Brickley initially named the runs “BlackOps” because he wanted the workouts and open runs to be discreet. Here, he gives us his breakdown of another year of BlackOps Basketball and his award picks.

The 2024 SLAM x BlackOps Awards

Breakout Season: Paolo Banchero

Photo by @kees2life

This was the fourth summer I worked with Paolo. His energy was laser-focused! We would go 60-75 minutes, and he did every drill at game speed. Coming off his first All-Star season and playoff run, he wanted more. I believe we will see Paolo in many more All-Star Games and many more playoff runs. The Magic will be very good this year.

Best Summer Shooter Award: Klay Thompson

Klay came in this offseason looking like a completely different player. He seemed a step quicker, and he shot incredibly well all summer. He literally broke every shooting record this summer. But, in CJ McCollum’s defense, Klay locked in with me in August/September, while CJ held many records and worked with me in May/June.

Best Middle Schooler I Have Ever Worked With: JJ Crawford

During the workout, JJ’s father (Jamal Crawford), Jordan Clarkson and Boardroom’s Nick DePaula were watching. Ju was hitting NBA three-pointers at a high percentage, picking up the ballhandling drills I was giving him and getting buckets on my interns! The internet always gives the interns a hard time, but they can really defend. After the workout, Jamal and I talked hoops for about an hour, and it was one of my favorite conversations of the summer. Jamal is a true student of the game. I’m calling it now: JJ Crawford will be a top-five pick one day!

Draft Day Award: Matas Buzelis and Tyler Kolek

I believe both of these guys will have long NBA careers. Matas will be a name we see on ESPN’s Top 10 plays many times this season. Tyler Kolek is my sleeper from this past draft. The Knicks got a great playmaker and scorer at No. 34. I think he’ll bring great energy with the second unit.

NCAA Award: lan Jackson

The best thing that happened to Ian Jackson was that to start his senior season, he dropped in the rankings. His entire workout approach changed at that moment, and Ian became a man on the basketball court. He worked out with me five days a week—sometimes twice a day—and went hard! I put him in situations where he played 1-on-1 with NBA players, and he more than held his own—he was wowing everyone in the gym. I can’t wait to see what he does at UNC this season.

High School Award: Kiyan Anthony & Chris Cenac Jr.

I’ve seen Kiyan Anthony develop from a little kid running around MSG to getting buckets in the NBA BlackOps runs. He is constantly texting me, showing his urgency to get in more workouts and keep improving. Chris Cenac played in the Brickley Invitational and shocked me during the workout portion. At 6-10, he can shoot the three, finish around the rim, play in the mid-post and try to dunk on you by the rim. It’s no surprise he’s skyrocketing up the rankings!

Chris Brickley Invitational Award: Tyran Stokes and Jasper Johnson

Tyran Stokes is ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2026 for a reason—he’s a matchup nightmare. He can shoot and find his teammates, and his motor is always on 100. Jasper Johnson went crazy in the game, hitting tough shot after tough shot. He really reminds me of D’Angelo Russell. Kentucky is producing high-level prospects right now.

Mentor Award: Russell Westbrook

People can say what they want about Russ, but the reality is he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer and one of the Top 75 NBA players of all time. This was the second offseason in a row where he took the time to mentor a younger player. Last summer, it was Azzi Fudd from UConn, and this summer it was New Jersey legend Isaiah Briscoe. Russ invited Briscoe to a few of his 6 a.m. workouts and shared some gems. Russ and I have developed a genuine relationship over the years, and I’m thankful to have him as a friend.

GOAT Award: LeBron James

I was blessed to help prepare LeBron for his Gold medal run. His work definitely paid off, as he ended up getting MVP of the Olympics at 39 years old! Aside from his great workouts, toward the end of the summer, I was offered a lot of NBA coaching positions, and I needed someone to talk to who knows the game and the business. I reached out to LeBron with no expectations—if he didn’t respond, I wouldn’t have been upset at all, knowing he has a million things going on. But he sent me some great advice, and it was exactly what I needed to hear. So, thanks to the GOAT for taking the time to do that.

Best Group Workout of the Summer: Kevin Durant and CJ McCollum

There was something special about the energy at The Summit, with music blaring through the Bose speakers. Normally, players gradually work up to game-speed actions, but this workout was different. KD caught the ball in the corner, ripped through hard with two dribbles and hit a beautiful pull-up–just like he was in a playoff game. Then I passed the ball to CJ, and he did the same thing. For the next 65 minutes, both players gave it their all. That was awesome.

Best Rapper Basketball Player: Russ

Russ decided to take basketball seriously and came to me after training with his Atlanta trainer. He became a knockdown shooter. The transformation in his game was insane. He had dribble moves, was hitting NBA threes with consistency and just played with confidence. I think Russ became the best rapper-shooter l’ve ever worked with.

Best BlackOps Matchup: Jalen Brunson vs. Immanuel Quickley

Immanuel Quickley, fresh off signing his $175 million deal with the Raptors, was playing with supreme confidence against All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson. There was definitely a sense of major competition. Quickley backed up Brunson for the Knicks before being traded to the Raptors, so it felt like Quick was playing with a chip on his shoulder. Watching these two go at it for almost two hours was super entertaining. It was like watching a great boxing match. They were giving it their all and not letting up. Man, that was a great run!

Photos by @nextsubject.

The post The 2024 SLAM x BlackOps Awards: LeBron James, Jalen Brunson and More appeared first on SLAM.

Since its inception during the 2017-18 season, the All-LeagueFits awards have only gotten more contentious. LF legends like Russell Westbrook, Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Oubre are still dominating the landscape, but this next generation of tastemakers are rapidly closing in. From the lottery to the second round, the rookies put it ON for their first bout in the tunnels. Between Victor Wembanyama diving headfirst into San Antonio’s cowboy culture, Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s refined vibes echoing the beaches of Miami and Alperen Sengun walking away with Most Improved Player, the L has been left in more than capable hands.

Fresh off of his Rookie of the Year award last season, Jalen Williams has cemented a spot on the All-LeagueFits First Team. The OKC Thunder in general were consistently dressed to the nines, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander becoming the first player in LF history to win MVP in back-to-back seasons while Lu Dort rounded out the Third Team.

This year’s All-LeagueFits teams were carefully selected. The voting system was split into three categories: 25 percent of the votes were calculated from the LeagueFits discord, another 25 percent were derived from a legendary LeagueFits panel highlighted by Dwyane Wade, Serge Ibaka and Ty Young. The remaining 50 percent of the votes were weighted by LeagueFits producer Ian Pierno.

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: FIRST TEAM

Three players made their debuts this season on the All-LeagueFits First Team— Bol Bol, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Williams—and joined a squad rockin’ sleek, suave and braggadocios attire with flashy accessories.

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: SECOND TEAM

LeBron James easily had the best-dressed season of his career this year while Ty pushing the limits of his style, from pea coats to berets and a stream of loafers. Longtime LF legend Russell Westbrook locked in his seventh-straight All-LeagueFits appearance. And after back-to-back honorable mentions, Jordan Poole finally cracked the code with his consistent workwear wardrobe.

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: THIRD TEAM

Jarred Vanderbilt made his third-straight All-LeagueFits team while Jerami Grant’s eclectic style turned heads constantly. On the other side of the aisle, Kelly Oubre and D’Angelo Russell put another stamp on their historic LeagueFits passport, marking their fifth and fourth placements, respectively.

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: ROOKIE TEAM

Let’s be real, the rooks went absolutely crazy this year. After becoming Louis Vuitton’s latest ambassador, Victor Wembanyama fully enveloped the legendary brand’s new wave led by Pharrell Williams. An insane amount of ice spearheaded Scoot Henderson’s selection amidst the backdrop of Amari Bailey’s puffer campaign and Brice Sensabaugh’s break-out year.

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: HONORABLE MENTIONS

Honorable mentions are a must. Don’t get it twisted. With only 15 slots on the All-LeagueFits teams and an otherworldly amount of drip, the guys on this years list stayed laced in layers of palettes, fabrics and textures.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS: 2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Check out the award winners from years past below:

2017-18 Awards

2018-19 Awards

2021-22 Awards

2023 WNBA Awards

The post The 2023-24 All-LeagueFits Awards: SGA Named MVP, Wemby Wins ROTY (Again) appeared first on SLAM.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly interested in trading for Lowry too. The Timberwolves could move D’Angelo Russell to Miami for Lowry, and the Lakers have reportedly decided to stand pat at the trade deadline.

The Heat are still finding itself at the moment. Miami (23-20) is eighth in the Eastern Conference standings due to a dearth of injuries to key players like Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, and Victor Oladipo. Lowry is averaging 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game while shooting 39.8 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from beyond the arc.

Miami trading Lowry could help them create a younger backcourt that could help reverse their fortunes for the season. Making a move with either the Lakers or T-Wolves could help them make a move in the offseason in the draft or the free agent.

Miami will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday afternoon.

The post REPORT: Lakers, Timberwolves Interested in Trading for Kyle Lowry appeared first on SLAM.

However, that hasn’t given free agent signee Austin River any reason to believe Minnesota is incapable of a run. The Timberwolves are still headlined by Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell, Rudy Gobert, and Karl-Anthony Towns once he returns from his calf injury. With All-Star-level talent like that, Rivers believes “the dynamic will change” once they reel off “three or four” wins in a row.

Austin Rivers:
“We gotta go get wins. Then the energy will turn, I promise you. We win three or four in a row, the whole dynamic will change. I promise you. Just gotta stay with us, man. And we gotta stay with us, more importantly, than anybody else.”

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) January 2, 2023

He also believes that Minnesota has “more than enough here” with a “loaded roster” and “great coach” that can get Minnesota back to contending for the playoffs. The T-Wolves are likely looking at good fortunes coming once KAT returns and the team finds a winning rotation that can help make the most out of what Edwards, Towns, and Gobert do well as offensive threats.

Combine that with Russell running pick-and-rolls and being a contender to help close games out, and it’s possible Minnesota can go beyond just being the play-in contender they currently are.

Rivers:
“We have more than enough here. We have a loaded team, loaded roster, great coach. It’s one of those things that in the NBA, when it rains it pours sometimes, it really does. But perspective is everything. I think the main thing for us right now is keeping perspective.”

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) January 2, 2023

The post Austin Rivers: Minnesota’s ‘Dynamic Will Change’ With More Wins appeared first on SLAM.

This past summer, they traded most of their future draft picks to get three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz. They paired him with one of the most dominant offensive bigs in the NBA in, Karl Anthony-Towns.

More importantly, they have one of the brightest and freakishly athletic young talents in the League, Anthony Edwards. So how is this group not reaching the success everyone had deemed them to be atop of? D’Angelo Russell’s struggles may answer that.

whole squad ate tonight.

DLo – 30 PTS / 2 REB / 12 AST / 1 STL
KAT – 29 PTS / 12 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK
TP – 19 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST
Rudy – 15 PTS / 12 REB / 1 AST / 2 BLK
Ant – 10 PTS / 7 REB / 1 AST pic.twitter.com/q0z2JWrr52

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 14, 2022

While basketball is team-oriented, Russell’s raw production has undoubtedly taken a dip. The Ohio State alum is averaging 14.4 points per game on 32.9 percent shooting from long distance. The only way to combat that kind of slow start through the first 14 games of the season; is to put in more work.

“[Russell was] Extremely locked in in his preparation coming into that game,” said head coach Chris Finch in an interview on KFAN Radio. “I’ve never had a player not benefit from extra work. D’Lo put the work in when he needed to, and it paid off for him and for us.”

0 was in his bag tonight

30 PTS / 2 REB / 12 AST / 1 STL pic.twitter.com/Q99BxNADKB

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 14, 2022

Russell had a much-needed 30-piece against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. The narrow victory proved to Finch that the “little live 5-on-5 drills” he conducted in practice were starting to revive Russell’s shooting touch.

“Playing a little live 5-on-5 against coaches and against other players so he could feel a bit more of the rhythm of a game and how he wanted to play,” said Finch. “I told him when he was playing to be very aggressive, shoot it all the time. Just shoot yourself back into a rhythm.”

The 11 assists that night were also an encouraging factor in his performance. Russell’s facilitating, as always, helped Edwards make the cuts for his explosive slams, while Anthony-Towns, in pick-and-pop situations, knocked down the treys that led to victories.

Once everyone finds their game for the Wolves, the team will be a force in the Western Conference; there’s just too much talent not to believe it. For Minnesota to have their star point guard work his way out of the struggles can greatly inspire the rest of the group to find their rhythm.

The post D’Angelo Russell’s ‘Extra Work’ Results in Breakout Game appeared first on SLAM.

He is doing all this while shooting an improved 44.9 percent from the field and 36.9 from three.

While there is no doubt that Edwards has increased his output and has taken the necessary steps during the off-season to take “the leap” that he predicted for himself, the Wolves find themselves sitting at just .500 with a record of 4-4 in their first eight games. It is important to note that Minnesota did go out and strike a great deal with the Utah Jazz to trade for the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert.

Last night versus the Suns’ Edwards went off for 24 points on 5-10 shooting from deep to go along with six rebounds. Gobert also chipped in with seven points and nine rebounds while shooting a surprising 0-1 from the field but going 7-7 from the free throw line.

However, of everything that Edwards has done this year, one thing that seems to be missing from his versatile scoring: his insane dunking. In the eight games in which Edwards has played, the rim-rattling young star has zero dunks.

“Everybody is in the paint,” Edwards said about having 0 dunks. “I’m only 6’4, 6’5; I can’t just jump over everybody, man. I ain’t as tall as Giannis. Everybody be asking me to dunk the ball like it’s all peaches and cream. I’ve got to get a good lane to dunk the ball.”

Both Edwards and Gobert are looking to take Minnesota to the “next level” and really make other NBA teams see them as a powerhouse within an already stacked Western Conference. The T-Wolves have a roster full of talent to make a real name for themselves in the West this year.

With Edwards stepping up, a defensive anchor in Gobert, a true point guard in D’Angelo Russell, and the leadership of Karl Anthony-Towns, the young wolf pack can potentially achieve their playoff goal. Adjustments will be made, and team chemistry will grow as the season progresses; just give them some time.

The post Anthony Edwards On Why He Has Zero Dunks: ‘ I Can’t Just Jump Over Everybody’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Timberwolves hit big this off-season, adding three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in a monumental trade with Utah. Now that the Wolves have added another star-caliber talent to their roster, championship expectations have never been higher. When asked his thoughts on the addition of Gobert and how they would co-exist, Towns replied:

“I think Rudy’s one of the best defensive players we’ve ever had in the NBA. He has the hardware to prove it.” He said, according to CBS Sports, “I think I’m one of the best offensive players and talents the NBA has ever seen. So putting us together gives us really a whole new spectrum of talent to use.”

KAT signed an extension in June to stay at the place he “calls home.” He went on to list all the sacrifices that he has made personally to help get the team to this point:

“I came into the NBA; I sacrificed everything I can, my body included trying to get us to the playoffs. I’ve sacrificed everything. I’ve sacrificed my life. I’ve sacrificed time with my mom. I’ve sacrificed public opinion of me. All for the betterment of my team, my teammates, their lives, and what they’re trying to accomplish.”

Anthony Towns has previously stated that he wants to ‘build a legacy’ in Minnesota. With so many talented pieces and young superstar Anthony Edwards, his best friend, and former All-Star D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Towns can begin to cement that legacy, and the Wolves potentially could make a huge playoff run.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘I’m One of the Best Offensive Players and Talents the NBA has Ever Seen’ appeared first on SLAM.

One thing that the T-Wolves do know is that Edwards is a cornerstone and likely future face of the franchise. The third-year guard out Georgia has made himself a popular star not only for his high-flying playstyle but for his postgame quotes and affable personality off the court. This offseason alone, he’s already gone viral for his gunslinging with friends and was featured in a Sprite with Hawks star Trae Young.

However, Edwards isn’t just focused on having a great summer off the court. The Timberwolves star guard has reportedly looked like a “monster” over the summer.

Make or Miss Go 110 @theantedwards_ #DontFollowTheWave pic.twitter.com/TLKT3nxyzM

— GrassRoots (@GRSportsMedia) June 22, 2022

With the help of his brother, Bubba, his longtime trainer Justin Holland, player development coach Chris Hines, Edwards has been working on improving aspects of his game like his long distance shooting, defense, and taking another step in his evolution as a playmaker. Coach Chris Finch also wants Edwards to improve as closer and all-around player over the offseason too.

“I’ve been working on everything, man,” Edwards said per Jon Krawczynski. “Just getting better. I’m trying to take that leap this year and be the best player I can be. Trying to take my team as far as we can.”

With the addition of Gobert to the lineup, Minnesota’s guards will be playing with a premiere pick-and-roll player that is sublime at finishing dump offs and alley ops. The Wolves are thin at point guard. D’Angelo Russell and Jordan McLaughlin are the main floor generals, so Edwards will be tasked with not only being a walking bucket, but with making his teammates job of scoring easier off his passes.

Furthermore, Minnesota belives that Gobert can unlock another level of Ant-Man’s game as the one of the NBA’s best screeners, best rebounders, and an elite rim protector that won three DPOY’s (2018-2019, 2021). With Gobert’s screens forcing switches or freeing Edwards up for buckets, the Timberwolves, will see another level of elite play.

Defensively, the T-Wolves hope that Edwards and Jaden McDaniels can continue to evolve into elite defenders. The task will help Gobert who’s become the subject of criticsm for not being as stout defensively on switches as he is in the paint. If Edwards and McDaniels can eliminate the need for Gobert to guard speedy guards on the perimeter, Minnesota could have a stout defense capable of shutting down any NBA offense.

“I feel like after probably a year or two more I will understand everything I need to do in the summertime to be the best I can be,” Edwards said. “Right now, I’m figuring it out. It’s going pretty good.”

@theantedwards_ was feeling it in his playoff debut dropping 36 points to give the @Timberwolves the 1-0 series lead!

36 PTS | 6 AST | 2 BLK | 4 3PM

GAME 2: T-WOLVES/GRIZZLIES
Tues. 8:30pm/et on NBA TV#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/iyE4Jet5Fj

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2022

Last season, Edwards averaged 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on 52.7 percent shooting from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. Ant-Man was a key cog in Minnesota winning 46 games and qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Although the Wolves were eliminated in six games, the young team learned a lot about closing out games and being able to capitalize on cementing leads.

After a huge summer of fun and development, Minnesota and its fan will hope that Edwards, Towns, and Gobert can lead the Timberwolves to a new level of excellence.

“I feel like I’m working extremely hard, harder than I’ve ever worked before,” Edwards said. “I’m just happy with the results right now. I’m happy to see what it leads to on the court.”

The post Anthony Edwards on 2022-23 Season: ‘I’m Trying to Take That Leap This Year’ appeared first on SLAM.

Russell is coming off a season where he averaged 18.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game on 41.1 percent shooting from the field and 34.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc. As the third option behind KAT and Anthony Edwards, D-Lo had some memorable in the regular-season and scored 29 points during Minnesota’s Play-In tournament win over the Clippers.

“Hell yeah,” Russell said per The Athletic. “Obviously every player wants an extension, and you want to be in a position to do that.”

D’Angelo Russell when asked if he wants to finalize an extension before the 2022-23 season begins:

“Hell yeah… Obviously every player wants an extension, and you want to be in a position to do that.”https://t.co/4PWnkfv5qv

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) July 13, 2022

With Gobert in the fold, Russell will likely be able to keep his spot in the offensive hierarchy, but he will be asked to keep up his playmaking chops as the T-Wolves figure out how to best incorporate Gobert into their offense. In Utah, the Stifle Tower was best when he could rumble down the lane off pick-and-rolls and crush the ball on alley-oops or dump-off passes.

D-Lo will also need to keep Ant and KAT happy as the incumbent 1-2 punch Minnesota will rely on to bring them back to the playoffs next season.

If Russell and Minnesota cannot agree on a deal, the former All-Star guard said he wouldn’t have any hard feelings toward the T-Wolves’ front office. He says he likes the team he’s around, and although he doesn’t know how things will unfold, he knows that for now, he is needed in Minnesota to help the team unlock their next level towards earning their first title in franchise history.

“Those are things I can’t really control. I know my value, what I’m capable of, the position I’m being put in now, the players that we got around us, the sky’s the limit,” Russell said. “If we don’t go through with that, I know what position I’m in and if we do, I know what position I seem to be in. So we spend a lot of money. We’ll see how that works out.”

The post D’Angelo Russell on Signing Extension ‘Every Player Wants’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Timberwolves are sending Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt and multiple first-round picks for Gobert, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Stifle Tower met Minnesota fans, players, and media during his introductory press conference on Tuesday. During the presser with T-Wolves reporters, Gobert was asked about his fit next to the Minnesota backcourt of Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell.

“I think the spacing we can get for them with my screening, with my rim gravity when I roll to the basket, and my passing that I think I’ll be able to showcase even more this year. All those things, I think that will allow them to be even better, that coupled obviously with the spacing that KAT’s gonna provide and the way I think we’re gonna play, they’re gonna be able to get a lot more easy looks then they’ve been able to get in previous years.

