Markelle Fultz

Florida Notes: Harris, Fultz, Larsson, Ware

March 30th, 2025 at 3:46pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran guard Gary Harris has emerged as a reliable late-game defensive threat for the Magic with several of the team’s regular rotation players ailing, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscriber link).

The 30-year-old has played sparingly with Orlando this season, averaging 2.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game across 41 appearances with the club.

After missing five games as a healthy scratch since the end of February, Harris has been a major defensive leader on the perimeter. He’s averaging a steal per game across his last five contests.

“His defense is something that you probably wouldn’t know unless you looked into it, but he’s one of our best guard defenders,” guard Anthony Black said. “His activity, he picks up the ball full court, gets clutch rebounds and he’s a knockdown shooter… All those things are huge to us, and then he’s just a really good veteran leader. It’s just good for us on the court.”

There’s more out of the Sunshine State:

Former Magic guard Markelle Fultz, who spent five seasons in Orlando, played an emotional first game back against his old team as a member of the Kings in a blowout loss Saturday, Beede writes in another story (subscriber link). “It’s good to talk a little trash, play, go out there and compete, but at the end of the day, it’s love,” Fultz told reporters. “It’s a lifetime relationship that I have with these guys.” He was sidelined for 39 contests last season with left knee injuries and opted to rehab the knee before signing with a new team. “That’s something that was big on my mind going into the summer, just getting healthy and taking my time to do it… That’s the choice I decided to [make] in the beginning of the year and that’s why I took that time off.” Across 17 games since signing with Sacramento last month, Fultz is averaging 3.1 PPG and 1.2 APG in 8.7 MPG.
Rookies Kel’el Ware and Pelle Larsson have been shining for the Heat as of late, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (subscriber link). The frontcourt standouts each enjoyed impressive nights in Miami’s Saturday victory over Philadelphia. Larsson scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds, handed out four dimes, swiped four steals and blocked two shots. Ware logged a 13-point, 14-rebound double-double without missing a shot. Jackson notes that Larsson seems to have replaced second-year forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. as head coach Erik Spoelstra‘s preferred swingman behind Andrew Wiggins. “Pelle is just an ignitable player. He makes things happen – the steals, the deflections, the hard plays,” Spoelstra said. “Those are momentum shifting plays that he has a knack for. He spends so much time in the gym that the rest of his game is getting better — the play-making, shooting, the facilitating.” Jackson opines that Ware needs to get stronger, since he has looked pretty movable in the post against opposing veteran bigs. Still, Spoelstra seems to like where the big man is right now.“I love what he’s doing,” Spoelstra said. “Number one, he’s glass eating. He has such a knack for rebounding over a crowd. He does rebound in traffic, too. There’s a lot of contact down there.”
In case you missed it, former six-time All-Star Heat wing Jimmy Butler, now with Golden State, downplayed his first game against his old team since forcing a trade this year.

Magic Notes: Play-In Tournament, Fultz, Anthony, Isaac

March 29th, 2025 at 9:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

It’s been obvious for a while that the Magic are headed for the play-in tournament, and they officially clinched a spot with Saturday’s lopsided win over Sacramento, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. The 121-91 victory improves Orlando to 36-39 and extends its lead to 8.5 games over 11th-place Toronto.

The Magic got 63 combined points from Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Caleb Houstan and led by as many as 35 points. Coach Jamahl Mosley was happy about his team’s resilience after Thursday’s loss to Dallas.

“They responded the right way to the other night,” he said. “This group did a very good job of holding each other accountable and just continuing to play the right [way], first and foremost defensively.”

Orlando moved percentage points ahead of Atlanta in the battle for seventh place and the chance to host the play-in game for the No. 7 seed.

