20. Jason Richardson

Don’t let those epic dunk contests—and they were definitely epic—in the early 2000s distract you from the bigger picture: Jason Richardson was an all-around hooper who had an incredibly productive 13-year NBA career. The Michigan native was the fifth overall pick in the 2001 Draft and made an immediate impact for the Warriors, posting 14.4 ppg as a rookie. For the next nine seasons, his scoring average never dipped below 15 and rose as high as 23.2 in 2005-06. Perhaps the most telling stat about J-Rich? Of the 857 games he appeared in, he started 842 of them.

19. Richard Jefferson

Kids, listen up: Before Richard Jefferson was on TV talking about the game, the man could flat out ball. The versatile forward out of Arizona played for eight teams over a 17-year NBA career. He was a key piece of a notable New Jersey Nets squad that reached the Finals twice, falling short to the Lakers in 2002 and the Spurs in 2003. RJ would finally get his ring as a veteran in 2016, coming off the bench for the Cavaliers when they overcame a 3-1 deficit to topple the Warriors.

18. Lamar Odom

A 6-10 point forward from Queens, NY, Lamar Odom’s game was extremely unique and made him extremely difficult to contain. He could handle the ball, initiate fastbreaks and orchestrate the offense. He had outstanding court vision and knew how to make plays for his teammates. As he once told SLAM, “Since New York City basketball is mainly a guard’s game, I learned how to be a guard.” He could control the post, isolate on the wing and work off the ball. That versatile skill set led L.O. to become a 2x NBA Champion and the 2011 Sixth Man of the Year. From 1999-2011, he averaged 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4 assists. 

17. Rajon Rondo

Shortly after 4x All-Star and 2x Champion Rajon Rondo, who ranks 15^th on the NBA’s all-time assist list, made his retirement official back in April, LeBron James said this about his former teammate: “One of the best players I ever played with. Obviously, his IQ was out of this world. I was very lucky to get to team up with him…’Do always talked about if he ever teamed up with me, he knew we could win a championship. And we did that.” When you earn praise like that from one of the greatest to ever do it, nothing else needs to be said. Rondo returned to camp as a participant in the Top 100 coaching program, paying it forward to the next generation of basketball greats. 

16. Joe Johnson

It didn’t matter what uniform he was wearing or what arena he was hooping in or who was guarding him, you could always count on Iso Joe to take over in crunch time. The man had ice in his veins. During his 18 years in the League, Johnson hit an absurd amount of clutch shots and game-winners. His best years were spent with the Hawks, but the talented guard also got buckets for the Suns and Nets. He scored over 20,000 points for his career, made seven All-Star teams and delivered countless unforgettable moments.

15. LaMarcus Aldridge 

He was one of the top high school prospects in the nation, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year while at Texas, the second overall pick in 2006 and a 7x NBA All-Star. And still, LaMarcus Aldridge’s career tends to be underrated. From 2008-20, the big man averaged 20.2 points and 8.6 rebounds. During that stretch, when LMA caught it on the low post, it was game over. He was a maestro in the mid-range, and his touch around the basket was always money. Just ask Trail Blazers’ and Spurs’ fans about Aldridge—they’ll have a lot of fond memories of watching this dude ball.

14. Jermaine O’Neal

A superstar at Eau Claire High School in Columbia, SC, O’Neal jumped straight to the NBA in 1996, drafted with the 17^th overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers. It would take several years and a trade to the Indiana Pacers for J.O. to unlock his full potential in the League, but when he finally did, the big man was a serious problem. He won the Most Improved Player award in 2001-02 and appeared in six straight All-Star Games from 2002-07. Overall, he spent 18 seasons in the NBA with seven different franchises, but that run with the Pacers was definitely the most memorable. And in a full circle moment, his son, Jermaine O’Neal Jr., is attending this year’s camp. 

13. Trae Young

A lot of crazy crossovers and nutmegs and lobs and deep threes come to mind when you think of Trae Young, and rightfully so. But the image that stands out the most? The Atlanta Hawks guard at Madison Square Garden, holding a finger to his lips after silencing the crowd with a game-winning floater during a first-round playoff matchup against the Knicks in 2021. Shhhh. That moment perfectly captured Young: a fiery, fearless, trash-talking competitor with the ridiculous talent to back it up. There’s a reason they call him Ice Trae.

12. Jaylen Brown

Here’s how Kemba Walker described Jaylen Brown to SLAM back in 2020, when the two were teammates: “He’s a guy who’s worked extremely hard at his game. He can do it all. He can score, he can pass, he can rebound, he can shoot. He’s fearless. He’s a competitor.” Brown was Georgia’s Mr. Basketball in 2015 and played one season at the University of California, Berkeley, before being drafted third overall by the Boston Celtics in 2016. The athletic forward has blossomed into a star for the Cs, helping them contend in the Eastern Conference year after year after year. Since attending Top 100, Brown has stayed involved with the NBPA, becoming one of the youngest players elected to the NBPA Executive Committee in 2019.

11. DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan’s journey has brought him from the West Coast (Compton and Los Angeles) to the North (Toronto) to the South (San Antonio) to the Midwest (Chicago). Along the way, he’s been a McDonald’s All-American, a Pac-10 Tournament MVP, a lottery pick in 2009 and a 6x NBA All-Star. He spent the first nine years of his NBA career in The 6, where he became the Raptors’ all-time leading scorer and reached the playoffs five times. He’s had more standout moments since, including averaging a career-high 27.9 points with the Bulls in 2021-22. Salute to a real one.

Action photo via Getty Images.

The post NBPA Top 100 Camp Top 30 Players: 20-11 appeared first on SLAM.

Less than 24 hours after suffering a foot injury at a CrawsOver Pro-Am league game in Seattle, Chet Holmgren had flown to Oklahoma City to get it looked at. And as he sat in the x-ray room in front of OKC Thunder GM Sam Presti, a wide range of emotions began to kick in. 

Hearing him describe it, it sounds like somewhere between guilt, pain, disappointment, sadness and distress. Probably a little hint of all of them. 

It was late August 2022, and the start of training camp was just about a month away. For Holmgren, that signaled the highly anticipated debut of his rookie season after being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA Draft earlier in the summer. Fans had already gotten a glimpse of his talent at Summer League weeks earlier. But it appeared that his real debut would have to be put on hold for the foreseeable future. The prognosis didn’t look promising. 

“I’m doing imaging, I’m sitting on the doctor’s table and I’m talking to Presti, and I’m just falling apart because he just drafted me two months, month and a half prior, and it’s like, you want to kind of validate his belief in you and the organization’s belief in you. And then you get hurt and you feel like you let everybody down, even though I wasn’t wrong for it, I was trying to get better and trying to hoop,” says Holmgren, who was ultimately diagnosed with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot. “But I just remember sitting there and just falling apart. Not like apologizing, because I knew I had nothing to apologize for, but I was just so hurt by it. And then he was giving me advice, and he’s a big, big process guy. So, he was just reminding me, like, the process is going to win in this. And that’s part of why I took everything so serious and didn’t cheat any corners or anything. Just because I had people reminding me that the process is always going to win in the end.”

SLAM 248 featuring Chet Holmgren is available now. Shop here. 

Nine days later, he’d have surgery. The recovery timeline meant he’d have to miss the entire upcoming season. And for the following eight weeks post-surgery, he’d have to wheel himself around on a scooter. Not like that was ever going to stop him from hitting the hardwood and getting up some shots. 

“I was out there on the court, standing on one leg with the other leg up on a scooter, just shooting as many shots as I could shoot before they made me go sit down—they’d be telling me, like, Go home!,” he recalls. “But when you’re just standing on a scooter, you’re not getting tired, so I was like, I can do this all day.”  

Setbacks help put things into perspective, and this particular one was no different for Chet. Mundane everyday tasks all of a sudden became the most challenging and time-consuming missions ever. But it’s the ability to reflect back on those moments, unpack them and articulate the frame of mind derived from the experience that makes it all worth it for the 21-year-old.  

“I was literally wheeling around on a scooter for the first eight weeks post-surgery. You know, it really makes you realize what you’re taking for granted when just the ease of life is taken away—I couldn’t drive anywhere, it was my right foot, so I’m pretty much relying on other people to get me around. Everything’s harder,” he says. “I gotta hop around, getting in and out of the shower, everything’s more difficult. So, it really makes you appreciate all the small things that you can really do every single day with ease. And I feel like I didn’t take it for granted before, but [I] definitely don’t now.” 

His first game back would be almost a year later at Summer League in Salt Lake City last July. A light 15 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks.

“I just remember I was so amped to get out there and play. And I was just so ready. And I remember the first time I touched the ball, I got so excited [that] I just put up a terrible shot,” says Holmgren, laughing. “It was an awful shot. And nobody looked at me wrong for it—cause I feel like everybody understood—but at the same time it was a terrible shot. I just wanted to make sure I came out aggressive, ’cause I was ready to play. I’d been waiting 13 months to play. I hadn’t played a game in 13 months. There was a lot of emotion around it. I had my family out there watching me and all my teammates were supporting me in that moment, but they’d been supporting me throughout the whole process.”

It wouldn’t take long for him to start turning heads in the regular season. In just his second outing, Holmgren set the franchise record for most blocks in a single game by a rookie with 7. This came as no surprise to anyone who saw him play at Gonzaga, where in his college debut, he matched the program’s single-game blocks record—which, coincidentally, was also 7.  

By the time Chet was one month into the NBA’s regular season, he had also become the first rookie in franchise history to have multiple 30+ point outings in the first month of his career. In fact, he dropped 30+ twice within a four-game window.    

To no one’s surprise, he was named Rookie of the Month in the Western Conference for October/November. And in December, he showed no signs of slowing down, averaging 17.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in 13 games on his way to yet another Rookie of the Month nod. 

He ranks top four in the NBA in blocks per game as of late January. 

In retrospect, trusting his foot wasn’t an issue at all upon returning. If anything, it became the least of his worries. 

“The biggest thing that I learned from injuries is, like, where you got injured, you’re working so hard to strengthen it, that part of your body is going to be good. It’s more all the things around it that get deconditioned so much when you’re sitting out and just letting your body heal,” says Holmgren. “So, your foot’s good now, but now your back’s weak, so your back is getting tight, and then now your knee hurts ’cause you haven’t been putting that pressure on it and keeping it as strong. And then you got shin splints ’cause you’ve been sitting out for so long that that needs to recondition. So, it’s like all the little things around it pop up. But if you’re able to manage that and then kind of stay on top of it, over time it’ll go away.”

The impressive early start to his career has him in a tight race with San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama for Rookie of the Year.   

Not only has Chet put up big numbers—tune in to a Thunder game and you would think he’s been part of their rotation for a handful of years based on the way he’s been able to seamlessly fit in. The impeccable chemistry has helped propel the franchise to the top of the Western Conference standings. At a little over the halfway mark of the season in late January (as we head to printers), the Thunder find themselves half a game from the No. 1 spot in the West. 

“I mean, I don’t have expectations, but at the same time, I’m not surprised by anything that I do,” says Holmgren. “I feel like whatever I go out there and do is an accumulation of the work that I’ve put in. I know what I can do. I know what I need to work on. And what I go out there and do are things that I’ve been working on my whole life. So, am I surprised by what I’m doing? No.”  

It’s not often that a team has one player in serious contention for the MVP award while another one is doing the same in the ROY race, but that’s exactly where this OKC franchise finds itself with its duo of Chet and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Nor is it often that a team that didn’t even make the playoffs the prior season is now vying for the No. 1 seed in the conference. This is undoubtedly a new era for the franchise, and Chet is poised to help bring back that same aura that he remembers the Thunder having in middle school when Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook were all teammates during their early years in the League. 

“I remember watching their playoff series back in, like, ’11, ’12, ’13 and everybody’s wearing the same color shirt, screaming [in the stands],” says Holmgren. 

“We’re gonna get back to that point.” 

SLAM 238 IS OUT NOW! 

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

The post Chet Holmgren Reflects on How He Propelled Past Season-Ending Injury to Assemble Historic Rookie Season appeared first on SLAM.

Of course, G League players are always being watched by decision-makers at the NBA level—but never by so many, at the same time, and so blatantly. Most of the bigwigs there to evaluate sit just two or three feet off the court, laptops and notebooks open, ready to decide fates.

Daunting is perhaps the most appropriate word, considering all that’s at stake. The Winter Showcase offers G Leaguers their best chance to impress NBA higher-ups, just a few weeks before teams can begin offering 10-day contracts (January 5), which can be worth significantly more than the standard G League contract of $40,500. 

The talent level at this year’s Showcase—hosted, for the first time, in Orlando, Florida—was perhaps the highest it’s ever been. Here’s a look at some of the top performers:

2023 All-Showcase Team (selected by the G League)

Brandon Goodwin

Guard

Westchester Knicks

24.7 points, 5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 1.7 steals

Winning matters to scouts, so the teams that advance further in the tournament attract more attention. Goodwin, a 28-year-old guard who has bounced back and forth between the G League (71 games) and the NBA (133 games) since going undrafted in 2018, led the Knicks to the Showcase championship and claimed MVP. After scoring 33 and 28 points in Westchester’s first two games, he struggled to find his shot in the Finals, but still contributed 13 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals. Asked during the trophy presentation what he showed NBA personnel over the past four days, Goodwin’s teammate, Charlie Brown Jr, answered for him: “That he a dog!” 

Trevelin Queen

Guard

Osceola Magic

25.5 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 3.5 steals, 64.5 FG%, 52.6 3P%

Nothing new here. Trevelin Queen, who’s on a two-way with the Orlando Magic, has been lighting up the G League for a while now. As a member of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2021-22, he won both the regular season and Finals MVP awards. With help from teammates Mac McClung and Brandon Williams (who just earned a two-way contract from the Dallas Mavericks), Queen guided the hometown Magic to a 2-0 record. 

Jarace Walker

Guard

Fort Wayne Mad Ants

21.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1 steal

Assigned by the Pacers for the Showcase, rookie Jarace Walker helped the Mad Ants reach the championship game, where they ultimately fell short to the Knicks. The 20-year-old out of the University of Houston flashed the versatile skill set that made him the 8^th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, scoring from all over the floor. In Fort Wayne’s first game—a win over the Capital City Go-Go—Walker nailed six threes and finished with 31 points. 

Darius Bazley

Forward

Delaware Blue Coats

31.5 points, 14.5 rebounds, 2 steals, 5.5 blocks, 57.9 FG%, 41.2 3P%

Just look at those numbers. Bazley, the 23^rd pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, dominated on both ends at the Showcase. In a tight win over the Texas Legends, the dynamic forward posted 43 points (on 63% shooting!), 18 rebounds, 3 steals and 6 blocks. He’s been in the public eye for so long—it was the fall of 2018 when he made the groundbreaking decision to forgo college and intern for New Balance while training for the NBA—that it’s easy to forget Bazley is just 23 years old. And the Blue Coats star is clearly getting better.

Jontay Porter

Forward

Raptors 905

22.5 points, 12 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 66.7 FG%, 70 3P%

Jontay, who’s on a two-way with the Toronto Raptors, is more of a big man than his older brother (Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr) but can also stretch the floor—in two wins at the Showcase, he shot 7/10 from behind the arc. Through 16 games with the 905, the 24-year-old is averaging a double-double. 

Other Standouts

Terence Davis

Guard

Rip City Remix

31.5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 61 FG%, 51.9 3P%

The former Sacramento Kings guard joined the Rip City Remix—the new affiliate of the Portland Trail Blazers—right before the Showcase, where he hit 14 threes in two games. 

Ethan Thompson

Guard

Mexico City Capitanes

30 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals

Thompson has been in the G League since 2021 and improved every season. His three-point percentage has jumped from 30.5% (2021-22) to 36.4% (2022-23) to 39.2% on seven attempts per game this year.

Blake Wesley 

Guard

Austin Spurs

27 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 59.5 FG%, 83.3 3P%

On assignment from the San Antonio Spurs, Wesley—the 25^th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft—took care of business at the Showcase, leading Austin to two victories.  

Terquavion Smith

Guard

Delaware Blue Coats

31.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2 steals 

In the same game that Bazley put up 43, Smith, a 6-4 guard on a two-way with the Philadelphia 76ers, dropped 40 points of his own on 12/23 shooting.

Miller Kopp

Forward

Oklahoma City Blue

24 points, 5.5 rebounds, 53.8 FG%, 60 3P%

The Blue went 2-0 at the Showcase, thanks in large part to the red-hot shooting of Kopp, who buried 12 of his 20 attempts from deep.

Trey Jemison

Center

Birmingham Squadron

13 points, 17 rebounds, 2.5 blocks

Playing in his first Showcase, Jemison, a 6-10, 260-pound center from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), made his presence known, controlling the paint for the 2-0 Squadron.

Jordan “Jelly” Walker

Guard

Texas Legends

27.5 points, 10 assists, 2 steals, 50 FG%, 50 3P%

Walker, Jemison’s former teammate at UAB, has been an impressive floor general for the Legends all season long. In his first Showcase outing, the 5-11 guard notched 23 points, 15 assists, and 3 steals.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post A Look at the Top Performers from the 2023 G League Winter Showcase appeared first on SLAM.

Highly anticipated draft prospects are as old as grandparents. Whether Kareem, Ewing, Shaq or LeBron—the fanfare that has preceded the professional journey of a college (or high school) superstar has rarely proved anticlimactic. In ’97, a modest but significant level of anticipation would almost personify the subsequent career of the San Antonio Spurs’ number one pick: Timothy Theodore Duncan.

At SLAM, we knew the hype wasn’t just hot air. We even collaborated with the trading card company The Score Board to create SLAM cover-style cards featuring TD—10 in total—each one educating the collector on a legit element of his game. All this before he’d even stepped foot on NBA hardwood.

Three years later, Tim Duncan had become a household name. He’d found a perfect fit in the Spurs’ winning culture, humbly taking on the position of protégé to the great David Robinson. Not only had TD collected ROY honors, but he’d also made the NBA First Team, become a staple at All-Star Weekend and won a title with a Finals MVP cherry on top. When he took a seat on the cover of SLAM 47’s George Gervin homage masterpiece (shout out to Russ Bengtson), we were presented with an image that articulated what we already knew—Timmy D is cold.

This year’s number-one draft pick has us on board the hype train for sure. I’m riding first class with popcorn and free Wi-Fi. In other words, I’m invested in traveling this journey with Victor Wembanyama. Not only is he joining a franchise that specializes in producing elite players who win titles, but he also possesses the physical and skill attributes that the NBA has been evolving toward for the past 20 years. Wemby is the fulfillment of basketball prophecy. Not that I’m getting carried away or anything…

In the words of Yasiin Bey: “The kids better buy my rookie card now, ’cause after this year the price ain’t comin’ down.” I’m assuming you copped the rookie card already—so let me make one last bold statement: You need that Wembanyama Issue 240 and 247 cover. Gold Metal Edition. Do it for the grandkids.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 47 Featuring Tim Duncan From December of 2000 appeared first on SLAM.

When I left Eastern Michigan, I went to Pontiac, Michigan, to play for a semi-pro team called the Chaparrals. We played two games on the weekends. I got paid $500 every weekend while playing for a brotha named Roy Washington. And he got me a car so that I could make the games. That car was a Riviera. Emerald green. Beige interior. Big ol’ 8-track. It was nice. And this was in the Continental League, so I was playing against older men. I’m not going to say the Continental League was a bunch of has-beens; it was a bunch of guys who had their turn, and they were like me: coming from bad situations—they got hurt, bad timing, etc.—but they still loved the game, too. 

And I was the young buck. They couldn’t catch me back then. I played with them about six or seven months. I was playing well, averaging 30-plus points a game, and Johnny “Red” Kerr saw me. It was after a game against a Flint, Michigan, team led by Justin Thigpen. It was a good game. He and I battled. He was averaging 38 points per game, so he was a bad boy, too. I didn’t know Kerr from the next man on the moon. I don’t remember the conversation I had with Kerr, but somehow Sonny Vaccaro came into the picture, too. I met Vaccaro through Jackson Nunn, one of the football players I went to Eastern with. He introduced me to Vaccaro around 1972 when Vaccaro had the Dapper Dan Roundball Classic. Vaccaro came to meet Coach Merriweather at Merriweather’s house in Detroit. That’s how they hooked up. According to Vaccaro, Nunn reached out to him to help me because of what happened to me at Eastern. Vaccaro apparently had helped Nunn when he was having problems getting noticed and getting a scholarship to college. He was part of the reason Nunn ended up at Eastern. Still to this day, I don’t know why Vaccaro was interested in me. Vaccaro wasn’t an agent. I don’t know where he came from. Somehow, he had a friendship with Al Bianchi, who was then the Virginia Squires coach. From what I was told, Vaccaro made a call, and the next thing I knew, we’re in Virginia. 

Vaccaro, Merriweather, and I were in a gym in the Norfolk Scope Arena. Merriweather was talking to Earl Foreman, the owner of the Squires, and Coach Bianchi was up in the stands. And they didn’t know me. They took the word of Kerr who told them they needed to see me. I don’t think Kerr was even in the gym at all that day. He wasn’t even the scout for them. He was their business manager, but I think he had seen me play and knew where I’d fit in—and that was the ABA. I think he just told Foreman to meet me. 

And all I remember is they told me to start shooting. It was just me and a few kids on the court who were tossing the balls back to me. I had been warming up already, so when they wanted me to shoot, I started droppin’ ’em. Vaccaro has said that I hit 50 shots in a row, and I was shooting in my street shoes! But I don’t remember that. Knowing me, I ain’t gonna do that. I’m not shooting in my gators. But that’s what Vaccaro says. I don’t know if he’s embellishing it, but I do know that I made a lot of shots whatever I was wearing. Keep in mind I never thought about being a pro. I was pretty content with what I was doing. I was in love with Joyce, I got the game, I got a few bucks, I got a ride, and I’m rollin’. But back then, like Kerr said: I could flat-out score. And I loved that about myself. They said I shot 30 to 35 times, and I made 30 out of 35 or 30 out of 30. But whatever the number was, I heard someone say, “That’s good.” And I stopped shooting right then. After that someone instantly said: “We’ll take him.” 

They signed me to a contract. We went into trainer Bob Travaglini’s little office and signed the deal on a paper napkin. At the time they were losing Charlie Scott, who was a special player. I’m glad he got into the Hall of Fame. So again for me this was being in the right place at the right time. Scott was playing for the Squires before I came and I never got a chance to play with him. He went on to the NBA at midseason to the Phoenix Suns. And Scott was big for the Squires. He was like Julius Erving, who was already on the Squires. When I went into their front offices, they had a big picture of Scott on the wall. And I think that’s part of why they were looking at me. Dr. J was right. He said I might be the only person in the history of basketball to literally shoot for his contract, and I did.

This last season, the BIG3 had its first All-Star Game. Dr. J and I were selected as coaches for the All-Star Game. I felt I had the best team, but I was a little disappointed because three of my players didn’t show up for practice for the game. So I told the ones who did show up that they’d be the ones starting in the All-Star Game. Now, from my perspective, the All-Star Game is supposed to be a special thing. At the end of the year, you are one of the 12 guys picked to represent the league, a league you chose to be in. So once I decided to start the ones who showed up, it wasn’t about the game anymore.

If you act like, “Well, I’m gonna show up when I want to,” well, not on me you won’t. And I don’t have to sit up and argue with you or explain myself. My sentiment was: “You might’ve led the BIG3 in scoring, but I led the big league in scoring four times! So, don’t get it twisted.” 

I’m the wrong guy to disrespect. But I’m also the same guy who you can learn something from if you want. And this maybe where sometimes the perception of being cool comes into it because of my reaction. I really didn’t care if one or two of the players may have been pissed. To me the game itself is recreation, but the league is something (Ice) Cube put together for the players to stay on stage and make a little money. You gotta respect that. This man done put up all this money to create this opportunity for the players, and that is how they were gonna treat it? I’m not going to yell and scream or disrespect anyone to make them understand that, but in my own way, I’m going to do what I feel is right to make sure a certain level of respect remains. 

We live and we learn. And preferably you live long enough to help somebody else out along the way. No matter how hard the lesson. And for coaching that’s when it’s more than basketball for that coach. That’s one of the things I learned from coaching in the ABA in 2000. I coached a team called the Detroit Dogs. I had a bunch of inner-city players. I knew it was very important to tell them in the beginning, “Look here, if I get on you, I’m not getting on you personally. I’m getting on your basketball character.” I wanted them to understand that this isn’t personal. Most of the times, they bought into it, and I didn’t have any issues. I was being upfront with them. 

Same thing in the BIG3. I told them, “Look here, this is 3-on-3. We grew up playing 3-on-3. If you forgot that, we not going to win any games. I ain’t coaching, I’m just taking you out when you get tired.” It’s a cool thing Cube is doing. I feel it’s part of my responsibility to make sure those, who are involved with it, respect that. I’m glad he called me to be a part of it. And we really didn’t know each other before this. We only really knew of each other. I remember I’d just got finished working out with Merriweather and got a text: “Hey Ice, it’s Cube. I got something I wanna talk to you about.” 

I texted him back, “Who is this?”

He texted, “Cube.”

Then I texted, “Call me.”

He immediately called and said, “Ice, I’m doing this league called the ‘BIG3’ and I want you to be a part of it.”

I said, “Cool, Cube. If you’re going to do it, I’ll do it with you.”

Notice I call him “Cube,” not “Ice Cube.” I told him, “I’m older. I was Ice first.” 

This excerpt from Ice: Why I Was Born to Score by George Gervin with Scoop Jackson is reprinted with the permission of Triumph Books. For more information and to order a copy, please visit Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, or TriumphBooks.com/Ice.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Hall of Famer George Gervin Opens Up About His Career, the Spurs and Life after Basketball in ‘Ice: Ice: Why I Was Born to Score’ appeared first on SLAM.

To celebrate the moment, we got San Antonio Spurs superfan Shea Serrano to explain what this moment means: to him, to the Spurs fanbase, to the world. It’s time. 

Victor Wembanyama covers SLAM 247. Get your copy here.

This cover story will eventually be about Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 exaggeration of a human and the most exciting and enticing new basketball prospect in two decades. First, though, it’s going to be about Ralph.

Ralph is a security guard at the building where I office out of. He and I talk, were I to guess, for an average of about 45 seconds each day, almost always in the mornings when I first arrive at work and only ever about sports. 

The way our interactions typically go is: I arrive to the building around 8 a.m. I type an entry code into a keypad at the front door. I wait half a second to hear a tiny clicking sound that lets me know that the door, large and metal and otherwise impenetrable, is momentarily unlocked. I pull the door open. I walk into the building. I look to my right. And that’s where I see Ralph, who is stationed at a desk some twenty or so feet away. I say “Ralphieeeeeeeee,” and I always stretch the final “E” out long like that in hopes that it makes me appear more charming and interesting than I actually am. He says, “What’s up, Shea” back to me, but he says it in a normal way because he doesn’t have to pretend to be charming and interesting because he actually is charming and interesting. 

