After spending 11 days in Las Vegas for NBA Summer League, my notebook was overflowing. I succeeded in my annual goal of talking to at least one front office executive (in addition to coaches and scouts) from all 30 teams, and often times multiple of each. In exchange for anonymity, I was able to get a lot of interesting information from these executives. In addition, several agents were willing to share thoughts as well.<\/p>\n
When something was a quote from someone in the NBA world, it\u2019ll be notated as such. When an item is my own opinion, it won\u2019t be quoted. There will be more of the former than the latter.<\/p>\n
Below are a handful of notes from each Eastern Conference Team (Western Conference is coming soon!). However, before we get there, let\u2019s lead off with some notes on some general NBA topics that were brought up in almost every conversation around Summer League!<\/p>\n
Second Apron
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cCall it what it is: a hard cap. It\u2019s pretty clear what the objective here was,\u201d a long-time agent of NBA players said. \u201cThe owners wanted to set an upward boundary on spending. Mission accomplished.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s tough, but not as much about the aprons, but by how many things can cause you to have a hard cap at the first or second apron,\u201d an Eastern Conference executive opined. \u201cWe\u2019ve rarely gone deep into the tax like you have to for the second apron. But so many things can hard cap you at the first apron now, that you have be really cautious. Twice over the past few years, we put an extra player in a trade, just to make sure we didn\u2019t trip a first-apron hard cap. That\u2019s not a great place to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve made it harder for fans – not even casual ones, but regular fans – to follow the league now,\u201d an Eastern Conference executive said. \u201cYou know the old joke? \u2018I was told there would be no math.\u2019 Well, I\u2019m hearing fans complain about having to do so much math to follow the league now. That can\u2019t be a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to be smarter about building your team. If you want to have more than a three- or four-year run, you have to plan for several years in a row. Hitting on draft picks and your developmental system are more important than ever. I think the G League has never been more important too. So, in a way, that\u2019s a good thing. It\u2019s now kind of a 60-franchise league vs the G League just being an additional thing. It has real importance now,\u201d A Western Conference executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cBetween the aprons and the third two-way spot, we\u2019ve killed off chances for players to catch on as the 15th man. No one fills that spot until we\u2019re deep into the season now,\u201d an agent complained. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty ridiculous. 10 Day deals are becoming something to backfill for injuries only now. I used to counsel my players against taking a two-way contract, but now they don\u2019t really have a choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cLook, the league, meaning the owners, wanted parity. They wanted all 30 teams to have a chance to win. That exists now. Eight different champs in a row? Teams moving up and down the standings, even without major injuries? Players picking small markets because they want to win? This is what they wanted. I think it\u2019s probably good for the game vs. having a rotating group of five or six contenders,\u201d a Western Conference executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever one team is upset because the apron caused them lose Jaylen Brown or the OKC guys (Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins) or Mitchell Robinson, 29 other teams are happy because they have a chance to get those guys,\u201d a Western Conference GM said. \u201cThe balancing of talent around the league has never been more apparent.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Lack of Rookie Scale Extensions
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the clearest sign yet of how cautious teams are being,\u201d an Eastern Conference GM said. \u201cYou can\u2019t just hand out 25% max deals based on hope and potential anymore. It used to be that by the time we got to Las Vegas, five or six guys had a 25% max deal. Now, we have Victor Wembanyama not even pushing for the 30% max. It\u2019s a different world.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Wemby said he didn\u2019t need the 30% of the cap max escalators, it killed the rest of the class. If that guy, who is an MVP, DPOY and All-NBA guy if he\u2019s eligible, doesn\u2019t take 30%, why would any team offer a lesser player even 25%?\u201d a longtime agent questioned.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI get why Wemby did what he did. The Spurs need to sign (Stephon) Castle and (Dylan Harper) soon too,\u201d a Western Conference executive said. \u201cBut here\u2019s what no one is talking about: Now Wemby and the Spurs don\u2019t need to push him to hit the game markers and all that to be eligible for 30%. If he\u2019s hurting, they can rest him. So, the Spurs benefit on the cap sheet and on the floor, with Wemby not playing hurt or tired just to hit the games-played threshold.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Lessened Cap Growth
