Summer League games might end a few minutes earlier than usual this year. The NBA announced Thursday that the “one free throw rule” will be used at the summer leagues happening this month in Salt Lake City, Northern California and Las Vegas. The rule — designed to speed up play — means any foul that would typically result in the awarding of one, two or three free throws will instead result in a single free-throw attempt. That attempt will be worth the same total number of points as the free throws it replaces. The G League has used this rule since 2019-20. The rule doesn’t apply to the entire game. Standard free-throw rules — two shots for a two-shot foul, etc. — will be utilized for the last two minutes of fourth quarters and in all of overtime. It’s unclear if the one-free-throw rule will make it into NBA games, but Summer League has been a proving ground for eventual rule changes. The G League and Summer League have been used many times in recent years as testing labs for the league before bringing rule changes or amended policies into NBA games. Among those that started at those levels and

Walker Kessler is being traded by the Utah Jazz to the Los Angeles Lakers, who will have the center under contract for the next four seasons and for a total of about $130 million, according to a person with knowledge… Source link

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The top four picks in the NBA draft are receiving marquee billing in the NBA Summer League schedule released Friday. The Washington Wizards are expected to showcase No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa when they play the Utah Jazz and No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson on the opening day of the Summer League on July 9 in Las Vegas. All 76 games of the Summer League from July 9-19 will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center and Pavilion. The games will be televised by Prime Video or ESPN platforms. The regular schedule, with each team playing at least five games, ends on July 16. The semifinals are scheduled for July 18 and the championship is set for July 19. Peterson is expected to play in the Salt Lake City Summer League that begins on July 4, so the game against Dybantsa and Washington in Las Vegas is not expected to be his first opportunity to play for the Jazz. Even so, the matchup of the top two draft picks was highlighted by the NBA. Also notable is the matchup between the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks on July 10. That will be four days after

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — After a trip to Canton, Ohio last weekend, the Utah Jazz felt more confident than ever in drafting Darryn Peterson. And Peterson felt peace knowing where his new home would be. “I remember telling my agent after meeting in Chicago (at the combine), there’s something about Utah. I liked their energy … so for them to come and meet me again, I still felt the same way. I knew if they were to take me, I was going to be super comfortable,” Peterson said. Utah chose Peterson, a 6-foot-6 guard from Kansas, with the second pick of the NBA draft on Tuesday night. “I want to show that burst that I’ve gotten back to after the season,” Peterson said. “I feel better than I ever have.” Peterson, who is reserved off the court, declined to visit and work out in Utah during the pre-draft period and his camp openly lobbied for him to be the No. 1 pick. But the Jazz flew to Peterson’s hometown to interview him over the weekend to judge his level of commitment. Peterson even paused a tattooing session on his biceps to chat with Utah’s front office, including President of

DENVER (AP) — The usually stoic Darryn Peterson couldn’t mask his feelings after being taken by Utah with the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft on Tuesday night. His grandfather was crying. His mom was crying. So the Kansas standout got a little emotional, too. “It was surreal,” Peterson said, “to hear my name.” Now, the real work begins as Peterson tries to help the Jazz turn the corner inside a deep and competitive Northwest Division. Utah finished 42 games behind Oklahoma City last season — and the Thunder only got bigger (taking Michigan 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara) and acquired more shooting (picking up Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz). Peterson becomes a complement to emerging Jazz star Keyonte George. “He’s a really talented player and really hard worker,” Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said of Peterson on the team’s website. “He’s a culture fit, a talent fit and a game fit with our organization.” Denver, another team trying to keep up with the Thunder, took UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. at No. 26 but is in the process of sending his draft rights to the San Antonio Spurs as part of a deal to acquire more draft