicks ended up declining.

The Jazz reportedly wanted Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride, and 6 1st-round picks.

(via @tjonesonthenba) pic.twitter.com/KxUOdLfsZx

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 15, 2022

The Nets asked the TImberwolves for the farm after asking for Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and four draft picks in order to acquire Kevin Durant.

REPORT: The Brooklyn Nets asked the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and 4 draft-picks in exchange for Kevin Durant.

The Timberwolves declined.

(via @chrisbhaynes, @VinceGoodwill) pic.twitter.com/EUdjmDXArD

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 7, 2022

According to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, the Warriors are interested in acquiring Kevin Durant. KD won back-to-back titles in three years with the Dubs. Per multiple reports, the Nets have made it clear that their trading partner will have to give up the farm in order to complete the blockbuster trade. Those acquirements consist of an All-Star level player and multiple draft picks.

Marc J. Spears: Warriors ‘have interest’ in trading for Kevin Durant [report]https://t.co/5lar5wEukf pic.twitter.com/bXGN5CDgPk

— KNBR (@KNBR) July 3, 2022

League sources: For now, there are no plans by the Utah Jazz to trade star guard Donovan Mitchell. The Jazz are committed to building around him. The Jazz are not done in trade talks. Expect more activity

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) July 1, 2022

The Jazz and Timberwolves have reportedly agreed on a trade to flip Gobert for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverly, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, and multiple first-round picks, per Woj.

Utah is trading Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Atlanta Hawks have reportedly shipped Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless, and a 2024 lottery-protected first-round pick per Adrian Wojnarowski.

Atlanta is trading Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless and a future first round pick, sources tell EPSN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Atlanta is trading Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless and a future first round pick, sources tell EPSN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

After KD’s blockbuster trade request was reportedly made official, it seems as though Kyrie Irving is most likely headed out of Brooklyn too. Irving is on the last year of his current deal and listed the Lakers, Clippers, Mavs, Knicks, Heat, and 76ers as his preferred trade destinations.

The latest on Kevin Durant requesting a trade from the Nets from @wojespn.

Join us now on ESPN2 for our NBA Today Free Agency special as we break it all down. pic.twitter.com/dsRBjecW8S

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) June 30, 2022

BREAKING: Kevin Durant has reportedly requested a trade away from the Brooklyn Nets, per his agent Rich Kleiman to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. Durant has targeted Phoenix and Miami as his preferred destinations, per Woj.

Durant requested a trade with the team today, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/BkNEHwkrc0

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

The Jazz are reportedly trading Royce O’Neal to the Nets for a first-rounder .

Utah is trading Royce O’Neale to Brooklyn for a first-round pick, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

The Bulls are reportedly shopping Coby White, per Sam Amico of Hoopshype.

Bulls Remain Active In Trying To Trade Coby White https://t.co/QblzrfaVuW

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) June 30, 2022

Amico also reports that Julius Randle could be a name to watch on the trade market as the New York Knicks look to make it back to the playoffs next season.

Julius Randle is a name to watch on the trade market, per @AmicoHoops pic.twitter.com/Zd49mnz72R

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 30, 2022

The Wizards are reportedly exchanging Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith for Will Barton and Monte Morris. Should Smith play one game for Denver, it’ll be the record-setting 13th team he’s played for in his career.

Washington is finalizing a trade to acquire Denver’s Will Barton and Monte Morris for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Knicks are sending Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks to the Pistons as well as some draft capital in order to free up $30 million in cap space to acquire Jalen Brunson on Thursday.

The Knicks are trading center Nerlens Noel and guard Alec Burks to the Pistons, sources tell ESPN. The Knicks will unload $19M more in salary, clearing the way for cap space to try and sign free agent guard Jalen Brunson.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Houston Rockets have reportedly bought John Wall’s contract as of Monday night. The five-time All-Star and the Clippers are reportedly set to reach an agreement once free agency starts, per Adrian Wojnarowski.

ESPN story with @espn_macmahon on John Wall exiting the Houston Rockets with intentions to sign a free agent deal with the LA Clippers: https://t.co/IuLK7oFwP9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

After a successful postseason run, a key piece for Miami may not come back. PJ Tucker is rumored to take a better offer from the Philadelphia 76ers.

The possibility of Kyrie Irving departing from the Brooklyn Nets gains more momentum by the day, as he has been given permission to seek a sign and trade.

John Wall hasn’t played an NBA game for the Houston Rockets since April of 2021, he is willing to agree to a buyout if it comes down to it.

The San Antonio Spurs have been receiving calls about all-star point guard DeJounte Murray, teams that are included are the Knicks, Timberwolves, Wizards, and Hawks. Murray publicly reacted to the rumor on Twitter.

The Cleveland Cavaliers sacrifice pick 49 in exchange for Sasha Vezenkov, who has been a euro-league stash after being picked in the 2017 draft.

The Pistons traded away Jerami Grant for a 2025 first round pick that belongs to the Bucks, read more here:

The Hawks are looking to level up for Trae Young byfinding him a better co-star, read more here:

After not being offered an extension, DeAndre Ayton’s future with the Phoenix Suns looks to be in doubt. Read more here:

The Dallas Mavericks are going all in for Luka Doncic’s win now window by trading for Christian Wood, first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski.

JaMychal Green was sent from the Nuggets in exchange for the Thunder’s No. 30 pick in this upcoming draft, read more here:

The post The NBA Trade Rumor Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

Adam Silver returned to the NBA stage after missing the final two games of the NBA Finals after he entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Mark Tatum will takeover the second-round draft details.

1. Magic: Paolo Banchero (Duke)
2. Thunder: Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga)
3. Rockets: Jabari Smith (Auburn)
4. Kings: Keegan Murray (Iowa)
5. Pistons: Jaden Ivey (Purdue)
6. Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona)
7. Trail Blazers: Shaedon Sharpe (Kentucky)
8. Pelicans: Dyson Daniels (G League Ignite)
9. Spurs: Jeremy Sochan (Baylor)
10. Wizards: Johnny Davis (Wisconsin)
11. Knicks: Ousmane Dieng (France)
12. Thunder: Jalen Williams (Santa Clara)
13. Hornets: Jalen Duren (Memphis)
14. Cavaliers: Ochai Agbaji (Kansas)
15. Hornets: Mark Williams (Duke)
16. Atlanta: AJ Griffin (Duke)
17. Rockets: Tari Eason (LSU)
18. Bulls: Dalen Terry (Arizona)
19. Timberwolves: Jake LaRavia (Wake Forest)
20. Spurs: Malaki Branham (Ohio State)
21. Nuggets: Christian Braun (Kansas)
22. Grizzlies: Walker Kessler (Auburn)
23. 76ers: David Roody (Colorado State)
24. Bucks: MarJon Beauchamp (G League Ignite)
25. Spurs: Blake Wesley (Notre Dame)
26. Rockets: Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke)
27. Heat: Nikola Jovic (Serbia)
28. Warriors: Patrick Baldwin Jr.
29. Grizzlies: TyTy Washington Jr. (Kentucky)
30. Nuggets: Peyton Watson (UCLA)
31. Pacers: Andrew Nembhard (Gonzaga)
32. Magic: Caleb Houstan (Michigan)
33. Raptors: Christian Koloko (Arizona)
34. Thunder: Jaylin Williams (Arkansas)
35. Lakers: Max Cristie (Michigan State)
36. Trail Blazers: Gabriele Procida (Italy)
37. Kings: Jaden Hardy (G League Ignite)
38. Spurs: Kennedy Chandler (Tennessee)
39. Cavaliers: Khalifa Diop (Senegal)
40. Timberwolves: Bryce McGowens (Nebraska)
41. Pelicans: E.J. Liddell (Ohio State)
42. Knicks: Trevor Keels (Duke)
43. Clippers: Moussa Diabate (Michigan)
44. Hawks: Ryan Rollins (Toledo)
45. Hornets: Josh Minott (Memphis)
46. Pistons: Ismael Kamagate (France)
47. Memphis: Vince Williams Jr. (VCU)
48. Timberwolds: Kendall Brown (Baylor)
49. Cavaliers: Isaiah Mobley (USC)
50. Timberwolves: Matteo Spagnolo (Italy)
51. Warriors: Tyrese Martin (UConn)
52. Pelicans: Karlo Matkovic (Croatia)
53. Celtics: JD Davidson (Alabama)
54. Wizards: Yannick Nzosa (Congo)
55. Warriors: Gui Santos (Brazil)
56. Cavaliers: Luke Travers (Australia)
57. Trail Blazers: Jabari Walker (Colorado)
58. Pacers: Hugo Besson (France)

The post 2022 NBA Draft Pick-By-Pick Results appeared first on SLAM.

Leading up to tonight’s festivities, we’re taking a look at the cant-miss prospects you should have on your radar. Let’s get it.

Bennedict Mathurin

A native of Montreal, Quebec, Bennedict Mathurin leads the next generation of Canadian hoopers.

A true shot-maker with the ability to score in the catch-and-shoot or off the dribble, Mathurin should be able to provide instant offense for a team at the next level. He scored 17.7 points per game on 45.0 percent shooting from the field, and 36.9 percent shooting from three and displayed the capability to take a game over at Arizona (look no further than his career-high 30 points against TCU in the second round of the NCCA Tournament).

In addition to his shooting prowess, Mathurin has a powerful first step when attacking the rim and has shown the physicality to destroy rims.

His efficiency as a long-range shooter is something teams across the League love. During his freshman season, Mathurin hit 41.8 percent of his three-point attempts as a spot-up shooter. When asked to do more during his sophomore campaign, Mathurin improved his accuracy despite jumping up to 6.1 shots per game (while also managing ball-handling and playmaking duties).

Mathurin also has an excellent in-between game and is reliable at the free-throw line, 78.9 percent as a sophomore. His maturation from a spot-up shooter to a dynamic three-level scorer makes him one of the most dangerous prospects in the draft. He’s also a willing rebounder with good size and strength, pulling down 5.6 boards per game last season.

The 2021-22 PAC-12 Player of the Year and consensus second-team All-American has earned comparisons to the likes of Jamal Crawford and Victor Oladipo with his length and ability to score off the dribble and in catch and shoot sets.

A product of the NBA Academy Latin America, Mathurin’s refined offensive game makes him a flat-out baller and a player who should be a productive scorer for years to come.

Keegan Murray

Improvement was the key to Keegan Murray’s college career at Iowa. Nearly every major statistical category of Murray’s game improved from year one to year two. His rebounding improved by over 3.5 boards per game; he transformed into a knockdown outside shooter, dished one more assist per game, and saw improved steal and block numbers. The result of this? A projected top-five pick with the tools to be a two-way star.

At 6’8, Murray’s a versatile defender with the length and mobility to guard nearly every position on the court. He averaged two blocks and a steal per game last season and used his leaping ability to contest shots at the rim. The Iowa native isn’t afraid to mix it up with big men on the boards, averaging 8.7 rebounds per game.

On offense, Murray is a scorer who can be productive without the ball in his hands. Between timely cuts to the basket and a robust pick-and-pop game, Murray knows how to contribute without demanding isolation or ball-dominant sets effectively. He’s comfortable in the post and is productive in the paint because of his superb shot selection (a career 54.3 percent from the field).

Murray didn’t shy away from the pressure of being a number one option for the Hawkeyes, recording 23.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while shooting 55.4 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from three last season.

After averaging just 7.2 points per game as a freshman, Murray was a consensus first-team All-American, first-team All-Big Ten, and Big Ten Tournament MVP as a sophomore. He was also the winner of the Karl Malone Award, given annually to the nation’s top power forward.

Murray could be considered a strong wing player or even a small-ball center in the League. His versatility presents mismatch nightmares for opposing teams. The ability to serve as a solid defensive presence while scoring from all three levels on offense is a rare trait. A late bloomer who was unranked in high school, Murray’s enormous improvements and potential as a do-it-all contributor on both sides of the floor make him one of the most intriguing prospects of the 2022 draft class.

Dyson Daniels

An Australian guard with elite defense and passing? We know what you’re thinking. No, Dyson Daniels is not a Ben Simmons replica, but he certainly shares a similar skill set as the 2016 No. 1 overall pick.

Daniels is a crafty playmaker and high-IQ defender who played in the NBL1 and NBA Global Academy in Australia before joining the G League Ignite in 2021. In the G League, he displayed his skill as a reliable ball-handler and master in the pick-and-roll with the ability to hit the open man or make defenders pay with his patented floater, a move that’s become a go-to option for the 19-year-old.

Daniels averaged 11.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game when matching up against NBA-caliber talent last season. The 2018 FIBA Oceania U15 Gold Medalist emerged as a two-way threat with his 6-10 wingspan and solid frame. Excellent court vision and ability to be a disruptor on defense allowed Daniels to set himself apart from the rest as this year’s top G-League prospect.

Speaking of defense, Daniels recorded 1.9 steals in 2021-22 while showcasing the ability to lock up both traditional guards and larger wing players. His high basketball IQ serves him well on this end, as he knows when to switch and send help, but his one-on-one defense is what could make him a bag in the League. He sticks to his matchup, and because of his active hands and ability to slide his feet, he can be trusted on an island to put the clamps on.

The Australian only averaged 2.1 fouls per game last season, so he knows how to play defense without fouling. Daniels is also the first to dive on a loose ball and set the tone of the game, an invaluable asset not always shown on the stat sheet. Because of that mindset, Daniels contributed in ways you don’t see in the box score with his instincts, feel for the game, and hustle.

On offense, Daniels will have to boost his three-point shot (he shot 25.5 from three last season) to become an all-around threat, but he has the potential to turn into a spot-up shooter with his already much-improved jumper. He could potentially contribute immediately as a perimeter defender and facilitator as the two-way prospect teams desire in a top pick.

Ochai Agbaji

No prospect has improved over his four years in college more than Ochai Agbaji. He went from bench piece to regular starter to star player and has progressed at every point to find himself as a potentially coveted piece for an NBA team. 

