Zach LaVine is targeting an NBA championship with the Chicago Bulls after the All-Star guard sealed his five-year contract extension with the team.
Not since the Michael Jordan-led glory years of the 1990s have the Bulls reigned above the rest in the NBA.
Their six championships in that decade account for all the NBA titles that the Bulls have won, and there have been lean times since then.
They halted a run of four seasons without a playoffs appearance by making it to the postseason in 2021-22, only to fall in the first round to the Milwaukee Bucks.
LaVine has agreed to a five-season, $215.2million maximum extension, and the former Minnesota Timberwolves man has high hopes for what may lie ahead.
He said: "Individually, I'm wanting to keep pushing myself to reach higher and higher things. If it isn't All-NBAs, if it isn't MVPs, team-wise, it's win a championship.
"I think there's nothing above that. You've heard me say individual things come with winning, and the better and better we get as a team, and I keep pushing myself to get better as a player, those things can match up."
Acquired from Minnesota in 2017 as part of a draft-day trade that sent six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves, LaVine has emerged as one of the NBA's most consistent scorers during his time in Chicago.
The 27-year-old joined the legendary Jordan as the only players in franchise history to average 23 or more points per game in four consecutive seasons after averaging 24.4 per game in 2021-22.
LaVine also shot 38.9 per cent from three-point range and 85.3 per cent from the free-throw line this past season to earn his second straight All-Star nod and help the Bulls reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17.
The Bulls are retaining a core that also includes 2021-22 All-Star DeMar DeRozan, center Nikola Vucevic and playmaking point guard Lonzo Ball. That group led Chicago to a 46-36 finish last season, their most victories since 2014-15, and a sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Speaking about his max contract, LaVine said: "There's no extra added pressure. It's just who I am, and what goals and what things I want to reach, and how much better can we get as a team."
He added: "Chicago is my home. We've built something over the last two, three [years]. Being able to come back as a cornerstone piece and allowing them to get some of my insights, some of my input in constructing the roster to help me and help us win, was really big for me."
LaVine said there was "no other reason for me to go outside and look at any other teams", suggesting that would have been "disrespectful on my end because they gave me everything that I asked for".
He said he still gave plenty of thought to what he wanted.
"But my heart was in Chicago," LaVine said.
After undergoing knee surgery in May, LaVine is optimistic he will be in prime shape for next season.
"I feel way better. I've been rehabbing, working out, playing, lifting, doing all the good stuff and boring stuff, too," he said. "I feel really good, and over the next two months, getting back into the season, I feel like I'm gonna be even better."
The NBA board of governors is expected to vote this week to make the play-in tournament permanent going forward, as well as a rule change to eliminate the 'take foul' in transition.
Governors will meet on Tuesday with the expectation that the play-in tournament – which was first implemented in the 2020-21 season, giving two extra teams in each conference a chance at qualifying for the playoffs – is a near sure-thing to be adopted permanently.
According to ESPN's report, the feeling around the league is that the play-in tournament and flattened odds in the draft lottery – giving less incentive to finish with the worst record in the league – have gone a long way in curtailing the ugly 'tanking' generally seen in the final six weeks of a season.
The 'take foul' has been a hot topic over the past season as players routinely decided to intentionally foul a ball-handler to prevent a fast-break opportunity, limiting the amount of exciting break-away dunks and shows of athleticism in every game.
As is the case in European basketball and international FIBA rules, that play is expected to be reclassified as an unsportsmanlike foul, resulting in one free throw and possession remaining with the offensive team.
While those two changes are likely to go through without much opposition, another recurring topic from commissioner Adam Silver will be discussed: an in-season tournament.
Silver has been vocal over the past few years about his desire to have mid-season competition in the same vein as cup competitions in European football, giving the teams something else to compete for and to add excitement to the regular season.
It was initially going to be rolled out at the same time as the play-in tournament, but it was met with stiff resistance and put on the backburner.
Original discussions proposed a $1million prize to each member of the winning team, although ESPN's latest report says "the players would likely see more financial and competitive incentives before an agreement on the format might be reached".
After being counted on to be 'the man' for much of his career, John Wall is excited about being on a Los Angeles Clippers team where he will not be the focal point of the offense.
Wall, who signed a two-year deal with the Clippers after being waived by the Houston Rockets, said he does not now need to be "Batman every night".
"That's the ultimate goal for me is [at] this part of my career, I don't want to have to be the Batman every night to try to win," Wall said.
"On our team that we have, I think anyone can be Batman."
The Washington Wizards selected Wall with the number one overall pick in 2010, and he led the team in scoring in five of his nine seasons in the nation's capital before being traded to the Rockets for Russell Westbrook in December 2020 after sitting out the entire 2019-20 season while recovering from heel surgery.
Wall averaged 20.6 points with the Rockets in 2020-21 but only appeared in 40 games. Last season, he did not play at all as Houston tried to figure out what to do with the five-time All-Star as they rebuilt the roster with younger players.
Wall's 40 games in 2020-21 mark his only appearances in the NBA over the past three seasons.
"My last three years, I was in the darkest place I have ever been,” he said. "I don't think a lot of people could have gotten through what I went through."
The Clippers are looking forward to the 2022-23 season with Wall on the roster and Kawhi Leonard returning after missing all of last season due to a torn ACL.
"I kind of looked at the picture of like, where can I go [where] I don't have to be the John Wall from 2016 and have to carry the load and do all those [things] and have the pressure on me," Wall said.
"I think [the Clippers were] missing a piece of having a point guard, and it's a great situation for me to be there."
Wall is expected to compete with Reggie Jackson for the starting point guard job with the Clippers, who lost both games in the play-in round last season after going 42-40.
"For me, I'm just happy to play basketball again," Wall said.
