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Grizzlies

A rested and rehabbed Ja Morant is all set for the NBA playoffs, and the All-Star guard has the talented Memphis Grizzlies believing they're ready to make a deep postseason run.
Morant sat out the regular-season finale on Sunday, but returned the night before after missing nine games with a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-taylor-jenkins-memphis-3edf112695f80293ee4a45297b50ae52">sore right knee</a>.
&ldquo;I felt like I needed a game or two to get my legs back under me, to get the game-type feel,&rdquo; Morant said.
It appears he has his legs back under him.
Morant <a href="https://apnews.com/6c14b04053027561ae8e40065ebab0fc">scored 21 points in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans</a> that tied Memphis' franchise record for victories in a season at 56. Then, along with the other Grizzlies starters, he sat out the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-boston-celtics-nba-sports-santi-aldama-bd5aa43bdefea2681b5c59dd1df5f2f0">regular-season finale</a>.
It has been a steady ascension for Morant, who boosts the Grizzlies with each step he takes.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft and 2020 rookie of the year, Morant helped end Memphis&rsquo; playoff drought in 2021 when the Grizzlies played their way to the No. 8 seed.
Now with a resume worthy of MVP consideration, he has led Memphis to its highest seed ever at No. 2 in the West with the NBA's second-best record of 56-26. The Grizzlies believe they are ready to take the next step; reaching the playoffs is no longer good enough for this team.
Memphis starts its quest Saturday when it hosts Minnesota, a 109-104 winner over the Los Angeles Clippers. Not that the opponent matters to Morant.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m focused on us,&rdquo; the third-year guard out of Murray State said. "Getting better during that week stretch and just being ready to go out there and play the first two games here at home. No matter who it is, we go into the game's the same way. It&rsquo;s going to be different coverages, depending on the team, but our play style never changes.&rdquo;
This franchise was swept in the 2013 Western Conference finals, which was the only time it got past the second round.
Morant's value to the Grizzlies goes beyond mere stats.
Head cheerleader when on the bench, he brings everyone to their feet by <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1498479488316809217?s=20&amp;t=vElgdbRggUxur_d4YlmOAw">dunking over 7-footers</a>, throwing down lobs or dishing the ball off to a teammate for an easy basket.
Even his high-flying <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1512944760541126657">blocks</a> on defense are must-see TV.
His own coach wants to see what Morant does next to attack with his &ldquo;elite level&rdquo; ballhandling skills.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what you need at this level,&rdquo; Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. "I&rsquo;m trying to follow him at times to see what&rsquo;s coming next but when he does something I&rsquo;m like, &lsquo;Here we go!&rsquo; This is what he does. I know he has more in store moving forward that&rsquo;s going to definitely surprise me.&rdquo;
And likely opponents as well.
Morant boosted his scoring average by 8.3 points a game and improved in every statistical category this season. He averaged 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 57 games.
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said people get so enamored watching Morant's nightly highlight-reel plays that they forget his high basketball IQ.
&ldquo;His ability to understand where the reads are on the floor, teams are still going under him and he&rsquo;s still able to get to the paint at such a high clip,&rdquo; Mosley said. "He&rsquo;s just playing at a tremendous pace, and he has the ability to get to the paint continuously without teams being able to stop him.&rdquo;
Morant's speed and fearlessness driving to the basket helped him shoot 49.3% in the paint where he averaged an NBA-high 16.8 points. He had 22 games this season scoring at least 20 points in the paint, most by a guard over the last 25 seasons, according to ESPN Stats &amp; Info.
Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV said he could learn from Morant on how to go attack the big men inside.
&ldquo;He does a fantastic job going to his left,&rdquo; Walker said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s either, if he&rsquo;s on the right side, he&rsquo;s going to snake it or if he&rsquo;s on the left side, he&rsquo;s going downhill and doing what he does.&rdquo;
With this ability to get to the basket, when he's making 3s, San Antonio forward Doug McDermott said Morant is almost un-guardable.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s so quick,&rdquo; McDermott said. "He can split ball screens and he gets everyone else involved. He&rsquo;s a great player, and we&rsquo;ll be seeing a lot of him in the coming years."
Having Morant healthy for the postseason is a confidence boost for the Grizzlies, even though they went 20-5 without him during the season.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s the motor for our team," forward Brandon Clarke said. "Obviously we&rsquo;re still a good, good team without him. But with Ja, we&rsquo;re great.&rdquo;
___
AP Freelance Writer Clay Bailey in Memphis contributed to this report.

Memphis starts its quest Saturday when it hosts Minnesota. Not that the opponent matters to Ja Morant.

Healthy Ja Morant has Grizzlies thinking deep postseason run

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Jayson Tatum scored 31 points, Jaylen Brown added 18 and the Boston Celtics secured the second seed in the East with a 139-110 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Al Horford added 13 points as the Celtics shot close to 55% against the short-handed Grizzlies. With Milwaukee&rsquo;s loss to Cleveland earlier Sunday, Boston was able to move into second with the victory.
Santi Aldama led Memphis with 20 points, and Ziaire Williams finished with 18 points. John Konchar had his first career triple-double with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. Kyle Anderson scored 16 points.
The teams took different approaches to the game based on their places in the standings. Memphis was playing out the regular season having secured the second seed in the Western Conference behind the Phoenix Suns.
Boston entered in a logjam for the Nos. 2-4 seeds, jockeying for postseason placement with Milwaukee and Philadelphia. That meant all of the Celtics' regulars were playing against the Grizzlies' reserves.
And the Memphis makeshift lineup couldn&rsquo;t keep pace with the Celtics' regular rotation.
The Celtics steadily built the lead in the first half by shooting 63%, including connecting on 11 of 22 from outside the arc. That, coupled with Memphis struggling at 34% provide the Celtics with a 72-49 lead at intermission &mdash; the most points given up by the Grizzlies in a first half this season.
The Celtics continued to maintain the lead in the third period, leading 104-79 as Boston coach Ime Udoka sat the starters for the final quarter.
TIP-INS:
Celtics: Nik Stauskas missed his fourth game with a right ankle sprain. &hellip; Tatum had 14 points in the first quarter.He converted a four-point play late in the first half. &hellip; The 72 points scored in the first half, matched the most scored by Boston in a first half this season. The Celtics also had 72 against Minnesota on March 27. &hellip; C Daniel Theis had 11 points and matched his season-high in rebounds with 10, the fourth time he has reached that mark.
Grizzlies: G Desmond Bane set a franchise record for free throw shooting percentage at 90.4. The previous record was by O.J. Mayo in 2008-09 campaign. &hellip; The injury list included Steven Adams (left ankle soreness), Dillon Brooks (right hip soreness), Jaren Jackson Jr. (left thigh soreness), Tyus Jones (left hand soreness) and Ja Morant (management of right knee soreness). &hellip;Desmond Bane and Brandon Clarke were listed as questionable, and while not ruled out, they did not play.

With a win over the Memphis Grizzlies, the Boston Celtics have clinched the second seed in the East.

Celtics finish 2nd in East with 139-110 win over Grizzlies

Stephen Curry scored 46 points and made eight 3-pointers, Gary Payton Jr. added a clutch 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter and the Golden State Warriors held off the Memphs Grizzlies 113-104 on Thursday night.
Payton finished with 22 points and Draymond Green had nine assists to help the Warriors improve an NBA-best 16-2 record at home. The Warriors (26-6) remain one-half game behind the Suns (26-5) for the best record in the NBA, with the teams set to meet on Christmas in Phoenix.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s about as good as it gets against a very physical defense with great size,&rdquo; Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. &ldquo;Over the last 10-12 games, Memphis had the best defensive rating in the league. For Steph to go out and get 46, he showed every bit of his talent tonight. This was his most efficient game in a couple weeks, for sure.&rdquo;
The Warriors led comfortably most of the second half before the Grizzlies made a late push and tied it at 102-all on De&rsquo;Anthony Melton&rsquo;s layup. But Juan Tosco-Anderson scored on a reverse, Payton made his fourth 3 and Curry scurried past three defenders in the key for a layup to help Golden State pull away.
Curry and Green both noted the significance of the win, citing the Grizzlies victory over the Warriors in the play-in game last season.
&ldquo;Definitely wanted this one,&rdquo; said Curry, who twisted his ankle in the fourth quarter but noted he was OK. &ldquo;Definitely felt like it was one (we) cant let slip by because of the history but also because knowing what it&rsquo;s going to take to win a game like this. You carry that chip on your shoulder and understand this is our home court.&rdquo;
Ja Morant had 21 points for Memphis, which had won its previous six road games.
&ldquo;We got a ton of good looks in the paint, missed 30 shots, couldn&rsquo;t get our 3-ball going,&rdquo; Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re a hard team to beat. They played really well tonight.
With MVP chants ringing throughout the night, Curry made 13 of 22 shots (8 of 14 beyond the arc) and was 12 for 12 on free throws to top the 30-point mark for the 12th time this season and the 225th of his career.
&ldquo;He had a great offensive night,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;He found space tonight. Guys did a good job of trying to get him the ball and not forcing it. You let a guy like that get clean looks, it starts an avalanche.&rdquo;
The Grizzlies got off to a fast start, connecting on 13 of their first 19 shots to take a 10-point lead.
Golden State, which blew a 19-point lead when the two teams played in October, came back to tie it at 51 following Tosco-Anderson&rsquo;s one-handed dunk and two free throws from Curry.
Curry got the Warriors rolling in the third, making three 3s, including one as he fell flat on his back. The NBA&rsquo;s 3-point king also made four free throws, fed Payton with a no-look pass for a 3-pointer then added a steal and layup.
&ldquo;Greatest shooter of all time,&rdquo; Morant said. &ldquo;We know he&rsquo;s going to make shots. We just have to make it very tough for him to get it off. We had some mental lapses during the game and he made us pay for it.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Brooks was whistled for a technical late in the second quarter and Kyle Anderson got one while sitting on the Memphis bench early in the second half. &hellip; Jarrett Culver has entered into the NBA&rsquo;s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. &hellip; Brandon Clarke missed his 11th game with right knee soreness. &hellip; Santi Aldama (right calf soreness) sat out his fourth consecutive game.
Warriors: Curry was four points shy of his season-high of 50. &hellip; Green got his sixth technical of the season in the fourth quarter. &hellip; Golden State had assists on 16 of its first 19 made shots. &hellip; Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole and Damion Lee went into the COVID-19 health and safety protocols. &hellip; Golden State signed free agent guard Quinndary Weatherspoon to a 10-day contract.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Face the Kings in Sacramento on Sunday.
Warriors: Play the Suns in Phoenix on Saturday. The two teams have split a pair of games this season, with the home team winning each.