It starts with his physical tools: Agbaji possesses a 6’10 wingspan and a 6’6 frame, making him an ideal wing defender for today’s NBA. Agbaji’s advanced defensive metrics suggest he is a wildly optimistic defender, something many NBA teams will find valuable. In his four years at Kansas, Agbaji hasn’t had a defensive plus/minus of less than 2.2. His vertical was measured at 39 inches at the combine, which will also serve him well in cutting situations and rebounding. 

Agbaji’s three-point shot has also steadily improved over his time in college, as he shot over 40% this past year, delivering several clutch moments throughout the college year. His most important moment was shooting 6/7 from three in the Final Four matchups against Villanova. He also went 7/12 from the field against Texas Tech at home and was a key performer in the Big 12 tournament championship going 3/6 from downtown, finishing with 16 points and seven boards.

When asked about staying for a fourth year in college, Agbaji opened up about his thought process.

“Sometimes you’ve gotta stay patient; sometimes it’s not going to be there right away, the first two years or first three years. But if you stay the course, things will come to fruition,” Agbaji said.

It seems as if staying one more year at Kansas helped his draft stock after testing the waters last year, which resulted in a consensus All-American year with a Big 12 & National championship at a blue blood program under an all-time great coach in Bill Self. The stars have aligned for him as the ideal “Three and D” prototype that teams demand after four years of steady improvement and being a late bloomer, which has been for the better.

Shaedon Sharpe:

Shaedon Sharpe technically hasn’t played since his senior year of high school, where he was the number one ranked player in the 2022 class until he reclassified to the 2021 class. Sharpe sat out the entire 2021-2022 college season, choosing to develop on-campus without playing a game; however, that hasn’t seemed to hurt his draft stock in any capacity. 

“My thought process as an athlete, as a basketball player, was really just getting better,” Sharpe said per Sporting News. “So I was just in the gym every day, working out. Really for me, whatever happened, I’d be ready for it.

“Like I said before, everything happens for a reason. So I really don’t regret [not] playing,” Sharpe said. “I mean, I’m working with NBA teams now. So I guess I did something right.”

According to Eric Bossi, the National Basketball Director of 247sports, “Sharpe is an explosive athlete with a nose for the rim.” Bossi also said Sharpe had developed his handle “tremendously,” which has allowed him to become a creative scorer and playmaker.

According to Bossi, Sharpe also has an “electric first step and his ability to get downhill, into the lane, and then finish around the rim.” Bossi also likes Sharpe’s length and ability to move well laterally and believes he “has all of the tools to develop into a player who is just as disruptive on the defensive end of the floor as he is on offense.”

Like Agbaji, his physical tools allow him to be a coveted prototype NBA wing that plays defense and can score at all three levels. His explosive athleticism will keep him a step ahead of everyone else in the League, much of that credit going to his above-average first step. If he can just control the ball-handling a little bit more and prove to be healthy, he could be THE steal of the draft.

The post 2022 NBA Draft Preview: Can’t-Miss Prospects appeared first on SLAM.

Founded by Ayo Amoo and KB Thomas, Hoop For All and Beal’s collaboration began in 2021 as Beal was not only preparing to run with the eventual gold-medal-winning Team USA (Beal was unable to play after contracting COVID-19 shortly before they left for Tokyo) but was thinking of how he could also leave a lasting impact in D.C. Hoop For All eventually made a business proposal that Beal was a fan of and after they came together for a meeting and agreed to collaborate on refurbishing and transforming Banneker into a cause-related and “Health Inspired” Court.

The foundation began in 2012 during Amoo and Thomas’ sophomore year at Howard. Amoo noticed that Banneker Court, the basketball court situated right across the street from The Mecca, wasn’t being used to host any organized basketball events. 

The absence of anything going on at the historic basketball court led to Amoo proposing that he and Thomas get together and decide to host something at Banneker. The only requirement Thomas had was that they do something that would “leave a lasting impact in the community.”

That summer, Thomas and Amoo brainstormed and plotted out how they wanted their event to go. Those summer planning sessions eventually birthed the inaugural Hoop for Hope 3v3 tournament dedicated to breast cancer. In 2014, Amoo said he used his senior spring break to officially make Hoop For All, a non-profit organization dedicated to using sports to help provide access to health care resources in Washington D.C.

“Us being in those different groups allowed us to know how to organize and put things together. I felt like it was best for us that we put down on paper because we both had mind in mind different things that we wanted for the tournament,” Thomas says. “But when we took that summer and really started writing everything in those composition notebooks, that’s when it started becoming more real. You notice how little the details were about then to where we are now, all of the things we’ve been able to learn, the different programs we been able to put on, (and) different money we’ve been able to give away.

The best thing about (him) and I is we work together seamlessly. We’re always on one accord, like 10 times outta 10. He and I just having that understanding with each other and having our vision and knowing what we wanted to produce out of it is what allowed us to really get over the road bumps. Most of the road bumps we experienced had to do with the time of something going on, but it’s good for us to know so [that] the next time we know how we can avoid things in the future.”

Since then, Hoop For All has continued to thrive in the sports and health space. This summer marks a decade since Thomas and Amoo first hosted the Hoop For Hoop tournament. When it comes to the level of play at that event, Amoo says that after the fifth annual tournament, they went from having a majority of Howard hoopers coming out to hoopers from all over the city pulling up.

Legendary DMV hoopers like foundation ambassador Randy “White Chocolate” Gill came out and won MVP last summer, And-1 Streetball legend Baby Shaq played last year, too, as well as Goodman League legend Christian “Boo” Jackson. Steve Francis has sponsored the event and coached against another D.C. legend, Greg “G-Wiz Jones. Howard alum James “J-Bird” Daniel, who once led the NCAA in scoring, also showed up and showed out at the tournament.

After setting out to “leave a lasting impact” on the city, Amoo and Thomas made another step in paying it forward by teaming up with Wizards guard Bradley Beal to refurbish the historic Banneker courts.

Two years prior to, Amoo and Thomas were granted a contract by the city to refurbish Banneker Courts, but the foundation had to find funding. So the co-founders came up with a plan to work with an NBA player who had a tie with health or a connection to one of the causes Hoop for All is connected to and collaborate with them to refurbish and transform Banneker Courts into a cause-related court where anybody can hoop in the D.C. community.

“So a cause-related court can be anything that spreads awareness to a specific cause,” Thomas explains. “It can be a court that has some sort of significance around diabetes, police brutality, cancer, abuses, anything that you’re passionate about or has affected you or someone else around you. So we started off with Bradley Beal doing our local court here in D.C. — and mental health, and we’re already in conversations with other professional athletes to do more courts across the world. Not just across the country, we wanna make this thing global. I come from a Nigerian background, and hoops is going crazy in Africa. So we wanna take this international as well.”

Beal, the Wizards, and the players union became a part of the refurbishment after Amoo and Thomas learned he was planning to study biology at Florida before leaving the school as a one-and-done prospect. The Washington Wizard guard can also relate to the foundations’ health-related cause to fight diabetes. The 28-year-old guard’s father suffered from kidney failure before he was given a new kidney last summer.

Beal funding the court makeover wasn’t his only contribution to the project, though. Amoo and Thomas came up with the concept, and Beal provided some other notes before S.P. the Plug took over the hard part and painted the final design of the court. The final product featured the foundation’s logo at the center of the courts, surrounded by the ribbons of the health disadvantages they’re dedicated to bringing awareness to cancer (purple), mental health (green), heart disease (red), and diabetes (blue).

The court also features quotes from Hoop For All and Beal, Chuck Brown, the D.C. legend who created go-go music, and Benjamin Banneker, the namesake of the court and the surrounding community center built around the blacktop. Beal’s brand logo is also displayed on the court.

“Me and K.B. we’re talking, and we said let’s allow these courts to target our top health causes that we focus on through our foundation,” Amoo says. “Which are heart disease, diabetes, mental health, and cancer. We were like, ‘how can we do that? How can we put that together?’ We knew that we were gonna use the awareness colors for each of those causes, but K.B. said, ‘let me just get in my design bag, let me just start putting some sketches together.

So she started putting the sketch together while we were on the phone of the ribbons in the middle of the free-throw line, everything; she put the whole sketch together, I jumped in, and it was my idea to put the ribbons around center court. When we talked to Beal, Brad was like, ‘man; I actually love this. I wouldn’t change a thing, but I wanna add some quotes; let’s throw in some more D.C. significance,’ and he just added to the artwork. He has a love for art, so it’s really cool for him to appreciate our initial sketch and then also add to it.”

When the “Health Inspired” courts were finally revealed on July 18, those in attendance weren’t just the kids and fans excited to be close to an NBA All-Star but residents of the city who used to hoop at Banneker back in the day.

“It’s so humbling; it really hit me all at once at the tournament,” Thomas says. “I think that was the best part about it. It going to a composite sketch, a render we had, to seeing it there in person and seeing how excited the community was, it became a full-circle moment. It’s very, very humbling.”

After completing this project with Beal, the Hoop For All foundation has set the goal of partnering with more players to refurbish 100 courts and dedicating them to health-related causes. They also aim to expand beyond just the D.C. area and go global with their fight against health disadvantages.

The 10th annual Hoop For All event will be held at Banneker Court, with the Hoop For Hoop organization dedicating the tournament to targeting rare forms of cancer.

You can donate to the event here.

The post Hoop For All and Bradley Beal Team Up to Refurbish Banneker Court in D.C. appeared first on SLAM.

However, Beal’s reaction on Twitter painted a picture of confusion towards the report. It should be noted that last weekend, the two-time All-Star told reporters that he has already made a decision but won’t reveal what that is until a later date yet to be determined.

The possibility of Beal leaving the Wizards has been a critical storyline for some time now, even after he signed his two-year extension in 2019.

Beal has spent his entire 10-year career with Washington, holding career averages of 22.1 points, and spent two of the last three seasons averaging at least 30 points per game. He’s played most of his career with John Wall at point guard, then transitioned to Russell Westbrook before the team traded for Kristaps Porzingis at the deadline next to Beal as his new co-star.

If Beal elects to leave the nation’s capital, the Wizards are more than likely to set up a sign-and-trade so that they retain some value for Beal leaving.

The post Bradley Beal Refutes Report He Will Decline Player Option appeared first on SLAM.

Beal, who has a $36.4 million player option for the upcoming season, can decline in hopes of signing with another team or because he wishes to sign a new five-year, $246 million supermax contract with Washington.

While Beal has not revealed his offseason plan, he did tell Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks in early June that “I know what my decision will be based off of, and that’s gonna be where I feel like I can win. That’s going to be my decision. If I feel like I can win in D.C., that’s what I’m gonna do. I want people to respect that.”

The three-time NBA All-Star has spent his entire 10-year NBA career in Washington. One of the League’s premier scorers, he most recently averaged 23.2 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game in 40 games after undergoing season-ending surgery on his left wrist in February.

The Wizards briefly held the top record in the Eastern Conference last season before things turned for the worse. After Beal’s injury and a stretch of poor play, Washington went from a potential playoff contender to a lottery team. The Wizards currently have the 10th pick in the NBA Draft, which takes place Thursday at 8 p.m.

The post REPORT: Bradley Beal Has Decided Playing Future, Won’t Reveal Decision Until Free Agency appeared first on SLAM.

Being unfamiliar with the courts, Beal noticed the decrepit lines, cracked backboards, and unleveled courts were just across the street from the prestigious HBCU, Howard University. Showing concern, the Wizards All-Star decided to team up with an organization named Hoop For All. This organization is known for hosting basketball events, as well as providing needed support to the people of particular communities.

“It was a no-brainer. I loved what Hoop For All did as an organization, spreading awareness of medical issues that especially hit the Black community,” Beal said.

“I liked that they were young, they didn’t necessarily have a big following, and when I saw the courts for the first time—it was exactly what the community needed. You’ve got nice tennis courts over there, a nice middle school, a playground, a pool. The only thing that was missing were nice basketball courts.” Beal said.

The ceremony will include a basketball clinic and will provide community health resources such as heart rate checks, blood pressure checks, and many other basic health screenings. Beal will attend the court’s unveiling on June 18, a project that will be finished within a year and carried out with funding from Beal and support from HoopFall and the NBA’s Player Association.

“When you go to the basketball court, you meet new people every time. We want that same feeling at this event,” Hoop For All founder KB Thomas said as he spoke about the project, per the Washington Post. “Everybody coming together. It’s an opportunity to fall in love with the basketball again, to fall in love with your community again, and feel like your community is taken care of. It’s very easy to feel forgotten. The No. 1 thing we want to show is that somebody still cares about the people in the inner city of D.C.”

Beal is considering signing a multi-year deal with the Wizards worth $250 million. The three-time All-Star is mainly focused on rehabbing from an injured wrist that he underwent surgery to repair in February. He ensures that the surgery was good and that he is recovering very well.

The post Bradley Beal Teams Up With Hoop For All to Refurbish Banneker Recreation Court on June 18 appeared first on SLAM.

Where the Cavs front office and Sexton may disagree is the amount of money Young Bull will make. According to NBA insider Michael Scott of the Hoopshype podcast, the Cavs want to retain Sexton, and Sexton will be demanding “starting guard money.”

“The Cavaliers want to retain Collin Sexton,” NBA insider Michael Scotto said on the HoopsHype podcast. “He’s going to demand starting guard money, I’m told.

“There are some teams who will be in the market for a point guard this summer, including the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards, who would have to acquire Sexton in a sign-and-trade if they want to get him. Last season, no restricted free agent signed an offer sheet, and players such as Cavaliers forward Lauri Markkanen switched teams via sign-and-trade.”

Sexton led the Cavs in scoring in 2020-21 (24.1 points per game) and 2021-22 (16.0 points per game) before he suffered a season-ending torn meniscus in his left knee 11 games into the season.