"I'm a competitor. I know a lot of people ask me, 'Are you mad if you start or not start?' I don't care. I'm a competitor, and I just want an opportunity to go out there and compete for a spot, and if I get it, I get it.
"And if I don't, we know how talented Reggie Jackson is and what he's done for this team and helping these guys out, especially when Kawhi and [Paul George] were out. Even when they were [healthy], he's a great piece. Whoever gets the spot is great."
Damian Lillard insisted that while he wants to compete for an NBA title, he wants to do it with the Portland Trail Blazers and will be able to "live" with it if he does not achieve that goal.
Lillard confirmed a two-year extension with the Blazers, seeing him through to the 2026-27 season with the team that took him with the sixth pick in 2012 NBA Draft.
The six-time All-Star played only 29 games for Portland this past season, undergoing abdominal surgery in January before being shut down for the rest of the campaign.
Speaking at a news conference to announce the signing at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, the 31-year-old made it clear he is will be loyal to Portland as long as he can compete there.
"I've always said that if I do something that goes against who I am, and say I do end up winning, I know me better than any of y'all know me," Lillard said.
"So I'd be happy with it, because I don't think anybody wouldn't be happy being a champion, but it wouldn't be as fulfilling to me as I would want that moment to be.
"It's going to get done or it's not going to get done. I don't want to go out there with this crazy uphill battle that I'm fighting and we need a miracle times 10 to get it done. I just want a shot at it, and if that happens and it doesn't work out, then I can live with that."
While Lillard was sidelined, the Blazers made pulled off a number of trades before the February deadline, which included sending back-court partner CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans.
They have then made moves to build around Lillard this off-season, acquiring Jerami Grant from the Detroit Pistons as well as signing free agent Gary Payton II, who was a key defensive piece to the Golden State Warriors' title run.
With that in mind, Lillard takes a sense of pride in Portland opting to build around him while he recovered, especially in this era of player power in the NBA.
"I don’t think that you earn something like this just by going out there and scoring a bunch of points," he said.
"Something that’s missing in our league is character, and the fight and the passion and pride about, you know, not just the name on the back, but the name on the front, and how you impact the people that you come in contact with."
Golden State Warriors big man James Wiseman is set to make his return from a torn right meniscus on Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs in the Las Vegas Summer League.
Wiseman missed the entire 2021-22 season while recovering from the injury and had a plasma-rich injection in April to promote healing in the knee. He was cleared for full-contact workouts recently and is ready to engage in a competitive atmosphere.
Selected with the second overall pick in the 2020 draft, Wiseman averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 51.9 percent from the floor in 39 games as a rookie.
He provides a strong defensive presence and could slot into a starting role next season or at least provide valuable depth for the defending NBA champions if healthy.
"I cannot wait to go out there and just play the game of basketball again. I’ve been through a lot of tough times," Wiseman said.
Without the 7-foot-1 Wiseman last season, Golden State used six-foot-nine Kevon Looney and six-foot-six Draymond Green at center, but Wiseman brings a level of vertical spacing and athleticism that is unique to the Warriors roster, making him a big part of their plans going forward.
The Portland Trail Blazers are nearing a two-year max extension with Damian Lillard worth $120million.
According to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the extension – which will take his contract through the 2026-27 NBA season – will see the point guard paid $270m over the five years on his current contract.
Lillard is a six-time All-Star who has averaged 24.6 points per game since entering the league as the sixth pick in the 2012 draft.
Only four players – James Harden, Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Stephen Curry – have averaged more in that span.
However, he played only 29 games last season due to an abdominal injury and averaged 24 points per game, his fewest since his third season in the league in 2014-15 (21).
With Lillard on the sideline and former backcourt partner C.J. McCollum traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, the Blazers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2012-13 –Lillard's rookie year.
Despite the disappointing campaign, Lillard remains the face of the franchise and, by handing him a lucrative extension, the Blazers have made it clear he will continue to be the focal point as they look to get back among the contenders in the Western Conference.
Orlando Magic fans were treated to a delightful Summer League debut from number one overall pick Paolo Banchero in a 91-77 win against the Houston Rockets and third pick Jabari Smith Jr.
Smith was the heavy favourite to be taken by the Magic with the first pick from the day they won the NBA Draft Lottery, before a draft-day shocker saw them pivot to Banchero, allowing Smith to fall to the Rockets at three.
Banchero was terrific, and was the dominant force in the contest, operating as a six-foot-10 lead ball-handler.
He finished with 17 points on five-of-12 shooting, hitting two-of-three from long range and all five of his free throws, while also adding a team-high six assists and posting a game-high plus/minus of plus 20 in 26 minutes.
Fellow draftee Caleb Houstan, who was selected by the Magic with the 32nd pick, was the Magic's top-scorer with 20 on seven-of-12 from the field, shooting an impressive five-of-nine from three-point range, while also grabbing six rebounds.
For the Rockets, Smith's stats were less impressive, finishing with 10 points on four-of-10 shooting, although he was not put in a position to succeed.
While Banchero is an on-ball operator, meaning he can initiate his own offense off the dribble, Smith was used as an off-ball threat, relying on the Rockets guards to find him in favourable positions, which they did not.
Smith's tremendous size at six-foot-10, combined with his picture-perfect jump shot form and his defensive upside to guard at least three positions mean there is no reason for panic in Houston after a slow start to his first Summer League.
Second-year guard Josh Christopher top-scored for the Rockets with 22 points on seven-of-18 shooting, 17th overall pick from this year's draft Tari Eason showed what he can do with 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Houston's third first-rounder (29th overall) TyTy Washington flashed glimpses of a skillset that could lead him to becoming the floor general his team is lacking, coming off the bench for seven points, four rebounds and three assists.
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