The NBA Jerryd Bayless Jersey Draft is always an adventure for the New York Knicks.MORE:Holding the No. 11 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Knicks fans everywhere waited with baited breath to see who the franchise would select, none more than superfans Spike Lee and Stephen A. Smith.Before the pick came in, the diehard Knicks duo Joel Embiid Jersey were praying for some divine intervention to ble s the franchise.Spike Lee and Stephen A. Smith had to pray for the Knicks during the SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) After NBA Commi sioner Adam Silver announced the Knicks would select French forwardOusmane Dieng, who played for the New Zealand Breakers in Australia's NBL, Lee and Smith were beside themselves.Spike Lee & Stephen A Smith reaction to Knicks drafting Ousmane Dieng is hilarious Jahlil Okafor Jersey Shannon Sharpe Burner Account Darryl Dawkins Jersey (@shannonsharpeee) The drama didn't stop there as the rollercoaster continued for the pair as the Knicks reportedly swiftly moved the pick in a trade.According to multiple reports, the Knicks sent Dieng to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for multiple first-round picks.MORE:The Knicks then acquired the No. 13 pick, Jalen Duren from the Hornets and immediately traded him alongside Kemba Walker to the Detroit Pistons.Pain. Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) There's never a dull moment in Philadelphia 76ers Jersey New York.
Be the first person to like this.
The final day of the Las Vegas Summer League schedule is upon us before the championship round and consolation games get underway.At 7 p.m. ET, you can catch a showdown between two promising young bigs in the Thunder's Chet Holmgren and Warriors' James Wiseman. Holmgren and Wiseman have both looked awesome at Summer League so far, and this matchup will be a great test for both centers.You can also catch the Kings' Keegan Murray in action, who has been one of the best players at Summer League. Murray is averaging Moses Malone Jersey 24.0 points on efficient .477/.370/.800 shooting splits.For live score updates and highlights from each contest, The Sporting News has you covered below.MORE: NBA Summer League results: Live scores, stats for Las Vegas Day 9 gamesAll times Eastern.Clippers 82, Jazz 65The Jazz needed to win to advance to a 3-1 record to put them in a multi-team tie for the best record at Summer League, unfortunately, the Clippers had other ideas. Brandon Boston had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Clips, whileLeandroBolmaro was one of just two Jazz players to reach double-figure scoring. He had 19 points and six rebounds. Another big game for Brandon Boston Jr. powers the in their win with 22 PTS, 8 REB and 2 STL! NBA (@NBA) 76ers 97, Nuggets 71The 76ers stormed to a big win led by Grant Riller's 18 points.TrevelinQueen added 17 points, five rebounds and five a sists for Philadelphia. The Nuggets got 12 points off the bench fromMbayeN'Diaye.Isaiah Joe (14 PTS, 5 REB, 4 STL, 4 3PM) and the lead wire-to-wire for Allen Iverson Jersey the League victory!Grant Riller: 18 PTSTrevelin Queen: 17 PTS, 5 REB, 5 ASTJustin Smith: 10 PTS, 8 REB, 2 BLK NBA (@NBA) Thunder 90, Warriors 82No Chet Holmgren in this one but it didn't matter in the end for OKC. James Wiseman has had a solid showing for the Dubs, finishing with 14 points and Timothe Luwawu Jersey seven rebounds.JeremiahRobinson-Earl led the way for OKC with 15 points and 14 rebounds.Wiseman drills the three with a hand in his face Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) Kings 82, Suns 69Keegan Murray has been the best player at Summer League averaging 24.0 points per game leading into this one. He had another 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Kings cruised to an easy win.IshWainright had 13 points and four rebounds to lead the Suns.Keegan Murray's up to 21 PTS (4 3PM) and 10 REB for the !Watch Q3 action now on NBA TV! NBA (@NBA) Pacers 79, Wizards 97This was the game that Bennedict Mathurin and Johnny Davis were supposed to go head-to-head in a battle of the top guard prospects in the 2022 NBA Draft cla s, but alas, both were a DNP-CD as the Pacers cruised to an easy win.JordanSchakel top scored with 21 points and had seven rebounds and five a sists as well for the Wizards, while Kendall Brown and Aaron Nesmith combined for 26 points for the Pacers.Jordan Schakel (21 PTS) and Jordan Goodwin (19 PTS) lead the scoring charge in the dub NBA (@NBA) Heat 78, Raptors 88The Raptors got a combined 35 Markelle Fultz Jersey points from Dalano Banton and Armoni Brooks to get the 10-point win over the Heat.Jamal Cain coming through for the jam and Raptors now on NBA TV! NBA (@NBA) Lakers 102, Pelicans 94ColeSwider led the way with 21 points, and Scotty Pippen Jr. provided a couple of highlights in his 11-point and seven-a sist outing as the Lakers beat the Pelicans 102-94.A little showtime from Scotty Pippen Jr. with his dad on the call He's got 7 dimes for the on ESPN 2! NBA (@NBA) How to watch every Las Vegas Summer League gameWhen:Thursday, July 7-Sunday, July 17Where:Thomas & Mack Justin Anderson Jersey Center and Cox Pavilion, Las VegasChannels:ESPN family of networks | NBA TVStreaming:ESPN app | |NBA 2K23 Summer League games will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas. All 30 NBA teams will participate and play five games each.Games will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and NBA TV in the United States. Viewers in the U.S. can also stream Summer League games on the ESPN app,or.
