https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/nba-logos/okc.png

Thunder

As the Phoenix Suns prepare to part ways with Kevin Durant, trade discussions have intensified, centering on three frontrunner destinations: the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, and Houston Rockets, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
These teams are reportedly Durant&rsquo;s preferred landing spots, with mutual interest and the potential for a lucrative extension in play. Sources close to the situation revealed to Charania that Heat, Spurs, and Rockets have all gained significant traction in negotiations and are considered finalists in the pursuit of the 15-time All-Star.
ANALYSIS: Durant lists Miami as a desirable destination, citing the franchise's culture and strong front office support. The Heat reportedly attempted to acquire him at the trade deadline. While they may lack in draft assets, veteran players like Andrew Wiggins, Kel&rsquo;el Ware, and Duncan Robinson could be key parts of a package.
San Antonio presents an alluring mix: pairing Durant with phenom Victor Wembanyama and rising star De&rsquo;Aaron Fox. With significant draft capital &ndash; including the Nos. 2 and 14 picks &ndash; the Spurs are well-positioned to make a big move. However, they face a dilemma: part with core young assets or risk falling short in rebuilding momentum.
The Rockets are another strong candidate. Durant has personal connections in Houston through assistant coach Royal Ivey and head coach Ime Udoka. The Rockets&rsquo; young core &ndash; Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jalen Green &ndash; is a plus, though matching Phoenix&rsquo;s demands may necessitate including top talent like Green or Jabari Smith Jr.
Despite Durant's preferences, the Suns maintain they will seek the most valuable return, regardless of destination. With Durant entering the final year of a $54.7 million contract and eligible for a two-year, $122&ndash;124 million extension post-trade, leverage remains high. Six to eight teams are reportedly in serious discussions, including the Minnesota Timberwolves.&nbsp;
The window for a deal is narrowing, with reports suggesting a potential trade could emerge within days or centered around the upcoming NBA Draft. While Spurs appear to be premier contenders according to early betting odds, the situation remains highly fluid and driven by asset valuation.&nbsp;
Kevin Durant&rsquo;s next chapter is poised to unfold soon. Miami offers playoff pedigree and culture; San Antonio brings youth and assets; Houston provides chemistry and continuity. Ultimately, the Suns&rsquo; focus on value, aligned with Durant&rsquo;s willingness to commit, sets up a dramatic trade saga that will soon come to a result over the next few days.

The Spurs, Rockets, and Heat are the frontrunners to land Suns superstar forward Kevin Durant, according to Shams Charania.

Heat, Spurs & Rockets emerge as top contenders as Kevin Durant trade talks heat up

This isn't how things were supposed to go in Detroit.&nbsp;
It was hard not to be excited for the Pistons heading into the year. Strong draft class, headlined by Jaden Ivey and the traded-for Jalen Duren. A Jerami Grant trade not only netted them a future first-rounder and other draft capital, it was a move made in part to clear some of the runway for Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey, the latter of which was expected to fill more of Grant's time at forward.
The shooting woes that hampered Detroit last season were somewhat accounted for; adding Alec Burks into the mix was supposed to help, and an offseason trade for sniper Bojan Bogdanovic was expected to be a big add to their offense.
Fast forward to now, and the Pistons are without Cunningham for the year, dealing with an uneven campaign from Bey, and ultimately find themselves percentage points away from the worst record in the NBA.
So much for the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-season-preview-central-division-chicago-bulls-cleveland-cavaliers-detroit-pistons-indiana-pacers-milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">play-in ceiling</a>.&nbsp;
There have been bright spots though. Ivey and Duren have been as advertised; Ivey's going to make the All-Rookie first team, and Duren could make a push for it by the end of the season. Loyal listeners of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Dunker Spot</a> know how pleased I've been with Killian Hayes' growth this season.
On the veteran side, Bogdanovic has somehow been better than expected.&nbsp;
The initial plan was to spread the floor at a high level, and act as a security blanket so Cunningham (and Bey) wouldn't have to work as hard as creators. Instead, Bogdanovic has become the defacto top option.
Since November 11, kicking off the stretch without Cunningham for good, Bogdanovic is averaging a team-high in front-court touches (33.8), points (22.3), shot attempts (14.8), three-point attempts (5.6) and free throw attempts (5.8).&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The efficiency has been off the charts, with Bogdanovic converting a ridiculous 56.6% of his twos and nearly 41% of his threes.&nbsp;
League-wide, Bogdanovic is <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/shots-general?CF=FG3A*GE*5:FG3_PCT*GE*40:FG2_PCT*GE*55&amp;TeamID=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of five* players</a> converting at least 55% of their twos and 40% of their threes with high volume during this month-plus stretch, joining Stephen Curry, Donovan Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins and Lauri Markkanen. (*Wendell Carter Jr. is also on this list, but only has three games under his belt during this stretch. Please come back soon, Wendell. We miss you, and the Magic surely do.)
What makes Bogdanovic fun is the myriad ways he can be used. He's running nearly 15 ball screens per 100 possessions since November 11, and the Pistons are scoring roughly 1.04 points per possession (PPP) on those trips &mdash; a mark that ranks in the 72nd percentile, per Second Spectrum.
He's shooting most of the time (50.8%), with his scoring prowess popping against drop coverage or switches (1.08 PPP). Bogdanovic slow-probes his way to his spots, whether that's keeping his defender at bay when faced with drop, or picking out a matchup agains a (late) switch and posting up.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/0x4kts" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
There are still limitations. Mainly, Bogdanovic's handle isn't tight enough to access&nbsp;every&nbsp;area of the court on a whim. When faced with more aggressive coverages &mdash; hedges or flat-out traps &mdash; he's prone to retreating without taking full advantage of the numbers game ahead of him. Even when he isn't, navigating close quarters can be an adventure. He's up to 27 "lost ball" turnovers in 30 games this season (0.9), after racking up 48 of them in 69 games last season (0.7).
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/sx2o13" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Even with that uptick, it's hard to ignore the overall efficiency here. And it's especially impressive considering he's carrying a much larger offensive load than originally expected.
This isn't the first time Bogdanovic has had to scale up. He saw his shot volume increase by nearly three attempts between his first and second year in Indiana. In year two (2018-19), Bogdanovic averaged 18 points with shooting splits similar to what he's doing now &mdash; 53.8% on twos, 42.5% from three. That was a year where Victor Oladipo appeared in just 36 games.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
But this is different. Bogdanovic's 64.9% True Shooting clip is easily the higheest of his career, and a whopping 7.4 points above league average. It would behoove other teams to take notice.
The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have, according to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3992371/2022/12/12/bojan-bogdanovic-jae-crowder-shams-charania-inside-pass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic's Shams Charania</a>. The Phoenix Suns were linked to Bogdanovic before he was dealt to the Pistons, and could probably use another shot creator in light of Chris Paul's decline in that area.
There are others, like the Atlanta Hawks, that could use the forward's blend of creation and outside shooting. Is there a conversation to be had around a package headlined by John Collins? It's certainly worth asking. <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-lakers-knicks-john-collins-bojan-bogdanovic-free-agency-stock-watch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Scotto of HoopsHype</a> reported that the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks have also expressed interest.
That would track. The Mavs desperately need more creation to take pressure off of Luka Doncic. The Heat need more shooting &mdash; they rank 21st in three-point percentage despite ranking seventh in three-point rate &mdash; and could stand to upgrade at the 4, though Caleb Martin has played pretty well this season.
Of course, the Pistons don't have to cooperate. They recently extended Bogdanovic, and per James Edwards of The Athletic, the Pistons <a href="https://theathletic.com/3995150/2022/12/13/pistons-trade-scenariors-noel-bogdanovic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aren't eager to move him</a>. It would (rightfully) take a big offer to pry him out of there. But with the way he's playing, it's probably worth the swing.

