NBA News Roundup: LA Lakers acquire Patrick Beverley from Utah, Kobe Bryant's wife gets rewarded $16 million in case over crash photos, and more - August 25, 2022
The NBA had a busy week. Players were moved around in the league and fans got some basketball action at the Crawsover Pro-Am even though the game had to be cut short. NBA stars like LeBron James, Jayson Tatum and others were present in Seattle for the event.
Moreover, many stars and athletes across the world remembered and paid tribute to the late great Kobe Bryant on his 44th birthday a few days ago.
Let's take a look at the major headlines and stories from around the NBA as of Aug. 25, 2022:
Patrick Beverley back in LA with the Lakers in exchange for two young players
Patrick Beverley, who has often mocked LeBron James after blocking his shots, will now suit up next to him. Pat Bev was traded by the Utah Jazz to the LA Lakers in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson.
Beverly notably stated a few months ago that the Lakers, as presently constructed, would have gone to the conference finals if he was on the team. He has now joined the Tinseltown franchise as they look to bolster their backcourt.
The LA Lakers needed a defensive specialist and an energizer bunny off the bench this offseason. Beverley's addition is a very good one, at least on paper, on those counts and he is also a decent 3-point shooter.
But only time will tell if adding another player in his mid-30s will help the Lakers. Beverley, 34, also notably has a long-standing feud with Russell Westbrook, who will be entering his second season in LA.
The Patrick Beverley trade to the Lakers is complete, sources tell ESPN. Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson join the Jazz. twitter.com/wojespn/status…
Former Celtics center Tacko Fall is joining the Chinese Basketball Association
After not seeing decent minutes in the NBA for three years, Tacko Fall is taking his talents to China. He is set to play for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association. The team is based out of Urumqi, Xinjiang, China, and won their first franchise title in 2017.
Fall played just 11 times for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2021-22 season, averaging 4.5 minutes, 1.1 points, 0.2 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game. Prior to that, he featured in only 29 games for the Boston Celtics across the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
Fall will have another former NBA player for company in China. Arnett Moultrie, who played in Mississippi State and then for two years with the Philadelphia 76ers, is currently part of the Flying Tigers' roster.
Three-year NBA veteran Tacko Fall is signing a one-year deal in the Chinese Basketball Association with Xinjiang, per sources. The 7-foot-6 center played for Boston and Cleveland and now departs to play abroad.
Vanessa Bryant gets rewarded $16 million over Kobe Bryant's crash photos
Vanessa Bryant sued Los Angeles County after firefighters, police officers and other first responders captured images of the dead bodies of her husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna. The jury deliberated for less than five hours before unanimously agreeing that capturing such photographs invaded her privacy.
The officers at the scene seemingly took those pictures to show to their family and friends that they saw NBA legend Kobe Bryant's dead body. Vanessa Bryant testified during the case and said:
"I live in fear every day of being on social media and these popping up. I live in fear of my daughters being on social media and these popping up."
After the jury's ruling, she uploaded an image of herself with Kobe and Gianna on Instagram and captioned it:
"All for you! I love you! JUSTICE for Kobe and Gigi! #Betonyourself #MambaDay 8•24•22 #MambaMentality"
A federal jury found Wednesday that Los Angeles County must pay Vanessa Bryant $16 million over photos of Kobe Bryant's body at the site of the 2020 helicopter crash that resulted in his death. es.pn/3dVo72o
OKC Thunder lottery pick Chet Holmgren set to miss his rookie season
Chet Holmgren quickly became a sensation in the league after his NBA Summer League debut.
His thin frame and shooting ability has seen fans compare him to OKC Thunder legend Kevin Durant. Holmgren's NBA debut was much anticipated and many even predicted that he would win the Rookie of the Year award.
However, he is set to miss the entirety of the 2022-23 season after suffering a torn ligament in his right foot during the Crawsover Pro-Am in Seattle. Thunder GM Sam Presti released a statement regarding the same which read:
"Certainly we are disappointed for Chet, especially given the excitement he had about getting on the floor with his teammates this season… We expect that same tenacity will carry him through this period of time as we work together and support him during his rehabilitation."
ESPN injury analyst @Stephania_ESPN details the promising path to a full recovery for Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren. https://t.co/HlUlYTUFWc
5-time champion Dennis Rodman's jersey from Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals set for auction
Dennis Rodman is one of the most decorated power forwards in the league. Consequently, his game-worn jerseys and shoes are bound to be worth an absolute fortune.
As reported by NBC Sports, his signed and game-used jersey from Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals will be up for bidding at an auction presented by Sotheby's. The jersey will be one of 16 artifacts showcased at the online auction titled "Invictus: Part 2." The bidding is set to begin on Tuesday, September 6.
"Invictus: Part 1" featured Michael Jordan's "Last Dance" jersey from Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals. MJ put up 33 points but the Bulls lost 88-85 to the Utah Jazz to go 1-0 down in the series.
Rodman, meanwhile, didn't have an excellent Game 6. He dropped just a solitary point, one steal, zero blocks, three assists and 11 rebounds in that game while going 0-4 from the field in nearly 33 minutes. Consequently, his jersey seems to be on auction purely on the basis of nostalgia and historical importance.
It is worth noting that Rodman grabbed a crucial rebound during the dying moments of the game. The rebound eventually led to a Steve Kerr game-winner after a timeout as the Bulls beat the Jazz 87-86 to win the NBA championship.
New post: Dennis Rodman’s 1997 NBA Finals jersey from Game 6 set for auction 4state.news/dennis-rodmans… https://t.co/kOdBCwD4zw