“They haven’t been throwing a lot of lobs over the last few years, but I think now, we’re going to work on that, and it’s another weapon that I think is really hard to guard — that’s what’s gonna make us unique is that we’re gonna be able to have so many different weapons and so many different ways of playing together.”

Rudy Gobert on his fit with Anthony Edwards + D’Angelo Russell:

“I think the spacing we can get for them with my screening, with my rim gravity when I roll to the basket…

they haven’t been throwing a lot of lobs over the last few years, we are going to work on that” pic.twitter.com/M2CXwQP1jk

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) July 6, 2022

Gobert averaged 15.6 points, a career-high 14.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game last season for the Jazz.

The post Rudy Gobert On His Fit With D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards appeared first on SLAM.

Devin Booker has been named 2021-22 LeagueFits MVP, while Josh Christopher is the LeagueFits Rookie of the Year and Myles Turner has won Most Improved.

As we noted in his KICKS 24 cover story, Book has always studied fashion, sneakers and art. His straightforward fashion sense and defined aesthetic helped him earn his first LeagueFits MVP title. Clarkson, Oubre Jr., D’Angelo Russell and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joined Booker for First Team honors. Phoenix teammate Chris Paul joined Booker on the LeagueFits Second Team.

As for the rookies, Jaygup separated himself from an All-Rookie Team that included Barnes, Green, Jonathan Kuminga and David Duke Jr. Christopher, the first and only high school player to be posted on LeagueFits, established himself as a future MVP contender with a strong rookie showing. Between retro shirts, jean jackets and a countless variety of kicks, Christopher was able to beat out Houston teammate Jalen Green (who earned a Third Team spot) for the ROTY award.

Myles Turner earned All-LeagueFits Third Team honors as well as Most Improved. The Pacers center impressed with his one-of-one style throughout the season and truly showed out, rocking everything from lime green knitted sleeves to slick shades.

The All-LeagueFits teams as well as the MVP, ROTY and Most Improved awards were selected by a voting system that included one-third of votes from fans, one-third of votes from LF’s Survival of the Fitted podcast and votes from an exclusive panel that included former WNBA star Ty Young, designer Mamadou, fashion publicist John Guidry, NBA champ Axel Toupane, NFL star and designer Rodney McLeod, designer Caroline Bentley Noble, Los Angeles Sparks’ star Liz Cambage, fashion TikTok influencer Ayeeron, former NBA standout and designer/‘Bucks in 6’ legend Brandon Jennings, Richard aka @thehapablonde and stylist Devon Byrd.

The post Devin Booker Named LeagueFits MVP, Josh Christopher Wins ROTY appeared first on SLAM.

That subsequent offseason featured a roster overhaul after two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant left for Brooklyn, and Andre Igoudala was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a deal to acquire D’Angelo Russell. The Warriors would also lose Klay Thompson for the first of two-and-a-half seasons after he tore his ACL during Game 6 of the 2019 Finals.

The following two seasons were a far departure from the supernova of greatness NBA fans grew accustomed to for the previous five seasons. The Warriors moved to San Francisco, leaving the fan-favorite Oakland Arena for the posh new Chase Center. What followed the subsequent two regular-season campaigns was a 15-50 COVID-19 shortened season 2019-2020, punctuated by the three-month absence of Stephen Curry due to a broken hand.

“None of these people really removed us from this space,” Green told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk of the team missing the playoffs the previous two seasons. “Toronto beat us, but no one really came and said, ‘All right, the Golden State Warriors’ time is up.'”

Draymond: “None of these people really removed us from this space. Toronto beat us, but no one really came and said, 'All right, the Golden State Warriors' time is up.'" https://t.co/gNK8gsRYwV

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) May 23, 2022

The Warriors didn’t spend that season just losing; at the 2020 trade deadline, the Warriors acquired Andrew Wiggins, a top-3 protected first-round pick and a second-rounder. Although the Warriors weren’t invited to the Orlando Bubble, the future looked bright.

The Warriors spent the offseason going into the 2020-21 season drafting James Wiseman with the No. 2 overall pick. However, the Warriors’ wind got knocked out of them when Thompson tore his Achilles during a pickup game, forcing him to miss the entirety of the season.

The Warriors responded to yet another tumultuous season by qualifying for the newly-created Play-In Tournament thanks to Curry’s scoring prowess, winning his second scoring title and leading the Warriors to a 39-33 record. However, the Warriors hit a brick wall after playing so hard to get to the Play-In Tournament, ultimately losing to the Lakers and the Grizzlies for the final two spots in the playoffs.

“We didn’t leave the space because we just got too old to do it,” Green told Youngmisuk. “We didn’t leave the space because all of us went our separate ways. We left the space because Klay Thompson was out, and then he was out again, and Andre [Iguodala] wasn’t here.

“And then Steph Curry was out. We didn’t leave this space because we weren’t capable of being in the space anymore.”

Heading into this last regular-season campaign, many around the NBA believed that the Warriors would once again be title favorites when healthy. Thompson finally had his glorious on-court return, playing for the first time in 941 days in January against the Pacers. But the season was marred by injuries to Draymond Green and Curry. However, the emergence of third-year guard Jordan Poole helped offset those losses.

The Warriors (53-29) finished the regular season with the third-best record in the West. They went on to gentlemen sweep the Nikola Jokic-led Nuggets, beat Ja Morant and the upstart Grizzlies in six games, and are on the verge of zooming past another superstar in Luka Doncic and the Mavs in a sweep.

His movement off the ball is god-tier. Curry with the iconic look-away three.

(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/QApyPsgQCJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

This run is even more impressive because the Warriors have beaten the young teams and superstars who are supposed to have next as this Warriors core grows older. Even as their Western Conference foes continue to grow, none of them have close to replacing the Warriors at the top of the League they ruled for five straight seasons.

Heading into Tuesday’s Game 4 against the Mavericks, the Warriors will have their first chance to sweep a WCF foe since 2019, when they beat the Trail Blazers to advance to that fateful 2020 NBA Finals loss. The Dubs have won nine straight conference finals games, going back to a Game 7 win against the Rockets in 2018

“For us to get back to this stage and win one playoff series, let alone where we are now, it’s not motivation,” said Curry, who finished Game 3 against Dallas with 31 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds. “It’s more of an excitement that we can do it a different way.

“The motivation is that we’re back on this stage with an opportunity to chase the Finals appearance after a two-year hiatus with our core and a new cast of characters.”

The post Draymond Green Speaks On the Warriors’ Two-Year Playoff Hiatus appeared first on SLAM.

“We gotta come in with a desperate mindset and do whatever it takes to win this series,” Towns said.”The same way we got up 26 is the same way we gotta come back next game and play. This is home court; we’ve been doing a great job at home defending it. We are one of the best teams at home, so we really gotta up our chops on the line next game.”

Towns finished the game with eight points, five rebounds, and one assist. He shot 3-of-4 from the floor and only attempted one three-point shot. The backcourt of D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards led the Wolves in scoring with a combined 41 points.

Towns followed up his statement by saying he has to work through the adversity and that sticking with his teammates will get them through this series.

“Stick with what got us here, believe what we’ve done all year, and continue to believe in through ups and downs like this, Towns said. “This one hurts, and we have some games like that this year and bounced back, so I just hope we can do that game four.”

The Timberwolves look to tie the series on Saturday when they play Game 4 in Target Center.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns On Game 3 Loss At Home: ‘This One Hurts’ appeared first on SLAM.

While Ja Morant (16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) will deservedly receive most of the attention for the Grizzles’ Game 3 comeback due to his triple-double performance, his backcourt mate Desmond Bane deserves some credit too, after being a major cog in Memphis’ comeback bid thanks to his timely long-range shooting.

Memphis started the game down 12-0 and found themselves down 26 points in the first half and 25 in the second before going on significant runs to get back in the game before halftime and snatch a 2-1 series lead in the second half.

The Timberwolves really blew TWO 25-point leads pic.twitter.com/pWyR5D61M3

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 22, 2022

The triumphant comeback began with the hot shooting of Bane, who scored a game-high 26 points (7-15 from beyond the arc) and grabbed six rebounds.

Desmond Bane led the @memgrizz in scoring while draining 7 three-pointers to lead #GrindCity to the 26 point comeback victory!@DBane0625: 26 PTS, 6 REB, 7 3PM

MEM vs. MIN Game 4: Sat. 10pm/et on ESPN#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/JbK9397lY9

— NBA (@NBA) April 22, 2022

Then after D’Angelo Russell hit a three-pointer to put Minnesota up 79-54 in the third quarter, Bane helped his team erase a 25-point lead with a massive 23-4 run to tie the game at 83-83, capped off by a three-pointer with 8:30 left in the game. This fourth-quarter dagger in the corner effectively put the game away as Memphis outscored Minnesota 37-12 in the final frame to match the fourth-largest comeback in NBA playoff history.

THAT CATCH AND SHOOT BADGE GO CRAZY pic.twitter.com/YMwC2IEipt

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) April 22, 2022

After the dust settled, Bane was proud of his teammates for staying composed to clinch an emotional Game 3 victory.

“Everybody stayed with it, stayed resilient throughout the whole entire game; it’s an emotional victory — coming from being down a lot,” Bane said per Yahoo Sports.

“We’ve got to keep our heads; it’s first to four.”

Game 4 of the Grizzlies-Timberwolves series takes place on Saturday.

The post Desmond Bane Powers Memphis Comeback Bid to Beat Timberwolves appeared first on SLAM.

The backcourt of Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell combined for 59 points last night as Edwards finished with 30 points and Russel with 29 points.

The Timberwolves finished the fourth quarter on a 23-11 run led by big shots from second-year star Edwards including this huge dunk.

THERE IT IS pic.twitter.com/epHTOH8dwF

— x – Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 13, 2022

Veteran guard Patrick Beverly was proud of the young star and let reporters know how he felt about him stepping up in the big moment.

“No one can guard him, and I been telling him that all year,” Beverly said. “I don’t care who plays him. I done seen the best defensive guys, and I’m one of the best defensive guys on earth. No one can guard him. Credit to him, his hard work and patience at a young age understanding what comes with the game. This is his moment, and he deserves all of it.”

The Timberwolves will meet the second-seed Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs starting on April 16. Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant was excited to finally see who their first-round matchup would be, and made sure to show some love on Twitter by shouting out Edwards.

This season the Grizzlies and Timberwolves split their regular-season matchup at 2-2, so this matchup of up-and-coming stars should be very entertaining.

The post Patrick Beverley On Anthony Edwards’ 30-Piece: ‘No One Can Guard Him, and I Keep Preaching That to Him’ appeared first on SLAM.

The addition of the two has brought a new dynamic to a franchise known for its futility and recently for being soft after the infamous practice altercation between Jimmy Butler and his former teammates and the T-Wolves’ front office. Now, the Timberwolves have a new look to them, one of toughness and swag, refusing to lay down and be an easy win for any of their adversaries.

Their confidence and belief in each other led to the Timberwolves’ epic 109-104 comeback win against the Clippers to clinch their first playoff appearance since 2018. The combined 59-point effort from Edwards (30 points on 5-11 shooting from three-point territory) and D’Angelo Russell (29 points, five rebounds, six assists) helped the Timberwolves overcome a tough night from Karl-Anthony Towns who fouled out after playing just 24 minutes.

Ant is cheffin up.

(via @Timberwolves) pic.twitter.com/prop8PW8Tl

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 13, 2022

”The game had to go in a different direction,” coach Chris Finch said per NBA.com. ”That’s why you have a team because a lot of other people step up.”

The Timberwolves’ comeback effort started after a Reggie Jackson triple gave the Clippers a nine-point with just nine minutes to go in the second half. However, the T-Wolves responded with a 16-2 run, taking the lead it would never relinquish on a Russell pull-up three, followed by a tomahawk slam from Edwards that punctuated their gutsy effort.

THERE IT IS pic.twitter.com/epHTOH8dwF

— x – Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 13, 2022

As the Timberwolves relished their playoff-clinching performance, the always entertaining Edwards left the media and fans with a quote that won’t be forgotten due to his memorable performance and especially due to his part in helping to change the culture in Minnesota.

”I took what the game gave me. That’s what they gave me. They were scared to guard me, and I took advantage of that,” Edwards said.

The post Anthony Edwards On Epic Timberwolves Comeback: ‘They Were Scared to Guard Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

Towns shot 14-22 from the floor and 8-11 from the free-throw line, which now puts the Timberwolves five games above the .500 mark sitting at 34-29 on the season. Former All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell knew that the key to victory over the Warriors (43-19) was to keep feeding the big fella the rock.

DOMINANT.

39 and 9 for KAT pic.twitter.com/48DTTjpwAS

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 2, 2022

“Feed him, feed him, feed him. If you run out of food, feed him the fork. I don’t know. Keep feeding him.” Russell told Wolves beat reporter Dane Moore.

Russell finished the game with 20 points and seven assists.

With guard Anthony Edwards sitting out with knee tendinitis, KAT prioritized setting the tempo and raising the competitive spirits for the entire team.

“You’re playing the Golden State Warriors; you know how everyone feels about that. You wake up with a different energy and a different vibe.” Towns said to ESPN.

DLo in the 4th is automatic. (via @Timberwolves) pic.twitter.com/h7QKIyqt5G

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 2, 2022

The Timberwolves will travel to Oklahoma City in a matchup against the Thunder to extend their winning streak to seven games. Through the leadership of Anthony Towns, Edwards, and Russell, the Timberwolves have emerged as a playoff threat. As of Wednesday, Minnesota is squarely in the play-in battle at the seventh seed in the Western Conference standings.

If the standings remain, the T-Wolves will make their first playoff appearance since 2018, when they were gentlemen swept by the Houston Rockets.

The post D’Angelo Russell on Karl-Anthony Towns’ Big Night: ‘Feed Him, Feed Him, Feed Him’ appeared first on SLAM.

With Patrick Beverley close to free agency with an expiring contract, the team is putting him on the trading block along with Malik Beasley with eyes for a specific guard.

According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Timberwolves are looking at a Boston Celtics guard to replace Beverley in the future.

“Before Patrick Beverley reaches free agency, Minnesota is exploring trade avenues involving its veteran point guard in addition to the Timberwolves’ conversations regarding Malik Beasley. Marcus Smart has been mentioned as a recent target for Minnesota who would fill Beverley’s integral role in the Wolves’ starting lineup.” 

Marcus Smart is considered a younger version of Patrick Beverley at 27-years-old as a scrappy guard who exercises the most of his abilities on the court on a consistent basis. He also is a much more expensive version with a contract that won’t expire until the end of the 2025-26 season and with a remaining guaranteed amount of nearly $100 million.

If the Wolves front office decides to make the move, it’s a definite push for the playoffs where they haven’t been since the 2017-18 season.

This season, Smart is averaging 11.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game, while Patrick Beverley is averaging 8.8 points, 4.4 board, and 5.0 dimes.

The post REPORT: The Timberwolves Look To Trade Patrick Beverley and Malik Beasley appeared first on SLAM.

Following the game, Edwards was asked how he felt about the decision from Finch, to which Edwards responded that while he was upset, his head coach was right, according to Chris Hine of the Minnesota Star Tribune.

“I get mad for sure. I be wanting to say something to him. But it’s pointless. He right. Can’t do nothing but be better when I get back in,” Edwards said to Hine. “That’s why I said he right. I get mad, but he right. At the end of the day, I can’t do nothing but take the constructive criticism and come back and show him that I can do it.”

The decision to bench Edwards paid off for Finch, as the Timberwolves went on to win the game 122-104 and Edwards himself ended up as the game’s leading scorer, dropping 28 points and four assists. And this was without the help of Timberwolves All-Stars Karl Anthony-Towns and D’Angelo Russell, both of whom were inactive for the game.

Edwards is posting an excellent sophomore season for Minnesota, averaging 22.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game.

Thanks in part to Edwards, the Timberwolves are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, sitting ninth in the West with a record of 17-20, just three games back of the fifth seed Denver Nuggets. Edwards has a chance to make up for his defensive effort on Wednesday when Minnesota resumes play against the OKC Thunder.

The post Anthony Edwards on Benching: Just Needs to ‘Be Better When I Get Back In’ appeared first on SLAM.

Expect Ricky Rubio and D’Angelo Russell to ramp up as they acclimate to sharing time in Minnesota’s backcourt, that may be a critical piece of the puzzle if this team hopes to compete for a playoff spot.

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

Jarred Vanderbilt	5.5p, 6.5r, 3.5a
Malik Beasley	17.0p, 4.8r, 1.0a
Naz Reid	9.5p, 3.8r, 2.0a
Ed Davis	1.3p, 4.3r, 0.7a	–
Jarrett Culver	8.0p, 7.5r, 0.5a	–
Karl-Anthony Towns	19.0p, 11.5r, 5.0a
Josh Okogie	8.0p, 3.3r, 1.7a
Jake Layman	3.5p, 1.3r, 0.5a
Jordan McLaughlin	3.0p, 1.5r, 5.0a
Juancho Hernangomez	2.0p, 3.3r, 0.0a
D’Angelo Russell	17.3p, 2.5r, 4.3a
Ricky Rubio	9.5p, 2.3r, 4.5a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Minnesota Timberwolves appeared first on SLAM.

That was the night Preston’s Ohio Bobcats visited Illinois, a ranked team with national title aspirations—not a welcome atmosphere for a MAC team. But Preston, Ohio’s junior point guard, went toe-to-toe with Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois’ Player of the Year candidate.

Illinois won a nailbiter, 77-75, but Preston dazzled. He showed off precision passing and a plethora of smooth floaters and jumpers, finishing with 31 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds and, most impressively, 0 turnovers. 

His eye-opening play moved Kevin Kugler of the Big Ten Network to share Preston’s unbelievable journey during the telecast. After the game, the story took on a life of its own with even NBA stars showing love on Twitter.

This attitude right here by @Treballjay11 will get you all you ever need! https://t.co/m83F1h0aRf

— marcus smart (@smart_MS3) November 28, 2020

As Ohio coach Jeff Boals says, “I’m glad people are telling Jason’s story because it’s unbelievable for where he was five years ago. I always tell people, it’s like a movie.”

Preston was born and raised an only child in Orlando by his single mother, Judith Sewell. They were very close and she was the one who instilled the love of basketball in him. She grew up a Detroit Pistons fan and gifted Jason his first basketball hoop when he was little.

“We’d always watch sports at home. Mostly basketball, but also tennis, football, baseball, soccer,” Preston remembers. “We were always doing something with each other.”

When he was 11, his mom was diagnosed with lung cancer. While she tried to shield him from her treatments and pain, he knew she wasn’t getting better. She passed when Jason was 15 years old.

“She was really struggling,” Preston says quietly. “Every day was a battle. Even though she wouldn’t say it, I could see it. To know she’s in a better place, that’s comforting for me.”

Preston credits his family, friends and faith for helping him get through those dark times. After his mom’s passing, his aunt, who had been named his guardian, along with her son, moved to Orlando from Jamaica to help take care of him. Preston moved into a house with his aunt, cousin, his mom’s best friend and her son. He and the two boys would play basketball daily. 

“Ever since he was little, Jason always had a passion and drive for basketball,” his cousin, Justin Morgan, recalls. “We would go to LA Fitness, him and his friends would play there for hours and dominate. We would always win with him on the team.”

His stardom at LA Fitness notwithstanding, Preston couldn’t imagine achieving stardom at the collegiate level. He was barely 6-feet tall and weighed 140 pounds soaking wet as a high school senior. He started just one game at Boone (FL) High School—on Senior Day—and averaged just 2 ppg during his final season. 

Preston planned to move on from organized basketball, as he had already enrolled at nearby Central Florida to be a regular student there come fall. His plan was to study journalism. But sometimes, stories have a way of writing themselves.

That summer, a friend asked Preston if he wanted to play in a couple of AAU tournaments with TNT Elite. The only reason he was even asked was that the team had four players and literally needed a fifth. Preston agreed, and the fairytale started to unfold. The team played in two tournaments—one in Georgia and one in Florida at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports. Preston played well and schools began to take notice. 

A UNC Asheville assistant showed interest, but they were out of scholarships at the time, so the assistant suggested Preston go to prep school. Once the tournament was over, Preston met with Brad Traina, a former UCF player who was recruiting for Believe Prep, a post-grad hoops program then located in Athens, TN. Preston eventually enrolled there, but not before contemplating the DII route.

“I haven’t told a lot of people this, but a DII called Lincoln Memorial University recruited me. I was really close to signing with them. It was basically finalized. They were sending over the papers and everything,” Preston recalls. “I went back and forth until the last minute. Then I decided, I didn’t really think this was best for me, my future and my long-term goals, and that is when I decided to go to Believe Prep.”

Preston’s career got off to an up-and-down start with the talent-rich program, which had four teams while he was there. He bounced around, so in pursuit of minutes and the chance to play with two of his best friends, Preston asked to be put on the “C Team.” “I was also trying to give myself an opportunity,” he says.

