Former Warriors wing signs deal to play overseas

The former Golden State Warriors wings will be spending next season playing for the New Zealand Breakers.

Anthony Lamb spent the 2022-23 season with the Golden State Warriors. The 6-foot-6 wing participated in 62 regular-season games, starting four of them. He also saw the court on six occasions during the postseason. However, Lamb’s production for the Warriors last season wasn’t enough to secure him another contract in the NBA.

Instead, the 25-year-old reportedly signed a deal to play for the New Zealand Breakers, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The Breakers are part of the National Basketball League (NBL), which features some of the best talent from Australia and New Zealand. Lamb will likely have a significant role with his new team.

As noted by Scotto, Lamb will have two more games against NBA competition before turning his focus toward the NBL. The Breakers are scheduled to face the Portland Trail Blazers in two preseason games, as the rebuilding Western Conference franchise looks to ramp up its preparations for the new season.

Lamb is the latest former Warrior to head overseas. He likely hopes to impress enough to earn another shot in the NBA. Golden State has doubled-down on its veteran roster this summer, adding Chris Paul, Cory Joseph and Dario Saric.

As such, there was little room for a player with Lamb’s skills, especially as the front office began to focus on flexibility with the remaining roster spots. Still, Lamb should find himself in a favorable situation with the Breakers, where he can receive consistent playing time and develop his game away from the spotlight of the NBA.

After a solid year for Golden State, Lamb has the chance to become a focal point in a team’s system, regardless of where he’s playing. That’s a win.

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Report: Warriors not expected to extend qualifying offers for Anthony Lamb and Ty Jerome

The Warriors will reportedly not extend qualifying offers to the Anthony Lamb and Ty Jerome.

Along with Draymond Green and Donte DiVincenzo, two other members from the Golden State Warriors 2022-23 roster are reportedly set to hit the open free agency market later this week.

According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, the Warriors aren’t expected to extend qualifying offers to Ty Jerome and Anthony Lamb. Without qualifying offers both Jerome and Lamb will become unrestricted free agents after one season in Golden State. Jerome and Lamb remain options to return to the Warriors depending on the market, per Slater.

Via @anthonyVslater on Twitter:

Lamb initially signed an exhibit-10 contract with the Warriors that was transitioned into a two-way deal. After impressing on his two-way deal, Lamb was converted into a standard NBA contract. In 62 games with the Warriors, Lamb averaged 6.7 points on 47.1% shooting from the field and 36.7% from beyond the arc with 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 19.3 minutes per contest.

Jerome joined the Warriors in the preseason and was later signed to a two-way contract. Jerome played 45 games, averaging 6.9 points on 48.8% shooting from the field to go along with three assists and 1.7 rebounds per game.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Three potential lower-cost depth targets for the Boston Celtics in free agency

A recent Bleacher Report analysis highlights a pair of wings and a big Boston ought to keep tabs in in free agency.

The Boston Celtics will have their work cut out for them this offseason as they try to beef up their roster in pursuit of a title in the 2023-23 season with one of the most expensive payrolls in the league before they add a single body to their ball cub just as the first elements of the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) designed to punish teams like Boston start to come into effect.

In layman’s terms, that means the Celtics will not have much money to work with this offseason, limited to whatever they can do with the taxpayer midlevel exception and veteran minimum deals available to them.

Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley put together a trio of potentially low-cost targets for the Celtics to pursue in free agency with those limits in place for Boston — let’s see which players the B/R analyst believes are both attainable in that range and a good fit.

NBA Twitter reacts to Warriors’ loss vs. Magic in Andrew Wiggins and Andre Iguodala’s return

After the Magic spoiled Andrew Wiggins and Andre Iguodala’s return with an upset win over the Warriors at Chase Center, NBA Twitter chimed in with reactions.

With both Andrew Wiggins and Andre Iguodala making their long-awaited returns to the court, the Orlando Magic played spoiler on Saturday night.

Despite the Warriors’ strong record inside San Francisco’s Chase Center, the Magic took the lead in the second quarter and never looked back.

Rookie sensation Paulo Banchero tallied 25 points on 9-of-20 shooting from the floor with five boards and three assists to lead the Magic to an upset win over the Warriors, 115-101.

Franz Wagner added 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field to go along with two assists and two boards in 35 minutes. Three other members of the Magic registered double-figures in scoring, including Wendell Carter Jr.’s double-double with 13 points and 10 boards.