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, that was a bomb dropped in there for everyone. We internally planned for 7%-to-8% growth for a few years. Dropping below that is rough.\u201d a Western Conference GM said. \u201cBut anyone who was still planning for 10% growth was kidding themselves. We all knew it wasn\u2019t going to hit that high.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m worried about contract growth outpacing cap growth. The vast majority of contracts still grow by 8%. If the cap is only growing by 5% or so, that\u2019s going to make all the margins tighter. On the plus side, look for more creativity in contracts,\u201d an Eastern Conference GM said.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything is tighter. I had a player who could have gotten straight 8% raises. Would have gotten them in any other offseason. This summer, the team wanted to do 5% or less. And, of course, they didn\u2019t want to start higher and go flat. My guy still got paid, but we had to give a little. It is what it is,\u201d a longtime agent said.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Atlanta Hawks
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the offseason: (Note: This was before the Lu Dort acquisition) \u201cThis summer was about adding depth, especially on the wing. We love our guards, but we had to put more wing help around Jalen Johnson. Getting Aaron Wiggins helps that, and we think Zuby Ejiofor is going to help a lot. Zuby can defend 1-5 we think, while Aaron is a proven scorer,\u201d a Hawks front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On adding Lu Dort: (Note: this was a follow-up with the same executive as above) \u201cBeyond excited to have him in. His defense is going to be huge for us. We can put him on anyone. And now Dyson (Daniels) and Nickeil (Alexander-Walker) can roam a bit more. We\u2019ll have some fun deploying those guys together in lineups too\u201d, the same Hawks front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On what still needs to be done: \u201cWe could use more size up front. Onyeka (Okongwu) is awesome. We view him as a long-term starter. Happy to have Jock (Landale) back too. (Henri) Veesaar is a project. He\u2019s not years away, but he\u2019s probably not ready this season. But we\u2019ve still got some cards to play,\u201d A Hawks front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Kingston Flemings: \u201cHe\u2019ll be in the backup mix from Day 1. He gets to learn under C.J. (McCollum), which is awesome apprenticeship. We also added Ryan Nembhard, which will add to the competition,\u201d a Hawks front office executive said. \u201cThat\u2019s probably the biggest thing we have this year: competition. Our camp and preseason, then into the regular season, should be exciting. No one is going to be gifted minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Boston Celtics
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On swapping Jaylen Brown for Paul George: \u201cBrad said what needed to be said. We had to face the reality of having two guys making 70% or more of the cap for the next several years,\u201d a Celtics front office executive said. \u201cThat said, we\u2019re excited for PG (Paul George). He\u2019s excited to be in Boston. We think he\u2019s learned over the years how to play off other on-ball guys, and he\u2019s an outstanding passer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On a potential extension for Payton Pritchard: \u201cThat\u2019s probably next up. We\u2019ve more or less done our offseason moves. Maybe something comes up that isn\u2019t out there now, but we\u2019re filling out the roster now vs. doing anything big,\u201d a Celtics front office executive said. \u201cPayton is an important player for us. On those nights when we need a little juice, he\u2019s already there. And he\u2019s proven he can play a big role on a title team. We have to manage the cap and tax, but keeping Payton around is something we hope to do. We\u2019re going to try to get Jordan (Walsh) extended too. That\u2019s a bit more pressing because he\u2019s in the final year of his contract. But we feel good about getting that one done.\u201d (Note: Jordan Walsh and the Celtics agreed to a three-year, $16 million extension that was reported on Thursday, July 23.)<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the Celtics from 2024 to now: \u201cThe second apron comes for everyone, right?\u201d a rival GM said. \u201cThey were just one of the first to get dinged. But here\u2019s the thing: Look at how many good, younger players they have. Hugo Gonzalez looks ready for a big season for them. He was really good on ball here (at Summer League) and for Spain. And he\u2019s going to get more reps. (Baylor) Scheierman can play. He\u2019s never going to be an All-Star, but he\u2019s a top-eight rotation guy. (Sam) Hauser is one of the best shooters in the game. We had Chris Cenac a little higher on our board than where he went. Heck, even Dillon Mitchell is a player and he\u2019ll probably spend the year in the G League.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Related to the above: Hugo Gonzalez shot poorly at Summer League, but he mostly played in an on-ball role. The off-the-dribble shot clearly needs a lot of work, but those won\u2019t feature for him with Boston. Both for the Summer Celtics and Spain, Gonzalez shined as a playmaker. And his defense and rebounding both remained good to very good too.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