He ran point for that team, and after some good showings, Preston had an idea. He wanted to create a mixtape to show off his game. So, during an eight-hour bus ride back from a tournament, he asked his coaches for all the game film they had.

“It was one long drive back to Tennessee, and I was like, I got to get some film on myself if I want to play ball at the next level and for coaches to see me,” he explains. “I asked the coaches on the bus if they could send me all the game film we had. Once I got it, I just started screen recording all of my highlights and then sent the footage over to one of my guys in Orlando and he made me a mix.”

After he had the finished product, Believe Prep tweeted the video, and that was when another chapter of Jason’s story began. Before that hopeful tweet went out, Preston had zero standing offers from colleges. After it, two DI schools started recruiting him heavily: Ohio and Longwood.

Preston settled on Ohio. The Bobcats needed a guard, and he felt good about how he’d fit there. Preston was 6-2 and 161 pounds when he arrived in Athens, OH, in 2018. The team went 14-17 under coach Saul Phillips with Preston playing about 30 quiet minutes per game.

The program switched coaches and brought in Boals, a long-time assistant at Ohio State. After watching film and meeting Preston, Boals saw potential.

“You could tell he had a really good IQ for the game, just by the way he talked and the questions he asked,” Boals gleams. “Looking at him physically, I knew we needed to put some weight on him that summer. I started watching some game tape and knew he had a high IQ and great court vision to make us better.”

Fast forward to this season, and Preston is now 6-4 and 187 pounds. He’s contending for All-America status and, after the Illinois game, and with per-game averages of 19.3 points (on 58.8% shooting) 7.8 assists and 6.0 rebounds, he is very much on the NBA’s radar. Boals can see why. 

“He’s great with angles,” the coach states. “Some of the angles he takes to score and the soft touch he has around the basket, not a lot of guys could make those shots. And his vision reminds me of guys like (Ohio State products) Evan Turner and D’Angelo Russell. He just sees things happening before they happen.”

At this point, Preston, who is studying Sports Management, is more willing to talk about his team, which is 4-2 heading into conference play, than the NBA. “My number one goal and focus right now is to win the MAC,” he says. “After the season, we can look at some other things.”

But isn’t it his dream to play in the League one day? “For sure,” adds Preston, who cites LeBron James and Chris Paul as the players he’s watched the closest. “That’s the highest level of basketball and something I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid,” he adds.

While we still don’t know what the next chapter holds for the 21-year-old Preston, we do know that his mom is always there with him. She is on the banner of his Twitter profile. She is in his thoughts when he is making decisions. He keeps a photo of her on his dresser so he can see her every night before he goes to bed.

Says Preston, “Everything I do, all of this, is for the both of us.”

—

Vik Chokshi is a contributor to SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @docksquad33.

Photos via Getty

The post Ohio’s Jason Preston Is Inspiring Hoopers And Fans Alike appeared first on SLAM.

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

Biggest Questions

• Will Malik Beasley be suspended in the upcoming season? Under investigation for several charges, there’s a chance the Wolves could be without him for a stretch of the upcoming season.
• Is D’Angelo Russell a servicable number two option on a playoff team? With an entire offseason to settle in, there will be high expectations for him playing alongside Karl-Anthony Towns this season.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Minnesota Timberwolves: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart appeared first on SLAM.

Not only were they able to take Anthony Edwards with the No. 1 pick, but Minnesota was also able to add several other key pieces as they look to be a playoff team once again.

Timberwolves Roster Additions

Biggest Acquisitions

• Anthony Edwards: A one-and-done player out of Georgia, Edwards has an NBA-ready body. His build should allow him to be a productive player on both sides of the ball. Although the 2020 draft class was considered weak, the opportunity to take who you think is the best player in the entire group is never something you take for granted.
• Ricky Rubio: Ricky Rubio will be a member of the Timberwolves once again in the upcoming season. There is no question that he is still a starting-caliber point guard in this league, whether he ends up starting or not.

Timberwolves Roster Subtractions

Biggest Losses

• James Johnson: Johnson is an underappreciated player in the NBA. He brings toughness and grit to his team on both ends of the floor, while also being productive as a player. With his size and versatility, Minnesota will miss his ability to play multiple positions.
• Jordan McLaughlin: Coming out of nowhere last season, McLaughlin ended up being one of the biggest surprises of Minnesota’s season. Coming off of the bench, the 24-year-old guard was able to do the most per minute on the floor than nearly any other player on the team.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Minnesota Timberwolves: Offseason Summary 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

That’s what everyone is trying to figure out, as the T’Wolves seem as if they’re starting to view their lottery pick as a burden rather than a blessing. Whether Minnesota will trade the pick or use it to select one of the projected top three picks is still an unknown but the Timberwolves will still come out on top, as they’ll undoubtedly get better no matter what they do.

Minnesota is embarking on a new era, trading away former first overall pick Andrew Wiggins for D’Angelo Russell. With D-Lo and Karl-Anthony Towns the current franchise cornerstones, the Wolves have a great chance of adding to their core and finding the player that bits best between the pieces they already have with three picks in the upcoming draft.

Related: Full Minnesota Timberwolves 2020 Salary Cap Preview

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Timberwolves Draft Needs

For Minnesota to maximize their opportunities this offseason, the 2020 NBA Draft will be crucial.

Russell and KAT are a strong and dynamic offensive pairing but Minnesota is lacking defensively with those two are their best players. Their defensive deficiencies are further enhanced by the absence of Robert Covington (who was sent to the Houston Rockets in a four-team trade that ultimately allowed Minnesota to land Malik Beasley and Juan Hernangomez).

After trying to locate their third star with the first overall pick, the Timberwolves need to focus on establishing a stronger defensive presence as they rank 28th in opponent’s points per game. The Timberwolves are destined to be a team with big names and no real success unless they can stop somebody.

2020 NBA Draft Prospect Watchlist

What The Mocks Are Saying

Projected Roster

Team-by-Team NBA Draft Guides

More: SLAM’s 2020 NBA Draft Preview

The post Minnesota Timberwolves: 2020 NBA Draft Preview appeared first on SLAM.

According to Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, the T’Wolves “are high on Toppin.”

This hardly sets them apart from any other team, as Wasserman mentions that “practically every scout and executive Bleacher Report has spoken with has expressed confidence in his potential, fit and character.”

Nonetheless, with Toppin receiving such a favorable review from Minnesota, it’s worth nothing that their opinion on him could be a driving force in their Draft Day decisions.

If they don’t feel as if Toppin should be taken with the first overall pick, they could trade back in the draft. After all, Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman are projected to be the top three picks and the Timberwolves could not only get the prospect they want at a lower price but they could acquire important assets by moving down in the lottery.

However, if Minnesota decides to go ahead with Toppin as the top pick in the NBA Draft, it could be the biggest Draft Day surprise since the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Anthony Bennett No. 1 back in 2013. Toppin would enter his rookie season with lofty expectations and though he should play well off of D’Angelo Russell and Karl Anthony-Towns offensively, he may not look like the typical franchise cornerstone.

For the teams picking behind the Timberwolves, decisions may become that much tougher.

Do the Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets pass on LaMelo Ball, the best playmaker in the draft? Will James Wiseman or Anthony Edwards fall outside the top-five?

While unexpected, nobody could deny Toppin’s credentials, as the 22-year-old big man won the Wooden Award, the Naismith Award and was the 2019-20 AP Player of the Year as a sophomore at Dayton. The belief is that his offensive skillset will translate well at the NBA level and with a premium being placed on scoring, Toppin’s draft stock only goes up.

The post Timberwolves High on 2020 NBA Draft Prospect Obi Toppin appeared first on SLAM.

For that reason, the Wolves might be interested in trading the No. 1 pick for “a win-now player,” as The Ringer‘s Kevin O’Connor reports.

Executives around the NBA say the Timberwolves prefer to trade down or out of this pick to bring in a win-now player to help Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell.

In September, Bleacher Report‘s Jonathan Wasserman also suggested that Minnesota’s priority is to trade the No. 1 pick.

The Timberwolves must decide how well a top prospect would fit with their star duo of Karl Anthony-Towns and D’Angelo Russell. Because KAT and Russell primarily play center and point guard, respectively, it would seem to diminish the potential impact of James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball.

In Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves’ decision is no less complicated. Last season, shooting guard Malik Beasley averaged 20.7 points per game after being traded to Minnesota. The 2019-20 season was also shooting guard Jarrett Culver‘s rookie season for the Wolves.

The post Report: Timberwolves Open To Trading No. 1 Pick In 2020 NBA Draft appeared first on SLAM.

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

Timberwolves NBA 2K21 Ratings

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

The post Minnesota Timberwolves: NBA 2K21 Ratings appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

2020 NBA Draft Lottery Reps

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Well, this was a surprise.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We were just treated to a throwback Derrick Rose game.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post Post Up: Giannis Antetokounmpo Goes Off Against Thunder appeared first on SLAM.

• Dallas Mavericks – Dallas is continuing to deal with injuries. Dwight Powell is out for the season, and now Luka Doncic (ankle) and Jalen Brunson (shoulder) are nicked up. For Doncic, it doesn’t seem serious, but it is a bit troubling that he continues to have ankle troubles. Brunson has a torn labrum in his right shoulder, but he’s a lefty and is planning to try to play through it. The Mavs have lots of guard depth, but getting healthy for the playoff run is key.
• Denver Nuggets – The Nuggets aren’t catching the Lakers for the top spot in the Western Conference, but they’ve been able to hold off the Clippers and Rockets so far. A big reason why is Denver is finally healthy. With their full roster, the Nuggets are legitimately 10 deep. Mike Malone can now use the rest of the regular season to figure out his playoff rotation.

• Golden State Warriors – One star back, one star out for the Dubs. Stephen Curry’s return is right around the corner, but Klay Thompson was ruled out for the season recently. Steve Kerr will get a look at how Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins can work together over the season’s final 20 games or so, and then Thompson will slide in as a plug-and-play addition next season. Golden State also continues to cycle through 10-day players, as Dragan Bender and Mychal Mulder have both signed on recently.
• Houston Rockets – Houston is fully committed to the small-ball style. Unless Tristan Thompson is shockingly bought out in the next couple of days, the Rockets will stick with a “center” rotation of P.J. Tucker and Jeff Green, the latter of whom will sign for the rest of the season. It’s worked so far, as Houston has won five straight games. One worry: Will Tucker have enough in the tank to make this a multi-month thing in a playoff run?
• Los Angeles Clippers – Doc Rivers and a handful of players have recently intimated that it’s time for the Clippers to figure out who they are. Due to injuries, load management and recent trades/signings, LA has about a month and a half to figure out their rotation. Sure, the roster is stacked with talent. But it’s up to Rivers to figure out how all that talent fits and time is starting to running out.
• Los Angeles Lakers – Markieff Morris is now in the fold for the Lakers. That might be the final move for Los Angeles, as the buyout market has really dried up. Morris gives the Lakers some additional depth up front, and that could be key down the stretch. LA hasn’t had a real backup for Anthony Davis, as Kyle Kuzma is more of a swing forward than a true four. With Morris, Frank Vogel can now spot Davis some rest days or keep him out when the inevitable bumps and bruises come. With a 5.5-game cushion in the standings, expect the Lakers to turn the focus to being healthy and rested for the playoffs.
• Memphis Grizzlies – Memphis’ Cinderella season seems to be closing in on midnight. The Grizzlies lead for the last playoff spot in the West is down to just three games, and five teams have closed to within 4.5 games. With Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke and Justise Winslow sidelined with injuries for at least a few weeks, it’s going to be tough for Memphis to hold off the charge.
• Minnesota Timberwolves – The Wolves hope at the trade deadline was to get their new additions on the floor with Karl-Anthony Towns and get a glimpse of their future. Now, Towns is out for at least a couple of weeks with a fractured left wrist. On the flip side, Malik Beasley is playing great since getting to Minnesota. He’s averaged 21.7 PPG on nearly 42% as a Timberwolf. D’Angelo Russell got the headlines as a trade addition, but Beasley may be just as big a part of the future in Minnesota.
• New Orleans Pelicans – Have you seen this Zion kid? He’s pretty good! In all seriousness, Williamson’s debut has jolted the Pelicans into the Western Conference playoff race. New Orleans is now just three games behind Memphis. And the Pels have a very easy closing schedule. Would you like to see a Lakers vs. Pelicans series in Round 1? Us too!

• Oklahoma City Thunder – The Thunder have gone from a nice story to a full-scale playoff team. Did you know OKC is only four games behind for the two-seed? Didn’t think so. And they’re getting some wings back, as Terrance Ferguson and Hamidou Diallo are both healthy now. Neither is a star, but for a team that needs wing depth, they’ll take what they can get.
• Phoenix Suns – Phoenix simply can’t have nice things. Deandre Ayton is back and dominating. Key veterans Aron Baynes and Ricky Rubio are healthy. Devin Booker is an All-Star. So, of course, they lose a key player to injury. Kelly Oubre Jr., who was having a career-year, suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee and will likely miss the rest of the season. Oubre is seeking a second opinion, but the Suns are preparing for life without him.
• Portland Trail Blazers – Even without Damian Lillard, the Blazers have hung around the playoff race. Portland is three games behind Memphis and they have one of the easier closing schedules left. There is still no clear return timetable for Jusuf Nurkic or Zach Collins, but if the Trail Blazers can hang in there, they’ll add as much talent as anyone for the final playoff push.

• Sacramento Kings – The Kings are making an improbable run at the playoffs. Sacramento has gone 6-4 over their last 10 games to get back in the race. Luke Walton’s lineup swap of Bogdan Bogdanovic and Buddy Hield has worked as well. Bogdanovic has averaged 14.2 PPG as a starter, while Hield has been instant-offense off the bench at 20.2 PPG on 48.9% from behind the arc.
• San Antonio Spurs – San Antonio is scratching and clawing to extend their playoff streak to 24 years. They’ve been passed by New Orleans in the standings, which means the Spurs will have to pass the Pelicans, Trail Blazers and Grizzlies to get into the postseason. Gregg Popovich is leaning heavily on LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan, but is finally getting improved play from the Spurs role players. It’s a tall task, but bet against San Antonio at your own peril.
• Utah Jazz – To put it simply, the Jazz are a mess right now. Utah has lost four straight games and this week Quin Snyder made a messy lineup shuffle. On Wednesday morning, Mike Conley was informed he’d go back to the bench and Royce O’Neale would open games again. By the time players showed up at the arena, Conley was back in the opening group and Joe Ingles was coming off the bench. That confusing back-and-forth sums up where the Jazz are at right now.

The post Newswire Notebook: Malik Beasley’s Emergence and More appeared first on SLAM.

Starting with the 2017-18 season, the NBA adopted a stringent policy on load management. To that point, teams had grown increasingly aggressive giving players days off throughout the season, none more so than the San Antonio Spurs.

While the NBA agrees that player health is paramount, the league also recognizes a responsibility to their fans and television partners. After several of the league’s star players were sat during nationally televised games, Adam Silver knew he had to fix a small problem before it became a big one.

The league agreed to lengthen the season (by seven days) in order to reduce the amount of back-to-back games each team would play and to drastically cut the amount of times teams would play three games in four nights. Over the past three seasons, the NBA schedule has seen major reductions in both categories. The league has also worked with teams, arenas and its TV partners to build a schedule that reduces travel as much as possible, especially for teams on the West Coast.

With his team out of the playoff picture, Minnesota coach Ryan Saunders decided to give Russell a night off in a game where the Wolves were heavy underdogs. The Nuggets ended up rolling to a victory as both Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns sat, the latter of whom missed the game due to a fractured left wrist.

The post Timberwolves Fined $25K For Resting D’Angelo Russell appeared first on SLAM.

Charlotte’s backcourt duo of Terry Rozier (26 points) and Devonte Graham (21 points, 5 assists) led the way as Charlotte picked up a home victory.

Alonzo Trier scored 15 points in just 16 minutes of action off the pine for New York.

76ers 94 (36-23), Cavaliers 108 (17-41)

Joel Embiid joined Ben Simmons on the injury report after logging just 8 minutes for the shorthanded Sixers.

Collin Sexton scored 28 points to lead the Cavs to their second straight win.

Nets 106 (26-31), Wizards 110 (21-36)

Jerome Robinson hit the game-winning 3-pointer for the struggling Wizards in just his seventh game with the squad.

Bradley Beal’s hot streak continued as he poured in 30 points.

Magic 130 (26-32), Hawks 120 (17-43)

Trae Young dropped 37, but the Magic’s one-two punch of Aaron Gordon (25 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks) and Evan Fournier (28 points on 11-for-18 shooting) was too much to overcome.

Timberwolves 129 (17-40), Heat 126 (36-22)

The Timberwolves overcame a 12-point deficit with under 5 minutes to go as D’Angelo Russell (27 points, 6 assists, 3 steals) made a clutch block on a driving Jimmy Butler in the game’s closing seconds.

Grizzlies 112 (28-30), Rockets 140 (38-20)

Russell Westbrook was a team-best plus-37 in 34 minutes of action as he stuffed the stat sheet with 33 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals. James Harden added 30 and Austin Rivers chipped in 23 off the pine.

Once in the clear driver’s seat at the No. 8 spot, the Grizzlies are feeling the pressure after dropping their fourth straight contest.

Mavericks 109 (36-23), Spurs 103 (24-33)

Kristaps Porzingis (28 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Luka Doncic (26 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists) put up big numbers as Dallas ran out to a 16-point first quarter lead and held on the rest of the way.

Clippers 102 (39-19), Suns 92 (24-35)

Kawhi Leonard made his impact felt on the box score, racking up 24 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals as the Clippers picked up a needed victory.

DeAndre Ayton had 25 points, 17 rebounds and 3 blocks for Phoenix.

The post Post Up: D’Angelo Russell hits Seven 3’s, Leads Comeback in Miami appeared first on SLAM.

Russell, 24, says “you can’t put guys in a box when that’s their thing.”

Minnesota Timberwolves bench boss Ryan Saunders, however, has made it clear that midrange jumpers are “not the shot we’re striving to get.”

Per The Star Tribune:

“There’s a fine line of making those shots you take, trying to relieve the pressure off coach eliminating those shots from me,” Russell said. “But once you make them, and he feels confident with you making them, I think you can’t put guys in a box when that’s their thing.”

Russell has a point there because he made an absurd 54.9% of his long twos with Golden State this season.

“It’s going to take time to break some of those habits, and when guys do play open gym, it’s their time,” Wolves coach Ryan Saunders said during the preseason in response to a question about shot values.

“We’ve noticed a number of guys have a midrange shot, but they understand that’s not the shot we’re striving to get.”

Related Karl-Anthony Towns: D’Angelo Russell ‘Big Incentive’ to Stay in Minnesota

The post D’Angelo Russell Committed to Shooting Midrange Jumpers appeared first on SLAM.

Cavs rookie Kevin Porter Jr. scored a career-high 30 points to help Cleveland upset the Heat. Bam Adebayo almost finished with a triple-double, registering 22 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists.

Hawks 112 (17-42), 76ers 129 (36-22)

Joel Embiid showed out against the Hawks, dropping a new career-high of 49 points to secure the home win. Trae Young scored 28 points in the loss.

Bucks 137 (49-8), Wizards 134 (20-36)

Bradley Beal did everything he could to drag his team to the win, putting up his second 50-point game in as many nights, but the Wizards fell at home in overtime. Khris Middleton was the standout for Milwaukee, leading the team with 40 points.

Magic 115 (25-32), Nets 113 (26-30)

Aaron Gordon came up with a clutch block in the final seconds that sealed the road win for Orlando; Gordon finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds in the winning effort. Spencer Dinwiddie contributed 24 points for the Nets.

Knicks 112 (17-40), Rockets 123 (37-20)

Houston had no problems in the second half as they coasted to a home win against New York. James Harden scored a team-high 37 points and added 9 assists. Knicks rookie RJ Barrett put up 21 points to lead the team.

Timberwolves 123 (16-40), Mavericks 139 (35-32)

Dallas led from start to finish in their victory against the Wolves. Tim Hardaway Jr. (23 points) and Luka Doncic (20 points) gave the Mavs the scoring edge. D’Angelo Russell scored 29 points for Minnesota.

Suns 131 (24-34), Jazz 111 (36-21)

Ricky Rubio helped his new team beat his ex-team by contributing 22 points and 11 assists in the Suns’ win; his teammate Devin Booker added his own double-double of 24 points and 10 assists. Donovan Mitchell popped off for 38 points in the loss.

Grizzlies 97 (28-28), Clippers 124 (37-19)

LA took a 40-14 lead after the first quarter, a sign of how this game would go. Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 25 points.

The post Post Up: Joel Embiid Drops Career-High 49 Points in Win vs. Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

Charlotte mustered up just enough offense in this low-scoring affair to come out on top. Miles Bridges (18 points) and Devonte’ Graham (14 points, 11 assists) helped lift the Hornets over Detroit.

Nets 106 (24-28), Pacers 105 (31-23)

Spencer Dinwiddie continues to step up in the clutch. His step-back with 3.8 seconds left put Brooklyn ahead for good; he finished with a team-high 21 points.

