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Steph Curry has called himself the "Petty King" ahead of Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals. Despite winning his fourth championship and first NBA Finals MVP, Curry was described as "one dimensional" by Kevin Durant's former teammate. Well, the "Petty King" has responded and it was hilarious.
Meanwhile, Kyle Lowry revealed that he tried to bring back Vince Carter to the Toronto Raptors before his retirement. Lowry spent the majority of his career in Toronto, while Carter is considered a Raptors legend. Even though Carter left Toronto on a sour note, the fanbase has since forgiven him.
Here is the latest NBA news roundup for Aug. 6 brought to you by Sportskeeda.
NBA releases statement regarding Brittney Griner's guilty verdict
WNBA star Brittney Griner was found guilty on drug charges by a Russian court and was sentenced to nine years in jail. NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement regarding the issue via the league's official website.
"Today's verdict and sentencing is unjustified and unfortunate, but not unexpected and Brittney Griner remains wrongly detained," Silver said. "The WNBA and NBA's commitment to her safe return has not wavered and it is our hope that we are near the end of this process of finally bringing BG home to the United States."
The verdict has united the basketball community, with many NBA and WNBA stars calling for the release of Griner. The United States government is expected to continue negotiating with the Kremlin. U.S. president Joe Biden also released a statement on the issue, calling the sentence "unacceptable."
Steph Curry responds to Mike James' 'one-dimensional' comments
Former Brooklyn Nets guard Mike James recently made headlines for calling Steph Curry a one-dimensional player. James did not even include Curry in his current top five players in the league. The EuroLeague star told the "Players Choice" podcast that Curry not being the primary ball-handler lessened his greatness.
"Steph's, like, how he plays, and how he gets stuff off, it’s just kind of one dimensional at times, if that makes sense," James said. "He's not the primary ball handler a lot, and for a point guard, that kind of bothers me, but he does score off the dribble. He's a superstar."
The "Petty King" clapped back at James during a recent news conference, per NBC Sports. A reporter asked Curry about the possibility of facing kids at his annual camp. The four-time champ had a hilarious response:
"Oh, it's all bad for them," Curry said. "All bad for them, even as one-dimensional as I am."
Curry tried to be serious, but he eventually burst out in laughter, saying:
"I'm sorry, I'm petty. I'm so petty. Keep it going, I like that one a lot."
Antetokounmpo brothers to play for Greece in the EuroBasket
Giannis Antetokounmpo will try to lead Greece in the upcoming EuroBasket tournament. International accolade is the only thing missing from Antetokounmpo's impressive career. However, he won't be the only Antetokounmpo on the Greece National Team.
Head coach Dimitris Itoudis has named Giannis, Thanasis, Kostas and Alex Antetokounmpo for his squad. To celebrate this amazing achievement of their family, Giannis posted a photo of the "AntetokounBros" wearing the national team jersey.
Giannis and Thanasis are teammates with the Milwaukee Bucks. Alex was traded to the Bucks' G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, this offseason. Meanwhile, Kostas most recently played for LDLC ASVEL of the LNB Pro A and the Euroleague.
Kyle Lowry tried bringing back Vince Carter to the Raptors
Vince Carter is a certified legend for the Toronto Raptors. Carter's relationship with the Raptors was non-existent after leaving via trade in 2004. Before retiring in 2020, the former Slam Dunk champion reconciled with the fanbase. He received a video tribute in 2014 and a standing ovation in 2019.
But before ending his career with the Atlanta Hawks, another Raptors legend tried to bring Carter back in Toronto. In an on "The VC Show" on ESPN, Lowry revealed that he wanted the Raptors to sign Carter in free agency. There were conversations between the two sides, but it never came into fruition.
"I don't know if anybody knew this," Lowry said. "But I tried to get Vince back with us at one point. I wanted Vince. I was trying."
Lowry won a title with the Raptors in 2019 before getting traded to the Miami Heat last season. Meanwhile, Carter bounced around the league after getting traded by the New Jersey Nets in 2009. He never won a championship, but he's the only player to play for 22 seasons in NBA history.
Top remaining NBA free agents left unsigned
NBA free agency started with a bang, but the market has slowed down. However, there are still some very good players available. NBA.com listed the five best available free agents on the market.
LaMarcus Aldridge may be 36 years old, but he's still a capable player who can shoot the ball. He averaged 12.9 points and 5.5 rebounds last season with the Brooklyn Nets.
Another veteran on the market is Carmelo Anthony, who last played for the LA Lakers. He embraced his role as a sixth man last season, averaging 13.3 ppg and 4.2 rpg in his 19th season.
Dennis Schroder played for the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets last season. He turned down a nice payday from the LA Lakers last summer, and it appears he'll never be able to receive that kind of offer again. Nevertheless, he's just 28 years old and could be a starting point guard or a scorer off the bench.
Montrezl Harrell won the Sixth Man of the Year in 2020, but he's played for three different teams since then. Harrell is one of the best scorers off the bench, but his future is in doubt. He's facing drug charges after getting arrested last month.
Finally, Collin Sexton is the youngest on the list. Sexton played in just 11 games last season after suffering a knee injury. He's a restricted free agent, which means the Cleveland Cavaliers can match any offers.