Nekias Duncan breaks down the recent offensive explosion of Bojan Bogdanovic.

Good teams should be looking to trade for Bojan Bogdanovic

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Iowa has had a first team All-American in three consecutive seasons, two for Luka Garza and one for Keegan Murray, raising the natural question about who the next star will be for the Hawkeyes and how quickly he can emerge.
Kris Murray, predictably, has everyone who follows the program staring straight at him.
The third-year forward has the sleek frame at 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds, the unflappable demeanor on the court and the track record of sharp improvement after increasing his scoring average by more than nine additional points per game.
But the tendency for comparison is unavoidable for the human brain, never more in the analysis of sports, and the fact that Kris Murray is Keegan Murray&rsquo;s identical twin brother will hover over him as long as he puts on a Hawkeyes uniform.
&ldquo;If he didn&rsquo;t look the same as me, we probably wouldn&rsquo;t be having this conversation,&rdquo; Kris Murray said at Big Ten media day in Minneapolis. &ldquo;Nobody expected Keegan to make the jump he did when Luka left. I think that&rsquo;s kind of the big difference. We have a really balanced team this year.&rdquo;
Keegan Murray, who averaged 23.5 points to lead the conference last season, left Iowa after his sophomore year to enter the NBA draft. He was the fourth overall pick by Sacramento.
&ldquo;It was a good thing having Keegan in every single way, so I&rsquo;m not taking away anything from him,&rdquo; sixth-year reserve Connor McCaffery said. &ldquo;But that&rsquo;s a lot of shots that were in that lineup that you have to make up. So now it&rsquo;s different guys coming in, every day in practice.&rdquo;
One look across the Big Ten this fall reveals a trend of departed stars, rosters still in a rather awkward state caused by the eligibility waiver for the pandemic season, the relaxed rules around transfers playing right away and, as always, the allure of an NBA career.
Only eight of the top 25 scorers in the conference in 2021-22 returned to their teams. Just nine of the top 25 most-used players in terms of minutes per game are back.
There are some established standouts on the consensus title contenders like Indiana&rsquo;s Trayce Jackson-Davis, Michigan&rsquo;s Hunter Dickinson and Purdue&rsquo;s Zach Edey who will headline every game they play in 2022-23, but there is a wide-open stage in the league for less-heralded players like Kris Murray, Wisconsin&rsquo;s Tyler Wahl or Rutgers&rsquo; Cliff Omoruyi to step up onto it.
The Big Ten had three top-10 draft picks, with Keegan Murray, Purdue&rsquo;s Jaden Ivey (No. 5) and Wisconsin&rsquo;s Johnny Davis (No. 10). Seven other players were drafted, including two each from Ohio State (Malaki Branham and E.J. Liddell) and Michigan (Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate).
The transfer portal, of course, had exits around the conference with potential instant-impact arrivals such as Michigan&rsquo;s Jaelen Llewellyn (Princeton), Minnesota&rsquo;s Dawson Garcia (North Carolina) and Illinois&rsquo; Terrence Shannon Jr. (Texas Tech).
But the Big Ten has long been shaped by a core of established head coaches who have remained as committed as they can be in this era to running developmental programs.
Michigan State&rsquo;s Tom Izzo lost his top three scorers from last season but declined to pursue any transfer replacements &mdash; even with a nonconference schedule he called &ldquo;the most brutal&rdquo; he&rsquo;s ever had. The Spartans play Gonzaga, Kentucky, Villanova and Notre Dame, plus a trip to Oregon for the Phil Knight Invitational that matches them up against Alabama and likely two other tough opponents depending on how the bracket unfolds.
&ldquo;I choose the route I choose. I stand behind it,&rdquo; Izzo said. &ldquo;Chemistry, camaraderie, culture, loyalty are all really, really important to me. It&rsquo;s worked. New era? Maybe it won&rsquo;t work. But I like where we are right now.&rdquo;
Established coaches who have produced consistent success have more of a latitude to be patient, to be sure. Purdue&rsquo;s Matt Painter, Wisconsin&rsquo;s Greg Gard and Iowa&rsquo;s Fran McCaffery have all followed a similar philosophy. Ohio State&rsquo;s Chris Holtmann will lean on freshmen as much as ever, with prized rookies Bruce Thornton, Brice Sensabaugh, Roddy Gayle Jr., Felix Okpara and Bowen Hardman putting the Buckeyes at the top of just about all the Big Ten recruiting rankings.
This season, then, ought to serve as a test case of sorts for several of the conference&rsquo;s top teams as they put the value of stability up against some of the other powerhouse programs across the country who might be relying more on game-ready transfers.
&ldquo;We all make jumps year after year,&rdquo; Kris Murray said. &ldquo;The thing about Iowa basketball is we&rsquo;re always improving.&rdquo;

