Let’s take a look at the best photos from the Spurs summer league win.
The San Antonio Spurs have made it two in a row, with the Sin City Spurs picking up their second consecutive and overall win of the NBA’s 2024 Las Vegas Summer League vs. the Atlanta Hawks 79-76. That they did it without prized rookie Stephon Castle on the court is all the more impressive.
The Summer Spurs were led by backup shooting guard D’moi Hodge (13 points, 2 rebounds, and as many assists and steals with 1 block), with point guard Jamaree Bouyea (12 points, 3 boards, 4 assists, and 3 steals) and big man Nathan Mensah (10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and as many blocks) also having good games.
The Spurs next face the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, July 16.
Sarr finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four blocked shots and one steal in the 94-88 win at the Thomas & Mack Center. The second pick went 4-of-12 from the field, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, in 32 minutes.
The Wizards also received a strong performance from 14th pick Carlton Carrington, who neared a triple-double with 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. The group outscored the Hawks 54-46 in the second half to pull out the win.
On the other side, Risacher produced a team-high 18 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block. The No. 1 overall pick went 7-of-16 from the field, including 3-of-9 from 3-point range in 29 minutes of action.
The Frenchmen had solid debuts with their respective teams, showcasing what made them high picks this year. They had some strong moments on offense, from shooting to passing, and displayed their defensive versatility, as well.
The matchup finished off the first day of action in the desert and proved to be a very entertaining contest. They will certainly look to build upon their efforts on Friday and continue to build positive momentum throughout the rest of the tournament.
He will make $10,474,200 next season as the No. 1 pick.
Risacher was named the 2024 EuroCup Rising Star after averaging 11.1 points and 3.9 rebounds on 38.7% shooting from 3-point range in 65 games in France. He joined Kristaps Porzingis and Jonas Valanciunas as recipients of the award.
The 19-year-old emerged as the front-runner for the top pick after the Hawks won the draft lottery in May. He worked out with the team prior to the draft and established himself as its choice over the likes of Alexandre Sarr and Reed Sheppard.
We have signed our No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher ✍️
Risacher is the Hawks’ first No. 1 pick since David Thompson in 1975 and is their highest-drafted player since Marvin Williams was selected fifth in 2005. His selection marked the first time in history that a player without college experience was chosen first in consecutive years.
The Hawks announced Friday that Risacher will play with the team in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team will play at least five games, starting with the Washington Wizards on July 12 (9:30 p.m. EDT, ESPN).
Risacher will be joined by fellow draft pick Nikola Djurisic, along with roster players Kobe Bufkin, Mouhamed Gueye and Dylan Windler, among others.
Wishing Liddell better luck in a new location. #GoBucks
Former Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell has been traded from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, according to muliple reports.
Liddell was originally selected by New Orleans with the No. 41 pick in the 2022 NBA draft after leaving Ohio State a year early. Since then though, he has struggled, first because of an ACL injury that wiped out his rookie season, then in coming back and finding enough minutes last season.
In fact, he appeared in just eight games during the 2023-2024 season, scoring just four points and pulling down five total rebounds, a far cry from what we saw from Liddell at Ohio State and in the NBA’s G-League.
Pelicans are also sending EJ Liddell to Atlanta as a part of the deal, source says. https://t.co/PNAexcCHEp
In three seasons with Ohio State, Liddell averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game and earned first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-American during his junior year.
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One star guard who has been linked to the Lakers as a possible trade target is no longer a target for them.
With the 2024 NBA Draft now in the books, the Los Angeles Lakers can turn their attention toward free agency and potential trades, as well as filling out new head coach JJ Redick’s staff.
They have been linked to a number of players on the trade market, particularly star and borderline star guards. Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young, Darius Garland and Collin Sexton are some of the big rumored targets they could go after in the days and weeks to come.
But another one of those targets is now off the board. On Friday, the Atlanta Hawks traded Dejounte Murray, another potential Los Angeles target, to the New Orleans Pelicans for Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels and two first-round draft picks.
Murray may not have been the ideal backcourt upgrade for L.A., but he is a speedy combo guard who can score and facilitate, and he has been a stellar defender in the recent past.
If the Pelicans find a way to keep stud forward Brandon Ingram, they could end up becoming a rising team in the Western Conference next season. Meanwhile, the Lakers’ trade options have become more limited.
All eyes have been on the Atlanta Hawks for months now as the team floundered about during the regular season. Dejounte Murray and Trae Young have been the epicenter of trade rumors in the NBA.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Hawks were bound to make a move this season after so many consecutive disappointing seasons. Trae Young’s trade value currently seems shot. Naturally, Murray was the move.
