Liberty Links: Los Angeles Lakers win Las Vegas Summer League

All is good in Tinseltown right now. The Los Angeles Lakers took home the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League championship on Monday night, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 110-98. Kyle Kuzma led the way for the Lakers, scoring 30 points (11-16 FG, 6-10 3PT) and pulling down 10 rebounds. When you’re hitting shots like this...

...some nights you’re just feeling yourself. He was subsequently named the game’s MVP.

For more coverage on the Lakers run through summer league, check out Silver Screen and Roll.

Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball named summer league MVP - ESPN

Ball averaged 16.3 points, 9.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. Atlanta’s John Collins, Phoenix’s Josh Jackson, Dallas’s Dennis Smith Jr. and Portland’s Caleb Swanigan were recognized as members of the summer league first team as well.

Someone created an emoji based portrait of Blake Griffin - SB Nation

There’s not enough notable “100” emojis on there, but I guess those are harder to find a spot for.

Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander has put the team up for sale - ESPN

Alexander purchased the team for $85 million back in 1993. It’s now worth over $1.8 billion. Talk about a good return on an investment.

Can the Pacers unlock Victor Oladipo - Haley O’Shaughnessy, The Ringer

If there was ever a time to learn the league’s favorite new party trick, it’s now, while Oladipo can still lean on his athleticism to score when the shots aren’t falling. His new team has time for that development. The Pacers have no choice but to rebuild, with the last starter from their 2013–14 Eastern Conference finals run gone. Their roster will be its worst in years, without any star presence. Yet.

Paul Pierce signed a one-day deal to retire as a member of the Cetlics - Celtics.com

Earning his iconic nickname “The Truth” during his third NBA season in 2000-01, Pierce also retires in the organization’s top-10 lists in games played (3rd – 1 ,102), minutes played (3rd – 40,360), field goals (3rd – 7,882), field goal attempts (2nd – 17,630), three-point field goal attempts (1st – 4,928), free throw attempts (1st – 7,979), offensive rebounds (8th – 1,008), rebounds (7th – 6,651), assists (5th – 4,305) and blocked shots (4th – 668).

Although he spent many years kicking the Sixers’ butts, Pierce was a very likable guy, and the league will miss him. Maybe if Larry Brown wasn’t so obsessed with Larry Hughes, Pierce could have had that kind of success in Philadelphia. Regardless, best of luck to “The Truth” in whatever comes next.