There are just over two months left for the start of the new season in the NBA, but some players have already returned from the summer break and are preparing for the next World Championship with national teams. And although the off-season hasn’t come to an end yet, it’s the world championship that should become the most discussed event in the coming weeks.
And before The Championship starts covering it, here are five major events that took place in the NBA this summer.
Victor Vembanyama debut
One of the most anticipated events of the summer took place in the Summer League. Victor Vembanyama made his debut there, the first number in the previous draft and one of the most sought after prospects in recent years.
His first game with the San Antonio jersey was not as spectacular as he would have liked. And it is that, despite the quality of the game in his own half of the field, Víctor suffered in attack, having hit only 15% of the shots from the field (2 of 13). He finished the game with nine points, eight rebounds, five blocks and three assists. And at the end of the meeting, Vembi admitted that he didn’t really understand what he was doing on the court.
Victor Vembanyama
Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
But in the second game, the Frenchman recovered: he scored a double-double of 27 points and 12 rebounds, to which he added three blocks. He dunked, shot jumpers up the middle, collected rebounds under the shield and dominated the defense. And overall, he looked much more confident and aggressive than he did in his debut match.
But this was the end of Victor’s performance in the Summer League. It’s clear that San Antonio wasn’t originally going to use him for the entire tournament. Even a few days before the draft, he played in the final of the French championship, so they wanted to give the player enough rest. In addition, there were a lot of injuries among the prospects in the Summer League – it was impossible to risk the health of the first number.
James Harden Statement
“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of the organization he is in. Let me say it again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of the organization he belongs to.”
That’s the message the 33-year-old defenseman left for the 66ers at an adidas event in China.
Throughout the summer, Harden was removed from Philadelphia. He’s convinced he wasn’t going to be given a long-term contract from the start, even though the player himself turned down the $47 million option and took a significant pay cut to join the team last year.
This summer he took the option that the 66ers could negotiate a trade, preferably with the Clippers, who are a priority for Harden. But Philadelphia wants to remain a contender in the East, so player-requested compensation for other franchises (including the Clippers) has proven untenable. Now the Sixers expect Harden to attend training camp and start the season with them.
james harden
Photo: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
The idea, to be honest, is so-so. The relationship between the player and team president Daryl Morey has become tainted to such an extent that his presence at training camp is unlikely to boost the team’s championship spirit for the season.
Harden himself must be given credit for his candor; it’s just not clear if he’ll get what he wants. According to rumors, he no longer has the influence and authority that he had several years ago.
Damien Lillard requested a trade
It’s done. Rumors have been circulating for some time that Damien Lillard will leave Portland, the team he played for for 11 years since his first day in the NBA. The reason is clear: at 33 years old, Dame has achieved a lot, but he has not become a champion.
You already know which team you want to compete with for the trophy: this is the Miami Heat. They are also interested in acquiring Lillard and are actively working on a proposal for it. But who apparently isn’t interested in making a deal is Portland management.
Rumor has it that it’s because of the Blazers’ passivity that Lillard’s negotiations are achingly slow. They’re not satisfied with the “Hit” offerings: The team believes that for a star point guard they can (and should) get more. But exactly what Portland wants remains a mystery to Miami, making the process that much more difficult.
Damian Lillard
Photo: Alika Jenner/Getty Images
At the moment, the Heat are preparing another offer, which will include several players with expiring contracts, three or four first-round picks and one of the young players. The deal could also include second-round picks or trades, with Tyler Hirrow going to the third team if it goes through.
Lillard himself, like his agent Aaron Goodwin, is clearly not happy with the situation. Recently, the NBA even had to warn the couple by sending a letter to all 30 franchises. The reason is as follows: behind closed doors, the player’s representative said that Damien would not fully fulfill the services under the contract if he did not start the season with the Heat. Goodwin denied the accusations, but now both he and Lillard will have to be more careful.
Jaylen Brown signs record $304 million extension
Jaylen Brown, 26, received the largest extension in NBA history from the Boston Celtics this offseason, signing a five-year contract worth up to $304 million. The five years are fully guaranteed and there is no player option in the deal.
The basketball community took the news quite negatively. Many felt that giving that amount of money to a player who isn’t the best even on his own team is too much. In the NBA, Brown did not achieve so much: he made the All-Star Game twice and entered the second symbolic five, which guaranteed him the right to the “supermax”. And his weak play in the past playoffs did not end up at the hands of the Celtics either.
jaylen brown
Photo: Mike Ehrman/Getty Images
But in the current situation, “Boston” really had no choice. Brown could finish out the final year of his contract and leave the team as a free agent. Management would not want to be left without compensation, just as they would not want to risk contendership status, the atmosphere in the locker room and reputation among their own players.
Plus, as crazy as this contract sounds right now, it won’t be long before those amounts come to fruition in the NBA. In a year, Brown’s contract will lose its record status: for the “supermax” and his teammate Jason Tatum, as well as Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee, they will claim approximately $ 334 million.
Kyrie Irving stays in Dallas
This offseason, Kyrie Irving should have been one of the top free agents on the roster, but he’s far from the most in-demand. Dallas, which signed him at the February deadline, was the only team really interested in the controversial player’s services.
For that, thank God, he did not have to give any maximum salary for five years and 272 million dollars. The Mavericks received a three-year, $126 million contract with a player option for one final season. $120 million of them are guaranteed, the remaining $6 million is a bonus that will depend on the results of the team. The deal also includes a 15% trade bonus.
Kyrie Irving
Photo: Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
By signing the 31-year-old guard, Dallas hoped to form an effective offensive duo with Luka Doncic. Of course, with the transition of Irving the offensive rating rose to 119.2, and he himself scored an average of 27 points per game. However, in the 20 games Kyrie played with the new team, the Mavericks went 8-12 (5-11 when Irving and Doncic played together). As a result, they did not make the playoffs or play-in, and even sank in the last games of the regular season, for which the NBA fined them $750 thousand.
But Dallas planned to re-sign Irving from the start, and the disastrous end to last season didn’t affect that decision. Dante Exam, Seth Curry, Derrick Jones Jr., Grant Williams and two draft prospects, Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Derek Lively, joined the team this offseason, and with them the Mavericks hope to improve their next championship run.
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