Be the first person to like this.
Just a week into his fourth season in the NBA, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is again taking the league by storm, and everyone is taking notice. Among those wowed by the 23-year-old's continued ascension is Nets forward Kevin Durant, someone who knows a thing or two about being a superstar at a Mikko Rantanen Jersey young age.With the Nets in Memphis for an early-season showdown with the Grizzlies, it was Morant's star that shined brightest as Joe Sakic Jersey he lead his team to a statement victory. After the game, Durant gave some meaningful praise to the guard."He's the most marketable guy in our league the face of our league going forward," Durant told reporters postgame, . "There are so many kids that are inspired by what he does."MORE:More than just having last names that rhyme, Durant and Morant share some similarities in their respective journeys. Both players were selected second overall in their respective draft cla ses and broke out to earn Rookie of the Year honors, placing them each on the fast track toward making a leap into superstardom.Beyond the parallels, it should be clear that Durant is a ma sive fan of Morant's.Last season, explaining that Memphis' guard has elements of Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose Rene Bourque Jersey and Ru sell Westbrook in his game.Fast forward a few months, and Durant is using some of those same names to try to describe what Morant does on a nightly basis, only to clarify by saying that Morant is a one-of-one.MORE:Morant's unique ability as a player coupled with his competitive nature and magnetic personality John Wensink Jersey is exactly why Durant envisions him as the face of the NBA moving forward.Seeing this performance firsthand likely helped, too:Ja Morant tonight in the win:38 PTS8 REB7 AST2 STLHe's on FIRE to start the season. NBA (@NBA) At 23, Morant is one of a host of special young players in the league under the age of 25, a group that also includes fellow All-NBA Team members Luka Doncic (23), Jayson Tatum (24) and Trae Young (24). This season, 22-year Tyson Jost Jersey -old Zion Williamson will look to join that group as well.The league is in great hands.
Be the first person to like this.
NBA Opening Night is set for Oct. 18, which means Fantasy Basketball season is right around the corner.There's plenty of talent available at the top of draft boards, headlined by back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic, who has been a fantasy monster over his impre sive two-year stretch.After Jokic, you could take your team in a number of directions with superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry each bringing something different to the table. The talent doesn't fall off there, with stars like Jayson Tatum, Trae Young and Karl-Anthony Towns poised to continue building on their emerging careers.Just a few weeks into the Fantasy Football season, Fantasy Basketball always sneaks up quickly, but we're here to provide you with all Tyson Jost Jersey of the coverage you need to prepare for your draft.Take a look at our top 200 player rankings below.Fans in the U.S. can watch their fantasy players during the 2022-23 NBA season on Sling TV. Stream Sling Orange for $35/month to catch all regular season games on TNT, ESPN & ABC. For games on NBATV, subscribe to Sling Orange & Sports Extra for $46/month. Local regional blackout restrictions apply.SIGN UP FOR SLING: | Fantasy Basketball 2022: Top 200 player rankings(Position eligibility based Gabriel Landeskog Jersey on ESPN settings)RankPlayerTeamPositionPosition Rank1.Nikola JokicDENCC12.Giannis AntetokounmpoMILPFPF13.Luka DoncicDALPG/SGPG14.Joel EmbiidPHICC25.Kevin DurantBKNSF/PFSF16.Stephen CurryGSWPGPG27.Jayson TatumBOSSF/PFSF28.Trae YoungATLPGPG39.James HardenPHIPG/SGSG110.Karl-Anthony TownsMINCC311.LaMelo BallCHAPGPG412.Jimmy ButlerMIASG/SFSF313.LeBron JamesLALPG/SF/PFSF414.Paul GeorgeLACSG/SFSF515.Damian LillardPORPGPG516.Anthony DavisLALPF/CPF217.Tyrese HaliburtonINDPG/SGPG618.Devin BookerPHXPG/SGSG219.Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderOKCPG/SGSG320.Domantas SabonisSACPF/CPF321.Bam AdebayoMIAPF/CC422.Kyrie IrvingBKNPG/SGPG723.Dejounte MurrayATLPG/SGPG824.Ja MorantMEMPGPG925.Pascal SiakamTORPF/CPF426.Darius GarlandCLEPG/SGPG1027.Kawhi LeonardLACSF/PFSF628.Deandre AytonPHXCC529.Fred VanVleetTORPG/SGPG1130.Zach LaVineCHISG/SFSG431.Rudy GobertMINCC632.Donovan MitchellCLEPG/SGSG533.Chris PaulPHXPGPG1234.Jaylen BrownBOSSG/SFSG635.Bradley BealWASSGSG736.DeMar DeRozanCHISG/SFSF737.Khris MiddletonMILSFSF838.Anthony EdwardsMINSG/SFSG839.Kristaps PorzingisWASPF/CC740.Zion WilliamsonNOPPFPF541.Jarrett AllenCLECC842.Brandon IngramNOPSF/PFSF943.Cade CunninghamDETPG/SGPG1344.Jrue HolidayMILPG/SGPG1445.Myles TurnerINDPF/CC946.Nikola VucevicCHIPF/CC1047.CJ McCollumNOPSGSG948.De'Aaron FoxSACPGPG1549.Evan MobleyCLEPF/CPF650.Julius RandleNYKPFPF751.Jonas ValanciunasNOPCC1152.Scottie BarnesTORSF/PFPF853.Jusuf NurkicPORCC1254.Terry RozierCHAPG/SGSG1055.Mikal BridgesPHXSFSF1056.John CollinsATLPF/CPF957. Semyon Varlamov Jersey Michael Porter Jr.DENSFSF1158.Ben SimmonsBKNPGPG1659.Josh GiddeyOKCPG/SGPG1760.RJ BarrettNYKSFSF1261.Tyrese MaxeyPHIPG/SGSG1162.Andrew WigginsGSWSF/PFSF1363.Tobias HarrisPHISF/PFSF1464.Desmond BaneMEMSGSG1265.Christian WoodDALPF/CC1366.Clint CapelaATLCC1467.Paolo BancheroORLPFPF1068.O.G. AnunobyTORSFSF1569.Marcus SmartBOSPG/SGSG1370.Jakob PoeltlSASCC1571.Jamal MurrayDENPG/SGPG1872.Collin SextonUTAPG/SGSG1473.Tyler HerroMIAPG/SGSG1574.Robert Williams IIIBOSCC1675.Jerami GrantPORSF/PFPF1176.Wendell Carter Jr.ORLPF/CC1777.Jalen BrunsonNYKPG/SGPG1978.Jalen GreenHOUSGSG1679.Ru sell WestbrookLALPGPG2080.D'Angelo Ru sellMINPG/SGPG2181.Keldon JohnsonSASSF/PFSF1682.Draymond GreenGSWPFPF1283.Buddy HieldINDSG/SFSG1784.Jordan PooleGSWPG/SGSG1885.Kyle KuzmaWASSF/PFPF1386.Franz WagnerORLSF/PFSF1787.Keegan MurraySACPFPF1488.Al HorfordBOSPF/CC1889.Mitchell RobinsonNYKCC1990.Saddiq BeyDETSF/PFSF1891.Gordon HaywardCHASFSF1992.Kyle LowryMIAPGPG2293.Norman PowellLACSG/SFSG1994.Gary Trent Jr.TORSGSG2095.Lauri MarkkanenUTASF/PFPF1596.Jabari Smith Jr.HOUPFPF1697.Harrison BarnesSACSF/PFSF2098.Mike Conley Jr.UTAPGPG2399.Malcolm BrogdonBOSPG/SGPG24100.Jaren Jackson Jr.MEMPF/CPF17101.Jalen SmithINDPFPF18102.Klay ThompsonGSWSGSG21103.Alperen SengunHOUCC20104.Isaiah StewartDETPF/CC21105.Kevin Porter Jr.HOUPG/SGSG22106.Spencer DinwiddieDALPG/SGSG23107.Ivica ZubacLACCC22108.Kyle AndersonMINSF/PFSF21109.Brandon ClarkeMEMPF/CPF19110.Isaiah JacksonINDPF/CPF20111.Jalen SuggsORLPGPG25112.Bobby PortisMILPF/CPF21113.Anfernee SimonsPORPG/SGSG24114.Caris LeVertCLESG/SFSG25115.P.J. WashingtonCHAPF/CPF22116.De'Andre HunterATLSF/PFSF22117.Brook LopezMILCC23118.Josh HartPORSG/SFSG26119.Luguentz DortOKCSG/SFSG27120.Bogdan BogdanovicATLSG/SFSG28121.Darius BazleyOKCSF/PFPF23122.Will BartonWASSG/SFSF23123.Mo BambaORLCC24124.Bojan BogdanovicDETPFPF24125.Aaron GordonDENPFPF25126.Bennedict MathurinINDSFSF24127.Cole AnthonyORLPGPG26128.Reggie JacksonLACPGPG27129.Nic ClaxtonBKNPF/CC25130.Monte MorrisWASPGPG28131.Steven AdamsMEMCC26132.Derrick WhiteBOSPG/SGSG29133.Jae'Sean TateHOUSF Nicolas Meloche Jersey /PFSF25134.Dillon BrooksMEMSG/SFSF26135.Jonathan IsaacORLSF/PFPF26136.De'Anthony MeltonPHIPG/SGPG29137.Herb JonesNOPSF/PFPF27138.TJ McConnellINDPGPG30139.Kelly OlynykUTAPF/CC27140.Jordan ClarksonUTASGSG30141.John WallLACPGPG31142.Jaden McDanielsMINSFSF27143.Cameron JohnsonPHXSF/PFSF28144.Daniel GaffordWASPF/CC28145.Tre JonesSASPGPG32146.Dorian Finney-SmithDALSF/PFSF29147.Malik BeasleyUTASG/SFSG31148.Chris BoucherTORPF/CC29149.Robert CovingtonLACSF/PFPF28150.Kentavious Caldwell-PopeDENSG/SFSG32151.Bones HylandDENPGPG33152.Evan FournierNYKSG/SFSG33153.Marvin Bagley IIIDETPFPF29154.Richaun HolmesSACPF/CC30155.Chris DuarteINDSGSG34156.Patrick WilliamsCHISF/PFPF30157.Nicolas BatumLACSG/SFSF30158.Jaden IveyDETPGPG34159.Mason PlumleeCHACC31160.Alex CarusoCHIPG/SGPG35161.Devin Va sellSASSG/SFSF31162.Jarred VanderbiltUTAPFPF31163.Precious AchiuwaTORPF/CPF32164.Royce O'NealeBKNSF/PFPF33165.Thomas BryantLALCC32166.Seth CurryBKNPG/SGSG35167.Marcus Morris Colorado Avalanche Jersey Sr.LACSF/PFPF34168.Markelle FultzORLPGPG36169.James WisemanGSWCC33170.Tari EasonHOUSFSF32171.Joe HarrisBKNSG/SFSG36172.Xavier Tillman Sr.MEMPFPF35173.Donte DiVincenzoGSWPG/SGSG37174.Terance MannLACSG/SFSF33175.Kelly Oubre Jr.CHASF/PFSF34176.Otto Porter Jr.TORSFSF35177.Chuma OkekeORLPFPF36178.Andre DrummondCHICC34179.Kevin HuerterSACSGSG37180.Bruce BrownDENSGSG38181.Mark WilliamsCHACC35182.Tim Hardaway Jr.DALSG/SFSG39183.Quentin GrimesNYKSGSG40184.Grant WilliamsBOSPFPF36185.Tyus JonesMEMPGPG37186.Talen Horton-TuckerUTASG/SFSG41187.Jaxson HayesNOPPF/CPF37188.Aleksej PokusevskiOKCPFPF38189.Deni AvdijaWASSF/PFSF36190.Pat ConnaughtonMILSG/SFSG42191.JaVale McGeeDALCC36192.Isaiah HartensteinNYKCC37193.Onyeka OkongwuATLCC38194.Gary Payton IIPORPGPG38195.Mati se ThybullePHISG/SFSF37196.Kevin LoveCLEPF/CPF39197.Derrick RoseNYKPGPG39198.Jonathan KumingaGSWSF/PFPF40199.Obi ToppinNYKPFPF41200.Jalen WilliamsOKCSGSG43
