Giannis Antetokounmpo Rumors: Bucks, Heat, Wolves, Lakers
Although they entertained trade offers for the superstar forward, the Bucks ultimately decided to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo past Thursday’s deadline, pushing a decision on his future into the offseason.
The two-time MVP made an interesting social media post on Thursday afternoon (Twitter link). He wrote, “Legends don’t chase. They attract ” alongside a video clip from “The Wolf of Wall Street” in which Leonardo DiCaprio’s character repeatedly says, “I’m not leaving,” among other obscenities.
Sources close to Antetokounmpo reiterated to Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime (Twitter video link) that the 31-year-old “never requested a trade.”
“Obviously (Antetokounmpo) has been applying pressure over the last couple of years in hopes that the Bucks would turn this roster into a championship (contender),” Haynes said. “He wants to contend for a title for years and years in his prime.
“But right now he’s happy. I was told that he’s committed and focused on getting back healthy from that calf injury. He’s progressing really well, to the point where he might even play in the All-Star game on February 15.”
Here are some more Giannis-related rumors:
- A source tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald that the Heat were informed “very late” Wednesday night that Milwaukee would likely be retaining Antetokounmpo beyond the deadline (Twitter links). According to Jackson, Milwaukee considered the Heat’s offer and Miami was willing to “do what it took” to acquire the nine-time All-NBA member, but the Bucks preferred to wait and see what types of packages they could get in the summer. While the Warriors reportedly got the impression earlier this week the Bucks didn’t plan to trade Giannis, that was not was not how the Heat viewed the situation until late Wednesday, Jackson adds.
- One team that was in pursuit of Giannis told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN that Milwaukee never gave a threshold it wanted met in a deal, leaving the unnamed club skeptical that the Bucks ever intended to trade Giannis this week (Twitter video link).
- Antetokounmpo recently made it known he was interested in teaming up with Anthony Edwards on the Timberwolves, team and league sources tell Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. According to Krawczynski, the Wolves canvassed the league to see what they could get for multiple key rotation players, but talks with the Bucks never reached an advanced stage. Krawczysnki hears that while new owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez were intrigued by the possibility of a Giannis trade, they also weren’t convinced that dealing away Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Joan Beringer would have been a “prudent” decision, given Antetokounmpo’s age and injury history.
- The Lakers intend to make a “hard push” for Antetokounmpo in the summer, sources tell Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. The Lakers will have three first-round picks to trade in the offseason, as opposed to the one they had access to prior to the deadline. Turner hears New York and Miami are Giannis’ preferred landing spots, but the 13-year veteran hasn’t ruled out the Lakers as a possibility.
Bulls Trade Ayo Dosunmu To Timberwolves
The Bulls have officially traded guard Ayo Dosunmu to the Timberwolves, the Wolves and Bulls have confirmed in a pair of press releases.
Third-year forward Julian Phillips heads to Minnesota in the deal along with Dosunmu, with the Bulls acquiring 2024 first-round pick Rob Dillingham, third-year forward Leonard Miller, and four second-round picks.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) first reported that the two teams were finalizing a deal involving Dosunmu, while ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter links) confirmed that an agreement was in place and provided the full details.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the four second-rounders are as follows:
- Either the Nuggets’ or Warriors’ 2026 pick (whichever is least favorable).
- The Cavaliers’ 2027 pick.
- Either the Timberwolves’ or Warriors’ 2031 pick (whichever is most favorable).
- Either the Suns’ or Rockets’ 2032 pick (whichever is most favorable).
The Timberwolves have been on the lookout for a way to upgrade their backcourt for much of the season. Veteran Mike Conley, the starting point guard for most of last season, saw his production fall off significantly, while youngsters like Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. didn’t take the sort of steps forward the team hoped they would. That resulted in Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo taking on more ball-handling responsibilities.
Although Dosunmu isn’t a true point guard, he’ll give Minnesota another player capable of handling the ball, initiating the offense, and making outside shots. The Chicago native is in the midst of a career year, with averages of 15.0 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game and an excellent shooting line of .514/.451/.857 through 45 outings (10 starts).