Stephen Curry scored 46 points and made eight threes and Gary Payton Jr. added a clutch triple late in the fourth quarter.

Curry scores 46, Warriors hold off pesky Grizzlies 113-104

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies broke the NBA record for margin of victory on Thursday night, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 152-79.
The 73-point margin easily topped the previous mark, which was Cleveland’s 68-point win over Miami. The Cavaliers topped the Heat 148-80 on Dec. 17, 1991.
Memphis used 12 players and nine of them reached double figures in scoring, with Jaren Jackson Jr.’s 27 points leading the way for the Grizzlies. Memphis was without its best player, injured guard Ja Morant.
It was 72-36 at halftime and the Grizzlies just kept adding to the lead, eventually pulling ahead by as many as 78 points.
The Thunder flirted with being on the wrong end of the record last season, trailing Indiana by 67 points on May 1 before rallying — such as it was — to lose by merely 57 points, 152-95.
This was worse. Historically worse.
The Grizzlies set a franchise record for shooting, making 62.5% of their shots. De’Anthony Melton scored 19 points, Santi Aldama scored 18 and John Konchar scored 17 for the Grizzlies, and none of those three players even started.
No Memphis starter played more than 21 minutes. Lu Dort led the Thunder with 15 points, and Oklahoma City shot only 33%.
It was 12-8 after five minutes. From there, there was no stopping Memphis. The Grizzlies outscored the Thunder by 15 points in each of the four quarters.
It was the third straight game the Grizzlies have led from start to finish.
The Thunder lost their eighth straight as they continued to play short-handed with a number of players unavailable, including leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who entered concussion protocol earlier Thursday. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 39 points against the Rockets on Wednesday night but suffered a blow to the head late in the game.
Point guard Josh Giddey, who averages 10.4 points and 5.5 assists, sat out with a non-COVID-19 illness, and the remaining players couldn't fill the void in Oklahoma City's offense.
The Thunder had been competitive in their seven straight losses before Thursday night. Their largest margin of defeat was 13 points.
TIP-INS
Thunder: Ty Jerome got his first start of the season in place of Gilgeous-Alexander and finished with 12 points. ... Darius Bazley is the only Oklahoma City player to start all 22 games. ... Oklahoma City’s 36 points in the first half was its season low for a half.
Grizzlies: Were without reserves Kyle Anderson (back soreness) and Ziaire Williams (left knee soreness). ... Memphis is 3-0 since Morant sprained his right knee against Atlanta last Friday. ... The 36 points by the Thunder were a season low by an opponent in a half. ... Memphis’ previous largest margin of victory was 49 points in a 133-84 win over Houston on Feb. 28, 2021. ... The 152 points were the most by Memphis in a game. Its previous mark was 144 against Golden State on Jan. 3, 2007.
UP NEXT
Thunder: At Detroit on Monday.
Grizzlies: At Dallas on Saturday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Oklahoma City Thunder by an NBA record 73-point margin on Thursday night, winning 152-79.

Grizzlies throttle Thunder by NBA-record 73-point margin

It's a new NBA season, which means the Sour Rankings are back!&nbsp;
Unlike the typical "power rankings" that repeat themselves throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they will be updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.&nbsp;
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst power rankings. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well-under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and general underwhelming play will all be considered.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Some teams value wins this season and paths to a title, while others are looking down the road at long-term pieces.&nbsp;
This week is not a "preview" installment; it is rather a barometer of the general vibe around a franchise as things get underway. The NBA preseason is generally filled with optimism; 10 teams make the Sour Rankings, but that doesn't mean they're all in dire straits, as I'll note.
So without further ado, let's get to it!
10. Washington Wizards
Given the circumstances, the Wizards had a satisfactory 2021 offseason. They returned three rotation-caliber players from the Russell Westbrook trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, and then went out and found a strong backcourt partner for Bradley Beal in Spencer Dinwiddie.&nbsp;
Washington could be a very solid team on paper with improved depth &mdash; but is that enough to make considerable playoff noise in the Eastern Conference? Beal's looming 2022 free-agent status shines a harsh spotlight on the current Wizards. Their star has stuck it out through multiple years of mediocrity. Maybe he'll re-up with the team that drafted him, but Beal would undoubtedly appreciate some serious postseason contention before having to decide.
9. Indiana Pacers
The injury bug simply will not let go of the Pacers. T.J. Warren still appears to be a ways off from recovering from a foot injury that held him to just four games last season. Caris LeVert will <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2021/10/16/pacers-caris-levert-getting-closer-but-miss-first-four-games/8489876002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly miss at least the first four games</a> of the regular season as he works to return from a stress fracture in his back. These are two top-scoring options out of the short-term picture.
Indiana largely opted to stay the course in a suddenly crowded East. The Pacers can't afford to fall behind early, and these absences certainly won't help.
8. New Orleans Pelicans
Another team hampered by health, this ranking is entirely due to Zion Williamson's injury status. The superstar forward has suffered a sprained knee, torn meniscus and foot fracture in the past years, and is now without a return timetable as he recovers from that foot surgery. Without Williamson, the Pelicans are nowhere near the playoff sleeper they could be &mdash; even with a new head coach and some positive roster moves. They need their centerpiece, and his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/we-should-be-worried-about-zion-williamson-ability-to-stay-healthy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">developing pattern of injuries is concerning</a>.
7. Phoenix Suns
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Mikal Bridges on being there for Deandre Ayton after not signing a new contract: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s way more mature with everything. He has great people around him. I try to do the best I can to clear his mind, but it&rsquo;s tough. .. Being around him every single day, I don&rsquo;t want to lose that.&rdquo;
&mdash; Evan Sidery (@esidery) <a href="https://twitter.com/esidery/status/1450186692871135232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Three hours before writing this, I would not have remotely considered the Suns to be in the Sour Rankings. But the rookie extension deadline has passed without Deandre Ayton securing a long-term deal, the first No. 1 pick since Anthony Bennett not to do so.
Suns general manager James Jones did not negotiate a maximum contract extension with the Bahamian big man, perhaps at the direction of team owner Robert Sarver &mdash; but the team did agree to a 4-year, $43 million extension with draft classmate Landry Shamet. As Evan Sidery <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/news/authors/evan-sidery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote in regards to Ayton</a>, that's blasphemous, and it could fragment an extremely fun, likable Phoenix squad.
6. Sacramento Kings
Your 2021 Las Vegas Summer League champs are back to fight the longest postseason drought in the league. The Kings are making strides with their young talent, highlighted by the preseason success of No. 9 overall pick Davion Mitchell, and retained a core piece in Richaun Holmes.&nbsp;
But does it feel like Sacramento is any closer to the playoffs? Buddy Hield was all-but-traded to the Lakers, and his future is now uncertain as the Kings see if a De'Aaron Fox-Tyrese-Haliburton-Mitchell lineup has potential. What about 2018 No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III, who was not extended at Monday's deadline? He's as big of a question mark as one can exist among young prospects league-wide.&nbsp;
5. Minnesota Timberwolves
There's definitely reason for optimism with the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards had a phenomenal second half to the 2020-21 season and an overall stellar rookie year. Karl-Anthony Towns can be rid of the awful, awful year-plus he has endured personally. D'Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley can get buckets, Jaden McDaniels and Jarred Vanderbilt are intriguing defensive pieces and Chris Finch had a summer to prep for all of this as head coach.&nbsp;
But the Gersson Rosas firing and fallout feels all too Timberwolves-y. It's yet another reset for Towns, who was vocally frustrated at training camp. Is the front office in position to guide the team with the season about to start?&nbsp;
4. Portland Trail Blazers
Larry Nance Jr.'s acquisition partially salvaged what was a wildly terrible offseason in Portland between the Chauncey Billups hiring and the Damian Lillard trade rumors. It appears Lillard is content to stick with the Blazers this season and see how the team operates under its first-year head coach. That's admirable, but it also means the entire season will be laced with tension.
Portland should run back a fun, high-scoring offense. Will the defense improve with Nance in the frontcourt? That's the big question. If not, the Blazers will return to playoff mediocrity and potentially push Lillard closer to the exit door.&nbsp;
3. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks were one of my picks for the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-team-had-the-worst-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worst NBA offseason</a> (Jackson Frank also picked them), and nothing in recent weeks has made me feel any better. Mark me down as adamantly opposed to the Jason Kidd hiring. Reggie Bullock is a fine individual player; he is not going to dramatically alter things on the offensive end. Plus, Dallas recently released 2020 draft pick Tyrell Terry, and we haven't seen much of 2020 first-rounder Josh Green. Where does the optimism come from outside of Luka Doncic?
2. Brooklyn Nets
I'm not going to get deep into the Kyrie Irving situation from a public health perspective, celebrity responsibility perspective or general common sense perspective. I don't have anything major to add to those discussions, other than to reinforce that Irving is carelessly and dangerously misusing his power as a public figure.&nbsp;
This section is about the Nets, who are paying the price for Irving's choices. The NBA title should have traveled through Brooklyn and its Big Three, and the Nets are still an elite basketball team with improved depth. But, remove an All-NBA-caliber player and the ceiling significantly lowers. Instead of being the overwhelming favorite, the Nets have become just another contender.
1. Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons has given us the Hollywood trade drama we had missed since, well, last winter. Simmons was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-thrown-out-of-practice-suspended-philadelphia-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tossed out of practice and suspended Tuesday</a>, so the months-long firestorm appears to still be getting hotter. But while that's a win for NBA/TMZ crossover fans, it's a serious loss for the 76ers, who now have to take this show into the regular season.
Joel Embiid has never played more than 64 games in a season, and is coming off of two shortened offseasons sandwiching an East Finals run. That should cause concern. The backcourt is fun, but nowhere near close to replicating Simmons' impact. Maybe Simmons actually does suit up in games &mdash; will he bring a positive on-court presence to a team that has publicly denounced his game?
Until Philly finally makes a trade &mdash; and who knows when it could happen &mdash; the Sixers' season could range from awkward to disastrous.

Ethan Fuller ranks the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises ahead of the season.

