A look at how former Vols performed in the NBA on Tuesday.
Three former Vols competed in the NBA in-season tournament on Tuesday.
Cleveland defeated Philadelphia, 122-119 in overtime, at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Tobias Harris started at forward for the 76ers. He totaled 23 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals in 43 minutes against the Cavaliers. Harris converted 7-of-13 field goal attempts, 3-of-5 three-point attempts and 6-of-6 free throw attempts.
Jaden Springer played seven minutes for the 76ers and recorded one rebound. He was 0-for-1 in field goal attempts.
Orlando defeated Toronto, 126-107, at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.
Admiral Schofield played two minutes and did not record any statistics for the Magic.
The Lakers have a solid track record of finding and developing undrafted talent into valuable role players. Fudge will likely hope he’s the latest and likely looks to Austin Reaves’ rapid rise to prominence for inspiration. However, Fudge will need to impress with the South Bay Lakers if he wants a shot of getting any legitimate playing time for the Lakers this season.
As such, in the latest edition of LeBron Wire’s “three goals” series, we dive into potential goals Fudge can work toward in the coming months. After all, earning playing time on an NBA team is difficult; doing it on a contending roster with multiple future Hall of Famers will be daunting.
Here are three goals for Colin Castleton to focus on in the coming season.
In the upcoming season, Colin Castleton will split his time between the Los Angeles Lakers and the South Bay Lakers. The 6-foot-11 center went undrafted this summer despite impressing for the University of Florida, with which he averaged 16 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2.7 assists per game.
Castleton ended his final collegiate season with an All-SEC defensive team selection. However, the five-year college player was judged as a high-floor, low-ceiling pickup. That floor could make him an interesting prospect at the next level. As such, the Lakers will look closer at the versatile big man to see if he can develop and find a role for himself within the team’s rotation.
The Lakers officially signed Colin Castleton and D’Moi Hodge to two-way contracts pic.twitter.com/X1WOOUl5u3
So, for the latest edition of LeBron Wire’s “three goals” series, we take a closer look at areas the undrafted big man should work on throughout the season as he looks to crack the Lakers’ rotation and prove himself as an NBA talent.
Here are three things Cam Reddish could focus on heading into his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers
In the latest edition of LeBron Wire’s “three goals” series, we will look at Cam Reddish. The former Duke standout has struggled since entering the NBA, but now finds an excellent opportunity as part of the Los Angeles Lakers rotation heading into the new season. Reddish, 24, was the 10th pick in the 2019 draft and came into the league with the reputation of a versatile two-way wing prospect.
Reddish had somewhat of a bounce-back end to last season, as he began to show flashes during his 20 regular-season games with the Portland Trail Blazers. It’s those flashes that likely caught Rob Pelinka‘s eye and led the Lakers to sign the 6-foot-8 wing to a contract ahead of the new season,
Now, Reddish will find himself in a highly competitive environment where everybody fights for minutes and spots within the primary rotation. The hope is that Reddish will thrive in such a dog-eat-dog setting and begin to make good on his undoubted potential.
Here are three things Reddish should look to achieve in the coming season.
Here are three goals for Gabe Vincent to work on in the coming season.
Earlier this summer, the Los Angeles Lakers added Gabe Vincent to their roster on a three-year $33 million deal. Vincent is coming off an NBA Finals run with the Miami Heat, where he enjoyed a breakout run, flashing upside as a starting guard and three-point sniper.
In the latest edition of LeBron Wire’s “three things” series, we will look at some areas that Vincent may wish to improve heading into the season or throughout the year. The Lakers have been busy building a championship-caliber roster this summer, and Vincent projects to be an important part of the puzzle.
Vincent has spent the first four years of his NBA career playing under Erik Spoelstra, so he may need time to adapt to a new system and his new teammates. Nevertheless, the versatile guard could thrive alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the coming months.
Here are three things Vincent could look to implement during his debut season with the Lakers:
With a new contract in hand and a new season on the horizon, Reaves is expected to take another step in his development and truly establish himself as an essential starter for the Lakers. As such, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey believes the third-year guard could be a sleeper to win the Most Improved Player award in 2024.
“Austin Reaves is in the career sweet spot for the Most Improved Player of the Year. He’s still developing, but he’s one year past the ‘we can’t give the award to a second-year player who’s supposed to be better” argument,'” Bailey wrote. “Being on a prominent team like the Lakers will help Reaves’ chances, too. And through the early portion of the FIBA World Cup, he’s been a fan favorite and undeniable spark off the bench. All of that should lead to significantly better numbers than the 13.0 points and 3.4 assists he put up last regular season.”