One look across the Big Ten this fall reveals a trend of departed stars, but there are more players set to shine this season.

Next wave of Big Ten stars primed to shine after many exits

In his "Blazing the Trail" series, Mat Issa analyzes Chauncey Billups' dual-threat nature and impact on the next generation of point guards.

Blazing the Trail: Chauncey Billups, the basketball cheat code

Players across throughout the NBA will attest to a common slogan for long-term staying power: Know Your Role.
For Bruce Brown, that catchphrase has challenged him, helped him thrive and led him to Denver.
In his four-year NBA run to date, Brown has shapeshifted into all sorts of roles and archetypes while playing for the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets. He opened his career playing as a shooting guard, shifted to point guard in his second season, reinvented himself as a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-stats-notebook-bruce-brown-is-an-enigma-in-all-the-right-ways" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jack-of-all-trades wing in Brooklyn</a> and even logged meaningful time as a small-ball center while solidifying himself as a critical piece for the Nets.&nbsp;
This summer, the 25-year-old finally received some control of his destiny as an unrestricted free agent. As Brown negotiated with multiple prospective franchises, he wanted to know his role &mdash; not just in terms of playing time, but also in his own stylistic fit. When Brown signed a two-year, $13.2 million contract with the Denver Nuggets, he asserted that Denver would provide a fruitful on-court marriage of scheme and talent.
"[Knowing my role] was huge, because you don't want to go to a team where it just won't work, right?" Brown told Basketball News in a phone interview. "So I knew coming to Denver &mdash; the way they play, it's a lot of cuts, slips [and] corner threes. And then, they got a lot of guys who know how to play the game of basketball, so the game would be a lot easier."
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Of course, Denver also rosters an off-ball cutter's dream in Nikola Jokic. Brown expects easy on-court chemistry with the back-to-back reigning MVP.
"I feel like I'm one of the best cutters in the league," he said. "So I can find open spots. make the game easier for him, knock down corner threes [and] just take some pressure off."
Those cuts, slips and corner threes became pillars of Brown's game after he joined the Nets. With Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden in the fold, Brooklyn didn't have room for another lead guard. To stay on the court, Brown's usage underwent a dramatic overhaul. Just look at this play-type data from Synergy:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 154px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 66px;">
<td style="width: 10.4071%; height: 66px;">Year</td>
<td style="width: 19.5455%; height: 66px;">PnR Ball-Handler Play Freq.</td>
<td style="width: 18.8929%; height: 66px;">PnR Roll-Man Play Freq.</td>
<td style="width: 10.5377%; height: 66px;">Cut Freq.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10.4071%; height: 22px;">2018-19</td>
<td style="width: 19.5455%; height: 22px;">15.8%</td>
<td style="width: 18.8929%; height: 22px;">N/A&nbsp;</td>
<td style="width: 10.5377%; height: 22px;">11.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10.4071%; height: 22px;">2019-20</td>
<td style="width: 19.5455%; height: 22px;">29.5%</td>
<td style="width: 18.8929%; height: 22px;">N/A</td>
<td style="width: 10.5377%; height: 22px;">10.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10.4071%; height: 22px;">2020-21</td>
<td style="width: 19.5455%; height: 22px;">3.6%</td>
<td style="width: 18.8929%; height: 22px;">12.1%</td>
<td style="width: 10.5377%; height: 22px;">26.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10.4071%; height: 22px;">2021-22</td>
<td style="width: 19.5455%; height: 22px;">4.4%</td>
<td style="width: 18.8929%; height: 22px;">9.3%</td>
<td style="width: 10.5377%; height: 22px;">23.7%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
(Scroll right to view full table on mobile. Note that N/A means Synergy tracked less than 10 total possessions of a play type)
"My first year, I was more of a 2, and the second year moving to the 1 [was] just a learning experience," Brown said. "That was the first time I've ever played the 1, so [I'm] knowing every position, knowing where players are supposed to go; I'm knowing every single play from every position.
"And then when I get to Brooklyn, it was a completely different situation where they already have their starting guards. Second season, I was like, I need to do something to fit in to get on the floor. Defensively, I can get on the floor that way. But on the offensive end, I need to do something to stay on the floor to at least help the guys out there on the floor. And then that's when I just started being a little rover. They were helping off me, so I would cut and get easy layups just to keep them honest."
Brown credited former Nets director of player development Adam Harrington for helping him make the change in his first year with Brooklyn. Entering his second season with the Nets, Brown wanted to incorporate more perimeter skills back into his role, so he spent time with Brooklyn assistant coach Royal Ivey (a.k.a. "Coach Smoke") developing his three-point shot. The work led to a 40.4% long-range clip in 2021-22, by far a career-high.
But Brown's past experience as a playmaking guard didn't just fall by the wayside. In fact, he believes it gives him extra advantages when he slips screens, cuts or rolls to the basket. Brown knows what he should be looking for in defensive rotations from his time as a primary ball-handler, and that opens up extra passing lanes and scoring opportunities.
"Me being the 1, I know if I hit the big in the pocket, I know where the help's coming from [and] what I wanted to do," Brown said. "So it just made it a lot easier &mdash; like, I knew the low man is always gonna help off the corner, so either the corner pass or the man up top is gonna go. But if I don't roll too far to the rim, the floater's always open."
The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-stats-notebook-bruce-brown-is-an-enigma-in-all-the-right-ways" target="_blank" rel="noopener">floater is a gold mine if Brown can level up his efficiency with the shot</a>. But the below clips demonstrate his unique wiring as a cutting and rolling playmaker.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/emybje" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Brown needs a mere split-second to diagnose where defenses will help, and from there, he can throw lobs, hit bigs for layups or send the ball out to the corners. Rarely can players make passing reads with such little time on the ball. It's easy to picture him in a two-man action with Jamal Murray that results in a quality assist, or him cutting off of Jokic and making the extra pass to a shooter.&nbsp;
Over the summer, Brown has continued to refine the three-ball, and wants to add consistency shooting above the break in addition to his sweet spots in the corners. When the Nuggets laid out their vision for Brown, they pitched that he wouldn't need to completely reshape his game again. The tools Brown added in Brooklyn can easily work alongside Denver's stars.
"Come in, basically play the same role [with cuts, slips]," Brown said of what the Nuggets asked of him. "I mean, the ball's gonna be in Jokic and Jamal's hands the majority of the game. So really, just play off them like I was doing in Brooklyn with KD and Kyrie, so, basically the same thing."
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
With Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope among the new additions in Denver, the Nuggets didn't just bolster their defense &mdash; they also added two players who understand their offensive fits alongside the team's hubs.&nbsp;
"I think [with] all the new pieces, that everybody knows how to play basketball. Everybody knows their role," Brown said. "Nobody gonna try to do too much. We know the main guys who are gonna have the ball in their hands... We just do what we're supposed to do and we'll take care of everything else."