NBA Sour Rankings: Chaos among the contenders?

The Memphis Grizzlies have gone to the playoffs only once in the past four years, winning just a single game &ndash; their opener against the Utah Jazz in the 2021 postseason.&nbsp;
The team's acquisition of Patrick Beverley on Sunday night could very well change that, and it is time to give props to general manager Zach Kleiman and team president Jason Wexler for pulling off this deal with the Grizzlies&rsquo; old rival, the Los Angeles Clippers.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/clippers-trading-rondo-beverley-oturu-to-grizzlies-for-eric-bledsoe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Memphis acquired Beverley, Rajon Rondo and Daniel Oturu</a> from the Clippers in exchange for Eric Bledsoe. The deal saves the Clippers $30 million in luxury tax payments for the upcoming season, but takes away their best perimeter defender. Paired with Kawhi Leonard recovering from surgery on a partially torn ACL and the team uncertain whether he can play in the upcoming season, this trade calls into question their commitment to competing in the upcoming season. Are the Clippers going to mail in the year ahead and focus on 2022-23 as their next championship window opportunity?
After defeating Dallas and Utah &ndash; the latter of which came with the biggest second-half comeback in NBA playoff history &ndash; but falling to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals, the Clippers may just have gone into pause mode with this move. The Clippers have not been forthcoming with details about the severity of Leonard&rsquo;s injury and exactly what his timetable is for returning, but it is fair to assume (based upon other players&rsquo; recovery times for similar injuries) that we will not see him on the court until the latter part of the upcoming season at the earliest. Bledsoe, if he stays in Los Angeles, will presumably split time at point guard with Reggie Jackson.
As for the Grizzlies, their offseason of activity has given them: a new center in Steven Adams; a top-10 draft pick in Ziaire Williams of Stanford; a new shooter and emergency ball-handler in Sam Merrill; and an intriguing overseas prospect in No. 30 pick Santi Aldama, who had his first good summer league performance on Sunday night against the Chicago Bulls. In addition, second-year shooting guard Desmond Bane is currently ranked third in Summer League scoring (24.0 points per game) despite playing only two games in Las Vegas while handling point guard duties.
The question now for Memphis is whether the team is ready to move forward with the roster as it is now, or if further moves will be made to continue building the supporting cast around Ja Morant. The Grizzlies have 17 fully guaranteed contracts, so paring down the roster will happen one way or another.
Still, with a projected starting five of Morant, Dillon Brooks, Kyle Anderson, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Adams, this will be one of the biggest mystery teams in the Western Conference. They finished 38-34 and defeated Golden State in the play-in tournament to earn the right to face the Jazz in the playoffs, but their Game 1 success against Utah did not carry over, as they lost their first-round series in five games.
The Grizzlies have traded away Jonas Valanciunas (he went to the Pelicans in the deal that brought in Williams and Bledsoe) and Grayson Allen (he went to the Bucks in the deal for Merrill), so head coach Taylor Jenkins will be tasked with making a leap forward with a lesser center but a better backcourt, especially now that Beverley is on board. His defensive talents are not easily quantifiable in terms of win shares or efficiency ratings. He just knows how to be a terrific on-ball defender; anyone who watched Jrue Holiday put on a clinic in the NBA Finals and/or the Olympics can appreciate that skill.
Many Clippers fans considered Beverley the heart and soul of the team.
Now, that designation is TBD in L.A. but not so much in Memphis &ndash; as long as the Grizzlies plan to keep Beverley. If they do, their chances of playoff success increase exponentially because they now have someone who can defend any opponent&rsquo;s best backcourt player. Those types of players are extraordinarily tough to find.

Chris Sheridan reacts to Memphis trading for Patrick Beverley and how it helps the team moving forward.

Grizzlies get backcourt boost by picking up defensive-minded Beverley

NBA Summer League rolls on, and after four days of action, 28 of 30 teams have competed in multiple games.&nbsp;
We're already seeing prospects figure things out in their second efforts. Viewers also tuned into the first sudden death overtime finish, seeing Max Strus ice things for the Miami Heat in a 97-94 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. We got another when the Utah Jazz beat the Dallas Mavericks, 81-80. In general, games were close and competitive on Wednesday.
Below are some stud and dud performances that defined Day 4:
STUDS
Miles McBride, guard, New York Knicks
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
MILES MCBRIDE 🔥 22 PTS 7/9 FG 6/6 3PT 7 REB 5 AST In 28 MINS<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewYorkForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewYorkForever</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/deucemcb11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@deucemcb11</a><a href="https://t.co/mcO5xPJQBT">pic.twitter.com/mcO5xPJQBT</a>
&mdash; Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/1425780055716896770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 22 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 7-for-9 FG, 6-for-6 3PT
McBride was electric for New York in the 91-82 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The former WVU Mountaineer is already recognized as one of the best guard defenders in his draft class. But McBride is also an offensive threat, and he showed it Wednesday by hitting all six threes off the catch and off movement.
He also made smart passes as the secondary ball-handler next to Immanuel Quickley. McBride likely won't be a true point guard to start his career, but this type of performance shows he can earn playing time in a variety of different roles.
Max Strus, forward, Miami Heat
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MAX STRUS WINS IT IN DOUBLE OT 🥵 <a href="https://t.co/tAHP148iSo">pic.twitter.com/tAHP148iSo</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1425594821909958660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 32 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 9-for-22 FG, 7-for-17 3PT
Strus is a dynamic shotmaker, plain and simple. He obviously showed that on Wednesday. But this final shot &mdash; I mean, can we talk about the sense of swagger? To get the ball off the opening tip-off of sudden death double-overtime, stroll up to the three-point line and call game... That's cold. Strus made one of the highlights of NBA Summer League so far with that play.
Naji Marshall, forward, New Orleans Pelicans
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Naji Marshall with the perimeter lock-down defense on Mann! <a href="https://t.co/8D4aRVcqd3">pic.twitter.com/8D4aRVcqd3</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1425621246524465157?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
Box Score Stats: 18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 6-for-12 FG, 3-for-5 3PT
The second-year Pelican did a little bit of everything in New Orleans' 80-65 win over the Thunder. Marshall has a nice handle and good vision as a 6-foot-7 wing. He also made open threes, attacked the basket and beat defenders off the dribble with impressive burst. Then he came back and guarded multiple positions on defense. I'm intrigued by the number of different solid skills the 23-year-old already has with his size and speed.
Ziaire Williams, forward, Memphis Grizzlies
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Ziaire Williams adjusts the ball mid-flight to get finish the baseline drive despite Yurtseven's contest. <a href="https://t.co/7X66aEaEhO">pic.twitter.com/7X66aEaEhO</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1425571726088343566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 19 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 6-for-10 FG, 4-for-6 3PT
The tenth overall pick in this year's draft demonstrated the shotmaking potential that helped enamor the Grizzlies. Williams canned four three-pointers off the catch &mdash; a major positive, considering he made just 29% of his threes at Stanford. He also attacked the basket, finishing with floaters and the nice contact layup shown above. One of the biggest pre-draft questions with Williams was if he could handle NBA physicality with his thin frame. He did a great job of addressing that on Wednesday.
Other notable performers: Omer Yurtseven (Heat), Cam Thomas (Nets), Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors), Immanuel Quickley (Knicks), Jalen Suggs (Magic)
DUDS
Santi Aldama, forward, Memphis Grizzlies
Box Score Stats: 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1-for-9 FG, 0-for-5 3PT
Unlike Williams, Aldama did not take a major leap forward on Wednesday for the Grizzlies. He moved into the starting lineup and played 19 minutes, but again struggled with the oppposing strength and could not make his threes. Aldama is now just 2-for-16 from the field in summer league play and 0-for-9 from beyond the arc.
Theo Maledon, guard, Oklahoma City Thunder
Box Score Stats: 5 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2-for-11 FG, 1-for-7 3PT
Just a tough off-day from Maledon, who couldn't buy a three-pointer in what was largely a team-wide slump against the Pelicans. Maledon did attack the basket with mixed success, and as one of the most experienced players on the team, looked comfortable running the offense with rookie Tre Mann. I'm not concerned about this dud; Maledon got to his spots on the court, but just didn't have the touch.&nbsp;
Brandon Knight, guard, Brooklyn Nets
Box Score Stats: 9 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 3-for-12 FG, 1-for-6 3PT
Knight hasn't been a profound negative for the Nets, but he's not making the type of impact he needs to for him to claw back into the NBA. The 29-year-old was inconsistent around the rim and simply off from three &mdash; both areas of trouble as a pro. He is a cumulative 5-for-21 from the floor and 2-for-13 from long range through two contests. Knight has to turn things around in order to leave NBA teams with a positive impression.

Ethan Fuller rounds up the best breakouts and biggest letdowns of Day 4 at the NBA Summer League.