There’s more on the Magic:

Today’s game marked the return of Kings guard Markelle Fultz, who spent the last five seasons with Orlando, Beede adds. Fultz, who received a video tribute, remained a free agent for most of the season before signing with Sacramento in mid-February. “It’s known how I feel about Markelle, how we feel about Markelle, and what he does, what he means, who he is as a young man, as a husband, as a father,” Mosley told reporters before the game. “… All of those things about Markelle Fultz, I cannot speak more highly of a young man that I’ve ever been around.”
Cole Anthony missed his sixth straight game today with a strained left big toe. He posted “Back soon!!” on social media this week, but he still hasn’t been cleared for contact at practice, Beede states in a separate story. “He’s doing some individual things on the court,” Mosley said. “Just ball-handling, dribbling, light movements, all those little things.”
Jonathan Isaac has seen a sharp cutback in his playing time, averaging just 11 minutes per game since the All-Star break, Beede observes in another piece. The veteran forward, who’s averaging 5.3 PPG and shooting a career-low 26.2% from three-point range, acknowledged that he has to provide more offense to earn increased minutes. “I haven’t played well over the course of the season,” Isaac said. “I haven’t shot it well, haven’t played well overall. I’m not necessarily blaming anybody or mad at anybody but myself. This is where I’m at and I’ll be ready to play when my number’s called, provide energy and try to help this team win games.”

Pacific Notes: Simmons, Bamba, Lakers, Tucker, Suns, Fultz

February 15th, 2025 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

As we detailed on Friday, Ben Simmons‘ debut with the Clippers on Thursday went about as well as it reasonably could have, earning him praise from head coach Tyronn Lue.

Lue wasn’t the only one impressed by the former No. 1 overall pick, who registered 12 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals in his first game for his new team. Simmons’ Clippers teammates spoke after the game about the immediate impact he made on the court, per Law Murray of The Athletic.

“It’s easy to play basketball with smart players,” forward Nicolas Batum said. “That’s why he was the No. 1 pick, that’s why he was an All-Star in the NBA, because he’s a unique player, a very good basketball player. He just needs the right system, the right person to get his confidence back. And I’ve been there. I’ve been in his shoes five years ago. I think he came to the right spot to get it.”

While Batum was never an All-Star like Simmons, his stock was at an all-time low when he joined the Clippers in 2020 due to the perception that he was overpaid on his previous contract, a five-year, $120MM deal with Charlotte. Batum has rebuilt his value in recent years, primarily due to his strong play with the Clippers, and there’s optimism that Simmons can do the same.

“He did everything we asked him to do: Rebound, defend, push the ball in transition, create for others, attack the rim,” center Ivica Zubac said after Thursday’s win over Utah. “When they doubled James (Harden), he was really good flashing in the middle and play-making from there. It was great, man. It was all that we expected and more. I think he played great, and I think he’s going to be huge for us.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

If Alex Len had gone through with his initial plan to join the Pacers rather than pivoting to the Lakers, free agent big man Mohamed Bamba likely would’ve been a top target for Los Angeles, Jake Fischer said on a Bleacher Report live stream on Thursday (YouTube link). “I heard this from multiple sources,” Fischer said. “That if Alex Len did go forward and sign with the Pacers, Mo Bamba would have been very prominently considered by the Lakers to fill a spot in that depleted center rotation.” Bamba remains available in free agency for now.
During that same Bleacher Report live stream, Fischer suggested that the Suns are one team to watch for P.J. Tucker if the veteran forward is bought out by the Raptors, which is expected to happen. Tucker has played in Phoenix before, was coached by Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee, and is a Texas alum like Suns star Kevin Durant. Still, Fischer is skeptical that the 39-year-old Tucker will draw significant interest on the buyout market or play a major role for a playoff team this spring.
Injuries have limited Markelle Fultz‘s availability and slowed his development since he entered the NBA as the No. 1 overall pick in 2017, but the Kings‘ newest addition said this week that his health isn’t a concern right now, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. “This is the best I’ve ever felt since being in the league,” Fultz told Anderson. “I never had the opportunity to take my time and get healthy, so being able to do that last summer has been great for me. I’m super excited for this opportunity and I’m thankful for it.”

Kings Sign Markelle Fultz For Rest Of Season

February 12th, 2025 at 10:48pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

10:48 pm: Sacramento has officially announced the deal in a press statement.

9:52 pm: Free agent guard Markelle Fultz is signing a new contract with the Kings, agent Raymond Brothers of I AM Sports & Entertainment has informed Shams Charania of ESPN.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports (via Twitter) that the deal will keep Fultz in town through the rest of the season. Exact terms have yet to be divulged.

No corresponding roster move will be necessary, since the Kings have a pair of open roster spots after sending out more players than they took back in a series of trade-deadline deals.

