<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/jeff-teague-delivers-ben-simmons-nba-retirement-reality-check');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jeff Teague delivers Ben Simmons NBA retirement reality check');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Former-NBA-Los-Angeles-Clippers-forward-Ben-Simmons.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jeff Teague delivers Ben Simmons NBA retirement reality check</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-04T13:31:36-07:00">September 4th, 1:31pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-04T14:51:30-07:00">September 4th, 2:51pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The career of Ben Simmons is one of the more tragic stories in recent NBA history. The Australian forward entered the league and quickly became a star with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, he has fallen far from grace. After spending the last part of the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Clippers, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-news-ben-simmons-agent-drops-him-retirement-rumors">not even Simmons’ agent wants him anymore</a>. Jeff Teague wants him to retire.</p><p>Simmons has fought back issues and mental blocks for the last few years. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/why-sixers-are-clear-cut-winners-of-james-harden-ben-simmons-trade-one-year-later">76ers traded him to the Brooklyn Nets</a> in exchange for James Harden in a deal that ended his partnership with Joel Embiid. Since then, the forward has not been able to recapture the magic that made him an All-Star. Despite interest from multiple teams, Simmons has few options without an agent.</p><p>Teague had a long career in the NBA and played against Simmons in the later years of his career. According to him, it is time for Simmons to <a href="https://youtu.be/bayTRAdyu2Q?t=80" rel="noopener">hang his sneakers up and retire</a>. He said on the Club 520 podcast that the forward is out of opportunity to contribute to a team the way he used to.</p><p>“Yeah it’s over bro y’all seen him when he was playing. He can’t move no more,” Teague said. “He runs like people on 2K. If you’ve got Kawhi’s motion style, you know what I’m talking about. You run like your back hurts. He runs like his back hurts. He’s hurt, I used to always be like okay whatever, but no, he’s legit hurt. What made him effective was pushing the ball and being dynamic in transition and he can’t do that anymore. Or he doesn’t have the opportunity, like nobody believes it.”</p><p>Simmons has yet to make his next move. However, his agent abandoning him is a bad sign for his future as he tries to find a new team. His playoff games for the Clippers could very well be the last ones he plays in his NBA career if Teague is right.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jeff Teague delivers Ben Simmons NBA retirement reality check

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-jeff-teague-labels-giannis-part-owner-brother-re-signs');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jeff Teague labels Giannis a Bucks ‘part-owner’ after brother re-signs');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Bucks-All-Star-Giannis-Antetokounmpo-Thanasis-Antetokounmpo.jpg"><figcaption>Michael McLoone-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jeff Teague labels Giannis a Bucks ‘part-owner’ after brother re-signs</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-02T08:50:21-07:00">September 2nd, 8:50am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-02T08:50:21-07:00">September 2nd, 8:50am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Milwaukee Bucks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Former teammate Jeff Teague weighed in on the Milwaukee Bucks re-signing Thanasis Antetokounmpo and what it could mean for his All-Star brother, Giannis Antetokounmpo. With his brother back, Giannis is staying put in Milwaukee. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-milwaukee-fires-2-word-reaction-to-thanasis-antetokounmpos-declaration">Thanasis agreed to a one-year deal</a> with the Bucks after missing the 2024-25 campaign with a torn Achilles. For Teague, it makes sticking around a no-brainer for Giannis, who was the subject of trade rumors.</p><p>With Thanasis back in action, Teague <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxjBnb3Jggc&amp;t=230s" rel="noopener">believes</a> it’ll be best for Giannis, giving The Greek Freak an incentive to stay with the Bucks, while giving him maximum control, Teague joked via Club 520 podcast.</p><p>“I ain’t going to never say he can’t hoop though. Like, he deserves it, I mean, he could play in the NBA,” Teague said. “Obviously, you see his highlights, but you just wouldn’t think… that. [Giannis a] part-owner. For sure, part-owner.”</p><h2><b>Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s revealing admission after Bucks deal</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Bucks-Thanasis-Antetokounmpo.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, signed a one-year deal, worth $2.9 million for next season, reuniting him with his brother ahead of 2025-26. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-thanasis-antetokounmpo-makes-eye-opening-admission-on-milwaukee-return">Thanasis revealed what led to the Bucks deal</a>.</p><p>Antetokounmpo <a href="https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1862956/thanasis-antetokounmpo-sealed-the-new-deal-with-the-bucks-after-the-game-vs-italy-they-were-excited/" rel="noopener">discussed how he was approached</a> about returning to the Bucks after playing overseas, per EuroHoops.</p><p>“They were here after the first game against Italy, and they were excited because I was playing defense. I was doing my job, that’s my role,” Antetokounmpo said. “The important thing is that everyone who returns (after such an injury) with a team, or in a tournament like this, has to prove themselves again. That’s basketball. Whatever you have done so far counts; it’s your resume, but you have to prove it every day. That’s professional sports.”</p><p>Thanasis might not come anywhere close to the dominant force his younger brother is, but he adds value to the Bucks beyond having the Antetokounmpo surname. Four years removed from the Bucks’ 2021 NBA championship, Giannis hopes to bring his team back to being title contenders in the Eastern Conference.</p><p>His former teammate, Jeff Teague, has stated that having his brother, Thanasis, around helps The Greek Freak reach new heights, which many assume played a big part in bringing him back.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jeff Teague labels Giannis a Bucks ‘part-owner’ after brother re-signs

