NBA Rumors: Lakers could spoil Colin Castleton's Summer League breakout
The best rookie at Summer League for the Los Angeles Lakers has not been No. 17 pick Jalen Hood-Schifino. It hasn't been No. 40 pick Maxwell Lewis either. Instead, undrafted free agent Colin Castleton has been the shining gem of LA's run in Vegas.
It's too early for definitive proclamations, but Castleton is already forcing teams who passed on him to re-evaluate their decision. He's averaging 15.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 25.6 minutes per game. He's hitting 69.7 percent of his shot attempts and anchoring the Summer Lakers' defense with his gaping wingspan and tremendous shot-blocking instincts.
He looks very much like a player who could earn minutes next season. The Lakers have been searching for another big to share the frontcourt with Davis; why not a player who can rebound, absorb physical contact in the post, and provide interesting ancillary skills on the offensive end like Castleton?
Well, not so fast. The Lakers have been connected to two veteran centers on the free agent market, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic (subscription required): Christian Wood and Bismack Biyombo.
Both are veterans who would take precedent over Castleton for the Lakers, a veteran-led team looking to compete at the highest level. New free agent Jaxson Hayes already muddies Castleton's realistic path to minutes. Wood or Biyombo would close it off entirely.
Still, it's hard to blame the Lakers for taking interest in two proven contributors — especially Wood, who averaged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds on 62.4 TS% with Dallas last season. He would fit naturally next to AD in the frontcourt as an offensive specialist who can splash 3s, run the floor in transition, and attack seams in the defense off the catch.
NBA Rumors: Dillon Brooks wildly compares Rockets' young core to Grizzlies
Dillon Brooks has been spotted working out with his new Rockets teammates in Vegas. He's naturally excited to embark on the next leg of his NBA journey, complete with $86 million and elevated responsibilities in the locker room. Brooks will be a foundational piece of the winning culture Ime Udoka hopes to build in Houston.
That said, Brooks' excitement might be getting to his head a little bit. Talking to reporters after Rockets shootaround, the 27-year-old made a few questionable comparisons between his new teammates and some of his former teammates in Memphis.
"I feel like it's exactly the same team from 3-4 years ago," he told Locked on Rockets. "Jalen [Green] is like Ja Morant. Jabari [Smith Jr.] is like Jaren [Jackson Jr.]. Young guys that can expand their games to be the best in the league."
The general sentiment here is fine: the Grizzlies were once a young team with a few high draft picks that made the leap from rebuilding to contention rather quickly. Maybe the Rockets can follow a similar path with new leadership and a few vets in the locker room.
But, comparing Jalen Green to Ja Morant and Jabari Smith to Jaren Jackson is simply setting the bar way too high. It's almost unfair to Green and Smith; why force them to live up to those expectations?
There's an argument to be made that Green as a prospect was on the same level as Morant as a prospect. The same could be said for Smith and Jackson. But, we're a few years into Green's career. Smith's rookie season was deeply underwhelming. Both have a lot of talent — in fact, both will probably be very good players — but Morant and Jackson are All-Stars. One is a perennial top-10 MVP candidate. The other is the reigning DPOY.
Brooks should probably look for different points of comparison.
NBA Rumors: Heat lowball Blazers in Damian Lillard trade talks
The Miami Heat are the only team on Damian Lillard's list of preferred destinations after he requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers earlier in the month. The Blazers plan to take the best deal available to them, but with Lillard trumpeting his desire to play for Miami to everyone that will listen, the Heat feel like the overwhelming favorites to land the disgruntled 32-year-old.
That said, it could take ages for a deal to unfold. ESPN's Ramona Shelburne spoke to two GMs who said we could be heading for another Ben Simmons saga with Dame. He has four years and a lot of money left on his contract; what if Portland calls his bluff, takes him into training camp, and doesn't pay him when he doesn't show up?
Another potential reason for the slow evolution of trade talks is Miami's patient approach. With no firm Lillard trade offers materializing around the league, according to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, the Heat are comfortable keeping their cards close to the vest.
Basically, the Heat aren't going to offer more than they have to for Lillard. Unless another team forces their hand — or the Blazers actually threaten to keep Lillard — the Heat simply won't put forward their best offer.
This is how every trade negotiation plays out, but given the magnitude and complexity of this particular situation, these talks could drag out for months. The Heat are the favorites to land Dame, but don't expect the move to be announced tomorrow.