After trading away De’Aaron Fox and Jordan McLaughlin to the Spurs as part of a blockbuster three-team deal last week, Sacramento was left with a deficit of point guards. Adding Fultz will allow the club to begin replenishing its depth at that spot. The Kings’ eventual haul was headlined by two-time All-Star wing Zach LaVine and multiple future picks.

Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News tweets that the Timberwolves were also considering adding Fultz this spring. After he reached unrestricted free agency during the 2024 offseason, the 6’4″ vet had been left wanting throughout the 2024/25 season — until now.

Fultz was selected with the No. 1 overall pick out of Washington in 2017. Boston traded down with Philadelphia, swapping the rights to Fultz for the rights to eventual six-time All-Star champion forward Jayson Tatum, the third pick in that draft out of Duke.

As Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 KTXL observes (Twitter link), the 26-year-old has struggled with a variety of maladies throughout his pro career, including a torn left ACL in 2021 and further problems in the same knee last season.

Fultz has only played more than 43 games twice across a seven-year career. Last season with Orlando, he appeared in just 43 contests, starting 18. Across 21.2 minutes for the playoff-bound Magic, he averaged 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals per night.

At 28-26, Sacramento is currently the eighth seed in a crowded Western Conference. The addition of Fultz should add a play-making presence and some defensive help at the point of attack.

Fultz himself reacted to Charania’s announcement, tweeting “God’s Plan.”

Lakers Rumors: LeBron, Valanciunas, Vincent, Reaves, More

December 13th, 2024 at 5:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Speculating about whether LeBron James might change teams one more time is a “fun parlor game,” but little more than that, opines Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Insider link).

As Windhorst explains, despite the Lakers‘ up-and-down play this season and in recent years, James has repeatedly made it clear both publicly and privately that he wants to remain with the team. He had an opportunity to push for a trade at last season’s deadline when the Warriors expressed interest in him, and he could’ve explored a change of scenery over the summer as a free agent. However, he had no interest in either case in leaving the Lakers and that hasn’t changed, according to Windhorst.

“The Lakers or any team who might want to trade for him don’t really have any say in the matter,” one league executive told ESPN. “He’s got a no-trade clause. Unless he goes in and tells (Lakers owner) Jeanie (Buss) he wants to leave, it’s not even a discussion.”

James’ position means the Lakers’ priority on the trade market is upgrading the roster around LeBron and Anthony Davis. As Tim Bontemps observes in that same ESPN story, it may take two separate trades for the club to address the issues with its roster — rival scouts and executives believe Los Angeles would like to add both a point guard and a big man, says Bontemps.

We have more on the Lakers:

The Lakers and Wizards have had preliminary conversations about the possibility of a Jonas Valanciunas trade and league sources expect head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka to ramp up those talks once Valanciunas officially becomes trade-eligible on Sunday, reports Anthony Irwin of Clutch Points. According to Irwin, the expectation is that the Lakers will offer Gabe Vincent and multiple second-round draft picks, perhaps along with one of their minimum-salary players for financial reasons. For what it’s worth, David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic reported on Thursday that the Wizards have been “adamant” that they intend to hang onto their veterans, including Valanciunas, for as long as possible due to their positive influence on the team’s young players.
The Lakers have had internal discussions about the idea of signing free agent point guard Markelle Fultz, according to Irwin, who suggests Fultz could provide backcourt depth in the event that the team trades D’Angelo Russell and/or Vincent. Given L.A.’s current position relative to the second apron, as well as its full 15-man roster, signing Fultz wouldn’t be a practical option until the club has made at least one move on the trade market.
The front office has been unwilling in recent transaction windows to make guard Austin Reaves available in trade talks, and Sam Amick of The Athletic said during an appearance on Buha’s Block with Jovan Buha (YouTube link) that there’s no indication that stance has changed. “They’ve been very reluctant, specifically, to discuss Austin Reaves who I only highlight because he’s a good, young player on a very team-friendly contract that would inspire other teams to play ball, negotiation-wise,” Amick said (hat tip to Bleacher Report). “But that, to my knowledge, is still a non-starter.”
Dave McMenamin of ESPN takes a look at three reasons why the Lakers have lost seven of 10 games since their 10-4 start, including inconsistency and poor play on defense. One Eastern Conference executive told McMenamin that he doesn’t believe the Lakers have the personnel to be a good defensive team, while an Eastern scout said the club badly needs to acquire a good point-of-attack defender who can make three-pointers. “Honestly, they need what everybody wants,” one Western Conference scout told ESPN. “It’s that versatile wing defender that can guard two through four and then can make an open three. Your Mikal Bridges, your OG Anunoby, those type of players. And those guys, either: One, aren’t available; or two, if they are available, they’re not cheap, they’re at a premium. Everybody in the NBA wants guys like that.”