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-jeff-teague-controversial-kobe-bryant-take-called-out-gilbert-arenas');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jeff Teague’s controversial Kobe Bryant take called out by Gilbert Arenas');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lakers-news-Jeff-Teagues-controversial-Kobe-Bryant-take-called-out-by-Gilbert-Arenas.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Jeff Teague’s controversial Kobe Bryant take called out by Gilbert Arenas</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-02T08:46:40-07:00">September 2nd, 8:46am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-02T15:57:48-07:00">September 2nd, 3:57pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas pushed back against <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-kobe-bryant-jeff-teague">Jeff Teague’s criticism of Kobe Bryant’s All-Defensive honors</a>, defending the late Los Angeles Lakers legend’s reputation as one of the league’s top perimeter defenders.</p><p>Arenas addressed Teague’s comments on a recent episode of No Chill Gil.</p><p>“So Jeff Teague, yeah, you might (have) got the best of Kobe Bryant that night or…every night you played him. But he’s coming (at) you to slow you down,” Arenas said. “In Teague’s mind, he wasn’t like that on the defensive end. But when you’re talking about he’s getting awards off of 82 games, we don’t know what he’s doing in 82 games, right? He’s playing against other players, shutting them down, doing what he’s doing. We only have an experience from two times a year, right?”</p><p>Arenas went on further, pointing out Bryant’s versatility and ability to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK0dsOlywkw&amp;t=90s" rel="noopener">neutralize multiple offensive threats</a>.</p><p>“So from what I’ve seen him do to the two guards on our team, yeah, he was like that. Yeah. He was shutting players down. Teague, if he’s on you, that means Joe Johnson is neutralized. For him to get on you, he’s neutralized. He did the job. Now he’s on you.</p><p>“Same thing with me. Larry Hughes is here, but if he sees me getting off, he’s going to step on me. Then if Larry’s getting off, he going to go to Larry, so if Antawn Jamison’s getting off, I got Antawn in the post, right? So he had multiple jobs, so as a defender himself, he was a great defender.”</p><h2><b>Jeff Teague’s remarks prompt Gilbert Arenas to defend Kobe Bryant</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lakers-legend-Kobe-Bryant-Heat-guard-Dwyane-Wade.jpg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Teague sparked the debate in early July when he suggested on the Club 520 podcast that Bryant’s defensive accolades were awarded more for his reputation than his on-court performance.</p><p>“Maybe the first four or five he was, but after that, he wasn’t guarding like that,” Teague said. “It’s a persona. The first couple of times he made it, he locked up, he guard. He probably did that for two or three seasons, and then it just became a thing; Kobe Bryant played defense.”</p><p>Bryant earned 12 NBA All-Defensive Team selections during his 20-year career with the Lakers, including nine First Team nods. He built a legacy not only as one of the game’s most prolific scorers but also as a relentless defender, often taking on the responsibility of guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter player.</p><p>The five-time champion remains one of the most decorated players in NBA history with an MVP award, two Finals MVPs, 18 All-Star selections, and two Olympic gold medals. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cards/lakers-news-7-figure-kobe-bryant-card-sale-shatters-record">He retired in 2016 as the Lakers’ all-time leading scorer</a> and the fourth-highest scorer in league history.</p><p>The exchange between Teague and Arenas has reignited discussion about Bryant’s two-way dominance, underscoring the lasting impact of his career nearly five years after his passing in January 2020.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jeff Teague’s controversial Kobe Bryant take called out by Gilbert Arenas

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-why-jeff-teague-takes-russell-westbrook-over-kawhi-leonard');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Jeff Teague takes Russell Westbrook over Kawhi Leonard');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/NBA-news-Why-Jeff-Teague-takes-Russell-Westbrook-over-Kawhi-Leonard.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Why Jeff Teague takes Russell Westbrook over Kawhi Leonard</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-27T10:55:01-07:00">August 27th, 10:55am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-27T10:55:01-07:00">August 27th, 10:55am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Clippers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Former NBA guard Jeff Teague said he would take Russell Westbrook over Kawhi Leonard when evaluating individual careers, <a href="https://x.com/Chatnigga101/status/1960529012847206799">sparking debate</a> over two of the most decorated players of the 21st century.