Hawks 126 (15-40), Magic 135 (23-31)

The scoring was plentiful in Orlando, with the home team securing the win. Nikola Vucevic posted a near triple-double with 24 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. All-Star Trae Young scored 29 points for Atlanta.

Timberwolves 126 (16-36), Raptors 137 (40-14)

D’Angelo Russell scored 22 points in his Timberwolves debut, although Minnesota fell short of the win in Toronto. It was the Raptors’ 15th straight win. Pascal Siakam led Toronto with 34 points.

Kings 111 (21-32), Bucks 123 (46-7)

Without Giannis, the Bucks had no problem taking care of business. Eric Bledsoe (28 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) and Khris Middleton (28 points, 11 rebounds) gave Milwaukee the boost it needed with the MVP out.

Jazz 123 (35-18), Mavericks 119 (32-22)

Jordan Clarkson has been reinvigorated since arriving in Utah. Clarkson scored a team-high 25 points off the bench to help the Jazz beat Dallas. Tim Hardaway Jr. put up 33 points for the Mavs.

Spurs 120 (22-31), Nuggets 127 (38-16)

Denver didn’t hold a lead until the fourth quarter, rallying late to upset San Antonio. Jamal Murray paced the Nuggets with 26 points. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 33 points for the Spurs.

Heat 113 (35-18), Warriors 101 (12-42)

Andre Iguodala received a warm welcome and a win in his return to Golden State. Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder led the team with 21 points apiece.

Suns 100 (21-33), Lakers 125 (40-12)

Los Angeles handled the Suns easily, turning it on in the second half. Anthony Davis scored a team-high 25 points, followed by Rajon Rondo’s 23 points.

The post Post Up: Spencer Dinwiddie Hits Game-Winner to Beat Pacers appeared first on SLAM.

Lacob says the swap for Wiggins in exchange for D’Angelo Russell at last week’s trade deadline is a “great deal for us.”

Golden State’s braintrust acknowledged that Russell was a poor fit in their scheme.

Per The Athletic:

Was trading Russell before he played a full season with the Warriors a sign that management miscalculated his value and the Warriors’ ability to fit him in?

“What people don’t understand is that if we lost Kevin Durant (straight up in free agency), we would’ve got nothing,” Lacob said. “We just got somewhat fortunate that he went to Brooklyn and we were able to get a sign-and-trade for a guy that is a good player. Questionable whether he was going to be a fit. You’ve heard (Steve) Kerr’s comments. I mean, everyone knew that. But we were hopeful. And you want to have a positive attitude. And we didn’t have Steph and Klay to play with him this year, so I don’t think that we had a fair test. But I think … there was a chance that we were going to make a move at some point that maybe made more sense. There was a chance. And it just turned out that we did it now. We got what we wanted. I think if I would’ve bet before the trade deadline, I probably would’ve said we would’ve re-evaluated in the summer, gone through the whole year. But we were fortunate. We got what we wanted, and we did it.”

Does he believe that (Stephen) Curry, (Klay) Thompson, (Draymond) Green, Wiggins, (Kevon) Looney and whomever else the Warriors can add to that next season is a group that can win a championship?

“I think we’re going to be really good,” Lacob said. “We almost beat — well, we stayed competitive with the Lakers (Sunday night.) They played all their guys and we lost by what, five points. And we didn’t have arguably our three best players (Curry, Thompson and Green). So you tell me. The reason we didn’t win the game tonight is we didn’t have enough perimeter scoring. It’s not football, one player can make a huge difference. We’ve got two great ones coming back. Arguably the two greatest shooters of all time. So I feel pretty damn good, and our fan base should feel great about our future.”

Related Wolves, Warriors Agree To D’Angelo Russell, Andrew Wiggins Swap

The post Warriors Owner: ‘I Think We’re Going to Be Really Good’ appeared first on SLAM.

Towns, 24, was happily “shocked” the Timberwolves were able to pull off a Russell – Andrew Wiggins swap with the Golden State Warriors ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.

The T-Wolves (13-35) have lost thirteen games in a row, but their franchise cornerstone and fanbase suddenly and unexpectedly have reason to smile.

Per The Athletic:

“I’d be lying if I told you I thought it was possible,” Towns told The Athletic on Thursday. “I’m shocked like everybody else. We’ve been putting it into the universe since Day 1. We’ve never been shy about saying it in the media or interviews or wherever it may be. If you want something to happen, you have to keep believing and keep saying it to the universe and repeating it and one day the universe will hear it and give you your wish.”

He was all smiles as he surprised unwitting customers as a fill-in clerk at a Northeast Minneapolis Metro by T-Mobile store while shooting an ad campaign, then laid to rest the growing speculation about his long-term future in Minnesota.

“I think with D-Lo here, it’s always going to be a big incentive for me to want to stay,” Towns said. “D-Lo is a big part of everything the vision is. D-Lo always knows he’s going to be wanted because his brother is here with him and he always knows he’s going to have his back covered because I’m always going to be there for him.”

He was still coming to grips with the whirlwind of activity. He still couldn’t believe he was about to head to the airport to pick up his best friend.

“At the end of the day, I think it’s starting to set in that my brother’s going to be here with me,” Towns said, “and hopefully we’re going to be together for a long, long time.”

Related Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘You Obviously See My Patience Running Low’

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: D’Angelo Russell ‘Big Incentive’ to Stay in Minnesota appeared first on SLAM.

The two teams have been dancing around a potential trade for weeks but the Warriors were reportedly not pleased with what the Wolves were initially able to offer.

The agreed upon trade will send Russell to Minnesota to team up with friend Karl-Anthony Towns while the Warriors recoup Andrew Wiggins, whose contract had to be included to make the deal legal, a protected first-round pick in 2021 and a 2022 second-rounder.

Also involved in the trade are Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman, who will head to Minnesota.

Related: View SLAM’s complete 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Tracker

The protected first that the Warriors will acquire will have top-3 protection on it in 2021 and will become unprotected entirely in 2022 if it doesn’t convey.

The move comes amid mounting evidence that Towns, the Timberwolves cornerstone, is growing more frustrated by the day. The pairing of Towns and Wiggins didn’t yield success on the court and now, at least, he’ll get the opportunity to try to win some ball games alongside Russell.

While Wiggins was the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Russell is the one that has developed into a star.

Russell’s stint with the Brooklyn Nets established him as a reliable offensive focal point and you could argue that he gives the Wolves a similar offensive catalyst to what they had briefly with Jimmy Butler.

What isn’t clear yet is why the Warriors had a sudden change of heart. The acquisition of Wiggins doesn’t give the team any additional financial flexibility considering that he’s under contract through 2023-24.

Alas, on paper the idea of an athlete such as Wiggins chipping in on a dominant Warriors team that will return Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson next season is a scary thought. A move to the Bay Area could be the best thing for Wiggins’ career.

It is possible that Golden State’s apparent unwillingness to deal Russell was simple posturing, as the deal they ultimately agreed to isn’t any more lucrative than the one that was in play ahead of the four-team mega-trade that eventually went down involving the Denver Nuggets instead.

More to come.

The post Wolves, Warriors Agree To D’Angelo Russell, Andrew Wiggins Swap appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve got an entire list of the trades that have been agreed upon in this post and have consolidated our 2020 NBA trade deadline coverage so that you can easily access the most substantial of reports that we’ve been keeping our eye on.

February 6

Reported – The Los Angeles Clippers agreed to acquire Marcus Morris and Isaiah Thomas in a three-team trade with the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards. A total of four players and a pick were involved. Full story.

Reported – The Orlando Magic agreed to acquire James Ennis from the Washington Wizards in exchange for a second-round pick. Full story.

Reported – The Washington Wizards agreed to trade Jordan McRae to the Denver Nuggets for Shabazz Napier. Full story.

Reported – The Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to seven-player trade built around Andre Iguodala, Justise Winslow and Gorgui Dieng. Also changing places are Dion Waiters, Jae Crowder and more. Full story.

Reported – The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to acquire Andre Drummond from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for John Henson, Brandon Knight and a second. Full story.

Reported – The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to trade Skal Labissiere to the Atlanta Hawks for cash. Full story.

Reported – The Houston Rockets have agreed to deal Jordan Bell to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Brunoc Caboclo. The two teams are also exchanging future picks in the trade. Full story.

Reported – The Golden State Warriors have agreed to trade D’Angelo Russell to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Andrew Wiggins. A number of players and picks are also in play. Full story.

Reported – The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to trade Derrick Walton Jr. to the Atlanta Hawks for cash. Full story.

February 5

Reported – The Golden State Warriors agreed to trade Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for three second-round picks. Full story.

Reported – The Sacramento Kings have agreed to send Dewayne Dedmon and two second-round picks to the Atlanta Hawks for Jabari Parker and Alex Len. Full story.

February 4

Official – The Atlanta Hawks acquired Clint Capela in a four-team trade involving the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets. The Rockets will bring aboard Robert Covington, the Wolves will get a look at Malik Beasley and total of 12 players will change teams. Full story.

January 24

Official – The Dallas Mavericks acquired Willie Cauley-Stein from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for a second-round pick. Full story.

Official – The Dallas Mavericks acquired Justin Patton from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Isaiah Roby. Full story.

January 18

Official – The Portland Trail Blazers acquired Trevor Ariza, Caleb Swanigan and Wenyen Gabriel from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Kent Bazemore, Anthony Tolliver and a pair of seconds. Full story.

January 16

Official – The Atlanta Hawks traded Allen Crabbe to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Jeff Teague. Full story.

December 23

Official – The Utah Jazz acquired Jordan Clarkson from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Dante Exum and a pair of second-round picks. Full story.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

The Raptors’ win streak seemed to be in jeopardy after they entered the half trailing 63-48, but a second half charge secured a franchise-record 12th straight win for Toronto. The win put the Raptors one game ahead of where they were through 51 games a season ago.

Pascal Siakam had 25 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, Kyle Lowry had 32 points and 10 assists and Serge Ibaka scored 30. Ibaka’s clutch 3 sealed the win.

Nuggets 98 (36-16), Jazz 95 (32-18)

The Jazz looked ready to cruise to victory, but they were only able to muster up five points in the final six minutes of the third quarter as the short-handed Nuggets clawed their way back in to the game.

Nikola Jokic put the team on his back, racking up 30 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists and 2 steals. The Nuggets were only able to dress seven players due to injuries and a pending trade.

Heat 111 (34-16), Clippers 128 (36-15)

The Clippers’ stars carried them to victory as Kawhi Leonard recorded a +24 plus-minus in 31 minutes and Paul George notched a +22 in 26 minutes. The Clippers hit 24 threes — a franchise-record.

Landry Shamet and George each scored 23 points to lead the Clippers and Derrick Jones Jr. scored 25 off the bench for Miami.

Suns 108 (20-31), Pistons 116 (19-34)

The Suns’ young core of Devin Booker (22 points, 7 assists), Kelly Oubre Jr. (30 points) and DeAdnre Ayton (26 points, 12 rebounds) showed up, but 21 team turnovers plagued Phoenix.

Despite allowing the Suns to shoot 54.5 percent from the field, the Pistons were able to take care of business thanks to 31 points, 19 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals from Andre Drummond. The Pistons also had 14 offensive rebounds as a unit.

Magic 100 (22-29), Celtics 116 (35-15)

Jayson Tatum did a little bit of everything as he picked up 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks to accompany his 33 points on the stat sheet.

Warriors 88 (12-40), Nets 129 (23-27)

D’Angelo Russell (17 points) received a warm welcome in his return to Brooklyn, but his new squad suffered the largest loss in Barclays Center history as six Nets players scored at least 10 points. Caris LeVert’s 23 points and 8 assists led the way for Brooklyn.

Hawks 127 (14-38), Timberwolves 120 (15-35)

The Timberwolves dropped their 13th straight game as Vince Carter hit a game-clinching 3 for the Hawks on the 22nd anniversary of his NBA debut.

Trae Young had 38 points and 11 dimes for Atlanta.

Cavaliers 103 (13-39), Thunder 109 (31-20)

The Cavaliers had a well-balanced offensive attack with seven players scoring double-digit points (Kevin Love’s 20 and Collin Sexton’s 23 led the way), but they couldn’t stop Oklahoma City’s bench.

Dennis Schroder was a team-best +13 as he scored 30 points and dished out 6 dimes off the pine. No Thunder bench player had a negative plus-minus.

Grizzlies 121 (26-25), Mavericks 107 (31-20)

Memphis’ offense was nearly flawless, shooting 52.8 percent from the field and 48 percent from deep while turning the ball over just 10 times.

Jaren Jackson Jr. (19 points, 4 threes), Ja Morant (21 points on 10-for-12 shooting), Brandon Clarke (18 points on 7-for-10 shooting) and Tyus Jones (19 points on 8-for-8 shooting) pushed the Grizzlies’ scoring effort.

Kristaps Porzingis had 32 points, 11 rebuonds, 2 steals and a block in just 29 minutes for Dallas.

The post Post Up: Raptors Win Franchise-Record 12th Straight after 19-Point Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

At this stage in the process, talks between the Thunder and Heat have stalled, Woj notes.

Update #1, Feb 6, 11:30 am: Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill are heading to Miami. Dion Waiters to Memphis. Details in story.

The Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to acquire 23-year-old Justise Winslow as part of a multiplayer trade with the Miami Heat, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. The move, which brought a formal end to the Andre Iguodala Era in Tennessee evolved in stages over the course of the evening and into Thursday.

The Grizzlies had been shopping Iguodala ever since the moment they acquired him from the Warriors in an offseason salary dump. They yielded a first-round pick from Golden State in doing so because it allowed them to pull off their D’Angelo Russell sign-and-trade deal.

Now that Memphis has scored another formidable asset in Winslow, the deal has to be considered a win for the rebuilding Grizzlies franchise that finds themselves battling for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference despite a young roster.

While Winslow has only played in 11 games for the Heat this season, he’s a high-upside forward with a dramatic range in skill sets that could grow with Memphis core.

Miami has utilized him previously as a playmaker and in 2018-19 he averaged 12.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.

Winslow’s $13M falls short of the $17.2M that Iguodala earns although he comes with additional team control that the Grizzlies will appreciate.

In addition to Iguodala, the Heat will also received Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill, two veteran rotation pieces with significant contracts of their own. The inclusion of Hill and Crowder necessitate the inclusion of additional outgoing salary for Miami.

Shams Charania of The Athletic, who tweeted the Hill and Crowder inclusion also reports that Dion Waiters is on his way to Memphis.

Additional details of this trade could be contingent upon what the Heat decide to do with Danilo Gallinari, a player they’re also said to be pursuing. The trade could even evolve into a three-team affair.

Related: Iguodala has already agreed to a two-year contract extension with the Heat.

The post Justise Winslow, Andre Iguodala On The Move In Multiplayer Trade appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers dealt away nearly all of their young prospects in the Davis trade, sending former top-2 picks Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram along with Josh Hart to the Pelicans.

Isaac Bonga and Moritz Wagner received a trip to Washington in order to facilitate the deal but through it all Kuzma remained in purple and gold.

While it doesn’t seem like a third star is in the cards for Los Angeles before Thursday, the Kuzma trade chatter hasn’t ceased since the Lakers’ big offseason. 

Sacramento reportedly had interest in Kuzma, though it’s unclear where those talks currently stand. The Kings proposed an offer of Nemanja Bjelica and an additional asset while the Lakers were set on obtaining Bodgan Bogdanovic. 

The Knicks had exploratory talks recently with the Lakers over bringing Kuzma to New York. Perhaps Marcus Morris would intrigue the Lakers, though the two players’ salaries do not align and other pieces would need be involved.

The situation is worth monitoring given that Kuzma is represented by CAA and the Knicks have a long history of catering to the agency’s clients.

The Wolves have interest in the former No. 27 overall, though the team views pursuing D’Angelo Russell as a higher priority. Minnesota just agreed to a four-team trade that brought them an additional asset: a first-round pick, that the franchise would like to use in a deal for Russell.

While Kuzma’s 2019-20 numbers are down from last year when he was a more prominent part of the offense, the 24-year-old has had a consistent role off the bench for Los Angeles this season. He’s averaging 25.0 minutes per game off the bench for the ultra-competitive Lakers.

The post Kyle Kuzma Awaits Fate Ahead Of Trade Deadline appeared first on SLAM.

The biggest name involved in the deal is Clint Capela but what’s most important about the pact is how four different teams with four different motives ended up checking off items on their wish list.

We’ll jump into the details of the still evolving deal below:

Atlanta Hawks

In: Clint Capela, Nene

Out: Evan Turner, BKL’s 2020 1st, GSW’s 2024 2nd

The Hawks were on the hunt for a long-term five and managed to get a highly respected one with an excellent contract and plenty of team control. Capela averaged 16.6 points and 12.7 rebounds per game last season, earns $14.9M this year and makes less than $20M per year through 2022-23.

Atlanta acquired Evan Turner from the Blazers in the offseason for his $18M expiring deal. The draft pick they’re parting ways with is a top-14 protected pick from Brooklyn (via the Allen Crabbe trade that led up to the draft).

The move eats into Atlanta’s cap room this summer given that Capela is with them long-term and Turner wasn’t going to be but they’ll still have plenty of cash to play around with in a weak free agency class.

In order to execute the trade, the Hawks will need to first waive a player and free up the roster spot. They could also unload another player in the deal if they find a willing partner. (Edit: they waived Chandler Parsons)

Houston Rockets

In: Robert Covington, Jordan Bell, GSW’s 2024 2nd

Out: Clint Capela, Nene, Gerald Green, HOU’s 2020 1st

The Rockets have had some success with a super small-ball lineup of late and are now entirely committed to employing it full time. Houston will part with their only truly reliable five and hope that P.J. Tucker is enough to sustain them at the position.

Alas, Daryl Morey wouldn’t have parted with an asset without a reason and the club yields one of the game’s most respected perimeter defenders with three-point range in Robert Covington.

Don’t sleep on Jordan Bell as a contributor for a Rockets team that helped Kenneth Faried thrive in half a season last year.

Another significant part of this deal for Houston is the amount of money it will save the previously tax-bound squad. In one fell swoop, the Rockets have gone from over the tax threshold to roughly $6M under.

Minnesota Timberwolves

In: Malik Beasley, Juan Hernangomez, Evan Turner, Jarred Vanderbilt, BKL’s 2020 1st

Out: Robert Covington, Jordan Bell, Noah Vonleh, Keita Bates-Diop, Shabazz Napier

The Wolves desperately attempted to get Golden State involved in this deal so they could land D’Angelo Russell but couldn’t offer an enticing enough package in time.

What they’ll get instead is a promising pending RFA in Malik Beasley, a substantial expiring contract in Evan Turner and a semi-decent first-round pick.

The Wolves may still attempt to persuade the Warriors to give them Russell and this trade could give them more flexibility in doing so but even if that doesn’t pan out, they’ve still converted a 30-year-old Covington into a 23-year-old Beasley, significant cap relief and a draft asset that could fall in the teens.

Denver Nuggets

In: Gerald Green, Keita Bates-Diop, Shabazz Napier, Noah Vonleh, HOU’s 2020 1st

Out: Malik Beasley, Juan Hernangomez, Jarred Vanderbilt

The Nuggets, blessed with considerable roster depth, were faced with the reality that it would be difficult to retain Malik Beasley and Juan Hernangomez, not just financially but logistically with a finite number of minutes available.

With this deal the Nuggets bring back several affordable deep bench pieces and a late first-round pick. The team may have been able to hold out for more from Beasley but they may not be done dealing.

Austin Kent is a News Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @AustinKent.

The post Breaking Down The Four-Team, Clint Capela Mega-Trade appeared first on SLAM.

Update #1, 12:25 AM: The four-team trade between the Hawks, Rockets, Timberwolves and Nuggets has been agreed upon, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

The Hawks will acquire Clint Capela, as previously reported, and Nene. The Rockets will acquire Robert Covington.

The Timberwolves will now acquire Malik Beasley, Juan Hernangomez and the top-14 protected Brooklyn 1st-rounder that Atlanta was in possession of. The Nuggets acquire Gerald Green, Keita Bates-Diop and Houston’s 2020 1st.

The Golden State Warriors have moved on from trade discussion regarding D’Angelo Russell with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports, but that won’t necessarily derail the first component of a potential multi-team trade in the works.

Earlier today we wrote about how the Hawks, Rockets and Timberwolves were in discussions to send Clint Capela from Houston to Atlanta, Robert Covington from Minnesota to Houston and an expiring contract from Atlanta to Minnesota.

In his latest tweet, Charania reports that Evan Turner is a name in play for the Wolves. Turner has an $18.6M expiring contract. Naturally, as The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on prior, there would likely be draft assets headed to Minnesota.

That three-team deal was the first step of what was being floated as a potential two-step, four-team scenario. That would give Atlanta the additional frontcourt depth they seek while giving Houston reinforcements on the perimeter. The deal was also framed as a way for Minnesota to acquire assets that could be then flipped to Golden State in exchange for Russell.