I walk over to him, we touch fists, and then I comment on something sports-related, to which he responds with something sports-related. Then there’s one more conversational volley (either a follow-up to the first sports thing, or the introduction of a new sports thing that is slightly less important than the first), and then that’s it. I smile and laugh and he smiles and laughs and then I walk away, both of us knowing we very likely will not see or talk to the other person again until the next morning, at which point we will reenact the entire scene again with only slightly different dialogue. We have done this each work day for nearly three years now. It’s the best relationship I have ever had with someone who carries handcuffs.

When the Spurs won the NBA Draft Lottery this past May (and with it, the chance to draft Victor Wembanyama later that summer), I texted Ralph in celebration. We had never texted with each other before that moment (in fact, I had to text a separate person in the building to even get Ralph’s phone number) or even spoken with one another anywhere in the world other than at his desk on a weekday morning. But I felt compelled to reach out to him that evening. 

I felt compelled to expand the conditions and parameters of our relationship, even if I didn’t realize that that’s what I was doing at the time. 

Victor Wembanyama bends and reshapes everything.

Basketball things, obviously.

But other things, too, it seems. 

***

It’s always been weird to watch a human who is 7-foot-3 or taller dribble a basketball, but it’s never been weird the way Victor Wembanyama makes it weird. And what I mean is:

Picture, say, for example, Hasheem Thabeet (7-foot-3) dribbling the ball up the court. Or picture, say, for another example, Boban Marjanovic (7-foot-4) dribbling the ball up the court. Or picture, say, for a third example, Chuck Nevitt (7-foot-5) dribbling the ball up the court. Or picture, say, for a final example, Tacko Fall (7-foot-6) dribbling the ball up the court. Those are all very weird scenarios and situations and circumstances, both in abstraction and in practice. The arms, the legs, the elbows, the knees, the ball, the bouncing, the walking—it’s just all a weird combination together. With regard to traditional basketball aesthetics, nothing is where it’s supposed to be, or moving the way it’s supposed to move. Somebody that tall bringing the ball up the court is something that, if you turned on your TV and happened to see it during a game, you would say to yourself some version of, “Okay. Well, clearly something has gone wrong with this offensive possession. This couldn’t possibly have been the first option.”     

But that’s not what you say when you see Victor Wembanyama bringing the ball up the court. What you say when you see Victor Wembanyama bringing the ball up the court is some version of, “Okay. Well. Fuck. We’re all dead.”

Because it’s smooth, the way he dribbles.

And fluid.

And coordinated.

And beautiful.

And devastating.

It’s like if God was looking at a picture of a guard on someone’s iPhone in heaven, touched the screen with his pinched-together index finger and thumb, expanded the image to make it bigger, and then was like, “Boom. There you go. That’s a person now.” 

Victor Wembanyama dribbles a basketball completely normally. 

That’s why it’s weird in a way that it’s never been weird before. 

***

The San Antonio Spurs played the Miami Heat on October 13, 2023. It was the first home game of the preseason for the Spurs, and so I guess that was a little bit why it was important, but also Victor Wembanyama was playing in it, and so that’s mainly why it was important. 

And I would like to tell you about one specific play from that night. 

So:

With a little under 40 seconds to go in the second quarter, Wembanyama dribbled the ball up the court. There was no rush. And there was no urgency. There was just a very tall person dribbling a basketball calmly and confidently and normally, which, again, was entirely weird. 

His defender, a 6-foot-10 League veteran named Thomas Bryant, waited for him in a defensive position a few feet beyond the three-point line.

As Wembanyama crossed the half court line, Tre Jones (point guard for the Spurs) hustled over and angled to set a screen on Bryant. Wembanyama, spying the action, sped up slightly as Jones approached, hoping to force Bryant into making some kind of defensive mistake.

Bryant didn’t, though. He did what you’re supposed to do when a smaller player heads over to set a screen on a bigger player out on the perimeter: you get ready for the smaller player to slip the screen at the last second so as to create a new second action to potentially exploit a suddenly out of position defense. 

And that’s exactly what happened.  

Bryant’s instincts were 100 percent correct.

And it made 0 percent of a difference.

Jones slipped the screen and slid over to the right bend area of the three-point line. Wembanyama passed him the ball. And Bryant sat back in the space waiting for Jones to make a decision. And that’s when everything turned to muck for him, and for the Heat, and (potentially) (probably) for the NBA. 

Before Jones had even fully gathered the ball, Wembanyama, still out past the three-point line, pointed to the sky. The gesture, while completely ludicrous in its implication, was impossible to misinterpret. Despite (a) still being 22 or so feet from the rim, and despite (b) having a defender to his immediate left, and despite (c) Bryant still being directly involved in the play, and despite (d) the other three Miami Heat defenders also being in the general area, Wembanyama wanted Jones to throw him an alley-oop.

Jones, suddenly an audience member on stage with a magician during the reveal of a big trick, decided he wanted to see what would happen if he did what Wembanyama was asking him to do, and so he did what Wembanyama was asking him to do. 

Right as the ball touched his hands, Jones tossed it up into the air. 

Victor dove into the paint, planted both shoes nine feet before the rim, jumped as four of the five Heat defenders converged in the area, snatched the ball out of the atmosphere with both hands, cocked it back, then thunderdunked it before anyone else could even jump. 

The arena, rightly, erupted.

The internet, rightly, erupted.

Reggie Miller, who was one of the commentators calling the game that night, rightly, erupted.

“LOOK AT THIS!” he shouted, his voice fat with astonishment.

Or: “LOOK AT THIS!” he shouted, his voice fat with surprise.

Or: “LOOK AT THIS!” he shouted, his voice fat with glee. 

Or: “LOOK AT THIS!” he shouted, because that’s the only thing you can shout when you’re in the middle of watching something as ridiculous as a 7-foot-4 Frenchman fly into the paint against a completely set defense, jump from several feet outside of the restricted circle, and then dunk an alley-oop that he called for from out past the three-point line.

It was such a wild play. 

And an unbelievable play. 

And a preposterous play.

It was also, at best, only the fourth most impressive thing Victor Wembanyama would end up doing that night. 

***

The San Antonio Spurs played the Golden State Warriors on October 20, 2023. It was the final game of the preseason for the Spurs, and so I guess that was a little bit why it was important, but also Victor Wembanyama was playing in it, and so that’s mainly why it was important. 

During the game, Victor Wembanyama: (1) caught a pass out past the three-point line, crossed over his defender off the dribble, pump faked a jumper, then pulled up for real as his defender floated harmlessly past him; (2) grabbed a defensive rebound, brought the ball up court, initiated the offense, then hit an and-one circus shot from behind the backboard while being pushed out of bounds (he also hit the accompanying free throw); (3) closed out from 10 feet away to block a Klay Thompson three-pointer and then sprinted down court to receive and dunk the post-block outlet pass (my favorite part of this play is that he caught the pass, hit the brakes, waited for a trailing Klay Thompson to zoom by, then waited an extra second so that a second defender could catch up and get dunked on); and (4) defended a smaller player on the perimeter, forced him into the paint, blocked his shot, ran down court as a Jeremy Sochan gathered the errant ball, caught a pass from Sochan, then pulled up for 3, splashing it in.  

It was four great plays that would look great on anybody’s full-game highlight reel.

Victor Wembanyama did them all over just a 90-second stretch in the middle of the first quarter. 

***

There is no precedent for Victor Wembanyama. 

There’s no single player you can reach backwards in time for and attach him to, like how when LeBron James showed up and people were like, “He’s the next Michael Jordan,” or how when Clarence Weatherspoon showed up and people were like, “He’s the next Charles Barkley,” or how when any white player shows up and people are like, “He’s like that other white player.”

There is no precedent for Victor Wembanyama. 

There are only amalgamations.

“He’s like if you mixed Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin Durant.” 

“He’s like if you mixed Kareem Abdul Jabbar with Tracy McGrady.”

“He’s like if you mixed a fighter jet and a jaguar.”

That’s the kind of shit you have to say when you talk about him.

I have no idea how Victor Wembanyama’s career is going to play out. 

I suspect there will be championship rings and MVP trophies and various other accolades. 

But that’s just a guess. 

What I do know, though, is that right now, right at this particular moment, it kind of doesn’t matter. 

What matters is what he’s already given us, which is to say: 

Joy. 

And excitement. 

Excitement for now and excitement for the future.

Excitement in imagining what might be; what he might do; what he might mean for basketball; what he might mean for everything.

Victor Wembanyama is here. 

SLAM 247 Cover Tees featuring Wemby are available now.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post He’s Here: What the Arrival of Victor Wembanyama Means to the World appeared first on SLAM.

This past June, France’s Victor  Wembanyama, was selected No. 1 overall in the NBA draft, a 7-4 unicorn (and recent SLAM cover subject) hailed as a franchise savior in San Antonio. Then in early July, Paris celebrated the 20th anniversary of Quai 54, an international rendezvous of hip-hop and basketball sponsored by Jordan Brand, with guest appearances by Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson and Jayson Tatum. And Tony Parker, four-time NBA champion and lead facilitator during the Spurs’ era of dominance, will be the first Frenchman immortalized in the Naismith Hall of Fame by the time you’re reading this.

But the country’s roundball roots run deep. Real deep. Though it’s not a widely known fact, France is the birthplace of European basketball. 

On December 23, 1893, only two years after Dr. James Naismith tacked up a pair of peach baskets at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, MA, Naismith’s former student Melvin Rideout organized the first game outside of the US at 14Trévise, at the YMCA Paris which opened earlier that same year.

For the next century and change, hoops have been a year-round endeavor at 14Trévise, giving it the unique distinction as the “oldest surviving basketball court in the world.”

The gym is a carbon-copy replica of the Springfield Y, complete with an overhead wooden running track, two steel support pillars that run vertically down the middle of the court and iconic oak herringbone parquet floors. 

However, 14Trévise encompasses much more than basketball. A beacon of innovation at the time of its inauguration in 1893, the building brought together sports and intellectual and cultural activities, featuring a student hostel, theater, swimming pool, bowling alley, library and restaurant.

In 1993, for its 100th anniversary, 14Trévise was honored by the French Historical Monuments Administration for its “originality as a social, educational and sports complex,” thereby protecting its status as an original 19th century Y building.

From our perspective, any building with the legacy and lineage of 14Trévise not only deserves recognition, but restoration. And it’s finally happening. 

The Y is currently undergoing a $10 million overhaul to preserve the building’s architectural heritage and integrity while continuing its social mission to use sports and the arts for youth empowerment. 

In order to reopen for next summer’s Paris Games, 14Trévise closed its doors in early 2023 for 18 months of construction. Although the famous court will not host any official competitions, it will be a must-see destination on the Olympic map and all Olympic basketball games will be screened inside the gym for fans.

“Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the International Olympic Committee, was a supporter of the YMCA Paris from the start, and would be proud to see it renovated for the ’24 Games,” Christelle Bertho, architect and historian of the project, tells SLAM. “However, the gym will not become a museum. It will stay as vibrant as it has been since 1893—a much-used space for social, sports and cultural activities [that] will [also] host many special events.”

Hoopers from all over the world habitually stop in at the YMCA Paris to put up shots and travel back in time. Stephen Curry, Tyler Herro, Rudy Gobert, Boris Diaw and Nicolas Batum have all made pilgrimages to 14Trévise and left their marks on the place. And now, you can too, whether you travel to Paris or not. 

Remember those iconic oak herringbone parquet floors we mentioned earlier? Well, starting at €100 (approximately $100), any fan can “adopt” one of 2,024 gym floorboards—via adopteunelame.com—to have their names etched into hoops history and be featured on the donor board upon the Y’s reopening.

“Because there are so many basketball lovers all over the world, it was dear to us to offer an opportunity to get involved in our unique restoration project and share our passion and dedication for saving this historical gym,” Danuta Pieter, philanthropy advisor to YMCA Paris, tells SLAM. “We already have supporters of all ages and from all continents.”

Floorboards aside, all eyes will be on Wemby this season and Paris next summer. And when 14Trévise reopens its doors, France’s influence and imprint on basketball culture will continue to grow.

Word to Dr. Naismith!

Photos via Ludovic Marquier.

The post Ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, the World’s Oldest Surviving Basketball Court is Being Fully Restored appeared first on SLAM.

February 2, 2023. Evening.     

James Harden is in his hotel room hanging out with his newly appointed agent and longtime business confidant Troy Payne. The Sixers are playing the Spurs tomorrow, and the two Cali natives find themselves in deep conversation when the news breaks. Payne looks over at Harden. He notices the NBA superstar’s body language. That’s all he needs to see to know how Harden truly feels at this very moment. Natural human emotions and passion take over. Expletives may or may not be flying around. Payne steps in and offers some words of encouragement, and a new conversation ensues. One that’s very different from the one the two were having just a couple minutes ago. This one is about the next four months, about maintaining the tunnel vision strategy for the ultimate goal at hand, and about how to use the news that just broke as ammunition for it all. 

The aforementioned news? The 2023 NBA All-Star Game reserves were just announced, and Harden, after 10 consecutive All-Star selections, was not chosen for this year’s festivities. And while other stars try to play it off cool and pretend not being selected doesn’t bother them, Harden isn’t holding back how he feels. 

A few minutes later, he pulls out his phone, taps the Instagram icon and writes on his IG Story “The disrespect.” in white text on an all-black backdrop.

“I said it already, disrespectful!” Harden tells us of the All-Star snub. “Most of the people that understand basketball get my value, but some just get bored with my numbers.”

“[We were] hanging out, talking about some stuff, and then [the news] just came out,” recalls Payne of the night in San Antonio. “And I was like, Oh shoot, here we go. He didn’t get selected…But from a brother perspective, and as his agent, I [wanted to] encourage him to use it as fuel, to go out there and just prove everybody wrong. Let’s go out there and get All-NBA. And that’s the goal—play at a high level, finish top two in the East, push for All-NBA. I think he’s playing at an All-NBA level. 

“I saw his emotion [that night], but it was more hunger than anything. He wasn’t happy about it. He felt like he should have been in the game; he felt like he did enough to play, to be selected. I think it’s more of a perspective based on the years of his success. And it kind of hurt him. We were used to seeing James score at a high clip in terms of production in the basket, but he still was contributing in a different way at the same high level, it just wasn’t talked about enough.”

SLAM 243 featuring James Harden is available now. Shop here.

When ASW came around a couple weeks later, Harden decided to spend some time in Tempe, where he got a chance to watch his alma mater Arizona State play, before returning to the home he built in Houston for a few days. There, Payne says, he watched Harden schedule out workouts…twice a day.  

Lil Baby tunes are blaring out from a nearby speaker on this Thursday afternoon in early March. We’re at the 76ers’ practice facility in Camden, NJ, for our cover shoot with The Beard. He rhythmically nods his head to the music while reciting lyrics in between shots. At one point, he takes the lead on creative direction and starts freestyling new poses, without our photographer even having to prompt him. He’s feeling it—the shoot, life, all of it.

And it’s easy to see why. This is Harden’s 14th year in the League. And yet, here he is, still putting up some of the best shooting numbers he’s ever had—yes, almost a decade and a half into his NBA career.

On the day of the shoot, Harden is shooting the best percentage he ever has from behind the arc. Last season, he had the second-best free-throw percentage of his career. And the season before that, he put up the second-best overall shooting percentage of his career. And this is despite having to deal with mid-season trades to Brooklyn and Philadelphia the previous two years. He leads the League in assists with an average of 10.8 dimes a night, as of late March. The only time he’s finished with a higher assists average was six years ago (2016-17), when he posted 11.2 assists and was second in MVP voting (and eventually won MVP the following year). 

“I’m a master of this game. This is year 14 for me—I adjust to how teams are guarding us and I pick and choose where to facilitate,” Harden tells SLAM. “My role on the Sixers is different from 2017. So yes, the approach is different, but I’m still the same player as 2017, my role just changed slightly.

“It’s a combination of the work I put in each summer, getting healthy and trusting the work when I am on the court. I have been a student of the game and have been coachable throughout my career. This season, I have been tasked to be a leader on the court and to get everyone involved and still maintain my aggression. If I said it was easy, I’d be lying, but I am committed to do whatever I need to do in order to help my team win.”  

The shooting efficiency and assist numbers are just a couple of metrics that one can utilize to measure Harden’s impressive career longevity and consistency at this stage. Even the sneakers he’s rocking on set, a blue colorway from his super well-received Harden Volume 7 collection (which, at the time, wasn’t set to debut for another month), are indicative of how good he’s been for so long. This is his signature line’s seventh model, and there have only been two other adidas athletes to ever reach that many signature sneakers in the history of the brand: Derrick Rose and Damian Lillard. That’s it. That’s the list.

I’m a master of this game.

– James Harden

“First off, I am thankful to have a signature shoe. Having a signature line is a nod to the work that I’ve put into my craft, and having 7 volumes and counting is a blessing and I don’t [take] it for granted,” says Harden. “HV7 is my favorite model to date and the response from my fans speaks volumes to me, so I am grateful for the support. I like to express myself through my fashion, so hopefully I did that with the colorways for Volume 7. This seventh shoe is up there on the milestones for sure!”

But as he says so himself, he’s been doing it for so long that people may indeed have just become “bored” with his output these days. He’s spoiled basketball fans for over a decade. The casuals only notice that he’s no longer averaging the 36 points per game he once did. (Fun fact: Only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan have averaged more points in a single season than James Harden. Yup, that’s the list.) 

Numbers aside, though, his influence on a cultural level is just as impactful. It transcends statistics. His signature step-back move has been a hot topic on the internet for years. A quick Google search and you’ll find articles and message boards doing deep dives on the move and whether or not it should be allowed. One thing is for sure, Harden’s creativity has paved the way to a Hall of Fame career and introduced a move that seemed unimaginable prior to his arrival.   

“Biggest innovator to play the game!” says Harden, when asked what he wants to be remembered for the most when it’s all said and done. 

While some have tried to push a particular narrative regarding Harden’s work ethic in the past, Payne says that those who are really around know what it is. Harden has built a routine around postgame workouts, something that’s always done away from the cameras and fans. Home or away, with his game uniform still on, Harden has a list of exercises he likes to check off the list, explains Payne.

“Postgame workouts have been something that’s been prevalent in the past. I know in Houston he was doing that a little bit, working out postgame, where he’s running the stairs in the arena or lifting weights with a trainer—we’ve done a lot of that. And I’ve seen James do that a lot now,” says Payne, a former hooper at Santa Clara and overseas who’s known Harden since middle school. “So, when he has time, he’s there for three hours. He will sit there and work out with the training staff and get a workout in…I started seeing him do it during his MVP run when he was in Houston. And then I didn’t see it as much in Brooklyn.

“When the game is over, they’re in the back, they’re working out—squats, working on shoulders and RDLs. They’re getting after it, like, at least 20 minutes. That’s the quick twitch muscles when your body is fatigued, just trying to make the body stronger. So that’s something that he’s implemented with [this] team. And if you go and you look at the weight room postgame, you’ll see about six to eight guys in there getting after it. So I think that’s a testament to his leadership and just trying to keep the younger guys motivated and hungry.”

“Throughout my career, I’ve been coachable on every team I’ve been a part of,” adds Harden. “Whatever is needed of me for the team to win is what I will deliver.”  

Coachable is a term that Payne also emphasizes, pointing to the time Harden was asked to take over the PG position when playing for Mike D’Antoni in Houston. On the fly adjustments, wherever, whenever. 

“Credit to D’Antoni for putting the ball in his hands when he was in Houston. He came back home one day and was like, Man, Coach wants me to run point guard. He’s like, Point guard? I ain’t about to run no point guard, man. What is he trying to do? And after two practices, he’s like, Oh my God, this is about to work!” recalls Payne. “So it’s a credit to him being coachable. And then when he gets in that situation, [he’s] figuring it out, how to make his team successful, how to make himself successful. And the rest is history.”

With so much to highlight in his long, illustrious career, we asked Harden which accomplishment or milestone he’s proud of the most. But it’s a question he doesn’t have an answer for…yet.

“The one I want,” says Harden, “hasn’t happened yet, so let’s revisit when I win a championship.”

SLAM 243 is also available in this exclusive Cover Tee and Gold Metal Edition. Tap in.

Portraits by Alex Subers.

The post James Harden Opens Up About His Legacy and Being the ‘Biggest Innovator’ of the Game appeared first on SLAM.

The Spurs sold 63, 592 tickets for the record and could sell 68,000, including standing-room tickets. The Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks set the previous record of 62,046 that stood for nearly 25 years. The Eastern Conference rivals played the game at the Georgia Dome on March 27, 1998.

The biggest crowd in League history was at the 2010 All-Star Game when the AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, hosted 108 713 fans. Excluding that monster attendance, Friday’s matchup between the Spurs and Warriors will be the fourth NBA game with more than 50,000 in the stands. Two of those were at the Silverdome when Detroit hosted 52,745 fans against the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 14, 1987. On Jan. 29, 1988, the Pistons drew 61,983 fans when they played the Boston Celtics.

The previous Alamodome record for an NBA game was 39,554 fans when the Spurs hosted the New York Knicks for Game 2 of the 1999 NBA Finals.

The post San Antonio Spurs Set to Break Single-Game Attendance Record appeared first on SLAM.

Based on his performance over the three-day event, Lofton Jr. earned a late invitation to the NBA Draft Combine. On May 23, just after the Combine ended, he announced his decision to remain in the 2022 Draft. “See y’all June 23,” he wrote on Twitter. “100% staying in the draft!” Though he wasn’t selected, the 20-year-old eventually signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies and continued to shine at NBA Summer League in July, posting 14.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

At 6-6, 275 pounds, Lofton Jr. is built more like an NFL tight end than an NBA forward. His strong frame, “bully ball” style and smooth lefty jumper immediately reminded Grizzlies fans of Zach Randolph. The hype surrounding him grew even more during a matchup with No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren, in which Lofton Jr. overpowered the 7-1 Gonzaga star down low, notching 19 points and 6 boards.

A point guard in high school before sprouting from 6-2 to 6-6 and moving to the frontcourt at Louisiana Tech, Lofton Jr.’s game reflects just that—he is as comfortable handling the ball up top as he is operating on the post, where he makes up for a lack of height with sheer muscle and excellent footwork. Asked about the development of his unique skill set at Grizzlies media day, Lofton Jr. said, “I just knew post moves. I just added everything I had and put it in one bag and used it.”

That bag includes a soft touch in the paint, a crafty spin move and an impressive passing ability. And now, with the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate, Lofton Jr. is adding to his arsenal. After taking just 20 total threes in college, the rookie is currently averaging just under 4 attempts per contest. He shot 50 percent from the field and 36 percent from behind the arc in December, averaging 21.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists to lead his team to a 7-2 record.

Memphis went 2-0 at the recent AT&T Winter Showcase in Las Vegas, the event that every G Leaguer has circled on the calendar. Playing in front of scouts and executives from all 30 NBA teams, Lofton Jr. was dominant. He showed his expanded range, knocking down 5 three-pointers, and overwhelmed weaker defenders inside. He was unstoppable driving to his left, using his body to keep shot blockers away and finishing through contact at the rim. In the two most important games of the season so far, he averaged 27 points, 11.5 rebounds and 5 assists. He was named to the All-Winter Showcase Team along with Brandon Boston Jr., Tre Mann, Isaiah Mobley and Terry Taylor.

Of course, Lofton Jr. still has a lot to improve—reducing his turnovers, upping his efficiency from deep, playing defense without fouling. But since the Elite Camp seven months ago, when he wasn’t even set on turning pro, the big man has already taken significant steps toward becoming a real contributor at the NBA level.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (DECEMBER STATS)

Mason Jones, Forward, Mexico City Capitanes: 24.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.3 steals, 63 FG%, 49 3P%

Isaiah Mobley, Forward, Cleveland Charge: 25.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.5 blocks, 65 FG%, 57 3P%

Mamadi Diakite, Forward, Cleveland Charge: 24 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 53 FG%

Orlando Robinson, Forward, Sioux Falls Skyforce: 25.5 points, 15.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 blocks, 62 FG%

Vernon Carey Jr., Forward, Capital City Go-Go: 25.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 59 FG%

Carlik Jones, Guard, Windy City Bulls: 23 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 52 FG%, 37 3P%

Brandon Boston Jr., Guard, Ontario Clippers: 23.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 49 FG% (Winter Showcase MVP)

Brandon Williams, Guard, College Park Skyhawks: 23.4 points, 4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.6 steals, 52 FG%, 49 3P%

Tyler Dorsey, Guard, Texas Legends: 27.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 51 FG%, 47 3P%

DECEMBER CALL-UP TRACKER

Louis King, Forward, Rio Grande Valley Vipers to Philadelphia 76ers

AJ Lawson, Forward, College Park Skyhawks to Dallas Mavericks

Jared Rhoden, Guard, College Park Skyhawks to Detroit Pistons

Carlik Jones, Guard, Windy City Bulls to Chicago Bulls

Stanley Johnson, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to San Antonio Spurs

Orlando Robinson, Forward, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Photos via Getty Images.

The post NBA G League Player To Watch (December Edition): Kenneth Lofton Jr.  appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors have said they wanted Wiggins to be a full participant in practice before he can play again, and that stipulation has finally been met. Head coach Steve Kerr announced Wiggins participated in all practice activity on Thursday and that “there’s a chance he could play tomorrow,” according to ESPN’s Kendra Andrews.

Andrew Wiggins practiced in full today, Kerr said.

“There’s a chance he could play tomorrow.”

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) January 6, 2023

Wiggins’ return comes on the heels of Kerr announcing Stephen Curry could come back from his shoulder injury as soon as Jan. 13 when the Warriors start their next road trip against the San Antonio Spurs next week.

The Warriors (20-19) are coming off a last-second loss to the Pistons. They look to return to their winning ways on Saturday when they take on the Orlando Magic. They’re two games back of grabbing fourth place in the Western Conference playoff standings.

The post Steve Kerr: ‘There’s a Chance’ Andrew Wiggins Could Return and Play on Saturday appeared first on SLAM.

Just one play before, Klay Thompson (30 points on 11-12 shooting) tied the game up at 119-all with one second left on the clock. Bey responded with an off-balance triple to stun the Warriors.

The former Villanova Wildcat scored 17 points on 6-17 shooting from the field and 4-10 from beyond the arc, including his game-winner to sink Golden State. Bey also contributed three rebounds and two steals off the bench.

“It was tough, I don’t even remember I kind of blacked out a little bit,” Bey said, per ESPN. “I had one second, so I didn’t have that much time to think, so I had to shoot it, so I’m just grateful it went in.”

SADDIQ BEY. GAME WINNER.#TissotBuzzerBeater | #TimingEmotions pic.twitter.com/JiIYbiNKQI

— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2023

Bey has knocked down two game-winning three’s in his career, and both came in January. Bey hit an overtime game-winner to sink the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 1, 2022.

