Basketball Intelligence For 7/4/26
Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis
PLEASE NOTE: We have encountered a (non-life-threatening) emergency that requires pausing our production of today’s BI until it can be resolved. So, this truncated version is free to everyone. We will play catch-up with the rest of today’s news and analysis either with a Part Two later today or in tomorrow’s BI edition.
Have a great holiday!
LEAGUEWIDE
Assessing 2026 NBA Summer League
Ersin Demir, NBA Draft Newsletter
Grading Every Team’s 2026 NBA Offseason So Far
Grant Hughes, Bleacher Report
Best free agents still available
Ricky O’Donnell, SBNation
It’s rare for heated rivals to exchange stars, but the Celtics and Sixers treated us to a blockbuster
Above The Break
Between Charlotte And Dallas, Which NBA Team Is In A Better Situation?
Julian King, SBNation
PODCAST: Latif Love on the 2026 NBA Draft
Latif Love/Nick Agar-Johnson/ Ray LeBov, No Weak Stuff
Latif Love of the Love my Takes Substack joins Ray and Nick to discuss the 2026 NBA Draft. They dive deep into each of the Top 4 selections. Then, Latif and Nick talk about their biggest first-round disagreements: Kingston Flemings, Aday Mara, Labaron Philon Jr., Darius Acuff Jr., and Alex Karaban. Finally, they wrap up by discussing some of their favorite second round fits, including Latif calling his shot on Bruce Thornton and Nick calling his shot on Ryan Conwell.
TEAM-SPECTIFIC
ATL: 5 things Hawks fans should keep an eye on in Summer League
Lauren Williams, AJC
GSW: Warriors’ pursuit of LeBron James offers hard dose of reality
Nick Friedell, The Athletic
IND: Pacers Summer League Primer
Caitlin Cooper, Basketball She Wrote
LAL: The Lakers appear to be trying to give themselves additional financial flexibility... but for what?
Bryan Toporek, Fansided
LAL: Can this Luka Dončić-led Lakers roster contend without LeBron James?
Law Murray, The Athletic
LAL: Cameron Carr makes a strong first impression in Lakers’ summer league opener
Thuc Nhi Nguyen, LA Times
LAL: Deandre Ayton Trade and Cameron Carr’s Explosive Debut
Iztok Franko, digginbasketball
MIA: Even with AnteBayo, Heat up for serious challenge in energized East
Ira Winderman, SunSentinel
MIL: 6 Milwaukee Bucks players to watch during NBA Summer League
Brian Sampson, Dairyland Express
NYK: Knicks to sign veteran Andre Drummond to replace Mitchell Robinson
James Edwards III, The Athletic
NYK: Knicks Add Andre Drummond
Tommy Beer, Knicks Centric
ORL: Magic’s potential turns on Tristan da Silva
Philip Rossman-Reich, World R Squared
PHI: What the Sixers Are Trying Has Rarely Worked. Does It Matter?
Jacob Sutton, JSutt Hoops
SAC: PODCAST: Kings July 2026 Free Agency Review
Nick Agar-Johnson/Ray LeBov, Kings Weekly Podcast
Ray and Nick discuss the moves made by the Kings in the wild week of free agency. They start out by discussing the two players who re-upped with the Kings: Precious Achiuwa and Daeqwon Plowden. Then, they talk about the two new two-way players for the Kings, including Nick’s thoughts on how Mogbo might fit in with the Kings. After that, they discuss the Kings officially agreeing to deals with their draft picks, as well as the Devin Carter trade with the Hawks. They wrap up by discussing the rumors surrounding Jalen Duren going to the Kings, along with his potential fit with the current big man rotation.
SAC: Injury sidelines Sacramento Kings rookie for California Classic
Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee
SAC: Top rookie point guards set for showdown as Kings host California Classic
Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee
SAS: Spurs Sign Jayden Quaintance, Tarris Reed Jr., Ja’Kobi Gillespie, and Maliq Brown
Paul Garcia, The Spot Up Shot
WAS: The Deandre Ayton trade signals the Wizards are finally serious about competing
Greg Finberg, SBNation
WAS: Welcome to the Washington Center Rehabilitation Program, Deandre Ayton
Con Brennan, Wait For The Screen
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