In partnership with

Happy Friday, Enjoyers! Today’s newsletter has the perfect trifecta of summertime hoops—standout performances from the NBA Summer League, an exhibition match between two Olympic gold medal contenders, and a combo trade/buyout deal involving a former MVP. It’s great to be an Enjoyer, right?

Today’s Lineup

Summer League Standouts

As summer league action rolls along, we’re here to update you on the best performances by rookies, sophomores, and other hoopers you might not be as familiar with. Let’s dive in!

Kel’el Ware: Double-double machine

Miami Heat rookie Kel’el Ware has shown everyone exactly why he was taken with the 15th-overall pick. Ware has recorded three double-doubles so far in summer league play, his most recent being a 24-point, 10-rebound performance against the Mavericks. This guy could be an absolute THREAT next to Bam in Miami’s frontcourt.

Taylor Hendricks and Kyle Filipowski: Utah’s future frontcourt

The future is bright in Salt Lake City! 2023 ninth-overall pick TaylorHendricks and 2024 second rounder KyleFilipowski combined for 43 points yesterday against the Raptors, shooting a combined 69% from the floor and 71% from three. The Jazz handled Toronto 86-76 despite a 24-point game from Javon Freeman-Liberty.

Scotty Pippen Jr: Like father, like son?

We might not be far from ScottyPippen Jr. finding a real starting job in the NBA! Pippen scored 25 points on 9-14 shooting against the Magic on Wednesday which, combined with 27 points and 13 rebounds from GG Jackson, helped the Grizzlies win against Orlando.

Elevate Your Everyday and Experience the Dealmaker Pants Luxurious Comfort

Tired of compromising style for comfort, and vice versa? The Dealmaker Pant shatters the status quo. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail and featuring innovative design elements, these pants redefine what it means to dress for success. Invest in a pair, and experience the difference for yourself. Save 15% with code READ15, exclusive to Enjoy Basketball readers.

Simplify Your Life

USA-Serbia Recap 🇺🇸🇷🇸

Another exhibition match for the Americans, another statement win. This time, StephCurry (24 points) and AnthonyEdwards (16 points off the bench) led the way against NikolaJokic (16 points) and the rest of the Serbia National Team. BamAdebayo (17 points) was incredibly impactful from the perimeter—he not only shot 3-5 from three but also supplied the team with great defense on all three levels. Altogether, Team USA’s offensive output was too much for the Serbians, who they blew out 105-79.

Check out the entire box score here.

Russ ➡️ Denver

Former MVP and 9X All-Star Russell Westbrook is on the move once again! The Clippers traded him to the Jazz, who promptly waived him and cleared the way for him to find a new team. Here are the full details of the sign-and-trade transaction:

Clippers receive: Kris Dunn

Jazz receive: Second-round pick swap, cash

Nuggets receive: Russell Westbrook

We’re SUPER excited to see what Russ can do in Denver. High energy guys like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown have historically thrived in the Nuggets’ system, and the idea of Westbrook and Jokic throwing acrobatic dimes to each other makes us excited for what the Nuggets can do next season.

As for the Clippers, they’ll replace Westbrook with veteran guard KrisDunn on a three-year, $17 million contract. Dunn is known for his versatile defensive ability, but don’t count out his ability to score the ball either—he averaged over 13 points per game on 54% shooting from the field and 47% shooting from three.

Side note: isn’t it weird that this is the second time Russ has been traded to Utah, only to be waived right after? Just one of those weird quirks of NBA history. 🤪

Three in the Key

Signing Off

If you’re still rocking with us during the offseason, you must be a TRUE Enjoyer of Basketball. Thanks for sticking with us this week—we’ll catch up with you on Monday. Peace ✌️

-Austin Zeglis