The post Watch: Saddiq Bey’s Buzzer-Beater Shock the Golden State Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

On Wednesday, Myers shared that Curry was evaluated New Year’s Weekend and that the two-time MVP didn’t suffer any “setbacks or anything like that.” Myers believes Curry can return by Golden States’ upcoming road trip, which begins Jan. 13 against the San Antonio Spurs.

“He’s going to get evaluated this weekend, and he’s working out on the court,” Myers told 95.7 The Game. “The two-week mark to evaluate him was this weekend, but there’s been no, at this point, setbacks or anything like that. So that would be — what, the first road game is on Friday; I think it’s San Antonio.

That would be a hope. I mean, that will be what we’ll be shooting for — He’s been, not contact, but out there doing all this stuff, and he looks like the same guy. He’s got a sleeve on his shoulder and his arm, but that would be the plan. We’ve got to see what he looks like this weekend.”

Curry suffered a left shoulder subluxation on Dec. 14 when the Warriors took on the Indiana Pacers. The injury knocked him out of Golden State’s last nine games. The Warriors have been able to go 6-3 without the only unanimous MVP in NBA history and are riding a five-game win streak capped by Klay Thompson’s season-high 54-point outing against the Toronto Raptors.

The post Bob Myers Reveals Stephen Curry Could Return as Soon as Next Week Against San Antonio appeared first on SLAM.

The SLAM 240 cover star is the projected no. 1 overall pick due to his dangerous combination of length, shooting, and guard skill that makes him as unique of a unicorn as a draft prospect can be at 18-years-old with a massive 7’2″ frame to work with.

Have you seen a basketball player like this? No, you haven’t.

Victor Wembanyama covers SLAM 240. https://t.co/7XlmKr6Qrr pic.twitter.com/4pgLywxohB

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 3, 2022

When Le Parisen asked the LNB All-Star MVP about his thought process behind NBA teams tanking with the hopes of possibly drafting him with the first pick of the upcoming NBA Draft, Wembanyama seemed wholly unimpressed. He was so unflattered by the idea that he called it “a weird strategy,” and he found it “unreasonable.”

“Tanking? It’s a weird strategy,” Wembanyama said. “I find it unreasonable, and I try not to think about it. I also heard that the NBA considered changing a few rules for me, but that doesn’t concern me.”

The LNB All-Star Game MVP… @vicw_32!

27 PTS | 12 REB | 4 AST | 3 STL | 2 BLK pic.twitter.com/dI6OzsBfDR

— NBA (@NBA) December 29, 2022

As of Thursday, the four teams with the best odds of winning the lottery are the Detroit Pistons (9-28), Charlotte Hornets (9-26), Houston Rockets (11-23), and San Antonio Spurs (10-24).

Wembanyama’s game has attracted heightened attention after the NBA bought the streaming rights to stream his games with Metro 92 and the French national team this year.

The post Project No. 1 Overall Pick Victor Wembanyama Calls Tanking ‘a Weird Strategy’ appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There’s not much to be proud of in their 12-14 record, but the superstardom of Bam Adebayo has finally blossomed, and it’s greatly benefited, Jimmy Butler.

His aggressiveness has been on display, especially in the last six games. The Kentucky product has scored 18.3 points per game in the second half, which is second-best among centers behind Los Angeles Laker superstar Anthony Davis.

Bam keeps getting the job done by any means necessary pic.twitter.com/HIbWrG5Kdk

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 9, 2022

After a tight battle last night against the Los Angeles Clippers, Adebayo (31) and Butler (26) combined for 57 points while showing efficient shooting from inside the three-point line. Even with Adebayo’s point total and improvement in the second half, the center wanted Butler to score the team’s last eight clutch points, which he delivered.

“The ball finds the right places,” Adebayo said, according to Sports Illustrated. “Jimmy had the hot hand. He scored our last eight, and that’s what he does. At the end of the game, if he wants to keep doing, I’m fine with that. I have no problem with him shooting step-back, one-footers.”

JB with a game on the line is just different… the Clippers were the latest to find out. #ClutchJimmy

Popular Moment of the Week // @popularbank pic.twitter.com/Zil4anyaCW

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 9, 2022

The number one option is expected to deliver in crunch time, no matter the circumstance. In his return from a nearly two-week absence, Butler knocked down a stunning fadeaway blow a week ago against the Boston Celtics to steal a victory at TD Garden.

Adebayo quietly recorded 28 points in that same outing and collected seven boards, forcing the Celtics to account for two of the Heat’s superstars.

The tear Adebayo is on right now has made Butler’s job easier. With Adebayo drawing much more attention, the closing minutes rely on no. 22 to take on isolation assignments in which he’s so potent. Another Adebayo eruption with a closing call from Butler is in the possibilities Saturday night as the San Antonio Spurs come into town.

The post Bam Adebayo Has ‘No Problem’ with Jimmy Butler Closing Games Out appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HONORABLE MENTIONS (NOVEMBER STATS)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NOVEMBER CALL-UP TRACKER

DaQuan Jeffries, Guard, Westchester Knicks to New York Knicks

Alize Johnson, Forward, Austin Spurs to San Antonio Spurs

Dru Smith, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

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

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

Ibou Badji, Center, Wisconsin Herd to Portland Trail Blazers

AJ Lawson, Forward, College Park Skyhawks to Minnesota Timberwolves

Orlando Robinson, Forward, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Jordan Hall, Forward, Austin Spurs to San Antonio Spurs

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

ICYMI: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND:

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

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

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

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

The team sits at 5-10, struggling to meet the outsized expectations the Lakers typically face. With LeBron James currently sidelined and being evaluated daily with a groin injury, the Lakers desperately need someone to step up. Well, Lakers center Anthony Davis has answered the call.

Davis has been critical in the Laker’s current three-game winning streak. Earlier on in November, it was reported that the team was working on getting Davis more touches and being a more featured option. Now it looks like the coaching staff’s new schemes are really paying off.

In the last three Lakers games, Davis has scored 30 plus points while shooting above 60 percent from the field and ten plus rebounds in each of their wins. Davis went off for 37 points (15-25) and 18 rebounds versus the Brooklyn Nets, 38 points (10-16) and 16 rebounds versus the Detroit Pistons, and then last night had 30 points (12-19) and 18 boards versus the San Antonio Spurs.

Davis’ recent stretch has added him amongst Laker greats Shaquille O’Neal and Elgin Baylor as the only three Lakers in franchise history to record 30+ points and 15+ rebounds in 3+ games.

In a postgame interview with ESPN, Davis spoke on the effect James’ absence has had on his game and that James even told him that he’s “playing like his old self.”

“Obviously, when he’s out, or I’m out,” Davis said. “We take it upon ourselves to kind of, as much as we can, fill that void.”

Lakers coach Darvin Ham even commented on AD’s recent performances saying, “AD is playing out of his mind; he’s in a great rhythm.”

It’s great to see the Laker’s offense finally start to come to life here in these last few games. If Davis and company can keep up their recent stretch of offensive dominance until James returns, the Lakers will, without a doubt, begin to be back on track in a very tightly contested Western Conference.

The post Anthony Davis: ‘Playing Like His Old Self’ During Three-Game Win Streak appeared first on SLAM.

While Portland’s Tuesday night 117-110 win over the San Antonio Spurs wasn’t a defensive clinic, both teams shot 52 percent from the field; the Blazers won because of their mentality to get stops instead of simply preventing the Spurs from getting buckets.

“I think in the past we would be like, ‘Alright, somebody got to get it going,’ Lillard said, per NBA.com. “The energy on our team now, it feel like ‘We’ve got to get some stops. We’ve got to stop them, and we’ve got to get rebounds.’ I think that’s the difference; that’s why we’re able to win a lot of these games.”

Dame Time (22 points and 11 assists) was the personification of that energy after he got a stop late in the fourth quarter. The Weber State product was switched onto Kieta Bates-Diop in the post, a 6’8 forward out of Ohio State, but don’t let his reputation as a non-defender make you think he’d go like that against a fifth-year forward. Bates-Diop took one drip into the paint and went up for a hook shot, but Dame was ready, elevated, and blocked that s—t.

“When guys see how personal I’m taking it and how personal Josh (Hart) is going to take it, when we take that challenge like that, and we care about it, it’s infectious,” said Lillard. “I think people have said things about me defensively without understanding what real responsibility is when you’re leading a team and how hard that is. So I make it a point: We gonna see about it.”

"I think people have said things about me defensively without understanding what real responsibility is when you’re leading a team and how hard that is. So I make it a point: We gonna see about it." — @Dame_Lillard pic.twitter.com/POACyn9a1n

— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) November 16, 2022

On the ensuing possession, Lillard made a play he’s more known for, knocking down a triple three feet beyond the line to give the Blazers a 110-106 lead with 3:24 to play.

“Say what they want, but it’s been a lot of those moments, and there’s going to be more of those moments where I’ve got to step in there and be willing to take that challenge. And I’m going to keep doing it. That just was one possession, and it was a big possession.”

The Blazers brought the dub home after holding the Spurs to just four points over the game’s final six minutes and 50 seconds. Drew Eubanks converted an and-one, and Anfernee Simons (23 points on 5-10 shooting from beyond the arc) knocked down a trip to secure Portland’s seven-point win.

Portland will host the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday at 10 PM EST.

The post Damian Lillard On His Defensive Reputation: ‘We Gonna See About It’ appeared first on SLAM.

Kerr made the announcement on Monday following Golden State’s 132-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Wiseman played nine minutes and posted two points, two rebounds, and assists. He didn’t play in any of Golden’s Staes’ previous three games.

“Yeah, he going to go to Santa Cruz tomorrow, and we will keep him there for an extended period to get really good practice time and some games,” Kerr said per NBCS Warriors. “It’s not going to be one game and bring him back; we want to give him 10 straight days, something like that, and then come back.”

Steve Kerr said James Wiseman will go to the G-League tomorrow and stay down there for an extended time. Warriors want to get him reps. Said it could be 10 consecutive days or longer. pic.twitter.com/zIMOKAK8J6

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 15, 2022

Wiseman was expected to be a meaningful contributor on a Warriors team looking to prioritize winning and developing their young studs like Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody. The former No. 2 played 39 games before he suffered a season-ending knee injury that forced him to miss the entire 2021-22 season.

Wiseman first played in the G League in March before the Warriors shut him down. This season, the former Memphis Tiger is averaging 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds on 58.8 percent shooting from the field. When Jordan Poole was asked about Wiseman getting a G League assignment, the Michigan Man said he told Wiseman not to see it as a demotion or punishment.

Furthermore, Poole believes that Wiseman will be “a-okay” and that the G League assignment will allow Wiseman to get back into his bag and work on shots and moves he doesn’t get to utilize while being on the main roster.

Jordan Poole on James Wiseman going to the G-League (which Poole once did): “I told him it’s not a demotion. It’s not a punishment. He’s going to go down there and shoot as many shots as he wants, get as many touches as he wants, work on as many moves as he wants.” pic.twitter.com/ISivLSigjn

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 15, 2022

From a former player and coach’s perspective, Kerr knows it’s tough being a young player falling out of the rotation. However, the veteran coach has confidence that Wiseman will “find his way back to the rotation at some point.” Most of all, Kerr believes that the G League stint is “the best thing for him” since he’ll get “play a lot of minutes.”

“It’s really hard. It’s really hard for anybody to be in and out of the lineup, but for a young guy who’s been through a lot already, it’s a lot to go through,” Kerr said. “But this is part of his journey. Everybody’s got a different one. Part of his is he barely played any basketball before he got to the NBA, and he had a major injury. What I love about James is that he’s got incredible character, work ethic, and care for the team.

The Warriors will look to build on their latest win and build a winning streak when they play the Suns on Wednesday.

The post James Wiseman Headed to Santa Cruz For ‘Extended Period’ appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

— NBA (@NBA) November 4, 2022

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

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

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

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

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) November 4, 2022

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

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

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

Murray had a quiet eight points in the first-half of action but erupted for 16 points over the final 24 minutes. Murray ended up finishing with 24 points, five rebounds, and two assists in 33 minutes of action.

Love seeing Jamal attack like this. Returning to form. (via @nuggets) pic.twitter.com/qMSw2t0qIx

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 4, 2022

Murray was a human highlight reel last night, making all the plays and shots we had gotten accustomed to seeing him hit before he tore his ACL. At one point, he had hit a tough three-pointer and then turned around and pointed at a fan. Murray couldn’t recall who said what, but postgame, he simply said;

“I blacked out; I kind of get like that.”

TOUGH bucket by Jamal pic.twitter.com/OzqSF7kFYB

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) November 4, 2022

Postgame, Murray was interviewed by AltitudeTV, where he was asked what was going well for him in the fourth, to which Murray answered,

“Just made some shots, wanted to win the game, we needed a spark, and I just decided to make some shots and give us that edge.

"I just didn't want to lose the game, honestly."

Jamal's on last night's game and his performance pic.twitter.com/GkwChdCmFo

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) November 4, 2022

The Nuggets ended up winning the game 122-110 and improved to a 5-3 record to kick off the new season. Things can only go up from here for fans in the Mile High state as Murray and the Nuggets look to start a winning streak going versus the San Antonio Spurs Saturday.

The post Jamal Murray ‘Blacked Out’ During Explosive Second-Half Surge appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

White did just enough for Boston to turn their early struggles around, and it reconciled into a second seed in the Eastern Conference standings. The success went on into the playoffs as the Celtics secured their first NBA Finals appearance since 2010.

White couldn’t have imagined this surge from the Celtics after being acquired, but personal issues and adjustments to the new squad became a mind-racing experience for him, leading to a championship series loss to the Golden State Warriors.

“It was crazy. I mean, from February to June, it felt like I was on the move nonstop,” White tells NBC Sports Boston. “This year, I feel much more settled in and comfortable. Last year was a great experience, and I loved it all. But I’m feeling much more settled in this year.”

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Although most of the statistical categories took a slight decline for White, his Celtic tenure can be remembered by the elite shot-making and defending he displayed in Games 5 and 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. In those games combined, White totaled 35 points off the bench while securing nine rebounds and nine assists.

Just days before that stellar play, White’s wife, Hannah, gave birth to their son Hendrixx which attributed to him spending time away from the team. Of course, the Celtics still found ways to win due to the offensive eruptions from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. White shared his recognition of the unorthodox duo and how their commitment is a significant aspect of the team’s success.

“From the outside, you see the games, and you’re impressed,” said White on Tatum and Brown. “But it’s all the stuff on the practice court, the things they do after practice — They’re obviously super talented, and their work ethic is a big reason why.”

After the Finals loss, White needed to settle into Boston with his family and team properly. Including the adjustment to fatherhood over the summer, White spent hours in the facility working on his craft as a perimeter shooter, to which interim coach Joe Mazzulla noticed he was shooting far differently as he did in the series against the Warriors.

“I love where he’s at from a confidence standpoint,” said Mazzulla. “I think when he plays with confidence, I think that’s important for all of us to make sure he’s confident because he’s really good for us. When he’s shooting with confidence, I think he’s a threat at all three levels.”

Now comprehensive of his career-changing, White looks to be that x-factor off the bench that the Celtics had wished he would’ve been just four months before. With White’s emerging presence in the gym, he feels the team has gotten much closer, with the taste of revenge lingering on their minds.

“I mean, everybody’s frustrated. Just be so close and not finish it,” said White. “You just want to have another opportunity at that. But you just have to keep getting better and understand the things that you need to work on and work on them. We can’t skip any steps.”

The post Derrick White Discusses the ‘Crazy’ Struggle He Faced After Getting Traded to Boston appeared first on SLAM.

As you can see below, based on the average list price on the secondary market, the Golden State Warriors are once again the most expensive team for the 2022-23 season. At $611 the Warriors are the only team with an average list price of over $600 heading into the 2022-23 season. The Los Angeles Lakers ($518) are the only other team with an average price of $500 or more, and rank second on the list. The New York Knicks ($346), Boston Celtics ($303), and Phoenix Suns ($285) round out the top five.

Least Expensive Teams:

On the other side of the spectrum, the Indiana Pacers are this year’s least expensive team with an average list price of $138. Four other teams have average prices under $160; the Oklahoma City Thunder ($148), Detroit Pistons ($153), San Antonio Spurs ($157), and Houston Rockets ($159). Below you can see the rest of the least expensive teams heading into the 2022-23 season. 

Biggest Year Over Year Price Changes:

In terms of teams that have seen the biggest price jump since last season, the Memphis Grizzlies (+111%) top the list. They’re the only team in the NBA whose ticket prices have more than doubled since the start of last season. The Trail Blazers (+56%), Mavericks (+56%), Magic (+55%) and Pistons (+50%) round out the top 5. 

Where and How to Buy 2022-23 NBA Tickets

Primary market NBA tickets are available for most teams via Ticketmaster.  Some teams offer their primary market tickets via other sites like Seatgeek or AXS. Most teams sell out quickly.

On the secondary market, TicketIQ has Fee-Free NBA tickets which also include a Refund Guarantee. Our Refund Guarantee states that if an event is canceled or deemed unfit for fans to attend, TicketIQ will refund ticket buyers in as soon as 15 days. That means that you can buy from TicketIQ worry-free. Customers on TicketIQ save between 15%-25% compared to other secondary market ticketing sites.  

The post 2022-23 NBA Tickets: Warriors and Lakers Remain the Most Expensive appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dupree was the sixth overall pick in the 2006 WNBA Draft and played for fifteen seasons in the W. The seven-time WNBA All-Star won a WNBA Championship in 2014 with the Phoenix Mercury.

The news was initially reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic.

By joining the Spurs’ staff, Dupree is now following in the footsteps of her predecessor and former Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon, who just led the Las Vegas Aces into a new era after winning not only the 2022 WNBA Coach of the Year Award, but the organization’s first-ever 2022 WNBA Championship.

“You’re starting to see a lot of women that are breaking into the NBA ranks and so they’re just like, ‘soak up as much as you can,’” Dupree told TheNextHoops in regard to advice she’s gotten from Dawn Staley and Ervin Monier, who was her coach at Temple. “Obviously, if I need any help from them [Staley and Monier], they’re there. If I need to steal plays and everything else, I have that available as well.”

As the 2022-23 NBA season approaches, Dupree and other female coaches across the League are continuing to pave the way for future generations.

The post REPORT: San Antonio Spurs are Hiring Former WNBA All-Star Candice Dupree as Assistant Coach appeared first on SLAM.

In July, Hammon was asked by WSLAM about her career and how she planned to lead the Las Vegas Aces into a new era. When Hammon played in the WNBA, she made six All-Star appearances and four All-WNBA Teams. Then in 2021, Becky was named to The W25, a collection of the twenty-five most influential and greatest players in WNBA history.

“Honestly, it’s not like I’m setting out to do these things,” Hammon told WSLAM about barrier-breaking experiences in the NBA. “You show up, you work, you keep working, and you try to do your job to the best of your ability. And those other things just kind of take care of themselves.”

After a turbulent 2021-2022 NBA off-season in which many vacant head coaching positions were filled by candidates who were not Hammon, Las Vegas took their shot and landed their very own Ace. In Hammon’s first year with the team, she not only won a title and Coach of the Year, but her team earned the No.1 overall record; she was head coach of the 2022 All-Star team and won the Commissioner’s Cup Championship as well.

Since taking the reigns in Las Vegas, Hammon not only diversified Las Vegas’ offensive and defensive schemes but most importantly, she helped her team learn to believe in themselves.

“When you take the word ‘encourage,’ which actually means to give courage to another person, that’s what I’ve tried to speak into them every day,” Hammon said per Ballysports. “It’s how much I believed in them and that we could be special if we all do it together.”

Becky also stated that she believes that the first step to any winning culture is accountability.

“First thing that you have to do in building a championship culture is to set a tone of accountability. Bringing people together for a common goal that’s bigger than themselves, and then you’ve got to get the buy-in factor. My buy-in factor on each one of these women has been high, and I think they respond to me well. I try to be very clear with what their job is, what the expectation is,” Hammon said. “Then, everybody is held to the same line in the sense of, you know, nobody is shooting it over two, three people. Play the right way, and everybody wins, and when we win, everything else takes care of itself.”

It’s safe to say that Hammon’s first season as head coach of the Aces has been a success after leading the Aces to their first-ever title and helping A’ja Wilson win her second MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors, Kelsey Plum win an All-Star game MVP, and Jackie Young become the 2022  Most Improved Player.

The post How Coach Becky Hammon Built a Championship Culture in Las Vegas appeared first on SLAM.

THAT’S GAME!!!!!! THE LAS VEGAS ACES ARE YOUR 2022 @WNBA CHAMPIONS pic.twitter.com/HA2gqVJBOh

— WSLAM (@wslam) September 18, 2022

The Aces were led by Chelsea Gray (20 points, five rebounds, and six assists on 2-3 shooting from beyond the arc.) and Riquana Williams (17 points off the bench on 5-9 shooting from long distance.) Kelsey Plum contributed 15 points, three dimes, and three steals. Jackie Young dropped 13 points, and A’ja Wilson followed up with 11 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks.

https://t.co/hVRdHQk7s9 pic.twitter.com/UvvVwON4mA

— Dearica Marie Hamby (@dearicamarie) September 18, 2022

While Game 4 matched Connecticut’s preferred style of play, low-scoring and defense-oriented, the Aces were able to prevail and win a game that the Sun made sure they mucked up in every way possible. The Aces finished Sunday on an 8-0 run to take home their first WNBA Finals. Williams highlighted that run with a lethal stepback over Natasha Hiedeman that gave Las Vegas a decisive 76-71 lead over the Sun.

“You see it. You see it,” Wilson said during the Aces’ on-court celebration. “This is what we’re building. This is what we’re doing. This is it. I’m so happy right now.”

RIQUANA WILLIAMS EVERYONE (via @wnba) pic.twitter.com/0N0xGAsyH1

— WSLAM (@wslam) September 18, 2022

Las Vegas’ title caps off a banner year for the Aces, who took home the Commissioner’s Cup, MVP (Wilson), All-Star Game MVP (Plum), Defensive Player of the Year honors (Wilson), Most Improved Player (Young), and Coach of the Year (Coach Becky Hammon). Hammon is the first in WNBA history to win a title in her first season as a head coach. Hammon worked as an assistant on Gregg Popovich’s coaching staff on the San Antonio Spurs for eight years.

“She’s been absolutely unbelievable, and I guess this legitimizes the way we went after her,” said Davis per ESPN. “I can’t wait to see what these rings are going to look like.”

Hammon changed up Las Vegas’ offensive philosophy this season, challenging the Aces to take more three-pointers than ever. The Aces responded by going 343-951 from beyond the arc, taking 519 more triples than they did last season (162-432). Wilson made 31 three-pointers during the regular-season. Wilson won her second MVP this season and has now added a title and an Olympic gold medal, cementing her place as a WNBA legend by 26-years-old.

All of Las Vegas’ key players are returning next season, giving the Aces a chance to be the first WNBA team to win consecutive championships since the Los Angeles Sparks did it in 2001-2002.

“It’s a commitment to wanting to keep a group together,” said Gray, who also won a title with Los Angeles in 2016. “You think about the teams in the past who kept a core group together, like Minnesota or Phoenix or Seattle, it’s a commitment to excellence and wanting to leave a legacy.

“I think especially with a first-year head coach, our bond got even a little tighter and stronger. For the organization to understand what it takes to not just do it one year, but try to do it multiple years, that’s when you’re talking about a more legendary franchise. Hopefully, that’s what we can be.”

The Aces will celebrate their title run with a championship parade on Tuesday at 5:30 P.M pacific time.

The post Chelsea Gray and Riquna Williams Lead Las Vegas to First-Ever Title appeared first on SLAM.

After she retired from her playing career, she joined the San Antonio Spurs coaching staff and the renowned Gregg Popovich coaching tree. She spent five seasons in the Spurs system before deciding to leave the NBA for the W in December 2021, becoming the highest-paid coach in WNBA history as a result. 

Hammon was rumored to be up for multiple vacant head coaching positions in the NBA before taking a job with the Aces. If Hammon had been hired, she’d have been the first female head coach in the history of the NBA. She led the 2015 Spurs Summer League Team to a Summer League title as head coach.

In her first season as the head coach of the Aces, Hammon won the 2022 Coach of the Year, Jackie Young won Most Improved Player, A’ja Wilson won her second League MVP, Kelsey Plum won All-Star MVP on her way to a career-year, and the Aces made their triumphant return to the Finals.

Lindsay Schnell of USA Today asked Hammon if she thinks “everyone in the NBA feels dumb for not hiring you?”

“I’m used to people not picking me; I don’t know if you’re aware. I just do me.” Hammon says, despite all her success.

Even up 2-0 in the Finals, Coach Hammon knows the job is not finished, and she has more work to do.

“I don’t see any banners. I don’t see any balloons. I’m sure as hell happy I ain’t see that confetti again because we ain’t win nothing yet.” Hammon said.

Game 3 of the WNBA Finals is scheduled for September 15 at 9:00 PM EST.  

The post Becky Hammon On Being Snubbed For NBA Jobs: ‘I Just Do Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

Ginobili enters the Hall of Fame after a 16-year career as a Spur, helping guide the franchise to four NBA championships while becoming one of the greatest sixth men ever. Ginobili won the Sixth Man of the Year just one time but is synonymous with being the first guy off the bench. His legacy is the fact he was willing to sacrifice being a starter and take a role with less glamour. Ginobili also earned two All-Star nods and two All-NBA selections.

Within that role, Ginobili anchored a bench unit that Gregg Popovich could rely on to hold leads. Ginobili was also frequently on the court with the closers. The most coveted spot you can have on a roster competing for titles. The Argentinian superstar was even better on the international stage. He was the go-to star when Argentina beat Team USA for the gold medal in the 2004 Olympics.

During his time on the international stage, Ginobili earned a FIBA AmeriCup MVP, a Euroleague championship and Finals MVP, was the top scorer in the Finals twice, was voted to the All-EuroLeague First team, won the Italian League championship, the Italian Cup twice and was named the Italian Cup VMP in 2002, the Italian League MVP twice, was an Italian League All-Star three times, and even won the Italian League dunk contest.

To top off his international success, Ginobili was named to the 50 Greatest EuroLeague contributors in 2008.

“It’s unreal that I’m here in this moment,” Ginobili said during the Hall of Fame press conference. “I guess (kids) don’t really expect to be in the Hall of Fame when they grow up but being from a small city in Argentina, a country that is known for its soccer teams making it all the way to the NBA, was for me at that point already an unreachable dream. And then things started to happen year by year, improvement, growth, development. And then one thing brought the other one. I get drafted just by sheer luck by one of the best franchises in sport, and we start winning.”

