Lior Kozai

The Philadelphia 76ers agreed on a one-year deal to re-sign reserve center Montrezl Harrell, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.Harrell played 57 games last season for the 76ers, serving as one of MVP Joel Embiid's backups. He averaged just 5.6 points, his lowest scoring output since his rookie campaign.The journeyman has bounced around the league since winning Sixth Man of the Year for the Los Angeles Clippers for the 2019-20 season.Philadelphia recently signed center Mo Bamba, who may compete with Harrell for the backup role.Paul Reed, another of Philadelphia's reserve centers last season, is currently a restricted free agent. The 76ers can match any contract offer he signs if they wish to bring him back.

The San Antonio Spurs No. 1 overall pick, Victor Wembanyama, one of the most highly touted prospects in decades, didn't give fans the show they expected in his NBA Summer League debut.Wembanyama struggled to get his shot to fall, scoring nine points while going just 2-for-13 from the field. He chipped in eight rebounds, three assists, and five blocks in 27 minutes as the Spurs beat the Charlotte Hornets 76-68.Fans in Las Vegas lined up well in advance to watch the contest, which pitted Wembanyama against No. 2 pick Brandon Miller. Fans starting lining up at 3 AM in Las Vegas this morning to get into Summer League 😳@vicw_32 mania is real pic.twitter/eREZseb2dw— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) July 7, 2023 Wembanyama got a bit of a welcome-to-the-league moment when Hornets center and former first-round pick Kai Jones caught an alley-oop pass and threw down a vicious dunk over the 7-foot-4 shot blocker. KAI JONES HAS OTHERWORLDLY BOUNCE 🤯#NBA2KSummerLeague on ESPN pic.twitter/p1Ij0INwkc— NBA (@NBA) July 8, 2023 Despite being put on a poster, Wembanyama's defensive prowess was on full display, as his five blocks were a game-high. No other player blocked more than two shots.Forward Julian Champagnie paced the Spurs with 20 points. The team recently re-signed him to a reported four-year, $12-million contract.The Spurs' next Summer League outing is slated for Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers.

One of the Houston Rockets' major offseason acquisitions has no lack of confidence.Wing Dillon Brooks - whom the Rockets recently inked to a four-year, $86-million deal via sign-and-trade - says his stout defense is always a factor in opposing players' heads."I know every single night, guys are thinking about me," Brooks told The Athletic's Kelly Iko. "It's in their mind before the game even starts."Brooks was named to the All-Defensive second team for the 2022-23 season. He graded out well in metrics such as defensive estimated plus-minus (EPM), where he ranked in the 95th percentile.Brooks was also routinely tasked with defending opposing stars, including LeBron James in the first round of the NBA playoffs.The 27-year-old Brooks was part of a massive free-agent spending spree for Houston, which brought in veterans Fred VanVleet, Jeff Green, and Jock Landale.Brooks says his toughness and defense-first mentality will help a young Rockets team that has finished with a bottom-three record in each of the past three campaigns."Just a lot of grit," Brooks said. "A lot of heart, a lot of knowledge, good defensive game as well."The veteran added that he can mentor some of the Rockets' young players, such as second-year forward Tari Eason. Eason was named to the All-Rookie second team last season.Brooks spent the first six years of his career with the Grizzlies, who acquired him on draft night in 2017.

The Philadelphia 76ers are matching restricted free agent Paul Reed's three-year, $23-million offer sheet that he signed with the Utah Jazz, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.Reed, who served as MVP center Joel Embiid's primary backup last season, will have veto power over any trade for a year, Wojnarowski reports.The second and third years of the deal reportedly become guaranteed for $15.7 million if Reed's team advances to the second round of the 2024 playoffs. Philadelphia has done so in five of the last six seasons.Reed appeared in 69 games in 2022-23, averaging 4.2 points and 3.8 rebounds.The 24-year-old started two playoff contests in 2023, filling in for an injured Embiid. Reed averaged 10 points and 14 rebounds in those games, helping Philadelphia clinch its series victory over the Brooklyn Nets and win Game 1 against the Boston Celtics.The 76ers selected Reed with the No. 58 overall pick in the 2020 draft.