Be the first person to like this.
Starting their season with an 0-3 record, its no secret that the Lakers are in bad shape. Theyve actually had an extremely solid defense, ranking second in the league behind only the Milwaukee Bucks. But their offense has been horrid. Theyre last in the league by a mile, in large part due to their unbelievably bad 3-point shooting.Visualized Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) The team knows its weakne ses well too. LeBron James has already noted the poor shooting multiple times, noting that "we can't shoot a penny into the ocean after the Lakers went 6-for-33 on Sunday against the Trail Blazers.That followed LeBrons comments after their Thomas Vanek Jersey season opener in which they shot 10-of-40 from 3. "To be completely honest, we're not a team constructed of great shooting. It's not like we're sitting here with a lot of lasers on our team."If this team doesnt make changes to its roster, then it will be another lost season. There are a couple of very available trade targets and free agents that might be able to step in and help them.MORE: Lakers trade targets Doug McDermottMcDermott has built a nice career for himself by shooting the heck out of the ball. He's a career 41.1 percent shooter from deep, capable of shooting off movement. Unfortunately, scoring is pretty much all that McDermott contributes. He's a very poor defender.McDermott is languishing on the rebuilding Spurs, who would happily trade off the remaining two years and $27 milllion left on his contract.Duncan RobinsonMax Strus's emergence for the Heat has made Robinson very available. He's in the second year of a five-year, $90 million contract but only plays 11 minutes per game.Robinson is one of the best shooters in the league, hitting 40.6 percent of his 3's for his career on difficult looks. He can get targeted defensively, though.Eric GordonGordon has been in trade rumors seemingly forever. The former 3-point contest winner is a career 37 percent shooter from 3 and is still playing big minutes for a rebuilding Rockets team.Gordon has two years and a little over $40 million remaining on his contract.Jae Zach Parise Jersey CrowderCrowder is currently sitting out with the Suns, awaiting a trade. He's a high-volume 3-point shooter and extremely streaky, hitting 34.6 percent of his 3's for his career. He's also a solid playoff-tested defender and on an expiring $10.1 million deal.Unfortunately for the Lakers, the Suns fancy themselves a contender and are looking for at least one good player back in any Crowder trade. Unle s he's part of a 3-team deal involving Lakers draft picks, it's hard to see Crowder ending up in Minnesota Wild Jersey purple and gold.Mike MuscalaMuscala was quietly one of the best shooters in the league last season for a bad Thunder team, hitting 42.9 percent of his 3's. The nine-year veteran is in the first year of a very reasonable two-year, $7 million contract with a team option in Year Two.Josh RichardsonRichardson was once a very good prospect that showed some shot creation ability. Now, he's more of a 3-and-D role player. He hit 41.5 percent of his 3's last year playing for both the Celtics and Spurs.Richardson is in the last year of a deal paying him $12.1 million this season. He's playing only 22 minutes per game for the rebuilding Spurs.Buddy Hield, Myles Turner There has been a ton of speculation about the Pacers trading these two in exchange for Ru sell Westbrook and the Lakers' 2027 and 2029 picks. And for good reason. They would shore up the shooting woes and fit well.Hield is a total gunner, hitting 39.8 percent of his 3's on his career on high volume. Turner is worse than his reputation suggests. His looks are mostly open and he has connected on only 34.9 percent of his tries for his career.Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec BurksBogdanovic and Burks are both excellent 3-point shooters playing for the Pistons. There was hope that the Pistons would be taking a leap, but they've opened their season 1-2 with two bad lo ses to the Knicks and Pacers.If things go south, maybe these two could be on the move. Bogdanovic's $19.3 million salary and Burks' $10 million figure would require some creativity for the Lakers to match in a trade.Coby WhiteWhite has been a huge disappointment in Chicago, but the one thing he has been able to do is shoot. He hit 38.5 percent of his 3's for the Bulls last season.White was unable to agree on a contract extension with the Bulls, so he will be a restricted free agent this summer. If he doesn' Chris Stewart Jersey t fit into the team's future, the Lakers could find a way to add on his $5.8 million contract without giving up too much.Best available free agentsCarmelo Anthony, D.J. Augustin, Wayne Ellington NBA Entertainment The Lakers already cycled through many of the top free agent shooters out there that still don't have a home. They could kick the tires again on Anthony, Augustin, and Ellington, who have shot 35.5 percent, 38.1 percent, and 38.2 percent for their career.Matt ThomasThomas played spot minutes for the Bulls last year, hitting 38.5 percent of Alex Stalock Jersey his 3's. He's a great shooter, but he doesn't have great athleticism and is a weak defender.Quinn CookCook has bounced around the league his entire career and already had a stint with the Lakers in 2021. He's a career 40.8 percent shooter.Tony SnellSnell is a career 39.4 percent 3-point shooter with good positional size. His feel for the game is still very poor, even with nine years of experience under his beltDenzel ValentineValentine is a former lottery pick with a career 36 percent 3-point stroke. He's been plagued by injury, and his lack of athleticism has been a real i sue in keeping him on the court.Kemba WalkerWalker was recently waived by the Pistons. He's hit 36 percent of his 3's, but knee problems have made him a shell of himself. His defensive concerns have kept him out of the league thus far.
Be the first person to like this.
Calvin Johnson is going to be taking the court on Friday at NBA All-Star Weekend.Yes,thatCalvin Johnson."Megatron" will be looking for mega-buckets as he laces up for the 2023 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game and will look to a sert his dominance in the contest. Johnson was a terrific contested catch receiver and deep threat during his days in the NFL, and he figures to have the athleticism needed to thrive in the NBA's celebrity game.That said, basketball Eric Staal Jersey fans are going to be asking one main question as they watch Johnson take the field.Has Johnson played basketball before?Indeed, one might believe that Johnson's athletic ability would lead him to the court, but the Hall of Jason Pominville Jersey Famer actually focused on thriving in other sports during his youth.MORE: Did Calvin Johnson play basketball?Johnson did not play basketball at either the high school or college levels. He focused mostly on football during that time and blo somed into an NFL star.However, Johnson did have a secondary sport in his high school days. He was a star centerfielder for his team and received interest from MLB teams at that time. He never entered the MLB Draft at the behest of his mother, Arica."I wasnt going to let him be drafted, anyway," she said in 2007. "He needed to grow and mature."That played a part in Johnson's decision to attend Georgia Tech. He considered playing both baseball and football at the school, but his mother thought the two-season schedule would be too demanding in addition to his education.As such, it's not Zach Parise Jersey a surprise that Johnson didn't play basketball. He had his two sports in high school and couldn't add another to his packed schedule.MORE: Why Calvin Johnson is in the 2023 NBA Jonas Brodin Jersey Celebrity All-Star GameJohnson is likely in the 2023 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game in an effort to match him up against Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf. The two big, physical and athletic receivers are on opposite teams for the contest and figure to draw attention from sports fans who otherwise would pay little attention to the event.It's worth noting that Metcalf has relished the comparison between himself and the receiver known as "Megatron." He once even took offense to Jim Schwartz telling him back in 2020.So, Metcalf will be looking to show he can outperform Johnson even on another court. Either way, this matchup figures to be a fun one and may be the main draw of the celebrity game Matt Dumba Jersey .And Johnson will look forward to the challenge as well. The Hall of Famer will want to do what he can to slow down Metcalf or at least look to outscore him on the other side. It will surely be interesting to see which player fares better on Friday in Utah.