The sense now, per Charania and Wojnarowski, is that the gulf between the Warriors and Wolves is too significant. It’s important to remember that there isn’t a ton of urgency for Golden State to part with their summer sign-and-trade acquisition if they’re not pleased with the return. After all, the Warriors still haven’t gotten an extended look at Russell in a backcourt together with a healthy Stephen Curry.

The Wolves, to their credit, seem intent on attempting to accrue enough assets to offer a compelling enough package, one that could potentially include multiple draft assets like their own first-round pick and at least one other that they would acquire in the three-team swap (likely Brooklyn’s top-14 protected pick that the Hawks possess).

Such a deal would also need to include enough outgoing salary to fit with what the Wolves would be onboarding in Russell’s $27.3M pact. That could be Andrew Wiggins and his $27.5M but he’ll be on the team payroll through 2022-23 which diminishes the appeal.

A package built around draft assets and Wiggins doesn’t offer Golden State any short-term cap relief like one built around expiring contracts would.

All told, this hasn’t been enough to convince Golden State to pull the trigger thus far and that may not change before the deadline.

Interestingly, Minnesota’s inability to parlay their haul into Russell may not lead them out of the trade entirely. Now Wojnarowski adds that another fourth team could emerge, potentially the Denver Nuggets.

It’s unclear what the Wolves would seek from the Nuggets, or how else Denver might be looped into the deal but SLAM’s Chris Crouse reported earlier today that Minnesota has shown interest in both Malik Beasley and Gary Harris.

We’ve heard previously that the Wolves seek a pair of first-round picks for Covington. They could be getting one from Atlanta but Denver doesn’t have a 2020 pick of their own to extend.

Consider Minnesota and Denver’s involvement the bottleneck as we inch closer to the Thursday trade deadline.

Austin Kent is a News Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @AustinKent.

The post Despite Warriors Hiccup, Teams Reach Agreement On Mega-Trade appeared first on SLAM.

“I’m so comfortable with being uncomfortable nowadays,” says D’Angelo, who has been linked to a potential multi-team swap.

Russell, 23, has grown accustomed to the rumor mill, and is ready for battle with whatever team he ends up on.

Per The Athletic:

“When I got drafted, I was in a rumor,” Russell said. “I’ve been through it all. Not gonna lie to you. Any rumor you can think of, I’ve been a part of it. I’ve seen it (the last couple of days). I can’t get away from it. You go on social, you see it. You go on TV, you hear it. You talk to the media, they ask you about it. Ain’t no getting away from it. But it is what it is.”

When he took the max from the Warriors this summer — knowing they already employed Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, two max guards and franchise pillars — he signed up for the label of trade chip.

“It bothered me when we were further away from (the deadline),” Russell said. “But when we’re closer to it really happening, I’m numb to it. I’m just expecting a phone call. Let me know.”

Will the days and hours before be anxious ones?

“I’m ready for war,” Russell said. “Let’s get it. I’m ready for it. I don’t have no feelings toward it. I’m just ready for whatever happens.”

Related Russell, Capela In Play In Possible Multi-Team Deal

The post D’Angelo Russell ‘Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable’ Amid Trade Talk appeared first on SLAM.

The potential deal, which was first reported by Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer and later corroborated by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski would involve Clint Capela, D’Angelo Russell, Robert Covington and a number of first-round picks.

In the discussed swap, the Rockets would land Covington, the vaunted, affordable three-and-D perimeter threat that they’ve been chasing for wing depth. The Hawks would, in turn, bring back Capela, a pivot that they’ve had their eyes on.

Where things get interesting is with the Timberwolves. If the initial three-way framework successfully yields draft assets for Minnesota, they could then turn around and offload those on the Warriors in exchange for Russell.

In his original report, O’Connor wrote that such an arrangement had been discussed by the Hawks, Wolves and Rockets but was put on pause after Minnesota dangled the draft assets to Golden State and were rejected.

The draft assets that the Wolves would have available in that scenario would be their own 2020 first-round pick and the Brooklyn 2020 first-round pick that the Hawks are currently in possession of.

Wojnarowski adds that the Wolves could potentially be landing a pair of first-round picks in the three-way portion of the deal, which would give them additional resources to offer Golden State if they’re serious about prying Russell away.

The ambitious move is still in discussion and it’s important to note that the teams hit a dead end with Golden State’s apparent refusal to part with Russell in exchange for what the Minnesota had made available.

For the math to work in a potential Russell-to-Minnesota swap at all, there would need to be salary sent back to Golden State in addition to convincing draft assets.

The Warriors are close to the hard cap and are limited in what they can take back above and beyond Russell’s deal but Andrew Wiggins’ $27.5M contract would fit.

What we’ll wait on now is for further reports about how Minnesota’s offer to Golden State may evolve as the Thursday trade deadline approaches. If they’re unable to put together a suitable package for Russell then they may not be inclined to participate in the initial three-team portion of the swap.

The post Russell, Capela In Play In Possible Multi-Team Deal appeared first on SLAM.

The Grizz have been adamant that they’ll deal the 36-year-old, as opposed to buying him out, but they haven’t found a suitor yet three days before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

As recently as December, Memphis was intent on yielding a first-round pick in any Iguodala trade, a semi-problematic request given that the biggest market for his services are contending teams heavy on title aspirations but light on draft assets.

To this point, the Grizzlies haven’t panicked and sold their asset for less than they wanted to, despite the fact that they’re not getting any on court production out of him while they wait.

The two parties agreed in the offseason that Iguodala would work out away from the team. Seven months later, not much has changed and tension has grown.

David Aldridge of The Athletic reported today that the veteran is prepared to sit out for the remainder of the 2019-20 season if he’s not dealt to a team of his preference.

That means despite the fact that the Grizzlies are a respectable eighth in the Western Conference, the option of pivoting from trading Iguodala to retaining him and playing him on their own squad is all but off the table.

The threat also compromises Memphis’ leverage in discussions with teams around the league that aren’t on Iguodala’s list of “designated” destinations given that there’s a risk he wouldn’t happily report.

Of course Memphis and interested teams are only bound to honor Iguodala’s requests if they wish to have an amicable transition.

Formally, players begin to face serious consequences if they withhold playing services for more than 30 days in a contract year, as is laid out in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The Grizzlies may do damage to their reputation by not attempting to work with Iguodala and that’s a subjective conversation that will invariably be had if he doesn’t end up getting traded somewhere he prefers.

Memphis stepped up to the plate when the Nets and Warriors were configuring the sign-and-trade deal that landed Kevin Durant in Brooklyn and D’Angelo Russell in Golden State.

The Dubs wouldn’t have been able to afford Russell without unloading Iguodala on Memphis and it cost them a 2024 first-round pick.

The post Andre Iguodala Could Sit Out Season If Not Traded To Desired Team appeared first on SLAM.

According to Begley, both Frank Ntilikina and Bobby Portis have come up as potential trade chips although it stands to reason that the price tag would be considerably higher than simply those two.

Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that the Warriors would likely seek a 2020 first-round pick in any deal involving Russell.

Brandon Robinson of Heavy hears that the Knicks have put together an offer that includes Portis and Ntilikina, in addition to Kevin Knox, Allonzo Trier and a second-round pick but that the Warriors were not interested.

Of course any hypothetical Knicks package with more than just Portis and Ntilikina would need to involve additional Warriors players as well given that Golden State has just one roster slot available.

As Begley writes, the Warriors could be intrigued by the idea of trimming down their luxury tax bill and Portis represents as much as $15M in payroll savings given that his 2020-21 contract has a team option on it.

Still, the Warriors would have plenty of opportunities to shed cap space if they were willing to unload Russell at a bargain rate. With the Minnesota Timberwolves supposedly interested as well, it may come down to how eager the Knicks are to get their hands on a new star.

The post Knicks Emerge As D’Angelo Russell Suitor appeared first on SLAM.

The Clippers were fully healthy for the first time in a while, and they made quick work of the struggling Wolves. Kawhi Leonard was his usual brutally efficient self, scoring 31 points in only 24 minutes of action. Paul George also enjoyed a complete game, pouring in 21 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals on 9-18 shooting.

Leading the bench, once again, were Lou Will (17 points) and Montrezl Harrell (16 points).

Karl Towns had 32 points and 12 rebounds, but nobody else on the team could muster a quality performance.

Heat 102 (33-15), Magic 89 (21-28)

Miami keeps plugging alone, and this time it was rookie Tyler Herro draining six 3-pointers off the bench, while Myers Leonard notched 18 points and 14 rebounds. Jimmy Butler led the way with 24 points.

Knicks 92 (14-36), Pacers 85 (31-18)

Good for the Knicks.

beating a respectable Pacers team while on the road deserves praise, even if Indiana is adjusting to their star player Victor Oladipo coming back. Marcus Morris Sr. led the way with 28 points and 6 rebounds, while Julius Randle contributed a beefy double-double of 16 points and 19 boards.

Warriors 131 (11-39), Cavaliers 112 (13-37)

Remember when this was a finals matchup for four straight years?

In the present day, we were treated to a strong D’Angelo Russell game, as he scored 19 points, grabbed 7 boards and dished 8 assists. Draymond Green also had a whopping 16 assists.

For the Cavs, Colin Sexton had a respectable 23 points and 3 steals.

Wizards 113 (17-31), Nets 107 (21-27)

Bradley Beal is aware he was not voted to the All-Star team.

So what does he do tonight? Well, go off for 34 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks, of course.

The Nets lost again, and while Spencer Dinwiddie was a bright spot once again off the bench, Kyrie Irving exited the game late with a sprained knee and will undergo an MRI on Sunday, according to Woj. Let’s hope everything is ok.

Mavericks 123 (30-19), Hawks 100 (13-37)

No Luka Doncic and no Kristaps Porzingis?

Didn’t matter, as the Mavericks, behind 27 points and 8 assists from Jalen Brunson, took care of the Hawks.

John Collins (26 points, 11 boards), got his numbers, but Trae Young struggled before exiting with an ankle injury. At least we were treated to this high-arching beauty:

Celtics 116 (33-15), 76ers 95 (31-19)

Even without star guard Kemba Walker, the Celtics got a statement win over their rival 76ers. Jaylen Brown stepped up to the plate, with 32 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals, as well as a beautiful handles display.

The 76ers had one of their puzzling night where they simply do not play to their full potential. Joel Embiid shot a surprising 1-11, Al Horford shot 4-11 and Tobias Harris shot 4-12.

Spurs 114 (22-26), Hornets 90 (16-33)

DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points and added 6 assists as the Spurs inch another game closer to the 8th seed in the West.

For Charlotte, Miles Bridges had 25 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks, but 90 points as a team isn’t going to cut it.

Lakers 129 (37-11), Kings 111 (18-31)

At this point, it would have been understandable if the Lakers followed up last night’s close and emotional loss with another one, as they are still grieving as a collective unit. But they came out strong, scoring 81 points in the first half alone.

LeBron had a triple-double, with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, as well as this gorgeous pass to Avery Bradley:

Portland 124 (23-27), Utah 107 (32-17)

Damian Lillard is simply not of this world right now.

Even before tonight, Lillard’s last five scoring outputs were as followed: 61, 47, 50, 36 and 48 points.

Tonight, he added to his growing legend by dropping 51 points and 12 assists to lay waste to the Jazz.

The post Post Up: Lakers Defeat Kings Following Emotional Friday Night appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bradley Beal scored a team-high 38 for Washington.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

De’Aaron Fox had 22 in the effort.

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

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

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

Players Unlikely To Be Traded

• Stephen Curry
• Klay Thompson

Few players are less likely to be dealt than the Warriors’ backcourt of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Provided their respective rehabs go as planned, each player will be starting for Golden State to begin the 2020-21 campaign.

Biggest Name Available On Market

• D’Angelo Russell

Bob Myers and the Warriors have a unified, stern message: the team isn’t looking to trade D’Angelo Russell prior to the trade deadline. The Russell, Curry and Thompson trio has yet to play a game together and Curry and Russell have seen just four games together, including the contest where Steph left early with the hand injury. The franchise wants to see how its current core operates together before making a major decision or at least that’s the message that Golden State is putting out.

It could certainly be a smokescreen intended to pump up Russell’s trade value and allow Myers to negotiate from a position of strength. Teams will certainly contact the Golden State as the deadline nears with the hope of obtaining the former No. 2 overall pick with the Timberwolves assured to be one of those clubs. But again, Russell isn’t available, per the team, though no franchise has ever publicly and privately committed to a player only to trade him away right? That never happens right? Expect the Russell trade chatter to heat up as we approach Feb. 6.

Logical Trade Pieces

• Willie Cauley-Stein
• Alec Burks
• Glenn Robinson III

Parts of the Warriors’ veteran fill-in squad are expected to be available in trade talks. Alec Burks, who is sporting a career-high 16.3 player efficiency rating, likely has the most value of the vets on short-term deals. The 28-year-old Missouri-native has been a source of instant offense when needed for Golden State this season, as he’s averaging a career-high 16.2 points per game. Burks should be able to bring that scoring punch to a contender’s bench.

Trades Are Possible

• Draymond Green
• Kevon Looney
• Jordan Poole
• Jacob Evans
• Omari Spellman
• Alen Smailagic
• Eric Paschall
• Damion Lee

Fresh off of a massive extension, Draymond Green isn’t eligible to be traded until Feb. 3. It would be surprising if Green isn’t a Warrior come Feb. 7. Kevon Looney has had a nightmare of a season with his abdomen injury keeping him off the court for all but 10 games. He’s currently sidelined with no timetable for him to return. First-round pick Jordan Poole has appeared in 38 games so far this season, which is many more than anyone expected when the team drafted him in June. A change of scenery has helped Omari Spellman improve during his sophomore campaign. Nearly all of his advanced stats are up from his time in Atlanta. Alen Smailagic has spent considerable time in the G League for the Warriors. He could get more NBA action after the deadline. Eric Paschall may be a rookie, but the 2019 No. 41 overall pick is showcasing the ability to be a contributor in the league. He should be a nice rotation piece for Golden State once they are back at full health (and a cheap one, considering he is making $4.1M through the 2021-22 season). Damion Lee just signed a new deal and is not eligible to be traded before the deadline.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Golden State Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

We wrote earlier this month that Curry was set to be re-evaluated on Feb. 1.

A return on the first of March would give Curry 22 games before the end of the 2019-20 campaign. That, Thompson writes, may impact the team’s lottery chances in May but it would also give the franchise a much-needed extended look at the Curry-D’Angelo Russell backcourt combination.

Curry played in just four games this season before the left hand injury that derailed his season. Golden State, hit simultaneously with injuries to Klay Thompson and other parts of their core, has been the worst team in the NBA ever since.

Thompson writes that Curry has looked good in post-practice sessions and is no longer wearing the brace.

The post Stephen Curry Could Return On March 1 appeared first on SLAM.

The Wolves have long been interested in Russell, dating back to the offseason when whispers began to circulate that the franchise was close to signing the free agent guard.

Instead Russell was involved in a sign-and-trade deal to the Warriors and has found a home in the Bay Area.

In 24 games for the Warriors, Russell has averaged 23.3 points per game and Golden State has taken every opportunity to insist that they’re not looking to unload their still relatively new acquisition.

Russell fills a need for Minnesota and his friendship with Karl-Anthony Towns is a common thread in any speculation that he could be headed to north.

The post Report: Wolves Intensify Pursuit Of D’Angelo Russell appeared first on SLAM.

The Golden State Warriors will convert Damion Lee’s two-way contract into a standard deal, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. The 27-year-old has been utilized heavily this year and exhausted much of his 45 days’ worth of eligibility.

In 10 December contests, Lee averaged 15.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Now the Dubs will be able to lean on the undrafted guard as heavily as they see fit during the second half of an injury ravaged 2019-20 campaign.

Lee, undrafted out of Louisville in 2016, broke into the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks and has spent the past two years in the Bay Area. He’ll now receive a prorated minimum contract from the Dubs for the remainder of the season.

The addition of Lee to a standard deal pushes the Warriors ever closer to the tax apron that they must stay under following the D’Angelo Russell sign-and-trade deal that hard-capped them. The club will be able to save some of that money with the reported release of Marquese Chriss.

The post Golden State Sign Damion Lee To Standard Deal appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors took a chance on the 22-year-old big man during training camp and used him to plug a serious hole in their depleted front court. Chriss responded with 7.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in a minor rotation role.

Given that the guarantee deadline will pass before Chriss’ contract clears waivers, any team that commits to him will be committing to guaranteed money for the whole season.

The Warriors’ roster will drop to 13 players without Chriss but most importantly the team will free up the funds to add another body while remaining below the tax apron.

Golden State is content playing this season with 14 bodies but they’ll have to do it while hard-capped as a result of the D’Angelo Russell trade.

The post Warriors To Waive Marquese Chriss appeared first on SLAM.

Denver led the entire game, and mostly by double-digits.

Nikola Jokic dropped a game-high 31 points with 10 boards and 10 dimes.

Raptors 113 (22-10), Celtics 97 (22-8)

Toronto successfully countered every Boston run to snap the Celtics’ 5-game win streak.

Kyle Lowry dropped a game-high 30 points with 7 dimes.

Pacers 98 (21-12), Pelicans 120 (10-23)

New Orleans outscored the Pacers by a combined 31 points in the second and third quarters.

Brandon Ingram dropped a team-high 24 points with 7 dimes.

Jrue, Aaron and Justin Holiday became the first trio of brothers to play in the same game.

Hawks 81 (6-27), Bulls 116 (13-20)

Chicago controlled the entire game against the Trae Young-less Hawks.

Zach LaVine dropped 19 points with 7 boards. Lauri Markkanen added a team-high 25 points.

Atlanta has now lost an abysmal 10 straight games.

Cavs 94 (10-22), Wolves 88 (11-20)

Cleveland led for the majority of the game against the Wolves, who were without Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.

Tristan Thompson dropped 12 points with 15 boards. Collin Sexton added a game-high 18 points.

Knicks 107 (9-24), Wizards 100 (9-22)

New York built a few double-digit leads only to see them disappear to the Bradley Beal-less Wizards. But they held on to the lead when it mattered the most during crunch time.

Julius Randle continued his strong play, dropping a game-high 30 points with 16 boards and 6 dimes.

Sixers 116 (23-12), Heat 117 (24-8) (OT)

Miami battled back from a 5-point deficit with 1 minute to play to take the lead on a clutch three-pointer by Tyler Herro. But the Heat fouled Josh Richardson with less than a second left. J-Rich intentionally missed his second free-throw and Ben Simmons got a putback to send the game to OT.

The Heat would hold on to improve to an incredible 6-0 in OT this season.

Jimmy Butler dropped a team-high 25 points with 9 dimes and 9 boards. Herro added 17 points (4-8 3FG) off the bench.

Miami has now won 5 straight.

Nets 98 (16-15), Rockets 108 (22-10)

Brooklyn battled back to take the lead in the fourth quarter after falling down by 18 points in the third. But the Rockets would pull away during the final minutes of the game.

James Harden dropped a game-high 44 points with 10 boards and 6 dimes.

Pistons 109 (12-21), Spurs 136 (13-18)

San Antonio would outscore the Pistons by 17 points in the third quarter and go up by as much as 29 points during the fourth.

LaMarcus Aldridge dropped 25 points (5-6 3FG) with 12 boards. DeMar DeRozan added a game-high 29 points.

Mavs 141 (21-10), Warriors 121 (9-25)

After going off for 30 points in the first half, D’Angelo Russell went down with a scary-looking shoulder injury with 5:20 left in the third quarter—and the Mavericks proceeded to blow open the game.

Luka Doncic dropped a team-high 31 points with 15 dimes and 12 boards as Dallas snapped the Warriors’ 4-game winning streak.

Magic 100 (14-18), Bucks 111 (29-5)

Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo (back) missing his second straight game, Milwaukee jumped out to a 12-point lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back.

Ersan Ilyasova dropped 17 points with 14 boards and 5 dimes. Khris Middleton added a team-high 21 points.

Suns 112 (12-20), Kings 110 (12-20)

Phoenix blew a 14-point third quarter lead but held on to snap an 8-game losing streak.

Devin Booker dropped a game-high 32 points with 10 dimes.

Sacramento has now lost 6 straight.

Lakers 128 (25-7), Blazers 120 (14-19)

The Lakers looked sharp after their Christmas Day loss to the Clippers, snapping their 4-game losing streak.

LeBron James dropped 21 points with 16 dimes and just 1 TO. Kyle Kuzma added a team-high 24 points.

Jazz 120 (20-12), Clippers 107 (23-11)

Utah outscored the Clippers by 12 points during the fourth quarter to pick up a big road win.

Donovan Mitchell dropped a game-high 30 points with 9 dimes and 7 boards.

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The Celtics are the real deal. This time last year, there were clearly chemistry issues and something seemed off. But this season has been a complete heel turn.

The two main factors to thank? Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, who have both leveled up their games to an All-Star level caliber. Brown had a career-high 34 points with 9 rebounds, while Tatum had 30 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks as the Celtics improved to 13-1 at home.