The Canadian men's national team announced its training camp roster Thursday for the FIBA World Cup.The 18-man group includes 10 NBA players, headlined by Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets star Jamal Murray.Gilgeous-Alexander was named to the All-NBA first team last season, while Murray averaged over 26 points in the playoffs and helped lead the Nuggets to an NBA championship.Player Position NBA/pro teamShai Gilgeous-Alexander G Oklahoma City ThunderJamal Murray G Denver NuggetsTrae Bell-Haynes G Casademont Zaragoza (Spain)Nickeil Alexander-Walker G Minnesota TimberwolvesKevin Pangos G Olimpia Milano (Italy)Kassius Robertson G Scarborough Shooting Stars (Canada)Phil Scrubb G Niagara River Lions (Canada)Thomas Scrubb G Ottawa BlackJacks (Canada)Kyle Alexander G Valencia (Spain)Cory Joseph G Golden State WarriorsDillon Brooks G/F Houston RocketsLuguentz Dort G/F Oklahoma City ThunderRJ Barrett G/F New York KnicksMelvin Ejim F Unicaja (Spain)Trey Lyles F/C Sacramento KingsKelly Olynyk F/C Utah JazzDwight Powell F/C Dallas MavericksZach Edey C PurdueSacramento Kings assistant coach Jordi Fernandez will be Canada's bench boss for the first time after he was named the replacement for Nick Nurse in June. Fernandez was recently one of the finalists for the Toronto Raptors' head coaching job.Training camp is from Aug. 1-6, followed by multiple exhibitions games, according to Sportsnet's Blake Murphy.The FIBA World Cup begins Aug. 25 and will take place in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young has high hopes for his new head coach.Speaking with Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green at the at the UNINTERRUPTED Film Festival, Young said he hopes he can win multiple NBA titles under Hawks coach Quin Snyder."Hopefully Quin, for me, is my Steve Kerr," Young said, via The Volume. "I hope Quin is the guy that we win three, four championships with. I mean, that's my plan."Kerr, the Warriors' head coach for the last nine seasons, took over the team from Mark Jackson in 2014.Golden State rattled off 67 wins in Kerr's first campaign and captured the franchise's first NBA championship since 1975. The Warriors went on to win four titles in Kerr's first eight seasons as coach. Many credit Kerr for the pass-heavy, movement-oriented offense that helped maximize Stephen Curry's elite shooting. Curry won back-to-back MVPs in Kerr's first two seasons as coach and ascended to superstar status, leading the league in scoring twice.Snyder, whom the Hawks hired in February after Nate McMillan's dismissal, was known for a similar team-oriented system in his eight seasons with the Utah Jazz. Utah made six playoff appearances under Snyder and had the NBA's best regular season record in the 2020-21 campaign.Young averaged 26.2 points and a career-best 10.2 assists last year but did not earn an All-Star appearance after making it in two of the three previous seasons. He feuded with McMillan, including an exchange in December that reportedly led to Young choosing not to attend a Hawks home game while he was sidelined.The Hawks went 29-30 under McMillan last season and 10-11 under Snyder's watch. They beat the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament to earn the East's No. 7 seed but lost in six games to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.

Star center Hunter Dickinson is enjoying his time so far in Lawrence, Kansas, after transferring to the Jayhawks this offseason.The former Michigan star offered some points of contrast from his previous school on a recent episode of the "Rock Chalk Unplugged" podcast."Just walking around (Lawrence), the people are super welcoming, super nice. I definitely get those Midwest vibes. I feel like in Michigan, they weren't as nice. Like, they were nice people, but not as nice," Dickinson said."I feel like Michigan's like a fake Midwest," he continued with a laugh. "Kansas is actually like a Midwest town. I loved my time in Michigan, but the people here in Kansas are especially nice."Dickinson was named to the All-Big Ten team in each of his three years at Michigan. He was fourth in the conference in points (18.5) and rebounds (nine) per game last season.The Wolverines had a disappointing campaign, however, failing to qualify for the NCAA Tournament after making it to at least the Sweet 16 in the previous two years. Their second- and third-leading scorers, Jett Howard and Kobe Bufkin, were both first-round picks in the NBA draft.Meanwhile, Dickinson joins a Kansas squad that lost its two leading scorers to the NBA: senior Jalen Wilson and freshman Gradey Dick. Along with Dickinson, the Jayhawks added four-star guard Elmarko Jackson, the No. 26-ranked recruit by ESPN.