Bruce Brown signed a two-year deal with the Nuggets this offseason after reinventing his role with the Nets.

Bruce Brown feeling secure in his new role with the Denver Nuggets

RJ Nembhard Jr. had 16 points and six assists, Isaiah Mobley added 15 points and 10 rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers held off the Atlanta Hawks 94-90 on Saturday in the NBA Summer League.
Mobley, a second-round pick in this year's draft, grabbed six rebounds on the offensive end and added four assists for the Cavaliers (3-2). Fellow second-rounder Luke Travers pitched in with 14 points and five boards. Cam Young scored 15 points. First-round pick Ochai Agbaji did not play.
Tyrese Martin scored 21 to top the Hawks (2-3). Chaundee Brown Jr. added 17 points. Chris Clemons finished with 16 points, while Tyson Etienne scored 13.
Atlanta's top pick A.J. Griffin &mdash; 17th overall &mdash; did not play.
PISTONS 102, MAGIC 86
Jules Bernard had 22 points and nine rebounds, Charlie Moore had 21 points and eight assists, and Detroit cruised past Orlando.
Bernard sank all three of his 3-point attempts for the Pistons (3-2). Braxton Key added 15 points, while Stanley Umude scored 13. Detroit sat first-rounders Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren for the finale.
Justin James had 18 points to lead the Magic (2-3). Tommy Kuhse added 13 points, while Zavier Simpson and Daniel Oturu scored 10 apiece.
Orlando dropped its final three games without top pick Paolo Banchero. The Magic decided to pull Banchero from the event just hours before a showdown with No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren and Oklahoma City.
TIMBERWOLVES 89, HORNETS 86
Kevon Harris scored 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting to help Minnesota fend off Charlotte.
Harris hit all four of his 3-pointers for the Timberwolves (2-3). Wendell Moore Jr. had 15 points, while second-round pick Josh Minott scored 12. Marial Shayok had seven points, 10 rebounds and four steals.
JT Thor finished with 28 points and five steals for the Hornets (2-3). Justin Minaya scored 10 points and Mark Williams, the 15th overall pick, had eight points and seven rebounds.
Thor completed a three-point play, then buried a 3-pointer to get the Hornets within 88-86. Jacob Gilyard sank 1 of 2 free throws with 4.9 seconds left and Minott blocked Bryce McGowens' 3-pointer to end the game.
SPURS 90, GRIZZLIES 87
Malaki Branham made five 3-pointers and scored 23 points to help San Antonio turn back Memphis.
Branham, the 20th overall pick, was 5 of 8 from distance to help the Spurs (1-4) notch their first win in their final try. DJ Stewart added 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting, while Robert Woodard II had six points to go with 10 rebounds.
Kenneth Lofton Jr. paced the Grizzlies (2-3) with 27 points and 12 rebounds. First-rounder David Roddy added 19 points. Ronaldo Segu and Kennedy Chandler scored 13 and 10, respectively.
Lofton sank a 3-pointer with 2:07 remaining to give Memphis an 87-86 lead. Branham answered with a 3 and Blake Wesley &mdash; the No. 25 pick &mdash; hit 1 of 2 free throws with 4.1 seconds left to cap the scoring. Dakota Mathias missed a 3-pointer on the game's final shot.
BULLS 119, 76ERS 104
Marko Simonovic scored 26 points, Malcolm Hill added 23 and Chicago breezed past Philadelphia.
Simonovic made 11 of 15 shots and grabbed eight rebounds to help the Bulls (4-1) close out with three straight wins. Carlik Jones scored 15 points but had seven of Chicago's 15 turnovers. Dalen Terry, the 18th overall pick, had three points, two assists and two rebounds in nine-plus minutes.
Charlie Brown Jr. led the 76ers (2-3) with 21 points. Grant Riller scored 19. Trevelin Queen had 16 points and seven of Philadelphia's 21 turnovers. Filip Petrusev scored 14.
NETS 102, CELTICS 95
Cam Thomas scored 25 points, David Duke Jr. added 24 and Brooklyn knocked off Boston.
Thomas added six assists for the Nets (3-2), while Duke handed out five. Kessler Edwards scored 15 points and Day'Ron Sharpe had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Juhann Begarin topped the Celtics (3-2) with 25 points. Mfiondu Kabengele scored 18. Second-rounder JD Davison &mdash; Boston's only pick in the draft &mdash; totaled 17 points and 10 rebounds.
KINGS 92, ROCKETS 81
Jeriah Horne scored 20 points to lead Sacramento over Houston
Jared Rhoden pitched in with 15 points and seven rebounds for the Kings (3-2). Sacramento chose to sit No. 4 overall pick Keegan Murray for the finale.
Tari Eason, the No. 17 pick in the draft, had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets (2-3). TyTy Washington Jr. scored 15 points, while Daishen Nix had 14 points and seven boards. No. 3 overall pick Jabari Smith Jr. had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
LAKERS 95, MAVERICKS 84
Cole Swider scored 16 points to spark Los Angeles past Dallas.
Swider sank 4 of 6 from 3-point range for the Lakers (3-2). Jay Huff had 13 points, Javante McCoy scored 12 and Scotty Pippen Jr. 11.