It’s a disappointing end to Dillingham’s tenure with the Wolves — the club gave up an unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap in order to draft him eighth overall in 2024, but he didn’t develop into a reliable rotation player, averaging just 4.0 PPG and 1.9 APG on .398/.346/.657 shooting in 84 regular season appearances (10.0 MPG).
While Dillingham may benefit from a change of scenery, Dosunmu could become a fixture in Minnesota’s backcourt if the team can find a way to lock him up beyond this season. The 26-year-old is on an expiring $7.5MM contract and is eligible until June 30 for an extension worth up to about $52.4MM over three years. If he and the Wolves don’t reach an agreement by then, he’ll reach unrestricted free agency, with Minnesota holding his Bird rights.
It’s worth noting that this move shouldn’t take the Wolves out of the running for Giannis Antetokounmpo, their top trade target, but there’s widespread skepticism that the Bucks star will be moved before the deadline.
As for the Bulls, besides taking a shot on Dillingham, they continue to add to their collection of future draft assets. They’ve now completed or agreed to six separate trades this week and have acquired nine second-rounders in those deals, increasing their total count to 14, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Although Dosunmu and Coby White are headed to new NBA homes, Chicago still has a backcourt logjam. Josh Giddey and Tre Jones remain on the roster, with newcomers Jaden Ivey, Collin Sexton, Anfernee Simons, and now Dillingham joining the mix. Still, an unbalanced roster may not be an issue for the Bulls in the short term, given that they appear to be focused on building for the future rather than maximizing their playoff chances this season.
According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link), the Bulls expressed interest in rookie big man Joan Beringer during their conversations with the Wolves, but Minnesota is high on the 19-year-old Frenchman and was unwilling to include him in its offer for Dosunmu.
Chicago will cut into its projected 2026 cap room a little as a result of this deal. While Miller has a $2.4MM team option for 2026/27, Dillingham’s $6.9MM salary is fully guaranteed. The Bulls will have until October 31 to decide whether or not to exercise Dillingham’s $8.8MM team option for the ’27/28 season.
Timberwolves Notes: Deadline, Hyland, Beringer, Edwards
The Timberwolves had an uneven start to the season, but they hold the NBA’s best record (17-6) since Thanksgiving and they made an emphatic case for the front office to have a quiet trade deadline in Tuesday’s blowout victory in Milwaukee, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
Playing without Rudy Gobert (suspension) and Anthony Edwards (foot), the Wolves annihilated the Bucks, cruising to a 33-point victory that “felt like a statement” to the world — and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly — that the current roster may not need any upgrades ahead of February 5, Krawczynski writes.
“We don’t need anything,” one player told The Athletic after the game. “We’re a really, really good team.”
According to Krawczynski, Minnesota’s front office has been evaluating trade options for “weeks.” Team sources tell The Athletic the Wolves are unlikely to pursue high-priced point guards like Ja Morant or LaMelo Ball because they want to stay under the second tax apron and don’t want to gut their depth.
Krawczynski suggests a more likely move may be to add a reserve wing or guard who can help alleviate some of the pressure Edwards faces at the end of games.
Here’s more on the Wolves:
- Two players who made a significant impact on Tuesday were fifth-year guard Bones Hyland and center Joan Beringer, Krawcznski notes. Hyland, who finished with 23 points, five assists and a remarkable plus-41 in 21 minutes, has emerged as reliable bench option over the past several weeks, while rookie Beringer was playing his first meaningful minutes of the season — he had 12 points, five rebounds and was plus-30 in 30 minutes. Head coach Chris Finch suggested it’s possible Beringer could have a rotation role going forward. “We can. People are going to have to sacrifice minutes, but if he plays like this, then we should be benefiting from everybody,” Finch said. “We will step-by-step this. Since draft night, we’ve long believed in this kid. This is just the beginning.”
- In an interview with Spencer Davis of R.org, former first-round pick Hyland says he has matured since he was drafted 26th overall by Denver in 2021. “I would say the biggest thing is maturity, understanding the business side of basketball, and just understanding the patience of basketball, too,” Hyland said. “I feel like some guys get carried away with losing their mind, losing their mental battle with basketball. I feel like once you beat that, everything comes to be much easier for you on the court. I feel like I beat that, and now, it’s just taking care of the basketball part and just trying to go out there and be the best basketball player I can be for Minnesota.”