Studs and duds from the fourth day of NBA Summer League

As NBA Summer League gets into a groove, viewers should notice some players quickly outclass the environment.
Experienced sophomores and third-year players often "graduate" summer league early. You'll know these players when you see them -- simply playing with pace and awareness well beyond the rest of the players on the court.
On Monday, some of these players popped up with monstrous performances. As <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-studs-and-five-duds-from-the-first-day-of-summer-league-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we wrote yesterday</a>, we've collected five "studs" and five "duds" and noted our observations from their individual games. Once again: this is not meant for drawing long-term conclusions. Rather, it sets a baseline for a prospect's strengths and weaknesses upon entering this next step up in competition.&nbsp;
On to the players:
STUDS
Immanuel Quickley, guard, New York Knicks
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32 for IQ 🔥 Immanuel Quickley drops 32 PTS and 8 AST to lead the <a href="https://twitter.com/nyknicks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nyknicks</a> to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> win in Las Vegas! <a href="https://t.co/THXE64GJjX">pic.twitter.com/THXE64GJjX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1424825144225173513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 32 points, 8 assists, 2 steals 11-for-21 FG, 4-for-12 3PT
Quickley piqued my curiosity on Sunday when the Knicks rolled him out at point guard. He did a much better job navigating the pick-and-roll on Monday, being more decisive with his passes and drives. The second-year guard attacked the basket and demonstrated an immaculate floater. His eight assists also came against just one turnover; he now has 16 assists and only four giveaways through two games. Quickley's offensive command was eye-popping, even when the jump shot didn't fall.
Trey Murphy III, forward, New Orleans Pelicans
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Sizzling at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> 🔥 No. 17 pick Trey Murphy drops 26 PTS with 6 3PM in his <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> debut! <a href="https://t.co/kId4rXieF2">pic.twitter.com/kId4rXieF2</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1424839063115374593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 26 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 9-for-15 FG, 6-for-9 3PT
Murphy laid down the best summer-league debut from any rookie so far. He splashed threes facing up and off the catch, making open and contested looks. On the defensive end, he rotated properly and remained engaged, living up to the 3-and-D archetype that he projects into as a prospect.
But then Murphy did more. He consistently ran the floor in transition and served as a lob threat and finisher. He was unafraid to put the ball on the deck, and hit a cutting Kira Lewis Jr. on one particularly nice bounce pass. Honestly, there was very little to dislike, and Murphy's high bar makes him a prospect to watch over the coming days.
Tyrese Maxey, guard, Philadelphia 76ers
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Yeah, Tyrese Maxey wasn&rsquo;t doing this last year. Very promising development to see him seeking out his own perimeter shots. He&rsquo;s already up to 19 points in the half. <a href="https://t.co/V6xHdLEQuB">pic.twitter.com/V6xHdLEQuB</a>
&mdash; Harrison Grimm (@Harrison_Grimm) <a href="https://twitter.com/Harrison_Grimm/status/1424836194681163777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 8-for-15 FG, 3-for-6 3PT
Maxey absolutely owned the Mavericks on drives. The 6-foot-2 guard slashed to the rim quickly and frequently for easy buckets. It shouldn't come as a surprise; Maxey has been burning defenders his entire basketball life.&nbsp;
The second-year Sixer also set the tone on the defensive end with on-ball pressure. Most notably, he looked confident attempting three-pointers, which is one key swing skill in his development. I'd also like to shout out teammate Isaiah Joe, who is not in this list, but who played a fantastic game of his own next to Maxey.
Desmond Bane, guard, Memphis Grizzlies
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Desmond Bane (<a href="https://twitter.com/DBane0625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DBane0625</a>) scores 32 PTS to fuel the <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> to the win at the MGM Resorts <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> League 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/5JSkJ2H7Dg">pic.twitter.com/5JSkJ2H7Dg</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1424876608729538562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 32 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, 10-for-19 FG, 6-for-8 3PT
To put it bluntly: Bane has very clearly outgrown NBA Summer League. After making the All-Rookie Second Team in 2020-21, the scoring guard owned his first game of the tournament. Bane drilled six long-range looks, and his form is as crisp as ever.&nbsp;
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said during the broadcast that he wanted to get Bane more reps as the primary playmaker. The 23-year-old ran the offense seamlessly and tossed some clean passes to the corners for open shooters. Bane's statement game was a plain reminder that he is a rotation staple for Memphis.
Jalen Suggs, guard, Orlando Magic
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Jalen Suggs said 🖐🚫 <a href="https://t.co/nTh83IUAUA">pic.twitter.com/nTh83IUAUA</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1424916922479497219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 24 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 9-for-22 FG, 3-for-6 3PT
Suggs' defense was the story of the game in Orlando's 91-89 OT win over Golden State. The rookie point guard came up with a number of big-time blocks down the stretch, including a two-on-one stop that essentially forced overtime. Suggs hounded his matchups and played above his size, frequently seen on the floor in pursuit of a loose ball.
Offensively, it was a mixed bag. The efficiency numbers don't look great, but Suggs was able to get to his spots in the mid-range and navigate some pick-and-roll opportunities. This was a question mark for him pre-draft, so it's good to see a somewhat promising start as a lead guard. Suggs also battled for quite a few rebounds and pushed the ball in transition.
Other notable performers: Jordan Nwora (Bucks), Jay Scrubb (Clippers), Obi Toppin (Knicks), Jaylen Nowell (Timberwolves), Devin Vassell (Spurs), Davion Mitchell (Kings)
DUDS
Santi Aldama, forward, Memphis Grizzlies
Box Score Stats: 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1-for-7 FG, 0-for-4 3PT
We're a long way from Baltimore. Aldama was one of the surprise picks of draft night when Memphis selected him No. 30 overall. Aldama was chosen partially because of his complete dominance at Loyola Maryland. Making the leap from mid-major college hoops to the NBA is no easy task. Aldama didn't get a whole ton of touches in the early going and really struggled against stronger opponents.
James Bouknight, guard, Charlotte Hornets
Box Score Stats: 11 points, 2 rebounds, 4-for-11 FG, 1-for-5 3PT
The Hornets' lottery pick had to match up against Davion Mitchell on the second night of a back-to-back. So it's understandable that Bouknight struggled against one of the toughest defenders in NBA Summer League. He couldn't get shots to fall, and often tried to take Mitchell in isolation instead of calling for screens and running off of actions. Bouknight finished with five turnovers; the Hornets ended with a ghastly 22.
The shooting guard did have some nice moments, particularly on tough finishes at the rim. But overall, it was a down night from a scoring perspective -- even Bouknight's lone three-point make was after an odd hesitation.&nbsp;
Cole Anthony, guard, Orlando Magic
Box Score Stats: 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1-for-9 FG, 1-for-4 3PT
Viewers saw Orlando's first attempts at a three-guard lineup with Anthony, Jalen Suggs and R.J. Hampton. Anthony appeared to really struggle with the inconsistent responsibilites. He spent a good portion of the game running the offense, but danced around and didn't seem to find a rhythm. Then, he looked uncomfortable in catch-and-shoot situations. These lineups will obviously have a learning curve for all of the young Magic guards.&nbsp;
Jonathan Kuminga, forward, Golden State Warriors
Box Score Stats: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 6-for-16 FG, 0-for-4 3PT
The glimpses looked really&nbsp;good from Kuminga. He can thread passes to cutters. He can power through defenders to the rim. He can ignite a fast break by jumping a passing lane.
Unfortunately, those flashes were few and far between for the seventh overall pick. Kuminga typically steamrolled down the lane, tossing up a shot at the rim that either missed wildly or drew a forgiving whistle. He bricked each of his four three-point attempts and was never really a threat to make plays from the perimeter. Guards often breezed by him in defensive switches.
If Kuminga can be less predictable with his moves, he'll become a threatening offensive weapon. He has the tools; it's about learning how to use them.
Keon Johnson, guard, Los Angeles Clippers
Box Score Stats: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 4-for-16 FG, 0-for-5 3PT
Johnson's efficiency ultimately doomed him in his summer-league debut. The bouncy guard certainly displayed his athleticism on fast breaks, but ultimately missed a bunch of jumpers and took a couple of awkward shots. He was active and quick on defense, but did also get burned multiple times on backdoor cuts. Overall, this was by no means a concerning result from Johnson -- just a reminder that his offensive polish is generally a work in progress.
By the end of Tuesday, we'll have second samples to evaluate for nearly every player in summer league. I'll be excited to see who finds their groove and who learns from their debut game.

Some of the league's best sophomores showed out at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