Should Cleveland decide to extend Sexton, he will be joining a team with a new pecking order after Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen broke out and earned All-Star nominations. With Allen, Garland, and Evan Mobley as their franchise cornerstones, the Cavs (44-38) earned a spot in the Play-In Tournament thanks to their identity as a top-five ranked defense.

The Cavs also acquired Caris LeVert at the trade deadline. Both Sexton and LeVert play the same position. If Sexton returns, the Cavs will be facing a question of who starts and who comes off the bench. Both guards have experience playing a reduced role, with Sexton embracing the Cavs and asking him to take fewer shots for the team’s benefit. LeVert went from key weapon to coming off the bench to playing second-fiddle in his short time in Indiana.

The experience the two have in different roles will help make whatever transition Coach J.B. Bickerstaff will make. The main question will be if Cleveland wants to pay Sexton when they have a logjam at guard and will also need to prepare for extension talks when Garland becomes eligible in 2023. The other question will be does Cleveland believe they will repeat their success with Sexton next to Garland, LeVert, Allen, and Mobley.

Regardless, Cleveland has a bright future with Bickerstaff and GM Koby Altman at the top of the helm and Garland’s rise as the team’s face combined with the rapid development of All-Rookie center Mobley.

The post REPORT: Collin Sexton Wants ‘Starting Guard Money’ in New Cavs Deal appeared first on SLAM.

In the Western Conference, one of the most anticipated matchups is between the Dallas Mavericks (No. 4) and Utah Jazz (No. 5) which is a series that will begin on Saturday night. The Mavericks finished the regular season with a record of 52-30, which gave them the slight edge on the Jazz (49-33) for home court advantage. As such, Dallas will host the first two games of the series and also Game 7 if it’s needed. This could become a huge advantage to get the series off on the right foot and potentially close it out at home.

Any advantage will be key for the Mavs, as their superstar in Luka Doncic is expected to miss Game 1 and potentially Game 2 with a calf strain.

The Mavericks had a fairly slow start to the season, but ultimately got better as it went on. Gradual growth and improvement is a good sign for Dallas, as the team could be peaking at the right time. Early in the season, Jalen Brunson began to emerge as a legitimate piece of the roster. He’ll be a primary scorer for the Mavs during the postseason. Alongside him in the backcourt will be Spencer Dinwiddie, who was the cornerstone piece of the Kristaps Porzingis trade with the Washington Wizards at the deadline.

While defense was something that’s held the Mavericks back during the past few seasons, it’s been a strength in the 2021-22 campaign. They finished the regular season as the seventh-best team on that end of the floor with a defensive rating of 101.9. Additionally, Dallas was well-disciplined and took great care of the ball. The Mavs’ 1025 turnovers on the season were the third-fewest of any team.

Lacking a dominant center could detrimental for the Mavs in this series, as they’ll go up against a a deep frontcourt team. Utah was a top-three rebounding team this season, while the Mavericks finished 24th in the league. On the flip side, if Dallas is able to have success using their unique floor-spacing bigs and small ball lineups, Utah could have to play out of character to match up.

Dallas hasn’t won a playoff series since its championship run back in 2011. As such, the Mavs are on one of the longest active droughts in the NBA when it comes to winning a postseason series. Could this be the first time in over a decade that they advance past the first round?

If the Mavericks are going to have success without Doncic, it will likely come down to Dinwiddie and Brunson. Both have been extremely effective this season whether their superstar teammate is on the floor or not. If they struggle while Doncic is out, the Jazz could jump out to an early series lead before heading back to Utah.

Utah had a strong start to the season, but has really struggled of late. In fact, the Jazz went just 7-8 over their final 15 games of the season. While Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell have been great once again, the production from the role players around them has been fairly inconsistent. There’s no question Utah has the pieces to make a championship push, but will they all come together and play at the top of their games when it matters most? Scoring shouldn’t be a problem, as Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson and Mike Conley are able to score 20 points each on any given night.

During the regular season, the Jazz took second-most shots from deep (40.3 per game) and knocked down 36.0% of them. They also did a great job at getting to the rim and drawing fouls, finishing fourth in the league in free throw attempts this season with 23.4 per game. These are just some of the things that led Utah to the top offensive rating (11.2) in the NBA this season. What’s most interesting about the Jazz offense is that it’s heavily in isolation, as they were bottom five in both assists per game and assist percentage.

However, the playoffs are all about superstars and who can get a bucket when it’s needed, so perhaps that style of play will work in Utah’s favor. The Jazz also don’t take a ton of shots, playing with a slower pace and attempting the sixth-fewest shots in the league this season. This isn’t dissimilar from the Mavericks, who were in the bottom five in terms of field goal attempts in the regular season.

One of the best defenders in the entire NBA, Gobert will be a major factor on that end of the floor against the Mavs. Since the All-Star break, he’s limited opponents to 39.1% when he’s the closest defender.

The duo of Mitchell and Gobert has certainly had its flaws in the past. If the Jazz aren’t able to get out of the first round this season, could it be time for a major roster shakeup? It seems this series could directly impact what the Utah roster looks like moving forward.

In four games during the 2021-22 campaign, the Jazz and Mavericks have split the regular season series. Utah won the first two matchups of the season, while Dallas won the two more recently. That’s indicative of the seasons these two teams have had, as the Jazz looked better to start but the Mavs have been better down the stretch.

Outside of the primary stars in this series, there are several players for both teams that could really impact the outcomes. For Utah, Conley and Rudy Gay are veterans that have the experience to shine in the big moments. However, if they struggle the Jazz could have a rough series. For Dallas, Davis Bertans and Reggie Bullock will be important offensively, as they have the firepower to fill it up from beyond the arc. If they aren’t converting from deep and producing points, the Mavericks’ offense could stall.

The post NBA Playoff Preview: Dallas Mavericks Take On Utah Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

“I think it’s unfortunate, to be honest because I’ve never had an issue with any of my coaches before,” Westbrook said on Monday per ESPN. “I’m not sure what his issue was with me, or I’m not sure why, but I can’t really give you an answer to why we really never connected.”

Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists on the season and struggled with his efficiency, shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 29.8 percent on 3.4 3-point attempts a game. The Lakers (33-49) finished 11th in the Western Conference and missed the playoffs for the second time in the last four seasons despite a loaded roster led by Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.

Do the Lakers owe Russell Westbrook an apology? pic.twitter.com/VoZFOprZ0Q

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 5, 2022

This disconnect between Vogel and Westbrook came to the forefront as Vogel was reportedly permitted to bench Westbrook in the fourth quarter of close games. The news came as the fourth-year coach of the Lakers was facing increased scrutiny and questions of job security as the Lakers dealt with piling injuries and a turnstile defense.

“When I first got here, the ability to be able to do what I’m able to do for a team and an organization wasn’t given a fair chance,” Westbrook said about his role.

Westbrook is eligible to sign a $47 million player option over the offseason. Although his intentions to resign aren’t clear, he admitted that his production didn’t meet his standards after averaging a triple-double in his lone season with the Washington Wizards. The main thing that will lead him to resign is how the Lakers will fill the void at head coach and figure out the play style that the new coach will implement.

RUSS SAID WE AIN’T DONE YET. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/kOjVasfaDA

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 19, 2022

The post Russell Westbrook Says He ‘Wasn’t Given a Fair Chance’ In First Season With Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

According to Scotto, Wall is “expected” to opt-in and sign his player option this summer. Furthermore, Scotto reports that the deal will give the Rockets more time to trade him. Worst-case scenario, the Rockets and Wall’s representation, Klutch Sports, are expected to work together on a buyout agreement before the 2022-2023 season begins.

OMG JOHN WALL SO NASTY. (via @HoustonRockets) pic.twitter.com/BRR9V4xNj2

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 20, 2021

If Wall is bought out, it’ll allow the floor general to test the free-agent market. At 32-years-old and healthy, Wall has played just 40 games since rupturing his Achilles tendon during the 2018-2019 season. Despite the plethora of injuries Wall has suffered throughout his career, Wall still has the speed and explosion that’ll allow him to be a valuable contributor for a team seeking a veteran point guard.

Gotta love John Wall and Jalen Green getting that 1v1 bump in practice. (via @Jonathan_Feigen) pic.twitter.com/EDmMvc5tKM

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 28, 2021

By the time the salary of Wall, Eric Gordon, and Christian Wood are off the books in 2023, the Rockets will be back in win-now mode after their done surrendering the draft picks they traded to move Russell Westbrook to Washington.

The post REPORT: John Wall Opting Into Player Option With Rockets As ‘Expected’ appeared first on SLAM.

Warriors say Stephen Curry is progressing well in recovery of sprained ligament in left foot and will miss remaining five games of regular season as he will be re-evaluated on April 11.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 1, 2022

Curry first suffered the injury two weeks ago, on March 16, after a collision with Marcus Smart while the two hustled for a loose ball. Since the two-time MVP went down, the Warriors have fallen to fourth place in the Western Conference after losing six of their last seven games, including a loss to the 12th place Washington Wizards last Sunday.

Curry has progressed well in recovery and will reportedly be re-evaluated in a week per multiple reports. ESPN’s Kendra Andrews reported that Curry is out of his walking boot as of Thursday; Andrews also said that with the season-ending on two sets of back-to-back games, it’s likely that Warriors vets like Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson will sit out while Draymond Green and Otto Porter Jr. are flexible to sit out as well.

“We were hoping that maybe he could play one or two games at the end of the regular season, but that was kind of a long shot. Kerr told Andrews, “This is how it’s turned out — I’m not too worried about him.”

The post Warriors Announce Stephen Curry Will Miss Last Five Games of the Season appeared first on SLAM.

Kispert played four years in Spokane for Gonzaga, steadily improving each season. He went from playing around 20 minutes off the bench as a freshman to being the go-to perimeter scorer on a team that nearly went undefeated as a senior, losing in the national title game to Baylor. He was the 2020-21 WCC Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. He appeared in 137 games, logged 3755 minutes, scored 1586 points, hit 270 three-pointers and went 63-2 in conference play as a member of the Bulldogs (who could have used him last night, when they shot 38 percent from the field in a Sweet 16 loss to Arkansas). Point being: the 6-6 forward entered the ‘21 Draft with more experience and maturity than most prospects. He certainly wasn’t a question mark. 

The Wizards selected him with the 15^th overall pick and Kispert came in already looking and moving like he belonged. Here’s what Bradley Beal recently told The Athletic about him: “He was never like a rookie and like a deer in the headlights, like me coming into the League. He’s very mature. He has the experience. He played in college a few years, so he came in with the understanding of how to play the game.”

Yes, Kispert had that experience. Yes, he had that understanding of the game. Yes, he was “NBA ready.” But the 23-year-old didn’t get his opportunity right away. He played sparingly during the first few months of the season, averaging merely 12.5 minutes through October and November. He struggled to find his rhythm in the limited action. His shot wasn’t falling with the same consistency that it did at Gonzaga, where he hit 41 percent of his 4.8 three-point attempts per game.

According to teammates and coaches in Washington, the rookie just stayed the course. He was a professional, continuing to work and ensuring he was ready for his opportunity. It came right around Christmas, when Beal and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope tested positive for COVID-19. Kispert was inserted into the starting lineup on Dec. 23 for a matchup with the Knicks at Madison Square Garden and needed just seven shots to drop 20 points, helping the Wizards get a 124-117 win. He maintained a significant spot in the rotation from there, even as players returned from the League’s health and safety protocols.

Following the trade deadline, a lot more minutes opened up, particularly for Washington’s wings. Spencer Dinwiddie was sent to Dallas. Aaron Holiday was sent to Phoenix. Beal was sidelined due to a wrist injury. Kispert has started every game since Feb. 10 and quietly played very well, averaging 11.2 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 46 percent from the field and 38 percent from deep. He spaces the floor, drifts around the perimeter, launches open shots and slashes to the paint for easy layups. He never forces the action or looks to create offense that isn’t there. Of his 423 total field goal attempts so far this season, 389 have been from behind the arc (259) or within ten feet of the basket (130).  

Beal praised Kispert’s overall feel for the game and recent development: “He just understands [the] timing of when to cut, when not to cut,” the three-time All-Star said, via The Athletic. “When guys penetrate, [he knows] how to seep into the open gap for shots. He’s always open, and I think his ability and his confidence to take those shots and knock them down as a rookie has been great. He’s just going to continue to get better. And I love the fact that he could put the ball on the floor. He’s athletic—sneaky athletic. He’ll dunk [on] you. He makes plays on the defensive end, too. So the sky’s the limit for him. I’m happy that he gets an opportunity, too, to be able to grow in the role.”

Grow in the role—that’s exactly what the former Bulldog has done. He posted 20 points and 6 assists against the Kings; 16 points and 2 steals in a win over Brooklyn; 21 points against the Lakers at Staples Center. He has scored in double figures in four of the last five games, beginning to knock down threes more consistently.

In other words, he is having the kind of impact that everyone knew he could potentially have at this level.

The post SLAM x Panini Rookie Spotlight: Corey Kispert appeared first on SLAM.

Your single season record holder for 3-pointers made!

#SaddiqTrey @BallySportsDET | @SaddiqBey pic.twitter.com/K6aBSerCHZ

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) March 24, 2022

Bey set the record in the fourth quarter knocking down his 192nd three-pointer of the season, one of three that he knocked down during a 10 point, four rebound, and four assists outing.

This historic achievement comes on the heels of his 51 point explosion against the Orlando Magic when Bey shot 10-14 from behind the arc in a 134-120 Pistons win over the Magic. The slumping Pistons have won two games out of their last eight outings on the hardwood.

Saddiq Bey vs ORL

51 Points (21 in 1st)
17/27 Shooting
10 Threes
9 Rebounds
4 Assists
3 Steals

This was the 5th 50-PT game in the NBA over the past 7 days. 8th this month.

pic.twitter.com/1KeEd3v7Xu

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) March 18, 2022

Bey ranks third on the Pistons in scoring behind Jerami Grant and Cade Cunningham with 16.3 points per game this season for the Pistons, improving on his All-Rookie first-team season average of 12.2 points.