- Edwards will miss his second straight game on Friday at Houston due to right foot injury management, the Wolves announced (via Twitter). According to Krawczynski (Twitter links), Finch referred to the star guard as day-to-day on Thursday morning. Krawczynski hears there are no long-term concerns with Edwards’ injury.
Western Notes: Powell, Beringer, Two-Ways, Booker, Suns
Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban shot down a report indicating that big man Dwight Powell will likely retire at the end of this season, tweeting that it’s “not true.”
Powell, 34, no longer plays a significant role in Dallas, but has been with the Mavericks for over a decade and has appeared in 20 of the club’s 25 games so far this season, averaging 10.9 minutes per night.
Powell is on a $4MM expiring contract in 2025/26, so if he does intend to extend his career beyond this season, he’ll need to sign a new deal. In all likelihood, he’ll be a minimum-salary player going forward.
We have more from around the Western Conference:
- The Timberwolves assigned rookie center Joan Beringer to the G League for the first time this season on Tuesday, per the team (Twitter link). Beringer has played limited minutes at the NBA level so far this fall, so he’ll get an opportunity to take on a more significant role for the Iowa Wolves when they face the Motor City Cruise this Friday.
- Two-way contracts recently signed by LJ Cryer (Warriors), Malevy Leons (Warriors), and Tyler Smith (Rockets) are all for two years, Hoops Rumors has learned. That means Golden State and Houston will have the option of retaining those players on their two-way deals through the 2026/27 season. However, it’s somewhat rare for a player to play out a full two-year, two-way contract, as most are either promoted or waived before the deal expires.
- After Suns head coach Jordan Ott indicated over the weekend that Devin Booker has a chance to return to action on Wednesday from his groin injury, the team officially upgraded the star guard to questionable for its NBA Cup showdown with Oklahoma City, tweets Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman.
- ESPN’s Baxter Holmes shares the latest details on the legal battle between Suns owner Mat Ishbia and a pair of minority shareholders, Scott Seldin and Andy Kohlberg. While attorneys for Seldin and Kohlberg are taking aim at Ishbia’s majority control of the franchise, a spokesperson for Ishbia dismissed the claims in the lawsuit as “ridiculous,” according to Holmes. “Unwilling to take responsibility and invest in the team, these guys are resorting to threats and publicity stunts to get Mat to buy them out just so they make more money,” that spokesperson said.
Timberwolves Notes: McDaniels, Edwards, Shannon, Beringer, Conley
Forward Jaden McDaniels scored 27 points as the Timberwolves notched their fifth straight victory on Saturday, a 109-106 win over the Clippers. He is averaging a career-high 16 points per game while shooting 48.5% from three-point distance.
McDaniels has been primarily viewed as a top-notch perimeter defender during his career but now his offensive game is coming along, as Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic details. McDaniels is applying some of the lessons he learned from Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard when they worked out together in the offseason.
“Just not letting the defense speed you up, play at your pace at all times,” McDaniels said. “And that’s something I took from him and just staying at your own pace. I don’t want to give out too much because, you know.”
His teammates are appreciative of his all-around contributions.
“What he’s bringing to us is huge,” guard Donte DiVincenzo said. “Throughout the game, sometimes we’re all looking for a spark and he delivers. Sometimes we’re looking to put our foot on the neck and he delivers. And sometimes we’re looking for just some steadiness throughout the game. He’s been doing everything we’ve asked him to do and what’s expected of him.”
We have more on the Timberwolves:
- Star guard Anthony Edwards and Terrence Shannon Jr. are listed as questionable to play against the Suns on Monday due to illness, Krawczynski tweets. Neither player attending the team’s shootaround this morning.
- Adjusting to the NBA game is just one of the things first-round pick Joan Beringer is learning this season. The French-born center is also trying to get comfortable with the English language while taking driving lessons. The Star Tribune’s Chris Hine talked to Beringer and some of the team’s coaching staff about the challenges the 19-year-old rookie has faced. Beringer has appeared in nine games off the bench.
