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Slam Dunk - $20.00 - Contest Completed | NBA Week 26

Kemba Walker named to Hornets coaching staff

Wed Jul 3 2:51pm ET
Field Level Media

Kemba Walker was named to the Charlotte Hornets coaching staff on Wednesday, one day after announcing his retirement from the NBA.

A four-time All-Star point guard, Walker was named player enhancement coach on new head coach Charles Lee's staff.

The Hornets announced Lamar Skeeter, Josh Longstaff, Chris Jent, Blaine Mueller, Ryan Frazier, Matt Hill and Jermaine Bucknor as Lee's assistant coaches, with Skeeter as his lead assistant. Skeeter spent the past 10 seasons with the Utah Jazz, rising to top assistant.

Walker was selected No. 9 overall by the Hornets in the 2011 draft.


He played eight seasons in Charlotte before signing a four-year, $141 million contract in July 2019 as part of a sign-and-trade deal with the Boston Celtics.

After two seasons with the Celtics, he bounced around the NBA and was traded and released twice before finishing his career with short stints with the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.

Walker, 34, played overseas in Monaco in the 2023-24 season and ended his NBA career with averages of 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 33.1 minutes in 750 games (697 starts). He earned four straight All-Star nods from 2017-20, and was All-NBA third team for the 2018-19 season.

Player Notes
Brice Sensabaugh Sun Jul 14 10:00am

Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (finger) was unable to return during Saturday's exhibition game against the Dallas Mavericks. He suffered an apparent finger injury during the first half of the game. Possibly a dislocation, but the Jazz don't believe it'll be a long term issue. He finished the game with three points, two rebounds, and two assists in 12 minutes. Taevion Kinsey started during the second half on Saturday in place of Sensabaugh. He could see more playing time if Sensabaugh misses time going forward.

Cody Williams Sun Jul 14 9:50am

Utah Jazz guard Cody Williams put together a solid game from the floor during Saturday's win over the Dallas Mavericks. Williams struggled in three games during the summer league, but he picked it up during his exhibition contest. He went 9-for-15 from the field, while scoring 21 points, three rebounds, and four assists in the win. The lottery pick was able to hit three shots from beyond the arc as well across his 31 minutes of action. Williams should see significant playing time on the rebuilding Jazz roster. Hopefully he'll be able to build off this performance going forward.

Taj Gibson Sun Jul 14 9:40am

The Charlotte Hornets have reportedly signed center Taj Gibson on Saturday. The veteran big man heads to Charlotte on a one-year deal for $3.3 million for the 2024 season. The 39-year-old averaged 1.7 points and 1.9 rebounds across 10.3 minutes in 20 games last season. He's a valuable veteran presence for this young roster. However, Gibson is unlikely to have much of a role behind Mark Williams and Nick Richards.

Patrick Williams Sun Jul 14 9:30am

Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (foot) said on Saturday that the bone in his foot is finally fully healed. The 22-year-old is running and jumping without any pain after undergoing season-ending surgery in February. Williams averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists in 43 games last season. He recently signed a five-year, $90 million extension with the Bulls this offseason. Williams should get significant minutes, so there is likely to be fantasy value here as long as he can stay healthy.

Nikola Jovic Sat Jul 13 6:30pm

Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (ankle, toe) is expected to be ready for training camp. While a Serbian outlet indicated the 2022 No. 27 overall pick sustained a fracture in his ankle joint, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald reported he has an ankle sprain and a fractured toe. Either way, Jovic's condition has improved, although he may not be able to participate in the 2024 Summer Olympics. The 21-year-old got off to a slow start in 2023-24. However, he finished the season by averaging 12.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in eight games in April. With Caleb Martin now in Philadelphia, the door is open for Jovic to earn more minutes during the 2024-25 campaign, so his statistical contributions could improve.

Reed Sheppard Fri Jul 12 11:20pm

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard scored a team-high 23 points in Friday's Summer League victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. While the rookie had four turnovers, he certainly made up for it, amassing five assists, three blocks, and a steal. He also shot an efficient 4-for-6 from behind the arc. With that said, Sheppard looked great in his unofficial NBA debut, so fantasy managers will continue to watch him closely during his time in Vegas and into the 2024-25 campaign.

Zaccharie Risacher Fri Jul 12 11:10pm

Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher had 18 points in Friday's Summer League loss to the Washington Wizards. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick led his team in scoring, adding five rebounds, one steal, and one block. However, he struggled shooting, going 7-for-16 from the field and 3-for-9 from deep. All things considered, it was a decent showing from Risacher. With that said, he'll likely find his rhythm offensively, and there's a good chance he'll be one of the top producers of Summer League, assuming Atlanta keeps him on the floor.

Bronny James Fri Jul 12 11:00pm

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James finished with eight points, five rebounds, and two steals in Friday's Summer League loss to the Houston Rockets. The 19-year-old had another uneventful showing offensively, going 3-for-14 from the field and 0-for-8 from deep. He also had three turnovers. Despite James' offensive struggles, he has shown promise defensively. However, it's evident the 2024 No. 55 overall pick has some work to do, although he will likely get some shots to fall at some point during his time in Vegas.

Scotty Pippen Jr. Fri Jul 12 8:40pm

Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. had 16 points in Friday's Summer League victory over the Sacramento Kings. He added five steals, four assists, and three rebounds. The 23-year-old appeared in 21 games for the Grizzlies last season, averaging 13.3 points, 5.1 assists, and 1.9 steals in 16 games as a starter. While Pippen will likely spend time in the G League during the 2024-25 campaign, dynasty managers may benefit from keeping him stashed.