Saddiq has a chance to add to his 3 point totals on Friday night against the Washington Wizards.

The post Saddiq Bey Breaks Allan Houston’s Pistons Single-Season Three-Point Record appeared first on SLAM.

After suffering what could be considered the worst season of his career, the final moments of the Lakers’ loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves was a real low point for one of the NBA’s top 75 players.

Westbrook rebounded with a triple-double, scoring 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, helping the Los Angeles Lakers snap an 11-game road losing streak with a massive 128-123 win over the Toronto Raptors. But the Lakers, particularly Brodie, had to overcome adversity to get it.

With less than ten seconds left in regulation, Westbrook shot a three-pointer from the left wing that hit the side of the backboard that Toronto rebounded as they called timeout. Then Russ saved the game by hitting the biggest shot in months for Los Angeles Lakers.

RUSS SAID WE AIN’T DONE YET. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/kOjVasfaDA

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 19, 2022

After the game, Westbrook broke down the play while explaining how leaning on his faith allows him to press on through tough times.

“A lot of times with your misses, when they’re bad misses, that get a lot of attention and stuff,” A Lakers reporter asked. “The shots that are kind of high off the backboard. How do you not let that stuff affect your confidence?”

Westbrook: “I got 23,000 points. How about that?”

“On nights like tonight is why I stay true to my faith and I’m thankful to be able to go out and play.” Russ walks us through his game-tying triple and talks about the viral photo of Drake reacting to his three. @LakersReporter pic.twitter.com/Xwt5lDAJPN

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 19, 2022

Russell Westbrook and the Lakers take on the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.

The post Lakers Escape With OT Win Thanks To Huge Play by Russell Westbrook appeared first on SLAM.

Since that deal was made, Dallas has gone 9-2 and looks as good as it has all season. 

A huge part of the Mavericks’ recent success has been Dinwiddie, who’s playing the best basketball of his 2021-22 season. Since coming to Dallas, he’s averaged 17.5 points and 4.5 assists per contest while shooting 44.2% from deep. 

Splitting time between the bench and as a starter, Dinwiddie has proven to be effective in any role. Whether it’s playing alongside Luka Doncic or facilitating with the second unit, he’s been stellar. 

In fact, on Sunday afternoon against the Boston Celtics, he hit a game-winning triple. 

It’s still unclear whether the Mavs will have the star power to make a splash in the playoffs, but they’ve been solid over the past couple of weeks with their new-look roster. If Dinwiddie can continue playing at this level, Dallas will only continue winning games and climb the Western Conference standings.

The post Mavericks Guard Spencer Dinwiddie Continues to Thrive in Dallas appeared first on SLAM.

The Washed King scored 50 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 122-109 victory over the Washington Wizards. At 37, he now is the oldest player in NBA history to have multiple 50 point games in a season, passing Bernard King. LeBron James-led teams have won for the 12th straight time when James has scored 50+ in a night.

He’s now the first Laker player to hit the 50 point plateau in back-to-back home games since the late Kobe Bryant did so in April 2007. James also scored a season-high 56 in a win over Golden State last weekend.

The King is unconscious. 50-piece. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/plIhZwsmx9

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 12, 2022

“We just needed to pick our energy up and get more detailed about how we wanted to attack the Wizards. We did that, especially in the third quarter,” said James on taking over the game offensively, per ESPN. “I was able to hit a hot streak at one point. I just tried to stay in that zone as long as possible and hit a couple.”

Frank Vogel spoke on what many NBA counterparts are thinking about James’ brilliance, including The King personally erasing a seven-point halftime deficit with 12 straight points as a part of a 22-8 Lakers run to put the game away.

“He’s really good at basketball, that LeBron James,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “I think what stands out to me is the league has never seen a player at his stage of his career do what he’s doing. Just an incredible, unbelievable, epic performance.”

King James Takeover (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/dGvTd29U9d

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 12, 2022

James and the Lakers go back on the road to take on the team with the NBA’s best record in the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

The post LeBron James Leads Lakers Comeback With Second 50 Point Performance in Three Games appeared first on SLAM.

The Westbrook criticism has gotten so immense that he has spoken out against his critics over the last week and talked about the ill effect it has had on him and his family.

Through all the noise, one player in Westbrook’s corner is Stephen Curry, who spoke to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes on Thursday about Westbrook, noting how “proud” he of Westbrooks’ ability to handle a tough season in the spotlight.

“I told him when we played them in L.A. a couple of days ago that I respect how he’s handled the whole year, just in terms of everything he’s been saying and how he’s been handling himself and protecting his family,” Curry told Yahoo Sports. “It is the nature of the beast. And in a certain perspective, they build you up to break you down. The real ones who have done amazing things in this league know what that means. He’s a professional, and I’m proud of the way he’s conducting himself, and I’m there for him.”

Curry and Westbrook just recently played each other, with the pair squaring off on Sunday evening in a Lakers 124-116 win over the Warriors. Curry ended the evening with 30 points, while Westbrook ended the night with 20 points on the opposing end.

The criticism of Westbrook has gotten to a point where his wife, Nina Westbrook, took to Twitter to call out Fox Sports’ Skip Bayless for being “extremely childish.”

Part of the reason for the seemingly never-ending Westbrook slander is due to the lackluster season the Lakers have had. The Lakers are fighting to stay in the playoffs right now, sitting at ninth in the Western Conference with a record of 28-37, just three games ahead of the 11-seed Portland Trail Blazers, but 5.5 games adrift of the eight-seed Los Angeles Clippers.

It’s also not been the best season for Westbrook personally, either. So far this season, Westbrook is averaging 18.3 points and 7.2 assists per game, well below his career averages of 22.9 points and 8.5 assists per game.

It hasn’t been all bad recently for Russ, though, as he joined the exclusive 23,000 point club on Wednesday night, just one of 33 players to achieve such heights in NBA history.

The Lakers will get the chance to improve upon that record on Friday night when they host the Washington Wizards (29-35) at 10:30 p.m.

The post Stephen Curry on Russell Westbrook: ‘I Respect How He’s Handled the Whole Year’ appeared first on SLAM.

“It’s going to mean a lot. Me and Kuz are already trying to picture what it’s going to be like,” Caldwell-Pope told NBA.com. “We know it’s going to be a lot of emotions because of the championship run we had with the team and our friends that are still there. There’s going to be a lot of emotion and a lot of fun.”

Since moving to Washington, Kuzma has become the third leading scorer on the Wizards, averaging 17.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game on 45.7 percent shooting from the field. He’s looked at several times to be the Wizards’ second-best player after Bradley Beal. KCP has continued to thrive in his usual role as a Three-and-D threat, scoring 12.3 points per game on 39.1 percent shooting from deep.

“The team and organization really lean on me,” Kuzma said. “Everyone respects my basketball acumen here with being able to win a championship and to have winning habits. People respect that. On top of that, everybody believes in me. They really allow me to be myself. They want me to impact the game by doing it all. Having that confidence from everybody makes it easier for me.”

At this point of the season, the Wizards (29-35) and the Lakers (28-37) are fighting for a spot in the play-in tournament. Neither team expected to be in a position so late into the season after the Wizards were thought to be a playoff threat after GM Tommy Sheppards’ masterful orchestration of a Westbrook trade and acquiring Kuz KCP, Spencer Dinwiddie, Montrezl Harrell, and Aaron Holiday.

However, all but KCP and Kuz were moved at the deadline.

For the Lakers, they were believed to be a championship contender after acquiring Westbrook. The season has been full of drama and disaster as the Lakers have struggled just to stay at .500, let alone be a guarantee for a playoff spot. Blame has been spread everywhere to coaching, the front office, and the players themselves.

With all that being said, Kuzma described the return game as “we have to win that game” Kuzma also depicted the end of the LA trip as an “exciting time.” and Caldwell-Pope admitted he would have “some extra juice” when they play the Lakers on Thursday.

“I don’t really play the ‘what if,'” Kuzma said. “I’m cemented as a winner, and I’m cemented as a Lakers champion. For me, it’s not about ‘what if.’ It’s time to move on. It’s time to improve my game.”

“No hard feelings. I’m at peace,” Caldwell-Pope added. “I’m happy where I’m at.”

The post Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Have ‘No Hard Feelings’ About Trade to Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

The Brodie made history early in the contest despite the Lakers giving up a 13-0 run to start overtime at the Toyota Center in a crushing 139-130 loss to the Houston Rockets.

With this layup, Westbrook became one of 33 players to surpass the 23,000 mark in NBA history. He is only the second point guard to accomplish the feat after NBA Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson. He is now chasing Lakers icon Elgin Baylor who scored 23,149 points.

Russell Westbrook is now one of 33 players in NBA History to exceed 23,000 career points. pic.twitter.com/GOUrnhsuXu

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) March 10, 2022

Russell Westbrook finished with 30 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out six assists. He also tied the game with a 15 footer that eventually sent the game into overtime. Westbrook was efficient, shooting 11-21 from the field, knocking down seven of his eight free throws attempts.

Russ ties it up in Houston pic.twitter.com/zzykyqOlEI

— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 10, 2022

The Lakers (28-37) desperately need this type of effort consistently from Westbrook for the last 17 games of the season. With this loss to Houston, they have lost six of their last seven games and 13 of their previous 17. The Lake Show go into their matchup Friday night against the Washington Wizards (29-35) as the 9th seed in the Western Conference standings, only a game and a half ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans, who sit in 10th place.

The post Russell Westbrook Joins 23k Club After Scoring 30 in the Lakers’ Loss to Rockets appeared first on SLAM.

Irving dropped 50 points on an absurd 15-for-19 from the field, and 11-for-13 from the free-throw line, nine of his field goals came from beyond the three-point line. Not satisfied with just his 50 points, Irving chipped six assists and three rebounds to seal off a double-digit dub.

Kyrie Irving has the most 50 point-games in Nets’ franchise history. No other Net, including Dr. J, had more than one. Historic.

— SLAM Newswire (@SLAMnewswire) March 9, 2022

Following the game, Irving’s teammates told the Associated Press’ Steve Reed and other media just how enamored they were with Irving’s 50-point game.

“That was master class,” Kevin Durant said.

“It was special,” Seth Curry said. “He made great plays all over the floor. He didn’t force it. Catch and shoot, off the dribble, and got to the rim, too. We needed that, Kyrie.”

“We obviously have a special player on our hands, and tonight, he was unbelievably efficient and difficult to defend,” Steve Nash said.

Irving just appeared as if he couldn’t miss all night on Tuesday, hitting tough jumper after jumper to bury any hopes the Hornets had at winning the game.

46 & COUNTING. KAI going off. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/ABy26ugP7J

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 9, 2022

This was a big win for the Nets, as the Hornets are one of their nearest rivals in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Nets are currently eighth in the east with a 33-33 record, just one game ahead of the Hornets, who are in ninth place, and 2.5 games ahead of the Washington Wizards, who are 11th.

The Nets’ next matchup will be a big one, as they reunite with former teammate James Harden against the Philadelphia 76ers.

That game will be in Philadelphia, and Irving had one word to describe the atmosphere for the matchup following the game against the Hornets.

That matchup will be at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m.

The post Kyrie Irving Drops 50 Points in Nets Win Over Hornets appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday night, the Philadelphia 76ers will square off against the Nets, and Simmons will be present on the Nets bench, according to head coach Steve Nash.

Despite Simmons’ presence on the bench, he will not be active to play in the game as he is still working towards full fitness since his trade to Brooklyn in February.

Part of the reason for Simmons’ presence at the game this week, according to Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice, is that Simmond will reportedly be filing a grievance with the 76ers in an attempt to recoup some of the money lost from not playing this season. Neubeck reported that Simmons’ appearance on Thursday night would be included in the grievance.

The game will take place in Philadelphia on Thursday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m.

Simmons was traded to the Nets at the start of February for James Harden after not appearing for the team all season. Simmons was joined in Brooklyn by Seth Curry and Andre Drummond.

Since the trade, Simmons has not suited up for Brooklyn, but recent reports indicate he will begin being “worked into game shape” this week, meaning he could make a return to the court in the near future.

A return from Simmons is becoming near essential for the Nets as they slide down the Eastern Conference standings. The Nets are now in a play-in spot in the east, sitting eighth in the conference with a 33-33 record, just 2.5 games ahead of the 11-seed Washington Wizards.

The post Ben Simmons to Sit on Bench For Nets Game In Philadelphia on Thursday appeared first on SLAM.

James Wiseman update: pic.twitter.com/lTn2nXqCRY

— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) March 8, 2022

When Wiseman joins the Santa Cruz lineup, he will be playing competitive basketball for the first time since tearing his meniscus in April 2021. He has missed the last 65 games of the season while he’s rehabbed from the injury. It’s been typical for players nearing their rehab process to have a stint in the G League to ramp everything up. However, Wiseman’s situation is unique in that he will play two games when the Warriors play the Stockton Kings.

When Wiseman returns to the NBA, he will be fighting for minutes with 17 games left to go in the season and the Warriors amid a 13-13 slump and a slide to third place in the Western Conference standings. Draymond Green has also announced that he will be returning to the Dubs’ lineup as soon as next week when Golden State hosts the Washington Wizards.

Wiseman played 39 games last year, where he averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game as a rookie.

The post Warriors Announce James Wiseman Has Been Cleared to Play in G League Games appeared first on SLAM.

The 7-foot-2 forward can make an impact both in the paint and on the perimeter. He’s also shown flashes of being a dominant defender at points in his career as well. 

On Sunday night, Porzingis made his debut as a member of the Wizards and had a productive performance. In a big win over the Indiana Pacers, he finished with 25 points, five rebounds and two blocks. 

While the Wizards likely won’t make the playoffs this season with Bradley Beal out for the year, Porzingis could emerge as a legitimate complimentary piece alongside him. Moving forward, Washington could end up being very happy the Porzingis trade was made. 