It\u2019s unclear how big of a role Chris Cenac Jr. will have this season. He\u2019s got to get past Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson (the plan is for him to come off the bench for now) and Luka Garza, not to mention Amari Williams (the Celtics are very excited to have him back on a two-way). One Celtics coach told me that Cenac might see a lot of work at the four in Maine, alongside Williams.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Keep an eye on John Tonje snagging a two-way spot again. He was arguably the Summer Celtics best scorer. As one Boston assistant coach said: \u201cTonje can shoot the cover off the ball. The best part? He did it on self-created shots too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Brooklyn Nets
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On where the roster stands now: \u201cWhat we\u2019re excited about is the depth of legitimate NBA rotation players and potential rotation players we have now,\u201d a Nets assistant coach said. \u201cNot to speak ill of last year\u2019s team, but we were down to rookies and non-NBA-level players by the end of the year. This year, we\u2019ve got depth and the kids are improving too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
More on the roster: \u201cIt\u2019s a work in progress. Unless you are the Thunder or the Spurs or the Knicks, I don\u2019t know how you feel like you roster is \u2018done\u2019,\u201d a Nets front office executive said. \u201cWe probably still lean a little too young, to be honest. The good news is that adding guys like Julius (Randle), Keon (Ellis) and Moe (Wagner) will help these guys grow up a lot. Those are real, physical, sometimes nasty, NBA guys. I can\u2019t wait to watch them help our young guys grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Egor Demin: \u201cHe\u2019s a lot more comfortable going into Year 2. I think from the pre-draft process, all the way through his rookie year, we probably over-indexed on his three-point shot too much. I mean Egor, his trainers, our front office, our coaches, everyone. You saw out here (at Summer League), that he was getting downhill more. This year is about putting him in even better spots to shine as an all-around player,\u201d a Nets front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Mikel Brown Jr.: \u201cYou\u2019re probably going to hear this about every guy, including A.J. (Dybantsa) at No. 1, but we feel like Mikel is the steal of the draft,\u201d A Nets front office executive said. \u201cHe was a little wild here (at Summer League) and in California (at California Classic Summer League), but that\u2019ll round out with time. Having him go against Keon (Ellis) and Terance (Mann) every day in practice is going to be huge for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Charlotte Hornets
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the LaMelo Ball trade: \u201cWhen you trade someone as good and as popular as LaMelo, you have to get it right. We think we did,\u201d a Hornets front office executive said. \u201cCoby (White) is a starting point guard. Brandon (Miller) needs a new deal and he needs the ball more. Same with Kon (Knueppel) as far as needing the ball. Getting all of those picks, plus Naz Reid to help our frontcourt, it was the right move at the right time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On where the roster stands now: \u201c(laughs) Well, we have a lot of guys! So, we\u2019ll keep tinkering until camp. I think by the time camp starts, we owe it to our coaching staff to have things mostly in place. We\u2019re excited about the depth we have now across all positions. That should make for a competitive camp,\u201d a Hornets front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Liam McNeeley\u2019s play in Las Vegas: \u201cHe showed why he was a first-round pick. Liam\u2019s college year got messed up by a bad ankle injury. He made no excuses, but it wasn\u2019t right for a lot of his rookie year either. This kid is a big-time shooter. There\u2019s no shot he can\u2019t make: off the dribble, on the move, spot-up, going to his right or left. He\u2019s just a pure shooter and scorer. Big leap coming for Liam in Year 2,\u201d a Hornets assistant coach said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the big man rotation: \u201cLast year we went into the season knowing Moussa (Diabate) was better than anyone else knew. We hoped Ryan Kalkbrenner would give us something. We hoped Grant Williams would come back and give us a small-ball option at the five. All three happened,\u201d a Hornets front office executive said. \u201cNow, we add Naz Reid and Hannes Steinbach to that mix? That\u2019s real depth and they\u2019re all different kinds of players. That\u2019ll give (head coach) Charles (Lee) a lot to work with this season.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Keep an eye on Sion James. Charlotte put the ball in his hands a lot in the games he played at Summer League. He didn\u2019t shoot well on self-created shots, but his passing looked a lot better. And his defense remains terrific. Perimeter defense remains a weak spot for the Hornets, but James playing even more will help that a lot.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Chicago Bulls