“And when things start to happen like that, then you start thinking, “oh Woah,” people start thinking that I may become a Hall of Famer. I said, “that’s ridiculous.” But at 45 years, a few years after retirement, here I am. So a very unlikely outcome for a kid born where I was born.”

“A very unlikely outcome for a kid born where I was born.”@manuginobili on his journey to the @Hoophall pic.twitter.com/AvOEcju7pU

— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 9, 2022

Ginobili also recognized that his success came from his individuals but his teammates, that helped him play on some “special teams.”

“I’m not the type of player who would have gotten here regardless. I needed a great team.”

Ginobili will be presented at the Hall of Fame by Duncan.

The post Manu Ginobili On His ‘Unlikely’ Journey to a Hall of Fame Career appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 16, 2022

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

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

Sources: NBA’s 2022 Christmas Day schedule:

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 14, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Team Schedules

Eastern Conference

Atlantic

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

New York Knicks

Philadelphia 76ers

Toronto Raptors

Central

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Detroit Pistons

Indiana Pacers

Milwaukee Bucks

Southeast

Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte Hornets

Miami Heat

Orlando Magic

Washington Wizards

Western Conference

Southwest

Dallas Mavericks

Houston Rockets

Memphis Grizzlies

New Orleans Pelicans

San Antonio Spurs

Northwest

Denver Nuggets

Minnesota Timberwolves

Portland Trail Blazers

Oklahoma City Thunder

Utah Jazz

Pacific

Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Phoenix Suns

Sacramento Kings

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

The visit to Mexico is the first time the NBA has played the Mexico City games since December 2019.

San Antonio will showcase their newest rookie Tari Eason, recently re-signed Keldon Johnson, and of course, Coach Gregg Popovich. Meanwhile, Miami returns a team that just went to the Eastern Conference Finals led by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.

San Antonio made their debut in Mexico in 1994, and the Heat will play in Mexico for the first time since 2017.

The 2022-23 game also be the 30th season of the Mexico Games, which began in 1992 between the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets.

The post Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs Set to Play Mexico City Game in 2022 appeared first on SLAM.

One of the main leaders on that team, Tony Parker, one-third of the Spurs Big Three that helped deliver four championships to San Antonio, believes that with Coach Ime Udoka leading from the sidelines, the Boston Celtics can make up for their heartbreaking Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors. It all starts with allowing 2022 to serve as a motivator to the ultimate goal of not only making it back to the Finals but winning it all.

“For the Celtics,” Parker said per The Athletic, “that’s what they have to do.”

“He was with us in those years,” Parker said. “So he can definitely take some stuff from what we had to go through. I played with him as teammates and had him as a coach. He’s been through everything with us, so he knows better than anybody how to bounce back from a tough NBA Finals loss.”

There are some big differences between those Spurs and these Celtics. For one, the core of the Celtics are all under 30, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown being 24 and 25-years-old respectively. The Spurs championship core were all well into their 30s execpt Kawhi Leonard, who won his first Finals MVP that season but was yet to become the lethal scorer he is today.

The main thing that the Celtics will have to do is continue to play like they did from the flip into 2022 until the end of the regular season, finishing the season fifth in assists per 100 posessions and forming the top-ranked defense in the Legue. Being able to lean into team play will allow the Celtics to not allow offensive lapses like they did during their run to the Finals and over the final four of the championship series against the Warriors.

Both Udoka and team president have stated that they want to see the Celtics play with “a little bit more movement,” on the court. Being able to replicate what the Spurs did during their 2014 title run will be difficult, espcially with two wings that are deadly in isolation, but in order Boston to hang their record 18th title, they might have to sacrifice those points in order to accomplish their ultimate goal.

“For me, the way we lost in 2013, it created what happened in 2014,” Parker said. “Maybe one of the best finals in NBA history. Maybe the best Spurs basketball that we played. In 2014, the way we played, the passing game, everything, we were maybe at the highest level of my whole career. It started with a tough loss in 2013.”

The post Tony Parker Thinks Boston Can Avenge Finals Loss Like Spurs Did in 2014 appeared first on SLAM.

As Becky Hammon watched the curtain drop to unveil her No. 25 jersey immortalized in the rafters of the Michelob ULTRA Arena last September, not once did it cross her mind that she would be named the next head coach of the Las Vegas Aces three months later.

Similar to the Oakland Raiders’ Legacy Brick program, Aces owner Mark Davis was intentional about establishing an alumni initiative to honor former players of the Utah Starzz, San Antonio Stars and the Las Vegas Aces.

“I thought it was a really nice gesture. It was a fun weekend to get to know people and get to see new people,” Hammon says.

At the time, the Aces head coaching position wasn’t available. In fact, Hammon was still working as a full-time assistant in the NBA under Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, a position she held since retiring from basketball in 2014.

But as the Aces were heading into their third consecutive postseason appearance under then-head coach Bill Laimbeer, it dawned on him that after 17 seasons coaching in the WNBA, it was time to think about who would succeed him.

“When coaching changes are made, obviously 95 percent of them are because the team is bad, the coaches lost the team, there is no future or there are problems in all the above. This isn’t that case,” says Laimbeer. “I handed off a situation where it’s a very talented team. They just needed somebody else to lead them. My time had passed.”

Laimbeer and the Aces front office came up with a short list of potential head coaching candidates.

“I’m a high profile person, especially in the WNBA,” Laimbeer adds. “I’ve been here a long time. We have a quality organization and have had quality individuals as coaches. I think we needed another person who could command the attention and respect of this special Las Vegas franchise.

They needed somebody who could walk right in and not be questioned. And so I think I told them you need a high-profile person.”

Hammon, who played 16 seasons in the WNBA after going undrafted in 1999, including eight seasons with the Aces (formerly known as the San Antonio Stars) from 2007 to 2014, was at the top of that list.

As a player, Hammon made six WNBA All-Star appearances and was named to four All-WNBA teams. In 2021, she was named to The W25, a collection of the 25 greatest and most influential players in WNBA history, and was voted one of the league’s top 15 players of all time in 2011.

As a member of the Spurs coaching staff, Hammon made history as the first full-time female assistant coach ever in the NBA. She also became the first woman to serve as a head coach for an NBA team at the NBA Summer League, leading the Spurs to a title.

Hammon also became the first woman to be part of an NBA All-Star team’s coaching staff and the first woman to serve as an acting head coach in the NBA.

“Honestly, it’s not like I’m setting out to do these things,” she says. “You show up, you work, you keep working and you try to do your job to the best of your ability. And those other things just kind of take care of themselves.”

Despite having a qualified résumé and experience as both a player and a coach, Hammon was not hired as an NBA head coach during her eight years working in the League.

When Las Vegas presented the opportunity to be its next head coach, she felt the offer was too good to pass up.

“At the end of the day, it was just a personal decision that I felt like I needed to make,” Hammon says. “I felt like I was ready and I needed to take that next step. And I also felt like I could go somewhere else and be an assistant in the NBA. But it felt like there was nothing that could replace or be as beneficial to me as sitting in the big chair right now. And I felt like that was something I was ready for.”

As the newly appointed Aces head coach, Hammon, 45, returns to the WNBA as the highest paid coach in the league, with earnings exceeding $1 million annually over the next five years.

“She’s one of those rare gems, and she just has that ‘it’ factor,” says Aces president Nikki Fargas. “Becky is a pioneer in our game, in so many ways. She’s that kid that had to work for everything and she’s also an inspiration to these players. She’s changed the landscape of how we play this game.

“To bring someone like Becky Hammon here, to me, that’s also a statement in the movement in the right direction. It is about equality, it is about gender equity. It is about compensation. And she understands there’s a lot of responsibility that you have, but it’s one she welcomes, and she relishes in it. I can’t say how excited we are, in what she’s doing to move this League. She’s moving this League in the right direction for the next 25 years to come.”

With Hammon at the helm, the Aces organization is looking to establish a championship culture.

Hammon earned WNBA Coach of the Month in May and led the team to the best 10-game start to a head coaching career in WNBA history. “I just want to impact people in a positive way,” she says. “I want to inspire people to think bigger, dream bigger, to know that at the end of the day you can’t out give life and you can’t out give the game. So give as much as you can, because it’ll always give you back 100 fold.”

WSLAM 2 is available now. Get your copy here.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Becky Hammon is Leading the Las Vegas Aces into a New Era appeared first on SLAM.

The former San Antonio Stars and New York Liberty legend came to Las Vegas after eight years as an assistant coach on Gregg Popovich’s coaching staff. Hammon seemingly hit a wall in the NBA after not being hired last summer, but after a memorable WNBA career and earning her coaching stripes with the Spurs, Hammon elected to go where she would be appreciated and given a chance to show she can run the show.

Becky Hammon said she was quite close to becoming New York’s head coach and had “multiple conversations” with Liberty decision makers before eventually landing in Las Vegas.

(Q: @DougFeinberg )

— Owen Pence (@OwenPence) July 12, 2022

Before Hammon ultimately ended up with Las Vegas, she reportedly had “multiple conversations” with the New York Liberty about becoming their next head coach. Hammon spent eight seasons with the franchise, earned two All-Star bids, and was named to the All-WNBA second team before they traded her to San Antonio.

Had Hammon decided to sign with New York, she would’ve been able to coach All-Star talent like Sabrina Ionescu and 2021 selection Betnijah Laney.

However, choosing the Aces meant getting to coach a team that’s been on the precipice of winning a title since the franchise moved from San Antonio to Las Vegas. She gets to coach a former League MVP in A’ja Wilson and two-time Sixth Woman of the Year in Dearica Hamby. Hammon also has other lethal weapons to utilize, like Kelsey Plum and Syndey Colson. The team also has a championship vet in Chelsea Grey.

Truthfully, she couldn’t have gone wrong with either choice, but Las Vegas was the most talent-laden roster she had a choice of picking.

The Aces pick up the second half of their schedule against the runner-up to Hammons coaching service on Thursday in New York.

The post Becky Hammon Was ‘Close’ to Becoming Liberty Head Coach appeared first on SLAM.

Irving has been linked to a Lakers move involving Russell Westbrook, but it seems unlikely that the Nets would want to take on Westbrook in a direct swap with Irving. Leading to the Lakers wanting to include the Spurs in any trade they negotiate with the Nets.

San Antonio traded away All-Star guard Dejounte Murray in exchange for multiple future picks; they also dealt away Derrick White to the Celtics in exchange for Josh Richardson. Jakob Poetl and Doug McDermott are also reportedly available for a trade as the Spurs look to move in a younger direction.

They also possess a plethora of draft picks, assets that the Nets would want in a deal like this.

Per Pincus, “League sources stressed that Brooklyn views resolving Kevin Durant’s trade request as a significantly higher priority than clearing Irving’s final $36.9 million of the Nets’ books.”

After trading Murray away to the Hawks, the Spurs seem to be headed towards a rebuild and are reportedly looking to offload some of their veterans to focus on developing their young players. Furthermore, the Spurs are likely eying 2023 NBA Draft prospect and potential No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama.

The team also recently signed former Thunder forward Isaiah Roby.

The Nets are looking to resolve the Durant situation before moving Irving, and the Lakers are looking to do the same for Westbrook, but neither team will swap straight up. San Antonio holds the key to all of this.

The post REPORT: Lakers Trying to Involve Spurs in Three-Team Deal for Kyrie Irving appeared first on SLAM.

The Hawks are sending three first-round picks and a future pick swap to the Spurs to pair Murray with All-NBA guard Trae Young, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/rxHtyr63jl

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Hawks agreed to send Danilo Gallinari and draft capital to the Spurs for Murray. Atlanta is sending a 2023 first-round pick they got from Charlotte, and their 2025 and 2027 first-round picks to the Spurs. San Antonio will also receive a pick swap in 2026.

The Hawks are sending a 2023 first-round pick via Charlotte, and their own 2025 and 2027 first-round picks to the Spurs in the deal, sources tell ESPN. Spurs will also get a pick swap in 2026.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Murray will be expected to come in and provide a good deal of two-way support to backcourt mate Trae Young. The trade fulfills reports from last week that the Hawks actively sought to acquire Murray. The former Washington Husky averaged 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game on 46.2 percent shooting from the field and 32.7 percent shooting from deep.

The post REPORT: Hawks and Spurs Agree to Trade Built Around Dejounte Murray appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 8, 2022

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

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 6, 2022

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

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 5, 2022

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

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 5, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 5, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

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

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 4, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2022

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

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) July 4, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 1, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

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

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

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) July 1, 2022

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

— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) July 1, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

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

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

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

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

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) July 1, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

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

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

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

— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) June 30, 2022

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

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

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) June 30, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) June 30, 2022

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

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

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) June 30, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

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

— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) June 30, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

Portis has early bird rights in Milwaukee.

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

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

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 29, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

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

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

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 28, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

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

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

7/25:

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

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

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

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

Sexton played 11 games this year before tearing his meniscus.

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

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) July 15, 2022

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

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

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

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 15, 2022

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

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

The Timberwolves declined.

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

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 7, 2022

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

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

— KNBR (@KNBR) July 3, 2022

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

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) July 1, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

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

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

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) June 30, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

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

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) June 30, 2022

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

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

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 30, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Klein notes that the package to obtain Murray would be Danilo Gallinari and multiple first-round picks, but John Collins will not be a part of the transaction despite being in trade rumors for a few seasons.

After sitting out all of the 2018-19 season, Murray has blossomed into one of the better point guards in the League. This past year he earned his first All-Star bid after averaging 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and a League-leading 2.0 steals per game.

Murray is halfway through a four-year rookie extension he signed in 2019 with the Spurs. The final two years of his contract have him making just north of $16 million and $17 million, respectively.

The Hawks are looking to pair Murray up with Trae Young, becoming a formidable backcourt within the Eastern Conference.

Klein also reports San Antonio is preparing for the future and the 2023 NBA Draft.

The post REPORT: Hawks ‘On the Verge’ of Obtaining Dejounte Murray appeared first on SLAM.

To find out who else made it on the list, read here.

2. 2016-2017 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Steve Kerr

Record: 67-15

Roster: Matt Barnes, Ian Clark, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Damian Jones, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney, James Michael McAdoo, Patrick McCaw, JaVale McGee, Zaza Pachulia, Klay Thompson, Anderson Varejao, Briante Weber, David West

Talk about an over-correction. The Warriors fall in the 2016 Finals, in a series they might well have won had Draymond Green not been suspended for a game, and what do they do? They decide that a core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Green just isn’t enough to get it done—even though Golden State had won a title in 2015 with the same group and had set the NBA record for regular-season wins in 2015-16 (73).

When most strong teams try to upgrade their cores, they do so with a couple of key, yet hardly overwhelming, additions. Not the Warriors. They went out and signed Kevin Durant to a free-agent deal, adding an elite NBA player who had been a seven-time All-Star and four-time scoring champion to an already-stacked roster. It was almost laughable.

Except the rest of the NBA wasn’t laughing. At all. 

When the deal was announced, there was some hand-wringing among analysts about how a high-volume scorer like Durant—he averaged 28.2 ppg the previous season—would fit with Curry, who could pile up the points himself. That seemed like a bit of hopeful thinking among the rest of the League, since the thought of a fully-functional Curry-Durant axis was frightening.

It was even scarier to encounter. Even though Durant missed the final 19 games of the regular season with an MCL sprain, he teamed with Curry to form an overpowering scoring tandem that could torment rivals from long range and off the dribble. The Warriors led the League in points scored, field goal percentage and assists. Golden State had a +11.6 point differential. More importantly, their 67 wins were much better than the NBA’s next total—the Spurs’ 61—and 16 ahead of the Clippers, the Pacific’s second-place team.

Durant (25.1 ppg) and Curry (25.3 ppg) were the clear offensive leaders, and when rivals concentrated on one, the other took charge. But championship teams can’t thrive simply on the efforts of a couple players. Thompson averaged 22.3 ppg and led the team with 41.4 percent accuracy from long range. While Green’s offensive output (10.2 ppg) wasn’t overwhelming, he was stout on the boards and played his customary frenetic defense. Role players like Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston and Zaza Pachulia provided production, defense and steady support. The Warriors had big names at the top of the marquee, but the rest of the rotation was valuable every night, too.

The 67 regular-season wins, while not as legendary as the previous season’s total, were impressive. But the Warriors were super-charged in the playoffs. At some point in the coming years and decades, a team will go 16-0 in the postseason. Until then, the Warriors 16-1 performance will have to be the gold standard.

Golden State dusted away Portland in the first round, with the margin of victory under 10 points just once. The Warriors similarly dispatched the Jazz in the Western Semis, with each triumph at least double digits. And remember those Spurs? After Golden State squeaked past San Antonio in the opening game of the Western Finals, 113-111, behind 40 from Curry, they went on to another sweep and a date with the Cavs in the Finals.

The LeBron James-Kyrie Irving tandem was pretty good, but Durant-Curry was better. Add in Thompson, Green et al, and it wasn’t much of a contest. The Warriors finally surrendered a postseason decision in Game 4. Otherwise, it was all Golden State. Durant was the MVP, and the Warriors had avenged their previous disappointment with a remarkable season.

And one great offseason move.

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10. 2012-13 Miami Heat

Coach: Erik Spoelstra

Record: 66-16

Roster: Ray Allen, Chris Andersen, Joel Anthony, Shane Battier, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, Josh Harrellson, Terrel Harris, Udonis Haslem, Juwan Howard, LeBron James, James Jones, Rashard Lewis, Mike Miller, Dexter Pittman, Jarvis Varnado, Dwyane Wade

After LeBron James made his famous announcement that he had decided to play for Miami, he sat on a stage with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade and talked about how many championships the trio would win with the Heat. “Not two. Not three…” And so on.

Well, after two years in South Beach, James had one title, not two. Nobody was restless, but there was clearly an expectation that after winning it all in 2012, Miami was about to start rolling.

The Big Three was on hand to try for a repeat, but the Heat had also added sharpshooter Ray Allen, who, though 37, provided some needed long-range production and finished the season making 41.9 percent of his three-point attempts. The formula worked. Miami rampaged to 66 wins, 12 better than any other Eastern Conference team.

James once again was the biggest star, leading the team in points, rebounds and assists. But Wade and Bosh were big every night, too. And while Allen was past the days when he could dominate with his long-range shooting, he was an undeniable weapon, as was do-everything forward Shane Battier, who actually shot a higher percentage from behind the arc than Allen did.

The regular season presented few hurdles for the Heat, and neither did the first two rounds of the playoffs. Miami swept Milwaukee in the first round and dusted away Chicago in five after that. But things got interesting in the Eastern Finals, when Indiana—led by Paul George and Roy Hibbert—extended the Heat to seven games in a series so heavy on defense that only one time did a team hit triple figures. In the finale, James scored 32, and Miami routed the Pacers, 99-76, to earn a Finals meeting with San Antonio.

The Eastern Finals series was great, but the Heat-Spurs showdown was even more dramatic. After five games, the Spurs held a 3-2 series lead, and it looked as if Pop’s bunch would close things out in the sixth contest. With 28.2 seconds left, the Spurs led, 94-89, but an Allen three-pointer with 5.2 left forced overtime, and the Heat ultimately prevailed. Game 7 was similarly dramatic. With San Antonio trailing by 2, Duncan missed a pair of shots close to the hoop, and the Heat held on to take the title. Though Miami wouldn’t win seven, as James had insinuated, the Heat had put up back-to-back banners, and that was still pretty darn good.

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Here’s our No. 21-11:

21. 2015-16 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Steve Kerr (Luke Walton, Interim Head Coach)

Record: 73-9

Roster: Leandro Barbosa, Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, Ian Clark, Stephen Curry, Festus Ezeli, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney, James Michael McAdoo, Brandon Rush, Marreese Speights, Jason Thompson, Klay Thompson, Anderson Varejao

Never before in NBA history had a team finished the regular season with a single digit in the loss column. When these Dubs did it, fresh off the first of what seemed sure to be three or five or 10 titles with the Curry-Thompson-Green core, a championship seemed like almost a formality—and even more so when they took a seemingly insurmountable 3-1 lead in the Finals. Only then it was Cleveland’s turn to make history.

20. 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers

Record: 57-25

Roster: Jared Cunningham, Matthew Dellavedova, Channing Frye, Joe Harris, Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Richard Jefferson, Dahntay Jones, James Jones, Sasha Kaun, Kevin Love, Jordan McRae, Timofey Mozgov, Iman Shumpert, JR Smith, Tristan Thompson, Anderson Varejao, Mo Williams

There would be no shame in a second straight Finals loss to the mighty Warriors—no shame for LeBron, Kyrie and Kevin in falling short against the historically elite Dubs. There would be disappointment, sure, that the title LeBron came back to Cleveland to win, as part of arguably the most talented team in Cavs history, simply wasn’t meant to be. But this was Cleveland. They were used to disappointment. They weren’t used to making history. Until they did.

19. 1991-92 Chicago Bulls

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 67-15

Roster: BJ Armstrong, Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, Bob Hansen, Craig Hodges, Dennis Hopson, Michael Jordan, Stacey King, Cliff Levingston, Chuck Nevitt, John Paxson, Will Perdue, Scottie Pippen, Mark Randall, Rory Sparrow, Scott Williams

One title, against an aging Lakers team, did not make a dynasty, and so the Bulls came into the ’91-92 season motivated for more. Those 67 regular-season wins were a statement, as was another MVP award for Michael Jordan (30.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 6.1 apg). But as ever, the playoffs were where it mattered, and Chicago needed to survive a seven-game series with the Knicks en route to the Finals. Once there, a hungry and talented Portland team promised to make the Bulls earn it. And so they did.

18. 2013-14 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 62-20

Roster: Jeff Ayres, Aron Baynes, Marco Belinelli, Matt Bonner, Shannon Brown, Austin Daye, Nando De Colo, Boris Diaw, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Danny Green, Damion James, Othyus Jeffers, Cory Joseph, Kawhi Leonard, Patty Mills, Tony Parker, Tiago Splitter, Malcolm Thomas

The whole thing with the Spurs’ post-millennial dominance was that it was Duncan, Parker and Ginobili, and then whatever spare parts Coach Pop managed to perfectly align around them. It wasn’t supposed to be like this: A 22-year-old, third-year forward who averaged 12.8 ppg in the regular season emerging as the most impactful player in the entire postseason, including a Finals MVP performance in a five-game humbling of the Heat. This Kawhi Leonard guy might be pretty good.

17. 1997-98 Chicago Bulls

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 62-20

Roster: Keith Booth, Randy Brown, Jud Buechler, Scott Burrell, Jason Caffey, Ron Harper, Michael Jordan, Steve Kerr, Joe Kleine, Toni Kukoc, Rusty LaRue, Luc Longley, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Dickey Simpkins, David Vaughn, Bill Wennington

The Bulls kept the gang together for the “Last Dance,” and the result was a sixth title in eight years. There was plenty of tension and pressure. As usual, Michael Jordan was a hard-driving, big-scoring winner, while Scottie Pippen rode shotgun. Toni Kukoc did a bit of everything, and Dennis Rodman pounded the boards. Chicago survived a seven-game thriller with Indiana to reach the Finals, then dispatched Utah in six to end it all in style.

16. 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers

Coach: Alex Hannum

Record: 68-13

Roster: Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Costello, Billy Cunningham, Dave Gambee, Hal Greer, Matt Guokas, Luke Jackson, Wali Jones, Bill Melchionni, Chet Walker, Bob Weiss

After years of dominating the scorebook but not the winner’s circle, Wilt Chamberlain finally won a title. He did it by playing great defense, grabbing nearly every rebound and, amazingly, passing. He had plenty of targets. Hal Greer, Chet Walker, Billy Cunningham and Wali Jones were dangerous scorers, and few were tougher inside than Luke Jackson.
The Sixers whipped the Celtics in five to reach the Finals and then stopped the Warriors to give The Big Dipper a championship.

15. 1984-85 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Pat Riley

Record: 62-20

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Cooper, Magic Johnson, Earl Jones, Mitch Kupchak, Ronnie Lester, Bob McAdoo, Mike McGee, Chuck Nevitt, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Larry Spriggs, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy

The Lakers had lost in two straight Finals but ’84-85 would be different. L.A. trampled all Western Conference competition and was led again by maestro Magic Johnson. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was still a force in the paint, while James Worthy, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper were a formidable supporting cast. After L.A. lost by 34 in the Finals opener, Abdul-Jabbar took over and was MVP of the Lakers’ first-ever championship win over Boston.

14. 1988-89 Detroit Pistons

Coach: Chuck Daly

Record: 63-19

Roster: Mark Aguirre, Adrian Dantley, Darryl Dawkins, Fennis Dembo, Joe Dumars, James Edwards, Steve Harris, Vinnie Johnson, Bill Laimbeer, John Long, Rick Mahorn, Pace Mannion, Dennis Rodman, Jim Rowinski, John Salley, Isiah Thomas, Micheal Williams

The Pistons won a title with a team as tough as their town. The Bad Boys were physical, to be sure, but they had plenty of talent. Isiah Thomas teamed with Joe Dumars in a lethal backcourt, with Vinnie Johnson providing heat off the bench. Rick Mahorn and Bill Laimbeer handled the rough stuff, and the mid-season trade for Mark Aguirre brought it all together. Detroit ended the Showtime era by sweeping the Lakers in the Finals.

13. 2017-18 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Steve Kerr

Record: 58-24

Roster: Jordan Bell, Chris Boucher, Omri Casspi, Quinn Cook, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Damian Jones, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney, Patrick McCaw, JaVale McGee, Zaza Pachulia, Klay Thompson, David West, Nick Young

For the Dubs, regular-season records had long since been rendered meaningless. This was about trophies, and the last of Golden State’s trio of titles ended up being its most conclusive. KD and Steph both missed chunks of the season but still functioned as the League’s most reliable cheat code when it mattered, and after a seven-game scare from Houston in the West Finals, the Warriors swept a depleted Cavs squad for the championship.

12. 1996-97 Chicago Bulls

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 69-13

Roster: Randy Brown, Jud Buechler, Jason Caffey, Bison Dele, Ron Harper, Michael Jordan, Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoc, Luc Longley, Robert Parish, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Dickey Simpkins, Matt Steigenga, Bill Wennington

By now, it was only a question of how long they could keep it going. A year after that 72-win campaign, the Bulls started the ’96-97 season with 12 straight victories and had five winning streaks of seven games or more. The machine just kept humming right up until the Finals, and then, there was a moment in Game 6 when it looked like the Jazz might force a Game 7. But they didn’t, because against these Bulls, nobody ever did.

11. 1964-65 Boston Celtics

Coach: Red Auerbach

Record: 62-18

Roster: Ron Bonham, Mel Counts, John Havlicek, Tom Heinsohn, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Willie Naulls, Bevo Nordmann, Bill Russell, Tom Sanders, Larry Siegfried, John Thompson, Gerry Ward

The best team of Boston’s ’60s dynasty? It’s at least in the conversation. Six Celtics averaged double figures, led by Sam Jones’ 25.9 ppg. It was the last of Bill Russell’s five MVP seasons, and the last of Tommy Heinsohn’s Hall of Fame career. The defining moment, thanks to a legendary call by Johnny Most, came against Philly in Game 7 of the East Finals: “Havlicek stole the ball!” A 4-1 dispatching of the Lakers in the Finals was almost anticlimactic.