Brooklyn Nets point forward Ben Simmons received credit for a year of service for the 2021-22 season when he held out from the Philadelphia 76ers and was traded to the Nets, sources told ESPN's Zach Lowe.Years of service affect the scale of maximum contracts players are eligible for, as well as other benefits. Simmons now has seven official years of NBA service.Officials from several teams argued that Simmons shouldn't receive credit for the season, Lowe reports.His credit is reportedly intended as a standalone decision rather than setting a precedent for future cases.Simmons requested a trade from the 76ers in the 2021 offseason. He arrived at training camp ahead of the 2021-22 campaign but didn't fully participate or play in regular-season games, citing mental health issues.The three-time All-Star continued to sit out after getting dealt to the Nets due to knee and back issues before having back surgery in April 2022.Brooklyn paid Simmons' salary for the part of the season he was on the team. However, the 76ers withheld about $20 million of his pay, arguing he breached his contract by refusing to play.Simmons and the National Basketball Players Association filed a grievance against the Sixers. The sides settled in August 2022, allowing Simmons to recoup part of his salary, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.Star James Harden currently remains with Philadelphia despite recently requesting a trade. If Harden holds out of training camp for the upcoming season, different rules will apply to him because he's in the final year of his contract, sources told Lowe.A clause in the collective bargaining agreement prevents players from entering free agency or signing with professional teams outside of the NBA if they're deemed to have violated their contract by refusing to play, per Lowe.

Klay Thompson has mixed feelings about the Golden State Warriors' most notable offseason move."To be able to play with someone like Chris (Paul) is an honor, but obviously, it hurts to see Jordan (Poole) go. That's the nature of the beast that is this business," Thompson said on Monday's episode of "Podcast P with Paul George."Golden State acquired Paul from the Washington Wizards in early July for a package centered around Poole and draft picks.Thompson said he was impressed with Poole's work ethic, which reminded him of his younger self."I saw him go 2-for-15 in a game, but then he would be in the (practice facility) getting shots up right after the game," Thompson said.Poole averaged 17 points and shot 39.1% from beyond the arc during the 2022 postseason, helping the Warriors capture their fourth championship in eight years. While Poole was only around for the last of their titles, Thompson said his efforts won't be forgotten."Jordan is forever going to be cherished in the Warriors' lore just for what he did and (helping to) bring us back to where we needed to go," Thompson said. "And I know he's going to do great things in Washington."Poole is entering the first season of a four-year, $128-million contract as he joins the Wizards. The 24-year-old guard has increased his scoring average in each of his four NBA campaigns.

The Golden State Warriors are holding free-agent workouts with veterans Juan Toscano-Anderson, Kent Bazemore, Dion Waiters, Tony Snell, Harry Giles, and Trey Burke over the next two weeks, sources told The Athletic's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater.Toscano-Anderson spent his first three NBA seasons with the Warriors before splitting the last campaign between the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz. The 30-year-old won the NBA championship with Golden State in 2022.Bazemore had two stints in Golden State, most recently in 2020-21. The 10-year veteran didn't play last season.Waiters is perhaps the most recognizable name on Golden State's workout list. The 2012 No. 4 overall pick hasn't played since the 2019-20 campaign, finishing the season with the Los Angeles Lakers and winning the championship with them in the Orlando bubble.Golden State has kept active this summer. The Warriors acquired Chris Paul from the Washington Wizards, drafted guard Brandin Podziemski and forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, and signed veterans Cory Joseph and Dario Saric.The Warriors lost to the Lakers in the second round of the playoffs in six games last season.