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the roster rebuild: \u201cWell, we\u2019re just getting started. It\u2019s going to take a bit to get thing where we want them, but we feel like we\u2019re already building a new identity for what we want to be,\u201d a Bulls front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Caleb Wilson: \u201cAs things became more and more clear with the draft process, we knew we couldn\u2019t go wrong with whatever guy was on the board when we picked,\u201d a Bulls front office executive said. \u201cThat being said, Caleb is the kind of guy you dream about building your franchise around. We couldn\u2019t be happier to have him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the Caleb Wilson\/Matas Buzelis pairing: \u201cBuzelis plays like he\u2019s trying to destroy everyone in his path. He plays so angry, but in a good way. And now you add Wilson, who has his boulder-sized chip on his shoulder about being picked fourth. Yeah, good luck. Those guys are going to be really good together for a long time,\u201d a rival scout said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On adding veteran talent to the roster: \u201cWe want our young guys to play meaningful games. Adding guys like Nic (Claxton) and Norman (Powell) will help us stay competitive from the start of the year. We also have a bunch of vets like Tre (Jones), Zach (Collins), Jalen (Smith) and Isaac (Okoro) to help Matas (Buzelis), Caleb (Wilson), Dailyn (Swain), Rob (Dillingham) and Noa (Essengue) throughout the long year too,\u201d a Bulls front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t want to overreact to Summer League either way by being too positive or too negative. But Dailyn Swain looks like he has a long way to go. Everything looked like it was moving a little fast for him. On the flip side, Tobe Awaka is going to force his way on the floor eventually. His energy, hustle, rebounding and defense will endear him to the coaching staff immediately.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Cleveland Cavaliers
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Note: Cavs folks were reluctant to talk much, because of the uncertainty around the roster. That\u2019s why this section might be a bit light.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Donovan Mitchell\u2019s extension: \u201cHad to get him signed. He\u2019s a superstar and he wants to be in Cleveland. We don\u2019t take that for granted at all. I know you think the latter years might get rough, but we know how Donovan prepares himself and his body. We think he\u2019ll age just fine,\u201d a Cavaliers front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Meleek Thomas: \u201cMeleek was pretty unhappy that he was one of the only Early Entry guys that wasn\u2019t picked in the first round. But we gave him a contract as good as the late first-round guys because we believe in his talent like that,\u201d a Cavs scout said. \u201cThis kid can score from anywhere. He\u2019s also a better passer than I think most realize, and he reads the floor well on defense too. Our guard group is deep, but Meleek clearly loves proving everyone wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Jaylon Tyson: \u201cIf we need to move some money to make other moves, it might have the added benefit of freeing up more minutes for Jaylon. I know some people think we might not like him as much, but look at the guys in front of him. Veteran shooters. Defenders. Off-ball guys. We love Jaylon and if he keeps improving in those areas, the minutes will come,\u201d a Cavaliers front office executive.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Detroit Pistons
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Jalen Duren: \u201cWe very clearly want Jalen back with us for next year and beyond. If we didn\u2019t, we could have easily done several different sign-and-trade deals,\u201d a Pistons front office executive. \u201cBut the numbers have to be right. You saw what\u2019s happened with Boston and OKC and New York. We don\u2019t want to have to shed talent around Cade (Cunningham) and Jalen a year or two from now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
More on Jalen Duren: \u201cJD is a monster. I don\u2019t think any big man in the league has improved as much as JD has in his first four years in the league. Go look at his rookie year. He didn\u2019t know what to do on defense, so he didn\u2019t do much of anything. Last two years, he\u2019s defending at a high level. He reads the floor well on offense. He\u2019s super athletic. I hope everyone can be reasonable and we have him forever in Detroit,\u201d a Pistons assistant coach said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the offseason moves so far: \u201cWe had to add more shooting and playmaking around Cade (Cunningham) and Jalen (Duren). John (Collins), Isaiah (Joe), Taurean (Prince) and our rookie, Ebuka Okorie, all fill those needs,\u201d a Pistons front office executive said. \u201cJohn has been one of the best shooting big men in the league for a few years now, and he rebounds. Isaiah is someone we\u2019ve looked at for a few years, but were never in a position to land him. He\u2019s going to have a big year. Taurean has become one of the better shooters in the league too, and he\u2019s got terrific size. Ebuka immediately helps with the extra ballhandling and passing we needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Chaz Lanier and Isaac Jones showed what veterans should at Summer League by putting up good runs. Lanier shot great, while Jones worked well on the glass and on defense. Maybe neither becomes a rotation guy, but Detroit hasn\u2019t been afraid to go deep into their bench for minutes. Don\u2019t be surprised if either player emerges at some point.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Indiana Pacers