Read here to find out who made it on the rest of the list, including No. 75-66, 65-55, 54-44, 43-33 and 32-22.

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At this point in the list, we’re getting into dynasty territory. Clutch moments and high-pressure situations were the norm for these squads, many of whom won multiple championships over a three to five year period. Different.

From iconic three-peats to historic dubs, here’s our picks for No. 32-22:

32. 2004-05 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 59-23

Roster: Brent Barry, Bruce Bowen, Devin Brown, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Dion Glover, Robert Horry, Linton Johnson, Sean Marks, Tony Massenburg, Nazr Mohammed, Rasho Nesterovic, Tony Parker, Glenn Robinson, Malik Rose, Beno Udrih, Mike Wilks

The Spurs and Pistons came into the season having split the previous two NBA championships, and both upset higher-seeded opponents (the Suns and Heat, respectively) in the Conference Finals that spring. That set up a title bout that made up for a relative lack of star power with heavyweight intensity and dominant D. Five of seven Finals games ended with the losing team not breaking 80 points. The series ended with Tim Duncan securing his third ring.

31. 1963-64 Boston Celtics

Coach: Red Auerbach

Record: 59-21

Roster: John Havlicek, Tom Heinsohn, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Jim Loscutoff, Clyde Lovellette, Johnny McCarthy, Willie Naulls, Frank Ramsey, Bill Russell, Tom Sanders, Larry Siegfried

Yawn, another title run, but at least Boston got a new Finals opponent to break up the monotony. The San Francisco Warriors tried to play immovable object to the Celtics’ unstoppable force, and in Wilt Chamberlain, the Dubs at least had the firepower. But Boston had the balance, experience and pedigree: John Havlicek and Sam Jones led the offense, and Bill Russell did his usual work, dominating defensively and on the glass to lead Boston to its seventh championship in eight tries.

30. 1969-70 New York Knicks

Coach: Red Holzman

Record: 60-22

Roster: Dick Barnett, Nate Bowman, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Walt Frazier, Bill Hosket, Don May, Willis Reed, Mike Riordan, Cazzie Russell, Dave Stallworth, John Warren

When a new decade brought an end to the Celtics’ dominance, the Knicks asserted themselves as the class of the League. Behind MVP Willis Reed’s 21.7 ppg and 13.9 rpg and Walt Frazier’s stylish 20.9 points and 8.2 dimes per, New York rolled to the League’s best record and a Finals meeting with the Lakers. What followed was a seven-game classic against West, Wilt and Baylor, best remembered for Reed’s Game 7 effort on a bum leg that inspired his teammates to victory.

29. 1981-82 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Paul Westhead, Pat Riley

Record: 57-25

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brewer, Michael Cooper, Clay Johnson, Magic Johnson,Eddie Jordan, Mitch Kupchak, Mark Landsberger, Bob McAdoo, Mike McGee, Kevin  McKenna, Norm Nixon, Kurt Rambis, Jamaal Wilkes

Pat Riley was second choice. When Paul Westhead was fired (at Magic Johnson’s urging) 11 games into the ’81-82 season, Lakers owner Jerry Buss named Jerry West head coach. Only West didn’t want it, so Riley—the former player turned broadcaster turned inexperienced assistant—got the gig. Duly motivated, Magic, Kareem and Jamaal Wilkes led L.A. back to the Finals, where they bounced the Sixers in six. Showtime was in effect, and one of the greatest coaching careers was born.

28. 2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 58-24

Roster: Kobe Bryant, Joe Crispin, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Devean George, Robert Horry, Lindsey Hunter, Mark Madsen, Jelani McCoy, Stanislav Medvedenko, Shaquille O’Neal, Mike Penberthy, Mitch Richmond, Brian Shaw, Samaki Walker

The third title of the Shaq-Kobe axis didn’t come easily. That Western Finals series with Sacramento was brutal, and there were those who thought the Lakers shouldn’t have won it. But they did, and then L.A. dusted Jersey in the Finals, behind another overpowering performance from O’Neal. The dynamic duo was again tremendous, while Derek Fisher provided stability at the point, and supporting players like Rick Fox and Robert Horry stepped up when needed.

27. 2006-07 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 58-24

Roster: Brent Barry, Matt Bonner, Bruce Bowen, Jackie Butler, Tim Duncan, Francisco Elson, Melvin Ely, Michael Finley, Manu Ginobili, Robert Horry, Fabricio Oberto, Tony Parker, Beno Udrih, Jacque Vaughn, James White, Eric Williams

These Spurs scored when they needed to, and they moved the ball like no one else. But the real strength of the team was on defense, where San Antonio could stifle rivals, just like it did Cleveland in the Finals sweep. Tim Duncan was a no-frills frontcourt star, with point guard Tony Parker’s creativity and Manu Ginobili’s flair and passion the keys to the team’s success. Role players like Bruce Bowen and Michael Finley helped complete a pure team.

26. 1980-81 Boston Celtics

Coach: Bill Fitch

Record: 62-20

Roster: Tiny Archibald, Larry Bird, ML Carr, Terry Duerod, Eric Fernsten, Chris Ford, Gerald Henderson, Wayne Kreklow, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Rick Robey

After Magic Johnson got his title in 1980, it was Larry Bird’s turn. He and the Celtics waged a year-long battle with the Sixers that culminated with a seven-game Eastern Finals series that featured three big Boston comebacks. Kevin McHale and Robert Parish were interior forces, while Tiny Archibald, Chris Ford and Cedric Maxwell patrolled the perimeter. The Rockets were tough in the Finals, but they weren’t tough enough to stop the Celtics machine.

25. 1989-90 Detroit Pistons

Coach: Chuck Daly

Record: 59-23

Roster: Mark Aguirre, William Bedford, Joe Dumars, James Edwards, Dave Greenwood, Scott Hastings, Gerald Henderson, Vinnie Johnson, Stan Kimbrough, Bill Laimbeer, Ralph Lewis, Dennis Rodman, John Salley, Isiah Thomas

The Bad Boys went back-to-back with the same formula that won their first title: ferocious defense, timely offense and a Mean Streets attitude. Isiah Thomas smiled a lot, but he was a killer. Joe Dumars quietly piled up the points. Bill Laimbeer made no friends inside. Dennis Rodman rebounded and defended like a dervish. Mark Aguirre scored in many ways. James Edwards was a force in the post. And nobody wanted to mess with John Salley.

24. 2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 65-17

Roster: Trevor Ariza, Shannon Brown, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, DJ Mbenga, Chris Mihm, Adam Morrison, Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, Vladimir Radmanovic, Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton, Sun Yue

The first of back-to-back titles was Kobe Bryant’s initial one as undisputed leader of the Lakers and redemption for the Mamba. A year after losing in the Finals to ancestral rival Boston, the Lakers piled up 65 wins—third most in franchise history—with Bryant leading the way but receiving plenty of help from Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum inside. The anticipated Finals matchup with Cleveland and LeBron James didn’t happen, so L.A. whipped Orlando instead.

23. 2007-08 Boston Celtics

Coach: Doc Rivers

Record: 66-16

Roster: Ray Allen, Tony Allen, PJ Brown, Sam Cassell, Glen Davis, Kevin Garnett, Eddie House, Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce, Scot Pollard, James Posey, Leon Powe, Gabe Pruitt, Rajon Rondo, Brian Scalabrine

Depending on how you define it, the Super Team era started in Boston in the summer of ’07, when future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined Paul Pierce to give the Celtics their best team in (at least) 20 years. Behind Pierce’s scoring, Allen’s shooting and KG’s two-way play, the Cs posted an NBA-high 66 wins and bounced LeBron and the Cavs en route to the Finals, where they renewed their rivalry with the Lakers. Not long after, they hung banner No. 17.

22. 1992-93 Chicago Bulls

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 57-25

Roster: BJ Armstrong, Ricky Blanton, Bill Cartwright, Joe Courtney, Jo Jo English, Horace Grant, Michael Jordan, Stacey King, Rodney McCray, Ed Nealy, John Paxson, Will Perdue, Scottie Pippen, Trent Tucker, Darrell Walker, Corey Williams, Scott Williams

The Lakers and Pistons had taken some of the magic out of title repeats by the time the Bulls
won their second straight, but no team since the Celtics’ ’60s dynasty had won three in a row. The Bulls felt like making history. The formula by now was familiar: Jordan averaged League-
highs in points (32.6) and steals (2.8), Scottie Pippen was a terror at both ends and Chicago made the big plays when it mattered, edging Barkley and the Suns in the Finals to seal the threepeat.

Read here to find out who made it on the rest of the list, including No. 75-66, 65-55, 54-44 and 43-33.

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From dominant big threes and electrifying duos to all-around greatness, here’s our top 43-33:

43. 1958-59 Boston Celtics

Coach: Red Auerbach

Record: 52-20

Roster: Gene Conley, Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Jim Loscutoff, Frank Ramsey, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, Bennie Swain, Lou Tsioropoulos

The greatest rivalry in NBA history began, for all practical purposes, in the spring of ’59, and it foreshadowed the decade to come. Led by veteran guard Bill Sharman’s 20.4 ppg, five Celtics averaged better than 15 ppg en route to the League’s best record. They needed seven games to dispatch Syracuse in the conference finals, setting up a first-ever Finals meeting with the Minneapolis Lakers. Three Cs averaged 20-plus, Bill Russell pulled down 22.1 boards per and Boston swept their way to the title.

42. 2002-03 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 60-22

Roster: Mengke Bateer, Bruce Bowen, Devin Brown, Speedy Claxton, Tim Duncan, Danny Ferry, Manu Ginobili, Anthony Goldwire, Stephen Jackson, Steve Kerr, Tony Parker, David Robinson, Malik Rose, Steve Smith, Kevin Willis

The Kings, Mavs, Spurs and Timberwolves all finished ahead of the three-time-defending-champion Lakers in ’02-03, but one of them would still have to beat L.A. when it mattered. Led by Tim Duncan, fresh off a second straight League MVP award, and second-year point guard Tony Parker, San Antonio got its chance in the second round and dispatched Shaq and Kobe in six games. They handled Dallas and New Jersey in similarly businesslike fashion en route to the chip.

41. 2018-19 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Steve Kerr

Record: 57-25

Roster: Jordan Bell, Andrew Bogut, Quinn Cook, DeMarcus Cousins, Stephen Curry, Marcus Derrickson, Kevin Durant, Jacob Evans, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Jonas Jerebko, Damian Jones, Damion Lee, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney, Alfonzo McKinnie, Klay Thompson

The three-peat was never a given, but it was right there, within reach. As injury-impacted NBA championships go, this one is right up there. With Steph, KD and Klay, the Dubs were the scariest offensive team in the League; but a mix of minor and major injuries to the Splash Bros, Durant and much of the supporting cast in May and June were too much for the Dubs to overcome. Toronto got them in six games in the Finals. You just know they’d love a do-over.

40. 1993-94 Houston Rockets

Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich

Record: 58-24

Roster: Scott Brooks, Matt Bullard, Sam Cassell, Earl Cureton, Mario Elie, Carl Herrera, Robert Horry, Chris Jent, Vernon Maxwell, Hakeem Olajuwon, Richard Petruska, Eric Riley, Larry Robinson, Kenny Smith, Otis Thorpe

Go ahead and attribute Houston’s first title to Michael Jordan’s baseball flirtation. Others have done it, and it’s just wrong. The Rockets excelled at both ends of the court, had all-time great Hakeem Olajuwon and his Dream Shake in the middle and boasted a versatile lineup of fierce gamers like guards Kenny Smith and Vernon Maxwell and rugged Otis Thorpe. Houston outlasted the Knicks in a classic Finals series and deserves a title with no asterisk.

39. 1983-84 Boston Celtics

Coach: KC Jones

Record: 62-20

Roster: Danny Ainge, Larry Bird, Quinn Buckner, ML Carr, Carlos Clark, Gerald Henderson, Dennis Johnson, Greg Kite, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Scott Wedman

After two years of watching hated rivals Philadelphia and the Lakers hoist the trophy, Boston reclaimed its rightful spot atop the NBA. Or at least that’s how Celtics fans figured it. Call the roll: Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale were up front. Dennis Johnson, Cedric Maxwell and Gerald Henderson handled the backcourt. The Celtics had way more regular-season victories than anyone else and won a thrilling seven-gamer over L.A. to take the title.

38. 2011-12 Miami Heat

Coach: Erik Spoelstra

Record: 46-20

Roster: Joel Anthony, Shane Battier, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, Eddy Curry, Mickell Gladness, Terrel Harris, Udonis Haslem, Juwan Howard, LeBron James, James Jones, Mike Miller, Dexter Pittman, Ronny Turiaf, Dwyane Wade

Although LeBron James had taken his talents to Miami a year earlier, the Heat hadn’t won a title. In the lockout-shortened ’11-12 campaign, James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh & Co. changed that. The Big Three were a force all season, and a strong supporting cast helped fuel a focused postseason run. The seven-game Eastern Finals series with Boston was a grind, but the Heat dominated OKC in the Finals to take the title.

37. 1972-73 New York Knicks

Coach: Red Holzman

Record: 57-25

Roster: Dick Barnett, Henry Bibby, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Walt Frazier, John Gianelli, Phil Jackson, Jerry Lucas, Dean Meminger, Earl Monroe, Luther Rackley, Willis Reed, Tom Riker, Harthorne Wingo

If it’s possible, the Knicks five-game wipeout of L.A. in the Finals was actually an anticlimax after their thrilling Eastern Finals upset of the Celtics. The Knicks were the consummate collection of team players. Backcourt men Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe were practically unguardable. Dave DeBusschere was a force inside, while Bill Bradley patrolled the wings. Jerry Lucas was the League’s best passing big man, and Willis Reed could still hang with the best centers around.

36. 1999-2000 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 67-15

Roster: Kobe Bryant, John Celestand, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Devean George, AC Green, Ron Harper, Robert Horry, Sam Jacobson, Travis Knight, Tyronn Lue, Shaquille O’Neal, Glen Rice,
John Salley, Brian Shaw

This was the first of three straight for the Big Brother-Little Brother Lakers. Shaq and Kobe were together for three seasons before ’99-00, and although their relationship wasn’t always the warmest, their talent was overwhelming. There was just no stopping the Diesel. O’Neal overpowered defenders and swept the boards clean, while Bryant provided offense from all over. Glen Rice was a potent outside weapon, and a cast of veteran winners completed the Laker machine.

35. 1979-80 Los Angeles Lakers

Record: 60-22

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ron Boone, Marty Byrnes, Kenny Carr, Jim Chones, Michael Cooper, Don Ford, Spencer Haywood, Brad Holland, Magic Johnson, Mark Landsberger, Butch Lee, Ollie Mack, Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes

Showtime made its NBA debut in Magic Johnson’s rookie season, when the 6-9 point guard brought fun back to the Lakers and kick-started perhaps the League’s most entertaining decade. Johnson revitalized center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and served as the trigger for a raucous L.A. attack that was bolstered by Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes and Jim Chones. The Lakers ruled the West and finished off Philadelphia in six, with Johnson scoring 42 in the Finals-clinching victory.

34. 2014-15 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Steve Kerr

Record: 67-15

Roster: Leandro Barbosa, Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, Stephen Curry, Festus Ezeli, Draymond Green, Justin Holiday, Andre Iguodala, Ognjen Kuzmic, David Lee, Shaun Livingston, James Michael McAdoo, Brandon Rush, Marreese Speights, Klay Thompson

The Warriors’ first title in 40 years—and the first of three in four seasons—was accomplished primarily by the never-ending shooting of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, whose solution to tough defenses was simply to move back another step or two. Draymond Green handled the tough work and never backed down from a soul, while Harrison Barnes and Marreese Speights did what was necessary. The Warriors dumped the Cavs in six to take the crown.

33. 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers

Coach: Jack Ramsay

Record: 49-33

Roster: Corky Calhoun, Johnny Davis, Herm Gilliam, Bob Gross, Lionel Hollins, Robin Jones, Maurice Lucas, Clyde Mayes, Lloyd Neal, Larry Steele, Dave Twardzik, Wally Walker, Bill Walton

The Blazers weren’t overpowering during the regular season, but by the playoffs, they had become the perfect team, working as a highly efficient unit under coach Jack Ramsay. It all started with Bill Walton, a pivot savant who could pass, score and rebound. Maurice Lucas provided the muscle, with Lionel Hollins, Dave Twardzik, Bob Gross and Larry Steele willingly playing supporting roles. Portland overcame Julius Erving’s high-flying Sixers in the Finals with textbook unselfish basketball.

Read here to find out who made it on the rest of the list, including No. 75-66, 65-55 and 54-44.

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We’re gonna keep it real though: this list was pretty tough to put together. It was mostly guided by the idea that the way to measure the true quality of a team is to think about how much better they were than everyone else they played against. Some decent team in the 2000s would almost definitely destroy an excellent team from the ’70s if we teleported all of the players into the same dimension and let them go at it, but that’s not how this works. This is about dominating your era. Read here for No. 75-66, and 65-55.

Here’s our top 55-44 best teams of all time:

54. 1978-79 Seattle Supersonics

Coach: Lenny Wilkens

Record: 52-30

Roster: Dennis Awtrey, Fred Brown, Lars Hansen, Joe Hassett, Dennis Johnson, John Johnson, Tom LaGarde, Jackie Robinson, Lonnie Shelton, Jack Sikma, Paul Silas, Dick Snyder, Wally Walker, Gus Williams

For the greatest team in franchise history, it was all about balance. Seven players averaged double-figures for Seattle in ’78-79, led by the high-powered young backcourt duo of Gus Williams (19.2 ppg) and Dennis Johnson (15.9 ppg), while second-year big man Jack Sikma held it down in the paint to the tune of 15.6 and 12.4 per game. The Sonics rode that young core to the Finals, where they dropped the series opener in Washington before taking four straight from the Bullets.

53. 1974-75 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Al Attles

Record: 48-34

Roster: Rick Barry, Butch Beard, Steve Bracey, Bill Bridges, Derrek Dickey, Charles Dudley, Charles Johnson, George Johnson, Frank Kendrick, Jeff Mullins, Clifford Ray, Phil Smith, Jamaal Wilkes

Rick Barry led the NBA in free-throw percentage and steals in ’74-75, League-leading numbers
to go along with a casual 30.6 ppg, 6.2 apg and 5.7 rpg. The Dubs were solid, with silky-smooth rookie Jamaal Wilkes averaging 14.2 ppg and a steady backcourt pairing of Butch Beard and Charles Johnson. But it was Barry, a decade into a spectacular career, who carried Golden State to a Finals sweep of the Bullets for the franchise’s first championship since relocating to the Bay.

52. 1987-88 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Pat Riley

Record: 62-20

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tony Campbell, Michael Cooper, AC Green, Magic Johnson, Jeff Lamp, Wes Matthews, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Mike Smrek, Billy Thompson, Mychal Thompson, Ray Tolbert, Milt Wagner, James Worthy

It had been 19 years since an NBA champion successfully defended its title, so when Pat Riley guaranteed his Lakers would do just that after the ’87 Finals, the pressure was on. If not for Isiah Thomas’ injured ankle, Detroit might have made Riley a liar, but don’t tell a Laker fan that the last title of the Showtime era was a fluke. James Worthy confirmed his Hall of Fame bona fides with a 36-point triple-double in Game 7 to ensure his coach’s guarantee held up.

51. 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks

Coach: Mike Budenholzer

Record: 46-26

Roster: Jaylen Adams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, DJ Augustin, Elijah Bryant, Pat Connaughton, Torrey Craig, Mamadi Diakite, Donte DiVincenzo, Bryn Forbes, Jrue Holiday, Justin Jackson, Rodions Kurucs, Brook Lopez, Sam Merrill, Khris Middleton, Jordan Nwora, Bobby Portis, Jeff Teague, Axel Toupane, PJ Tucker, DJ Wilson

You can focus on the pandemic-shortened schedule, or the placement of Kevin Durant’s toe, but as time passes, what people will remember about the ’20-21 season will mostly come down to one dude: Giannis. A two-time League MVP who still faced skeptics who said he couldn’t produce when it mattered most, Antetokounmpo did just that, first against KD and the Nets (31.9 ppg, 12.9 rpg) in a seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinal thriller, then even more impressively against the Suns (35.2, 13.2) in the Finals.

50. 2009-10 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 57-25

Roster: Ron Artest, Shannon Brown, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, DJ Mbenga, Adam Morrison, Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton

It was Kobe’s team, but even prime Kobe knew he couldn’t do it alone. In 2010, with a title to defend and a matchup with the hated Celtics in the Finals, the Lakers’ star once again relied on the steadiness of Pau Gasol (18.6 ppg, 11.3 rpg), and got invaluable defense and clutch play from a resurgent Ron Artest. “Kobe passed me the ball!” the man now known as Metta Sandiford-Artest said after hitting a title-sealing three late in Game 7. Every Laker fan shared his joy.

49. 1973-74 Boston Celtics

Coach: Tom Heinsohn

Record: 56-26

Roster: Don Chaney, Dave Cowens, Steve Downing, Hank Finkel, Phil Hankinson, John Havlicek, Steve Kuberski, Don Nelson, Paul Silas, Paul Westphal, Jo Jo White, Art Williams

Russell and Cousy were retired, Red Auerbach was no longer on the bench, and it had been five long years since the Celtics last hung a banner from the Garden rafters. But with John Havlicek (22.6 ppg) still around and young Dave Cowens (19 ppg, 15.7 rpg) already looking like a future Hall of Famer, Boston decided five years was long enough. They needed seven games to take down Kareem, Oscar and the Bucks, but soon enough, Red was lighting that stogie once again.

48. 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks

Coach: Rick Carlisle

Record: 57-25

Roster: Alexis Ajinca, JJ Barea, Rodrigue Beaubois, Corey Brewer, Caron Butler, Brian Cardinal, Tyson Chandler, Brendan Haywood, Dominique Jones, Jason Kidd, Ian Mahinmi, Shawn Marion, Steve Novak, Dirk Nowitzki, Sasha Pavlovic, DeShawn Stevenson, Peja Stojakovic, Jason Terry

There was still a sense that calling Dirk Nowitzki “the greatest European player of all time” was sort of a diss. Nobody doubted his production, but plenty of people questioned whether he could be that dude when it mattered. All questions were answered that June: With help from a veteran supporting cast that included Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler and 37-year-old Jason Kidd, Dirk averaged 26 points and 9.7 rebounds in the Finals to dispatch the Heatles and confirm his spot among the all-time greats.

47. 2005-06 Miami Heat

Coach: Stan Van Gundy, Pat Riley

Record: 52-30

Roster: Derek Anderson, Shandon Anderson, Earl Barron, Michael Doleac, Gerald Fitch, Udonis Haslem, Jason Kapono, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton, James Posey, Wayne Simien, Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker, Matt Walsh, Jason Williams, Dorell Wright

A decade dominated by the Lakers and Spurs didn’t leave much room for Eastern Conference contenders, but in ’06, a Miami team loaded with loose parts and a wild array of past-their-prime big-name vets coalesced around a dynamic third-year guard from Marquette. Sure, Dwyane Wade benefitted from some friendly officiating in a Finals matchup that Dirk and the Mavs are probably still mad about, but mostly, Flash earned what he got in leading the Heat out of a 0-2 Finals hole and on to the title.

46. 2003-04 Detroit Pistons

Coach: Larry Brown

Record: 54-28

Roster: Chucky Atkins, Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell, Hubert Davis, Tremaine Fowlkes, Darvin Ham, Richard Hamilton, Lindsey Hunter, Mike James, Darko Milicic, Mehmet Okur,  Tayshaun Prince, Zeljko Rebraca, Bob Sura, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Corliss Williamson

Larry Brown talked all the time about playing basketball “the right way,” but he had never
won a title until the Pistons hit the League with their stifling defense. Sure, Richard Hamilton was a potent scorer, Chauncey Billups was good all year (especially in the Finals win over the Lakers) and the mid-year arrival of Rasheed Wallace was huge. But the embodiment of Detroit was lunch-pail center Ben Wallace, whose relentless approach keyed a championship.

45. 1998-99 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 37-13

Roster: Antonio Daniels, Tim Duncan, Mario Elie, Sean Elliott, Andrew Gaze, Jaren Jackson, Avery Johnson, Steve Kerr, Jerome Kersey, Gerard King, Will Perdue, David Robinson, Malik Rose, Brandon Williams

It was the post-Bulls era and a lockout-shortened season, but the Spurs were ascendant. Their first championship team featured the Tim Duncan-David Robinson interior axis, one of the few times a twin towers configuration had enjoyed supreme success. Avery Johnson ran the team, Mario Elie hit big shots and locked down opposing high scorers, while Sean Elliott was a do-everything type who fit in perfectly. The Spurs lost just two games the entire postseason.

44. 1994-95 Houston Rockets

Coach: Ruddy Tomjanovich

Record: 47-35

Roster: Tim Breaux, Scott Brooks, Chucky Brown, Adrian Caldwell, Sam Cassell, Pete Chilcutt, Clyde Drexler, Mario Elie, Carl Herrera, Robert Horry, Charles Jones, Vernon Maxwell, Tracy Murray, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kenny Smith, Zan Tabak, Otis Thorpe

If Houston’s ’94 title run was inspired, the ’95 version seemed unlikely to ever happen. The Rockets posted the NBA’s 10th-best record and were pushed to the distance in their first two playoff rounds. But something about matchups with arguably the other two best centers in the League seemed just what Hakeem Olajuwon needed: He Dream-shook and dominated newly crowned MVP David Robinson in the conference finals, then went for 32.8 and 11.5 to sweep young Shaq and the Magic for the title.

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During Early Bird negotiations last offseason, Ayton and his representatives attempted to negotiate a five-year $170 million extension. Phoenix and Ayton ultimately could not agree to a deal, leaving Ayton “disappointed.” Phoenix reportedly tried to gauge Ayton’s trade value per Jake Fischer, including a deal centered around Domantas Sabonis. 

Deandre Ayton addresses contract talks, saying he’s “disappointed” a deal hasn’t gotten done and he wants to be respected like his peers as ESPN reported last week contract talks were stalled over getting rookie max extension. #Suns pic.twitter.com/XVtj06fojN

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) October 12, 2021

This offseason, three teams, Atlanta, Detroit, and Portland, have reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Ayton in the open market. Charlotte is also amongst the reported Ayton suitors as well as San Antonio. The Spurs have a similar problem on their hands while they weigh what they want to do with their frontcourt as Jakob Poetl’s contract ends in 2023.