There’s not much better to watch two young studs realize their potential and turn that into consistent dominant production. Brown is 23-years-old, and Tatum 21. They aren’t going away anytime soon.

Magic 98 (14-17), 76ers 97 (23-11)

The Magic hung on for one of their best wins of the season against a 76ers team that, albeit inconsistent, was coming off a fresh pounding of the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks. Aaron Gordon had himself 19 points and 11 rebounds (and one sweet lob throw down), Nikola Vucevic had a 19-12-7 line, and Terrence Ross contributed 17 off the bench.

Bucks 112 (28-5), Hawks 86 (6-26)

Absent Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe, the Bucks still managed to steamroll the slumping Hawks. Trusty veteran Ersan Ilyasova was phenomenal in only 24 minutes, recording 18 points, 17 rebounds and a monster + 37 plus/minus in relief for the resting Greek Freak. Khris Middleton also had a highly efficient game, scoring 23 points, grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing 7 assists.

It was another brutal loss for the lottery-bound Hawks, who unfortunately lost Trae Young to an ankle injury halfway through the game, but X rays were luckily negative. Get well soon Trae, the league is not the same without you.

Thunder 104 (16-15), Hornets 102 (13-21)

This was a thriller.

Dennis Schroder, who has quietly become one of the best sixth men in the league, dropped 24 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 (and had a filthy euro-step), and the reliable Steven Adams had a 14-12 double-double to knock out the Hornets in overtime.

Despite the loss, Devonte’ Graham was excellent. He had a clutch full-court drive to the rack to force OT in the first place, and he stayed splashing tough shots down the stretch. He was one rebound off of a triple double with 15 points, 13 assists and 9 boards. Terry Rozier also had 26.

Heat 113 (23-8), Pacers 112 (21-11)

It all came down to a wild late possession, as Jimmy Butler passed to Duncan Robinson, who zipped the ball to Kendrick Nunn in the left corner. Nunn attacked the rack, and just missed a reverse layup, which was tipped into the air by Butler, and recovered by Bam Adebayo. Adebayo kicked it out to Goran Dragic on the perimeter, who swerved into the lane for a silky game-winning floater.

Follow that? In short, it was exhilirating.

Warriors 105 (9-24), Suns 96 (11-20)

After trailing for a majority of the game, the Dubs came roaring back down the stretch, and finally secured the lead with a thunderous Glenn Robinson III cutback dunk. An underrated aspect of the game that the Warriors crushed the Suns in was turnovers. While Phoenix coughed the ball up a stunning 26 times, Golden State limited themselves to 10 turnovers.

D’Angelo Russell led the way with 31 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, while Devin Booker had his eighth game of the season with 30 points or more for the Suns.

The post Post Up: Thunder Edge Out Hornets in OT appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Markelle Fultz also unleashed this vicious dunk:

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

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

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

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

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A standout game from Collin Sexton (23 points on 10-14 shooting) helped Cleveland secure the home win. Terry Rozier’s 35 points for Charlotte came up just short.

Raptors 112 (19-8), Pistons 99 (11-17)

Toronto enjoyed impressive scoring nights from their trio of Pascal Siakam (26 points), Serge Ibaka (25 points) and Kyle Lowry (20 points). Andre Drummond put up 22 points and 18 rebounds in the loss.

Bulls 110 (11-19), Wizards 109 (8-18)

Bradley Beal’s go-ahead jumper with 0.5 seconds left looked like the nail in the coffin. Then Zach LaVine hit two free throws and the Bulls prevailed in overtime. Lauri Markkanen led Chicago with 31 points and 9 rebounds.

Heat 108 (20-8), 76ers 104 (20-9)

The Heat are no joke. Rookie Kendrick Nunn led the team with 26 points in 41 minutes, while Bam Adebayo added 23 points to the winning effort. Joel Embiid contributed a double-double of 22 points and 19 rebounds.

Pelicans 107 (7-22), Timberwolves 99 (10-16)

Brandon Ingram continues to impress in a breakout year. The forward finished with 34 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Andrew Wiggins scored 27 points for the Wolves.

Grizzlies 122 (10-18), Thunder 126 (13-14)

At one point OKC trailed by 24, but the Thunder came roaring back to get the home win. Dennis Schroder led the way with 31 points and 7 assists. Grizzlies rookie Brandon Clarke paced the team with 27 points.

Magic 104 (12-16), Nuggets 113 (18-8)

Denver was led by its dynamic duo of Jamal Murray (33 points) and Nikola Jokic (18 points, 12 assists, 9 rebounds). Nikola Vucevic put up 20 points for the Magic.

Celtics 109 (18-7), Mavericks 103 (18-9)

Boston had the offensive firepower with Kemba Walker (32 points), Jaylen Brown (26 points) and Jayson Tatum (24 points) pouring in buckets. Kristaps Porzingis registered a double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds in the loss.

Warriors 112 (5-24), Blazers 122 (12-16)

Portland closed out Golden State thanks to big nights from Damian Lillard (30 points, 13 assists) and Hassan Whiteside (16 points, 23 rebounds). D’Angelo Russell scored 26 points for the Warriors.

The post Post Up: Kendrick Nunn and the Heat Hand 76ers First Home Loss appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors came back from a 22-point deficit as D’Angelo Russell (32 points, six assists) hit a game-tying 3 with seconds to go in regulation, but it wasn’t enough.

The Knicks, led by Marcus Morris Sr.’s 36 points, 10 rebounds and three steals, came back strong in overtime — keeping a red-hot Russell scoreless after the period’s first possession.

Clippers 112 (19-7), Raptors 92 (16-8)

Kawhi Leonard (23 points) received a standing ovation as he was introduced in Toronto for the first time since the 2019 NBA Finals.

His new squad owned the night; however, bouncing back from a five-point first quarter deficit to blow out the Raptors.

Pascal Siakam scored a game-high 24 points and also blocked three shots.

Grizzlies 115 (8-16), Suns 108 (11-13)

Ja Morant (13 points, six assists) caught a body I won’t forget for a long, long time.

Rockets 116 (16-8), Cavaliers 110 (5-19)

It’s going to be hard for naysayers to declare James Harden can only score because of how often he gets to the free throw line now: the Beard led Houston’s comeback charge in Cleveland, scoring 55 points on 20-for-34 shooting while taking just five free throws. He also tied a career-best with 10 3-point attempts made.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored a career-high 24 points in 29 minutes of work for Cleveland.

Lakers 96 (22-3), Magic 87 (11-13)

The Lakers held the Magic to a measly nine points in the first period and rode that momentum for the rest of the night.

LeBron James finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Hornets 113 (11-16), Nets 108 (13-11)

Devonte Graham is the real deal.

The Carolina-native scored a career-high 40 points and scored Charlotte’s go-ahead bucket to close out the night.

Celtics 117 (17-6), Pacers 122 (16-9)

Kemba Walker took over with 44 points, but five Pacers scoring at least 14 points was too much for Boston to overcome.

Malcolm Brodgon hit all 15 of his free throw attempts en route to a team-high 29 for Indiana.

Thunder 93 (11-13), Kings 94 (11-13)

Bogdan Bogdanovic is making a name for himself as one of the league’s premier crunch time shooters after adding another game-winning shot to his resume.

Pelicans 112 (6-19), Bucks 127 (22-3)

No Giannis? No problem.

The Bucks ran out to 24-point halftime lead despite a DNP from the reigning MVP due to injury.

Eric Bledsoe (29 points) and Khris Middleton (24) held it down in his absence as Milwaukee won its 16th straight. JJ Redick scored a game-high 31 for New Orleans.

Jazz 127 (14-11), Timberwolves 116 (10-14)

Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles combined for 73 points as the Jazz shot 56.6 percent from the field and 45.7 percent from deep as a unit.

The post Post Up: Kawhi Leonard Receives Warm Welcome, Picks Up W in Return to Toronto appeared first on SLAM.

Paul George was unfazed by boos from the Indiana crowd, dropping a game-high 36 points to lead L.A. to the win. Montrezl Harrell added 26 points and 8 rebounds.

Cavaliers 88 (5-18), Celtics 110 (17-5)

Boston led from start to finish in their home victory. The game marked the return of Gordon Hayward, who contributed 14 points in 26 minutes. Jayson Tatum put up a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Raptors 93 (16-7), Bulls 92 (8-17)

Toronto secured the win as Zach LaVine missed a last-second runner. Pascal Siakam led the team with 22 points. LaVine scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the loss.

Kings 119 (10-13), Rockets 118 (15-8)

The ending to Kings-Rockets was wild. The teams swapped a pair of threes before Russell Westbrook put Houston up two with just 1 second remaining. Then, Nemanja Bjelica hit a 3-pointer from deep at the buzzer to cap a thrilling finish.

Magic 101 (11-12), Bucks 110 (21-3)

Milwaukee continues to roll, notching its 15th straight win. Giannis Antetokounmpo paced the team with 32 points, 15 rebounds and 8 assists. Evan Fournier led Orlando with 26 points.

Pistons 105 (10-14), Pelicans 103 (6-18)

Derrick Rose will forever be clutch. The veteran stepped up as time wound down, shaking the defense to hit the midrange game-winner. Rose finished with 21 points and 7 assists.

Timberwolves 109 (10-12), Suns 125 (11-12)

Phoenix boasted three 20-point scorers: Devin Booker (26 points), Kelly Oubre Jr. (24 points) and Dario Saric (20 points). Karl-Anthony Towns dropped 33 points in the loss.

Thunder 104 (11-12), Jazz 90 (13-11)

OKC finished its back-to-back with their second win in as many nights, first taking down Portland and now Utah. Dennis Schroder led the team with 27 points. Rudy Gobert finished with 19 points and 17 rebounds.

Grizzlies 110 (7-16), Warriors 102 (5-20)

Ja Morant (26 points) helped Memphis edge out the Warriors. D’Angelo Russell contributed 18 points and 7 assists.

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Russell missed a total of nine games with the right hand injury and that’s on top of the three that he missed in October as the result of a sprained ankle.

The tough 2019-20 campaign has taken its toll on the Warriors but Russell, when healthy, has been a silver lining. The 23-year-old is averaging 23.7 points and 6.3 assists per game.

On an related note, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Russell appeared to be nursing his left hand and grimacing toward the end of the game. There have been no formal announcements about any new injuries, at this stage.

The post D’Angelo Russell Returns From Thumb Sprain appeared first on SLAM.

Carmelo Anthony (20 points), Hassan Whiteside (22), Dame Lillard (24) and CJ McCollum (33) led the way as the Trail Blazers shot a blistering 56 percent from the field and 50 percent from deep.

Portland improved to 4-3 since signing Anthony.

Warriors 91 (4-19), Hornets 106 (9-14)

Terry Rozier got the Hornets rolling early with 12 points in the first quarter and Devonte Graham finished the visitors off with 10 made 3’s en route to a 33-point night. Graham’s 10 3’s tied a franchise-record.

D’Angelo Russell scored 18 points in 25 minutes of action — his first game since Nov. 15 — but it wasn’t enough for the struggling Warriors.

Bucks 127 (19-3), Pistons 103 (8-14)

Giannis Antetokounmpo only needed 28 minutes to put up 35 points (4-for-8 from 3), nine rebounds and two blocks as the Bucks won their 13th straight contest.

Andre Drummond had the highlight of the night, dunking over Antetokounmpo and Robin Lopez. He finished the night with 23 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks.

Suns 114 (9-11), Magic 128 (10-11)

Aaron Gordon shot 5-for-5 from deep and 13-for-15 overall as he clocked out with 32 points, five assists and five rebounds. Evan Fournier added another 21 to help lead the Magic.

Frank Kaminsky scored 21 points in the first half for Phoenix, but he cooled off after the intermission, finishing with just 23.

Lakers 121 (19-3), Jazz (12-10)

There were complaints about the Lakers’ strength of schedule (or lack thereof) to open this season, but back-to-back wins over Denver and Utah have put doubts of Los Angeles’ legitimacy to bed.

Anthony Davis scored 26 on only 11 shots and LeBron turned in 20 points and 12 dimes in just 29 minutes. Rajon Rondo moved up to 17th all-time on the NBA’s assists leaderboard.

Nets 130 (11-10), Hawks 118 (5-17)

Taurean Prince shined against his former team, scoring 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting.

The Nets trailed be four to the end first quarter, but a second quarter surge made the difference in what was an otherwise close game the rest of the way.

Trae Young scored a game-high 39 points and dished out 10 dimes.

Heat 93 (15-6), Celtics (15-5)

Jimmy Butler followed up his triple-double from the previous night with a game-high 37; however, a combined 59-point outing from Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown was too much for his team to overcome.

Grizzlies 99 (6-15), Bulls 106 (8-14)

Zach LaVine continued to shine, scoring a team-high 25 points. All four other Chicago starters (Satoransky: 13 points, Kris Dunn: 10, Wendell Carter Jr.: 16, Lauri Markkanen: 15) scored double-digit points.

The Grizzlies struggled to get its backcourt going as Ja Morant missed his third game due to injury.

Pacers 107 (14-7), Thunder 100 (8-12)

Seven Pacers scored double-digit points as TJ Warren’s 24 led the way.

Steven Adams had 20 on 8-for-8 shooting to lead OKC.

Timberwolves 114 (10-10), Mavericks 121 (15-6)

Dallas’ bench got hot in the fourth quarter — Jalen Brunson was a team-best + 21 with 16 points — as the Mavs closed out the final period with 41 points.

Luka Doncic turned in 22 points, six assists and seven boards to keep the Mavs hot. Dwight Powell added 24 on 9-for-9 shooting. Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points, nine boards and seven assists for Minnesota.

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Looney has missed a total of 16 games so far with a lingering right hamstring issue caused by a neuropathic condition. According to Ryan Gorcey of the San Francisco Examiner, it has presented in the form of aches and soreness over the course of the past two seasons.

The narrative leading up to the season opener was that Looney was struggling with a tweaked hamstring and now it seems evident that this underlying neuropathic condition was at the root of the pain.

Looney did play in 80 regular season games for the Warriors in 2018-19 but struggled with injuries during the team’s run to the 2019 NBA Finals.

The return of Looney will be a welcome one for the beleaguered franchise as he represents one of few familiar faces from last year’s squad. Dubs fans have watched Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and even D’Angelo Russell all miss time with their own setbacks.

Looney averaged 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season and could be in line for a larger role as the 3-14 Warriors look to navigate what’s already become a difficult campaign.

The post Kevon Looney Nears Return From Neuropathic Setback appeared first on SLAM.

The 23-year-old has injured the right thumb just weeks after returning to the court following an ankle sprain. In the ten games that he has played so far this season, Russell has averaged 24.3 points and 6.7 assists per game.

Russell injured the thumb during their Friday night game against the Boston Celtics and an MRI revealed the sprain. Russell won’t travel with the team on their upcoming road trip.

The post D’Angelo Russell Out At Least Two Weeks With Thumb Injury appeared first on SLAM.

LeBron James scored 20 points in the first half — his most in any half this season — to get the Lakers rolling quick in their blowout win at the STAPLES Center. James only logged 26 minutes in the victory, finishing with 23 points and 12 dimes. The Lakers’ 9-2 start is their best since 2010.

D’Angelo Russell’s hot play continued as he scored a team-high 21 points for the Warriors.

Wizards 133 (2-7), Celtics 140 (9-1)

Isaiah Thomas (18 points) received a warm welcome back to Boston, but his squad was unable to overcome three Celtics (Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown) each scoring at least 22 points.

Bradley Beal led all scorers with 44 points.

Clippers (7-4), Rockets (8-3)

James Harden scored a team-high 47, 17 of which came in the fourth quarter, as the Rockets held off a late Clippers surge to earn the W on national TV.

Kawhi Leonard had 26 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists to lead Los Angeles.

Grizzlies 119 (4-7), Hornets 117 (4-7)

That Ja Morant kid is special. Seconds after Devonte Graham hit a game-tying 3-pointer for Charlotte, Morant called his own number to finish the game as he made his first-ever game-winner in the NBA.

Morant finished with 23 points (10-for-15 shooting) and 11 assists.

Terry Rozier tied a career-high with 33 points for the Hornets.

76ers 97 (7-4), Magic 112 (4-7)

Aaron Gordon stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and as the Magic outscored the Sixers 32-15 in the final period to secure the win.

Markelle Fultz chipped in 8 points, three rebounds and four assists in 21 minutes of work against his former club.

Spurs 114 (5-6), Timberwolves 129 (7-4)

Andrew Wiggins notched his fourth 30-point game of the past seven days to lead the Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns added 28 points and 11 rebounds.

Raptors 114 (8-3), Trail Blazers 106 (4-8)

Pascal Siakam added another impressive game to his resume, scoring 36 points as he led the Raptors to the win. Fed VanVleet also had 30 on 10-for-16 shooting.

The post Post Up: Ja Morant Takes on Entire City of Charlotte, Hits Game-Winner appeared first on SLAM.

Blake Griffin’s return to the court was spoiled as the Pistons fell at home. The All-Star forward put up 19 points in 23 minutes. Andrew Wiggins continued a string of strong performances with a game-high 33 points in the win.

Mavericks 106 (6-4), Celtics 116 (8-1)

Kemba Walker and Luka Doncic went toe-to-toe, but it was Walker’s Celtics who walked away with the win. Kemba finished with 29 points and hit eight 3’s to lead Boston. Doncic poured in 34 points for Dallas.

Grizzlies 113 (3-7), Spurs 109 (5-5)

Jaren Jackson Jr. (24 points) and Dillon Brooks (21 points) stole the win in San Antonio.

After the game, the Spurs celebrated Tony Parker’s jersey retirement.

Rockets 122 (7-3), Pelicans 116 (2-8)

James Harden and Russell Westbrook combined for a blistering 65 points as Houston edged out New Orleans. JJ Redick connected on seven 3’s and contributed 24 points in the loss.

Jazz 122 (7-3), Warriors 108 (2-9)

The short-handed Warriors couldn’t keep up with the Jazz in this one. Utah enjoyed 20+ points from Rudy Gobert (25), Donovan Mitchell (23) and Mike Conley (22). D’Angelo Russell was hot all night, ending with 33 points to lead Golden State.

Raptors 88 (7-3), Clippers 98 (7-3)

A tight game down the stretch ended up in the Clippers’ favor. Los Angeles scored 25 points in the fourth quarter, compared to just 10 points for Toronto in the final frame. Kawhi Leonard almost notched a triple-double, registering 12 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.

The post Post Up: Kemba Hits Eight 3’s as Celtics Win Eighth Straight appeared first on SLAM.

Russell has spent the past three games on the sidelines for the Warriors while recovering from a sprained ankle and has yet to truly take the reins of the franchise as an offensive focal point.

Assuming injured forward Draymond Green remains shelved for the foreseeable future with a torn ligament in his thumb, Russell would get the opportunity carry much of the offensive load for the Warriors.

In the five games that he has played for the Warriors this season, Russell has averaged 19.0 points and 6.4 assists per game.

The post D’Angelo Russell Makes Progress From Sprained Ankle appeared first on SLAM.

Update #1, Nov. 6: Draymond Green didn’t travel with the Warriors on their road trip, Anthony Slater of The Athletic reports. He’ll miss the next three games at least.

A torn ligament will sideline Draymond Green for the next few games, Anthony Slater of The Athletic reports. The injured left index finger, however, doesn’t figure to be a long-term issue.

Green’s injury is the latest in a rush of setbacks for Golden State and it comes at a time when the once-consistently dominant Warriors are fielding their most inexperienced roster in years.

Prior to his own absence, Green was in position to shoulder more of the offensive load than he ever has for the Warriors. He, alongside D’Angelo Russell, had their work cut out for them salvaging a season that went south quickly when 2019-20 began.

The Warriors are 1-4 so far this season and will be eager to get Green back in the lineup as they attempt to adjust to life without Stephen Curry.

The post Torn Ligament To Sideline Draymond Green appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Derrick Rose, who made his NBA debut 11 years ago today, hit the go-ahead bucket late to put the Pistons up for good. Andre Drummond impressed with 18 points and 18 rebounds.

Bulls 98 (1-3), Knicks 105 (1-3)

Bobby Portis showed out for the Knicks, leading the team with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and several clutch threes down the stretch. Chicago led for the entire game until New York rallied late in the fourth quarter.

76ers 105 (3-0), Hawks 103 (2-1)

Joel Embiid put in a monster effort of 36 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three steals to propel Philadelphia to the win. Trae Young put up 25 points and dished out nine assists for the Hawks.

Magic 95 (1-2), Raptors 104 (3-1)

Toronto went old school with their dinosaur-themed jerseys and court, and they didn’t disappoint. The duo of Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam combined for 50 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists.

Jonathan Isaac scored 24 points in the loss.

Cavaliers 112 (1-2), Bucks 129 (2-1)

It was an all-around effort for Milwaukee in the win as seven players hit double-digit scoring. Khris Middleton led the team with 21 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo almost notched a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Thunder 112 (1-3), Rockets 116 (2-1)

Russell Westbrook came out victorious over his old squad on Monday. The former MVP did it all, posting a line of 21 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. James Harden poured in 40 points for Houston.