5 studs and duds from the second day of NBA Summer League

After a pandemic-induced hiatus, the NBA&rsquo;s Las Vegas Summer League returns. And with that comes the most electric small sample of inconsequential games on the league calendar.&nbsp;
The 2021 draft class will don NBA jerseys for the first time, and most of the 2020 class will finally receive a real training ground after missing out last season. With so much young talent descending on Las Vegas, every single team has multiple storylines to follow.
But fans also have the final few weeks of their summer to savor. So while I'll surely be watching as many games as possible, what teams should be considered appointment television? What rosters are chock full of prospects and intrigue?
Below are the eight "must-watch" teams of 2021 MGM Resorts Summer League, with a complete schedule included&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/summer-league/2021/vegas/schedule" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Detroit Pistons
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Here&rsquo;s the Pistons&rsquo; Summer League roster <a href="https://t.co/oDl06KKiEF">pic.twitter.com/oDl06KKiEF</a>
&mdash; James Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) <a href="https://twitter.com/JLEdwardsIII/status/1423370122199248902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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As with every year of summer league, the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft immediately grabs headlines as a player to watch. And&nbsp;everyone&nbsp;expects big things from Cade Cunningham, who is largely considered to be one of the more polished prospects in recent memory.&nbsp;
However, it's not just Cunningham who makes this an exciting roster. Second-year forward Saddiq Bey joins the squad after landing on the All-Rookie First Team last season. Saben Lee turned heads as a second-round rookie. Killian Hayes is out to prove himself after injuries hampered the seventh overall pick of the 2020 draft. Sekou Doumbouya has some asserting to do as well, having yet to make a major leap since being drafted 15th overall in 2019.
You won't see Isaiah Stewart, Isaiah Livers or Chris Smith in action; they're&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/detnewsRodBeard/status/1423371634967257090" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly not playing due to injuries.</a>&nbsp;But there's simply so much talent and intrigue, even without those three. This could be a rare summer league team that could both win games and introduce the masses to some notable young players.
Houston Rockets
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🚀 Summer League roster is here! More info: <a href="https://t.co/nDED5Tfu0M">https://t.co/nDED5Tfu0M</a> <a href="https://t.co/q2wnObZApV">pic.twitter.com/q2wnObZApV</a>
&mdash; Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/1423752361252728835?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Until July 29, the Rockets had not made a first-round pick in the NBA Draft since selecting Sam Dekker all the way back in 2015. This year they picked not once, not twice, but four times in the first 24 selections.&nbsp;
All four choices &mdash; Jalen Green (the No. 2 overall pick), Alperen Sengun (No. 16), Usman Garuba (No. 23) and Josh Christopher (No. 24) will suit up in Vegas. They represent the future of the franchise and the first first-round picks by general manager Rafael Stone.&nbsp;
Don't forget about uber-athletic K.J. Martin, son of NBA veteran Kenyon Martin, and his quietly-successful rookie season, either. He could make some of the highlight-reel plays of the tournament.&nbsp;
Memphis Grizzlies
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The <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> today announced their 17-player roster for MGM Resorts <a href="https://twitter.com/NBASummerLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBASummerLeague</a> 2021 in Las Vegas. <a href="https://t.co/rJ0HBn26Lf">pic.twitter.com/rJ0HBn26Lf</a>
&mdash; Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1424099014979555328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Grizzlies might be my early pick as Las Vegas Summer League champs. Desmond Bane is frankly too good to be here. After making the All-Rookie Second Team last season and emerging as one of the better shooters in the entire league, Bane could eviscerate the younger opponents he'll face.
He'll be joined by three other 2020 draft picks in Xavier Tillman, Killian Tillie and Sam Merrill, who was recently acquired in the trade that sent Grayson Allen to Milwaukee. As far as summer league goes, this should be one of the more experienced squads in Las Vegas.
Toss in two first round picks in Ziaire Williams (No. 10) and Santi Aldama (No. 30) as well. Both were picked at least six spots higher than BasketballNews.com draft analyst Matt Babcock&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">predicted</a>&nbsp;before draft night. Time will tell if they were the right choices, but both can make a strong first impression at summer league. If undrafted rookie Yves Pons is doing&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz/status/1423792346123145218?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stuff like this</a>, he's another one to watch.
Orlando Magic
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As expected, the Magic&rsquo;s NBA Summer League roster will include second-year guards Cole Anthony and R.J. Hampton in addition to rookies Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner. <a href="https://t.co/lyACl7whtD">https://t.co/lyACl7whtD</a> <a href="https://t.co/q6aPtdx7vG">pic.twitter.com/q6aPtdx7vG</a>
&mdash; Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaBRobbins/status/1422196207372361740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Orlando was one of two teams with multiple lottery picks in this summer's NBA Draft. Both Jalen Suggs (the No. 5 pick) and Franz Wagner (No. 8) will make appearances as two potential cornerstones for the franchise.
Suggs in particular should garner interest because he joins a crowded lineup of young, exciting guards in Orlando. Viewers will see two of the others in Cole Anthony and R.J. Hampton. How will the Magic balance minutes in the early going? Will any of the three separate themselves from the pack? How often will Orlando try a three-guard lineup?
Those are just some of the questions that first-year head coach Jamahl Mosley will eventually have to answer.
Golden State Warriors
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Warriors announce updated Summer League Roster ahead of the team's five-game slate at the MGM Resorts Summer League 2021 in Las Vegas: <a href="https://t.co/E1CKLAyd1I">pic.twitter.com/E1CKLAyd1I</a>
&mdash; Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/WarriorsPR/status/1424098129180123138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Are Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga ready to join a rotation with win-now expectations? That's the central question for Golden State ahead of summer league. Both prospects had rocky-yet-promising debuts in the California Classic. Moody dropped 19 points (7-for-18 shooting) to go with seven rebounds, while Kuminga logged 18 points (7-for-14 shooting) and three rebounds against six turnovers.
As the No. 7 pick, Kuminga is theoretically a long-term upside play. Moody (No. 14 pick) is typically viewed as a safer, more NBA-ready prospect, but he too is a one-and-done wing. Even as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green push for a championship, these two shouldn't be forced into action. They'll grow at their own paces; summer league serves as a starting point.
Gary Payton II is the third player to focus on. According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/what-andre-iguodalas-warriors-return-could-mean-rest-roster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drew Shiller of NBC Sports</a>, the Warriors have until Aug. 11 to waive the guard before guaranteeing $659,000 on his contract. We'll see how that plays out as Payton goes through the next 10 days.&nbsp;
Charlotte Hornets
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The Charlotte Hornets&rsquo; summer league roster featuring James Bouknight, Kai Jones and LiAngelo Ball, brother of Hornets star LaMelo Ball. More NBA from me: <a href="https://t.co/LGN9cVpeGP">https://t.co/LGN9cVpeGP</a> <a href="https://t.co/keKAzpdc9O">pic.twitter.com/keKAzpdc9O</a>
&mdash; Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1422248415778455557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Hornets garnered widespread praise for their 2021 NBA Draft. Charlotte came away with a dynamic scoring guard in James Bouknight at No. 11, and then grabbed two high-upside talents in Kai Jones (at No. 19) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jt-thor-could-be-2021-nba-draft-diamond-in-the-rough-auburn-tigers-prospect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JT Thor</a>&nbsp;(who is not in the above graphic but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/charlotte-hornets/article253197298.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">will play</a>) at No. 37.
I'll be especially intrigued in seeing just how NBA ready Jones and Thor appear to be. The Hornets don't have to rush either prospect and could opt to send them down to their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. If they do flash skill at summer league, though, they could eventually become exciting targets for LaMelo Ball.
And speaking of Ball, his brother LiAngelo will probably have his best shot at making the NBA this week. His name alone creates another storyline to follow, as LiAngelo hopes to follow his two brothers into stardom in the Association.
Cleveland Cavaliers
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cavs</a> have announced their Summer League roster. <a href="https://t.co/4rAzBB6KmZ">pic.twitter.com/4rAzBB6KmZ</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1422347397154344965?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Cleveland is the only team in the NBA carrying two top-5 draft picks into summer league. Evan Mobley &mdash; a unique blend of size, speed and skill and this year's No. 3 pick &mdash; is certainly the headliner. Mobley has a ceiling as high as any in this draft class, and this week will give the first glimpses at how Cleveland looks to optimize him.
The other is Isaac Okoro, who started all 67 of the games he played last season. His usage rate was low, though, and the fifth overall pick in the 2020 draft struggled with shooting efficiency as a rookie. He made just 29% of his three-pointers and had a true shooting percentage of just 51.4, which is relatively poor. He can demonstrate improvement in this setting while getting more touches and the chance to showcase his defensive prowess.
One other player I'd keep an eye on is Mfiondu Kabengele. The Cavs signed him outright in May after playing through two 10-day contracts. Kabengele is a 2019 first-round pick who never clicked with the Clippers, so this could be a good place to start fresh.
Toronto Raptors
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Raptors Summer League roster below! Moses Wright will no longer be with the Raptors in Vegas. Became uncertainty as other moves were made and he'll opt for a different situation. (Not uncommon.) <a href="https://t.co/lRcbGUWYrL">pic.twitter.com/lRcbGUWYrL</a>
&mdash; Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlakeMurphyODC/status/1423298986606223365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Kyle Lowry's departure signals a new era in Toronto -- one currently centered around Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby. Though they've graduated from summer league reps, fans will get to see three more key pieces that could define the franchise's future.
Toronto caught most draft analysts off guard by selecting Scottie Barnes with the fourth overall pick, but make no mistake, Barnes is a versatile forward whose combination of athleticism and processing speed will be on full display in Las Vegas.
Though Precious Achiuwa is not listed above, the second-year center will <a href="https://www.nba.com/summer-league/2021/vegas/team/1610612761/raptors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also be with Toronto</a>&nbsp;after coming over from Miami in the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade. Although the league has reportedly opened a tampering probe against the Miami Heat, at this time, there&rsquo;s no reason to believe that Achiuwa won&rsquo;t be in uniform for Toronto.
Fellow 2020 first-rounder Malachi Flynn will likely run the summer league offense in hopes of staking his claim as the Raptors' third guard in the rotation.&nbsp;
Newly-extended Masai Ujiri will surely keep a close eye on the three prospects as he ponders the identity of Toronto's next iteration.
---
After a one-year hiatus, it&rsquo;ll be nice to have summer basketball back. And without question, these are the teams that I&rsquo;ll be keeping a close eye on.

The 2021 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League in Las Vegas begins on August 8, and some teams qualify as 'Must See' TV.

Who are the must-watch Summer League teams in Las Vegas?