A.J. Lawson had 19 points to lead the Mavericks (0-5) &mdash; the only team without victory in the event. Moses Wright scored 17 with six boards. Jaden Hardy scored 15 but had seven of Dallas' 19 turnovers. Lawson turned it over six times. Jerrick Harding had 11 points and five assists.
HEAT 86, CLIPPERS 83
Kyle Allman Jr. scored 26 points, sinking a go-ahead 3-pointer with 31 seconds left, and Miami rallied past Los Angeles.
Allman added seven rebounds and six assists for the Heat (2-3). Dru Smith had 22 points and Jamal Cain pitched in with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Miami outscored Los Angeles 31-20 in the final quarter
Reggie Perry, Jay Scrubb and Xavier Moon all scored 16 for the Clippers (2-3).

Check out this recap of Saturday's NBA Summer League action.

Nembhard, Mobley lead Cavs past Hawks 94-90 in Summer League

The National Basketball Players Association announced today the return of the elite TOP 100 High School Basketball Camp after canceling last year&rsquo;s in-person camp due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year&rsquo;s TOP 100 Camp is set to take place from July 25-31 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida and will operate at a reduced capacity, featuring 60 of the top high-school basketball players from around the country.&nbsp; &nbsp; Since its inception in 1994, TOP 100 has helped more than 400 players successfully transition into the National Basketball Association (NBA). With comprehensive on-and off-the-court programming, TOP 100 emphasizes character, education and skill development as the core principles necessary to maximize a player&rsquo;s potential. &nbsp; TOP 100 also features two unique programs within the camp, (1) the&nbsp;Coaching Program,&nbsp;designed for current and former NBA players interested in coaching, and (2) the&nbsp;Parent Program, a diverse educational program available to the parents and guardians of the TOP 100 campers.
<ul>
<li>TOP 100 Coaching Program&nbsp;- For the last 17 years, the Coaching Program at TOP 100 has given current and former NBA players interested in coaching an opportunity to gain hands-on experience coaching a team of some of the best high school players in the world. As part of the Coaching Program, participants learn from and engage with guest speakers and professional coaches who provide detailed analysis and guidance for a career in coaching. (James Posey <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/boston-celtics-hiring-ime-udoka-as-nba-head-coach-is-step-in-the-right-direction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently wrote about</a> attending these camps alongside Ime Udoka, Royal Ivey, Jarron Collins and John Lucas III -- all of whom went on to become NBA coaches).</li>
<li>TOP 100 Parent Program&nbsp;- A core element of TOP 100, the Parent Program in its 18th year consists of a series of educational seminars, Q&amp;A sessions and interactive discussions for the parents and guardians of TOP 100 campers. The first of its kind among any elite camp, the Parent Program was added in 2003 as a way for parents and guardians to learn more about the recruiting process and provide the proper tools to aid in the campers&rsquo; lifetime success.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<div>TOP 100 will host NCAA scouting personnel for the second time since 2019 and will also be open to NBA scouting personnel who wish to observe the camp.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>All campers and staff will be required to undergo COVID-19 testing and adhere to the health and safety protocols established by the NBPA throughout the camp.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>&ldquo;This is a pivotal and exciting time for TOP 100 as we return after the unfortunate cancellation in 2020,&rdquo; said Purvis Short, Chief of Player Programs of the NBPA. &ldquo;The pandemic situation has made the TOP 100 Camp stronger, better, and the NBPA&rsquo;s eagerness to continue developing the next generation of elite basketball players has grown. We are very excited and cannot wait for the start of camp in July.&rsquo;&rsquo;</div>
<div>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>&ldquo;We are thrilled to host the TOP 100 Camp in-person this year given the previous disruption of these campers' basketball schedules caused by COVID-19,&rdquo; said Michele Roberts, Executive Director of the NBPA.&nbsp;&ldquo;Many current and former NBPA members have gone through the TOP 100 Camp. The Camp is an invaluable platform for young players to learn both more about the game and the off-the-court components of being a collegiate and professional athlete.&rdquo;</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney will be a familiar venue for NBPA members and campers taking part in this year&rsquo;s TOP 100 camp after the facility hosted the 2019-2020 NBA season restart last summer. The site has a long history of hosting professional and elite basketball events but this will mark the first time it has partnered with the NBPA to host its historic TOP 100 Camp.</div>

