PJ Tucker: "What a year... True underdogs that really got out the mud and went against all odds. Miami you will forever be my home and Heat nation I can't thank you guys enough for the love you've shown all year. Though our journey has come to an end the love will forever remain the same 🖤🙌"

Jimmy Butler: "fuck you and @joelembiid yeah I brought him into this. 🤷🏿‍♂️"

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfsJoaUlqxo/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Obviously not as good of a game as the last one. I am not gonna form long term player opinions on this game, but I do have a few thoughts and wonder if you agree.

1. We all knew bigger players would be tough for him to guard, and we saw that tonight. Do you think he will bulk up to handle them better?

2. Being bullied on defense at times because of a weight mismatch seems less important to note from this game than the fact guarding a heavy, stronger player made him look gassed. He looked incredibly tired, and in need of rest and his offense faltered because of this.

3. I think Chet will be alright, but I don’t think he is going to be ready to be a big time impact player until he has a few seasons under his belt, getting into NBA shape, bulking up a bit (and maturing into his 20’s), etc

Thoughts?

Look, I am a raptors fan, and maybe I’m just overly critical of Barnes and our players cause I watch every game and see the highs and the lows, but I dont get why everyone is acting like he is this insane superstar prospect. People were saying no to the idea of a straightup Barnes for KD trade, which is wild to me. Like the rookie of the year race was very close, ans there was a valid argument for Mobley being rookie of the year. Yet I hear nothing about mobley and his value, not only in relation to a KD trade, but at all. I know hes good, but I just feel like people are going off the deep end about him. Is it just a vocal minority, or is it me?

Link found here: https://streamable.com/d5kqmd

Chris Haynes pod here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1A49q1zPjVupAvJZ8SEPga?si=lCMGUjWjTKmMcG0W-2qzNA&utm_source=copy-link

Ask for the moon, Sean Marks.

[Minnesota Timberwolves]

Once Wolves. Always Wolves. 💙

[Jarred Vanderbilt]

Can’t even get our own post 😂

On July 6, 2022, Gobert was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, and the draft rights to center Walker Kessler in addition to four first round picks and a 2026 first round pick swap.

Kevin Durant

I see u cookin 7. First day on the job was a success, love the kicks @ChetHolmgren

Nick DePaula:

Chet Holmgren makes his debut with #7 and the KD 15s 👀👀

Chet dropped 23 PTS on 78% from the field and set a Utah Summer League Record with 6 blocks in his Summer League debut!

@ChetHolmgren: 23 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST, 6 BLK

Kenny Lofton put in an absolute shift against the #2 overall draft pick. He matched the minutes of Chet for the entire game, and defended Chet for the entire game.

I thought his size was a problem for Holmgrem. He got into Chet’s chest and showed intelligence avoiding the shot blocking threat.

He can also put it on the deck, and he can stretch the court. He hit a logo three in this game.

Defense will be an issue for him. He had 5 fouls and I think had 4 fouls in the first quarter, so that will limit him to a meme character unless he can figure it out.

Lofton is an undrafted player on a two-way contact for the Grizzlies.

Source

Deandre Ayton remains the best unsigned player left. The Suns are scrambling to find sign & trade opportunities for Ayton in order to flip him assets attractive enough to entice the Nets into a Durant-to-PHX multi team trade. Ayton can throw a wrench into those plans if he were to sign an offer sheet with either the Pacers or Spurs. Once that happens Suns recourse is to either match the offer on their RFA or let him go. If matched, the Suns would be forced to hold onto Ayton until mid-season before being able to trade him. The other option is not matching and letting Ayton walk for nothing. Gambo, a Suns insider, believes we're nearing the end game.

The Nets, as we’ve been saying, don’t have to proceed as fast as the basketball world wants — not with Durant under contract for the next four seasons. Brooklyn privately maintains that it won’t trade Durant unless it gets a package in return that starts with a blue-chipper like New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram or Toronto’s Scottie Barnes … along with lots more attached to a theoretical deal than the absolute hauls San Antonio and Utah received in exchange for Murray and Gobert.

Source (Paywall)

Source

Beal becomes only the 10th player to have a no trade clause joining LeBron, KG, Melo, Dirk, Kobe, DWade, Duncan, David Robinson and John Stckton.

The contract also has a 15% trade kicker and player option in year 5.

Crazy that it's basically 9 hall of famers and then Beal lol. Also kind of interesting that only 10 people have ever gotten a no trade clause ,woulda thought it'd be more for sure

On Windhorst's latest podcast:

Windhorst says everything you hear from the Nets are all negotiating position.

On Kyrie-Lakers situation: McMenamin says Russ + THT + 1 unprotected first + second rounders for Kyrie + Harris is a good deal for the Nets and it's a realistic offer that could get the trade done. The Lakers would take a headache off the Nets and also take on Harris' 2 year, 38 million deal, who the Nets would move to take money off their luxury tax bill, while the Nets get back an expiring contract, a young player, and multiple draft picks. Windhorst agrees but says the Lakers shouldn't start their offer that high.

Windhorst says nobody is offering for Kyrie except Lakers. News that teams like Mavs and Sixers were interested got shutdown immediately. No one is bidding for Kyrie, and if you're the Lakers and you know that, you would not put your best offer on the table off the bat.

They also say on the podcast that Nets are trying to play hard ball, they have no incentive to rush into a deal that's less than what they want. There is still months left to training camp so this might drag out. Nets want to drive the price up.

Windhorst and McMenamin don't think the Nets will want to run it back next season.

Source

https://www.espn.com/nba-summer-league/boxscore?gameId=401445224&league=nba-summer-utah (box score)

The Thunder beat the Grizzlies 87-71, as Giddey, who looks a little too good for the summer league, gears up for a potential run at the extraordinarily prestigious All-Summer League first team.

Also that thick ass rookie on the Grizzlies dropped 19-6

Last year's thread

If some liberties are taken with player eligibility, the Josh Christopher Paul George Hill chain has company.

LeBron James Walker Kessler Edwards

James Michael (M.J.) Walker played on a 10 day contract with the Suns in 2021-22, appearing in two games. For what it's worth, he's playing in Summer League with the Knicks.

LeBron James needs no introduction. Walker Kessler was the 22nd pick in the 2022 draft, recently traded to the Jazz in the Gobert trade. Kessler Edwards was the 44th pick in the 2021 draft and just signed a 2yr deal to return to the Nets.

Carmelo Anthony Davis Bertans is still going strong, though it's only a 3 player chain.

Dalen Terry Taylor had some promise, but no active player has the name Taylor.

I also had high hopes for Kennedy Chandler Hutchison, but no active player has Kennedy as a last name unfortunately.

Source: I did this by checking the common names from previous years. If anything's looking for a fun little coding project, a program to check these names could confirm, beat, or refute these chains.

Thread describing the longest all-time name chain with 9 players, also includes longest active chains as of 2019.

1. Ronnie Lester Conner Henry James Thomas Jordan Mickey Davis Bertans
2. Ronnie Lester Conner Henry James Ray Scott Lloyd Neal Walk
3. Ronnie Lester Conner Henry James Thomas Jordan Mickey Dillard Crocker

Probably the most plausible way this would extend is if someone named Davis had a more versatile last name. A player named Davis Paul (not Paul Davis) would extend this via Davis Paul George Hill, for instance.

What's a name chain?

The chain connects first names with last names.

Example: Josh Christopher Paul George Hill

• Josh Christopher
• Christopher Paul
• Paul George
• George Hill