Warriors reserve forward Anthony Lamb recorded a new career-high with 26 points on 9-of-20 shooting from the floor with five made triples, wight rebounds, four assists and two steals in 33 minutes.

Outside of Lamb, Jordan Poole was the only member of the Warriors to surpass 20 points on Saturday against the Magic.

In his first playing time in 15 games, Wiggins tallied 12 points on 2-of-7 shooting from the field with three boards and two assists in 19 minutes. Iguodala went scoreless in his season debut with two rebounds and an assist in 12 minutes off the bench.

After winning five straight at home, the Warriors have dropped back-to-back losses at San Francisco’s Chase Center.

Following Golden State’s loss to Orlando on Saturday night, the NBA community on Twitter chimed in with different reactions. Here’s a look at what fans and analysts were saying on social media.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Player grades, statistics: How Rockets fared at 2022 NBA summer league

With rookies Tari Eason (A) and Jabari Smith Jr. (B+) leading the way, here’s our look back at what we learned about the Rockets during 2022 NBA summer league action.

With the NBA’s 2022 summer league officially in the books, we’re taking a look back at the performances of the young Houston Rockets.

The Rockets went 2-3 in Las Vegas, though it should be noted that they were 2-1 with a complete roster. They finished 0-2 after shutting down leading scorer Josh Christopher (right hip soreness) midway through.

Shooting struggles were a recurring issue. Of Houston’s nine rotation players, only two — Tari Eason and Daishen Nix — shot over 40% from the field. Nix was the only player to break 35% on 3-pointers.

Yet, the Rockets were still competitive throughout summer league play thanks in large part to their defense, which was spearheaded by the rookie duo of Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. in the frontcourt. Houston had hoped going in to also have second-year forward Usman Garuba as a defensive anchor, but he was unable to play due to injury.

Scroll on for 2022 summer league statistics, player grades, highlights, and key takeaways involving Houston’s nine consistent rotation players in Las Vegas: Christopher, Eason, Nix, Smith, TyTy Washington, Anthony Lamb, Trevor Hudgins, Trhae Mitchell, and Aric Holman. Grades are relative to realistic expectations for each player going in.

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Rockets prospects Trevelin Queen, Anthony Lamb named to All-NBA G League teams

Trevelin Queen and Anthony Lamb, who are both on a two-way contract with the Rockets, earned All-NBA G League honors for the 2021-22 season.

Wing prospect Trevelin Queen and forward Anthony Lamb, who are currently on two-way contracts with the Rockets, were each honored by the NBA G League for their contributions this season with Houston’s affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers. With Queen and Lamb in starting roles, RGV won the 2021-22 G League title last week.

Queen, 25, is on the All-NBA G League First Team and the All-NBA G League Defensive Team, while Lamb, 24, was named to the All-NBA G League Third Team. Queen was recently named league MVP, as well.

Queen (6-6, 190, New Mexico State) averaged 25.3 points (47.1% FG), 6.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 3.6 steals per game with the Vipers. Lamb (6-6, 225, Vermont) added 16.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 33.8 minutes, shooting 45.9% overall and 39.2% on 3-pointers.

Both players will be restricted free agents in the 2022 NBA offseason, giving the Rockets to match any outside offer and retain them. Both prospects should figure into Houston’s plans for the 2022 Las Vegas Summer League and training camp for the 2022-23 season in October.

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2021-22 Rockets roster review, offseason outlook: Anthony Lamb

Anthony Lamb played well for Houston’s G League affiliate this season, but the roster math made it hard for him to find a role with the Rockets. Could that potentially change this offseason?

(Editor’s note: We are starting our individual reviews of all players from the Houston Rockets who finished the 2021-22 season with the team. To access other reviews as part of this ongoing series, click here.)

Rockets Player: Anthony Lamb, 6-foot-6 forward, 24 years old

2021-22 G League statistics: 16.0 points (45.9% FG, 39.2% on 3-pointers), 7.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists in 33.8 minutes

Professional Experience: 2 seasons

Contract Status: Restricted free agent in 2022 offseason

Lamb hasn’t played with the Rockets since the 2020-21 season, when he averaged 5.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game. He played for most of the 2021-22 season with Houston’s NBA G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, and started at forward for the team that ultimately won the 2022 G League Finals.