The NBPA announced the return of the TOP 100 High School Basketball Camp after it was canceled last year due to COVID-19.

NBPA announces return of TOP 100 High School Camp

The NBA still has a long, long way to go as it relates to opportunities being given to Black head coaches, but one thing I can say is that, at least with respect to Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics, we&rsquo;ve taken a step in the right direction.
Ime Udoka is going to get the opportunity he&rsquo;s been working for, and at the end of the day, that&rsquo;s all that most aspiring coaches &mdash; especially former players &mdash; want.&nbsp;
I know because I am one&hellip; We just want a fair shake. For some, that opportunity never comes. Thankfully, that&rsquo;s not the case this time.
By the time I left Boston after we won the championship in 2008, I was already thinking about what I wanted to do after my playing career ended. The Players' Association was really good about helping us prepare for life after our playing careers ended, and they had separate programs to help players who wanted to go into the media or coaching or management.
For me, and Ime, coaching was the route that we chose.
Now I won&rsquo;t sit up here and act like I was good friends with Ime or anything like that, because that would be disingenuous, but I do have some firsthand experience with him. And I can tell you, straight up, that he&rsquo;s been preparing for this opportunity for a long time.
I know because, about 10 years ago, I was there.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
I first got wind of the NBPA&rsquo;s coaching camps at the University of Virginia from some of the union leaders somewhere around 2010. During the offseason, the NBPA would invite aspiring coaches to the school, where it would host a week-long program specifically designed for those who wanted to lead teams. The union would organize coaches to come in and do workshops with us and give us a bootcamp to teach us how to become effective motivators, as well as introduce us to the hard work and dedication needed to succeed on the bench. It was an eye-opening experience; we had 14-hour days, beginning at 7:30 a.m. and we wouldn&rsquo;t get back to our hotel room until 9:30 p.m...
Some of us have unrealistic expectations about what it takes to be an effective coach. As players, most of the time, once you leave the gym or the training facility or whatever, you have some time to unwind and relax. When you&rsquo;re a coach, though, the work never stops. That&rsquo;s one of the first things I learned at UVA.
There, we&rsquo;d do our own workshops and training sessions before eventually having the opportunity to coach some of the top high-school kids from across the country. They were invited to UVA&rsquo;s campus to participate in the camp and allow us to apply what we learned.
Although it was only a total of about three weeks, my experience at those mini-camps was amazing; it&rsquo;s what helped me get my feet wet and decide that coaching was truly for me. I&rsquo;m pretty sure that Royal Ivey, Jarron Collins and John Lucas III would all say the same thing. Those are just a couple of the other guys I remember working alongside at those camps.
Afterward, I got an opportunity to coach in the D-League (which has since been renamed the G League) and to work under Tyronn Lue in Cleveland. Royal is currently on Steve Nash&rsquo;s staff in Brooklyn, while Jarron got an opportunity with Steve Kerr and the Warriors and John served as an assistant in Minnesota.
There are a lot of other guys from those camps that I don&rsquo;t remember, but there&rsquo;s one more that I do: Ime Udoka.&nbsp;
Ime and I didn&rsquo;t really talk that much, but we stood shoulder-to-shoulder as we tried to absorb everything we could. The one thing that stands out to me more than anything else was us both recognizing that being a great coach would require a lot of time, energy, effort and sacrifice. Obviously, after all these years, he&rsquo;s stuck with it, and now, he&rsquo;s getting the benefit.
That&rsquo;s a big part of why his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/boston-celtics-to-hire-ime-udoka-as-next-head-coach" target="_blank" rel="noopener">being hired by the Celtics</a> feels good.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_12341301_lg.jpg" alt="" width="394" height="457" />
As former players and aspiring coaches, especially former players who are Black, we view a team hiring someone like Ime as a victory for the communities that he represents &mdash; the player community, and the Black-player community.
Us former players know all about competition. As players, we compete against one another, and at the end of the day, the competition doesn&rsquo;t end on the basketball court. Whether you want to go into media, the front office or coaching, you&rsquo;ve got to compete against other guys for a limited number of opportunities. There&rsquo;s just not enough of the cake for everyone to get a slice.&nbsp;
Unfortunately, most of us get passed over way more than anyone would ever know. Some of us put in the work for years and never get a shot. Some of us, like Mark Jackson or Brian Shaw, don&rsquo;t get second chances when it comes to being a head coach.
Meanwhile, we see other coaches getting recycled and getting one opportunity after another. It just makes you wonder.&nbsp;
As it relates specifically to former players, we have to overcome some negative stereotypes about our work ethic, IQ and leadership abilities. Some people assume that players are just &ldquo;dumb jocks&rdquo; and that some of us are lazy and incapable of becoming successful head coaches. It&rsquo;s tough to overcome that.
When you&rsquo;re trying to get your feet wet and learn about coaching, you typically are fed lines about &ldquo;working your way up&rdquo; and &ldquo;working hard&rdquo; and &ldquo;building a resume,&rdquo; but when you constantly see other people jump the line, doubt creeps in. I&rsquo;m sure that, at one point or another, we&rsquo;ve all been there. Is it really the resume and the accomplishments that get you hired? Or do front offices just hire whoever they want because of preexisting relationships?
At the end of the day, it is what it is. If you&rsquo;re hired to run a team as a president or a general manager, you&rsquo;re free to hire whoever you want. That&rsquo;s one of the benefits of the job. But when we continually see qualified people who&rsquo;ve put in the work over the years get passed over for great opportunities, it&rsquo;s discouraging to the entire community.
Fortunately, though, in this case, the opposite happened.
The hiring of Ime Udoka in Boston is uplifting to us all.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
So to Ime, I need to just say: Congratulations, bro. We see you and we&rsquo;re inspired. I know, firsthand, that you put in the work and that you deserve the opportunity to be the head coach of the Boston Celtics. You're someone who worked your way up from the bottom and you haven't taken any shortcuts, so it&rsquo;s great seeing you succeed Brad Stevens.
After a seven-year playing career and nine years as an assistant (including a championship in 2014), this is a well-deserved opportunity, and Brad and the Celtics organization deserve credit for opting for some fresh blood who&rsquo;s paid his dues.
Experience counts, so of course we&rsquo;ll see accomplished coaches switch teams and get multiple opportunities with NBA teams &mdash; Doc Rivers, Dwane Casey and Rick Carlisle, to name a few. But at the same time, the league needs to be just as open-minded about giving former players chances to lead teams.
Patrick Ewing and Juwan Howard both had to go to the NCAA to get a shot, while guys like Sam Cassell have been putting in the work for years, and to no avail.
Fortunately, the same won&rsquo;t be said for Ime Udoka. The league is better for this, even if we still have a long way to go.&nbsp;