Warriors 134 (1-2), Pelicans 123 (0-4)

Golden State finally earned its first win of the season after a rocky start. Stephen Curry and D’Angelo Russell combined for 50 points and 19 assists.

Brandon Ingram notched 27 points for the Pelicans.

Blazers 110 (2-2), Spurs 113 (3-0)

Damian Lillard scored 18 straight points for the Blazers and had a chance to tie it at the end, but his 3-pointer rimmed out as time expired. DeMar DeRozan paced the Spurs with 27 points and seven rebounds.

Jazz 96 (3-1), Suns 95 (2-2)

Donovan Mitchell won the game for Utah with a last-second free throw after drawing a foul with the game tied 95-95. Mitchell finished with 25 points, while Bojan Bogdanovic dropped 27 points for the Jazz.

Nuggets 101 (3-0), Kings 94 (0-4)

Jamal Murray (18 points) and Gary Harris (17 points) led the way for Denver in the road win. Richaun Holmes came up huge for the Kings with 24 points and 13 boards.

Hornets 96 (1-3), Clippers 111 (3-1)

L.A. outscored Charlotte in each of the game’s four quarters as they cruised to a win. Kawhi Leonard gave the Clippers a scoring edge with 30 points; teammate Lou Williams added 23 points off the bench.

The post Post Up: Derrick Rose Comes Up Clutch; Joel Embiid Goes Off appeared first on SLAM.

“The best player in the NBA, OK,” Lacob emphasized prior to Golden’s season-opening 141-122 blowout loss Thursday night to the LA Clippers.

Lacob concedes, however, that the Dubs are now a team “a little in transition.”

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“I think we have a team obviously a little in transition,” Lacob told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Greg Papa on “SportsNet Central: Warriors Edition” before the game. “Klay’s not healthy yet, but we’ve got a lot of talent on this team. It’s younger, it’s gonna take a little bit to coach these guys and get them up to speed, but we’ve got a lot of talent.

“The last I looked, Steph Curry has been the best player in the NBA over the last five years. The best player in the NBA, OK.”

Over the last five seasons, Curry has won three championships, been All-NBA and an All-Star every year and twice named MVP.

“D’Angelo Russell was an All-Star. Draymond Green is a tremendous — he was an All-Star also. So, we got three great players,” Lacob said. “Klay Thompson’s coming back, there’s some good rookies, we added a few people. … I think we’re gonna be pretty good. We’re gonna have to see how it goes.”

Related Stephen Curry Responds to Michael Jordan: ‘I Think I’m Good’ for the Hall of Fame

The post Warriors Owner: Stephen Curry the NBA’s Best Player ‘Over the Last Five Years’ appeared first on SLAM.

—

Gym Rat Award: Cole Anthony

Cole lived in the gym. He would put in 60-90 minutes on the court pretty much every day. Even when he was off, he would come by and observe guys like CJ McCollum and Donovan Mitchell work out. He really is a student of the game. He’s hungry.

Locked-In Award: D’Angelo Russell

During free agency, when D’Angelo didn’t know where he would be playing this season, we had some of our most intense workouts. I’m talking, some of the most intense workouts I’ve ever conducted. Some nights we would be on the court working from midnight to 2 a.m.

18 Minutes Champion: James Harden

One of my favorite workouts is an 18-minute shooting drill. It consists of 18 straight minutes of 3s. For nine of those minutes, the player is on the move; and for the other nine, they stand still. James Harden had the summer record with 265 makes. CJ McCollum finished second with 261. Those numbers are ridiculous!

Biggest Surprise: Ty Jerome

When Ty played in the Black Ops runs, he controlled the game. He was hitting threes from almost half court and also making his teammates better. One day, he won every single game (nine straight). Ty is going to have a big rookie year. 

Biggest Surprise, Non-NBA Player: J. Cole

J. Cole played in a handful of Black Ops runs, but one of the days was particularly memorable. Sharing the court with nine NBA guys, he hit 3 game-winners and shot 7-8 from deep.

Most Focused: Donovan Mitchell

Heading into Team USA tryouts, Donovan would come in the gym every morning with a chip on his shoulder. He logged double sessions a lot of days, too. He was extremely focused and pushed himself to be as ready as possible for USA. His work was rewarded by his great play in the World Cup.

What People Don’t Know: James Harden’s Work Ethic

James would work out daily and he’d run suicides on his own afterward. One day, following a tiring session with two other NBA players, James still got on the line and knocked out his suicides. Averaging 36.9 points per game doesn’t just happen. Tremendous work ethic is required.

The Mentor: Carmelo Anthony

Melo worked very, very hard this summer himself, but he also helped others get better. He did individual sessions and played one-on-one with Cole Anthony, Kyle Kuzma, Julius Randle, Donovan Mitchell and Terrence Clarke. He shared his knowledge and taught them how to do specific moves. Melo showed his maturity and his leadership qualities. He didn’t have to do those sessions. He did it because he wanted to pass on his wisdom to the next generation.

Best Duo: Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young

Imagine these two in the same backcourt. It’s a coach’s dream. It started in Louisville, when Mitchell and Trae worked out together and played pick-up against the Cardinals’ men’s basketball team. Then when we started the Black Ops games, they ran together and it was a scary site. They have great chemistry. 

Walking Bucket Award: TJ Warren

TJ played in a few Black Ops games and was unstoppable. He can score in a number of ways and he’s highly underrated on a national scale. 

NC Crew: Dennis Smith Jr, TJ Warren & J. Cole

The North Carolina crew is very close. Not only would they play on the same team during Black Ops runs, they would also work out together at night.

Most Viral Picture: Cole Anthony Putback Dunk

Wow Moment: Adrian Griffin Jr & Terrence Clarke

Adrian Griffin Jr was the youngest player to ever play in a Black Ops run. He was 15 years old and he was on fire. His first outing, he scored over 20 points and played like a grown man. Everyone left the gym impressed. Terrence Clarke also put on a show. His handle reminds me of Jamal Crawford and he’s very skilled. Kentucky got a great one.

Most Competitive Workout: Russell Westbrook & James Harden

James and Russell worked out together and I said, ‘First to win 10 drills wins the workout.’ It literally came down to the last shot. It was 9-9 and the last drill was 50 threes on the move. James got 35. Russ was at 34-49 and the last shot would have tied James to send the workout into overtime, but he missed it.

Any time Russ is on the court, he brings a whole different level of intensity. I love it.

High-Flyer Award: Kelly Oubre

Oubre really had 16 dunks in a single Black Ops run. And he had a beanie on when he did it, too. The internet ran with it. #BeanieKelly

—

Follow Chris Brickley on Instagram.

The post Black Ops Basketball: 2019 Summer Recap and Awards appeared first on SLAM.

New NBA and NCAA seasons are here, and we’ve got you covered with our preview issue. SLAM 224 features big stories on the League’s coolest family (D’Angelo Russell, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns), the Pelicans exciting core (Zion Williamson, Jrue Holiday, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram), a young sharpshooter in Atlanta (Kevin Huerter) and a blossoming forward in Boston (Jaylen Brown). The mag also spotlights Oregon’s superstar Sabrina Ionescu, Duke’s freshman Wendell Moore and has early rankings of all the top squads in men’s and women’s college hoops. Pull-out poster is of Jimma Gatwech at the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 2 and Giannis at the FIBA World Cup.

Head to our online store to cop, peep the cover stories at the links below and stay posted for more dope content over the next few weeks!

Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, D’Angelo Russell: The NBA’s Goodfellas

WELCOME TO THE PARTY: The New Orleans Pelicans Are In the Building

The post SLAM 224 Is On Sale Now 🚨 appeared first on SLAM.

While shooting the cover for SLAM 224, Book, D-Lo and KAT sat down to play SLAM UP, and it was everything!

Watch the full flick above to find out who won.

RELATED: Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, D’Angelo Russell: THE NBA’s GOODFELLAS

The post SLAM UP: KAT, Book and D-Lo Go HEAT-TO-HEAD appeared first on SLAM.

Trae Young could do no wrong. The sophomore guard led his team to the win with 38 points (6-10 from deep), nine assists and seven rebounds.

Vince Carter also became the first player in NBA history to play 22 seasons in the league.

Bucks 117 (1-0), Rockets 111 (0-1)

In a game that featured three NBA MVPs, it was Giannis Antetokounmpo that came out on top. Giannis dropped a triple-double of 30 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

New teammates Russell Westbrook and James Harden combined for 43 points.

Clippers 141 (2-0), Warriors 122 (0-1)

Golden State fell in their opener at the new Chase Center as Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers proved to be too much to handle. Leonard finished with 21 points in 21 minutes, adding nine assists and five rebounds.

D’Angelo Russell ended his Warriors debut with 20 points.

The post Post Up: Giannis’ Triple-Double Spoils Rockets Home Opener appeared first on SLAM.

Curry says he has built a lot of trust with new backcourt teammate D’Angelo Russell.

D-Lo is especially focused on improving his defensive play with Golden State.

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“I’m optimistic that we will get off to a hot start,” Curry said. “If we do run into some road bumps throughout the season, we will build a level of communication that we can adjust as we go.”

Russell’s ability to turn defense into offense is one of his more valuable traits, and something that may be an essential component of the Warriors’ attack.

“I just made shots,” Russell said. “There’s a lot of things on the defensive end that I want to get better at, just figuring out the coverages that we’re playing and getting accustomed to those things. It’s easy to make shots in this league. It’s more about doing other things.”

Even with such an encouraging performance, Russell still sees the holes. The areas that need to improve before he can approach All-Star status for the second consecutive season.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, to be honest,” he said. “We’re still figuring each other out. In preseason you make it what it is, for a lot of teams. A lot of teams are set and they know what they’re going to do. For us, we need that time to build in the good things and work on the things we didn’t do so well.”

Related Stephen Curry: ‘I’m Still Young at Heart on the Court’

The post Stephen Curry: ‘I’m Optimistic That We Will Get Off to a Hot Start’ appeared first on SLAM.

Chriss caught on with the Warriors after a season split between Houston and Cleveland and has established himself as an adequate rotation big at a time when the injury-depleted Dubs desperately need one.

Chriss has started for the club in the preseason and proven himself adept at setting screens and complementing the rest of the Warriors roster.

The decision to release McKinnie mustn’t have been easy for the franchise. As Charania writes, the 27-year-old will hit waivers as one of the more intriguing options available to teams needing wing depth. McKinnie saw just under 10 minutes per game for the Warriors in the NBA Finals, after all.

While the Dubs had to cut McKinnie in order to accommodate Chriss, it wasn’t because of the number of personnel on the roster. The Warriors only expect to carry 14 players into the regular season due to the hard-cap they face as a result of their sign-and-trade deal for D’Angelo Russell.

Chriss’ training camp deal won’t count toward the Warriors’ salary cap until the regular season begins, so that’s why the franchise needed to part ways with Alfonzo McKinnie prior to opening day. McKinnie’s deal was non-guaranteed.

The post Warriors To Release Alfonzo McKinnie, Make Room For Marquese Chriss appeared first on SLAM.

“For us, at this point, it’s bigger than basketball,” Devin Booker says, with D’Angelo Russell sitting to his right and Karl-Anthony Towns sitting to his left. “We know each other’s families. This is way bigger than the game.”

Three of the NBA’s youngest, brightest stars are friends for real. Not the hi-bye type of stuff. The “What-are-you-doing-after-this-photoshoot?” type of energy, like Booker asked Towns after they spent an entire afternoon together at a studio in midtown Manhattan. The all-day, all-night texting kind of friendship. The laugh at and fight about memories flow. The know-each-other-so-well-that-they-can-make-each-other-get-emotional level of camaraderie.

Booker, Towns and Russell are the League’s newest, coolest family. And they know it.

“We gotta do this again, when we’re all on the same team,” Russell jokes toward the end of the day. “Nah, don’t cut it,” he says to our rolling cameras. “Y’all got it on footage. When we’re all on the same team—I ain’t gonna tell you which team because I don’t know—we’re gonna do this again.”

This isn’t the first time that SLAM has linked up with these three. We shot Towns right after he won the 2016 Rookie of the Year, out in L.A., for a pair of covers. One of those featured him in a Kevin Garnett jersey. A trip to Phoenix followed in 2017, with a clean cover that chronicled Booker. And then Russell’s cover, an instant classic, in March of this year. DLoading, with BKLYN across his chest, a snarl and a crown, paying homage to The Notorious B.I.G.

This trio, they’re all connected to each other, ever since back in the day. They’re on a journey together, even when they’re not together. Because they’re always together. They’re basketball’s modern goodfellas.

“You know, we always called each other goodfellas,” the famous line from the movie goes. “Like, you said to somebody, ‘You’re gonna like this guy. He’s alright. He’s a good fella. He’s one of us.’ You understand? We were goodfellas.”

—

We’re in the middle of Koreatown, in the beginning of September, on the fourth floor of a building that’s sandwiched between karaoke bars, delis and tourist shops. Thousands of people frantically shuffle around the blocks just outside, not knowing that three NBA players are up here getting fits off. (What’s good, @leaguefits???)

Things are pretty relaxed, even with the three all-world hoopers up here. Russell and Booker get shape-ups in the corner. Towns has taken control of the music. He’s decided to run through a bunch of Mac Miller songs. He dribbles around a little bit, until Jess Holtz, who’s worked with all three since they were drafted in 2015, tries to guard up. Towns catches her with a nasty behind-the-back combo and she reaches for it.

Loss of body control.

Laughter fills the space, with Towns running to show Booker the clip of it. It’s a moment that happens with kids all across the country—something hilarious or embarrassing goes down and they jet over to their friends to laugh about it until it hurts. It’s just that the kid who did this particular move has an NBA ROY trophy to his name and the kid who’s being shown this particular video scored 70 points against the Celtics as a 20-year-old.

Towns (23 years old), Booker (22, though he’ll turn 23 on Oct. 30) and Russell (23) are stacking the accomplishments in the League.

The Timberwolves big man has that ROY, two All-Star appearances, an All-NBA nod in 2018 and is coming off a season in which he averaged 26 points and 13 boards.

Booker hit that 70 a few years ago, made the All-Rookie First Team in 2016, has upped his scoring and assists numbers every season and has transitioned to becoming a hybrid point guard/shooting guard combo, fully capable of dropping 30 points whenever he wants or dishing out 10 dimes at will.

Russell’s made it through a few storms in his career to become an All-Star. He led the Brooklyn Nets to the playoffs last season, singlehandedly reviving the franchise as a highly skilled and efficient point guard who was never afraid in the clutch.

They recognize and acknowledge that their time in the League has been different and that is what has made it special.

“It’s cool how we all went our separate ways and had that ambition to make it to the top,” Russell says.

These are relationships that have been formed over years of life on the road, when nobody else would be able to truly understand what they were going through. The only people they could relate to were each other.

“I remember this dude, Devin,” Russell says. “We were at Elite camp. Everybody’s coming from all different types of places and everybody has their own gear. I remember I had some knee pads. And they were his colors back home. So my dude, he was like, I need those, I need those. And they were all rugged. They were worn out. And he was like, I need those. He done cut it and flipped it up and they looked ready to go. That’s my first memory.”

“I’ve been watching D’Angelo play since, like, sixth or seventh grade,” Booker remembers. “Before we knew each other, I was watching him play. I was on a low-level team. We’d play in one of the sorry brackets and I’d be sitting on the side of the court, watching the top players play.”

That’s been Booker’s story. He didn’t get minutes as a rookie with the Suns until late in the season. He only averaged 10 points per game while at Kentucky. And it took him a minute to work his way up into the national spotlight as a prospect. But he eventually did it.

“I met Book for the first time at NBPA 100 Camp in Virginia,” Towns says. “I remember just seeing a really, really pale white kid. Turned out he wasn’t white but that’s what I thought. They said he could shoot the ball better than anybody. I came late to the camp and I talked to him about Kentucky. I had heard his name before, too. I knew he was interested in Kentucky. Just feeling his vibe out that day. Obviously in college is where we really blossomed a special relationship.”

“My first memory of Karl, I was at NBPA Top 100 Camp and we always heard about him,” Booker confirms. “I had never seen him play. I still didn’t see him play there. He showed up to the camp, he took all the gear, he went home. He didn’t play not one game.”

They go on to argue about what really happened. Towns calmly says he showed up for the last day and played in two games. Booker promises, with tons of laughter, that’s not the truth.

No matter what actually happened that day, both Booker and Russell are adamant in saying that Towns has been dominating since they met him. They talk about his skill level and his poise and they predict that one day he’ll be the president of the NBPA. They’re right, too. Towns, older than both Booker and Russell, is extremely articulate, whether he’s talking hoops, sneakers or his brotherhood. And he has plans for the future. He wants to leave a legacy on and off the court, “to change the game as a big man.”

“He knows what to say and at the same time when he gets on the court, it’s domination,” Booker says. “It’s kinda hard to have both of those in players. And he has that.”

“I’m like, This dude’s the No. 1 pick in the draft,” Russell says about Towns. “Not when I first met him but when I first worked out with him. Like, this dude’s the No. 1 pick in the draft.”

Russell’s intuition would go on to be correct. Towns went first in 2015 and Russell was right behind him, getting selected with the second pick by the Lakers.

“I met D-Russ for the first time, we were playing against each other in New Jersey,” Towns says. “It was Montverde vs St. Joe’s. Here comes this number-one-wearing guy, lefty, that they talked a lot about.”

Montverde won the matchup. “We kicked your ass,” Russell says under his breath.

“Me and him, the relationship hit off earlier in high school because we were the young kids getting invited to older camps,” Booker says of Russell. “We’d have roommates and we’d ask our roommates could they switch so we could be in the room together. I remember us sitting and talking about what college we wanted to go to, things like that.”

“I would say we talk about basketball, maybe, about 25 percent of our conversations,” Towns says. “And it’s not really, like, basketball-deep. It’s just generic things around the basketball world.”

The rest of that time, including living together during the draft process, is dedicated to stuff that Towns doesn’t want to share.

“I got a lot of stories but I can’t say,” he grins. “Just know the Banana Boat V2 has been doing very well since day one.”

There’s a moment when they’re taking photos together that Booker, without being asked to, grabs onto Towns and Russell. He brings them in close and smiles real, real big. They smile, too. Genuine, I-actually-mess-with-you-guys, smiles.

They’ve been raising each other up throughout our time at the studio, complimenting each other’s fits, offering advice, asking for a certain song to be played, talking about something, giggling about nothing.

“This is crazy,” Russell says. “They my dogs right there. They my dogs.”

Towns, speaking poetically about Russell, almost made the lefty cry. It was time for reflection, time to think about the past, present and the future, everything that has already been done and everything that is still to come.

Minnesota’s big man can see them all being champions in 10 years.

“We all got the drive,” Towns says. “All we know is how to win.”

“Right now, especially the stars, they know who the next generation is and it’s our job in the next 10 years to make that come to fruition,” Booker continues. “I think we’re all on the same page with that. We’re gonna have to win.”

And in speaking about the past, that’s when three of the League’s tuffest killas have the most to share.

“We’re on covers,” Russell beams. “Can we go back to that? Like, we really did this, man. A lot of people take this for granted.”

“We all had different paths in the League, too,” Booker says. “For me not playing at first, to D’Angelo being with the Lakers, in and out of the lineup. Karl, dominating from day one. It’s just all different paths. We’ve all been through a lot but to finally be here, all in one room with our own covers and now all on one cover together, this is gonna be all over my house.”

Booker and Towns stand up and start to get ready for a few more photos that are set to follow. But Russell stays seated.

“Ayyy, I love y’all, man,” he says to Towns and Booker. “We did this. I’m about to cry over here. I’m emotional, man. This isn’t normal. I’m gonna let this marinate for a second, this little aura we created. I’m gonna sit in this little bubble for a little longer.”

Together, no matter what, no matter where.

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 224 FEATURING DLO, BOOK AND KAT HERE

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

Styling by Browne Andrews.

Art by Tyrrell Winston.

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Curry will have to carry a much heavier load for Golden State this season, and Kerr believes “he’s ready to have a great year.”

The 31-year-old, two-time MVP says there’s no need to change his leadership style for a reconstructed Dubs squad.

Per ESPN:

“Just the usual,” Kerr said after Sunday’s practice. “I’m not looking for anything different than what he’s done for five years, but what he’s done is pretty special: two MVP’s and a perennial top-five player. He’s had an incredible camp. To me, he’s at his peak physically, mentally. He’s seen every defense that people have thrown at him now during his career, and he’s ready to have a great year.”

Kerr believes Curry, who averaged 27.3 points a game last season while leading the Warriors to their fifth consecutive Finals appearance, has all aspects of his game coming together at the right time.

“Because it’s the perfect time physically and mentally where everything’s come together,” Kerr said, explaining why he feels Curry is in his prime. “He’s in his prime age-wise, strength and conditioning-wise and defensively he’s seen everything that’s come his way. Teams have played him every possible way that you could think of, and he’s had years now to work on counters. So he’s kind of in his sweet spot right now, and he has been the last couple years. And hopefully that continues for the next few years. But he’s an amazing player.”