The Rockets signed Lamb to a two-way contract late in the 2021-22 regular season, which makes him a restricted free agent this offseason and gives Houston the right to match any outside offer and retain him.

Vipers win fourth NBA G League title as Rockets assignees play key roles

Rockets assignees Trevelin Queen, Daishen Nix, and Anthony Lamb all had key roles Thursday as Houston’s affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, clinched the 2022 NBA G League championship.

Rockets assignees Trevelin Queen, Daishen Nix, and Anthony Lamb all had key roles as Houston’s NBA G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, clinched the 2021-22 title on Thursday night. It is the fourth championship in team history, leading all G League clubs.

In Game 2 of the best-of-three G League Finals, the Vipers clinched the 2022 championship with a 131-114 victory (box score) at Delaware — where the Blue Coats are the Philadelphia 76ers’ affiliate. The Vipers have now won the G League crown in 2010, 2013, 2019, and 2022.

Nix, an undrafted rookie point guard from the NBA’s 2021 class, was impressive with 20 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals in his 37 minutes. The 6-foot-4 guard, who is only 20 years old, is on the first season of a four-year contract with the Rockets (salaries).

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Queen — who was recently named G League MVP — had 24 points and 9 rebounds on 8-of-17 shooting (47.1% FG) in his 33 minutes. Queen was ejected early in the Game 2 clincher, but he was still named 2022 G League Finals MVP after scoring 44 points in Game 1. Lamb added 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in his team-high 39 minutes, including 4-of-9 on 3-pointers (44.4%).

Queen (wing) and Lamb (forward) are each on two-way contracts with the Rockets. Those deals give Houston the right to match any outside offer in the NBA’s 2022 free agency and retain their services for next season.

For head coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah and general manager Travis Stockbridge, it was the first title for each in their third G League season.

Scroll on for highlights, interviews, and postgame reaction.

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Rockets signing G League forward Anthony Lamb to two-way contract

By signing Anthony Lamb to a two-way deal, the Rockets will have an easier time retaining the 24-year-old during the upcoming offseason, since he will become a restricted free agent.

Former Rockets forward Anthony Lamb, who played with Houston during the 2020-21 NBA regular season, is now technically back with the team after agreeing to a two-way contract on Wednesday. The 6-foot-6 forward has played with Houston’s G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, throughout the 2021-22 campaign.

The Rockets have had an open two-way spot since converting rookie guard Daishen Nix to a standard multi-year contract in February.

Two-way contracts allow players to shuttle back and forth between the G League and the parent NBA club. However, with the Rockets fully healthy at the moment and with only 10 games left to play, it seems unlikely that Lamb will play much at the NBA level in the coming days.

Instead, the move was likely made with an eye on the 2022 offseason. By having Lamb on a two-way contract, the Rockets can make him a restricted free agent this summer, thus making Lamb easier to retain.

Lamb, now 24 years old, has averaged 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 33.9 minutes per game with the Vipers this season. He’s shooting 46.7% overall and 39.8% on 3-pointers.

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Rockets add Garrison Mathews on two-way contract, waive Anthony Lamb

The Rockets are adding a sharpshooter in Garrison Mathews, who connected on 38.9% of his 3-pointers during two seasons in Washington.

The Rockets are adding a sharpshooter in 6-foot-5 wing Garrison Mathews, who was claimed off waivers Monday and signed to a two-way contract. Under two-way terms, Mathews can shuttle back and forth between Houston and its G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

Mathews is eligible to play in up to 50 games with the parent NBA club. Now 24 years old, Mathews went undrafted in 2019 before catching on with the Wizards. During two seasons in Washington, Mathews averaged 5.5 points in 16.2 minutes on 38.9% shooting from 3-point range.

As a corresponding roster move, the Rockets waived second-year forward Anthony Lamb, who was previously on a two-way deal. Mathews joins rookie guard Daishen Nix as the recipients of Houston’s two-way contract allotment entering the NBA’s 2021-22 regular season.

By dropping Lamb for Mathews, general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Stephen Silas are clearly putting an emphasis on superior long-range shooting and floor spacing for Houston’s young roster. By contrast, Lamb shot just 32.4% on 3-pointers last season.

With the Lamb-for-Mathews swap and the recent waiving of Dante Exum, Houston’s roster appears set entering the 2021-22 campaign. The regular season begins with Wednesday’s game at Minnesota.

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