And-Ones: NBA Academies, Free Agents, M. James, More

November 8th, 2024 at 5:14pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA intends to close its Global Academy in Australia and its Latin America Academy in Mexico at the end of their respective seasons, reports Jonathan Givony of ESPN. As Givony explains, the league’s intent is to reallocate more resources to “larger, non-traditional basketball countries” that don’t have strong existing infrastructure.

The league will focus on markets that are “deemed most essential for globalizing the NBA,” according to Givony, who points to China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Korea, and Japan as examples. The plan is to open a new Global Academy hub in a more central country relative to those markets, with Asia or the Middle East viewed as the most probable locations, Givony continues.

“Our goal is to grow the game globally, increase the level of play around the world, and help those who need it most,” the NBA’s head of international basketball operations Troy Justice told ESPN. “We want players from 80 countries to be represented on NBA rosters, not 43, like we have now. There’s so much talent out there. We just need to help support their growth.”

As Givony points out, recent lottery picks like Josh Giddey (Australia), Dyson Daniels (Australia), Bennedict Mathurin (Latin America) developed their skills at the two NBA Academies that are shuttering.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report lists five veteran free agents that he believes could help virtually any NBA team right now. Pincus’ list includes Markelle Fultz, Justin Holiday, Robert Covington, and Bismack Biyombo, along with Lonnie Walker, who technically isn’t a free agent but has an NBA opt-out clause in his deal with Zalgiris Kaunas.
A longtime star in Europe, veteran guard Mike James has only made 49 career NBA appearances with the Suns, Pelicans, and Nets. The AS Monaco standout and reigning EuroLeague MVP said during a recent appearance on SKWEEK’s Best In Class podcast (hat tip to BasketNews.com) that he thinks NBA teams view him as “a risk” due to his success overseas. “Every time I talk with them – not me personally but my representatives – they kind of feel like, ‘Yeah, but if it doesn’t go well for you, you just get mad and leave and go back to Europe,'” James said. “Everybody just kind of thinks that if I’m not playing as much as I want, I’m going. Everybody kind of considers me like I’ve outgrown the role that they want to put me in, but they need to put me in that role for me to get a bigger role. So, it’s like a give-and-take at some point.”
In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Jeremy Woo takes a look at some of the early-season standouts among first- and second-year NBA players, highlighting the breakout potential being shown by Raptors guard Gradey Dick and Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly and identifying Grizzlies second-rounder Jaylen Wells as one of the most impressive 2024 draftees so far.

Southwest Notes: Mavericks, Jenkins, Barnes, Fultz

October 12th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Injuries have hampered the Mavericks as they try to get ready for the upcoming season, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. The most pressing absence is Luka Doncic, who has been sidelined by a left calf contusion he suffered shortly before the start of training camp. He’ll miss another game Monday, but there’s hope he might be ready for Thursday’s preseason finale.

P.J. Washington, who is projected to be the starting power forward, hasn’t played in the preseason either due to tightness in his left hip. Maxi Kleber is dealing with a sprained left ankle, and Dante Exum is expected to be out of action for three months after surgery on his right wrist.

“We have to be prepared for (players not being available) and that’s what we’re looking at right now is who can handle the backup point guard (role) if Spencer (Dinwiddie) has to start,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We’ll look at different lineups here. We have two games left. One in L.A. and one at home, just to see and be prepared if some of the guys who are hurt can’t go on the 24th (for the season opener).”

There were some encouraging signs on Saturday as Washington was able to practice and Doncic participated in a non-contact session, Curtis tweets. Curtis notes that the team went through a similar situation last October when Doncic suffered a calf strain in camp, but was able to return for the start of the season.