Before training camp began, Curry said he understood that it would be key for him to bring the younger players along this year.

“I don’t have to change who I am as a leader,” Curry told ESPN. “I think it’s more so just about awareness and understanding what this team needs specifically in the details to help us be successful. Incorporating D’Angelo [Russell], who is going to be great for us. Building that chemistry between myself and him in that backcourt and some of our young guys who are going to need to contribute at a very high level for us to be successful and just helping them along however I can. But I’ve always been a leader by example. Be vocal when necessary and that’s just who I am, that’s how I continue to lead, but it’s all about just having an awareness of how this team is different than teams of past and embracing that.”

Related ‘He’s in Mid-Season Form’: Stephen Curry Drops 40 Points on T-Wolves

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As Wes Goldberg of The Mercury News lays out, the Warriors are hard-capped due to the sign-and-trade deal through which they acquired D’Angelo Russell. That means if they’d like to retain Chriss through to the regular season, thus activating his salary cap hit, they’d need to recoup that money elsewhere.

Chriss is currently on a training camp deal, which allows NBA teams to sign players through the offseason and training camp without committing to them into the regular season. The cap hit doesn’t take effect until the regular season actually begins.

Many of these players are waived prior to opening day when rosters shrink from 20 players down to 15 players (plus two two-way players) but Chriss is one of a select group who made enough of an impact on their team to make a case for a larger, more permanent role.

Chriss has started for the Warriors in the preseason and averaged 8.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game through two contests.

In order to accommodate him on their regular season roster, the Dubs could use several methods.

As Goldberg outlines, the Warriors could waive Alfonzo McKinnie, whose non-guaranteed deal resembles $1.6 million worth of cap relief. They could re-allocate that money to Chriss and lock in the healthy body they require to fill in for the injured Willie Cauley-Stein and Kevon Looney.

McKinnie, however, is a valuable asset in his own right, an experienced wing that’s already pegged to help make up for the loss of Klay Thompson, another Dubs rotation player out with a significant injury.

Another option for the Warriors would be to offload salary in a trade, dangling a second-round draft asset as bait if necessary, but that process comes with its own complications. A number of Dubs players can’t be traded until December due to the fact that they just signed new contracts over the summer.

Goldberg suggest another option, which would involve the Warriors freeing up one of their two-way slots, signing Chriss into one of those positions then riding out his 45 days of permitted big league experience past the December 15th date at which they can trade their recent free agent additions. Doing so would open the possibility of moving a player like Glenn Robinson III or Alec Burks.

Such is life for a team with the fortune of being both hard-capped and ravaged by injury.

Regardless of how the Warriors decide to fill their temporary hole at the five, the 8th-overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft has shown that he’s a capable, healthy young player.

The post Marquese Chriss Makes Case For Sticking With Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

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

Golden State Warriors

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

More NBA Training Camp Rosters

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We’ve broken down the overall ratings for each player and sorted them by team so that you can see how your squad stacks up against the rest of the league.

Golden State Warriors NBA 2K20 Ratings

This table is updated as of Nov. 22, 2019

Can’t get enough 2K? SLAM’s dedicated gaming channel, @SLAMftw, is blowing up. Hit us with your best uploads and watch our streams!

More NBA 2K20 Ratings

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Having lost Kevin Durant to free agency, and fellow All-Star Klay Thompson not expected back anytime soon as he recovers from a torn ACL, Curry says the Warriors won’t change their approach.

The Dubs, who’ve reached the Finals in each of the last five years, have eight new players on their roster.

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“I just laugh at it,” Curry said during his second annual Warriors All-Girls basketball camp in Oakland on Monday afternoon. “Anybody can say anything about anything nowadays and it can pick up steam. So we’ve had lots of support. We’ve had a lot of criticism on the way that doesn’t change now. Just what they’re saying is different so doesn’t change how we go about our business.”

In recent weeks, Curry and the [All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell] have been working out around the Bay Area with Curry’s trainer Brandon Payne, a practice the two-time MVP believes will help during the season.

“It’s just a matter of really trying to get guys comfortable with the system, be able to highlight the different skill sets that we have and different strengths and the chemistry,” Curry said.

“It will take a little bit of time and a lot of hard work, but like I said, we have a lot of high IQ guys from our core and a lot of leadership and commitment to what we do, so starting in the training camp and beyond, you have to have a mindset that you will continue to get better as the season goes on.”

Related ‘I’m Excited’: Stephen Curry Ready to Lead New-Look Warriors

The post Stephen Curry Unfazed By Doubts of Warriors’ Title Chances appeared first on SLAM.

Russell, 23, adds that the Warriors will be very exciting to watch next season.

The All-Star guard is looking forward to “an opportunity to be a sponge” playing for the Dubs.

Per HoopsHype:

A backcourt of you, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson (once healthy) is pretty insane to think about – three All-Stars who can drop 40 any given night. How excited are you to play with those guys?

DR: “I think it’s like a video game. You got three guys who can shoot the three at a high clip. I think that’s really exciting for the fans. Threes are obviously worth more than twos at the end of the day, so I think it gives us an opportunity to win. I’m so excited, and I think we’re going to bring a lot of excitement [to the fans].”

Steph Curry is a two-time MVP and one of the best point guards in NBA history. How much can you learn from him and are you looking forward to picking his brain?

DR: “I think this situation gives me an opportunity to be a sponge. I can learn a lot from everyone: a Hall of Fame coach – one of the winningest coaches ever – and from three different players who are Hall of Famers. It’s cool, man. This is a Hall of Fame organization that I get to a part of.”

Are you expecting to play off-ball more since you’ll be sharing the backcourt with Steph at times?

DR: “The league has changed in so many ways. There are no point guards anymore, there are no centers anymore; it’s all positionless basketball. I think [we have] a lot of players out there who will just allow [me] to be a basketball player – not having to focus on running the team or being the defensive [anchor] or whatever. There are so many great talents out there that will just allow me to be a basketball player. It’s a situation where I can go in and not worry about being on-the-ball or off-ball or coming off the bench or whatever. I am just being a basketball player. If I have the ball in my hands, I’ll make a play. If don’t, I’ll try to get in position to make a play. I think that’s what it comes down to.”

Related Steve Kerr: Warriors ‘Desperately’ Need D’Angelo Russell

The post D’Angelo Russell: Playing for the Warriors ‘Like a Video Game’ appeared first on SLAM.

Thompson, 29, tore his left ACL in Game 6 of the NBA Finals and says the Warriors remain a force to be reckoned with.

Klay adds that new teammate D’Angelo Russell will be “huge” for Golden State in his absence.

Per The LA Times:

“I feel good,” Thompson said. “I’m going to come back 110%.”

Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed the procedure on Thompson at the Kerlan Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, and Thompson said he is on track to return to the court at some point next season.

“That’s my goal,” Thompson said. “I doubt I’ll be back before the All-Star break, but I want to be back this season.”

As Thompson goes down the list of teams in the West, he shakes his head at the number of contenders that are aiming to take the Warriors’ place in the Finals.

“The West is so stacked, not just with the Lakers and Clippers but the Jazz made great moves, the Nuggets are young and upcoming, the Blazers have an amazing backcourt, the Rockets have a two-headed monster in the backcourt with two MVPs still in their prime,” Thompson said. “So it’s going to be tough for us, but I assume I’m going to be on the court at some point and hopefully I’ll hit the ground running and we’ll be in playoff contention. That’s all we need is just a shot.”

Related Steve Kerr: Warriors ‘Desperately’ Need D’Angelo Russell

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Kerr is confident that Russell will “fit right in” with Golden State’s core, which lost out on Kevin Durant in free agency.

Kerr says he is excited to coach the 23-year-old NBA All-Star.

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“I’m excited to coach him, he’s a great young talent,” Kerr told reporters in Vegas. “I think he’s going to fit right in with our group and we’re gonna need him desperately, without Klay [Thompson] especially.”

Russell was a revelation for Brooklyn in 2018-19, posting career-highs in scoring, assists, and three-point percentage. Russell was named an All-Star and helped lead the Nets to the playoffs for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

“We need D’Angelo’s scoring, and it’s up to us as a staff to figure out how best to use him and shape the team, shape the offense and we’ll figure it out.”

Related Report: Kevin Durant ‘Balked’ at Being Traded for D’Angelo Russell

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Watch the latest episode of Yerrr or Nahhh above!

RELATED: D’Angelo Russell Plays SLAM YERRR or NAHHH

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Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers

Milwaukee made the Eastern Conference Finals last season and Philadelphia was a Kawhi Leonard miss and an overtime win away from meeting Giannis & Co. there. The two teams are expected to top contenders in the east and December 25 could be a preview of the 2020 edition of the conference finals.

Boston Celtics at Toronto Raptors

Fresh off a championship, the Raptors will play in their first Christmas Day game since 2001. Toronto no longer wields the same championship ceiling without Leonard, though the team should be competitive during the 2019-20 season. The matchup against Boston, led by new starting point guard Kemba Walker, should be a good one.

Los Angeles Clippers Vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George vs. Anthony Davis and LeBron James. The Clippers supporting cast, whose strength and depth lies in the backcourt, against the talented, deep Lakers’ frontcourt that includes highflying Kyle Kuzma and former 2-time All-NBA recipient DeMarcus Cousins. Did we mention these teams are also competing for fandom within the City of Los Angeles? (Sorry, Lakers fans, it is a two-team town).

New Orleans Pelicans at Denver Nuggets

Imagine if a year ago, someone had told you that the Pelicans would trade Anthony Davis away during the offseason and still land a Christmas Day game. Unbelievable right? New Orleans’ quick turnaround fueled by hyped No. 1 overall pick Zion Williams and the team’s new young core brought in by new general manager David Griffin (not to mention “MVP Candidate” Jrue Holiday) has landed them a premier slot against the Nuggets, a team that flashed its potential last season before falling in seven games to the Blazers in the WC semifinals.

Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors

This matchup was highly anticipated heading into the 2019 playoffs where the Warriors with KD were able to knock the Rockets out of the postseason. Much has changed since then. Durant headed east. Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston both left California and D’Angelo Russell found a new home in Golden State (for now). Houston was able to add Russell Westbrook, pairing him with James Harden to form arguably the most dangerous backcourt in the league. Get your popcorn (or Christmas cookies) ready, it’s going to be an entertaining day.

The post The NBA’s 2019 Christmas Day Schedule Is Here appeared first on SLAM.

Marks says he has “no idea” if KD will suit up next season after suffering a ruptured right Achilles tendon during the NBA Finals.

Marks added that pairing free agent acquisition Kyrie Irving and fellow NBA All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell was “certainly an option” but doubts it would have been a great fit.

Per WFAN:

“I’m not going to lie, there’s been a couple of times I’m definitely excited about — Kevin for sure, the whole group and really the challenge of getting all these guys together on the same page and watching how it unfolds,” Marks told WFAN’s Evan Roberts on Tuesday. “I think that’s the magic and that’s the real special piece where you see elite talent … want to play together and see who’s going to sacrifice what and who’s going to bring what to the table and just see how they all mesh.”

Marks insisted even he didn’t know that Durant had chosen the Nets until the 10-time All-Star announced it on his company’s Instagram page just minutes after free agency kicked off June 30.

“What we knew was we were either getting a teleconference call with Kevin that night or we were going to potentially get a meeting,” Marks said. “We’d seen some media reports earlier in the day that Kevin had crossed several teams off his list and we were still one of them (being considered). And those reports were there for everybody to read. And when Kevin posted it on The Boardroom Instagram site, that was news to all of us in the office.”

As for Irving, the Nets GM said he wasn’t scared off by rumors of locker-room discord between the star point guard and the Boston Celtics last season.

“I think you certainly have to try and figure out what happened, why did it happen, what can we learn from this?” Marks said. “But first and foremost — and probably the most important piece — is to sit down and give the young man his time and say, ‘Kyrie, hey look, how do we make this a success for you? What do you need from us? This is how we’re going to play. This is our system and so forth. This is how we think you could benefit from being in our system and so forth and within our culture, and this how you can help drive it. What do you think to that?'”

Related Report: Kevin Durant ‘Balked’ at Being Traded for D’Angelo Russell

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“I know it’s been written and speculated. That’s fine,” Myers said (via Nick Friedell of ESPN.com). “That’s what everybody’s job is to do. We didn’t sign him with the intention of just trading him.“

The Russell-Steph Curry backcourt doesn’t appear to be a perfect match. Once Klay Thompson returns to the team, the fit becomes more awkward.

“We haven’t even seen him play in our uniform yet, and a lot of people have us already trading him,” Myers continued. “That’s not how we’re viewing it. Let’s just see what we have. Let’s see what he is. Let’s see how he fits.

Golden State will look much different than they have over the past few seasons. Kevin Durant is across the country. Andre Iguodala is in limbo and Shaun Livingston is no longer around to spell Curry. After years of enjoying the luxuries of an unprecedented, star-studded lineup, the Warriors will experience uncertainties at key spots in their rotation or as the rest of the league calls it: traditional team building.

The franchise’s competition is gearing up to take advantage of the new landscape. The Lakers, Clippers, Rockets, and Jazz all have new stars and will look to surpass the five-time Western Conference champions. Myers believes the Warriors can still compete in the conference.

“Can we compete? Yeah, I think that’s shown — at least at its core, whenever Klay comes back with Draymond and Steph — that’s a group that’s shown and proved that they can win. As far as the other pieces, we have to see,” Myers said.

The post Warriors Didn’t Sign D’Angelo Russell With Intention Of Just Trading Him appeared first on SLAM.

“Everybody wants a new challenge,” says Curry, who reflected on the departures of Kevin Durant through free agency, the Andre Iguodala trade, Klay Thompson‘s torn ACL, and the acquisition of D’Angelo Russell.

Curry, 31, is “the oldest on the team now,” and realizes he’ll have to carry a much larger burden for the Warriors.

Per The Mercury News:

“It will develop as we get together as a group. A lot of changes. It’s a tough way to end the Finals with K.D. and Klay getting injured, and obviously free agency. For us, our core, myself, Klay (Thompson), Draymond (Green), adding D’Angelo and a lot of hungry, young guys trying to prove themselves in the league, it’ll look different in terms of the lineups and things like that. But the expectations of how we play, that championship-caliber basketball, that for us will always be the motivation and the challenge.

“I’m excited, to be honest with you. Five straight years in the Finals and we’ve accomplished a lot, and three championships. There’s a lot to be proud of. But everybody wants a new challenge in terms of how do you get back to that level.”

Did the free agency changes catch you off-guard in terms of what the Warriors did, and when you look at the league, especially the Western Conference with the Clippers and Lakers? How do you size it up?

“There’s a lot of change, and it’s like this every summer, just now it’s with the biggest names in the game. The West is always tough. It’s been that way since we started this Finals run back in 2015, and I think it’s going to continue.

“In terms of what we did this summer, I’m really proud of our front office trying to put the pieces together and filling out the roster with talented guys that are going to be hungry to prove themselves in the league and obviously D’Angelo with the year he had last year. We’re all going to figure it out together. It’s going to be an adjustment. We talked about this when Coach Kerr took over back in 2015. We had proven success in terms of being a playoff team and just had to finetune it a little bit. Now that we’re champions and experienced that, it’s just about finetuning with the personnel that you have. We have a high basketball IQ so I’m confident we’ll figure it out.”

Related Stephen Curry Flew to Hear Kevin Durant’s Decision Face-to-Face

The post ‘I’m Excited’: Stephen Curry Ready to Lead New-Look Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

KD and the Brooklyn Nets ended up squeezing the Warriors for a first round draft pick to make the blockbuster sign-and-trade work.

The Dubs were also forced to give up an additional (lightly protected) future pick in a swap with the Memphis Grizzlies for Andre Iguodala.

Per ESPN:

The Brooklyn Nets had enough cap space to sign Kevin Durant outright, and there was no specific advantage for Durant to take part in a sign-and-trade deal to help the Warriors out. Nor was it that great an advantage to Nets free agent D’Angelo Russell, who had other teams, including the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves, vying for him, knowing that the Nets would have to make him an unrestricted free agent to complete the Durant signing.

Durant initially balked at being traded for Russell straight up, multiple sources said. He didn’t think it was a fair deal, and in this case, the Warriors had to not just satisfy the Nets, but also Durant.

Leverage was applied by the player, and Golden State had to include a first-round pick before Durant would agree to sign off.

Also, the Warriors had to take on two players, Shabazz Napier and Treveon Graham to make the trade work. It helped the Nets clear extra space to sign DeAndre Jordan, who is friends with Durant and new teammate Kyrie Irving. Golden State had to turn around and pay Minnesota $3.6 million to take Napier and Graham off its books.

Related Nets: ‘Too Early’ to Determine When Kevin Durant Will Play

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Russell, 23, knows the Dubs may end up moving on after acquiring him from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the Kevin Durant sign-and-trade.

Despite what naysayers claim, D-Lo believes the Warriors’ system complements his game, and predicts he’ll create a “dangerous combo” with new teammate Stephen Curry.

Per The San Fran Chronicle and ESPN:

“I think (the Warriors’ system) complements my game,” Russell said. “I’m a guy that loves to pass, loves to make plays and create. I think this is a prime example of the system being that and having the advantage of guys that can shoot.”

If a chaotic NBA free-agency period has taught him anything, it’s that circumstances can change fast.

“You put yourself in a position to go somewhere for a long period of time,” Russell said. “That might not be the way it is, and that’s the business. Whatever situation I’m in, I understand the business side of it.”

Russell said [Klay] Thompson’s injury had no bearing on his decision to land with the Warriors. Like many around the league, Russell was intrigued by the opportunity to play with Curry, on top of being able to sign for max money.

“Honestly, I’m excited,” Russell said.

“I’m excited more than anything. I think it’s a huge opportunity just to take another step and learn from a good group of guys that have done — and marked their way in this league, so I’m super excited. You got guys that can shoot, dribble and play make for others. That’s a dangerous combo. And then a guy like him that gets hot anytime throughout the game, it’s something that gives you an advantage throughout a game, I would say. So to add another guy that could possibly do that consistently — I think it’s just an extra piece.”

Related THE NOTORIOUS D-LO: D’Angelo Russell Is Built for This

The post D’Angelo Russell: Playing for Warriors a ‘Huge Opportunity’ appeared first on SLAM.

Kevin Durant will head to the Nets, while D’Angelo Russell will go to Golden State. The Warriors will also send a protected first-round pick to the Nets as part of the deal.

Also included in the trade were Shabazz Napier and Treveon Graham who were promptly flipped by the Warriors over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Shortly after the news of Durant’s decision surfaced, there were rumblings that the Warriors could look to turn Brooklyn’s signing into a sign-and-trade.

The Nets had the cap room to sign Durant outright, so they had no real incentive to cooperate with Golden State. However, Brooklyn had maintained that it would help Russell get to a team via sign-and-trade if he chose a destination without cap room.

Russell had blossomed into a star for them before hitting restricted free agency but the franchise opted to replace him with Irving.

The post Nets, Warriors Finalize Kevin Durant Sign-And-Trade appeared first on SLAM.

The cap space saved will allow the Magic to duck back under the luxury tax, a mark they had no intention of staying over for long.

Mozgov never played a game for the Magic, nor for the Charlotte Hornets from whom they acquired him last summer. In fact, since the Brooklyn Nets absorbed Mozgov’s substantial contract back in 2017 as a means of acquiring D’Angelo Russell from the Los Angeles Lakers, the big man has played just 31 contests.

The post Orlando Magic Waive Timofey Mozgov appeared first on SLAM.

The Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks are among the teams with reported interest in Iguodala.

Memphis acquired the 35-year-old via Golden State as part of the three-team, sign-and-trade deal for D’Angelo Russell with the Warriors.

Per ESPN:

It was widely speculated that Iguodala would land with the Los Angeles Lakers if he received a buyout. Rob Pelinka was Iguodala’s agent before he became the Lakers’ general manager, and Iguodala would likely be eager to join a contender.

The Grizzlies used a trade exception acquired in the Mike Conley trade with the Utah Jazz to acquire Iguodala, getting the future first-round pick for facilitating the deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets and Russell to Golden State.

Memphis, under the leadership of recently promoted executive vice president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman, has made accumulating young players and future picks a priority this summer.

Related Andre Iguodala Thinks the NBA ‘Blackballed’ Mark Jackson for Religious Beliefs

The post Report: Memphis Grizzlies Exploring Andre Iguodala Trade appeared first on SLAM.

The team met with Looney over the weekend in Los Angeles to pitch him on a return to the defending Western Conference champions. The Rockets were among the teams looking to pry the big man from Northern California.

Outside of losing Kevin Durant, Golden State is having an impressive offseason. The franchise was able to able to turn Durant’s departure (along with a protected first-round pick) into D’Angelo Russell via a sign-and-trade with the Nets. The Warriors were also able to secure a five-year deal with Klay Thompson.

The post Kevon Looney To Re-Sign With The Warriors appeared first on SLAM.