- Veteran point guard Mike Conley has been coming off the bench for Minnesota this season, but he has been on the floor during crunch time in four of the past five games that were within five points in the last five minutes, John Schuhmann of NBA.com notes. Conley made two free throws to tie Saturday’s game with the Clippers in the final minute, then set up Naz Reid’s game-winning three-pointer by attacking a close-out and getting into the paint.
Northwest Notes: Murray, Strawther, Thunder, Kessler, Beringer
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray exited Monday’s game vs. Dallas due to a right ankle sprain, but it doesn’t sound as if the injury will require an extended absence. In fact, it may not cost Murray any games at all, as he has been listed as questionable to play on Wednesday in Indiana, tweets Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette.
While the update on Murray is good news for the Nuggets, the team is still down multiple starters (Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon), and is also missing reserve wing Julian Strawther, who could have been in line for an increased role if he were healthy. As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes (subscription required), Strawther will miss a ninth consecutive game on Wednesday due to a back injury, and it doesn’t sound as if he’s all that close to returning.
“He’s been doing minimal movement stuff,” head coach David Adelman said on Monday. “He was on the exercise machines today. I think it’s just a process of the (treatment) working and then seeing where it leads to, just through activity. (But) not basketball activity or physicality. So at this moment, I really don’t have any update on him, other than it was good to see him moving around.”
According to Adelman, there wasn’t a specific play on the court that caused Strawther’s injury.
“It wasn’t in-game. It was an off day after a game,” Adelman explained. “He just woke up with pain, and then it got considerably worse, to the point where anybody that’s had back issues — I have — it sucks. Like, you can’t do anything. No mobility. So we’re just trying to work our way through it.”
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Do the 21-1 Thunder have a legitimate chance to set a new NBA record by winning 74 games in 2025/26? Exploring that question, Sam Amick of The Athletic takes a look at how this year’s Thunder compare to the 73-win Warriors and notes that at least one member of that 2015/16 team believes Oklahoma City could break Golden State’s record. “I do think they’re capable,” Warriors forward Draymond Green told Amick on Tuesday. “You just need so many things to go right, though — from health, (although) they kind of plow right through health (issues), so it don’t matter, it seems. You need a lot of breaks to go your way, but they’re on the right track. I think 73 wins took some years off my life. But like I said, they’re capable of a lot.”
- In a feature story for ESPN.com, Anthony Slater does a deep dive on one key contributor to the Thunder‘s success, exploring Chet Holmgren‘s lengthy recovery from a fractured pelvis last season and outlining why the center and his teammates believe Holmgren will keep getting better.
- Jazz center Walker Kessler has remained “very engaged” while he recovers from a season-ending shoulder injury, taking part in practices and film sessions, head coach Will Hardy said this week, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Kessler isn’t traveling with the team on road trips, but that will likely happen eventually. “We’ll address the travel part a little bit further into his rehab,” Hardy said. “… I want Walker around the team. Rehab can be very isolating, and I don’t think that’s good for Walker. But that’ll be a little bit further down the road as his rehab gets more established.”
- Timberwolves rookie Joan Beringer hasn’t gotten a chance to play much this fall, but a Western Conference scout tells Grant Afseth of RG.org, “People in that building rave about how willing he is to learn.” For his part, Beringer says he’s focused on making a defensive impact and not trying to do too much in the instances when he gets a little playing time. “If I play five, six, seven minutes, I try to be good in my role, and the coach pushes me in this way,” the 19-year-old big man said.
Wolves Notes: Randle, Reid, McDaniels, Beringer
The Timberwolves were missing starting forward Jaden McDaniels on Wednesday, and Anthony Edwards‘ shooting slump continued — he made just 6-of-20 shots from the floor, including 1-of-8 three-pointers, and has now shot just 10% (3-of-30) from beyond the arc over his past four games.
Still, as Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes, the Wolves built a 27-point lead against the lowly Wizards behind big-time production from forwards Julius Randle and Naz Reid, who signed lucrative new multiyear contracts with the team in free agency over the offseason. The duo combined for 60 points and 15 rebounds, though Minnesota’s lead dropped all the way to five points in the fourth quarter before the club put the game away.
