Mike Gansey didn’t wait around for a perfect opening when he took over as Sixers team president. He made his move right away, and it changed the shape of the roster in a hurry with the trade for Jaylen Brown.
Gansey said he “would have never envisioned” his first months in charge unfolding that way. His approach, though, was simple and direct, rooted in something he picked up during his time with the Cavaliers: make the call and see where it leads.
“ It’s kind of like, ‘Let’s check in with Boston and see if there’s anything there,’” Gansey said. “ Maybe there isn’t.
But you just make that call, and they don’t say no. … It just kept going on, and they would call us, we would call them.
You just keep having conversations. Next thing you know, we’re in LA [for free agency], and it was getting close and [feeling like] this might actually happen … That’s why, this business, you can plan all you want and prepare, but you just don’t know.
Things happen.”
That deal gives Philadelphia three high-end creators in Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid, and the fit will require all three to give up some of the usage they had last season. Tony Jones and Jay King note that the ceiling still hinges on Embiid staying healthy through the playoffs, something that has not been easy to count on. Even so, they write, if everything breaks right, the Sixers have a real shot to be a contender this year.
Jalen Brunson’s wrist injury, meanwhile, turned out to have started during the Knicks’ run through the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavaliers. Brunson said on ESPN Radio that he first felt it in Game 2.
“ There wasn’t a play I remember it happening,” Brunson said. “ I just remember being at the free-throw line in the third or fourth quarter of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.
My wrist was starting to feel weak. I was like, ‘Where is this coming from?’
From that point on, I was trying to figure out what was going on, and how I can push through, because I wasn’t going to get anything done during that time.”
He said learning he would need surgery took a little shine off the championship summer, though he called it a small price to pay.
Brooklyn got a look at the kind of identity it wants to build in Tuesday’s Summer League win over the Kings. Dutch Gaitley said the biggest difference was the team’s work on defense.
“ I think the big difference was our energy and effort defensively,” Summer League coach Dutch Gaitley said. “ I mean, we forced 28 turnovers.
They weren’t able to get - we had 30 fast-break points. They weren’t able to get anything going to start the game.”
Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Demin offered an early look at the future of the backcourt, and Brown also caught Gaitley’s attention by asking for the defensive assignment on rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. Acuff still scored 26 points, but the willingness to take that challenge stood out.
And the LeBron James watch continues. A decision is expected in the near future, and while the Knicks are not believed to be in the running, they still could feel the ripple effects, Kristian Winfield writes.
The Cavaliers, Sixers, and Heat are among the teams still said to be in the mix, and all three would matter to New York from within the East. Winfield notes that Cleveland and Philadelphia would become dangerous with James, but if he lands in Miami, the Heat could alter the balance in the conference and jump the Knicks in the contender hierarchy.
In Other News...
Nets Young Core Faces Its Biggest Summer League Test Yet
Brooklyns young Summer League group has already shown enough to make the final day in Las Vegas feel meaningful, and now it gets one more chance to measure itself against a Houston team that has matched it at 2-1. The Nets are coming off a win over Sacramento in which Egor Dmin and Drake Powell stood out, while the Rockets answered with a solid victory over Philadelphia behind Bruce Thornton and Isaiah Crawford.
The setting adds a little extra edge, too, with the game at Thomas & Mack Center and coverage on ESPNU and YES. For a Brooklyn roster trying to turn a promising week into something more, this is the kind of late-July test that can sharpen the conversation around the group, especially with both teams carrying enough momentum to make the matchup feel bigger than a typical exhibition. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Summer League Stock Report On Demin Brown And Johnson
Three games into Las Vegas Summer League, the Nets have already given themselves a useful early read on a few young pieces. Brooklyn is 2-1 after a pair of wins and a close loss, and the most encouraging developments have come from Egor Demin, Mikel Brown Jr. and Chaney Johnson, all of whom have flashed enough to make the rest of the week worth watching. Demin in particular has looked like a player who belongs in the conversation for more than just summer reps, while Johnson has been steady enough to stand out on a roster still sorting through roles.
Browns situation is a little different, since he has only been available for two of Brooklyns three games after being held back earlier in the week because of a back issue from his Louisville days. Johnson, meanwhile, is making his case on a more straightforward path, using strong production to strengthen his standing as one of the Nets two-way players. Brooklyns next test comes against Houston, with a shot to stay in the top four and keep its playoff bracket hopes in good shape. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Fans Wont Like Tyson Etiennes Next Career Move
Tyson Etienne is taking the next step in his pro career after spending last season on a two-way contract with the Brooklyn Nets. The guard got into 24 NBA games for Brooklyn while also logging time in the G League, giving the organization a closer look at a player who spent much of the year moving between levels.
Now Etienne is moving on from that familiar setup and into a new chapter abroad. For Nets fans, it is another reminder of how quickly two-way players can go from being around the team every day to finding their footing somewhere else, especially when a young guard starts to build momentum away from the NBA spotlight. [Read more 🡒]