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On their offseason: \u201cWe knew we\u2019d be mostly running it back. We have all the pieces in place. We needed another wing and are thrilled Kelly Oubre Jr. passed up a lot of other offers to join us. We think he\u2019ll be awesome in the up-tempo offense we run with Tyrese (Haliburton) back,\u201d a Pacers front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On what\u2019s next: \u201cTraining camp? (laughs). Look, it was a long year. We thought we had enough to stay competitive, even with Tyrese (Haliburton) out,\u201d a Pacers assistant coach said. \u201cBut then you have like 10 other guys go down and it\u2019s clear that it\u2019s not year. But all of our guys are ready to get back to it. I\u2019ve never seen this many guys around the facility in June and July before, especially when our season ended in April.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On extensions for Jarace Walker or Ben Sheppard: \u201cWe\u2019ll see. We have a lot of money committed to a lot of players already. You can\u2019t keep everyone, unfortunately. Both Jarace and Ben have had moments, but neither have done it consistently. Last year was a big opportunity but, being completely honest, neither guy really seized it. With the depth we have with a healthy team, they both have their work cut out for them,\u201d a Pacers front office executive.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the team\u2019s two-way players: \u201cJalen Slawson is better than a two-way player. I\u2019m hopeful we\u2019ll have him back next season. (Note: Slawson re-signed with Indiana on a two-way deal after Summer League.) Braden (Smith) is tough. He\u2019s the best young passer I\u2019ve ever seen. Every time, the ball is exactly where it needs to be. He rebounds and competes on defense despite being small too. He\u2019ll really help keep our G League team organized, but he could be the next rotation guard we develop too,\u201d a Pacers assistant coach said.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Miami Heat
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the offseason: \u201cWell, the works not done. We still have a lot of roster spots to fill! (laughs),\u201d a Heat front office executive said. \u201cBut, yeah, landing Giannis (Antetokounmpo) was massive. Yes, we gave up a lot to get him, but if anyone was ever worth it, it\u2019s him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On what the team still needs: \u201cMore ballhandling, passing and shooting. The big man group is good, minus a little depth. But rotation-wise, we could use more ballhandler and passing, and you can never have enough shooting,\u201d a Heat front office executive said.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Nikola Jovic having another big summer for Serbia: \u201cEventually, that production is going to translate in the NBA. We have to get him healthy and keep him healthy. The talent is obviously there,\u201d a Heat assistant coach said.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Milwaukee Bucks
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On life after Giannis Antetokounmpo: \u201cIt\u2019s different. We\u2019re in a different mindset for the first time in a long time. It\u2019s scary, but also exciting. We think the young players we\u2019ve added to the roster are going to be core players for us moving forward,\u201d a Bucks front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On extending Tyler Herro and\/or Jaime Jaquez Jr.: \u201cThat\u2019s something we\u2019ll talk about with his reps. We\u2019d love to get something done, provided it makes sense for both Tyler and us,\u201d a Bucks front office executive said. \u201cFor Jaime, it\u2019s the same thing. He\u2019s in a different spot because of restricted free agency. But, in an ideal world, you get those things taken care of now. That way everyone can just play the season without the future weighing on them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Brayden Burries: \u201cThis was really fun, because we got to the put the ball his hands a lot. He showed scoring and playmaking that you didn\u2019t always get to see in college,\u201d a Bucks assistant coach said. \u201cNot sure how much that\u2019ll happen in the season, because we\u2019ve got a lot of other ballhandlers and creators. But seeing that he can do it is really, really exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Nate Ament: \u201cNate was really good. We didn\u2019t ask him to change his style really at all. We wanted him to take the shots he\u2019s comfortable with. It was nice to see him get on the glass some. He\u2019s a guy we think will improve a lot throughout his first couple of years in the league,\u201d a Bucks front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the roster mix: \u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot of vets who are going to play. But behind them are kids who are going to push them. We should have a really competitive camp this year. From talking to the guys, everyone feels energized and ready to go. We\u2019re excited to get back to work already in the fall,\u201d a Bucks front office executive.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
New York Knicks