The 2021 NBA Draft is in the books. Now that we know where the prospects have landed, our NBA Draft experts Matt Babcock and Derek Murray are sharing their thoughts about the results.
Obviously, it&rsquo;s too early to definitively assess these picks (since we won&rsquo;t know the true winners and losers for a few years). Still, we still wanted to get their snap judgement on what unfolded.
Who are your biggest winners (and why)?
Matt Babcock: In my opinion, the Charlotte Hornets were the big winners last night. First of all, selecting <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/james-bouknight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Bouknight</a> at No. 11 was an excellent value pick (considering we had him mocked at No. 6 prior to the draft). The Hornets&rsquo; backcourt of LaMelo Ball and Bouknight should prove to be an exciting duo moving forward. The Hornets also added <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/kai-jones" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kai Jones</a> at No. 19, which was a great pick as well. We had projected that the Hornets would select Jones at No. 11 for a while before the draft, so to move back and get him at No. 19 was impressive. Lastly, trading up to snag <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/jt-thor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JT Thor</a>, a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jt-thor-could-be-2021-nba-draft-diamond-in-the-rough-auburn-tigers-prospect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">super high-upside</a> prospect, at No. 37 was another smart move. All in all, they added Bouknight, who I think will be able to contribute at a high level right away, and two players in Jones and Thor who possess significant potential. I think the Hornets deserve an &lsquo;A&rsquo; grade for their picks.
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Derek Murray: Charlotte and Houston. The Hornets added incredible athleticism across the board in guys who have crazy high upside. It may take a while for the group to develop as a whole, but the sky's the limit for them. I really loved Houston&rsquo;s draft too (possibly the most), as they added four first-rounders: <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/jalen-green" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jalen Green</a> (No. 2), <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/alperen-sengun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alperen Sengun</a> (No. 16), <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/usman-garuba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Usman Garuba</a> (No. 23) and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/josh-christopher" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Josh Christopher</a> (No. 24). They addressed multiple positions, roles and archetypes in the same first round, which is usually impossible to do. They also did it with youth across the board, so I think Houston fans should be ecstatic.&nbsp;
Who are your biggest losers (and why)?
Matt Babcock: I don&rsquo;t know if I&rsquo;d go as far to say they were my &ldquo;biggest loser,&rdquo; but I will say that I was surprised that the Memphis Grizzlies traded up to No. 10 to select <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/ziaire-williams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ziaire Williams</a> and moved up to No. 30 to select <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/santi-aldama" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Santi Aldama</a>. Although there were some whispers that Williams had drawn some interest from teams as high as the Orlando Magic at No. 8, I wasn&rsquo;t totally convinced he was going to be selected in the lottery. Therefore, I think they would have had a pretty good chance of picking him later on in the draft. I was even more surprised by Memphis trading up to No. 30 to select Aldama, as I was not expecting him to be selected anywhere near the first round. (We had him mocked at No. 55 prior to the draft).
Derek Murray: I don&rsquo;t like to call any team a &ldquo;loser&rdquo; immediately following draft night because it truly takes three years to make that call. That being said, I&rsquo;m very curious about the decision-making in San Antonio. It feels like they have a log jam at the guard/combo-guard positions with Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Lonnie Walker, Keldon Johnson and Tre Jones under contract, and then they took <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/joshua-primo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Josh Primo</a> at No. 12 and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/joe-wieskamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Wieskamp</a> at No. 41. I really like both of these players, and I do think Wiekamp at 41st is good value, but I envisioned them addressing the front-court concerns at No. 12 with either <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/alperen-sengun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alperen Sengun</a> or <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/kai-jones" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kai Jones</a>.&nbsp;
Which pick surprised you the most?
Matt Babcock: There were a number of picks that surprised me: <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/joshua-giddey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Josh Giddey</a> to Oklahoma City at No.6, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/ziaire-williams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ziaire Williams</a> to Memphis at No. 10, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/joshua-primo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Josh Primo</a> to San Antonio at No. 12, for sure. However, the biggest surprise of the night for me was Memphis selecting <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/santi-aldama" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Santi Aldama</a> at No. 30.
Derek Murray: <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/joshua-primo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joshua Primo</a> at No. 12 stands alone for me as the biggest surprise reach, but <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/santi-aldama" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Santi Aldama</a> at No. 30 is up there. Both are great players, I just imagined them each going 10-15 spots later than they did. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/sharife-cooper" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sharife Cooper</a> also surprised me; we knew he would slip to the second round so that part wasn&rsquo;t a shock, but to fall all the way to No. 48 is wild.
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Who were some of the best value picks?
Matt Babcock: <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/james-bouknight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Bouknight</a> at No. 11 to Charlotte, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/miles-mcbride" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miles McBride</a> at No. 36 to New York and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/jared-butler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jared Butler</a> at No. 40 to Utah.
Derek Murray: <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/jaden-springer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jaden Springer</a> at No. 26, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/miles-mcbride" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miles McBride</a>e at No. 36 and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/sandro-mamukelashvili" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sandro Mamukelashvili</a> at No. 54.&nbsp;
Were you surprised that there weren&rsquo;t more trades? Why didn&rsquo;t we see more?
Matt Babcock: Yeah, I think everyone expected a more dramatic night in regards to trades. There were certainly a lot of trades discussed among teams behind the scenes. I think some of the early picks that surprised some of us changed the course of the entire draft.
Derek Murray: I imagined another move or two within the lottery, but with <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/joshua-giddey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Josh Giddey</a> being taken at No. 6, which nobody predicted, it pushed some players down one slot to the teams that wanted them. At that point, there was no rush or need to move up.&nbsp;
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Any parting thoughts?
Matt Babcock: Considering that there was no Summer League last year due to COVID-19, draft picks from the 2020 NBA Draft will be joining this year&rsquo;s class in Las Vegas for their first Summer-League action, which should make for a uniquely competitive and exciting tournament this year. Also, I&rsquo;m excited to start our rookie coverage, which will begin at Summer League in Las Vegas and carry on into the 2021-22 NBA season.
Derek Murray: I&rsquo;m fascinated with what comes from this draft for the Memphis Grizzlies. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/ziaire-williams">Ziaire Williams</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/santi-aldama">Santi Aldama</a> will be considered &ldquo;reaches&rdquo; by many, but these are two supremely talented players. It may be a few years before it clicks for them, but they could end up really, really good.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft">Check out all of BasketballNews.com&rsquo;s coverage of the 2021 NBA Draft (including interviews, highlight videos, analysis and more) here.</a>

Matt Babcock and Derek Murray share their winners and losers, biggest surprises, favorite steals and more from the 2021 NBA Draft.

2021 NBA Draft Recap: Winners and losers, steals, biggest surprises

The Memphis Grizzlies (via Utah) have selected Santi Aldama with the No. 30 overall pick in the NBA Draft.
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Aldama is a tremendous draft-and-stash option in this class. After dominating U18 competition in 2018 and 2019, he committed to Loyola (MD) and averaged 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds as a freshman. He shows great shooting potential and touch at his size, and, although he has limited athleticism, processes the game very well. With his offensive upside, Aldama has a chance to hear his name called in this month's Draft.
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&nbsp;

The Memphis Grizzlies (via Utah) have selected Santi Aldama with the No. 30 overall pick in the NBA Draft.

2021 NBA Draft: Grizzlies pick Santi Aldama No. 30 after trade with Jazz

The NBA released some key numbers to remember ahead of Thursday's NBA Draft:
The 2021 NBA Draft will take place on Thursday, July 29 at 8 p.m. ET at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.&nbsp;&nbsp;ABC&nbsp;will televise the&nbsp;first round of the NBA Draft&nbsp;for the first time, and ESPN will air both rounds.&nbsp;
Twenty draft prospects are scheduled to attend and have their once-in-a-lifetime experience on the biggest stage.&nbsp;&nbsp;NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum will announce the selections for the first and second rounds, respectively.&nbsp;
Here is a by-the-numbers look at this year&rsquo;s NBA Draft:&nbsp;
History &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 &ndash;&nbsp;Since the NBA Draft Lottery began in 1985,&nbsp;four&nbsp;first overall picks have won an NBA championship with the team that drafted them: David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs; first pick in 1987), Tim Duncan (Spurs; first pick in 1997), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers; first pick in 2003) and Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers; first pick in 2011).&nbsp;James won an NBA championship in his second stint with Cleveland. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6 &ndash;&nbsp;Since the two-round format was adopted in 1989, Kentucky holds the record for the university with the most picks in an NBA Draft &ndash;&nbsp;six&nbsp;each in 2012 and 2015. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Barclays Center will host the NBA Draft for the&nbsp;eighth&nbsp;time.&nbsp;It last hosted the event in 2019 prior to the pandemic. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11 &ndash;&nbsp;A college freshman has been the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft in each of the last&nbsp;11&nbsp;years. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15 &ndash;&nbsp;This marks the&nbsp;15th&nbsp;consecutive year that Adam Silver will announce draft selections as either deputy commissioner (seven years) or commissioner (eight years including 2021). &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1947 &ndash;&nbsp;The NBA Draft will be held in July for the first time since&nbsp;1947, the year of the inaugural draft.
Prospects &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 &ndash;&nbsp;In 2020-21, USC forward-center Evan Mobley became the&nbsp;first&nbsp;player to win the Pac-12 Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year awards in the same season. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3 &ndash;&nbsp;Florida State forward Scottie Barnes, NBA G League Ignite guard Jalen Green and Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs have won&nbsp;three&nbsp;gold medals together with USA Basketball in international play: 2019 FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup, 2018 FIBA U-17 Basketball World Cup and 2017 FIBA U-16 Americas Championship. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 &ndash;&nbsp;Four&nbsp;2021 NBA Draft prospects were teammates on the Montverde (Fla.) Academy team that went 25-0 during the 2019-20 high school season: Scottie Barnes, Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham, Arkansas guard Moses Moody and North Carolina center Day'Ron Sharpe.&nbsp;&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.6 &ndash;&nbsp;Adelaide 36ers guard Josh Giddey (Australia) led Australia&rsquo;s National Basketball League in assists with&nbsp;7.6&nbsp;per game in the 2020-21 season. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19 &ndash;&nbsp;Besiktas forward Alperen Sengun (Turkey), the 2020-21 Turkish League MVP, turned&nbsp;19&nbsp;on July 25. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;48 &ndash;&nbsp;Tennessee guard&nbsp;Keon Johnson set the NBA Combine record with a max vertical jump of&nbsp;48&nbsp;inches.&nbsp;&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;75 &ndash;&nbsp;Last season, Cade&nbsp;Cunningham became Oklahoma State&rsquo;s first consensus All-America First Team selection in&nbsp;75&nbsp;years.
Teams &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2 &ndash;&nbsp;The Houston Rockets franchise is set to select&nbsp;second&nbsp;overall in the NBA Draft for the first time in 51 years.&nbsp;In 1970, the then San Diego Rockets selected five-time NBA All-Star Rudy Tomjanovich with the No. 2 pick. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3 &ndash;&nbsp;The Oklahoma City Thunder has&nbsp;three&nbsp;picks in both the first round (Nos. 6, 16 and 18 overall) and the second round (Nos. 34, 36 and 55 overall). &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 &ndash;&nbsp;The Toronto Raptors are poised to pick&nbsp;fourth&nbsp;overall in the NBA Draft for the first time since selecting newly elected Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Bosh at that spot in 2003. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7 &ndash;&nbsp;The Golden State Warriors&rsquo; first pick in the NBA Draft is at No.&nbsp;7&nbsp;overall, a spot where they have selected five-time NBA All-Star Chris Mullin (1985), two-time Kia NBA MVP Stephen Curry (2009) and NBA champion Harrison Barnes (2012) during the NBA Draft Lottery era. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;49 &ndash;&nbsp;The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to pick third overall in the NBA Draft for the first time in&nbsp;49&nbsp;years. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;51 &ndash;&nbsp;The Detroit Pistons are poised&nbsp;to make the first pick in&nbsp;the NBA Draft for the first time in&nbsp;51&nbsp;years.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 1970, the Pistons used the top pick to select eight-time NBA All-Star Bob Lanier, a longtime ambassador for the NBA Cares program.&nbsp;
Family Ties &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.2 &ndash;&nbsp;Auburn guard&nbsp;Sharife Cooper&rsquo;s&nbsp;sister, Te&rsquo;a Cooper, is currently averaging&nbsp;9.2&nbsp;points per game with the Los Angeles Sparks in her second WNBA season.&nbsp;&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10 &ndash;&nbsp;Michigan forward Franz Wagner (Germany) and his brother, Orlando Magic forward-center Moritz Wagner, were both All-Big&nbsp;Ten&nbsp;Team selections with the Wolverines.&nbsp;&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12 &ndash;&nbsp;Houston guard&nbsp;Quentin Grimes&rsquo;&nbsp;brother, NHL veteran Tyler Myers, was selected&nbsp;12th&nbsp;overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33 &ndash;&nbsp;Boise State&nbsp;forward&nbsp;Derrick Alston Jr.&rsquo;s father, Derrick Sr., was the&nbsp;33rd&nbsp;overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft and played three seasons in the league.&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1984 &ndash;&nbsp;Tennessee guard Jaden Springer is the son of Gary Springer, who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the&nbsp;1984&nbsp;NBA Draft. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1992 &ndash;&nbsp;Loyola Maryland forward&nbsp;Santi&nbsp;Aldama (Spain)&nbsp;is the son of Santiago&nbsp;Aldama&nbsp;Ales&oacute;n, who was a&nbsp;member of the Spanish National Team that competed against the Dream Team at the&nbsp;1992&nbsp;Barcelona Olympics.&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2015 &ndash;&nbsp;Gonzaga guard&nbsp;Joel&nbsp;Ayayi (France)&nbsp;is the brother of&nbsp;Valeriane&nbsp;Ayayi&nbsp;Vukosavljevic, who played in the WNBA in&nbsp;2015.&nbsp;
Global Game &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 &ndash;&nbsp;Australia&rsquo;s Josh Giddey is poised to become the&nbsp;first&nbsp;NBA Academy graduate to be drafted into the NBA.&nbsp;Giddey attended NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;If NBA G League Ignite forward Jonathan Kuminga is drafted in the top&nbsp;six, he would be the highest-drafted player from the Democratic Republic of the Congo since Dikembe Mutombo was drafted fourth overall in 1991. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9 &ndash;&nbsp;Last year, a record&nbsp;nine&nbsp;players from or with ties to Nigeria were drafted: Isaac Okoro, Onyeka Okongwu, Aaron Nesmith, Precious Achiuwa, Zeke Nnaji, Udoka Azubuike, Desmond Bane, Daniel Oturu and Jordan Nwora. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13 &ndash;&nbsp;Thirteen&nbsp;international players have been selected No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft, most recently Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (Bahamas) in 2018. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;27 &ndash;&nbsp;A record&nbsp;27&nbsp;international players were selected in the 2016 NBA Draft, including a record 15 in the first round and a record-tying 12 in the second round. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;68 &ndash; Sixty-eight&nbsp;former Basketball Without Borders campers have been drafted into the NBA.&nbsp;This year&rsquo;s class features a number of potential draftees with BWB experience, including Gonzaga guard Joel Ayayi (France; BWB Europe 2017), Western Kentucky forward-center Charles Bassey (Nigeria; BWB Global 2017 &amp; 2018), Paris Basket guard Juhann Begarin (France; BWB Europe 2019; BWB Global 2020), Zalgiris Kaunas guard Rokas Jokubaitis (Lithuania; BWB Europe 2017), Adelaide 36ers guard Josh Giddey (Australia; BWB Asia 2018; BWB Global 2020), Texas forward-center Kai Jones (Bahamas; BWB Americas 2017), Seton Hall forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (Georgia; BWB Global 2017), KK Mega Basket forward-center Filip Petrusev (Serbia; BWB Europe 2017; BWB Global 2018), Alabama guard Josh Primo (Canada; BWB Global 2020) and Oostende forward Amar Sylla (Senegal; BWB Africa 2018; BWB Global 2019). &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;215/25 &ndash;&nbsp;The NBA Draft will reach fans live in&nbsp;215&nbsp;countries and territories in&nbsp;25&nbsp;languages on their televisions, computers, mobile devices and tablets. &nbsp; NBA G League &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 &ndash;&nbsp;Four&nbsp;former five-star high school prospects who helped lead NBA G League Ignite to the 2021 NBA G League Playoffs are entered in the&nbsp;NBA Draft:&nbsp;Jalen&nbsp;Green, Jonathan&nbsp;Kuminga, guard&nbsp;Daishen Nix and forward Isaiah Todd.&nbsp;&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;24 &ndash;&nbsp;Twenty-four&nbsp;of the 60 players who were selected in the 2020 NBA Draft played in the NBA G League during the 2020-21 season, including five first-round selections. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;49 &ndash;&nbsp;Daishen&nbsp;Nix&nbsp;has a chance to join Carlos Boozer, Mario Chalmers and Trajan Langdon as NBA players who grew up in the&nbsp;49th&nbsp;state &ndash; Alaska.&nbsp; &nbsp; ESPN &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 &ndash;&nbsp;The NBA Draft will air on both ABC and ESPN for the&nbsp;first&nbsp;time ever. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Five&nbsp;virtual technology cameras will be used for the telecast. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;ABC and ESPN&rsquo;s on-air talent will feature&nbsp;12&nbsp;reporters. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19 &ndash;&nbsp;ESPN will present the NBA Draft for the&nbsp;19th&nbsp;consecutive year. &nbsp; NBA TV &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 &ndash;&nbsp;NBA TV&rsquo;s NBA Draft night coverage will include&nbsp;four&nbsp;former first-round picks: Rex Chapman, No. 8 in 1988; Brian Shaw, No. 24 in 1988; Jim Jackson, No. 4 in 1992; and Brendan Haywood, No. 20 in 2001. &nbsp; Partners &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;38&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Wilson was last used as the official basketball of the NBA&nbsp;38&nbsp;years ago.&nbsp;Last seen on the court in the 1983 NBA Finals, Wilson basketballs will adorn the green room at the NBA Draft and will join the latest draft class on the court for the 2021-22 season. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;75&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;The NBA Draft Cap from New Era features the commemorative NBA&nbsp;75th&nbsp;Anniversary Season logo and marks the first league-licensed product to carry the logo.