The post Kristaps Porzingis Shines in Washington Wizards Debut appeared first on SLAM.

That’s why Nets fans had a reason for optimism on Thursday when general manager Sean Marks told the YES Network that newly-acquired forward Ben Simmons would begin being worked “into game shape” after next week.

Simmons has yet to play a game this season, as he has sat out the entirety of the year waiting for a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers. Simmons got that trade at the trade deadline a few weeks ago, when he, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond were shipped to Brooklyn for James Harden and Paul Millsap.

Simmons is also not the only one missing time for the Nets at the moment, with Kyrie Irving still only able to play away games and Joe Harris recently ruled out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury.

Curry and Drummond have already picked up some slack since the trade, with Curry averaging 16.6 points per game for the Nets and Drummond averaging 9.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.

Before this season, Simmons had more than proved his worth as one of the NBA’s best, accumulating three All-Star appearances and being named to two All-Defensive teams and one All-NBA team.

The Nets are currently fighting to stay in the playoffs altogether, as they are now eighth in the East with a record of 32-32 but are just 2.5 games ahead of the 11th-placed Washington Wizards (28-33) and 5.0 games back of the sixth-place Cleveland Cavaliers (36-26).

Brooklyn looks to end their three-game losing streak on Sunday when they head to TD Garden to take on the Boston Celtics (38-27).

The post REPORT: Ben Simmons to be Worked ‘Into Game Shape’ Next Week appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday night, the YES Network spoke with Nets GM Sean Marks, who confirmed that guard Joe Harris would miss the rest of the season due to ankle surgery.

Harris has been out since November after first suffering the injury in a November 14 showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Harris subsequently had surgery to repair the ankle in late November and was ruled out for one to two months but has remained out ever since.

Marks confirmed in his Thursday interview that Harris needed additional surgery on the ankle that would require the remainder of the season to rehab. Before the injury, Harris had played 14 games for the Nets this season and averaged 11.3 points per game on 45.2 percent shooting from the field and 46.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc, a tick under his career average with the Nets of 12.4 points per game.

This comes as a significant blow to the Nets, who are fighting just to be in the playoffs at the moment and doing so with limited players. Kevin Durant just returned to the lineup on Thursday. However, Ben Simmons remains with a back injury, and Kyrie Irving is still limited to playing away games due to New York City’s private business vaccine mandate.

The injury bug has led to the Nets holding on to the fringes of the playoffs, currently sitting eighth in the conference with a 32-32 record, just 2.5 games ahead of the 11th place Washington Wizards.

The post Nets Announce Joe Harris Is Out for Rest of Season with Ankle Injury appeared first on SLAM.

During a call with media on Thursday, Wizards beat writer Ava Wallace reported an exciting response from Beal when she asked if he’s leaning towards re-signing with the Wizards this summer.

Bradley Beal will be eligible to sign a 5-year, $246M deal with Washington, if he declines his player option on 2022-2023. https://t.co/W9VidgGA5y

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 3, 2022

During the 2021-2022 campaign, Beal averaged 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists on 45.1 percent shooting from the field and 30.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Although his scoring dropped from a career-high 31.3 points per game last season, he did put up a career-high mark for assists while he emerged as a lead playmaker for the Wizards.

Bradley Beal's been taking notes on the Black Mamba's bag I see. (via @WashWizards) pic.twitter.com/9SnS2RcNDn

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 6, 2021

Beal shut down his season in February after he decided to undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist. The decision came as the Wizards had faltered after becoming an early-season darling, briefly owning the top record in the Eastern Conference before their defense failed them and their offense started to stagnate.

Bradley Beal is like that.

(via @WashWizards) pic.twitter.com/02y1Rdg21r

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 19, 2021

Heading into the season, Beal told reporters that he wanted to play for a winner, and Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard attempted to build a winning team around him after flipping former MVP Russell Westbrook for Spencer Dinwiddie, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Hope, and used the Lakers 22nd overall pick to acquire Aaron Holiday.

Sheppard had a fire sale at the trade deadline, trading Harrell to the Hornets for Ish Smith and Vernon Carey, and moved Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans to the Mavericks for Kristaps Porzingis.

On Friday, the Wizards (28-33) are set to play the Hawks (29-32) at Capital One Arena.

The post REPORT: Bradley Beal Eligible For Five-Year Supermax Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Statement from New York Knicks President Leon Rose on Kemba Walker pic.twitter.com/n0dpbJd2zl

— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) February 23, 2022

After Tom Thibodeau removed him from the rotation in late November – sidelining him for 10 days – Walker struggled to find a solid footing in New York, continuing to slide in and out of the Knicks’ lineup in January after injuries and COVID-19 cases persuaded Thibodeau to reinsert Walker into the rotation.

The 31-year-old guard will be on an expiring contract this summer. At the same time, the move allows him to train in anticipation of playing in a new city come the 2022-23 season, while management and Walker’s agent work through trade scenarios for the upcoming offseason.

The Bronx native had averaged 11.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.5 dimes in 37 games this season before being sidelined, including a 44-point performance in the Knicks’ loss to the Washington Wizards just days after being reinserted into the lineup.

Following two months on the sidelines recovering from ankle surgery, the Knicks expect Derrick Rose to return to the lineup soon, while Quentin Grimes, Cam Reddish, and Ryan Arcidiacono’s minutes and production as the primary ball handlers will surely increase in Walker’s absence.

The post Kemba Walker and Knicks Agree on Sidelining the Guard For Remainder of the Season appeared first on SLAM.

Recording his third outing scoring 40+ in the past four games, Luka Dončić is leading the new-look Dallas Mavericks into an era without Kristaps Porziņģis. Dončić now has 30 double-doubles, trailing Chris Paul by only one game for the most double-doubles by a guard this season. The Mavericks are 21-9 in such games. How does he do it? He says a good ol’ cup of Joe.

After shipping off Porziņģis to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline, the Mavericks have gone 2-0 with the newly acquired Spencer Dinwiddie and Dāvis Bertāns. While their performances aren’t eye-popping, it’s their play styles that are making a difference.

Dinwiddie gives Dallas an added ball-handler with a proven ability to score, though his efficiency is down this season. Bertāns provides the Mavericks with a volume catch-and-shoot big that could go back to his old self with his new team, potentially thanks to Doncic.

This performance by Doncic ties him with Mark Aguirre for the most 45+ points game in Mavericks history with four. He’s also the fourth player in NBA history (Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Walt Bellamy) with multiple 45 points, 15 rebounds, five-assist games in a calendar month, with Wilt Chamberlain in January 1966 being the last to do it.

The Dallas Mavericks head into the All-Star break with a 35-24 record with the fifth seed in the Western Conference.

The post Luka Dončić Leads New Look Mavericks Past Pelicans With Near 50 Point Triple-Double appeared first on SLAM.

Haliburton joined ESPN’s “The Jump” on Thursday to discuss the trade, and he admitted he was left shocked by the move, enough to the point where he said at first he thought it “was a joke.”

Haliburton was part of a trade deadline deal between the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers that sent Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson to the Pacers in exchange for Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday, and a 2023 second-round pick.

Thompson has since been released by the Pacers and will sign with the Chicago Bulls.

While Haliburton was shocked by the trade, initial returns have been positive. Through his first four games, Haliburton is averaging 20.8 points, 11.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game compared to his averages of 14.3 points, 7.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while with the Kings.

Haliburton also managed to snag his first win in a Pacers jersey on Wednesday night, dropping 21 points, 14 assists, and five rebounds in a 113-108 win over the Washington Wizards.

The Pacers are currently 13th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 20-40.

The post Tyrese Haliburton Says He Thought Trade to Pacers Was ‘A Joke’ appeared first on SLAM.

After Brooklyn was dominated by the Knicks for three quarters Wednesday night and was down 18 points in the fourth, the rookie out of LSU led a furious comeback hitting numerous big shots, including a deep three with less than ten seconds left to shock the Knicks in Madison Square Garden 111-106.

The @BrooklynNets overcame a 28 point deficit as rookie Cam Thomas and veteran Seth Curry lifted them to victory in a battle of the NYC franchises! #NetsWorld@sdotcurry: 20 PTS, 6 AST, 6 3PM@24_camthomas: 21 PTS, 4 REB pic.twitter.com/ObbtspZHlu

— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2022

After shooting 2-11 from the field for five points in the first three frames, he scored seven of his 16 points in the fourth to spark a 15-0 Brooklyn run to take the lead. Then with Brooklyn hanging on to a 106-103 lead, Thomas knocked down the biggest shot of the game, a step-back three-pointer with 3.7 seconds remaining in the game.

“It was 16 on the clock, 10 on the shot clock, so we just went in the backcourt. I saw coach tell them everyone flatten out, so I knew it was one-on-one time,” Thomas said, breaking down the clinching play via the New York Post. “So I just went to my go-to move. So glad it went in because I was struggling. I went like 1-for-9, 1-for-10 to start, wasn’t getting any calls, so I just had to keep playing through it, keep playing, so I’m glad it worked out for us.”

Cam Thomas knocks down a DEEP 3-pointer to put the @BrooklynNets up 6 late. The Nets were down by as many as 28 points.

3.7 remaining on ESPN pic.twitter.com/56LlsNCuag

— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2022

This is not the first time Cam Thomas has come up huge for Brooklyn. Last month he made a huge basket to seal a win over San Antonio.

The Nets play one more game against the Washington Wizards on Thursday night before the All-Star break.

The post Cam Thomas Finishes Off Brooklyn Nets Biggest Comeback in 25 Years appeared first on SLAM.

According to him, the Wizards experienced verbal altercations nearly every single day between players. He pointed to this as a reason Washington hasn’t been able to perform at a high level this season. 

“It’s tough to have team chemistry when every single day, the team is basically fighting with each other about, ‘I want to get more minutes’ and ‘I want a bigger role’,” said Bertans. 

To this point in the season, the Wizards are 25-30, but things are about to get worse. Bradley Beal is out for the season with an injury and Washington just traded away most of its other key veteran pieces. 

With Beal being the face of the franchise, the direction of the Wizards will be interesting to monitor. 

The post New Mavericks Sharpshooter Davis Bertans Gives Insight Into Dysfunction in Washington appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday, a couple of hours past the trade deadline, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith signed a four-year extension worth $52 million.

Finney-Smith has been with Dallas since going undrafted out of the University of Florida in 2016. The 28-year-old forward has more than proven his worth over the past six seasons.

In 368 games played for the Mavericks, Finney-Smith has averaged 7.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while accumulating 256 career starts. His production has seen a real uptick this season, averaging a career-high 10.1 points and 1.9 assists per game while starting in all 54 games he has played in this season.

Following news of his extension hitting being announced, Finney-Smith was asked by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon about the extension. Finney-Smith said that he wanted to use the money to allow his mom to “kick up her feet and chill.”

The Mavericks were quite busy on Thursday. Before the Finney-Smith extension, Dallas also made one of the biggest trades of the trade deadline, sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans.

Finney-Smith’s contract will kick in at the end of the season when his initial three-year $12 million contract was going to expire and make him a free agent.

The post REPORT: Mavericks Give Four-Year Extension to Dorian Finney-Smith appeared first on SLAM.

According to Woj, Harden does want to be traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, but he’s hesitant to pull the trigger on a request because he’s worried about the public backlash that would come from asking out of a second franchise for the second time in as many years.

ESPN Sources: Although Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden wants a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers, he has resisted making that formal request out of fear of the public backlash that would come with asking out of a second franchise in consecutive seasons. https://t.co/My5XljBlI1

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

That being said, Harden is hopeful that 6ers president of basketball ops Daryl Morey finalizes a trade before the League’s trade deadline concluding at 3 PM. However, Morey and Nets general manager Sean Marks has yet to engage in serious negotiations on a deal per Woj. Woj says that there are expectations that the 76ers and Nets will have some dialogue, but both teams are weighing the risk-reward of a deal centered on The Beard.

According to Woj, acquiring Harden before the trade deadline means the 6ers and Morey will have to include not only Ben Simmons but assets that will help offset the cost of creating salary cap space to sign Harden over the summer. If a trade doesn’t happen Thursday, reports say the Nets and 76ers could reconsider sending Harden over to Philly via an opt-in and trade.

The risk for the Nets boils down to do they want to risk losing a disgruntled Harden for nothing after selling the house just to get him to form a Big 3 with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant and form the ultimate championship-or-bust roster. Nets management is reportedly championship-or-bust this season and believes that the return of KD will reverse the team’s fortunes.

Harden has missed Brooklyn’s last three games with a hamstring injury. Woj reports that the 76ers are largely retreating on trade deadline moves involving Simmons until they’re clear on whether or not to include him.

The Nets (29-25) have lost nine straight games heading into their Thursday night game against the Washington Wizards (24-29).

The post REPORT: James Harden Wants Out But Is Wary of Public Backlash appeared first on SLAM.

TRADES:

The Lakers and Knicks didn’t make any moves according to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers will reportedly be focusing on the buyout market.

No deal for the Lakers, source tells ESPN. THey’ll focus on the buyout market.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

Houston is trading Daniel Theis to the Celtics for Dennis Schroder, Bruno Fernando, and Enis Freedom. Freedom has been waived by the Rockets.

Boston is sending guard Dennis Schroder to the Rockets in the deal, source tells ESPN. https://t.co/4RFdjoULq3

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

The Wizards are trading Davis Bertans and Spencer Dinwiddie to the Mavericks for Kristaps Porzingis.

The Wizards will send Davis Bertans in deal too, source tells ESPN. Mavericks send a second-round pick to Wizards. https://t.co/RJdybUd0Lw

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

The Wizards are flipping Montrezl Harrell for Charlotte’s Vernon Carey and Ish Smith.

Charlotte is acquiring Washington center Montrezl Harrell for Vernon Carey and Ish Smith, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

The Pacers are reportedly working on a deal to send Torrey Craig to the Suns for Jalen Smith.