The dynamic around the Suns and Ayton has been shifting recently. Ayton was benched for the entire fourth quarter of the Suns’ Game 7 blowout loss to the Mavericks. When Coach Monty Williams was asked about the benching, he replied: “It’s internal.” Williams was noncommital to Ayton during his exit interview with reporters too, revealing that he and Ayton haven’t spoken since Game 7.

“The Deandre situation is something we’ll deal with this summer,” Ayton said.

Fischer reports that some among the League believe that the Phoenix front office doesn’t view Ayton, or any center, as a player worth a deal greater than $30 million annually. On the coaching end, Fischer reports that Ayton is not a favorite of Williams, particularly of Ayton’s apparent waning focus. During the 2018 NBA Draft process, there were question marks about Ayton’s motor and work ethic.

Four seasons into his career, Ayton has seemingly answered those questions, averaging a career of 16.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

If Phoenix adds a massive Ayton extension to their already expensive payroll, it will make it much more challenging to re-sign Cam Johnson, who is also due for an extension. According to Fischer, should Phoenix decide to let Ayton walk away, they could engineer a sign-and-trade for a frontcourt replacement. They could also choose to re-sign JaVale McGee or Bismack Biyombo in hopes the two vets can fill the center position by committee.

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Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic is out for Game 3 vs. Utah tonight, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/PhQ3KWWHPj

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 21, 2022

The Dallas faithful might have something to look forward to watching Thursday, and it’s not just Game 3 against the Utah Jazz. Mavericks Coach Jason Kidd said star Luka Dončić might be a game time decision, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that there’s ‘pessimism’ surrounding the possibility that Dončić ends up playing tonight. He was officially listed as ‘Questionable’ on the offical injury report after the Mavs said he was ‘Doubtful’ for the first two games due to a left calf strain. Dončić sustained this left calf strain against the San Antonio Spurs in the season finale.

Dallas will be playing in Vivint Arena in Utah for the first time in this series, an arena they went winless in the regular season, going 0-2. The Mavericks will hope that Luka will be able to suit up to try and win their first game in Vivint Arena this season, putting them up 2-1 on the Jazz. Tip-off is set for 9 PM EST.

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Luka Doncic is listed as questionable for the first time this series. He was listed as doubtful when he sat out the first two games. https://t.co/SGqEtMItxZ

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 20, 2022

Dončić missed the first two games of the series due to a calf injury he suffered during the Mavericks’ regular-season finale against the San Antonio Spurs. Although the Mavericks lost Game 1, 99-93, Jalen Brunson exploded for a career-high 41 points, and the Mavs knocked down a franchise-record 22 triples to take Game 2, 130-120, and in the process tied the series up 1-1.

With the series shifting to Utah for the next two games, the series’ momentum will go to whoever takes home-court advantage during Game 3. The news of Dončić possibly playing Game 3 on Wednesday bodes well for the Mavericks.

Dončić averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game this season. Dončić finished his last playoff run putting up 35.7 points, 7.9 boards, and 10.3 dimes.

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After CJ McCollum stole the headlines in the first play-in games scoring 32 points in their win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, it was Brandon Ingram who started the game on fire, scoring 16 of New Orleans’ 30 first-quarter points.

Brandon Ingram wasted no time getting it going in the #MetaQuestPlayIn, dropping 16 of the @PelicansNBA 30 points in Q1! #WBD

16 PTS (8/9 FGM) pic.twitter.com/JAHszGGw6L

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2022

After slowing down slightly in the second quarter, BI was huge in the third quarter when the Clippers took their biggest lead of the game at 75-62. Ingram then dropped in five of the Pelicans’ final 12 points to make the lead manageable going into the final frame at 84-74.

When Coach Willie Green gave his team his marching orders, Ingram responded and went outplayed great defense that helped spark an 11-0 run to even the game at 88 apiece.

“You’ve got to fight!”

Head Coach Willie Green’s message to the Pelicans heading into the 4th QTR pic.twitter.com/vSFjwXbJni

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 16, 2022

The Duke product finished with 30 points (14-21 shooting), six rebounds, and six assists. His final assist sealed the game faced with a frantic Clippers double team to Jonas Valanciunas under the basket as time was running out to send New Orleans to the playoffs.

THE PELS ARE HEADED TO THE PLAYOFFS.

BI: 30 PTS | 6 AST | 67% FGM
Larry Nance: 14 PTS | 16 REB
CJ: 19 PTS | 3 AST
Trey Murphy: 14 PTS | 67% 3PM

(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/J0m1aA7Fin

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 16, 2022

After the game, Willie Green had a lot to say about the star of the game, calling him “The Truth.”

“Brandon Ingram is The Truth…He has been waiting for this moment…He’s all you want and more in a player and a person”@PelicansNBA Head Coach Willie Green had high praise for @B_Ingram13 after their #MetaQuestPlayIn win. #WBD pic.twitter.com/5Jf26UECqn

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2022

The Pelicans face the top-seeded Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

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Luka Doncic (calf strain) will be out for Game 1 vs. Utah on Saturday, per @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/khsbHSRcbV

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 15, 2022

Luka Dončić will miss at least Game 1 against the Jazz due to a strained calf, according to Shams Charania.

Mavericks star Luka Doncic is expected to miss Game 1 vs. Jazz on Saturday night due to strained calf, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

The latest regarding Doncic: https://t.co/bEFYKs2gmk

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 14, 2022

Dončić suffered the injury last Sunday in the third quarter of the Mavericks’ season finale against the Spurs. Dončić playing at all in the third frame came with some derision, although the Mavs had an incentive to play their starters. Had the Mavs won, and the Warriors lost against the Pelicans, Dallas would’ve entered the playoffs as the third seed. However, that scenario didn’t play out because the Warriors blew the Pelicans out 128-107.

Coach Jason Kidd said seeding didn’t affect his decision to play Dončić and his starters. Kidd also said he intended to always play his starters through the third due to a long layoff between their last regular-season game and playoffs starting.

Dončić averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game on 45.7 percent shooting from the field and 35.5 percent shooting three-point territory.

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One of just a couple dozen players in the G League and NBA to have played college basketball outside Division I, Demers’ mere presence in the G League cuts against conventional knowledge that the best basketball players can all be found at the top of high school recruiting lists and draft boards. He averaged 8.1 points and 1.2 assists in his first season as a pro in the G League. 

For a professional athlete, Demers is surprisingly unassuming. A 6-1 shooting guard who likes to golf and hang with his family, Demers is easy to hang with. Michael Rejniak, Demer’s coach with team We Are D3 in the TBT remembers when Demers first walked into the pre-tournament workouts. “Eric might be the last guy you pick, like, from a visual viewpoint to be the G Leaguer. But he is.”

Looking out onto the court where players he used to watch on ESPN warm up, the Gordon College alum points out that he’s “the one guy in the G League that has loans.” Division III rules do not allow schools to offer athletic scholarships, and at nearly $40,000 a year, Gordon’s tuition is nothing to scoff at. Ask him if he would change his path to the G-League, though, and Demers will tell you that he wouldn’t change a thing.

During his senior year at Gordon College, Demers led the nation in scoring with 32.4 points per game, dropping 42 against Hartford in an exhibition game, his only Division I opponent that year. Last summer, he went off for 25 points in his TBT debut for team We Are D3, off the bench. 

Rejniak proudly calls Demers “one of the best shooters I’ve had the pleasure to coach,” while Maine Celtics assistant coach Craig Luschenat, a fellow DIII alumnus, was “shocked by his quick release” when first watching Demers play. But for all the things he does well, Demers has some adjusting and learning to do since entering the G-League, and he has to overcome ageism too, all while playing against the best competition he’s ever faced.

What’s more, the G League is molded in the NBA’s image, and as such, is dominated by the pick and roll, an offensive scheme which calls for defensive assignments that Demers has never played and for a brand new offensive approach for him, too. Where in college he had the green light like Damian Lillard, in the G League he’s tasked with emulating Jae Crowder, a typical three-and-D wing.

“Coming from DIII, he’s so used to being able to kind of do whatever he wants,” Luschenat explains. At Gordon, Demers would set up shop above the break. He had the freedom to attack the rim off the dribble, shoot deep pull-up threes, and even post up on occasion, as he did in his 25-point TBT performance. But in the G League, Demers now lives in the corner, waiting for more higher-profile players to pass him the ball, rebuilding his game to fit the new level. 

“I didn’t have any scholarships coming out of high school or anything like that. I just fell in love with the process of getting better,” he explains. “I loved basketball so much, I wanted to become the best I can. And I still do. So I try not to put a ceiling on myself or a window of opportunity. I just truly want to find my potential.”

After solidifying himself as one of the top scorers in college basketball, Demers was in Los Angeles training with professional trainer Jordan Lawley—also known as JLaw, who counts Zach Lavine, Klay Thompson, and Alex Caruso among his many clients—when COVID-19 hit. An early Instagram post from 2020 shows Demers working out with a EuroLeauge ball, underlining his impression that his first gig was going to come overseas. Freshly married and coming off a successful senior season at Gordon, Demers looked to sign with an agent and begin his pro career, but he found that “meeting with agents is a lot different for Division III athletes rather than Division I athletes.” 

Conversations over Whatsapp with agents speaking broken English trying to convince Demers to play in the country where they lived proved unfruitful, and a contract to play in New Zealand fell through because “they were kind of COVID-free at the time and didn’t really want anyone coming into their country.” With just half of G League teams going to the bubble, Demers didn’t get an invite and found himself teamless for the first time in years. 

Though Demers and his wife Lauren were “100% locked in” on Demers playing professional basketball, the financial realities of starting a family set in, and Demers was forced to take a job at a mortgage company through a friend at church, working out every day in addition to his office and family duties. (Lauren and Eric welcomed their first child, Jordan, in August 2021.) Months in, Demers says there were “moments in time where I had some hard conversations with my wife, and it was like, is it time to just move on from basketball?”

Ultimately, the pair decided that they’d wait to see what professional opportunities would come his way. Six months later, Demers earned an invitation to NBA Summer League with the San Antonio Spurs. Having quit his day job and now beginning his professional journey, Demers arrived in Las Vegas, only to find more doubters.

Walking around the Summer League arenas, someone even asked him if he worked in the Spurs front office. Looking for a table at a restaurant with former teammates from Gordon College, Demers was about to be turned away from the restaurant until one of his buddies told the restaurant workers that Demers was a Summer League player. 

And yet, Demers isn’t sweating any of it. He says the story about the restaurant is one of his favorite moments since becoming a professional basketball player. For JLaw, Demers’ ability to be “able to turn off the basketball side” when he’s not on the court is what sets him apart from other players.

Luschenat and Rejniak echo JLaw’s sentiment: “He doesn’t care whether you’re 6-8, 6-7,” boasts Rejniak, “he’ll cook you.” It seems from the outside that Demers is the ever-elusive, even-keeled player, never too high and never too low. 

Demers’ coachability is reflected in the ways he challenges his teammates. Sam Hauser, a two-way player for the Boston Celtics, is Demers’ main matchup in practice, says Demers is “consistently moving and keeping the defense on edge,” a skill that wasn’t important for him in college, but is now a key facet of his game. 

In the words of  Luschenat, Demers is “always ready.” After the game against the Knicks, the pro reflects on his rookie season thus far, and how unlikely it’s all been. This is just the beginning for him; he says that he can see himself playing in the G League for “two to three years,” and then potentially taking his talents overseas. 

 “Not many rookies especially come from where I’ve come from [and] get the opportunity to impact the team the way I have.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Former DIII Guard Eric Demers is Ready to Tap Into His Potential in the G League appeared first on SLAM.

With the win, the Pelicans get the right to face the Los Angeles Clippers in Crypto.com Arena on Friday night. The winner qualifies as the eighth seed in the Western Conference and will play the No. 1 seed, Phoenix Suns, in the first round.

Before the game, all of the attention was on Zion Williamson and his pregame workouts that featured this acrobatic 360 masterpiece.

Zion casually ripping down a 360 pic.twitter.com/JnhoU0bdjZ

— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2022

But when the game started, the sellout crowd in the Smoothie King Center focused their attention on their newest franchise player CJ McCollum, who was the difference in keeping a very balanced Spurs team at bay.

“He was great,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said of McCollum’s importance, per ESPN. “He set the tone early. He understood the moment, and it sort of calmed the rest of the guys down. We just got the ball to him, and he made play after play, score after score, and then the rest of the guys that just started to feed off CJ.”

Nothing illustrated that point more than when Brandon Ingram went to the bench with three fouls in the first half. McCollum spearheaded a 14-4 run over the final 3:36 of the half with two three-pointers and two layups to put the Pelicans up 61-50.

McCollum made 10 of his first 12 shots, including 2-3 from long range, to drop 27 first-half points and finished the night with a game-high 32 points.

@CJMcCollum was RED HOT in the first half scoring 27 points on 10/12 FGM! #WBD

The @PelicansNBA will now advance in the #MetaQuestPlayIn to face the LA Clippers with the 8th seed in the West on the line!

PELICANS vs. CLIPPERS
Friday, April 15th at 10pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/cllyfGpdFH

— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2022

New Orleans counts on the Lehigh product for his veteran leadership, which he acknowledged after the game in his press conference.

“I was just trying to be locked in and aggressive early,” McCollum said. “The playoffs is a lot of antics, a lot of momentum plays, a lot of back and forth. You’ve got to be stable and mentally locked in to withstand a certain level of (chaos). … There’s going to be a lot of winning in our future.”

McCollum had plenty of help as well. When San Antonio made their late run, Ingram shook off his early foul trouble to finish with 27 points, including two huge jumpers. He started the Pelicans’ in-game dunk contest with this monster dunk over Zach Collins.

THE CROWD WENT ABSOLUTELY WILD FOR THIS B.I. POSTER

: @ESPNNBA
: @ESPNRadioNOLA pic.twitter.com/oco71BIHWd

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 14, 2022

Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds.

By the end of the game, the only dunk that the crowd was going crazy over was Herb Jones’ baseline slam matching Ingram’s to put the game away.

.@_hoopinglife got UP!

: @ESPNNBA
: @ESPNRadioNOLA pic.twitter.com/WiZ7H4RozG

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 14, 2022

This victory ends New Orleans’ postseason drought that started back in 2018.

The post CJ McCollum Shines As the New Orleans Pelicans Eliminate San Antonio appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA has implemented a play-in tournament to decide the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference. This gives the top ten teams in the East and West a chance to make it into the postseason. 

Each conference will have a short tournament that showcases the eighth through tenth seeds. In a single-game two round event, the seventh and eighth seeds can make the playoffs with one win. The ninth and tenth seeds need to win twice in order to advance to the playoffs. 

In the Western Conference, a matchup between the New Orleans Pelicans (No. 9) and San Antonio Spurs (No. 10) will take place on April 13 at 9:30 PM ET. 

The winner of this game will advance to the final round of the play-in tournament against the loser of the matchup between the seventh and eighth seed for one final shot to make it into the postseason. The loser will be eliminated and officially begin their offseason. 

New Orleans finished the season with a 36-46 record, good for the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference. Over their last ten games, the Pelicans have been .500 which is good relative to the rest of the season.

Getting to the rim often, New Orleans draws a ton of fouls and are top-five in the NBA at getting to the line. The Pelicans should hope this game doesn’t turn into a shootout, as they don’t take or make many shots from beyond the arc. 

Since trading for CJ McCollum back in early February, the Pelicans have looked like a different team. Despite being without Zion Williamson, New Orleans has gone 15-14 since that trade occurred. 

The Spurs finished the season as the No. 10 seed in the West with a record of 34-47. Winning huge games down the stretch to make the play-in tournament, San Antonio won seven of its final 11 contests. 

One of the most well coached teams in the league, the Spurs play very disciplined. This will be important in this game against the Pelicans. On the flip side, they struggle from the free throw line which could be important late in the game if it’s a close contest. 

Since the All-Star break, the Spurs have been much improved, being roughly a .500 team since that milestone. 

These teams played four times this season, with the Spurs winning the season series 3-1. The Pelicans and Spurs matched up twice in March, splitting those two contests. Outside of the most recent game between these two teams, every outcome was very lopsided. 

The duo of McCollum and Brandon Ingram will be fascinating in this matchup. They’ll need to be effective offensively to combat the versatility that Dejounte Murray brings to the Spurs’ offense.

The post 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament: New Orleans Pelicans Match Up With San Antonio Spurs appeared first on SLAM.

In the 127-121 victory against the San Antonio Spurs, the second-year star went 16-18 from the field and 6 of 14 from 3-point range. At 20-years-old, Edwards now has five 40-point games surpassing Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant, who both have four 40-point games before the age of 21. LeBron James is the only player above Edwards with eight.

With the Timberwolves on the brink of postseason action, Edwards feels excited about his team heading into the playoffs.

“I feel like we’re gonna make a real good run in the playoffs, and they need to be ready for us.” Edwards said per ESPN.

The Timberwolves will close out the regular season by hosting the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. Next Tuesday, the Timberwolves and Clippers will match-up in the Play-In tournament, with the winner facing off against the two-seed Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoff.

The post Anthony Edwards On Clinching Play-In Spot: ‘I Feel Like We’re Gonna Make A Real Good Run’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Pistons have real interest in Jalen Brunson, sources tell @JLEdwardsIII.

The 25-year-old is an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

More: https://t.co/BkqIhniINH pic.twitter.com/2cAKwkwFKI

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) April 7, 2022

The former NCAA Champion and Naismith Player of the Year has blossomed in his fourth year in the League, averaging a career-high 16.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from downtown.

As an upcoming unrestricted free agent, Brunson’s ascension this season has many teams vying for his offensive capabilities and floor general mentality, with the Knicks reportedly in the mix back in late January. An effective secondary ball-handler who can consistently knock down catch-and-shoot treys, the fit of Brunson next to the 6’6 Cunningham could be lethal over the next few years.

Brunson and the Mavericks (50-30) have been clicking on all cylinders as they finish out the regular season, sitting at fourth in the West, facing off against the Trail Blazers on Friday and the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

The post REPORT: Pistons Eyeing Jalen Brunson For Free Agency appeared first on SLAM.

Center Greg Monroe will sign a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the remainder of the season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Monroe had productive stints in Minnesota, Washington, Utah and Milwaukee this season, completing a 10-day with the Jazz on Wednesday.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 7, 2022

Monroe recently finished up his 10-day contract with the Jazz – in which he averaged 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 8.7 minutes through three games of the team’s five games – Monroe joins the Timberwolves with two contests remaining before the start of the postseason.

Currently seated comfortably as the seventh seed in the West and two games removed from the sixth seed, the Timberwolves could slide out of the Play-In with wins over the San Antonio Spurs (34-45) tonight and against the Chicago Bulls (45-35) on Sunday.

The 6’11 center had a productive stint with the organization in December when he signed his first 10-day of the season, appearing in three games while putting up 6.7 points, 7.0 boards, and 3.7 assists in 21.0 minutes per game.

Monroe’s leadership in the locker room and familiarity with the postseason – he has appeared in 27 playoff games throughout his career – will be an added benefit as the Timberwolves’ final roster spot heading into their first postseason appearance since 2018.

The post Minnesota Timberwolves Sign Greg Monroe for Remainder of Season appeared first on SLAM.

With the Los Angles Lakers officially eliminated from the playoffs on Tuesday night, head coach Frank Vogel may be one of those coaches.

According to recent reports from Jake Fischer from Bleacher Report, the Lakers are not expected to retain Vogel at the end of the season. They are already looking for new candidates to fill the position.

“Now, as the finish line for this tumultuous 2021-22 campaign mercifully arrives, the Lakers are still expected to part ways with embattled play-caller Frank Vogel, sources told B/R, and the anticipated vacancy on Los Angeles’ bench has produced no shortage of potential candidates linked to fill the position.”

Because of a San Antonio Spurs victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, the Lakers will not participate in the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2019.

According to Fischer, replacement options are already being named by some reporters. NBA reporter Marc Stein wrote that Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder is a name being thrown around by many within the League.

A few other candidates linked to the job by Fischer include Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers and Lakers senior basketball advisor Kurt Rambis, who coached the Lakers in 1999.

“There will certainly be other candidates to replace Vogel. Multiple league figures contacted by B/R referenced the possibility that Laker’s senior basketball adviser Kurt Rambis returns to the sidelines after several previous coaching stops in the League,” Fischer wrote.

The Lakers are currently in 11th in the Western Conference with a record of 31-47 and only have three games remaining before their season – and possibly Vogel’s tenure with the team – come to an end.

The post REPORT: Lakers are Expected to Let Go of Frank Vogel at End of Season appeared first on SLAM.

In fact, Los Angeles has the eighth-worst record in the NBA at this point. 

If the Lakers are going to make the play-in, they’ll need to climb one spot in the standings and earn the tenth seen. The team currently in that slot is the San Antonio Spurs. 

On Sunday night, the Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets while the Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers. This just created even more of an uphill battle for Los Angeles in its pursuit of the postseason. 

With just four games left in the 2021-22 season for the Lakers, they’re a full two games behind San Antonio for that final play-in spot. Not only will they have to get close to winning out, but they’ll also need the Spurs to lose quite a few of their final games. 

At this point, the Lakers no longer fully control their own fate. In a season filled with injuries, it may all be for nothing. Additionally, the Lakers don’t even own their first-round pick in the upcoming draft which is projected to be in the top ten. 

The post Lakers Lose Again, Lowering Chances Of Making Play-In Tournament appeared first on SLAM.

Joshua Primo?

The 18-year-old kid from Alabama?

The one who averaged just 8.1 points per game?

No one—not even the “experts”—saw it coming. Primo was projected as a late first rounder. Spurs fans were confused. Many were angry. Many more were critical. You can just read the responses to the tweet below…

Spurs general manager Brian Wright told the media that his team was looking for the prospect with the “best potential long-term ceiling.” Primo was the youngest player in the draft. Plus, San Antonio sought to add another versatile wing to their developing core. Key word: developing.

This was a pick about the future. The distant future. Primo would need time to grow—the front office understood that. But that was just fine. The Spurs, as Wright alluded to, were in no rush.

“Josh’s development timeline will be Josh’s development timeline. I think what we’re focused on is ultimately the type of person he is, the work that he’ll put in to continue to improve his craft and how he’ll impact our team long-term, so there’s no pressure from us,” he said, via AL.com. “The pressure that he puts on himself is the pressure that he would consistently put on himself to be good. He wouldn’t be in this position if he didn’t push himself to work hard and improve. Again, he was a high school senior playing starter-level minutes in the SEC, so we do think there’s big upside there and he’s going to continue to improve once we get him into the program.”

Well, he’s been in the program for nine months now, and the 6-4 guard has certainly continued to improve. He has spent significant time with the Austin Spurs, the Spurs’ G League affiliate, and been impressive as one of their primary playmakers. This season, Primo has averaged 16.7 points (on 38.7 percent shooting from the field and 42.1 percent from three), 5.9 assists and 1.6 steals. At the G League Winter Showcase in Las Vegas, he helped lead the Toros to a victory over the highly-touted Ignite team, which features several future lottery picks (as Jonathan Tjarks pointed out in this story for The Ringer, Primo is actually younger than Jaden Hardy and MarJon Beauchamp, who are both projected as first-rounders in the 2022 Draft). Primo finished with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in the win.

The rookie looks comfortable handling the ball and operating out of pick-and-rolls. He has good size for a guard, which allows him to finish at the rim on one end and guard multiple positions on the other. He spreads the floor as a perimeter threat and hits pull-up jumpers off-the-dribble. 

Throughout March, he stepped into a bigger role in Coach Popovich’s rotation. He averaged 6.6 points on 39 percent shooting amid a recent four-game winning streak (a crucial one that put the Spurs in the play-in tournament). Coaches have praised Primo’s composure, fearlessness and professionalism, especially for someone his age.

“Joshua has an uncanny maturity about him—kind of a steady demeanor,” Popovich told reporters in January, after Primo put up 15 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists against the Raptors. “He’s not awed by the NBA or anything like that. He makes good decisions. He definitely knows how to play. He understands the game. It’s just a matter of getting stronger and more aware that these are men and they’re coming after your head, so to speak. Just to get used to that physicality and all those sort of things.

“He’s not afraid to shoot it. He makes good decisions. He’s a good passer,” Pop added. “He’s got some innate ways about him that let you know that he understands what’s going on. He’s already pretty good at pick-and-roll, for instance. Sometimes it takes a player a couple of years to figure that out. So I think it’s a maturity thing and I want to make sure he feels comfortable and he’s not overwhelmed. He’s a respectful, quiet kid so it’s going to take some time to pull some stuff out of him, but he’s been wonderful.”

It may take some time, but that’s not a problem. The Spurs will stay patient. Primo is only 19 years old, and just keeps getting better. 

The post SLAM x Panini Rookie Spotlight: Josh Primo appeared first on SLAM.

San Antonio Spurs icon Manu Ginobili will be a first-ballot induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame @Hoophall Class of 2022, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 31, 2022

WNBA legend Swin Cash – a four-time All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist – will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame @Hoophall Class of 2022, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Cash is currently part of the New Orleans Pelicans front office.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 31, 2022

On the NBA and WNBA side, Spurs legend Manu Ginóbili will be inducted into HOF for his first time on the ballot. Heat and Warriors legend Tim Hardaway will also be inducted. Swin Cash, a four-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist who is currently working in the front office of the Pelicans, will be inducted too.

Two longtime coaches in the NCAA and NBA will be enshrined as well. Bob Huggins, head coach of the West Virginia men’s basketball program and two-time Coach of the Year winner, and George Karl, the sixth-winningest head coach in League history, will be entering the HOF.

Finalists must receive 18-24 votes from the HOF committee to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The class of 2022 will be announced on Saturday during the men’s Final Four in New Orleans, with the ceremony taking place on Sept. 10.

The post REPORT: Manu Ginobli, Swin Cash Elected to 2022 Hall of Fame Class appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Portland Trail Blazers have signed center Drew Eubanks to his fourth 10-day contract in a row, a reward for the solid performances he has put on since getting signed last month.

Eubanks is in his fourth season in the NBA and spent most of that time with the San Antonio Spurs after signing him as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon State University in 2018.

Eubanks mainly acted as a role player over those three and a half years with the Spurs and struggled to make a consistent, playing in 148 games and averaging 4.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. This eventually led to Eubanks getting cut from the Spurs earlier this season and signing on with the Trail Blazers on a 10-day contract.

Since joining Portland, Eubanks has played above expectations. Eubanks has started all 13 games he has played, two fewer starts than the 15 he had during his entire stint in San Antonio, and has averaged 12.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a Blazer.

Portland and Eubanks will spend the last few weeks of the NBA season fighting to get the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Trail Blazers (27-45) are currently 12th in the conference, just 3.0 games back of the 10-seed New Orleans Pelicans.

The Blazers will have a chance to improve their record on Friday night when they host the Houston Rockets (18-55).

