NBA Editorials Articles - Page 268

Summer League is a chance for the top draft picks to find their footing and get their first glimpse of NBA action. It’s also a golden opportunity for undrafted free agents to put themselves on the map. Some less heralded prospects prefer to go undrafted and have agents steer them clear of being selected in […]

The Los Angeles Clippers had plenty they could learn from their 2023 Summer League schedule. The Clippers finished their 2023 NBA Summer League run with a record of 3-2. They capped off their Summer League run with a one-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, a game that saw four Clippers score in double digits […]

The Houston Rockets had one of the most exciting collections of talent on a Summer League roster that Las Vegas has ever seen. First-round pick Cam Whitmore took home the NBA2k24 Summer League MVP award, but the brief performances of last year’s second overall selection Jabari Smith Jr. (35.5 PPG), Tari Eason (23 PPG, 9.5 […]

The Dallas Mavs NBA Summer League roster had a lot of intriguing players, from second-year sensation Jaden Hardy to first-round rookies like Dereck Lively II and Olivier Maxence-Prosper. There were also plenty of fringe prospects who likely won’t play in the NBA next season. However, Mavs rookie Mike Miles Jr. is an undrafted player who […]

The Minnesota Timberwolves ended their Summer League run with a record of 1-4. They ended their July run with a loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday, hitting 43.1% of their shots from the field as they took a 109-92 loss at the Thomas & Mack Center. Iowa Wolves guard Javonte Cooke led Minnesota with […]

The Orlando Magic are going to be a very intriguing team to watch during the 2023-24 NBA season, especially after the step forward they took forward this past year. Increasing their win total by 12 games, head coach Jamahl Mosley has his young group trending in the right direction, especially with last year’s first overall […]

The Miami Heat are in the middle of a pivotal offseason. At the moment, they’re still attempting to swing a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers for Damian Lillard, the star point guard who’s hellbent on landing with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and company in South Beach. The hang-up of those trade talks thus far […]

The 2022-23 NBA season ended up being a disappointment for the Detroit Pistons, especially since 2022 first overall pick Cade Cunningham only played in 12 games due to season-ending shin surgery. Despite not winning more than 23 games in a season over the last four years, the Pistons are a young team with a lot […]

The Indiana Pacers NBA Summer League roster had a lot of intriguing players. From the No. 8 pick in the draft, Jarace Walker, to second-year sensations like Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin. There were also plenty of fringe prospects who likely won’t play in the NBA next season. However, Pacers rookie Oscar Tshiebwe is an […]

Many NBA personnel love this time of the year because there are no games, free agency is pretty much over, Summer League just ended and it is finally time for that summer getaway with their family that they’ve been looking forward to. Ahead of training camp at the end of September, there really is not […]

Since being drafted first overall in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Karl-Anthony Towns has been the face of his team. In his eight seasons with Minnesota though, this organization has been to the playoffs on three different occasions, losing in the first-round each time. With Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert and a handful […]

In case you didn’t know, Michael Jordan takes his gambling very seriously. The six-time NBA champion and 5-time MVP would bet on anything from golf, cards, or simply throwing coins at a wall. But to him, it wasn’t about the money. Even if the bet was only a dollar, he’d want to get paid immediately. […]

Since Michael Jordan retired and left the Chicago Bulls following the 1997-98 season and the rest of “The Last Dance” team fell apart, this franchise has not found a whole lot of success. There were flashes of championship potential in the Derrick Rose era, yet the Bulls made the Eastern Conference Finals just once in […]

The Chicago Bulls had their fair share of ups and downs during the 2023 NBA Summer League. The Bulls ended their Summer League run with a record of 3-2. They capped off their July schedule with a win over the Washington Wizards, a game that saw a former first-round selection in guard Dalen Terry score […]

Kobe Bufkin, a 6’4 shooting guard, was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 15th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Bufkin played college basketball at the University of Michigan, where he gained recognition for his all-around game. During his sophomore year at Michigan, Bufkin averaged 14 points, 4.5 rebounds, and displayed his versatility […]

Journeymen in the NBA have to make do with what they are given in a situation. Whether it is playing on restricted minutes or accepting a two-way contract while waiting for a full contract, these are the most resilient men in the game. They have developed most aspects of their game to adapt to different […]

The traditional NBA big forward thrives off efficient shotmaking in the painted area, dominates the boards, and protects the rim well. A recent development in the three-point revolution requires these players to be able to switch on smaller matchups. Playing drop coverage and helping on defense allows for better defensive schematics. Wendell Moore Jr. has […]

The Charlotte Hornets’ first selection in the 2023 NBA Draft, Brandon Miller made headlines before he was even drafted by calling anyone other than the usual suspects the greatest of all time. Most people flock to Michael Jordan or for the younger crowd LeBron James obviously, but Miller chose Paul George for that distinction–which he […]

The Washington Wizards, a team that’s long overdue for a rebuild, finally faced the music this offseason. They dealt away the likes of Kristaps Porzingis and Bradley Beal in quick succession, turning over the franchise to youngsters Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma. At first glance, the Wizards roster looks among the worst in the league, […]