Be the first person to like this.
Ru sell Westbrook's first season with the Lakers didn't go as well as any had hoped. He had a tough time clicking with other players on Los Angeles' roster and never got into a groove.Neither did the Lakers as a team. They mi sed the playoffsdespite having Tommy Wingels Jersey LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Westbrook and a cast of veterans, which led to some .Some wondered whether Westbrook would be a part of it.He was always going to be a clunky fit next to James, as both are built as primary ball handlers and are not great floor spacers. Last season, he was benched in crucial situations, shopped at the trade deadline and remained a major question mark as to his Marc-Edouard Vlasic Jersey future with the franchise with free agency looming.But, as the saying goes-- Money talks.MORE: Westbrook has a $47.1 million player option for the 2022-23 season, so before the Lakers could consider moving on from him, that decision needed to be made. He is set to opt into his player option on Tuesday, per .Now, Westbrook is set to play the final year of his max contract extension with Los Angeles. He'll have another chance to prove his worth with a new head coach, Darwin Ham, at the helm.Despite his troubles with the Chris Tierney Jersey Lakers last season, Westbrook seemed to be in a good mood on Tuesday morning.Wouldn't you if you just guaranteed yourself $47 million?Shortly before news of his option pickup broke, the 33-year-old point guard released a video of him singing and dancing along to Beyonc's"Break My Soul" on social media.Ru sell Westbrook is in a good mood today (@sportingnews) It is notable that Westbrook chose this specific Beyonc song.Why?It's because of the lyric that he is repeating throughout most of the video.MORE: Westbrook chose to showcase the part of the song that repeatedly uses the lyric "you won't break my soul."Could that be a me sage to the Lakers?Maybe, especially considering that there have been rumors abound about his teammates, like James, .More likely though is that Westbrook's me sage is aimed at his critics. That could include members of the Lakers organizationbut is not limited to them. After all, it's Martin Jones Jersey no secret that Westbrook received a great deal of criticism for his performance during his first year in Los Angeles.He fought off the "Westbrick" moniker all season long, from fans to Mikkel Boedker Jersey national TV pundits like Skip Bayle s.His fit and were analyzed all year long; at one point, Laker legend Magic Johnson even said that .Clearly, Westbrook isn't letting all of that negativity get to him. He is staying positive going into his second season with the Lakers. Now, he and LeBron just have to figure out how they can play together.And if they can't, the Lakers will reach a cro sroads with 33-year-old point guard.
Be the first person to like this.
Just when it felt like we had hit the dog days of the offseason with the NBA Draft, free agency and Summer League in the rearview mirror, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski hit us with a patented "Woj Bomb" in the middle of the night., the Celtics have "emerged among teams engaged in talks" with the Nets in a deal to acquire superstar forward Kevin Durant.Durant requested a trade earlier this summer, but Brooklyn's astronomical asking price for the former MVP has deterred any franchise from trading for him.The Athletic's Shams Charania look at the Celtics' trade package, reporting that Boston offered All-Star guard Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and a Tommy Wingels Jersey draft pick to the Nets for Durant. Brooklyn countered by asking the Celtics to include reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart and multiple draft picks in addition to Brown and "potentially one more rotation player."While nobody can blame the Nets for seeking that much in return for one of the 15 greatest players in NBA history, I'm here to repeat something I said and of Boston's season last year.The Celtics should notbreak up Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. No, not even for Durant, who is one of the best scorers of all time.Here's why.MORE: The case against the Celtics trading for Kevin Durant After years of turmoil within the franchise and locker room, the Celtics finally saw everything click into place last season. Under new head coach Ime Udoka, Boston's talented roster was able to maximize its true potential, playing an unselfish brand of basketball on offense while locking down on the defensive end.As a result, the Celtics returned to the NBA Finals for the first time in over a decade, but their inexperience on the league's biggest stage saw them fall to the Warriors, coming up two wins shy of a championship.With their young core of Tatum, Brown, Smart and Robert Williams all under the age of 28 and under contract through the 2023-24 season, the aftermath of the lo s immediately felt like "they'll be back."Then the offseason hit, and Boston got even better.After trading for a floor general in Malcolm Brogdon and signing a veteran shooter in Danilo Gallinari, the Celtics filled two major voids and became the betting favorites to win the 2023 NBA title. That brings us to real-time, where it's hard to understand why the front office would want to blow things up to acquire Durant.MORE: Don't get me wrong, Durant is still an incredible player one of the five best in the league who immediately makes any team he joins a title contender. A lot of the offensive woes we saw from the Celtics in the playoffs and Finals would vanish with him on the roster.But is trading for a 33-year-old superstar who is only Joe Pavelski Jersey two years removed from a devastating Achilles injury and has mi sed plenty of time lately due to injury management worth shaking up your depth and chemistry?In my opinion, absolutely not, and for a few different reasons.Shrinking the Celtics' title windowIt would feel impatient and short-sighted from Boston's front office. The Celtics nearly won the title this past season and, as I mentioned, they Martin Jones Jersey 're already the favorites