The post REPORT: Drew Eubanks Signs Fourth 10-Day Deal with Trail Blazers appeared first on SLAM.

NBA issued Draymond Green with a $25,000 fine for "directing profane language toward a game official" during his ejection in the Warriors' two-point loss to San Antonio on Sunday.

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) March 22, 2022

To date, the NBA has been stringent about enforcing its policies about player-referee interactions. When Green was ejected twice in the third quarter at just a moment’s notice, he violated those policies.

Green has averaged 7.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game for a Warriors (47-25) team that is third in the West behind the Phoenix Suns (58-14) and Memphis Grizzlies (49-23) with 10 games remaining in the regular season for the Dubs. The Warriors will be without Stephen Curry for all of those games as he recovers from a sprained foot he suffered last week.

The post NBA Fines Draymond Green $25,000 For ‘Directing Profane Language Toward a Game Official’ appeared first on SLAM.

Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic has been fined $40,000 for confronting a fan and tossing his cell phone.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 22, 2022

According to Haynes, the fan who heckled Nurkic in Indiana shouted disparaging comments about the mother and grandmother of Nurkic. Nurkic’s grandmother passed away from COVID-19 in 2020.

The fan who Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic confronted in Indiana allegedly shouted “your mom is trash” and said his “grandma’s a b**tch,” league sources tell @YahooSports. Nurkic’s grandma passed away of COVID-19 in 2020.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 22, 2022

Nurkic posts 15.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on 53.5 percent shooting from the field and 69.0 percent shooting from the free-throw line. On Wednesday, the Trail Blazers (26-42) will play the San Antonio Spurs (28-44).

The post Jusuf Nurkic Fined $40k For Confronting Fan in Stands appeared first on SLAM.

The all-time winningest coach in NBA history.

Congrats on No. 1336, Coach Pop! pic.twitter.com/RbuZxrkEWp

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 12, 2022

Coach Pop has now coached the Spurs to 1,336 wins and has won five NBA championships over 26 years as head coach.

“Pop doesn’t like praise,” Dejounte Murray said per ESPN. “He doesn’t like any of that. It’s kind of a good thing. But you also want to remind him of his success because it’s rare. Because he’s a guy that just wants to focus on winning and every day. He never brings up anything to praise himself.

“We don’t talk about [the record], but we damn sure going to enjoy it when we do get it for him because he’s a great man, and he deserves it. He pushes all his players, whether you’re the first guy, last guy, G-League player, 10-day contract, he embraces you from day one. He deserves everything.”

1,336 of ‘em. Congrats Pop. (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/XCxCYVM3to

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 12, 2022

Pop is the longest-tenured active coach in the League, having been in San Antonio since 1996. Popovich has also coached the Spurs to a winning record in his first 22 seasons and has led the franchise to 18 straight seasons with at least 50 wins. He also has the most combined regular-season and playoff wins in NBA history.

“I think he’s adjusted; he’s adapted,” Hall of Fame center David Robinson said. “He’s won under different circumstances with different mixtures of teams. We were a dominant defensive team, to [the teams] with Kawhi [Leonard] and all those guys, they were dominant offensively. They had a nice mix [on both sides]. And even now, you see how he’s had to adjust to a very, very different team.

“I think that’s what’s made him great. How do you win 67% of your games or whatever it is for 25 years? It’s ridiculous. It’s pretty amazing.”

Aside from his NBA success, Coach Pop has also won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the head coach of the U.S. men’s national team.

The post Gregg Popovich Now All-Time Winningest Coach in NBA History appeared first on SLAM.

Eubanks declared for the 2018 NBA Draft after a junior year campaign where Eubanks averaged 13.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. After going undrafted, Eubanks signed a Summer League deal with the Spurs. He played well enough to garner a two-way deal from the organization. Eubanks went on to play four seasons in San Antonio, where he averaged 4.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.

This past February, Eubanks, Thaddeus Young and a 2022 second-round selection were traded to the Toronto Raptors for Goran Dragić and a 2022 first-round draft selection. He was eventually waived and remained unsigned until Portland picked him up.

Sources: Full Spurs-Raptors deal:

Raptors: Thad Young, Drew Eubanks, 2022 Pistons second-rounder

Spurs: Goran Dragic, Toronto 2022 first-rounder (protected 1-14, protected 1-13 in 2023, turning into future seconds)

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 10, 2022

With a new beginning in Portland, Eubanks looks to continue to impress the organization as they travel up to play the Minnesota Timberwolves this weekend.

The post Trail Blazers Sign Drew Eubanks to Second 10-day contract appeared first on SLAM.

In fact, if you look at the four highest single-game scoring performances in Grizzlies franchise history, Morant holds or is tied with every mark except third place (Mike Miller with 45). Three of those games from Morant have come in the past two and a half weeks. However, when he finally broke the 50 point mark, he had nothing but praise for those around him:

“[I’m] just thankful for my teammates, my coaches… they believe in me, have all the confidence in the world that I can go and make the right play, and tonight they was looking for me. Like I said before, as I got close [to the record], they told me to go ahead and go get it. That’s why y’all see every time they got the ball; they was looking for 12, man.”

With that help, Morant scored 52 points on 73.3 percent shooting while making all four of his three-point attempts. That was the first time a Memphis Grizzly has ever scored 50+ in an NBA game. That historic game came with a win, too, as the Grizzlies beat the San Antonio Spurs 118-105 in FedExForum.

On Thursday, Morant and the Grizzlies will travel to Boston to face the Boston Celtics.

The post Ja Morant On Historic Game: ‘They Told Me to Go Ahead and Go Get It’ appeared first on SLAM.

Dragic said he had six different teams after his services. He picked Nets because “They have a really good chance to win a championship.”

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) February 23, 2022

Dragic gave a lot of credit to Nets coach Steve Nash due to their relationship at the beginning of his career in Phoenix. Their mentor/mentee relationship began when Nash was the starting point guard of the Suns, and Dragic was trying to find his way around the League. It was their background, coupled with a talented roster and a chance at an NBA title, that eluded him in the 2020 NBA Finals in the bubble that ultimately led him to the Nets.

“I chose Brooklyn because I think they have a really good chance to win a championship, especially to play alongside (Kevin Durant), Kyrie (Irving), Ben Simmons, (LaMarcus) Aldridge,” Dragic said via the New York Post.

Dragic played only five games with the Toronto Raptors this season after the 35-year-old came over from Miami in the Kyle Lowry deal. Dragic and Toronto had a tumultuous start that ended up in both parties agreeing to part ways until the team could find a trade partner at the trade deadline.

Dragic also shared that Nash’s influence goes back much further than this week, sharing that the two-time MVP inspired him to leave Europe to try the NBA in the first place.

“At that time, I made that decision I was going to come from Europe to NBA — only because of Steve,” said Dragic. “If that were some other team, I probably would have stayed in Europe another two or three years.”

The Nets were counting on Dragic’s postseason experience and leadership when he averaged 19.1 points and 2.8 assists per game during Miami’s run to the Finals.

It is unknown at this time when Dragic, who last played Nov. 13, will suit up for his debut.

The post Goran Dragic Credits Steve Nash’s Influence As Reason For Signing With Brooklyn appeared first on SLAM.

Although multiple contenders called Dragić, his relationship with former teammate Steve Nash (Brooklyn’s head coach) led him to sign with the Brooklyn Nets, per NBA insider Marc Stein.

Dragić hasn’t played since November 13 following a ‘mutual agreement’ with the Toronto Raptors to keep him sidelined. He’s been working out in his South Florida home to keep in shape in hopes of joining a contender. The Raptors ended up moving him at the trade deadline to the Spurs, where he reached a buyout agreement.

In only five games played this season, Dragić averaged 8.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 38.2 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three. The Nets, however, hope he can return to his play from last year, where he was a backup for the Miami Heat.

Last season, the Dragon averaged 13.4 points and 4.4 assists per game on 43.2 percent shooting from the field and 37.3 percent from distance. Dragić is a proven ballhandler and shot-creator, something Brooklyn has needed, especially when Kyrie Irving isn’t in uniform.

To make space for Dragić on the roster, the Nets released Jevon Carter, their third-string point guard. Carter had a guaranteed contract for this and next season, worth around $7.5 million in total. However, the Nets can stretch out his $3.9 million contract for next year over the next three seasons. That would be a $1.3 million dead cap hit through the 2024-25 season. Carter has subsequently signed with Milwaukee off of waivers.

The post Brooklyn Nets Announce Goran Dragić Signing appeared first on SLAM.

After Brooklyn was dominated by the Knicks for three quarters Wednesday night and was down 18 points in the fourth, the rookie out of LSU led a furious comeback hitting numerous big shots, including a deep three with less than ten seconds left to shock the Knicks in Madison Square Garden 111-106.

The @BrooklynNets overcame a 28 point deficit as rookie Cam Thomas and veteran Seth Curry lifted them to victory in a battle of the NYC franchises! #NetsWorld@sdotcurry: 20 PTS, 6 AST, 6 3PM@24_camthomas: 21 PTS, 4 REB pic.twitter.com/ObbtspZHlu

— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2022

After shooting 2-11 from the field for five points in the first three frames, he scored seven of his 16 points in the fourth to spark a 15-0 Brooklyn run to take the lead. Then with Brooklyn hanging on to a 106-103 lead, Thomas knocked down the biggest shot of the game, a step-back three-pointer with 3.7 seconds remaining in the game.

“It was 16 on the clock, 10 on the shot clock, so we just went in the backcourt. I saw coach tell them everyone flatten out, so I knew it was one-on-one time,” Thomas said, breaking down the clinching play via the New York Post. “So I just went to my go-to move. So glad it went in because I was struggling. I went like 1-for-9, 1-for-10 to start, wasn’t getting any calls, so I just had to keep playing through it, keep playing, so I’m glad it worked out for us.”

Cam Thomas knocks down a DEEP 3-pointer to put the @BrooklynNets up 6 late. The Nets were down by as many as 28 points.

3.7 remaining on ESPN pic.twitter.com/56LlsNCuag

— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2022

This is not the first time Cam Thomas has come up huge for Brooklyn. Last month he made a huge basket to seal a win over San Antonio.

The Nets play one more game against the Washington Wizards on Thursday night before the All-Star break.

The post Cam Thomas Finishes Off Brooklyn Nets Biggest Comeback in 25 Years appeared first on SLAM.

Murray became the first Spurs player in franchise history to record 30 points, 15 assists & 10 rebounds in a single game in their dominating 136-121 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Even more impressive, Murray passed Spurs icon and Hall of Famer David Robinson with his 15th career triple-double, now the most in team history.

Mr. Triple Double

DJ has passed David Robinson as the all-time franchise leader in triple doubles! pic.twitter.com/KY14ITCja9

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 12, 2022

Murray had an outstanding game shooting the ball, knocking down 11 of 18 shots from the field, going eight for nine from the free-throw line.

“That’s the thing in this league,” Murray said via NBA.com. “You make shots, you miss shots, and I think tonight we made shots, but we also kept our composure and matured. From the first quarter to the fourth quarter, we didn’t let up. We knew we couldn’t let up against a scoring team like Atlanta. That’s really what it was tonight.”

Dejounte Murray notched his 15th career triple-double to become the @spurs all-time franchise leader in triple-doubles!@DejounteMurray: 32 PTS, 10 REB, 15 AST, 4 STL pic.twitter.com/2Um91PCcmX

— NBA (@NBA) February 12, 2022

This historical game comes on the heels of an All-Star game invite for Murray, replacing an injured Draymond Green.

OFFICIAL: @DejounteMurray has been selected to the 2022 #NBAAllStar game!

Congratulations DJ!!

More info https://t.co/qZBRsC2y3C pic.twitter.com/mb1mr96TRx

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 7, 2022

The post Dejounte Murray Sets Spurs Triple-Double Record In Win Over Atlanta appeared first on SLAM.

The Denver Nuggets are one team still involved in trade talks, and according to reports from Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, guard Facundo Campazzo, and forward JaMychal Green is considered “available.”

“JaMychal Green and Facundo Campazzo are considered available for trade-in Denver,” Fischer said.

Graan and Campazzo are a pair of bench contributors for Denver, with only 11 starts combined between the two players.

Campazzo is in his second season in the NBA after spending several years in Europe with Real Madrid, playing for the Spanish club from 2014 to 2020. In his second season since joining Denver, Campazzo has averaged 5.8 points and 3.7 assists in 20.1 minutes per game.

Green is in his eighth season in the NBA but his second with the Nuggets, and he is averaging 6.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game. In his eight years in the League, Green has played for four teams, the Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, and Los Angeles Clippers.

This season, the Nuggets have already gotten involved in the trade market, taking part in a three-team trade with the Spurs and Boston Celtics. The trade sent center Bol Bol and the injured P.J. Dozier to the Celtics, and the Spurs received forward Juancho Hernangomez and a Nuggets’ 2028 second-round pick. The Nuggets received guard Bryn Forbes.

The NBA trade deadline is in just a couple of days, with no trades permitted after Thursday, Feb. 10 at 3:00 p.m. EST.

The post REPORT: Nuggets Consider Facundo Campazzo and JaMychal Green Available appeared first on SLAM.

Since Durant and Green will miss the annual All-Star festivities, they will be replaced in the starter pool for the Draft by the All-Star reserve from the same conference and of the same position group who received the highest ranking in the voting for All-Star starters. As a result, Durant will be replaced in the starter pool by Tatum. Green will be assigned to the same team that drafts Murray. The All-Star Draft will air on Thursday.

Ball and Murray will selected with the reserves in the second round.

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball and San Antonio Spurs guard Dejounte Murray have been named replacements for Kevin Durant and Draymond Green in the NBA All-Star Game.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 7, 2022

Ball, the 2021 Rookie of the Year averaged 19.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. The Hornets are in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff seeding race, sitting at the ninth seed with a 28-26 record. The Hornets are just a game behind the Celtics for eighth place in the conference despite dropping four straight games.

Just call him ALL-STAR Melo!

BUZZ CITY! @MELOD1P is a 2022 #NBAAllStar!

: https://t.co/LgbvcfpSNU pic.twitter.com/1z1Zp8zVds

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 7, 2022

Murray made the All-Star game thanks to his stat-sheet stuffing first half, averaging 19.6 points, 8.4 boards, and 9.2 dimes per game, career-high marks across the board. The 25-year-old point guard also recieved a key endorsement from Spurs legend George ‘the Iceman’ Gervin. His 10 triple-doubles are the second most in the NBA, Murray set the single-season record for most triple-doubles in Spurs history.

As of Monday, the Spurs (20-34) are in 12th place in the Western Conference.

OFFICIAL: @DejounteMurray has been selected to the 2022 #NBAAllStar game!

Congratulations DJ!!

More info https://t.co/qZBRsC2y3C pic.twitter.com/mb1mr96TRx

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 7, 2022

The post LaMelo Ball and Dejounte Murray Make All-Star Game as Replacements appeared first on SLAM.

These schools haven’t received a lot of national attention for their contributions to the game. Nevertheless, HBCUs have produced some terrific talent, who have gone on to enjoy careers in the NBA, such as Leonard “Truck” Robinson (Tennessee State, New Orleans Jazz), Donald “Slick” Watts (Xavier La., Seattle SuperSonics), Caldwell Jones (Albany State, Philadelphia 76ers), Purvis Short (Jackson State, Golden State Warriors), Larry Smith (Alcorn State, Golden State Warriors), and Kyle O’Quinn (Norfolk State, Philadelphia 76ers), among many other.

Right now, Robert Covington from Tennessee State, who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, is the only active NBA player from an HBCU.

This number could change with some future potential prospects playing at Black institutions, like Joe Bryant (Norfolk State), Tyree Corbett (Coppin State), Kyle Foster (Howard), M.J. Randolph (Florida A&M), and Jalen Johnson (Alabama A&M), to name a few. Today’s HBCU stars are well-coached, with the likes of LeVelle Moton (North Carolina Central University), Robert Jones (Norfolk State), Johnny Jones (Texas Southern), and Byron Smith (Prairie View A&M) among the many impactful mentors.

In addition, the NBA and the NBPA will host a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game between Howard University and Morgan State on Saturday, Feb. 19 during NBA All-Star Weekend at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

Every Thursday throughout Black History Month, SLAM will spotlight five HBCU legends who were not only dominant players during their time, but also trail blazers of the game.

Earl Monroe put on quite a show at Winston-Salem State. In 1967, he carried the Rams to the NCAA Division II championship and averaged a sensational 41.5 points per game that season. He played for Hall of Fame coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines. 

Monroe had a great jump shot to go along with the spin dribble, an array of change of pace moves and he could also make some insane shots in the open court. The Hall of Famer went on to play for the Baltimore Bullets and the New York Knicks. He scored 17,454 points and handed out 3,594 assists in his NBA career. In 1973, Monroe, aka “The Pearl” and Walt Frazier formed a fantastic backcourt that helped lead the Knicks to the NBA championship. He didn’t just entertain the fans in the NBA, but also in Philadelphia’s Charles Baker League during the summer months.

Oakley was a powerful inside player at Virginia Union. He is the school’s all-time leading rebounder (1,664) and third all-time leading scorer (2,379). In 1985, Oakley averaged 24 points and 17.3 rebounds a game while guiding Virginia Union to a 31-1 record. He helped the Panthers capture the 1985 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title and was named the NCAA Division II Player of the Year.

Oakley was selected as a first-round pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in ‘85, but was immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls. Throughout his 19-year career, he played for the Bulls, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets. As a great rebounder and inside scorer, he finished his NBA career with 12,417 points and 12,205 rebounds. 

Mahorn was a terrific player in the CIAA. He was a three-time NAIA All-American and tallied 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds a game over his college career—he walked away with 2,418 total points. The three-time All-CIAA standout also had 1,465 career rebounds. In 1980, he became the first HU player to be drafted in the NBA, selected in the second round by the Washington Bullets. He went on to play 18 years in the League and was a key player on the 1989 Detroit Pistons’ NBA championship team.  

Reed, who was a left-handed center with a great shooting touch from the outside, led Grambling State to an NAIA championship in ‘61 and multiple Southwestern Athletic Conference championship titles during his career. After averaging a video game-like stat line of  26.6 points and 21.3 rebounds per game during his senior year, he was taken in the second round of the 1964 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks.

Throughout his 10 years in the Association, Reed scored 12,183 points and 8,414 rebounds. His hard work and determination helped the New York Knicks win the NBA titles in 1970 and 1973. 

Johnson played junior college basketball before going to Southern University, where he solidified himself as a magnificent point guard for the Jaguars. He had the ability to penetrate and hit the open man. In 1988, he led the nation in assists, tallying 13.3 assists a night. He also averaged 11.4 points that season. 

Johnson, who led the NCAA in assists in his two seasons at Southern University, earned SWAC Player of the Year honors and was named MVP of the league tournament as a junior and senior. While he went undrafted in 1988, he did manage to break into the League as an undrafted free agent and played 17 seasons. In 1999, he helped the San Antonio Spurs win the NBA championship over the New York Knicks. 

Johnson then pursued a career in coaching and served as head coach of the Dallas Mavericks and the Brooklyn Nets before returning to the NCAA as head coach at the University of Alabama. He’s now a TV analyst for CBS Sports. 

Courtesy of Winston-Salem State, Virginia Union, Hampton University, Southern University and Getty Images.

The post SLAM Presents: Top 20 Men’s HBCU Players of All Time appeared first on SLAM.

After introducing Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels, owner Mark Davis, who also owns the Aces, confirmed that new coach Becky Hammon will be the first WNBA coach to exceed $1 million in annual salary: pic.twitter.com/bT8ZfnuEZ6

— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) January 31, 2022

“Little girls, guys, anybody can look at her and say, ‘She’s just like me. A small basketball player who’s retired and she got the job, and she’s making a million dollars. I can do that too.’ … That was really important to me to bring in that kind of value,” Davis said Monday.

Hammon has spent the past eight years as an assistant under San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich, where she led the Spurs to a Summer League title in 2015. The 44-year-old point guard-turned coach has interviewed for numerous high-profile jobs as a head coach and general manager in the NBA but was never hired. Hammon believes that leading the Aces will be the opportunity she needs to prove she can succeed away from the Spurs.

“I sat in a lot of [NBA] head-coaching interviews. Two things that people always said, ‘You’ve only been in San Antonio, and you’ve never been a head coach,'” Hammon ESPN in early January.

She added: “I feel like I’m ready to have my own team. And this is the organization that made it very, very obvious they wanted me really, really bad. And so it’s always good to be wanted.”

Hammon is taking over for Bill Laimbeer after the former Bad Boy Detroit Piston stepped down as head coach after leading the Aces to a 77-45 regular-season record, three conference finals appearances, and an appearance in the 2020 WNBA Finals where they lost to Seatle Storm.

The leading task for Hammon will be re-signing Liz Cambage and guiding an Aces roster built around 2020 MVP A’ja Wilson. Las Vegas kicks their season off May 6 when they face Phoenix Mercury on the road.

The post Becky Hammon Is The First WNBA Coach To Make $1M in Annual Salary appeared first on SLAM.

Dejounte Murray has tied David Robinson for the most triple-doubles in Spurs franchise history (14).

He has 10 triple-doubles this season, doubling the previous Spurs record (Robinson with 5). pic.twitter.com/31QHCUkMdE

— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 27, 2022

With Murray finishing eighth in fan voting receiving 307,213 fan votes, and with 24 player votes, a Spurs legend has started speaking out in an attempt to lobby coaches to vote him into the All-Star game as a reserve.

George Gervin recently had an interview with HoopsHype, and he believes Murray should be playing on the final day of All-Star weekend in Cleveland. 

“I think he’s an All-Star myself. I think he’s playing in the All-Star range,” Gervin said. “I really do hope. It would be good for him, and it would be good for San Antonio.”

“He’s going to get to that phase where he just knows how to win, He’s unbelievably talented, and I think he’s getting better and better.”

Whether the Spurs legend wishes get granted or not, Murray has done his part by putting up career-high numbers in scoring (19.2), rebounds (8.5), and assists (9.1) in 44 games.

George Gervin, nicknamed “The Iceman” was honored as one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history known for his famous finger roll that stands as one of the most iconic shots still in the game.

“He’s smooth…. he’s The Iceman.”

NBA legends break down George Gervin’s signature ‘finger roll’ move. #NBA75

Hear more stories like this in 75 STORIES: GEORGE GERVIN here: https://t.co/BE5O54FDXp pic.twitter.com/DspMmY4ML6

— NBA (@NBA) December 27, 2021

“The Iceman” is a nine-time NBA All-Star and four-time scoring champ who averaged 25.1 points per game over his career. Gervin still has a legacy as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history and still gets compared to the best scorers today.

If you’re having a discussion about the greatest scorers in pro hoops history, it must include George Gervin.

He was Kevin Durant 25 years before KD. pic.twitter.com/njgOpsJB06

— George Karl (@CoachKarl22) January 13, 2022

The post ‘Iceman’ George Gervin Endorses Dejounte Murray For the All-Star Game appeared first on SLAM.

Denver, Boston and San Antonio are making a three-way trade that includes Juancho Hernangomez to Spurs, Bryn Forbes to Denver, Bol Bol and PJ Dozier to Celtics, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 19, 2022

The Nuggets are sending Bol Bol and P.J. Dozier to the Celtics, while the Spurs receive Juancho Hernangomez and a 2028 second-round pick from the Nuggets, according to Woj. The second-round pick the Spurs acquired is protected Nos. 31-33, San Antonio receives $2.35 million in the trade, including $2.15 million via Boston, per ESPN.

The Celtics reportedly have no immediate plans to waive Dozier or Bol, both are out indefinitely with knee and back injuries. This offseason, Dozier will be an unrestricted free agent, and Bol will be a restricted free agent. The Celtics are saving nearly $4.3 million in salary on the deal, helping them avoid the luxury deal.

The Nuggets are hopeful Forbes can improve their three-point shooting. Forbes averages 9.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game on 41.7 percent shooting from downtown in 16.9 minutes per game. According to Second Spectrum, Bryn Forbes has been shooting 45 percent on catch-and-shoot three-pointers in the past two seasons, the fifth-best mark among 102 players with 300-plus attempts.

Per ESPN Stats and Information, Forbes ranks third in three-point accuracy over the past four seasons among players with more than 1,000 attempts.

Forbes played his first four NBA seasons with the Spurs before winning a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020-21. He signed back with the Spurs in free agency in August after declining his player option to become a free agent.

The post REPORT: Spurs Trade Bryn Forbes to Nuggets in Three-Team Deal appeared first on SLAM.

“My heart was saying it was time to go. This is where I am supposed to be right now,” Hammon said, per the Washington Post. “There were a lot of sleepless nights getting to this conclusion.”

With the Spurs, Hammon received guidance from the legendary Gregg Popovich but felt it was time to venture down a different path leading back to where she started.

“It’s a great opportunity to have a head coaching job at that level.,” Popovich said. “To prove herself. She’s already proven herself to me, but that doesn’t matter in the long run. She’s interviewed for a few jobs in the NBA, and she’s more than qualified and would have done a great job.”

Over the years, Hammon received offers and calls from the WNBA, one being from the NY Liberty, where she spent the first eight seasons of her playing career making three All-Star appearances and helping lead the team to the Finals three times.

Hammon will join the Aces next season following a near-successful run with Las Vegas finishing 24-8, a second-best in the League, before losing to the Phoenix Mercury in the semifinals. Before she arrives, Hammon plans on reaching out to players to establish roles and build chemistry with her future players.

“Right now, I’m reaching out to all the players on the roster,” Hammon said. “Establish a relationship with them and talk a little bit about roles what we’re doing offensively and defensively.”

While Hammon continues to trailblaze and follow her heart while adding to her extensive resume, she hears the outside noise. She doesn’t believe that transitioning to the WNBA would be a “step down” from coaching in the NBA, but she is set on her path and confident in the choice she’s decided to make:

“I think it’s an ignorant statement. To think I’ve outgrown the WNBA in a coaching capacity is ridiculous,” Becky says. “I’d rather be a coach in the WNBA and have my own organization and be running a team.”

The post Becky Hammon On Her Transition To the WNBA: “My Heart Was Saying It Was Time To Go.” appeared first on SLAM.

That’s Cam Thomas recapping his game-winner against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. “Kevin” obviously refers to 11-time All-Star, four-time scoring champ and two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant. When Thomas said, “I’ll do it,” he shrugged his shoulders and almost rolled his eyes, as if to suggest “it” was something as mundane as ordering a coffee at Starbucks. 

What “it” really was: Tied at 119-119, with less than 10 seconds remaining, Durant handled the ball up top, drove left, drew a double team and immediately kicked it to Thomas on the weakside. The rookie blew by center Jakob Poeltl, got to the paint and elevated for his signature floater. Game. Time to get on the plane.

Thomas is, and always has been, a scorer. An absolutely dominant, uber confident scorer. 