The Celtics will acquire Derrick White from the Spurs.

Romeo Langford and Josh Richardson are included in the deal to the Spurs.

The Celtics are trading PJ Dozier and Bol Bol to the Magic for a future second-round pick.

The Celtics are trading PJ Dozier and Bol Bol, a future second and cash to the Magic for a future second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Dozier and Bol are both out for the season. Cost-savings for Boston.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

The Spurs are working on a trade for Goran Dragic and are expected to buy out his contract. The Mavericks, Bucks, Bulls, and Clippers are reportedly interested in the Dragons services. Thad Young, Drew Eubanks, and a 2022 second-round pick are headed to the Raptors.

The Raptors are trading Dragic and protected 2022 first-round picks to the Spurs for Thad Young, Drew Eubanks and a 2022 second-round pick via Pistons, sources tell ESPN. Pick is protected 1-14 in 2022; 1-13 in 2023 and would turn into two seconds beyond that. https://t.co/SN0sFyVurm

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

The Bucks have traded Rodney Hood and Semi Ojele to the Clippers, Serge Ibaka to the Bucks, Donte DiVencenco to the Kings and Marvin Bagley is headed to the Pistons on Thursday according to Woj.

ESPN Sources:
Full trade participants:
Kings: Donte DiVincenzo, Trey Lyles and Josh Jackson.
Bucks: Serge Ibaka, two future second-round picks, cash.
Clippers: Rodney Hood, Semi Ojele.
Pistons: Marvin Bagley Jr.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Utah Jazz is receiving Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the Juancho Hernangomez of the Spurs in a three-way deal. Spurs receive Tomas Satoransky and a second-round pick, and the Blazers get Joe Ingles, Elijah Hughes, and a second-round selection.

The Utah Jazz are acquiring guard Portland’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the Spurs’ Juancho Hernangomez in a three-way deal, sources tell ESPN. The Spurs gets guard Tomas Satoransky and a second-round pick, and the Blazers get Joe Ingles, Elijah Hughes and a second-round pick.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 9, 2022

The Pacers are sending Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, and Justin Holiday to the Kings for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson. 

Jeremy Lamb AND Justin Holiday. https://t.co/0GbRwKcRBP

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

The Pelicans receive CJ McCollum, Larry Nance, and Tony Snell in a trade with the Blazers. Portland gets Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada, and a protected first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. 

Full trade, per sources:
Blazers: Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Walker-Alexander, Didi Louzada, 2022 protected first-round pick, two second-round picks.
Pelicans: CJ McCollum, Larry Nance, Tony Snell.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

The Pacers trade Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round pick from Miami to Cleveland for Ricky Rubio, a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick from Houston, and a 2027 second-round pick from Utah.

Full trade: Indiana sends Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round pick via Miami to Cleveland for Ricky Rubio, lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick via Houston and a 2027 second-round pick via Utah, per sources.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2022

The Clippers and the Blazers agreed to a trade last week. The Clippers move Eric Bledsoe, Justice Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a future second-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington. 

The Clippers are trading Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and future second-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 4, 2022

RUMORS:

REPORT: James Harden is pushing for a trade to Philadelphia by ‘screaming in every way he possibly can,’ to get out of Brooklyn.

James Harden is pushing for a trade and is ‘screaming in every way he possibly can’ to get out of Brooklyn, per @WindhorstESPN. https://t.co/D7l2VI9IZq pic.twitter.com/GcFCoivKjF

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 9, 2022

REPORT: Philadelphia refuses to include Maxey in any deal, causing Brooklyn to counter with an asking price of Simmons, Curry, Thybulle, and Drummond. Philadelphia is hesitant to have Curry, though Mills would reportedly end up in Philadelphia.

Update: Sixers have refused to include Tyrese Maxey in any deal with Brooklyn. Nets have countered with an asking price of Simmons, Curry, Thybulle, and Drummond. Sixers are hesitant to include Curry. Any deal would likely send Patty Mills to Philly aside from Harden.

— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) February 9, 2022

Brooklyn needs to see Curry in the deal alongside Simmons for them to be willing to move Harden.

This is from Sunday night’s BS Podcast and nothing has changed — Brooklyn wants Seth in any Harden deal. (And Embiid loves playing with Curry.) pic.twitter.com/sTD2vyY1co

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) February 9, 2022

Teams around the League think a deal between Philadelphia and Brooklyn is close to being done and that it would open the ‘floodgates’ if the agreement were to be done before tomorrow’s deadline.

It sounds like rival teams think a deal between Brooklyn and Philadelphia may be getting close. One team told me “They’ve kind of put other talks on hold. If that deal finally happens, then the floodgates will open around the league for a lot more to happen.”

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 9, 2022

Philadelphia has talked to Oklahoma City about Tobias Harris, though it may be a ploy to put more pressure on Brooklyn to trade Harden before tomorrow’s deadline.

Now arrives another stretch of uncertainty, with the trade deadline approaching Thursday afternoon and sources telling The Inquirer that the Sixers have explored trading Tobias Harris. https://t.co/Kv6MEFjDDh

— The Philadelphia Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) February 9, 2022

Buddy Hield may not end up in Indiana after claims of Pacers opening to flipping him to another team before the Thursday deadline.

Small trade note: As of now — and everything can change in the next 26 hours — the Indiana Pacers do not plan to trade Buddy Hield despite some interest from other teams, sources tell ESPN.

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) February 9, 2022

Detroit is listening to offers for Jerami Grant but may wait until the offseason to move him. Detroit wants two first-rounders in exchange for Grant, and the Portland Trail Blazers have shown the most interest. 

Pistons Listening To Offers On Jerami Grant, Could Wait Until Offseason For Trade https://t.co/nImk0qLAHF

— RealGM (@RealGM) February 9, 2022

The post LIVE: NBA Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

Injury update: Bradley Beal will undergo surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament of his left wrist and will miss the remainder of the regular season.

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) February 8, 2022

Beal suffered the injury in January against the Memphis Grizzlies. For this season, Beal has averaged 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists on 45.1 percent shooting from the field and 30.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

The decision from Beal comes as the Wizards (24-29) are playing their worse stretch of basketball, sitting at fourth in the Southeast Division and 11th in the East after losing eight of their last two games. Fan optimism was high for the Wizards after the first 20, or so games after the Wizards briefly took over first place in the conference.

That confidence quickly waned after the defensive identity Washington built quickly vanished, and key offseason signee Spencer Dinwiddie seemed to go up and down with his production. The struggles have now given way to questions of whether or not Beal will stay and re-sign with the Wizards to a contract worth up to five years and $245 million this summer.

Bradley Beal is eligible to sign a five-year, $245M contract with the Wizards this summer. Beal has a $36.4M player option on next season. https://t.co/T22NT7QzR8

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

Beal himself has said he wants to stay in the nation’s capital but wants to play for a winner as well. His non-committal stance as of late has kept plenty of Wizards fans anxious about his free-agent status, others just pining for the Wizards to start a rebuild and embrace losing to improve their draft status for the 2022 NBA Draft. Either way, Beal will be gone for the season and possibly be leaving Washington as a free agent this offseason.

The post Wizards Announce Bradley Beal Will Undergo Wrist Surgery appeared first on SLAM.

Monroe has been preparing himself for this opportunity by playing the last 12 games for the Capital City Go-Go of the G League and two other 10-day NBA contracts spanning five games with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards. In those games, Monroe averaged 5.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.0 blocks.

The veteran big man shared his feelings on being signed after a team shootaround recently via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“I’m not coming from the couch,” he said. “I’ve gotten in a full season. I’m ready to play. It’s just about getting caught up with exactly what they do here. I’m definitely ready to play. Excited to be back here. Looking forward to getting out there.”

“It’s fun being back. Loved being here. Just feels good. Excited to play with these guys and excited to get back to Milwaukee, too, and play in front of those fans as well.”

Bucks Coach Mike Budenholzer mentioned how Monroe’s addition could help the team.

“I think another big has been something we’ve just been, kind of constant dialogue with Jon (Horst) and the front office and coaches, and he’s a proven pro, a veteran, has some relationships, some familiarity with guys in our locker room, felt like he fit a lot of things that we need,” Budenholzer said. “So, excited to have him, and hopefully he help us.”

Welcome back to Milwaukee, Moose!! pic.twitter.com/0mms8ZFGfp

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 5, 2022

During his previous stint with Milwaukee from 2015-17, Monroe averaged 13.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 165 games. He’s also played for the Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, and the Philadelphia 76ers. He has averaged 13.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals for his career.

The post REPORT: Milwaukee Bucks Sign Greg Monroe to A 10 Day Contract appeared first on SLAM.

According to Greg Sylvander of Five Reasons Sports, there’s three forwards in particular that the Heat have expressed interest in. Sylvander says Miami has some level of interest in Rui Hachimura, PJ Washington and Nic Batum. 

All three would certainly raise the ceiling of this Heat team. Currently the top team in the Eastern Conference, they’ll still have a ton of competition in the postseason. 

With just three days until the trade deadline, it appears Miami could be active on the open market as buyers. It appears that the forward position is one they’re directly looking to target, with those three names at top of mind.

The post REPORT: Heat Have Expressed Interest in Hachimura, Washington and Batum Ahead of Deadline appeared first on SLAM.

These schools haven’t received a lot of national attention for their contributions to the game. Nevertheless, HBCUs have produced some terrific talent, who have gone on to enjoy careers in the NBA, such as Leonard “Truck” Robinson (Tennessee State, New Orleans Jazz), Donald “Slick” Watts (Xavier La., Seattle SuperSonics), Caldwell Jones (Albany State, Philadelphia 76ers), Purvis Short (Jackson State, Golden State Warriors), Larry Smith (Alcorn State, Golden State Warriors), and Kyle O’Quinn (Norfolk State, Philadelphia 76ers), among many other.

Right now, Robert Covington from Tennessee State, who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, is the only active NBA player from an HBCU.

This number could change with some future potential prospects playing at Black institutions, like Joe Bryant (Norfolk State), Tyree Corbett (Coppin State), Kyle Foster (Howard), M.J. Randolph (Florida A&M), and Jalen Johnson (Alabama A&M), to name a few. Today’s HBCU stars are well-coached, with the likes of LeVelle Moton (North Carolina Central University), Robert Jones (Norfolk State), Johnny Jones (Texas Southern), and Byron Smith (Prairie View A&M) among the many impactful mentors.

In addition, the NBA and the NBPA will host a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game between Howard University and Morgan State on Saturday, Feb. 19 during NBA All-Star Weekend at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

Every Thursday throughout Black History Month, SLAM will spotlight five HBCU legends who were not only dominant players during their time, but also trail blazers of the game.

Earl Monroe put on quite a show at Winston-Salem State. In 1967, he carried the Rams to the NCAA Division II championship and averaged a sensational 41.5 points per game that season. He played for Hall of Fame coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines. 

Monroe had a great jump shot to go along with the spin dribble, an array of change of pace moves and he could also make some insane shots in the open court. The Hall of Famer went on to play for the Baltimore Bullets and the New York Knicks. He scored 17,454 points and handed out 3,594 assists in his NBA career. In 1973, Monroe, aka “The Pearl” and Walt Frazier formed a fantastic backcourt that helped lead the Knicks to the NBA championship. He didn’t just entertain the fans in the NBA, but also in Philadelphia’s Charles Baker League during the summer months.

Oakley was a powerful inside player at Virginia Union. He is the school’s all-time leading rebounder (1,664) and third all-time leading scorer (2,379). In 1985, Oakley averaged 24 points and 17.3 rebounds a game while guiding Virginia Union to a 31-1 record. He helped the Panthers capture the 1985 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title and was named the NCAA Division II Player of the Year.

Oakley was selected as a first-round pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in ‘85, but was immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls. Throughout his 19-year career, he played for the Bulls, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets. As a great rebounder and inside scorer, he finished his NBA career with 12,417 points and 12,205 rebounds. 

Mahorn was a terrific player in the CIAA. He was a three-time NAIA All-American and tallied 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds a game over his college career—he walked away with 2,418 total points. The three-time All-CIAA standout also had 1,465 career rebounds. In 1980, he became the first HU player to be drafted in the NBA, selected in the second round by the Washington Bullets. He went on to play 18 years in the League and was a key player on the 1989 Detroit Pistons’ NBA championship team.  

Reed, who was a left-handed center with a great shooting touch from the outside, led Grambling State to an NAIA championship in ‘61 and multiple Southwestern Athletic Conference championship titles during his career. After averaging a video game-like stat line of  26.6 points and 21.3 rebounds per game during his senior year, he was taken in the second round of the 1964 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks.

Throughout his 10 years in the Association, Reed scored 12,183 points and 8,414 rebounds. His hard work and determination helped the New York Knicks win the NBA titles in 1970 and 1973. 

Johnson played junior college basketball before going to Southern University, where he solidified himself as a magnificent point guard for the Jaguars. He had the ability to penetrate and hit the open man. In 1988, he led the nation in assists, tallying 13.3 assists a night. He also averaged 11.4 points that season. 

Johnson, who led the NCAA in assists in his two seasons at Southern University, earned SWAC Player of the Year honors and was named MVP of the league tournament as a junior and senior. While he went undrafted in 1988, he did manage to break into the League as an undrafted free agent and played 17 seasons. In 1999, he helped the San Antonio Spurs win the NBA championship over the New York Knicks. 

Johnson then pursued a career in coaching and served as head coach of the Dallas Mavericks and the Brooklyn Nets before returning to the NCAA as head coach at the University of Alabama. He’s now a TV analyst for CBS Sports. 

Courtesy of Winston-Salem State, Virginia Union, Hampton University, Southern University and Getty Images.

The post SLAM Presents: Top 20 Men’s HBCU Players of All Time appeared first on SLAM.

