Latest news with #frontcourt
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Do the Boston Celtics have a front court problem?
After losing Luke Kornet, Kristaps Porzingis and potentially Al Horford this summer, the Boston Celtics front court has suffered a significant talent drain. Brad Stevens has tried to stem some of the bleeding by bringing in Luka Garza in free agency, although there's currently no guarantee he will successfully plug some of the gap left behind. Overall, the Celtics front-court rotation looks like the biggest weak point in the team's roster construction. Without Jayson Tatum, who is currently out with an Achilles tendon injury, the Celtics lack high-level talent and reliable depth at the four and the five. During a recent appearance on "98.5 The Sports Hub," The Athletic's Jay King sounded the alarm over Boston's limited front-court depth, noting that it has the potential to be "really bad." Of course, with months left until the start of the new NBA season, things could look different by opening night. Nevertheless, as currently constructed, the Celtics can't be expected to make a deep postseason run unless Mazzulla finds a way of getting the best out of his makeshift roster. You can watch the full podcast episode by clicking on the embedded video above. Watch the "Taylor Talks Celtics" podcast on: YouTube: Website: This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Do the Celtics have a front court problem?
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lakers bolster frontcourt with pair of two-way signings
The post Lakers bolster frontcourt with pair of two-way signings appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Los Angeles Lakers have been busy making moves this offseason, including most recently signing free agent guard Marcus Smart after his buyout with the Washington Wizards. Smart joins Deandre Ayton as Lakers buyout market acquisitions that the team hopes will bolster its depth heading into the 2025-26 season. Even after the signing of Ayton, the Lakers don't have a whole lot in the way of frontcourt depth, and recently, the team made a couple of moves that will hopefully give them some support in that department. 'The Los Angeles Lakers plan to sign 7-footer Christian Koloko and forward Chris Manon on two-way NBA contracts, sources tell ESPN,' reported ESPN's Shams Charania on X, formerly Twitter. Charania noted that 'Manon, undrafted out of Vanderbilt, played for the Warriors in California and Las Vegas summer leagues. Koloko played 37 games for L.A. last season.' Meanwhile, the Lakers had to part ways with a familiar face in order to create roster space. Koloko wasn't exactly a standout during his time for the Lakers but was solid enough for the team to want to bring him back on a two-way deal in hopes of bolstering their frontcourt rotation. A big problem for the Lakers During last year's playoff loss vs the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers' lack of playable frontcourt pieces was a glaring issue, so much so that during Game 4 of that series, Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick opted to play without a center for the entire second half of the contest. Deandre Ayton hasn't necessarily lived up to his billing as the number one overall pick in a draft class that included Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander but still figures to provide the Lakers with a definitive upgrade at the center position. Meanwhile, there have been some rumblings about LeBron James' future with Los Angeles and whether or not there might be a trade on the horizon as the team focuses its attention on Luka Doncic, but nothing substantial has come out of those rumors up to this point. In any case, the Lakers' 2025-26 season will begin in late October, with the full schedule set to be announced in August. Related: Zach Lowe wonders if Lakers just released better option than Marcus Smart Related: LeBron James' 10 best moments as a Laker, ranked
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Celtics Summer League standout making strong case for roster spot
With the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet, and likely Al Horford, the Boston Celtics find themselves incredibly thin in the frontcourt. As the offseason rages on, the franchise might have stumbled into a viable center option in Summer League. Though he wasn't on the roster initially, Charles Bassey finds himself suiting up for the Celtics in Las Vegas. He's managed to turn heads with his play, making a strong case for a roster spot in the process. Advertisement Over the weekend, Bassey put together his best outing of Summer League thus far. In a 94-81 win over the New York Knicks, he notched 22 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks off the bench. As a fourth-year player in the league, Bassey is dominating Summer League the way an experienced player should. In light of their need for rotation-level big men, the Celtics should be taking a good long look at the former second-round pick. Bassey started his career with the Philadelphia 76ers, who drafted him 53rd overall in 2021. He's since spent the past three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs in a backup role. Bassey appeared in 36 games last year, posting averages of 4.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 0.8 BPG. Advertisement Standing at 6-foot-10 with good athleticism, Bassey has the makings of an effective rim-running center at the NBA level. While his numbers don't jump off the page at the pro level, he could just need the right situation. Having a defined role on the Celtics could help kickstart the 24-year-old's career. With no clear option at center for next season, Boston will have to get creative with their frontcourt rotation in 2026. Seeing how he's looked in Summer League for them, the Celtics might have lucked into a cost-effective rotation piece.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sky's Kamilla Cardoso proves she can be perfect teammate for Angel Reese
The partnership looked perfect midway through the third quarter out of a timeout. The Chicago Sky drew up a play that displayed their future in one moment. They inbounded to Kamilla Cardoso on the left block. Angel Reese cut down the right side. Cardoso tossed the ball toward the rim, and Reese leaped to lay in the alley-oop bucket. Advertisement It was just the most direct connection on a brilliant day for Cardoso and Reese as the Sky beat the Lynx, 87-81. And it was continued proof that this frontcourt can work together. "I think we've got the best young core in the league," Reese told ESPN after the game. A big part of that is Cardoso, literally. The 6-foot-7 Brazilian who started her college career at Syracuse and finished it at South Carolina is blossoming into a star. On Saturday, she had 17 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks. She was pretty much unstoppable anywhere 10 feet and in, because even when she doesn't get all the way to the hoop, she has enough touch to shoot over her defender and drop it in. Advertisement And yeah, she can defend. With Minnesota trying to rally, Courtney Williams attempted a pull-up 3 in Cardoso's face. It went exactly how you'd expect. Reese had 19 points and 11 rebounds with four assists in one of her first WNBA games. On a day that both Cardoso and Reese shine, the Sky will be tough to beat. This was proof of concept. If Chicago can repeat this feat, the future will be plenty bright. MORE: Angel Reese becomes 1st in WNBA history with this double-double history