The 2021 NBA Draft: By the Numbers

&ldquo;The media&rsquo;s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that&rsquo;s power. Because they control the minds of the masses. The press is so powerful in its image-making role." - Malcolm X
I didn&rsquo;t want to touch on any of this. I even tweeted that I was going to <a href="https://twitter.com/etanthomas36/status/1395020436392529927?s=21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mind my business</a> on this.
However, since Kwame Brown posted that first video on his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kwan_low" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IG account</a> (plus additional videos on IG Live and his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcCzh-DGFFkhDsMDvQgpvCg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YouTube page "Bust Life")</a>, there have been multiple media outlets that have reached out to me to inquire if I would come on their show. They wanted me to get in the middle of what was going on with Kwame and Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes, and my answer has consistently been an adamant, "No." I told them that they were not going to use me to fan the flames of this beef. When I first caught wind of it, I immediately tweeted that I hated seeing good Brothas beef to this level over something that could&rsquo;ve (and should&rsquo;ve) been fixed with a phone call, and I still stand by that.
I also have a lot of respect for all of them. I am still amazed at all of the work that Stephen Jackson has done around the world after George Floyd was murdered. I&rsquo;ve interviewed both Stak and Matt for my show, "<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rematch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Rematch</a>," and for my new book on white supremacy and police brutality that I&rsquo;m currently putting the finishing touches on (shout out to Haymarket Books). Kwame and I have been friends since we were teammates with the Washington Wizards for four seasons, so I have always been in his corner. I immediately ordered some shirts from <a href="https://bustlife.creator-spring.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his clothing line</a> for me and my son. (We got "Momma&rsquo;s Cooking" and "My Momma&rsquo;s Son" shirts).
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I support all of these Brothas. I do believe they will eventually reach peace in their own time and show all of the world how Brothas can resolve differences peacefully, and then, maybe even work together and achieve something that Pac and Biggie never got the chance to do. Again, I fully believe that will happen in time. And when they do squash the beef and make peace, I want to hear all of the media who have been fanning these flames to be just as loud as they are now... but I doubt we will hear a peep out of the media about that. They love to promote drama and infighting, especially with Black people. It gets ratings and that&rsquo;s why I emphatically told them all, "No." I&rsquo;m not coming on any of your shows to join you in fanning these flames.&nbsp;
In addition to the media, a lot of NBA executives and former Wizards executives started reaching out to me, saying, "Hey, we know you and Kwame were always friends. You should talk to him." My answer to all of them was, "And say what, exactly? Kwame is a grown man, and y&rsquo;all are just worried that he&rsquo;s coming for y&rsquo;all next. So, no, I am not interested in speaking to Kwame on your behalf."
Kwame has a long list of people in the media who have consistently degraded his image, his family and his reputation. They have attacked him as a man for two decades and he has finally had enough.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s like the movie "Kill Bill" when Uma Thurman had the list of all the people who tried to kill her and was crossing them off one-by-one. Well, that&rsquo;s what Kwame is doing right now. So Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless and all those other media people who have assassinated his character for literally 20 years are now feeling the wrath of Kwame Brown.&nbsp;
Many people have asked why I keep bringing up the media and why I'm so anti-media. They say it&rsquo;s the media&rsquo;s job to report, and Kwame, Stak and Matt are doing all of this themselves on their own platforms. People say to me, "What about sticks and stones?" and, "Kwame is being too sensitive," and, "The media criticizes all athletes," etc.
Yes, the media&rsquo;s job is to critique athletes' play. So for instance, if they report that a player isn&rsquo;t rebounding the ball the way they should or that their defense is lacking or their shot is off or they aren&rsquo;t playing up to their potential, that&rsquo;s all fair game.
But when the media attacks someone personally and creates a false narrative about a person&rsquo;s character and manhood, that&rsquo;s an entirely different subject. It is done far too often now that media personalities are treated like celebrities and paid salaries comparable to professional athletes. It seems the louder they are and the more negative they are, the more they are rewarded.
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With Kwame, it was so much deeper than the media simply &ldquo;talking bad" about him. The public degradation and the false narratives perpetuated by the media actually hurt Kwame financially, as NBA teams listened to those narratives regardless of whether they were factual or unsubstantiated.
In fact, false narratives kept Carmelo Anthony out of the league for more than a year. NBA teams were scared to touch him. So, yes, Kwame has a valid reason to be upset with the media because they took money out of his pocket with the way those false narratives destroyed his character.&nbsp;
The media could&rsquo;ve told the story of how he persevered through an impossible situation in DC with Michael Jordan and Doug Collins, and how he fought through unbelievable adversity at 18 years old. They could&rsquo;ve covered how he never broke despite Collins and Jordan's attempts to break him. Instead, they began broadcasting a false narrative that was detrimental to Kwame when it came time for teams to sign him. It lowered his market value. They remembered what was said. It didn't matter that there were no facts or proof; the rumors that were created by the media impacted these decision-makers.&nbsp;
In one of Kwame&rsquo;s videos, he briefly mentioned how he was treated in DC and how the situation was set up for him to fail. He also said, "Ask Etan Thomas, he&rsquo;ll verify everything I&rsquo;m saying." This led to my phone being flooded with even more calls, so I decided to reach out to a few other former Wizards so we could all verify Kwame's remarks. I brought Jahidi White, Tyrone Nesby and Chris Whitney on my show, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rematch-with-etan-thomas/id1536352949" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"The Rematch,"</a> to discuss what we collectively saw. And just for the record: Kwame didn&rsquo;t exaggerate one bit about how he was treated in DC. In fact, we also recalled a few horror stories that Kwame left out.&nbsp;
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But the media didn't tell those factual stories. All they had to do was ask someone who was actually there. I was there and I still asked others for their account. Do some actual investigative work!
But that&rsquo;s not what they did. And one of the biggest culprits was Stephen A. Smith. There are countless videos -- and I will include a compilation so nobody thinks I&rsquo;m exaggerating -- of Stephen A. Smith bashing Kwame. He said, &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a scrub, he can&rsquo;t play the game of basketball, he has small hands, he can&rsquo;t catch the ball, he's got bad feet, he can't really move... he doesn&rsquo;t really know what he&rsquo;s doing, he doesn&rsquo;t have a post move that he can commit to memory, he has no game whatsoever, he plays no defense, he doesn&rsquo;t have the heart, the passion, or anything that comes with it." He called him a "bust" and constantly called out Kwame's work ethic; for example, he said, "He didn&rsquo;t work hard in 10 years," and, "[He] never worked and put forth his due diligence." Stephen A. refused to pronounce Kwame's name correctly. He called Kwame &ldquo;nothing&rdquo; and actively campaigned for the Knicks not to sign him.
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At the end of this compilation, you'll see that there's actual footage of Stephen A. Smith going on a speaking tour to colleges, high schools, and middle schools to continue his public degradation of Kwame. He exploited every opportunity to further these false narratives. He shouted fabrications that were simply baseless. The footage shows him telling college students that Kwame was immature and not ready mentally, emotionally or psychologically.&nbsp;
Now, I&rsquo;m no lawyer, but I would think that Kwame Brown has a slander case that he could bring against Stephen A. Smith (and a lot of media members) considering how he was defamed, as long as there's no statute of limitations. He would likely win because&nbsp;the proof is readily available.&nbsp;
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I remember seeing articles about Kwame not knowing how to order food in a restaurant, which I knew was a lie because me and Kwame went out to eat on the road and he ordered food just fine. There were stories about how he didn&rsquo;t know how to use dry cleaners. People wrote that he was depressed. Not to mention the pieces about how he was garbage and a bust and shouldn&rsquo;t be in the NBA. They used words like "worthless" and a "waste." None of that was true or accurate, but that&rsquo;s the narrative that was constantly repeated over and over and over again until everyone just believed it.&nbsp;
When you repeat something a million times, there will be people who believe it and act accordingly. It shifts their opinion. It&rsquo;s like brainwashing. And that&rsquo;s exactly what the media did with Kwame. Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless, in particular, did this and there are many others who joined in (and I&rsquo;m sure Kwame has them on his list). That&rsquo;s why I told any media member who reached out to me that I had zero interest in talking to Kwame on their behalf.
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Media, Former Wizards &amp; NBA Executives: I know you two were friends, you should talk to Kwame Me: And say what ? This is y&rsquo;all problem. Looks like he has a long memory &amp; y&rsquo;all just worried he&rsquo;s comin for y&rsquo;all next. Kwame Brown is a grown man. I&rsquo;mma mind my business on this one
&mdash; Etan Thomas (@etanthomas36) <a href="https://twitter.com/etanthomas36/status/1395501100841807880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2021</a></blockquote>