The Hawks get: A 2025 first-round pick via the Los Angeles Lakers, the least favorable of a 2027 first-round pick from either the Bucks or Pelicans, Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance Jr.
The Pelicans get: Dejounte Murray
The Pelicans grade
Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Though CJ McCollum has been solid as the Pelicans’ lead ball handler, New Orleans has struggled to find a suitable backcourt partner who covers his defensive weaknesses and allows him to lock in on his role as a scorer.
Theoretically, Murray serves that purpose. He’s an elite defender at his best and can pick up the opponent’s toughest guard assignment. He hasn’t been as good a defender as he once was, but this is a bet from the Pelicans that he’ll improve again with a diminished offensive role. He’ll also be a solid pick and roll partner for Zion Williamson.
He’s not an elite shooter and won’t solve the Pelicans’ problem with their shooting volume — they shoot the ball well but are one of the lowest-volume shooting teams in the NBA. But he brings them a bit of north-south shot creation and should be able to get to the rim easily. If New Orleans keeps Brandon Ingram around, that offense could be scary.
GRADE: B
The Hawks grade
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
For years, Atlanta has been treading water for the last few years as a play-in team. That’s dissatisfying for a team that was in the Eastern Conference Finals just a few years ago.
Atlanta seems to be ready to head in a different direction, finally. It’s still unclear what that direction is, but the Murray trade is at least motion.
The Pelicans get an unprotected pick in a strong draft in 2025. This Lakers pick could legitimately be a good one — LA was barely a play-in team last season and now the Lakers will have a first-year head coach in JJ Redick.
They also get another first-round pick in 2027 that could potentially be a lottery pick between the Bucks and the Pelicans. Plus, Dyson Daniels is a solid prospect and Larry Nance Jr. is a nice defensive presence for Atlanta in the frontcourt.
That’s not quite recouping what the Hawks lost from the Murray trade in the first place, but it’s certainly a start. And just because you make a previous mistake doesn’t mean you need to wallow in it.
The Hawks might not be done shifting things around — Young could still potentially be moved. We’ll see. In the meantime, though, this is a smart deal for Atlanta.
Griffin, a five-star prospect from the Class of 2021, entered Durham as 247Sports’ 12th-ranked freshman. He helped guide the Blue Devils to the Final Four alongside Moore and No. 1 draft pick Paolo Banchero.
Griffin averaged 10.4 points and 3.9 rebounds during his only season with the Blue Devils, including a career-high 27 points during his first game against North Carolina.
Griffin has played 92 games across his two-year NBA career. He stood out as a rookie, averaging 8.9 points per game and making 39.0% of his 3-pointers with 12 starting appearances. The 2023-24 season was bumpier for the young Blue Devil, however. He only appeared in 20 games, averaging 2.4 points in 8.6 minutes per game and making just 25.6% of his threes.
ESPN Sources: The Atlanta Hawks are trading F AJ Griffin to the Houston Rockets for the 44th pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft. Griffin, 20, was a 2022 first-round pick out of Duke. pic.twitter.com/IhjHKnCxCd
With the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Hawks selected Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher out of JL Bourg.
With the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Atlanta Hawks selected Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher out of JL Bourg from the French League and EuroCup.
Risacher was named the 2024 EuroCup Rising Star after averaging 11.1 points and 3.9 rebounds on 38.7% shooting from 3-point range in 65 games in France. He joined Kristaps Porzingis and Jonas Valanciunas as recipients of the award.
The 19-year-old emerged as the front-runner for the top pick after the Hawks won the draft lottery last month. He visited the organization last week and likely established himself as its choice after a strong showing in his workout and interview.
Risacher is the Hawks’ first No. 1 pick since David Thompson in 1975. He is their highest-drafted player since Marvin Williams was selected with the fifth overall pick in 2005. It is the first time in history a player without college experience was chosen first in consecutive years.
Risacher projects to check many boxes for the Hawks at the next level. He is highly touted for his passing, playmaking on offense and shooting ability. He also brings defensive versatility, given his size and ability to guard multiple positions.
Stop me if you’ve heard this about this draft before, but there’s not really a consensus No. 1 prospect out there like we’ve had in years past. No Victor Wembanyama or Zion Williamson stands alone as the unquestioned best player in this draft.
That makes things more interesting for Atlanta at the top of the draft. The Hawks have plenty of options in who they could take, but the pendulum hasn’t swung one way or another at this point.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five best options Atlanta has at the top of this draft class.
1. Alex Sarr
(Photo by COLIN MURTY/AFP via Getty Images)
Sarr is probably the closest thing you’ll get to a lock in this draft class. He’s a multi-faceted talent as a frontcourt player who looks like he could transition to playing the wing in some jumbo-sized lineups with how well he handles the ball at center.