“We got lucky, to be honest,” Randle said after the victory. “Really our edge and our activity and our aggressiveness — all that stuff, we kind of just left it in here at halftime. We’ve got to be better and more mature than that.”
Reid agreed with that assessment, responding, “Yes and no” when he was asked if he was happy with the win.
“Not like that,” Reid said. “It’s still an NBA team. Obviously, I don’t want to just roll over them. But we still got to hold ourselves to a higher standard. We know better than to put ourselves in that situation.”
Here’s more on the Wolves:
- Reid, whose five-year, $125MM deal was the most lucrative contract signed by any free agent this year, got off to a slow start, with averages of 10.8 PPG and 5.0 RPG on .421/.321/.647 shooting through his first 11 games. But he’s rounding into form (20.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG, .552/.483/.750 shooting in his past four games) and is showing why the Timberwolves value him so highly, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “He’s a starter coming off the bench for us. He’s one of the best bigs in the league,” teammate Donte DiVincenzo said. “The way he can space the floor, the way he can handle the ball, it gives us such a unique wrinkle to what we can do. We can play him with so many different guys.”
- McDaniels, who has a sprained left wrist, missed his first game in nearly two years on Wednesday, snapping a streak of 157 consecutive regular season appearances. There’s no “firm read” yet on the severity of that injury, tweets Krawczynski. Head coach Chris Finch told reporters that imaging on the injury came back relatively clean and that the team will be monitoring McDaniels to see how his wrist responds to treatment in the next few days.
- Timberwolves rookie big man Joan Beringer, who just turned 19 last Tuesday, has only seen garbage-time action in the NBA so far, logging 37 total minutes across nine appearances. According to Finch, the plan is to assign Beringer to the G League at some point in the near future so that he can get some run with the Iowa Wolves (Twitter link via Hine).
Timberwolves Notes: Hyland, Dillingham, Gobert, Beringer, Zikarsky
Bones Hyland led the Timberwolves in scoring as they opened the preseason Saturday with a win over Denver and he could be making a strong case for regular playing time, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Hyland finished with 18 points, three assists and one turnover in 22 minutes, building on a strong performance during training camp.
Hyland is currently third on the depth chart at point guard behind Mike Conley and Rob Dillingham, according to Krawczynski, who notes that Minnesota has a lot invested in Dillingham after trading up to select him with the eighth pick in the 2024 draft. He saw limited playing time as a rookie, appearing in 49 games and averaging 4.5 points and 2.0 assists in 10.5 minutes per night.
Hyland re-signed with the Wolves in September after joining the team in late February on a two-way contract. He formed a bond with Dillingham last season and has been supportive of his younger teammate.
“He kind of reminds me of myself,” Hyland said. “We’re both shifty. We’re both slim-framed. We both have heart. … He really is like a little brother to me.”
There’s more from Minnesota:
- Rudy Gobert looked sharp in the preseason opener and said he feels good after skipping international basketball this summer, Krawczynski adds. After playing in the 2024 Olympics, Gobert bypassed an opportunity to represent France at EuroBasket. “As much as I love it, I had to make the decision this summer to focus on recharging the batteries,” he said. “It also allows me to work differently — work on my body, get stronger. As a competitor, it’s never easy. But you’ve also got to be smart about thinking about what’s best for your body and your mind.”
- First-round pick Joan Beringer had an impressive debut with 14 points and four rebounds in nearly 24 minutes. On the downside, Krawczynski notes that he committed five fouls and was often overpowered by Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas. “He’s so strong,” Beringer said of Valanciunas. “I couldn’t move him.”
- Second-round pick Rocco Zikarsky also had an intriguing game with eight points and nine rebounds in 13 minutes, Krawczynski observes. The 7’3″ Australian center is on a two-way contract and is expected to spend most of the season in the G League.
- The Wolves wrapped up a calm training camp, and the drama-free approach could be a positive sign for the regular season, suggests Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.
Wolves Notes: Randle, Beringer, DiVincenzo, Identity
The Timberwolves‘ decision last summer to trade Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo ended up being a rare win-win deal, The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski writes in a mailbag article.