James Posey congratulates Ime Udoka and shares why it's a step in the right direction for Black players who aspire to be head coaches.

Celtics hiring Ime Udoka as head coach is step in right direction

Back in March, smaller-school Colgate University blew an early first-half lead and lost to a Power-5 program in Arkansas, 85-68, in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 64. But viewers might have noticed one Raider guard whose game conjured up thoughts of an NBA superstar.
Despite a cold touch that afternoon, Jordan Burns scored 13 points -- an uncharacteristic low for the 2021 Patriot League Player of the Year -- and put his eye-popping handles and range on display. The broadcast crew applauded one step-back as Damian Lillard-esque, and others took notice on social media.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Jordan Burns with the deep 3 from Dame range!!! <a href="https://t.co/DD8RU56yJ3">pic.twitter.com/DD8RU56yJ3</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1372973366928404481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
It meant the world to Burns, who feels the impact of Lillard's collegiate rise at Weber State and professional dedication to the Portland Trail Blazers.&nbsp;
"A lot of people were texting me after the game... it was nice," Burns told BasketballNews.com with a laugh. "It definitely makes you feel good to be compared to a guy like that."
Burns, Javion Hamlet of North Texas and Ohio's Jason Preston make up a trio of prospects taking a shot at the 2021 NBA Draft process. Like Lillard, the three guards made names for themselves at the mid-major level, captivated their respective conferences with the way they played and took pride in sticking it out with the school that recruited them, despite the opportunity to play on bigger stages.
Videographers and recruiting analysts didn't follow these players around in high school. They carved paths that had scarcely been walked before, and through an unflinching resolve, forced the spotlight to shine on them.
Colgate is traditionally more synonymous with toothpaste than basketball; the school has produced a single NBA player (Adonal Foyle) since 1965. But the Raiders were the only Division I program that offered a scholarship to Burns out of high school, and the 6-foot guard enrolled in 2017, intending to put the New York liberal arts university on the map.&nbsp;
He did just that. Colgate made two NCAA Tournament appearances in four years with Burns as the team's floor general. In 2021, the shifty senior averaged 16.8 points, 5.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game while shooting over 39 percent from long range. Along the way, Burns flashed "Dame Time" moves, and worked to exemplify one of his favorite players.
"[Lillard] has become one of the better guys shooting from 30-plus feet," Burns said. I think that's something I've tried to experiment with. The further you shoot out -- a lot of those shots are more open... being a smaller guard, that has helped my game tremendously, watching a guy like Dame Lillard."
When Burns played a post-grad year at Kent School in Connecticut, he turned down a late flurry of offers because of his commitment to Colgate. After his junior season with the Raiders ended in a loss to Boston University in the Patriot League title game, Burns tested the NBA Draft waters in 2020 and had the chance to transfer. But he chose to return to Hamilton, NY for this season's tourney-bound run.
"Loyalty is a big thing to me. Since I was a kid, that was something that was always stressed to me by my parents," Burns said. "...For me, I was okay with not going to a big school and staying at Colgate. That was where I had chosen to go, so I think I resonated a lot with him staying in Portland, and deciding that these are the people who invested in me, loved me and brought me in before anybody else believed I was who I was."
Glance at Javion Hamlet's pinned Tweet. He shows a similar conviction:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
I&rsquo;m not going nowhere I&rsquo;m getting drafted from North Texas ⏳
&mdash; J hamlet (@javion_hamlet) <a href="https://twitter.com/javion_hamlet/status/1248001163544465408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2020</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Hamlet's winding college basketball journey included two stops at the JUCO level and knee surgery before he finally reached North Texas (Sam Blum wrote an <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/unt-mean-green/2021/03/16/ive-always-been-the-underdog-how-javion-hamlet-led-north-texas-to-ncaa-tournament-after-long-being-overlooked/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insightful feature on Hamlet for the Dallas Morning News</a>). Then, the 6-foot-3 guard promptly won Conference USA Player of the Year in 2019-20, and this season, averaged 15.6 points and 4.5 assists per game. Hamlet's 24 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists led the Mean Green to a 78-69 upset of Purdue in March Madness.