Reaves will likely have a bigger role within the Lakers rotation in the upcoming season, along with a higher usage rate and additional touches. As such, the 6-foot-5 guard will have every opportunity to put himself in contention for the individual award. However, Reaves and the Lakers will be aiming far higher than simply being recognized for making improvements.
The Lakers want another championship and will feel confident their offseason additions can help them achieve that goal.
Austin Reaves is being treated like a celebrity while with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup.
Los Angeles Lakers fans are used to the Austin Reaves experience. However, international fans are getting their first taste of the Lakers guard at the FIBA World Cup and appear to be loving every minute of it. Reaves might not be the star player for Team USA, but his charismatic personality is winning everybody over.
On August 27, Reaves was introduced to a crowd of fans in the Philippines and was treated like a rockstar. Hundreds of fans were chanting Reaves’ name as he made his way onto the stage, while the chant of ‘Austin’ filled the room.
Reaves joined the Lakers as an undrafted rookie ahead of the 2021-22 season and has quickly established himself as an integral member of the team’s rotation. Earlier this summer, Rob Pelinka ensured Reaves’ future lay with the Lakers, signing the impressive guard to a four-year $53.8 million deal.
Fans in the Philippines packed out the place to see Austin Reaves 🤯
Former Rutgers star Ron Harper Jr. signed his second consecutive two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors.
The Toronto Raptors opted to keep former Rutgers star Ron Harper Jr. on a two-way contract for next season. The 23-year-old undrafted guard did not have a strong showing at Summer League earlier this month, but his solid performance in the G-League earned him an additional two-way opportunity with the Raptors.
Harper appeared in nine games for the Raptors at the NBA level last season, averaging 2.2 points and 0.8 rebounds a night. While playing for the Raptors 905 in the G-League last year, the former Scarlet Knight averaged 16.7 points in 30 games. He shot 50.1% from the floor while shooting 36.6% from three-point range. Also, Harper recorded an average of 5.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and a steal per game.
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During the Summer League, Harper averaged 12 points in four games, shooting 34.9% from the field and 16.7% from behind the arc. The 6-foot-6 guard had a solid performance in the final games with the Raptors 905 in 2022-23, helping him earn an additional two-way opportunity.
— Rutgers Men’s Basketball 🏀 (@RutgersMBB) July 26, 2023
Harper is a restricted free agent after the Raptors offered him a two-way qualifying offer ahead of free agency. The undrafted guard will spend most of his time in the G-League next season, working on his offensive development. If Harper’s deal doesn’t convert into a standard contract, the former Rutgers four-year starter will be ineligible for the NBA post-season games.
While playing with Rutgers, Harper was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree and an Associated Press All-American honorable mention.
On July 12, LeBron James finally ended speculation regarding a potential retirement. During an appearance at the ESPYs, the legendary forward revealed he would return to the Los Angeles Lakers next season. At age 38, there’s no definitive timeline on how much longer LeBron will grace an NBA floor.
The good news is LeBron continues to perform at an elite level and remains one of the best players in the NBA. However, time will eventually catch up to LeBron the same way it does to all of us. Nevertheless, Darvin Ham, who was speaking on a July 13 Sirius XM Radio appearance, revealed his belief that LeBron could play until he was 50.
“At this age, what he is doing is unprecedented,” Ham said. “Hopefully, he has a few more years to come, but if there is anybody that can do it, he can play until he is probably 50. Just the way he takes care of himself, his nutrition, his sleep habits, the regimen, everything he does pre-work, during the work, post-work, his regimen, everything he does to make himself not just available, but elite.”
Fortunately, LeBron has shown very little signs of slowing. Despite dealing with a foot injury last season, LeBron remained a potent threat on both sides of the ball. During 55 regular-season appearances, LeBron averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists, shooting 50% from the field and 32.1% from 3-point range.
The Lakers hope having LeBron in their rotation next season will give them an opportunity to challenge for a championship after their hopes were cut short last season courtesy of a Western Conference finals sweep at the hands of the Denver Nuggets.
Following the NBA draft, McConnell signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. At Rutgers he was a multi-year starter during his five years with the Big Ten program. He was named the Big Ten defensive player of the year during his final two seasons with the Scarlet Knights.