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Note: It\u2019s difficult to get Knicks front office personnel to talk, even off the record! This section will be lighter than the others.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On life as the champs: \u201cI still wake up every morning with a smile on my face. It\u2019s incredible the amount of love that came pouring out of the city. I know our entire organization is still reveling in it!\u201d a Knicks front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On losing Mitchell Robinson: \u201cYeah, it\u2019s tough. You want to keep everyone, especially after you accomplish what we did together. But you just can\u2019t. We\u2019re excited to have Andre (Drummond) in the mix now. He\u2019s as good of a backup center as there is in the league. We\u2019ll miss Mitch for sure, but all you can do is keep moving forward,\u201d a Knicks front office executive.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Orlando Magic
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the offseason: \u201cIt was pretty quiet, but that\u2019s exactly what we expected. We did hire Sean (Sweeney), who we\u2019re really excited about. But roster-wise, it was mostly about adding and retaining depth,\u201d a Magic front office executive.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On bringing back Nikola Vucevic: \u201cVooch is beloved in Orlando and he loves Orlando too. He\u2019s talked a lot about how Orlando was going to be home for him after his career, but we think he\u2019s got a lot of basketball left in him,\u201d a Magic front office executive said. \u201cOne thing we didn\u2019t have at the center spot was someone who can consistently space the floor, but without hurting our rebounding. Vooch gives us that. Plus, he\u2019s a smart ball-mover and he can duck inside for buckets too. We\u2019re happy he wanted to come back home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On why the offseason was so quiet: \u201cWe truly believe we have everything in place on the roster. Sean (Sweeney) is going to help drive things forward. For the players, they needed a new voice. They also need to stay healthy,\u201d an Orlando front office executive said. \u201cI\u2019m not sure if this is good or not, but a lot of our injuries to our guys are weird stuff vs. being chronic things. So, we feel good that we\u2019ll figure that out. All the numbers show that when our five starters are together, that they are one of the best lineups in the league. We just need to see it happen a lot more often.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On an extension for Anthony Black: \u201cAnthony is really important for us. We believe he\u2019s already shown that he can be a starter. It\u2019s just tough because we have two great starting guards already in Jalen (Suggs) and Desmond (Bane). But we believe that drafting and developing good players is the pathway towards winning,\u201d a Magic front office executive said. \u201cAre there long-term concerns with the tax and aprons and all that? Sure. We have to be mindful of all of that, as does every team. But that mindfulness shouldn\u2019t come at the expense of losing talented young players, if you can avoid it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Noah Penda got a lot of quality run at Summer League. He had the ball a lot and showed off some really nice passing, as well as knocked down his shots. The Magic frontcourt is stuffed, but Penda might work his way into rotation minutes this season.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Philadelphia 76ers
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On adding Jaylen Brown: \u201cWhen the opportunity was there to add a player hitting his prime who has done nothing but win, while performing at a high level, we had to jump on it,\u201d a Sixers front office executive said. \u201cJaylen is someone who has such a long, impressive body of work, that you trust it. Yeah, there might be some stats that don\u2019t favor him, but there are a whole lot that do. And when you match that with the eye test, you can easily see how good this guy is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On potential fit issues: \u201cYou\u2019re always thinking about that when you build your roster. It\u2019s the old saying about \u2018There\u2019s only one ball.\u2019 And that\u2019s true. But when your on-ball guys are also good off-ball players, you worry about it less. And when they all want to win, more than they want to score or shoot, you don\u2019t worry about it as much at all,\u201d a Sixers front office executive said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Labaron Philon Jr.: \u201cAs we built out our plans for the roster, it was clear we needed another ballhandler behind Tyrese Maxey. Labaron will give us that, plus more. He\u2019s so competitive. I think the fans are going to love him. It\u2019s still new for some of us, but Philadelphia has a history of loving guys who work, compete and do anything to win. Labaron fits that mold perfectly,\u201d a Sixers assistant coach said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On adding depth through free agency: \u201cEveryone is focused on the Jaylen (Brown)-PG (Paul George) trade, but we feel like we got better in free agency too. It\u2019s not something that always happens, because getting quality free agents to change teams is hard,\u201d a 76ers front office executive said. \u201cBut getting Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons, then doubling-down with the BAE (Bi-Annual Exception) to get Ariel Hukporti is adding three rotation guys when those tools often deliver one or none. Dean will fit in perfectly, because he does all the non-glamorous stuff and he\u2019s one heck of a defender. Anfernee Simons is a killer scorer to have off the bench. He won Boston a lot of games last year in that role. And Ariel Hukporti gives us another big man, along with Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow and Johni Broome to play behind Joel (Embiid). Look, I\u2019m not saying trading for Jaylen Brown isn\u2019t the biggest move we made, but adding these guys deserves a lot of love too.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Toronto Raptors