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal will miss the next two games with a sprained left wrist, team says.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 31, 2022

Beal averages 23.2 points, a career-high 6.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game on 45.1 percent shooting from the field and a career-worse 30.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Beal’s numbers are down across the board after averaging career-best numbers as a scorer after the scoring load has become more balanced following a revamping of the roster from the Wizards moving Russell Westbrook to the Lakers for Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and acquired Spencer Dinwiddie in a five-team trade as well.

Real Deal Beal is also embroiled in free agency drama around whether or not he will resign with the Wizards this summer. The 28-year-old superstar will reportedly be opting out of the final year of his extension and can enter free agency as an unrestricted free agent in the ’22 offseason.

It remains to be seen what Beal will do regarding his future in the nation’s capital. Until then, the Wizards will play the defending champion, Milwaukee Bucks (31-21), on Wednesday without their three-time All-Star teammate.

The post Wizards Announce Bradley Beal Is Out With A Sprained Wrist appeared first on SLAM.

His answer was fairly surprising.

“It’s an interesting situation,” said Dinwiddie. “I spoke up a little bit early on. It wasn’t necessarily welcomed. And so, like I said, I try to do whatever’s asked of me. At the end of the day, everybody has a role to play. It’s about being accountable in your role and doing that to the best of your ability. That’s really all I’ve got.”

After being acquired by the Wizards during the offseason, it appears Dinwiddie tried to emerge as a vocal leader early in his first season with the team, but it wasn’t welcomed.

With the Feb. 10 trade deadline approaching, Washington will certainly be a team to monitor. They could go two completely different directions the remainder of the season depending on what happens over the next week or two. As of now, they’re on the outside looking in of the playoff picture.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie Opens Up About Leadership Situation in Washington appeared first on SLAM.

Entering Sunday’s game against the Washington Wizards, Boston was on a two-game losing streak and sitting one game below .500 in the 2021-22 campaign. In need of a win to get things back on track, Tatum rose to the occasion. He scored 31 points in the first half alone, then finished with 51 total points in a huge win.

The upcoming schedule for the Celtics is fairly manageable. While they’ll go up against some teams that are currently in the playoff picture, there’s a handful of contests in their next ten against teams they should be heavy favorites against.

If Boston is going to become a real threat and feel comfortable making a splash at the deadline, the front office might need to see a string of wins over the next week or two. If that’s going to happen, the Celtics will need more huge performances from their superstar forward in Tatum.

The post Jayson Tatum Pours in 51 Points as Celtics Earn Much-Needed Win appeared first on SLAM.

“We’re going in the right direction, but still have a lot of improvements to make,” said Beal on the Woj Pod over the weekend.

To this point in the season, Beal has proven to once again be the best player in Washington. He’s averaging 23.6 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per contest.

On the Woj Pod, he also gave more insight into his future with the Wizards, which is something fans have been wondering about with upcoming decisions looming.

“Honestly, realizing that a franchise is willing to build around you,” Beal said. “It’s not always like that everywhere. Like, if I go somewhere else, they’re just not going to build around you. They’ll build around what they have. There’s nothing absolutely nothing wrong with that, but if I have the chance to create my own legacy and make it work here with the team that drafted me, then why not give it a shot? If it works, it works, If it doesn’t, I can say ‘At least I tried.’ That’s just who I am. That’s my blessing and curse, my loyalty. We’re transitioning, we’re going in the right direction, but we still have a lot of improvements to make.”

The Wizards are currently in the play-in picture, which means they would have a shot at the playoffs if the season were to end today. Regardless, Beal just wants to see steady improvement between now and the time at which he has to make a decision on his long-term future in Washington.

This decision will be a franchise-altering one for the Wizards, depending on which direction Beal goes.

The post Bradley Beal: ‘We’re Going in the Right Direction’ appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Beal will reportedly not be signing an extension with the Wizards and could become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

“Beal has made it clear he doesn’t plan to sign an extension and likely will skip his player option,” Windhorst reported.

However, hope is not lost for Washington, as Beal’s reasons for declining the extension could be primarily financial and not because he wants to leave the Wizards. According to Windhorst, if Beal opts out of his contract, he can make more money than he would have if he signed the max extension the Wizards could offer.

Windhorst reports that while the Wizards might be nervous, they believe they will ultimately re-sign the star guard in free agency and that Washington is not currently seeking a trade.

“The Wizards are preparing to roll the dice with the belief that Beal will re-sign,” Windhorst said.

Beal has one year, a player option, left on his two-year, $70,146,336 contract. According to Windhorst, Beal intends to opt out of the final year of his contract this summer.

Beal is in his 10th season in the NBA and has proven to be one of the League’s best guards. The 28-year-old guard had made three All-Star teams and one All-NBA team over his career. So far this season, Beal has had an uncharacteristically poor shooting start, averaging 23.7 points per game but doing so on 45.3 percent shooting and 30.3 percent three-point shooting.

The Wizards are currently in the thick of the playoff hunt, sitting eighth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 23-22.

The post REPORT: Bradley Beal Will Not Sign a Contract Extension With Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

Hachimura has not played a competitive game in seven months after stepping away from the team during training camp due to personal reasons. When he made his return, the third-year forward declined to go into detail about his absence per the Washington Post but did allude to needing a break after a hectic 18 months.

“I’ve been doing OK. It was personal stuff. I’d rather not talk about it. But it’s been great with the team, with everybody understanding my situation.” Hachimura said per The Athletic.

“I just needed time off,”

Since debuting in 2019-2020, the forward out of Gonzaga played in the NBA Bubble, played a quick turn-around 2020-2021 season, and then played for Japan in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, leading the country to their first national team appearance since 1976. Not to mention all the duties he had to fulfill as a media darling in Japan, leading the country’s athletes into the opening ceremony as a flag-bearer

The 23-year-old finished with six points, three rebounds, and an assist on 2-8 shooting in 14 minutes. Hachimura recorded his first points of the season at the free-throw line and logged his first field goal while crushing the rim with a two-hand slam in the opening frame of play.

Hachimura showed a bit of rust and his conditioning will improve over time. After all, his return was delayed after entering COVID-19 protocols, and he didn’t get any chance to play five-on-five in practice. However, that didn’t deter first-year Coach Wes Unseld Jr. or Hachimura at the slightest. If anything, the former ninth overall pick of the 2019 draft looked engaged and appeared to be making sure he was clear on his defensive responsibilities.

Unseld Jr. seemed to be encouraged by Hachimura’s play, who played Hachimura interchangeably at power forward and center.

“He was aggressive,” Unseld said per The Athletic. “I think he gives you that physicality that we lack at times. His size, his ability to play off the bounce (are valuable). He missed a couple open shots I think he’ll make, but they were great looks for him. So I’m excited to see how this unfolds.”

Heading into the 2021-2022 season, Hachimura was expected to play a vital role for a Wizards team determined to make a big leap after firing former coach Scott Brooks and hiring Unseld Jr. WIth the emergence of Kyle Kuzma as possibly the second-best player on the Wizards and a logjam at the forward-center spot, it appears that he will be competing with Montrezl Harrell, Deni Avdija, and Davis Bertans for minutes.

Not to mention Thomas Bryant, who is still rehabbing from a torn ACL, suffered early last season.

The Wizards have Monday off before playing the Thunder at home on Tuesday.

The post Rui Hachimura Makes His Season Debut Against Magic appeared first on SLAM.

After being banished by head coach Tom Thibodeau from the rotation nearly a month ago, numerous players being in and out of the NBA’ Health and Safety protocols, and Derrick Rose‘s ankle surgery was the only way he got a chance to play against the Boston Celtics. After making it clear that he wanted to play, Walker received the ultimate gift from his hometown fans with a standing ovation when the New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 101-87.

With a triple-double stat line of 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, Walker got his first triple-double since 2014. He became the seventh NBA player with a triple-double on Christmas Day, joining Draymond Green, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, and current Hall of Famers Billy Cunningham, John Havlicek, and Oscar Robertson.

Kemba Walker joined an impressive list of players to record #NBAXmas triple-doubles.

Draymond Green (2017)
Russell Westbrook (2013)
LeBron James (2010)
Billy Cunningham: (1970)
John Havlicek (1967)
Oscar Robertson: 4 times pic.twitter.com/IPdVlWdSk5

— NBA (@NBA) December 25, 2021

The performance came immediately after a sold-out arena chanted his name after Walker erupted for 44 points in a loss to the Washington Wizards on Thursday. After the game, Walker talked about his Christmas Day experience via NBA.com.

“It was amazing,” Walker said. “Those are moments that you dream about. It’s kind of hard to put it into words, to be honest.”

“This is not how we pictured it,” he said. “I ain’t complaining, either.”

New York City native Kemba Walker puts up the first Christmas Day triple-double in @nyknicks history!

Great #NBAXmas moment at MSG on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/nBUVSB0gsL

— NBA (@NBA) December 25, 2021

The hometown hero helped the New York Knicks win a Christmas Day for the first time in over a decade by becoming the first player ever to attain a triple-double on Christmas Day.

The post Kemba Walker Makes New York Knicks Christmas Day History appeared first on SLAM.

Although he mentioned in his past that he wants to stay in DC for the long hual, Beal seems to be in no rush to resign his contract with the Washington Wizards. 

In an interview with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Beal discussed holding out before re-signing with the Wizards.

“I got time, so I kinda hold the cards right now. And one, I’ve never been in this position. I’m kinda embracing that, being able to kinda dictate how I want my future to be and where I want it to be,” Beal said on the Post podcast. ” “And at the same time, I’m not gonna make that grand commitment and it doesn’t work. Ultimately, you have to be selfish at some point and for probably the first time in my career, Year 10, I am. And so I’m kinda taking advantage of it in a way.

Beal has been open with his contract negotiation. Stating that he hopes to stay in Washington DC.

The Washington Wizards, who currently sit on a 500 record. And off to their best start since the season. They went out and built a solid core around the three-time all-star.

Beal has close to millions of reasons to resign with Washington Wizards. Wizards fans hope the franchise is able to keep him as the new offer is a four-year, $181.5 million extension. He could also wait until the offseason and sign a veteran max contract for five years and around $235 million.

The post Bradley Beal On Contract Extension: ‘I Got Time, So I Kinda Hold the Cards Right Now’ appeared first on SLAM.

Update: On Tuesday, League commissioner Adam Silver announced in an interview with Malika Andrews that the NBA would not be pausing the season for the second season since the 2019-2020 season. Silver also said that the Omricon is ‘beyond dominate’ while constituting 90 percent of positive tests.

REPORT: Per League insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA, and the players union have reached an agreement to lessen the quarantine period for COVID-positive players. Players that tested positive for COVID-19 can clear protocols after five days if their “CT values” are above 30.

If a team has three positive results, two replacement signings are required. For four or more positive tests, three replacement players will be required. Two-way players will reportedly also have no limit to the number of games they can appear in as well. If a team has 13 players available for a game they do not have to sign any players to a hardship exemption.

A game will only be postponed if a team doesn’t have at least eight players available to play. A tactic the NBA frequently utilized last year when officials postponed 31 games. The League has decided to postpone nine games in total.

Below is the list of players and coaches currently in the League’s health and safety protocols.

Atlanta Hawks (three players, head coach)

• Chris Clemons
• Gorgui Dieng
• Cameron Oliver
• Nate McMillan

Boston Celtics (one player) 

• Payton Pritchard

Charlotte Hornets (one player)

• Vernon Carey Jr.

Chicago Bulls (one player)

• Alex Caruso

Dallas Mavericks (two players, head coach)

• Jason Kidd
• Boban Marjanovic
• Kristaps Porzingis

Denver Nuggets (one player)

• Petr Cornelie

Detroit Pistons (one player)

• Frank Jackson

Houston Rockets (one players)

• Usman Garuba

Indiana Pacers (six players)

• Justin Anderson
• Goga Bitadze
• Torrey Craig
• Isaiah Jackson
• Caris LeVert
• TJ Warren

LA Clippers (three players)

• Luke Kennard
• Xavier Moon
• Ivica Zubac

Memphis Grizzlies (three players, head coach)

• Taylor Jenkins
• John Konchar
• De’Anthony Melton
• Xavier Tillman

Miami Heat (three players)

• Marcus Garrett
• Udonis Haslem
• Gabe Vincent

Milwaukee Bucks (four players, head coach)

• Grayson Allen
• Mike Budenholzer
• Pat Connaughton
• George Hill
• Jrue Holiday

New Orleans Pelicans (one player)

• Tomas Satorasnky

Oklahoma City Thunder (one player, head coach)

• Isaiah Roby
• Mark Daigneault

Orlando Magic (one player)

• Robin Lopez

Philadelphia 76ers (three players)

• Tyrese Maxey
• Paul Reed
• Jaden Springer

Phoenix Suns (two players)

• Abdel Nader
• Landry Shamet

Portland Trail Blazers

• Norman Powell

Sacramento Kings (one player)

• Richaun Holmes
• Chimezie Metu

San Antonio Spurs (five players)

• Keldon Johnson
• Doug McDermott
• Devin Vassell
• Derrick White
• Thaddeus Young

Toronto Raptors (one player)

• Yuta Watanabe

Utah Jazz (two players)

• Rudy Gobert
• Joe Ingless

Washington Wizards (four players)

• Anthony Gill
• Tremont Waters
• Brad Wanamaker

The post NBA Health and Safety Protocol Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

Two-time All-Star Isaiah Thomas has signed in the NBA G League and will play in the G League Showcase (Dec. 19-22) in Las Vegas, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Thomas is on the NBA comeback trail.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 11, 2021

While Thomas played for Team USA, he wanted to show that he could still play in the League via NBA.com.

“My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA as soon as possible,” Thomas, 32, told The Associated Press. “This allows me to compete against other professionals, represent my country at the same time — which is an honor and a privilege — and ultimately show NBA teams that I’m back to myself and I’m 100% healthy. That’s why I chose to come here. When Team USA brought it to me, it was a no-brainer.”

LET IT FLY, ISAIAH!!

