Although every NBA player says their ultimate goal is to win a title, when the chips are down, few are willing to sacrifice their earnings for the sake of the team. But over the weekend, one star put his money where his mouth is…

Today’s Lineup

Brunson’s Pay Cut

On Friday, Jalen Brunson made the rare choice to prioritize his team over his bank account. The All-NBA second team guard inked a new 4-year, $156M extension with the Knicks (still more than enough dough to keep the lights on,) but the shocking part is that he would’ve been eligible for $113M more if he waited until next offseason.

The move gives the New York the kind of cap flexibility that most teams can only dream of and maximizes their championship window with most of their core right in the prime of their careers. It’s a huge gamble from Brunson, now we can only wait to see if the Knicks can cash it in. 🤑

Summer School

They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but we’re bringing all the top storylines from NBA Summer League right from Sin City to your inbox! Let’s break down the players and teams that have summer ball buzzing 🐝

Heating Up

The best players at Summer League often aren’t the rookies, but the older players who’ve already gotten a taste of league action and just want some extra run. Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. proved that on Saturday, when he his dominant showing of 29 PTS, 11 REB, and 5 AST led the Heat to a 119-114 win over their bitter rival Celtics.

A Battle at the Top

The showdown between the draft’s top two picks is one of our favorite Summer League traditions, and this year’s iteration did not disappoint. No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher did his thing with 18 PTS, 5 REB, and 2 AST, but #2 pick Alex Sarr ultimately got the last laugh, nabbing 12 PTS, 7 REB, and 4 BLK to lead the Wiz to the dub, 94-88.

Reed-ing Minds

Reed Shepherd may look like a summer intern at Apple, but his handle is smooth like butter. The No. 3 pick dropped 23 PTS and shot 4-6 from three in his Summer League debut, leading Houston to a win over the Lakers. Oh, and we can’t forget THIS move 🫣

No Gold?

We all know that historically, Team USA runs Olympic basketball. But even the king gets overthrown every once in a while. Let’s take a look back at the four times that the Red, White, and Blue failed to bring home the Gold.

1972 Munich

After dominating Olympic basketball since the sport’s introduction in 1936, the U.S. suffered its first defeat in 1972 against the Soviet Union amid the Cold War. The Americans, led by future 4-time NBA All-Star Doug Collins, were undefeated en route to the championship game, but fell in a stunning 51-50 defeat to the Soviets thanks to 20 PTS from Sergei Belov, who later won two EuroLeague championships and was named the greatest FIBA player ever in 1991.

1980 Moscow

These games mark the only time in history that Team USA did not medal in men’s basketball, and that’s because the American weren’t there to play. The U.S. led a large-scale boycott of the Games in 1980 to protest the actions of the host Soviet government, clearing the way for Yugoslavia to bring home the Gold.

1988 Seoul

1988 marked the final time that NBA players were restricted from competing in the Olympics, a rule repeal that resulted in the 1992 Dream Team and the dominance we see from Team USA. But before then, the Americans lost before the Gold Medal game for the first time, with future NBA champion Mitch Richmond and co. not enough to hold off the Soviets in the semifinals— a team that also featured a young Arvydas Sabonis.

2004 Athens

Arguably the largest collapse in Olympic history, this edition of Team USA was unable to bring home Gold despite a roster that featured 9 current or future NBA All-Stars and 7 current or future NBA MVP awards. The squad, led by LeBron James, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, and Dwyane Wade, suffered a stunning defeat against Argentina in the quarterfinals, settling for Bronze. This loss left the U.S. hungry for reclamation, and led to the assembly of the fabled “Redeem Team,” four years later 🤩

Three in the Key

Signing Off

And we out! Thanks for spending a potion of your day with us. This week, remember to be grateful for the amazing things in your life! There’s nothing wrong with wanting more, but sometimes it’s important to take a step back and focus on what we have rather than what we lack. See you soon!

-Walker Carnathan