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Note: No one was willing to delve into the on-hold trade for Kawhi Leonard beyond expressing frustration that things are completed yet.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On drafting Allen Graves: \u201cClearly, we have an archetype we believe in. We want all-around good players, but they have to defend too,\u201d a Raptors front office executive said. \u201cWe think Allen fits that mold perfectly. There are going to be nights where we\u2019ll lean on him and CMB (Collin Murray-Boyles) a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the identity the team is trying to build: \u201cWe want to be known as a group that is a pain to play against. Even if we aren\u2019t hitting shots, nothing will come easy for you. We\u2019ll play hard and physical. You\u2019re going to feel us. Our goal is for opposing players to see Toronto next on the schedule and to know they are in for a long, tiring night,\u201d a Raptors assistant coach said.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t be surprised if Nate Bittle eventually lands a two-way spot. He brings a different dimension as a stretch big. Jakob Poeltl has struggled to stay healthy, so the Raptors may want to have one more center option in the fold.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Washington Wizards
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On drafting A.J. Dybantsa: \u201cIt was a deep draft at the top. We internally said all along that we\u2019d have been happy with any one of the top four guys, but that A.J. was going to be our guy at No. 1,\u201d a Wizards front office executive said. \u201cHis competitiveness, his skill, his desire to win, his physical profile. It all adds up to a special player. We\u2019re happy to have A.J. to grow with for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On extending Trae Young and not trading Anthony Davis: \u201cWhen we added Trae and AD, it was never to immediately flip them. You all got that wrong! (laughs),\u201d a Wizards front office executive said. \u201cThe idea was to keep both Trae and AD and to start moving things forward. We already have more young talent than one team can really build with. We needed a couple of veterans to push things along. Bringing back Khris (Middleton) is a big part of that too. Our young guys loved having Khris around last year. We\u2019re excited to see where those vets can help this young roster reach.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On Alex Sarr: \u201cIt was disappointing that he got hurt. I don\u2019t know if he would have done anything more than a cameo our here (Summer League) or not. But Alex is ready for a big year. He\u2019s excited to play with and learn from AD (Anthony Davis) and to have Trae (Young) setting him up,\u201d a Wizards assistant coach said. \u201cI don\u2019t know if any player improved more than Alex did last season. There\u2019s a future All-Star in there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
On the team\u2019s young talent: \u201cWe\u2019re lucky to have as many good players as we do. It\u2019s a credit to our scouting and coaching staff to identify and develop those players. Kyshawn (George) is a guy we saw flashes of playmaking from, but our scouts and coaches believed there was more. Kind of the same with Will Riley too. Those guys can do a lot with the ball in their hands beyond just shooting it,\u201d a Wizards front office executive said. \u201cWe also believe in Tre Johnson, who should be even more efficient with veteran help to get him good looks. Bilal Coulibaly has already proven he can be a two-way player in our league. A.J. (Dybantsa) is obviously going to get a lot of run too. We have AD (Anthony Davis), Trae (Young) and Khris (Middleton), but the foundation is our young players. The idea is to add players to enhance, guide and help them grow, not to replace them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Will Riley really came on strong as his rookie season went along. Riley then was so dominant in Summer League that he made only a cameo appearance. On a team that is suddenly deep in big wings, Riley is going to force his way into regular minutes.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After spending 11 days in Las Vegas for NBA Summer League, my notebook was overflowing. I succeeded in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":822128,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[287674,2209,49,48,5716,459,44,1660,994,82,125229],"class_list":["post-822127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-2026-nba-eastern-conference-summer-league-notebook","tag-analysis","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-contract","tag-nba","tag-news","tag-report","tag-research","tag-sports","tag-spotrac"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/822127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=822127"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/822127\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/822128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=822127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=822127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=822127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}