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That narrative the media created was used in more ways than a lot of people know. For a large part of my NBA career, I was on the executive board for the Players' Union. I was also part of the negotiating team. I was one of the people whom Billy Hunter consistently included when we sat across from David Stern and the NBA Board of Governors to negotiate the collective bargaining agreement. I remember Stern using Kwame Brown and that same narrative that was broadcasted by Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless and others as a justification as to why we needed to create an age-limit rule. They said that teenagers aren&rsquo;t mature enough and that Kwame didn&rsquo;t even know how to order from a restaurant and how much of a &ldquo;disaster&rdquo; it was to have young high-school players thrown into the throes of the NBA. He actually quoted the same narrative Stephen A. and others were constantly repeating, and I heard that with my own ears.&nbsp;
Of course, Stern didn&rsquo;t use the examples of Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O'Neal, Kevin Garnett or LeBron James to show that high-school athletes can successfully make the jump to the NBA. And yes, this position was loaded with hypocrisy. To have no issue with sending an 18-year-old overseas to war but adamantly objecting to them playing in the NBA because they don't have the mental, physical and emotional capacity to handle it is almost laughable. Also, there was no objection for European players turning pro at 13 years old over in Europe (and I never once heard David Stern or anyone else use Darko Milicic&rsquo;s failures to justify why there should be an age limit for Europeans). They welcomed them with open arms. Stern wanted to expand the NBA worldwide so he wouldn&rsquo;t say anything against that expansion, but he had no problem using Kwame Brown as the poster child for the age limit.&nbsp;
People always ask me: If you have such an issue with the media, why did you become a member of the media? The reason is because I want to do things differently. One of the main reasons I created <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rematch-with-etan-thomas/id1536352949" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"The Rematch"</a> was to give athletes a platform to retell their story. I wanted to give each individual an opportunity to reclaim their image from these false narratives created and spread by the media. My hope is that this makes the media as a whole rethink they way they cover athletes in general moving forward.&nbsp;
To all the media who joined in with Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless and others to assassinate the character of Kwame Brown over the last 20 years: Before you say something about him now, you really should think it through -- or the next video he makes might just be about you.

For 20 years, the media spread false narratives about Kwame Brown. His former teammate, Etan Thomas, witnessed this firsthand.

After 20 years of public degradation, Kwame Brown is fed up

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said Tuesday that he isn’t sure who will be attending the June 22 draft lottery when the team finds out where it will pick in July’s draft.
But based on the luck he had in his first season as GM, he joked that he’s hoping it’s not him.
“It’s definitely not me,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas chimed in. “You see our injuries this year?"
After finishing at the bottom of the league’s standings at 17-55 — the third-worst record in team history and worst since the 1982-83 season — Houston has a 14% chance to secure the top pick, same as Detroit and Orlando. 
If Houston’s pick falls outside of the top four — about a 48% chance — Oklahoma City has the right to swap Miami’s No. 18 pick for it.
Stone was noncommittal on his plans for the future, including whether or not Houston may try to package its three first-round picks for an established veteran. 
He was, however, adamant that the team doesn’t plan to intentionally perform poorly to accumulate top draft picks over a prolonged period.
“We’re committed to building something that gives us a championship,” Stone said. “Not trying to package a bunch of picks to barely make the playoffs for a year or two. We’re trying to build something sustainable with something that can be good now and great later.”
In reflecting on their first season in their new roles, Stone and Silas chalked up much of Houston’s woes to bad luck.
It was a turbulent season. In December, weeks before the season started, Houston dealt Russell Westbrook to Washington for John Wall and a first-round pick. 
About six weeks later, amid mounting frustration from disgruntled superstar James Harden, who had been a franchise cornerstone in Houston for nearly a decade, the Rockets traded him to Brooklyn, eventually getting Victor Oladipo and four first-round picks.
In March, Oladipo was flipped to Miami for Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley and a 2022 pick swap.
In the immediate aftermath of the Harden trade, Houston rattled off a six-game winning streak that lifted the team’s record to 10-9 on Feb. 1. 
From there, however, the Rockets managed just seven wins in their last 53 games, a .132 winning percentage.
Despite the struggles, Silas and Stone expressed optimism.
“To have the season that we had, regardless of the wins and losses, and still be super hopeful for the future doesn’t happen very often in this league,” Silas said.
“When you lose as much as we did this season and still feel very good about what we have moving forward, that’s a very good feeling. I’m excited about the group, I’m excited about the organization, and I’m excited about the future.”
Silas and Stone spoke highly of Wall’s first season in Houston. When Wall made his Rockets debut, he hadn’t played in an NBA game for more than two years because of recoveries from knee and Achilles injuries. 
Wall, who turns 31 in September, averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists. Silas said Wall’s nagging injuries over the course of the season were the results of him wanting to play more and be as competitive and aggressive as possible.
“Those are the things that make John super impactful for our team,” Silas said. “Just the amount of pride that I have for him, based on what he did, coming back from that injury, is just immeasurable.”
Versatile big man Christian Wood was also a bright spot in his first season in Houston. After signing a three-year, $41 million deal in the offseason, Wood averaged 21.0 points and 9.6 rebounds and shot 37.4% from 3-point range.
“He plays both ends, he plays inside-out, he’s a walking bucket,” Stone said. “Christian can play. One of the really encouraging things about this year is how well Christian can play.”
The injury issue also hit shooting guard Eric Gordon, who missed the last two months of the season with a groin strain.
One silver lining from the injuries is that Houston saw a lot of its younger core. Kevin Porter Jr. was acquired from Cleveland for a heavily protected second-round pick in January. Porter dazzled at times, including a breakout game in April where he became the youngest in league history to post a 50-point, 10-assist game, days before his 21st birthday. Porter averaged 16.6 points and 6.3 assists in 26 games.
Jae’Sean Tate and Kenyon Martin Jr. also provided reasons for optimism about Houston’s future, Stone said. He highlighted the versatility of each Rockets player and how that flexibility gives him plenty of options heading into the offseason.
“You find the best basketball players you can and make it fit,” Stone said.
___
More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

After finishing at the bottom of the league’s standings at 17-55, Houston has a 14% chance to secure the No. 1 overall pick.

Rockets optimistic about future despite NBA-worst record

Loyola Maryland forward Santi Aldama announced his intentions to enter the NBA Draft while retaining college eligibility.
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&mdash; Santi Aldama (@santialdama) <a href="https://twitter.com/santialdama/status/1382384805560655875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Aldama was one of only two players in NCAA Division I men's basketball to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game this season. The Spanish forward is also the second player in Patriot League history to put up such a stat line.
BasketballNews.com draft analyst Matt Babcock is intrigued by Aldama:
"Santi Aldama is a player that I have kept my eye on. From an evaluation standpoint, he has legitimate size to go along with a high skill level. Considering that he is only testing the waters, I&rsquo;d like to have a larger sample size to evaluate him properly before making any conclusive statements in regards to where he could fit into the 2021 NBA Draft. However, I am certainly looking forward to taking a deeper dive and learning more about Aldama during the pre-draft process."

Aldama averaged 21.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game with the Greyhounds this season.