NBA notebook: Warriors, Kerr reach extension

An ESPN report at the end of June said the sides were finalizing an extension
to make Kerr one of the NBA's highest-paid coaches.

"We're excited to have Steve under contract and poised to lead our team for
the next several years," said president of basketball operations/general
manager Bob Myers in a statement. "Under his guidance, we've been fortunate
enough to win three NBA titles in four years and his ability to thrive in all
facets of his job is certainly a primary reason for our success. He's a
terrific coach, but more importantly an incredible human being."

Kerr, 52, just finished the fourth year of a five-year, $25 million contract
he signed when he joined the Warriors in 2014.

The team has gone 265-63 in his four seasons at the helm, making four trips to
the NBA Finals and winning three titles.

--San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard is "seriously considering"
participating in USA Basketball's national team minicamp next week to show his
health to potential trade partners, according to an ESPN report.

Leonard, who played in just nine games last season while battling a quad
injury, has requested a trade and made it clear he does not want to stay in
San Antonio, despite Spurs coach Gregg Popovich's efforts to smooth over
differences. As the national team's coach, Popovich will lead the minicamp,
which will be held at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

According to ESPN, Leonard would like to show teams how he has recovered from
his quad injury -- which has been central to his strained relationship with
the Spurs -- but there is question as to whether his participation in the camp
would help facilitate a trade or give the Spurs more opportunity to try to
keep Leonard and patch up past issues.

--Los Angeles Lakers guard Josh Hart was named the most valuable player of the
Las Vegas Summer League, the NBA announced.

Hart, whose Lakers face the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night in the
championship game at 10 p.m. ET, leads all players in scoring (24.2 points per
game) in Vegas, while chipping in 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in six
contests. The 23-year-old racked up 37 points and nine rebounds in Monday
night's double-overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the semifinals.

Hart averaged 7.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 23.2 minutes per game across 63
appearances (23 starts) as a rookie last season, shooting 39.6 percent from
3-point range.

--Fellow Lakers guard Lonzo Ball had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and
the team announced it expects him to make a full recovery by the start of
2018-19 training camp.

Yahoo Sports reported at the end of June that Ball was diagnosed with a torn
meniscus in the knee at the end of the regular season and had gone through
various healing processes, though the team has not confirmed a meniscus tear.

ESPN reported on June 11 that Ball had a platelet-rich plasma shot in the knee
earlier this offseason.

--Free agent forward Nemanja Bjelica will not sign with the Philadelphia
76ers, opting instead to return to Europe, according to an ESPN report.

Bjelica has informed the 76ers of his decision, according to the report.

Bjelica averaged 6.8 points and 4.1 rebounds in 20.5 minutes per game with the
Wolves last season, shooting 41.5 percent from 3-point range while playing in
67 games (21 starts). All of those figures were career bests during his
three-year NBA stint.

--The Sacramento Kings will trade guard Garrett Temple to the Memphis
Grizzlies for guard Ben McLemore, forward Deyonta Davis, cash and a 2021
second-round pick, according to a report from ESPN.

The Kings will gain an extra $1 million in cap room from the deal, giving them
$20.5 million, which is easily the most in the NBA.

Temple, 32, averaged a career-high 8.4 points in 24.8 minutes per game last
season for the Kings, shooting a career-best 39.2 percent from 3-point range
in 65 games (35 starts). It was his second season in Sacramento, on top of a
10-day contract he spent there in 2010.

--Field Level Media