"You gotta believe it before anyone else believes," Hamlet told BasketballNews.com. "You just gotta keep going, even if it doesn't work tomorrow, today, the next day or the next couple of months. You just gotta stay true to yourself. Just keep working. The hard work does pay off."
He's got a mantra -- "Doubt the Doubters" -- that has fueled his work ethic and driven him to the doorstep of the NBA.
"I don't get caught up in the hype," Hamlet said. "I ain't [ever] had the hype. I've always been the underdog all my life. I just feel like me doing it is going to motivate other people to be like, 'Man, if he did it from there, I can do it, too.'"
Hamlet said he also had opportunities to transfer to high-major programs after that first year at North Texas. Instead, he adhered to the words of his pinned Tweet.&nbsp;
"I know it's harder for [North Texas] to get to the NCAA Tournament," he said. "[My mindset was] just go there and change the culture -- change it into a championship school."
Like millions of basketball fans around the world, Burns and Hamlet hear the narratives surrounding Lillard in Portland. They hear analysts and critics berate the six-time All-Star for choosing a small market over the flashy cities and super-teams around the league. But Burns and Hamlet know what Lillard knows -- that when you find a team and place that feels like home, you cherish it.&nbsp;
"It's all about staying true to you," Hamlet added. "Dame's trying to do something that hasn't been done in a long time, and I respect him for it. I'm kind of the same way -- big on loyalty. The people that gave you a chance, and stuck with you through your ups and downs -- you can't leave nobody like that."
Jason Preston knows it, too. The Ohio University guard's <a href="https://www.slamonline.com/college-hs/jason-preston-ohio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">improbable hoops journey</a> inspired thousands when it went mainstream during this past college season.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
This attitude right here 👇🏾 by <a href="https://twitter.com/Treballjay11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Treballjay11</a> 👊🏾 will get you all you ever need! <a href="https://t.co/m83F1h0aRf">https://t.co/m83F1h0aRf</a>
&mdash; marcus smart (@smart_MS3) <a href="https://twitter.com/smart_MS3/status/1332750556532789250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
Despite layers upon layers of tragedy and turmoil, Preston tirelessly worked his way to two Division I offers, and from there, helped the Bobcats beat Illinois in the regular season and Virginia in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 15.7 points, 7.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds as a junior.
The 6-foot-4 guard is now testing the NBA Draft process while maintaining college eligibility. He loves to watch LeBron James and Chris Paul, but also appreciates the standard Lillard has set as a leader.
"I love his approach towards the game," Preston said. "If something bad happens to his team -- something good or bad -- he has mostly the same reaction throughout the whole game. CJ [McCollum], too. They're both very even-keeled and have a nice manner towards the game."
McCollum and Stephen Curry are a few of the other mid-major products that Preston, Burns and Hamlet applauded. Ja Morant has also <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/trailblazers/news/mutual-respect-between-damian-lillard-and-ja-morant-keeps-growing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">publicly praised Lillard</a> for his role as a beacon for this next generation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
say dat 🗣 paved the way for guys like me . RESPECT 🤝 <a href="https://t.co/ddW69YjcFR">https://t.co/ddW69YjcFR</a>
&mdash; Ja Morant (@JaMorant) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaMorant/status/1387621541643423751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</blockquote>
Every mid-major star, from Lillard to this trio, as well as Oral Roberts' Max Abmas, carries a relentless passion for basketball and personal growth. But as Preston emphasized, every player's story is unique -- and to inspire others with it is a blessing.
"I think the most valuable thing you can give someone is inspiration," Preston said. "For people to hear about my story and to get motivated to do something themselves -- I think that's that's everything. I'm very happy that I can do that for certain people."

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>


<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Lillard's rise to fame and loyalty to the Blazers coming from a small school has inspired Jordan Burns, Javion Hamlet and Jason Preston.

In Damian Lillard, the next mid-major NBA hopefuls see a blueprint

James Posey talks to T.J. Ford about his upbringing, the 2003 NBA Draft, getting traded, how a tough season Indiana strengthened their bond and more.

Royal