“For us, it’s almost normal,” Kidd said. “This was last year’s training camp. We’ve had some injuries. You just deal with it. You gotta teach and coach the guys that we have. You have to be prepared. We have always taken that approach that if guys are hurt, we have to go with the guys that can play … the nice thing is P.J., Luka and Maxi have been in the system so they understand what we’re trying to do, so it shouldn’t take them that long.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

With his star players returning from injuries, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins wants his team to play at a faster pace, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Memphis tended to slow games down last season with Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. all missing significant time. “It’s going to be a matter of how we convert, whether it’s stops, rebounds, turnovers, even after made baskets,” Jenkins said. “Our ability to get the ball up the floor quicker — last year, we were trying to get into more of a positionless style of offense. We’re still going to lean into that, but there are things we’ve been tracking and practicing (with) the switch from defense to offense. Pace is a numerical thing, but it’s really a mentality thing.”
Harrison Barnes‘ high basketball IQ makes him a natural fit for the Spurs‘ starting lineup, Iko adds in the same piece. Throughout his career, Barnes has been a play-maker and low-maintenance glue guy who fits well around star players like Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul.
Free agent Markelle Fultz seems like a good option as a backup guard for the Grizzlies, especially if Morant, Bane and Marcus Smart are all going to be starters, Iko tweets. Iko contends that Fultz would be ready to handle minutes right away, while Yuki Kawamura and Scotty Pippen Jr. need time to learn.

Southwest Notes: Zion, Wembanyama, Grizzlies, Griffin

September 30th, 2024 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Zion Williamson was headed toward the defining moment of his NBA career in April before another injury knocked him out of action, writes William Guillory of The Athletic. The Pelicans star had just scored his 40th point to complete an 18-point comeback and tie the Lakers late in their play-in game when he felt a jolt of pain in his left hamstring. Williamson’s season was over, and although New Orleans still made the playoffs, its first-round series ended with a four-game sweep.

Feeling he had failed the team and the city, Williamson embarked on an intense early-morning workout schedule for the offseason, according to Guillory. Since July, in a small gym near Dallas, he has embraced his motivation to become one of the game’s elite players. He and the organization are finally on the same page after years of reported division, Guillory adds.

“I want to be one of them ones. I’ve been talking about it and I’ve been making mistakes (along the way),” Williamson said. “That stuff can’t happen. It’s time to take every game personal.”

Another sign of Williamson’s commitment was his decision to take part in the team’s voluntary August workouts in California for the first time in his career. He hoped to create a stronger bond with his teammates while improving his game in the process.

“(I want to) learn from (Brandon Ingram). Learn from CJ (McCollum). Learn from guys who have been in the league longer than me. Paying attention to their professionalism,” Williamson said. “Not even being a good teammate, just being a good brother. So when you get on the court, your teammates believe in you. They trust your work, and they trust that you’ve got them.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Victor Wembanyama‘s progress after an offseason that included playing in the gold medal game at the Olympics will be the focus as the Spurs prepare to open camp, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “He’s bound to make a jump,” Julian Champagnie said. “He’s going to get stronger. He’s going to get better. He’s going to learn the game a little bit more. He’s only 20. I’m excited to see where he goes these next couple of years.” McDonald examines a few other pre-camp storylines, including the additions of veterans Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes, potential rotation changes with Devin Vassell still recovering from surgery and expectations for lottery pick Stephon Castle.
Finding an experienced backup point guard should be a priority for the Grizzlies following the retirement of Derrick Rose, Damichael Cole and Jonah Dylan of The Commercial Appeal state in a training camp preview. Cole mentions unsigned free agents Markelle Fultz and Dennis Smith Jr. as possibilities.
Former Rockets forward AJ Griffin confirmed that his sudden retirement from the NBA was a spiritual decision, BasketNews relays. “I feel like letting go of basketball is allowing me to go into full-time ministry and truly serve the Lord with all my heart, with all my time too, as well,” Griffin said in a video on his YouTube channel. “I’m just excited where that leads me.”

Poll: Will Markelle Fultz Open 2024/25 On An NBA Team?

September 19th, 2024 at 2:35pm CST by Rory Maher

A year ago, things were looking up for Markelle Fultz. In 2022/23, the former No. 1 overall pick posted career highs in several categories with the Magic, including points (14.0), rebounds (3.9), assists (5.7), steals (1.5) and minutes per game (29.6) while shooting a career-best 51.4% from the field in 60 regular season contests, all starts.

