After an up-and-down Summer League debut, the No. 1 pick is back on top.

Today’s Lineup

🎉 Happy birthday to Erick Dampier, Noah Clowney, Oso Ighodaro, and Shabazz Napier! 🎉

Around the Association

Cooper Flagg goes for 31, Harper’s Spurs win 76-69

A Texas-sized matchup between the draft’s top two picks lived up to its billing.

On Saturday, Cooper Flagg’s Mavericks took on Dylan Harper’s Spurs in a high-octane Summer League showdown. San Antonio came out on top, winning by seven with 21 PTS from Summer League standout David Jones-Garcia and 16 from Dylan Harper, but Flagg made the most headlines with a 31-point performance that silenced many of the doubts generated by his so-so Summer League debut against the Lakers.

Then, on Sunday, the Mavs announced Flagg would be shut down for the rest of Summer League, presumably having seen enough from their top pick to know he would be ready come the regular season. Both Flagg and Harper are joining franchises with pillars in place for them to be successful, a luxury not often seen for top draft picks. Dallas has three future Hall of Famers in Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson, while San Antonio has a wealth of championship history to draw on—history that has already made an impact on Harper. The sky’s the limit for these two rooks!

Houston’s Fred VanVleet elected NBPA president

Being president of the National Basketball Players Association is one of the league’s most critical jobs, from helping negotiate collective bargaining agreements to leading player movements. Now, the position has a new guard—literally and figuratively.

Rockets guard Fred VanVleet was recently elected as the next president of the NBPA, succeeding CJ McCollum, whose term is up after finishing his four years at the helm. CJ’s biggest accomplishments as president included leading the charge on the 2023 CBA, which brought big changes to the league including the mythical second apron.

Now, VanVleet takes up the post after a storied career that included time in the G League, a championship with the Raptors in 2019, and an All-Star selection in 2022. Congrats to FVV—wishing all the best for the NBPA! 👏

Offseason Moves

The bulk of free agency and trade season may be over, but there are still moves to be made and rosters to shuffle. Let’s run down a few more key moves!

Cole Anthony bought out by Memphis, plans to join Bucks

After being part of one of the biggest transactions of the offseason, Cole Anthony is on the move again.

The UNC product and former 16 PPG scorer is set to be bought out by the Grizzlies and plans to sign with Milwaukee once he clears waivers, giving the Bucks a potential guard solution following their decision to move on from Damian Lillard.

Isaiah Jackson re-signs with Pacers for 3yrs, $21M

Speaking of the Bucks, the team that they lured Myles Turner away from is building back its frontcourt. After losing their longtime big, Indiana re-upped former Kentucky Wildcat Isaiah Jackson for $21 million over three years, adding to the Pacers’ center rotation of the future after resigning James Wiseman and trading for Jay Huff.

The 23-year-old Jackson tore his Achilles in November, but he’s a solid rebounding and shot-blocking threat that could help the Pacers revive their playoff magic!

Three in the Key

Signing Off

And we out! Thanks for spending a portion of your day with us. This week, do your best to cherish the best parts of every day! In our busy world, it’s easy to move from thing to thing without appreciating the joy of the current moment. Don’t forget to enjoy the moment. See you soon!

Walker Carnathan