Randle not only turned in a very positive second half to the season and first-round series against the Lakers, but thanks to his (relatively) smaller cap hit, he allowed the team to prioritize building its depth in a way it wouldn’t have with Towns’ salary, which was worth $5MM more than Randle and DiVincenzo combined last season.
This flexibility was used this offseason to get under the second apron without having to part with key players like Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, or recently extended Naz Reid. Doing so with Towns in the fold would have been nearly impossible, and would have forced the Wolves into even harder choices than they already had to make when it came to retaining their players.
We have more from the Wolves:
- Another important pickup from the trade with the Knicks was the Pistons’ lottery-protected pick, which ended up conveying and becoming Joan Beringer, thanks to Detroit exceeding expectations. Krawczynski writes that while it’s likely that Beringer plays some minutes for the G League affiliate in Iowa early in the year, the team has made clear it expects him to spend much of this season with the main club as a depth piece behind Gobert, Randle and Reid.
- While DiVincenzo’s debut season in Minnesota was inconsistent, Krawczynski notes that there were positive moments, especially during a small stretch when he was asked to play point guard for the team. DiVincenzo averaged 17.5 points per game and shot 42% on three-pointers in a six-game run where the Wolves went 4-2. Given Mike Conley‘s age, Krawczynski says it’s entirely possible DiVincenzo gets a crack at the fifth starter spot. The Wolves also have sophomore point guard Rob Dillingham waiting in the wings, but it’s unclear if the 20-year-old is ready to take that leap on a team with title aspirations.
- The Wolves have managed to walk the tightrope of being back-to-back Western Conference Finalists while also building a strong core for the future, led by Anthony Edwards and also including Reid, Jaden McDaniels, Beringer, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Dillingham, each of whom is 26 or younger. Given the team’s flexible outlook and recent track record of success, Krawczynski has deemed this the Golden Age of Timberwolves basketball. While there are still decisions for new owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore to figure out moving forward, they have a strong foundation to ensure the team is competitive for years to come.
Summer League Notes: Rookie Standouts, Maluach, Fears
The 2025 Summer League gave fans and teams first impressions of most of this year’s incoming rookies, as well as serving as a showcase for several sophomores and younger veterans. In the wake of the event, Law Murray of the Athletic breaks down each rookie’s performance with an eye for what it could mean for the coming season.
Cooper Flagg (Mavericks), Dylan Harper (Spurs), and VJ Edgecombe (Sixers) were arguably the biggest names who participated in the Summer Leagues – headlined by the Las Vegas event – and despite some shooting efficiency concerns, all three gave their fans plenty of reason for excitement.
Flagg displayed a well-rounded on-ball skill set, Harper came up clutch in his last game to force overtime, and Edgecombe lived at the free throw line while displaying some advanced ball-screen offensive game, Murray observes.
The next three picks in the draft, Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Ace Bailey (Jazz), and Tre Johnson (Wizards), all showed off their shot-making capabilities, which will likely be what earns them regular playing time as rookies. Knueppel was rewarded for his play with the only All-Summer League Second Team selection among rookies, while Nique Clifford (Kings) was the lone rookie to make the First Team, thanks to his stellar all-around play.
Other rookies, such as Collin Murray-Boyles (Raptors), Carter Bryant (Spurs), Joan Beringer (Timberwolves), and Brooks Barnhizer (Thunder) flashed tantalizing defensive capabilities, though Murray-Boyles and Bryant were inconsistent offensively, Murray notes.
Here are a few more leftover Summer League notes:
- John Hollinger of the Athletic takes a look at some of the low points of Summer League, including the worst ejection of the tournament, awarded to the Celtics‘ Jordan Walsh for not only having an excessive foul on the Heat’s Pelle Larsson, but for accidentally throwing him into Walsh’s own front office executives courtside.
- In terms of players who struggled, Hollinger mentions Khaman Maluach (Suns), who had difficulty catching lobs and other passes, Jeremiah Fears (Pelicans), who was unable to spearhead an offense and create for others, and the limitations of the four Nets rookies who suited up, among others.
- On the non-player side, Hollinger points to an abundance of turnovers caused by stepping out of bounds, as well as the prevalence of split-screen interviews that made following the games an exercise in patience and eagle-eyed vision.