He’d regularly be a no-brainer for Atlanta here at No. 1, but Sarr has reportedly been avoiding working out for the Hawks, according to the latest from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
If I’m the Hawks, though, I call his bluff and take him anyway. He’s that talented.
2. Zaccharie Risacher
(Photo by IAN LANGSDON/AFP via Getty Images)
Zaccharie Risacher looks like he’ll be the pick for Atlanta in the most likely scenario.
Don’t get it twisted — he wouldn’t be a consolation prize. Risacher is a good player. At 6-foot-10, he boasts incredible shooting ability which is unique at his size. He’s also a skilled defender who should, at the very least, profile as a solid 3-and-D threat for Atlanta.
3. Donovan Clingan
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Donovan Clingan would be an interesting move at No. 1 for the Hawks.
This is a team that is going to be looking for frontcourt depth with Atlanta reportedly focused on finding a new home for Clint Capela this offseason. When that happens, Clingan could easily slide into that starting center role and be a boon defensively for Atlanta.
Maybe he wouldn’t traditionally be a No. 1 overall pick in any other draft. Maybe Atlanta might do better to trade down if it’s going to take Clingan. But, regardless, he’d be a solid fit moving forward for Atlanta.
4. Reed Sheppard
Andy Lyons – Getty Images
Okay, this one might be a bit controversial. I get it — Atlanta taking another guard feels pretty ridiculous when you’ve already got Trae Young on your roster and you still have Dejounte Murray next to him.
But Atlanta needs all the help it can get defensively. Sheppard might legitimately be the best defender in this class.
He’s not built like it — being a 6-foot-1 guard with a 6-foot-3 wingspan is not what you’d typically think of as an elite defender. But every metric tracking Sheppard’s defense is through the roof. He’s also an elite shooter who scorches the net both off the bounce and in spot-up situations.
I’m not sure Sheppard would be anyone’s first pick, but he might be the right one.
5. Ron Holland
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Ron Holland is being slept on in this draft. He started the season as the consensus No. 1 overall pick before everything fell apart with the NBA’s G-League Ignite program.
The numbers don’t look great — Holland was an awful shooter, shooting 23 percent from deep on the season. He also had more turnovers per game (3.5) than assists (2.8).
But Holland’s talent is there. He might have the best motor out of anyone in this draft class. He can handle the ball, has length and has showcased solid scoring ability on a team that didn’t work well together. He wouldn’t be Atlanta’s primary creator and could settle into a secondary playmaking role as a connector rather than a main star.
I think Atlanta would be a fantastic fit for Holland. The team desperately needs help on the wing.
Hawks general manager Landry Fields confirmed that Alex Sarr declined to conduct a workout with the organization ahead of the draft.
Atlanta Hawks general manager Landry Fields confirmed that Frenchman Alexandre Sarr declined to conduct a workout with the organization ahead of the 2024 NBA draft.
Sarr is in the conversation to be the No. 1 pick by the Hawks on Wednesday, along with fellow countryman Zaccharie Risacher and UConn center Donovan Clingan. The team had Risacher and Clingan in for workouts but couldn’t secure one with Sarr.
The 7-footer was viewed as the front-runner to be the top pick after a productive year in the NBL with the Perth Wildcats. However, he dropped on most mock drafts to No. 2 to Washington after the Hawks won the draft lottery last month.
Sarr addressed the statement by Fields at the draft in New York.
I have a great team around me. Bill Duffy and WME (Sports) have already been through all of this and I trust them. I’m not going to get into the specifics of where I worked out or where I didn’t, but I’ve been doing my best in my workouts and that is all I can control.
Fields said in the interview that Sarr was the only prospect to decline a workout invitation by the team. He said the organization has finalized its draft board and has a strong idea about who it will draft with the first pick on Wednesday, barring a trade.
The comments by Fields and Sarr appear to be posturing tactics by both sides, which is typical ahead of the draft. It is unclear if it ensures that Risacher will now be the pick by the Hawks but he is currently the favorite to be the top pick by most sportsbooks.
Sarr averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks on 52% shooting from the field last season with the Wildcats. He scored in double figures 14 times, including a season-high 18 points, five blocks and two rebounds on Jan. 26 against the S.E. Melbourne Phoenix.
The 19-year-old is highly touted for his ability to protect the paint and block shots with his 7-foot, 4 1/4-inch wingspan. He has an evolving offensive game and has drawn some comparisons to Giannis Antetokounmpo with his size, skill set and ability in the open court.