IT with the clutch shot during the @FIBAWC qualifiers. (via @USABasketball) pic.twitter.com/zsjsI6ooAI

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 29, 2021

The G League Showcase invites eight teams to play in a single-elimination tournament. The NBA usually sends scouts and executives to evaluate the players. Several players have used the tournament to get back in the NBA, which Isaiah hopes will happen to him.

The past four seasons have been tough for Isaiah Thomas since his Boston Celtics tenure that nabbed him two All-Star appearances. Since being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017, he has played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, and New Orleans Pelicans. He had two workouts with the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors this past offseason with no luck.

The post REPORT: Isaiah Thomas to Play in G League Showcase to Spur Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

“I am honored to represent this organization and tremendously grateful for the opportunity to continue building this team in order to use what we accomplish both on and off the court to uplift the community,” Sheppard said per ESPN. “Our staff, and their dedication to working together, has been essential to our success, and we will continue to work hard, follow our plan and make our fans proud of the team we put on the floor.”

Sheppard is in his 19th season with the organization. Before being named GM, he started as Vice President of Basketball Operations from 2003 to 2013, and then he became Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations from 2013 to 2019.

The Wizards are currently on a 10-4 start to the 2021-22 season, their best since the 1974-75 season when the then-Bullets made their first NBA Finals appearance but got swept by the Warriors.

The Wizards were one of the busiest teams in the offseason, hiring Wes Unseld Jr. as their new head coach and flipping Russell Westbrook to the Lakers for Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and signing Spencer Dinwiddie.

The post Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard Earns Contract Extension After Team’s Fast Start appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Vucevic has tested positive for COVID-19 and has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Wojnarowski goes on to report that the Bulls expect Vucevic to miss “multiple games” due to the positive test.

Vucevic has two ways to return to the court; he either has to quarantine for 10 consecutive days or return two negative PCR tests within 24 hours.

Despite the Bulls opening up the season strong, Vucevic hasn’t put up the offensive numbers fans have become accustomed to over the years. In 11 games this year, Vucevic is averaging 13.6 points and 10.9 rebounds per game.

Vucevic is currently in his second season with the Bulls after being traded at the deadline last season from the Orlando Magic.

The Bulls are currently sat tied with the Washington Wizards atop the Eastern Conference with a record of 8-3. The Bulls play the Warriors Friday on the road.

The post REPORT: Nikola Vucevic to Miss ‘Multiple Games’ Due to NBA Health and Safety Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Houston Rockets currently have no plans to play Wall this season.

“There are no plans for John Wall to play for the Rockets, and it’s becoming increasingly likely that John Wall may not play anywhere in the NBA this season,” Wojnarowski said.

It’s been a tough go of it for Wall the past few seasons, not playing more than 41 games since the 2016-17 season and missing the entirety of the 2019-20 season due to an Achilles injury.

Wall has only played 40 games since being traded from the Washington Wizards to the Rockets, and in those games for Houston, he had mixed results. Wall managed to average 20.6 points and 6.9 assists per game but did so shooting just 40.4 percent from the field and averaging 3.8 turnovers per game.

Wojnarowski reports that the biggest reason for the lack of interest in Wall around the league is his massive contract. Wall is currently in the third year of his four-year, $171 million contract extension. Wall reportedly has no interest in a buyout and it looks like he has no intention of giving back the $90 million he is still owed before he becomes a free agent in 2023.

The Rockets have not started the season well, currently holding the second-worst record in the NBA of 1-10.

The post REPORT: John Wall Could Miss the Entirety of the NBA Season appeared first on SLAM.

The improved record compared to the teams 3-8 start at this same point last season is primarily due to first-year head coach Wes Unseld Jr. bringing out the best of the Wiz on defense—they rank fourth in the League in defensive rating—and a balanced supporting cast and bench mob that looks to have made life easier for Bradley Beal.

One other significant factor in the Wizards’ fast start is the play of Kyle Kuzma, who is averaging 14.1 points and 9.1 boards on 43.4 percent shooting from the field. 

During Wednesday’s 97-94 win over the Cavaliers (7-5), Kuzma played a significant role in the victory, scoring 22 points and grabbing five rebounds. Kuzma made his biggest contributions in the fourth quarter, knocking down four three-pointers, including a wide-open bucket from the corner to cement the Wizards dub.

Kyle Kuzma’s 4th three of the 4th quarter WINS IT for the @WashWizards! pic.twitter.com/T4MhNm71se

— NBA (@NBA) November 11, 2021

Not only did the Wizards forward have a memorable performance, but he also made time to clap back at a Cavs fan who held up a sign that read: ‘LeBron Won Kuzma His RIng.” The trolling sign was apparently enough to poke the proverbial bear and seemed to have provided some motivation for Kuzma who was the subject of the Cavs fans jaw jacking.

“There was some hecklers during the game talking to me,” Kuzma said via CBS Sports. “… They had a sign that said ‘LeBron won Kuzma his ring.’ I said ‘without LeBron, Cleveland wouldn’t be sh–.’ They choose violence, I just kept going. They were talking too much. Unnecessary.” 

pic.twitter.com/p26dEu3nTT

— TO (@Tommy_Olesky) November 11, 2021

The Wizards and Kuzma are thriving beyond the expectations of many with a stellar record, and return to the court Saturday on the road against the Magic (3-9).

The post Kyle Kuzma Claps Back at Troll After Lifting Wizards to Win Over the Cavs appeared first on SLAM.

However, a slow start to the season has brought questions about fit and inconsistencies in Westbrook’s play.

Westbrook hit a low point following 105-90 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers over the weekend. Without LeBron James in the lineup because of injury and a limited Anthony Davis due to a stomach illness, Russ could only manage eight points on 1-13 shooting with six turnovers.

After the game, he declared that his style of play “doesn’t work for our team.” then talked about his need to “play harder.” via the Los Angeles Times:

“Do a better job of being me consistently and not confining my game or how I play because it just doesn’t work for our team and it doesn’t work just in general, just doesn’t put me in the position or a pace I need to play at to be able to better my teammates,” Westbrook said.

For his entire 14-year career, Westbrook has built his repuation on his harrd-nosed attacking style, but now that he’s playing for his fourth team in four years spanning stops from Oklahoma City to Houston and Washington, he claimed he would figure it out.

Something that Carmelo Anthony, who played with Westbrook on the Thunder team a few years back, agrees with:

“He’s always figured out how to adapt, how to make adjustments, what he has to do personally, physically, mentally to lead,” Anthony said via Yahoo Sports. “We can’t control that. That’s something that he controls, and only he knows what he has to do. We got to be there just to support him, and that’s what we will do.”

The Los Angeles Lakers play the Charlotte Hornets (5-6) on Monday. For the season, Westbrook is averaging 19.0 points, 8.5 rebunds, and 7.9 assists on 41.8 percent shooting from the field.

The post Russell Westbrook Says He Has to ‘Play Harder’ After Tough Lakers Loss appeared first on SLAM.

Beal praised Raptors’ head coach Nick Nurse for his defensive schemes following the loss on Wednesday night. Beal finished the game with 25 points and seven assists but did so on 8-for-18 shooting.

“Coach Nurse is always an interesting coach. He always has some junkyard defense to throw my way and make things difficult,” Beal told reporters, including NBC Sports’ Chase Hughes.

The Raptors, thanks in part to former NBA Coach of the Year Nurse, are off to a hot start this season, sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 6-3. The Wizards have also been good to start the year with a 5-3 record.

The post Bradley Beal Praises Nick Nurse Following Loss to the Raptors appeared first on SLAM.

However, according to Troy Haliburton of The Washington City Paper, a front office source revealed that Hachimura has been coming to the practice facility and is “progressing daily.”

“Rui is progressing daily and comes to the facility regularly. He is working on conditioning and putting in court time – all part of a return to play plan that Wes refers to each time asked.” – A front office source with DIRECT knowledge of Rui’s situation with the Wizards.

— Troy Haliburton (@TroyHalibur) October 30, 2021

Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. says, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports, that Hachimura is “working his was back with individual workouts and weight lifting at the team’s practice facility” and that this has taken place when the media hasn’t be present.

Wes Unseld Jr. says Rui Hachimura is still working his was back with individual workouts and weight lifting at the team’s practice facility. It has been when media isn’t around, but he’s continuing to work, Unseld Jr. says.

— Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughesNBCS) October 28, 2021

As a rookie, Hachimura averaged 13.5 points and 6.1 rebounds. He then took the next step his sophomore year with averages of 13.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in 57 games.

The post REPORT: Rui Hachimura is ‘Working His Way Back’ With Individual Workouts appeared first on SLAM.

It’s early in the season, but Washington is tied for the best record in the NBA at 5-1. However, they’re just scratching the surface of their potential. 

With so many new faces, Bradley Beal thinks the Wizards are going to get even better as the season goes on and the team builds more chemistry. 

“Just imagine when everything starts clicking, when everybody’s gelling, when everybody’s healthy. It’s going to be scary,” said Beal. 

It’s started with defense for Washington, with their 102.5 defensive rating that’s good for tenth in the NBA. That end of the floor should only get better as the team continues to mesh. 

Beal is the clear leader of this Wizards team, with an opportunity to help them make a splash in the East this season. 

The post Bradley Beal on Wizards: ‘It’s Going to be Scary’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Celtics were defeated by Washington, 116-107, earlier this week at home.

#NEBHInjuryReport Marcus Smart is not feeling well and will not travel with the team to D.C. Aaron Nesmith missed today’s practice due to an illness as well, but he will likely travel, according to Coach Udoka. Both illnesses are non-COVID related.

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 29, 2021

This illness is the most recent of a string of health issues Smart has dealt with as of late. After an overtime game against the Charlotte Hornets, it was reported that he was suffering with body aches and a migraine headache.

Smart has started the season slowly with averages of 7.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. With him out, the team will likely have to rely on Dennis Schroder to play more minutes with second-year point guard Payton Pritchard moving up in the rotation to play the backup minutes. 

The post Marcus Smart Will Miss the Celtics’ Matchup Against Wizards With Illness appeared first on SLAM.

“Brad and I have a very respectful, very honest relationship. It’s very similar to my relationship with Alex Ovechkin. He will obviously always do what’s right for his family. We will do what’s right for the organization. I believe—and I think he believes—that there is synergy in what’s best for him and what’s best for us. It’s not something he’s obsessing over or we’re obsessing over,” Leonsis said.

Leonsis does have some time before things become critical with Beal, who is currently on the first year of a two-year $72 million contract. However, the second year of Beal’s contract is a player option, so he could become a free agent as early as next year if he wants.

And Beal would certainly have a market in free agency, as he has been one of the League’s most dominant scorers over the past few seasons. For his career, Beal is averaging 22.0 points and 4.0 assists per game, and has been named to three All-Star teams in his career.

While he could leave for free agency, Beal himself has indicated in the past few weeks that he is “not in a rush” to get a contract extension done.

The Wizards have gotten off to a hot start this season, sitting tied atop the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 4-1.

The post Wizards Ted Leonsis Says He and Beal ‘Aren’t Obsessing’ Over Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Horford has been solid in his second stint with Boston Celtics. In just two games, he’s averaging 14.0 points per game and 10.5 rebounds. The 35-year old had a strong performance in their win against the Houston Rockets, dropping 17 points along with 10 rebounds. Head coach Ime Udoka said after the team’s first win against Houston that they were intentional about Horford’s minutes:

“We kept him to the under 30-minute limit we talked about. Got him out for that last 30 seconds and joked with him, ‘We’re trying to get you to play tomorrow, so let me hold you under 30,” said Udoka, per the Boston Herald. “But yeah, he’s doing great defensively. We can switch with him, have him back in more of a drop coverage, but he covers a lot of holes in every way—assist-wise, leadership, shooting the ball, passing and all that. So like I said, he’s a huge complement for our guys, kind of a stabilizer out there and kind of a glue guy for our group. We love what he does for us and look forward to seeing more going forward with him.”

The post Al Horford Listed As Probable Against the Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

Morey, when speaking to Mike Missanelli on 97.5, The Fanatic warned 76ers fans that there is no clear end in sight for the Simmons drama.

“So people should buckle in,” he said. “This is going to go for a long time, because my only job is to help us have the best chance to win the title. Ben Simmons is a difference maker, so if we can get him back, he will help us win the title. If we can trade Ben Simmons for a difference maker, we will do it. I think that’s best for everyone in this situation.”

“You guys think I’m kidding,” he added. “I’m not. This could be four years. The conditions that I’m pointing out to you don’t change. Unless Ben Simmons is traded for a difference maker, we’re in the prime of (Joel Embiid’s) career. We have to get back either Ben Simmons playing well for us, who helps us win the championship, or we have to get back a difference maker for Ben Simmons — or this could be four years from now and we’re still like, hey, we took the best shot at it we could.” 

On Tuesday, Simmons was kicked out by head coach Doc Rivers and subsequently suspended for the season opener. He then showed up to the team facility on Thursday and reportedly noted “back tightness” to the team’s staff.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted Friday morning that Simmons met with the team’s medical professionals, as well as Rivers, and echoed that he’s “not mentally ready to play to his expectations.”

Simmons is a three-time All-Star with career averages of 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game.

The post Daryl Morey Comments on Ben Simmons Situation: ‘This is Going to Go For a Long Time’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Washington Wizards have claimed Lakers camp guard Joel Ayayi off waivers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Ayayi is on a two-way contract.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 17, 2021

Ayayi was one of the two players (Austin Reaves being the other) that signed two-way deals with the Los Angeles Lakers by foregoing the NBA Draft. He spent three seasons at Gonzaga with averages of 12 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists during his junior year. One major plus for the Wizards is Ayayi’s familiarity with other players on the roster, such as former teammates Corey Kispert and Rui Hachimura.

Washington will start their season on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.

The post Washington Wizards Claim Joel Ayayi After He’s Waived By Lakers appeared first on SLAM.