Jake LaRavia Fri Jul 12 8:30pm

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia recorded a game-high 22 points in Friday's Summer League win over Sacramento. The 22-year-old had five turnovers in this one. However, he made up for it by amassing six steals. LaRavia is coming off a decent 2023-24 campaign, averaging a career-high 10.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 34.0% shooting from behind the arc. Granted, most of the roster was injured late in the season. But LaRavia should get minutes again for the Grizzlies during year, although he likely won't be a consistent fantasy provider.

Tyus Jones Fri Jul 12 8:10pm

According to NBA insider Michael Scotto, the Los Angeles Clippers are interested in free agent guard Tyus Jones. The former Duke Blue Devil spent last season with the Wizards, averaging a career-high 12.0 points, 7.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals while shooting 41.4% from deep. However, Jones' numbers would likely decline if he heads to Los Angeles, especially if he comes off the bench. Still, he would likely play enough minutes and draw some starts during the 2024-25 campaign, so he'll continue to have value for fantasy managers.

Jalen Brunson Fri Jul 12 4:50pm

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson agreed to a four-year, $156.6 million contract extension with the team. He could have received more. However, the 27-year-old took less money to give the front office flexibility to improve the team even more. Brunson is coming off a stellar 2023-24 campaign, averaging a career-high 28.7 points with 6.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds. He also shot 40.1% from deep and appeared in 77 contests. Without question, the 2018 No. 33 overall pick has become one of the best players in the National Basketball Association, and his MVP upside makes him an attractive fantasy commodity heading into the 2024-25 season.

Bryce McGowens Fri Jul 12 3:50pm

The Portland Trail Blazers have reportedly signed guard Bryce McGowens to a two-way deal. The 21-year-old was waived by the Charlotte Hornets after averaging 24.5 points in a pair of Summer League games. McGowens averaged 5.1 points and 1.7 rebounds through 59 games with the Hornets last season. He'll head into a crowded Blazers rotation that already has a ton of young wings. It's hard to imagine McGowens having legitimate fantasy value next season.

Jeff Green Fri Jul 12 3:40pm

The Houston Rockets have agreed to a deal with forward Jeff Green. The veteran forward has agreed to a one-year, $9.6 million deal for the 2024-2025 season. Green averaged 6.5 points, 2.3 rebounds through 78 games with the Rockets last season. He only played an average of 16.8 minutes per game, which will possibly decrease next season. The Rockets frontcourt is getting more crowded, so this looks like nothing more than a depth move for Houston.

Johnny Juzang Fri Jul 12 3:40pm

Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang has agreed to a long-term extension with the organization. The 23-year-old has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $12 million deal with the Jazz. He has been fairly quiet through his first two seasons in Utah. Juzang averaged 7.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 18.6 minutes per game through 20 games last season. He'll will have to compete with Jordan Clarkson and first-round pick Cody Williams for minutes in the rotation. It's unlikely that Juzang has a major role on the Jazz next season.

Saddiq Bey Thu Jul 11 9:40pm

Free-agent forward Saddiq Bey agreed to a three-year, $20 million deal with the Washington Wizards. The 25-year-old averaged 13.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists last season. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL, limiting him to only 63 games. While Bey is still working his way back from the injury, he has a chance to carve out a meaningful role with the Wizards during the 2024-25 campaign, making him a stashable fantasy asset for when he returns.

Kobe Bufkin Thu Jul 11 9:20pm

Atlanta Hawks guard Kobe Bufkin (shoulder) won't play in the Las Vegas Summer League. The 2023 No. 15 overall pick suffered a right shoulder injury during a practice session on Tuesday night, with an MRI revealing "findings consistent with right shoulder subluxation." He's expected to be ready for training camp. However, Bufkin appeared in only 17 games during his inaugural year due to a thumb injury, so his latest injury is still concerning. He also averaged just 4.8 points, meaning his fantasy stock can't get much lower heading into the 2024-25 campaign.

Devin Carter Thu Jul 11 9:10pm

Sacramento Kings guard Devin Carter (shoulder) underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum. He's expected to be sidelined for six months. The 2024 No. 13 overall pick averaged 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks in 33 games with Providence last season. However, he's now expected to sit out a significant portion of the 2024-25 campaign, negatively impacting his development. As a result, Carter shouldn't see much interest from managers in redraft formats, and his fantasy stock in dynasty setups should drop considerably.

Evan Mobley Thu Jul 11 9:00pm

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley is eligible to sign a contract extension. While it's unknown when an agreement will occur, ESPN's Brian Windhorst believes negotiations between both sides won't be a lengthy process. "I would expect the contract to be done somewhat soon," said Windhorst during an interview. "I think the Cavs are willing to give him the max." The 2021 No. 3 overall pick has spent the last three seasons in Cleveland, averaging 15.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 198 appearances for the club. He was limited to just 50 games last season due to injury. However, if Mobley can stay healthy during the 2024-25 campaign, he has top-25 fantasy potential.

Kyle Lowry Thu Jul 11 9:00pm

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, free-agent guard Kyle Lowry agreed to a one-year deal with the 76ers on Thursday. The 38-year-old appeared in 23 games for Philadelphia in 2023-24, averaging 8.0 points, 4.6 assists, and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 40.4% from behind the arc. He should remain a part of Nick Nurse's rotation. However, Lowry's best days are behind him, so he's not expected to be a reliable fantasy option.