Sure, there were still holes in his game. He rarely attempted long-range shots, converting just 31.0% of his 1.5 three-point attempts per game — and that represented the most accurate mark of his career. While he had a good deal of success on mid-range looks, having a guard who can’t space the floor isn’t ideal for a team’s offense.

2023/24 was a big season for Fultz, as he was set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason. But instead of building on his success, he was once again plagued by injuries and inconsistent play.

Fultz only appeared in 43 games last season, making 18 starts (21.2 MPG). He averaged 7.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.8 APG and 1.0 SPG, shooting 47.2% from the field but only attempting 18 threes all season (he made four, or 22.2%). He played pretty well in Orlando’s first-round playoff loss to Cleveland, but his minutes were cut back even further (15.0 MPG).

With training camps set to open in the next couple weeks, Fultz is the best player available on the open market, according to our list of 2024’s top 50 free agents. He came in at No. 43 when the list was published in June and is the only player in the top 50 still looking for a new team.

When healthy, Fultz brings plus size and athleticism for a lead guard, and he’s a crafty ball-handler, play-maker and finisher, on top of being a solid defender. He’s also only 26 years old.

Fultz has made 87MM+ over the course of his seven NBA seasons, but at this point in the offseason, he’ll probably only get non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract offers, similar to those signed by veterans like Landry Shamet, Marcus Morris, Lonnie Walker, Tristan Thompson and Talen Horton-Tucker. The fact that Fultz has only played 234 regular season games in seven seasons doesn’t help his cause.

The Magic renounced their free agent rights to Fultz when they used cap room to sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope this summer. Orlando could technically still re-sign Fultz, but with Caldwell-Pope, Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Anthony Black, Gary Harris and Cory Joseph already on the roster, the team’s backcourt looks pretty full. And the Magic already have 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts, making a reunion unlikely.

I’d be surprised if Fultz doesn’t play in the NBA at all in ’24/25. But there aren’t many roster openings around the league, and the season begins in just over a month. If he receives — and accepts — a training camp invite, will he make a team’s regular season roster?

That leads us to today’s poll: Will Fultz open the 2024/25 season on an NBA team? If you believe he’ll be on a roster, head to the comments section and let us know which team it will be.

And-Ones: Toscano-Anderson, 2024 Draft Class, Durant, FAs

August 13th, 2024 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran swingman Juan Toscano-Anderson, who appeared in 11 games with Sacramento last season and spent much of the year playing for the Mexico City Capitanes, will be part of the G League United roster that plays a pair of exhibition games against Mega Basket in September (Twitter link).

In past years, the G League Ignite participated in those exhibition contests against international clubs — the most notable games occurred in 2022 when Scoot Henderson and the Ignite matched up against Victor Wembanyama and Metropolitans 92. However, with the Ignite no longer active, the NBAGL will put together an All-Star team of sorts for this year’s event.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Asked during an appearance on Podcast P with Paul George about No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher and the rest of the prospects selected near the top of his year’s draft, Hawks guard Trae Young suggested that there may not be any franchise players in the 2024 class. “Some guys might surprise us, but a lot of us look at them as role players,” Young said (hat tip to Clutch Points). “… Whether it’s Reed (Sheppard), who is going to be a hell of an NBA player or Alex (Sarr), who didn’t play well in Summer League, but is going to be a hell of an NBA player, a lot of these guys could be just role players, so I feel like the GMs this year were all probably just trying to figure out who is going to be the best role player for their team.”
Suns star Kevin Durant has become a minority stakeholder in the French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain, according to an announcement from his investment firm Boardroom (Twitter link). Sources with knowledge of the deal tell Peter Rutzler and Shams Charania of The Athletic that Durant and Boardroom bought a “single digit millions” shareholding in the club. Durant visited with the team while he was in France for the Olympics.
Who are the top free agents still available? Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report considers that question, ranking Cavaliers restricted free agent Isaac Okoro atop his list, followed by Markelle Fultz, Lonnie Walker, Cedi Osman, and Justin Holiday. Okoro, Fultz, and Osman are the only players from our June list of this summer’s top 50 free agents who are still seeking new deals.

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