A team that was very competitive despite an attempt to rebuild shows quite a lot of promise. The Indiana Pacers were not expecting much of a breakout season but they delivered otherwise. Tyrese Haliburton’s squad knew that it was not their time yet to be in the NBA Playoffs but also evaluated that they could […]

Miami Heat rookie forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. was able to play in just one NBA Summer League game due to a shoulder injury, but he definitely made the most of it. Jaquez led all scorers with 22 points, including three 3-pointers and one of the best poster dunks seen all summer in Las Vegas. Jaquez […]

The Golden State Warriors had a rough NBA Summer League as they went 1-6 overall throughout the tournament, including the California Classic in Sacramento. They failed to even notch a win throughout the Las Vegas leg of the games, going 0-5. Though the Dubs had a brutal two-week run of summer hoops, Golden State still […]

A lot of NBA hopefuls were out to prove themselves in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League. Most of them were trying to get the attention of the coaching staff for a shot at a roster spot while some have already cracked a full-term contract. Joe Mazzulla’s Boston Celtics were one of those teams handing […]

There’s somehow still over half the offseason left before the Golden State Warriors begin official preparations for 2023-24. En route to winning the American Century Championship, though, Stephen Curry briefly shifted his focus away from summer golf last week, setting an early tone of what will be expected from his rebuilt team once training camp […]

Another NBA Summer League has gone for Oklahoma City Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng. Thunder fans are undoubtedly intrigued to see this team next season with Chet Holmgren coming back at full strength. In the same way, Dieng’s progression is also an interesting thing to look out for after his rookie season. They must have been pleased […]

Julian Strawther and the Denver Nuggets are now done with 2023 NBA Summer League, and we’ve learned some things. The former Gonzaga junior showed off many of the skills that made him the No. 29 pick in the NBA Draft. However, his shooting was hit or miss throughout his time in Las Vegas, and if […]

Michael Jordan loves investing in items that only he can afford. You’ve heard about him having an $80 million super yacht, a private jet, and one of the rarest cars in the world. Like every billionaire, some of that money goes to real estate, and Jordan is no exemption. There’s the iconic mansion in Chicago […]

NBA Summer League in Las Vegas is over, which means things across the NBA are about to settle down for the remainder of the offseason. Of course, there are still rumors and conversations being had regarding potential Damian Lillard and James Harden trades, but the focus for many around the league coming out of Summer […]

The Dallas Mavericks had a very successful offseason, kickstarted on draft night. Though Dereck Lively II wasn’t who *I* would’ve selected at 10th overall, he’s who the Mavs targeted. Being able to select him *and* ditch Davis Bertans’ contract off of their books was great business. Even better business was sliding back into the first […]

Another NBA Summer League has gone for Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe. The Blazers have their primary focus on finding a new home for disgruntled star Damian Lillard and Portland fans can’t wait for the trade to go down. But they also had their eyes on the incoming sophomore to see the progress he […]

The Los Angeles Clippers have been embroiled in some of the biggest rumors of the NBA offseason. Ever since James Harden optioned into his deal with the Philadelphia 76ers and it was announced that he and the Sixers were going to work on a trade for the disgruntled star, the Clippers were said to be […]

The Memphis Grizzlies have a very interesting season coming up with the suspension of Ja Morant for the first 25 games. After trading away Tyus Jones and adding Marcus Smart and Derrick Rose into the backcourt, it is clear that the Grizzlies want a more established, veteran locker room. They also are making it evident […]

A lot has been said about trade talks surrounding James Harden, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers. After initially opting into his contract for the 2023-24 season in order to work on a potential trade with the Sixers, Harden remains on Philadelphia’s roster nearly three weeks later with zero progress made. The Sixers […]

Sometimes a tragedy can end up being a blessing in disguise. Stephen Curry: Underrated is the new Steph Curry documentary about the legendary Golden State Warriors point guard, and ClutchPoints was supposed to speak to director Peter Nicks. A situation came up, and Ryan Coogler, who served as a producer on the documentary, stepped in […]

Youth and potential are the two building blocks of the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise and suddenly, this is a team on the rise in the NBA. Led by their All-NBA First Team guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder reached the Western Conference Play-In Tournament this past season with a 40-42 record after two consecutive seasons […]

In many ways, today’s version of the NBA is unrecognizable compared to how the game was played when Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls were winning championships year after year. The 3-point shooting around the league is at the top of the list. While teams in 2023 are looking to attempt as many 3-pointers as possible, Bulls […]

The Miami Heat became the second 8-seed ever to reach the NBA Finals when they got there this past season. The first? That would be the New York Knicks back in 1999. ClutchPoints had a chance to sit down with former Knicks guard Charlie Ward at Vegas Summer League to talk about the team’s run […]

Jarace Walker and the Indiana Pacers are now done with 2023 NBA Summer League, and we’ve learned some things. The former Houston freshman showed off many of the skills that made him the No. 8 pick in the NBA Draft. However, while his stat line was mostly good, he was inefficient on the offensive side […]

One of the best remaining free agents this NBA offseason is Christian Wood. Turning 28 in September, Wood has gone from a player in the G League that nobody knew about to being a real, key contributor for his teams. Following the two best seasons of his career with the Houston Rockets, Wood was traded […]