to win next year. This roster has more than enough talent to compete for a championship right now and in the future.If they were to trade Brown, Smart and other pieces, along with draft compensation, that title window shrinks drastically. And how much would Durantreallyincrease their championship odds this season compared to where the team already stands?Sacrificing depthThe Nets reportedly want Brown, Smart and another rotation player in return for Durant. That means the Celtics would be left with a starting backcourt of Brogdon who is injury prone and has not played more than 60 games in four of his six NBA seasons and potentially White, with only Payton Pritchard off the bench.While their frontcourt would naturally receive a boost with Durant, the other rotational player they would po sibly have to give up if it wasn't White would be someone like Grant Williams, leaving the Celtics with only KD, Tatum, Robert Williams (who is also injury prone), 36-year-old Al Horford and Gallinari.As Boston's roster is currently constructed, it's fair to say it is the deepest team in the league. That would no longer be the case if it made a trade for Chris Tierney Jersey Durant. NBA Entertainment Continuity on the courtIncorporating Durant completely changes the make-up of this Celtics roster, on and off the floor.On the court, a Durant-Tatum pairing is scary on offense and would surely fix a lot of the i sues we saw from Boston on that end of the floor in the playoffs. But Tatum would also become 1B to Durant's 1A.Does the front office really want to take the keys of the franchise away from their 24-year-old superstar who will likely be an MVP candidate over the next few seasons? Playing alongside Durant, it's inevitable that Tatum would have to take a back seat to one of the greatest scorers in league history, and it would be ill-advised for Boston to stunt his growth like that.Defensively, the Celtics would undoubtedly take a hit losing players like Brown and reigning DPOY Smart. Boston's defense was the engine that drove its run to the NBA Finals, using its versatility to its advantage to switch everything. While Durant is still a solid defender at this point in his career, he's no Smart or Brown on that end of the floor, and the Celtics would be forced to play guys like Pritchard and Gallinari who are both limited on defense more minutes because of lack of depth.Just as everything was starting to fall into place for the Celtics last season, they would have to almost completely start over if they traded for Durant.Team chemistry off the courtOn top of that, Brown and Brent Burns Jersey Smart are two of the biggest leaders and voices in the Celtics' locker room.The core of those two, Tatum, Horford and Williams has been througha lotin Boston to get to this point. It's what made getting over the hump and reaching the Finals so rewarding for that group when they defeated the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals last season."They said we couldn't play together!"Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown share a moment after reaching the NBA Finals ESPN (@espn) Moving Brown and Smart would gut the locker room and change the identity of this Celtics team. There's no doubt about it.Brown , tweeting a simple phrase: "Smh." The majority of Celtics Nation echoed that sentiment, not wanting to trade Brown for Durant.There's something more rewarding about a homegrown team pursuing and winning a title compared to a team that was bought or traded for. Boston appears to bethisclose to raising Banner 18 into the rafters with a core of players who were drafted and developed by this franchise. For that reason, it's hard to argue with the fans who want them to see it through with this group.Trading for Durant would give the Celtics a fut
Be the first person to like this.
Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid were teammates with the 76ers from 2016-2022, but apparently their relationship didn't extend beyond the court., Simmons, who was sent from Philadelphia to Brooklyn in a February trade, revealed that he "never really spoke" to Embiid."I don't think there was really Mark Messier Jersey a relationship there," Simmons told Friedell. "Like in terms of a friendship? You can try as hard as you want to try to be close to somebody, be their friend, whatever it is, but everyone is different as people, so for me, it's never personal."I don' Wayne Gretzky Jersey t have any anger or hate towards him. He is who he is and I am who I am. And we've got our personal lives. And work is basketball, so in that moment, my goal is to win and I got to win with Jo. He's a great player, we just didn't get it done."MORE:The Embiid-Simmons era ended in ugly fashion. The Sixers lost to the Hawks in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals, and Embiid and Philly coach Doc Rivers, including his infamous decision to pa s up a wide open dunk. That turned out to be Simmons' final game in a 76ers uniform.After Paul Coffey Jersey sitting out the start of the 2021-22 season, Simmons eventually landed in Brooklyn. Embiid in March that he had not spoken to Simmons before or after the trade."I don't have any hard feelings," Embiid said. "I don't have any hate toward him. I wouldn't mind being friends. That's just me. I don't care. Honestly. I respect the decision he made. I think it's unfortunate what happened, but to me it's whatever."Now, Embiid and Simmons are looking to move forward as members of two Eastern Conference contenders. While he wasn't able to suit up Nail Yakupov Jersey for the Nets last season because of a back injury, it's clear that Simmons feels much more comfortable on his new team."I got support from all these guys, the coaching staff, the organization, so it's up to me to go out there to do my job now and work. ... It feels like Andrew Ference Jersey home," Simmons said. "It feels normal to be here and come to work."Simmons will make his Brooklyn regular season debut when the Nets open their 2022-23 campaign with a home game against the Pelicans on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
Be the first person to like this.