“When I was about 7, in my first AAU tournament against players from across the country, [it made] me want to pursue a career in basketball,” he told SLAM this past summer. “It was a tournament at Boo Williams [Sportsplex]. I’m from Virginia and back then that was the big thing—go to Boo Williams and play in tournaments there. I had 25 points playing up with the 9-year-olds when I was 7. That’s when it really made me be like, Well, I might as well just take basketball serious. I had, like, 25 points at every game that weekend.”

Fast forward a decade and Thomas had become one of the top high school prospects in the nation. He was named Nike EYBL Offensive Player of the Year in 2019, averaging 29.5 points through 13 games on the circuit. As a senior at Oak Hill Academy, he averaged 31.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He finished his two years with the program as their all-time leading scorer.

In his sole season at LSU, Thomas was just as unstoppable. He led the SEC and all Division I freshmen in scoring (23 ppg), registered the most 20-point games of any LSU player since Shaquille O’Neal in 1992 and was named to the All-Conference First Team. 

Somehow, after all that, he fell to the Nets at No. 27 in the 2021 Draft. 

Thomas isn’t the biggest (6-3), fastest or most athletic; but at every level, he has managed to make scoring look easy. He led the entire Las Vegas Summer League in ppg (27.0), hitting multiple game-winners throughout the tournament. Only pure scorers knock down absurd one-legged threes like this:

“Obviously Cam was a much better scorer than I was coming out of college,” James Harden told the New York Post in October. “It’s just rare you get those guys who can just get a bucket in any form or fashion. But he’s young, he learns, he listens and he works his butt off. As a young guy, that’s all you can ask for.”

The key phrase there: in any form or fashion. Thomas just knows how to put the ball in the basket. He gets downhill, attacks the rim and uses a soft touch on little floaters and bank shots. He navigates around screens for pull-up midrange jumpers. He spreads the floor and can hit off-the-dribble and catch-and-shoot threes.

The most impressive thing about his game, though, is his unwavering confidence. Thomas is completely fearless, even playing alongside superstars like Durant, Harden and Kyrie Irving. The big moments don’t seem to rattle him at all. Obviously his role on the Nets is far different than at Oak Hill and LSU (and in the G League, where he dropped 46 a few months ago), but the 20-year-old has maintained his aggressiveness. In the month of January, he has averaged 12.8 points on 48 percent shooting off the bench.

To give you a sense for just how confident Thomas is—apparently he likes to talk trash to KD. “I say that I think I’m a better scorer at my age than he was,” Thomas told reporters. “He doesn’t believe that. And then he never wants to play me one-on-one. We played one-on-one in shootaround one time—post-ups—and I beat him. Don’t tell him that. I beat him.”

Durant, of course, remembered that game differently. “Cam’s lying. He’s lying, for sure. I definitely beat him,” he said. “We were at shootaround and I beat him—15-5, matter of fact. It’s an ongoing game so the score doesn’t start over. At the end of the season, we’re going to tally up the points. But he’s down a lot.”

Trash talk aside, Durant obviously sees the potential in Thomas. When that double team came against San Antonio, he didn’t hesitate to kick it to the rookie. And Thomas, very calmly, did what he has always done.

The post SLAM x Panini Rookie Spotlight: Cam Thomas appeared first on SLAM.

Considering we had won our two games at the G League Winter Showcase in Las Vegas, it was already going to be a good morning. And I was especially excited because I was about to go home to see my family, who I hadn’t seen since I left Phoenix for Birmingham in October. 

I woke up to a missed call from my agent, which was weird because he doesn’t usually call that early. I hit him back immediately to see what was going on.

“Have you left for the airport yet?” he asked.

“Nah, my flight is at 2:00. Why?”

“You’re not going to Phoenix,” he said. “You’re going to Miami. They just signed you.”

A whole host of emotions took over at that point. It seemed like everything I had been through started replaying in my head. I was on a two-way contract with the Pelicans during my rookie year, which was when the pandemic began. That offseason, I was involved in the Steven Adams trade and went from New Orleans to Oklahoma City. I signed a three-year deal and thought I had made it out of the G League for good. But before training camp, that opportunity was cut short because I tested positive for COVID and got waived. It was probably one of the lowest moments of my life. That was November of 2020. Fast forward a year later and I was getting my next chance in the NBA.

I just felt an overwhelming excitement. I recall running through the hotel room, jumping on the bed, screaming at the top of my lungs. It was super early, so I tried to wait as long as possible to call my mom. But I ended up calling and waking her up anyway. When I shared the news, she did the exact same thing that I did. She jumped up and went to tell everybody in the house. It was just a special moment for all of us.

Then it was all about being a professional. Everything changed that quick. I think it’s a testament to how seriously I take the game and that I was ready for whatever was next. As soon as I got that call from my agent, I hopped on the next flight available. I was texting the Heat coaches the whole time, trying to get film, playbooks, defensive concepts—everything that I could to get as caught up as possible.

I pulled up the following morning, got my physical, signed my contract, took my pictures and then got straight to work. I had an individual workout and film session during the day. That night, as I was recovering in my hotel room, I was breaking down film, learning all their sets and making flash cards to get up to date, because we had a game the next day. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get in, but how quickly everything transitioned for me was just mind blowing.

In Miami, you got a championship head coach in Erik Spoelstra, a championship organization in the Heat and a team that plans on making the playoffs. To expect to come in and just jump on the floor is unrealistic. It’s just like anything—you try to be prepared and learn as much as you can. And every day with the team, I learned something new. I have always been a guy who works hard and does the little things. But after this experience, I think there’s another level that I can tap into in 2022, as far as my approach. Seeing how sharp these guys were and the ways they went about their preparation was humbling. 

Obviously, it’s a tough time in the NBA with COVID. You don’t wish that anyone will test positive for the virus, but that’s just the reality of what’s been going on. G League guys who have been praying for an opportunity their whole lives are getting a real shot to come in and accomplish their NBA dreams, so don’t sweep that under the rug. 

Personally, as I was going through my journey, I would be lying if I said I didn’t have thoughts of giving up. Staying humble, having to keep working and keep believing in myself was tough at times. Another opportunity wasn’t promised. I know I’m not the only one who prayed for it. So to spend any time in the NBA is a blessing—there’s no other way to look at it. It means the world to me.

Toward the end of my 10-day contract, with a huge outbreak on our team, I wound up testing positive for COVID as well. We were in San Antonio to play the Spurs, and I had to quarantine at our hotel. It was definitely stressful, but I’m here now. 

I’m ready for whatever’s next and excited to see what the future holds. 

I’ll keep grinding ’til I get where I’m supposed to be. 

This story, as told to Alex Squadron, was written prior to Cheatham’s 10-day signing with the Utah Jazz, which happened this week.

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The post Zylan Cheatham Shares His Experience as a 10-Day Replacement Player in the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Spurs are signing Tyler Johnson and Anthony Lamb to 10-day hardship contracts.

The pair of signings come on the back of several Spurs pers entering health and safety protocols on Thursday. Wojnarowski reported that Keldon Johnson, Derrick White, Devin Vassell, Thaddeus Young, Lonnie Walker IV, and Doug McDermott have all been placed in COVID-19 protocols.

As a short-term replacement, Johnson has seven years of NBA experience with four different teams. Johnson most recently suited up for the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this season, playing in three games and scoring 11 total points.

Johnson’s best years came with the Miami Heat, where he played in 257 games over five seasons and averaged 11 points per game. Over his career, Johnson has averaged 9.9 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while suiting up for the Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns, 76ers, and Heat.

Lamb will be involved in his second NBA season after going undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft. Lamb played four seasons at the University of Vermont. He averaged 16.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game his senior season and won the American East Conference Player of the Year twice.

In his lone season in the League, Lamb played 24 games with the Houston Rockets, starting three of them, and averaging 5.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Lamb was waived by the Rockets before the 2021-22 season began.

These absences come at a difficult time for San Antonio, as they currently sit 10th overall in the Western Conference, the final play-in spot, with a record of 15-22, just a half-game up on the Sacramento Kings (16-24).

The post REPORT: Spurs Sign Tyler Johnson, Anthony Lamb to 10-Day Contracts appeared first on SLAM.

Brown also added 11 rebounds for his 25th career double-double. The sixth-year wing is the fourth player in franchise history to put up at least 50 points and 10 rebounds and joins Hall-of-Famers Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and teammate Jayson Tatum as the only Celtics to put up the line. Brown is just the seventh Celtic player to record a 50-points in franchise history. 

“I was just being aggressive, getting to the basket,” Brown said per the Boston Globe. “I didn’t feel like those guys could stay in front of me, so I was just going to keep getting to the basket, blowing by them on the first step, and I looked up, and I had 47, and I was like, ‘Damn.’”

Brown has been struggling with his shooting in the last 10 games, which could be attributed to him missing 15 games thus far. However, Brown busted out of his cold streak shooting 19-for-29 from the field, including 5-for-10 from the three-point line, 7-for-8 from the free-throw line.

At 18-19, the Celtics have been struggling with health all season, losing players for stretches at a time due to injury or teammates entering health and safety protocols and missing at least 10 days. Just as every other team in the NBA has had to, the Celtics will have to come up with a solution to their problems if they plan on contending for the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Boston Celtics look forward to protecting home-court against the San Antonio Spurs (14-21) on Wednesday night.

The post Jaylen Brown Drops Career-High 50 Points In Win Against Magic appeared first on SLAM.

San Antonio Spurs assistant Becky Hammon is finalizing a five-year deal with the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces that’ll make her the league’s highest paid coach, sources tell ESPN. Hammon plans to finish season with San Antonio.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 31, 2021

She interviewed for several head-coaching jobs in the NBA, including for the Portland Trail Blazers, where she made it as a finalist but didn’t receive an offer for a head job. She plans on finishing the season with the Spurs.

The deal will make Hammon the highest-paid coach in the WNBA. Her credentials include being a six-time All-Star, three-time All-WNBA selection, and was the assists leader in 2007. As a coach, she led the Spurs Summer League team in 2015 and has been a part of the Spurs coaching staff since 2014.

Hammon is returning to the W for the first time since retiring in 2014 after playing 16 seasons with the New York Liberty and San Antonio Stars. The Aces were initially the Utah Starzz when the league launched in 1997. Then the franchise moved to San Antonio in 2003 and finally to Las Vegas in 2018. The Aces retired Hammon’s jersey this past season by retiring her jersey

The post REPORT: Aces Near Deal to Hire Becky Hammon As Head Coach appeared first on SLAM.

Update: On Tuesday, League commissioner Adam Silver announced in an interview with Malika Andrews that the NBA would not be pausing the season for the second season since the 2019-2020 season. Silver also said that the Omricon is ‘beyond dominate’ while constituting 90 percent of positive tests.

REPORT: Per League insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA, and the players union have reached an agreement to lessen the quarantine period for COVID-positive players. Players that tested positive for COVID-19 can clear protocols after five days if their “CT values” are above 30.

If a team has three positive results, two replacement signings are required. For four or more positive tests, three replacement players will be required. Two-way players will reportedly also have no limit to the number of games they can appear in as well. If a team has 13 players available for a game they do not have to sign any players to a hardship exemption.

A game will only be postponed if a team doesn’t have at least eight players available to play. A tactic the NBA frequently utilized last year when officials postponed 31 games. The League has decided to postpone nine games in total.

Below is the list of players and coaches currently in the League’s health and safety protocols.

Atlanta Hawks (three players, head coach)

• Chris Clemons
• Gorgui Dieng
• Cameron Oliver
• Nate McMillan

Boston Celtics (one player) 

• Payton Pritchard

Charlotte Hornets (one player)

• Vernon Carey Jr.

Chicago Bulls (one player)

• Alex Caruso

Dallas Mavericks (two players, head coach)

• Jason Kidd
• Boban Marjanovic
• Kristaps Porzingis

Denver Nuggets (one player)

• Petr Cornelie

Detroit Pistons (one player)

• Frank Jackson

Houston Rockets (one players)

• Usman Garuba

Indiana Pacers (six players)

• Justin Anderson
• Goga Bitadze
• Torrey Craig
• Isaiah Jackson
• Caris LeVert
• TJ Warren

LA Clippers (three players)

• Luke Kennard
• Xavier Moon
• Ivica Zubac

Memphis Grizzlies (three players, head coach)

• Taylor Jenkins
• John Konchar
• De’Anthony Melton
• Xavier Tillman

Miami Heat (three players)

• Marcus Garrett
• Udonis Haslem
• Gabe Vincent

Milwaukee Bucks (four players, head coach)

• Grayson Allen
• Mike Budenholzer
• Pat Connaughton
• George Hill
• Jrue Holiday

New Orleans Pelicans (one player)

• Tomas Satorasnky

Oklahoma City Thunder (one player, head coach)

• Isaiah Roby
• Mark Daigneault

Orlando Magic (one player)

• Robin Lopez

Philadelphia 76ers (three players)

• Tyrese Maxey
• Paul Reed
• Jaden Springer

Phoenix Suns (two players)

• Abdel Nader
• Landry Shamet

Portland Trail Blazers

• Norman Powell

Sacramento Kings (one player)

• Richaun Holmes
• Chimezie Metu

San Antonio Spurs (five players)

• Keldon Johnson
• Doug McDermott
• Devin Vassell
• Derrick White
• Thaddeus Young

Toronto Raptors (one player)

• Yuta Watanabe

Utah Jazz (two players)

• Rudy Gobert
• Joe Ingless

Washington Wizards (four players)

• Anthony Gill
• Tremont Waters
• Brad Wanamaker

The post NBA Health and Safety Protocol Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

According to Marc Stein, it is rumored that “Simmons would welcome the opportunity to play for [Gregg] Popovich if the Spurs found a way to acquire him.”

With that, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley has put out a possible scenario for the deal to get done. The deal included Dejounte Murray, Devin Vassell and Doug McDermott.

Buckley writes: Add elite defense to the equation, and Murray might qualify as a “difference-maker,” which is the stated target of 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey in the Simmons trade talks. Murray could check a lot of the same boxes as Simmons, albeit with far less size (6’4″, 180 lbs. to Simmons’ 6’11”, 240 lbs.) but more shooting. What could tip the scales for Philly are the additions of Devin Vassell, a three-and-D wing with some off-the-dribble verve, and Doug McDermott, a 6’7″ sniper and clever off-ball cutter. All three players could factor into the Sixers’ rotation right now, and this underperforming roster could use the relief.

Whether these players are among the 30 players the Sixers are looking at based on a report from The Athletic’s Sam Amick, in a potential deal for Simmons is unclear.

But for now, it seems that one side is rumored to be interested.

The post REPORT: Ben Simmons ‘Would Welcome the Opportunity’ to Play for Gregg Popovich in San Antonio appeared first on SLAM.

Chauncey Billups: “It’s the NBA. You can’t underestimate anybody. You can’t disrespect anybody being a professional NBA player. I felt like we came in here thinking they were just going to lay down.”

— Sean Highkin (@highkin) December 3, 2021

Despite missing a few players on the roster that included Damian Lillard (abdominal problems), Norman Powell (sore quad), and Nassir Little (ankle), Portland was blown out by the San Antonio Spurs, 114-83, on Thursday. The Blazers put up little resistance as the Spurs controlled both ends of the floor.

Billups did not hide his frustrations after the game.

Chauncey Billups: “I want us to compete harder. I want us to be more competitive in every game. I don’t feel like we do that, and it concerns me. And I’ve felt that way in a lot of our wins. This is not just after a loss, me saying that.”

— Sean Highkin (@highkin) December 3, 2021

This is the latest chapter of issues the franchise has faced in the last few months. After yet another first-round exit, Terry Stotts was released as head coach. Then rumors of Damian Lillard wanting to be traded dominated the headlines throughout the summer to the point he stated he would stay quiet. Even the Billups hire brought controversy.

Now that Neil Olshey was let go as the team’s lead executive, Billups is trying to find ways to light a fire under this 11-12 team now that Lillard is not playing at an All-NBA level up to this point.

The post Chauncey Billups Calls Out Blazers Saying “I want us to compete harder” appeared first on SLAM.

Young was brought over to San Antonio in the DeMar DeRozan deal from Chicago. As the oldest player on the team, he is asked to be the veteran presence on a rebuilding team. But it’s the lack of minutes that he has been getting recently that has him frustrated a topic he brought up recently.

“Right now, this situation is not ideal for me,” Young said on The Alex Kennedy Podcast. “I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve had to settle for 4 and 6 minutes a game.” 

“It’s super tough. It’s very tough and frustrating at times,” Young said. “But at the end of the day, I understand where this franchise is going, and I understand what’s happening — the young guys have to play. Whatever happens, happens. It’s just a matter of trusting in my faith and trusting in my craft, and trusting in the time that I put into the game each and every day. I’m a 15-year veteran, and I’m still one of the last to leave the gym, and I’m still showing up early, putting in a lot of time and a lot of work.” 

Young is averaging a career-low 15.6 minutes per game, with minutes going to younger players such as Keldon Johnson, Keita Bates-Diop, Devin Vassell, Lonnie Walker IV, and Drew Eubanks. His streak of starting at least one game in every year of his career could be in jeopardy.

The veteran has made the most of his playing time when he’s gotten on the floor this season. He’s currently averaging 7.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per contest while shooting 59.6 percent from the field after being a part-time starter with the Bulls averaging 12.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.1 steals last season and winning the NBA’s Hustle Award.

The post Thaddeus Young Voices Frustration Over Lack of Playing Time appeared first on SLAM.

Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard will miss at least 10 days with lower abdominal tendinopathy, team says.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 1, 2021

Lillard’s abdominal injury has been lingering on and off for weeks, missing a November 14 game against the Denver Nuggets and Tuesday’s contest against the Blazers 110-92 win over the Detroit Pistons. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported back in August that Lillard played through the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with an abdominal injury. It has since hampered his production at the start of his 10th season with the Blazers.

Through 20 appearances this season, Lillard is averaging 21.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 7.8 assists in 35.7 minutes per game on 39.7 percent from the field and 30.2 percent from three-point territory.

In his absence, the Blazers will turn to their 2018 first-round pick Anfernee Simons and Dennis Smith Jr. Simons is averaging a career-high 12.5 points and 2.2 assists on 46.5 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from three on 23.6 minutes per game.

The Blazers’ next test without their star guard will be Thursday against the San Antonio Spurs.

The post Damian Lillard to Miss At Least 10 Days Due to Abdominal Injury appeared first on SLAM.

Portland was out three key players; Damian Lillard (abdominal tendinopathy), Norman Powell (right quad contusion), and Nassir Little (left ankle sprain).

In their stead, McCollum bore the weight, dropping 28 points, six assists, four rebounds, and two steals in the Blazers 110-92 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. In his 22nd game with Portland this season, McCollum surpassed Clifford Robinson to become the organization’s 5th all-time leading scorer.

McCollum has now scored 10,425 in his career, needing to score 905 points to overtake Terry Porter, who holds down fourth place with 11,330 points.

Congratulations, @CJMcCollum! pic.twitter.com/x7xIDLYCMC

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) December 1, 2021

McCollum is averaging 20.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game this season. He’s shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from beyond the arc. The Trail Blazers will host the San Antonio Spurs Thursday night.

The post CJ McCollum Becomes 5th All-Time Leading Scorer in Trail Blazer History appeared first on SLAM.

Congrats to @ATLHawks head coach Nate McMillan for moving up to 19th on the all-time COACHING WINS list! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/cnyySLrbUR

— NBA (@NBA) November 23, 2021

McMillan talked about the accomplishment briefly via NBA.com.

“I really didn’t even think about it,” he said. “I was more concerned with getting the sweep here at home.

“It’s just been a blessing for me to have the opportunity to even coach in this league. It’s something I never really thought about until the end of my career, and (former Seattle coach) George Karl asked me to be on his staff. To be able to have all the opportunities that I’ve had is really a blessing.”

He is now 10 wins shy of tying the late John MacLeod, who has 707 wins.

Coach McMillan has changed Atlanta’s fortunes after a surprising 4-9 start. Their current five-game winning streak has pulled them into a tie for 10th place in the Eastern Conference with the Cleveland Cavaliers. On Wednesday, the Hawks play the San Antonio Spurs to extend their winning streak to six games to get above .500.

The post Hawks Coach Nate McMillan Passes Red Holzman in All-Time Coaching Wins appeared first on SLAM.

However, the young center has played in just three games before being shut down for back stiffness. Now after missing four games including the most recent loss to the Miami Heat, Jason Kidd announced the team’s plan to bring him back on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs.

Kristaps Porzingis is “progressing” and will “hopefully” play tomorrow night vs. Spurs, Jason Kidd said. Porzingis is out for fourth straight game due to lower back stiffness.

Maxi Kleber will be out at least 7-10 days due to an oblique strain.

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) November 2, 2021

Porzingis can make an immediate impact by helping the team’s rebounding totals. Since he’s been injured, the Mavericks are amongst the worse, 28th, in the League in rebounding percentage.

In the three games, Porzingis did play; he has struggled, averaging just 12.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game with a shooting percentage of only 30.2 percent. A noticeable dip from his career averages of 18.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game on 44.0 percent shooting from the field.

For the Mavericks to take the anticipated next step towards championship contention, they’ll need Porzingis to get healthy and play well this season.

The post Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd Says Kristaps Porzingis is “Progressing and Could Return Against Spurs appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers will be without superstar LeBron James for the second-straight game during Wednesday’s matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to ESPN.

James sat out the Lakers’ win against the San Antonio Spurs after suffering an injury on Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies when Desmond Bane fell into his right leg after making a layup, causing him to go to the floor.

The Lakers got another big injury scare after All-Star big Anthony Davis suffered a right knee injury in the fourth quarter against the Spurs. Davis was able to finish the final 32.2 seconds of the game, however, he has been listed as questionable for Wednesday’s matchup against the Thunder.

Both James and Davis missed substantial time last season—with James missing 26 games due to a high ankle pain, while Davis missed 36 games. Both players are pivotal to the Lakers’ championship hopes.

The post LeBron James Misses Second-Straight Game, Anthony Davis Listed as Questionable Against OKC appeared first on SLAM.

The San Antonio Spurs’ Lonnie Walker IV is one of those players, but when talking with Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News, Walker revealed he is using the negotiations as motivation.

“I ain’t worried about the contract,” he said. “I think God willingly, I’ve got good karma, good energy around me. Things will turn out the way they are supposed to.”

Walker says one way he will turn that hunger into on-court performance is by becoming more engaged on both ends of the floor.

“I think I’m more excited, more hungry. I’m starving more than ever. I’m trying to stay active offensively and defensively and do what Pop wants me to do.”

Walker is entering his fourth year in the NBA and is coming off his best season in the League, where he averaged 11.2 points per game last year, almost double his average of 6.4 points per game from the year before.

Walker has got off to a strong start in three games this year, putting up career-highs in points (15.3), rebounds (3.5) and assists (3.3) per game.

The post Lonnie Walker IV Sparks Motivation From Lack of Contract Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Melo saying the best part about his accomplishment is the level of play he’s continued to sustain going into year 19.

“I’m still here doing it,” Anthony said, per ABC News. “I think that’s what I’m honestly excited about. I’m here in Year 19 still doing what I’m able to do. Still passionate about the game. Still passionate about coming to work every day and getting better. And what a better night to reach ninth than with a win, the way that we needed a win tonight.

Melo entered the night only needing 15 points to surpass Malone’s 27,409 career points. He scored 18 of his team-high 28 points in the second-half of the game, and then continued to pour it in from deep, shooting 6-for-8 from three while making a pair of free throws with 1.9 seconds remaining to help solidify the win.

At 37 years old, Anthony is averaging 17.7 ppg so far this season.

He ignited Staples Center with back-to-back threes in a 48-second span, flipping a two-point deficit into a two-point lead late in the fourth. Anthony continued to pour it in from deep, shooting 6-for-8 from three on the night while icing the game with a pair of two free throws to put the Lakers up with 1.9 seconds remaining.

After the game, the team presented Melo with the game ball.

“They wanted me to give a speech, but I was too tired,” he said per ESPN.

After netting their first win of the season, the Lakers turn their attention to a Tuesday night matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.

The post Carmelo Anthony Becomes No.9 All-Time Leading Scorer in NBA History, Passes Moses Malone appeared first on SLAM.

Below is a breakdown of each team’s secondary market average list price for the 2021-22 season, as well as the change in price since 2019-20.

Most Expensive Teams

As you can see below, based on the average list price on the secondary market, the Golden State Warriors are the most expensive team for the 2021 season. At $598 the Warriors are one of just two teams with an average list price of over $500 heading into the 2021-22 season. The Los Angeles Lakers ($562) are the other team and rank second on the list. The New York Knicks ($394), Brooklyn Nets ($339), and Boston Celtics ($309) round out the top five. No other team in the NBA has an average price over $300. 

Biggest Year Over Year Price Changes

As you might expect, in terms of teams that have seen the biggest price jump since 2019-20, last year’s NBA Finalists the Phoenix Suns (+151%) and Milwaukee Bucks (+101%) take up two spots in the top ten. The Suns are ranked first and the Bucks come in fourth tied with the Boston Celtics.  The Up and coming Charlotte Hornets (+122%) and Atlanta Hawks (+105%) round out the top 5. 

Only three teams have seen their 2021-22 average prices fall since the 2019-20 season, the San Antonio Spurs (-8%), the Los Angeles Clippers (-9%), and the Houston Rockets (-11%).

Secondary Market Price Trends

Overall, with an average price of NBA tickets for the 2021 season is $211, which is 37% higher than the 2019-20. Despite some dips along the way, that number has been going up pretty steadily since 2011-12 when the average price across the league was $125, but after a 2020-21 season with limited fans, on no fans at all, demand is at a record high. Since 2011-12, NBA ticket prices on the secondary market are up 69%. 

The post NBA Ticket Market Report: Warriors, Lakers, Knicks Most Expensive in 2021-22 appeared first on SLAM.

Per Rod Beard of the Detroit News, Cunningham suffered a minor ankle earlier in the week and it will likely keep him out for the Pistons’ preseason opener.

Following Tuesday’s practice, Pistons head coach Dwane Casey spoke to Beard about Cunningham’s status for Detroit’s matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.

“I would say close to (declaring him out). Nobody’s told me that but if he couldn’t go today, I don’t see him miraculously coming around and being ready to go tomorrow,” Casey said. “He’s going to need two or three practices under his belt before he’s ready to roll.”

Despite Cunningham likely missing tomorrow’s game, Beard reports that there is still not much concern over the ankle injury for the rookie guard.

Cunningham, the first overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, averaged 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game in Summer League, shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from 3-point range.

The Pistons will kick off their preseason on Wednesday night at 7 PM (EST). Their regular-season opener is set for Oct. 20, where they will face the new-look Chicago Bulls.

The post REPORT: Cade Cunningham Likely Out for Pistons’ Preseason Opener appeared first on SLAM.