Ah, the New York Knicks.If you're a Knicks fan, it seems like the franchise has been with the exception of a couple of good seasons in a 20-year rebuild phase.The Knicks have a history of overpaying for free agents, then having to wait a few years to clear cap space to make another run at a marquee free agent ... only to mi s out and then have to Ben Scrivens Jersey overpay for a mid-level type player.Wash, rinse, repeat.Only a year following their first winning season since 2012-13 by claiming the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference and a trip to the playoffs, the Knicks once again regre sed back into the lottery this past season. And even that didn't bring much joy to the fanbase as the team traded away the 11th pick, Ousmane Dieng, to the Thunder in a three-team deal with the Hornets.Julius Randle and RJ Barrett both figure to be on the Knicks' roster next season, so what is the plan for the Knicks this summer, and how much cap room do they have to now make (another) run at a free agent?MORE:How much cap space do the Knicks have?The draft-night trade that the Knicks made confused a lot of people. In e sence, the move was simply to shed salary and gain some valuable a sets (draft picks) in return.As the draft picks the Knicks got back are all lottery-protected, it's highly unlikely that they are stockpiling them to add players for the future. Rather, it seems like Leon Rose and co. will want to use those in future trades.Overall, the Knicks now have 11 first-round picks and 11 second-round picks in the next seven years.Sources: The draft picks that New York acquired from OKC in the No. 11 Ousmane Dieng trade:- 2023 protected 1st rounder via Detroit- 2023 protected 1st rounder via Washington- 2023 protected 1st rounder via Denver Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) By including Kemba Walker's $9.1 million expiring contract to Detroit, and factoring in the (projected) $4.5 million in salary savings Leon Draisaitl Jersey from trading Dieng, the Knicks have now given themselves some more cap space to try and lure a free agent such as Jalen Brunson., the Walker trade on draft night put the Knicks $18 million below the salary cap.To land Brunson, the Knicks would likely need to get roughly $25 million under the cap.The Mavericks had been favorites to re-sign Brunson as they can offer him the most money with an extra year on the deal, but the Knicks are prepared to offer a four-year deal at $100 million, with the promise of more ball-handling responsibility.To do so, they will need to make some more moves once the free agency period officially opens to free up the nece sary room to sign him.Potential Knicks free agent targetsJalen BrunsonThis is the most obvious one as every move the Knicks have made in recent days indicates they are all in on prying Brunson away from the Mavericks.Not only do the signs point towards them offering him a large deal, but they can make him their starting point guard, too.It's worth noting that Brunson's father, Rick, was just hired as an a sistant coach by the Knicks. Make of that what you will.Brunson would fill a need for the Knicks at point guard and he showed enough during the first round of the playoffs against the Jazz that he is capable of big performances. When Bill Ranford Jersey Luka Doncicwas sidelined for the first three games of the playoffs against the Jazz, Brunson averaged 32.0 points, 5.3 a sists and 5.3 rebounds to carry Dallas to a Edmonton Oilers Jersey 2-1 series lead.As long as Doncic is in Dallas, Brunson will always be the No. 2 point guard. NBA Getty Images Mitchell RobinsonYes, this might not technically be a "free-agent" signing seeing as Robinson is already on the roster, but when he's healthy, he changes the dynamic of the Knicks defensively.This season, Robinson played the most games in his career (72), averaging 8.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in 25.7 minutes. He also led the league in scoring off of putbacks and was second in second-chance points.If Robinson walks as an unrestricted free agent this summer, who takes his place? The Knicks currently have Taj Gibson, Nerlens Noel and Jericho Sims on the roster, but none of them are able to provide the shot-blocking and close-range finishing that Robinson does.Also, it appears that New York is still shopping Noel around to try and get even more room under the cap.The Knicks have until June 30 to lock up Robinson to an extension, or they would risk Laurent Brossoit Jersey losing him in the open market. He would be eligible for a deal worthup to $55.6 million over four years.Tyus JonesAs we mentioned, the Knicks are in hot pursuit of a point guard.Derrick Rose will be 34 by the time the next NBA season tips off and given his injury history, he shouldn't have to shoulder the load of carrying this team. He was clearly their best point guard last season when healthy and coach Tom Thibodeau has trust in him.If the Knicks strike out on Brunson, then a cheaper alternative could be Tyus Jones from the Grizzlies. NBA Getty Images Jones was the Grizzlies' backup point guard, but due to Ja Morant mi sing 25 games this past season, Jones got to start 23 times. , he averaged an impre sive12.7 points, 6.6 a sists and 3.2 rebounds. He's young, reads the game well and, most importantly, he'll come cheaper than a name like Brunson.Sure, he doesn't have that big-name cache, but Jones would preserve some cap space for the future for the Knicks.
Be the first person to like this.