</p><p>On a recent episode of the Club 520 Podcast, Teague reacted to <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/ranking-top-25-nba-players-of-the-21st-century-from-lebron-to-russ-kobe-misses-top-five-jokic-over-shaq/" rel="noopener">CBS Sports’ list</a> of the top 25 NBA players of the century. The rankings placed LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Tim Duncan in the top three, while Leonard was slotted at No. 13 and Westbrook at No. 25.</p><p>“Kawhi Leonard [is] not better than Russell Westbrook,” Teague said. “He [does] not have a better career than Russell Westbrook. He won championships, but this is an individual award. Give me Russell Westbrook. He don’t have no league MVP. You was never the best player in the NBA. You’ve never been the best player in the NBA.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jeff Teague says he ranks Russell Westbrook above kawhi Leonard all time <a href="https://t.co/Z9kiTrLWnD">pic.twitter.com/Z9kiTrLWnD</a></p><p>— joebuddenclips/fanpage (@Chatnigga101) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chatnigga101/status/1960529012847206799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Jeff Teague chooses Russell Westbrook’s MVP resume over Kawhi Leonard’s championships</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Westbrook-vs-the-Thunder.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Leonard, 34, is entering his sixth season with the Los Angeles Clippers after completing his 11th NBA campaign. He averaged 21.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 steals last season while shooting 49.8% from the field and 41.1% from 3-point range in 37 appearances.</p><p>His resume includes two NBA championships, two Finals MVP awards, six All-Star selections, an All-Star Game MVP, three All-NBA first-team honors, two Defensive Player of the Year awards and a steals title. Leonard has been widely recognized as one of the league’s premier two-way players. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/la-clippers-2025-nba-free-agency-grades-every-signing">Clippers reshaped their roster this offseason</a> by acquiring Chris Paul, Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez and John Collins in pursuit of a deeper playoff run.</p><p>Westbrook, 36, finished his 17th season and first with the Denver Nuggets, posting 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game across 75 contests. He shot 44.9% from the floor and 32.3% from deep.</p><p>The former league MVP is a nine-time All-Star, two-time All-Star MVP, two-time All-NBA first-team selection, five-time All-NBA second-team honoree, two-time scoring champion and three-time assists leader. Westbrook, who became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double over a full season, has been regarded as one of the most dynamic guards of his era.</p><h2><b>Teague’s comparison surfaces as Leonard leads Clippers and Westbrook eyes Kings opportunity</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kawhi-Leonard-takes-it-strong-to-the-hoop.jpg"><figcaption>Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>While Leonard’s career has been defined by postseason success and defensive dominance, Westbrook’s has centered on individual accolades and historic statistical production. The contrast has fueled debate over which legacy carries greater weight in evaluating careers.</p><p>Westbrook is currently a free agent heading into his 18th season. NBA reporter Jake Fischer said on a recent Bleacher Report live stream that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/nba-rumors-kings-are-russell-westbrooks-only-option-in-free-agency">Sacramento has emerged as the most probable landing spot</a>.</p><p>“We are still waiting to see what other moves could come in Sacramento before the Kings try to bring Russell Westbrook,” Fischer said. “And that’s been the one home all along that we really have looked at for Russell Westbrook and that’s still the home that I have heard earlier this week is the most likely outcome for Russell Westbrook if he’s gonna be in the NBA at all.”</p><p>As the 2025-26 season approaches, Leonard continues to lead a retooled Clippers roster, while Westbrook awaits his next opportunity. Teague’s comments reflect the ongoing debate about how to measure careers between players with contrasting paths to stardom.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Jeff Teague takes Russell Westbrook over Kawhi Leonard

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-jeff-teague-shades-michael-jordan-kevin-durant-lebron-james-take');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jeff Teague shades Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant with bold LeBron James take');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jeff-Teague-shades-Michael-Jordan-Kevin-Durant-with-bold-LeBron-James-take.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Jeff Teague shades Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant with bold LeBron James take</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-15T13:15:45-07:00">August 15th, 1:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-15T13:15:45-07:00">August 15th, 1:15pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Bulls</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>On the latest episode of the Club 520 Podcast, former NBA guard Jeff Teague weighed in on <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-why-lebron-james-left-off-austin-rivers-best-scorers-ever-list">Austin Rivers’ recent comments about LeBron James’ scoring ability</a> — and in the process, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VTYQq6IOLM" rel="noopener">threw pointed shade</a> toward Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan and Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant.</p><p>Rivers had left James off his personal list of the greatest scorers in NBA history, citing Durant, Carmelo Anthony, James Harden, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson as the most skilled offensive players he had seen. Teague agreed with parts of Rivers’ assessment but pivoted to highlight what he sees as James’ rare, game-changing impact.</p><p>“He’s 100% accurate, though. We didn’t care how many shots Iverson took, or Kobe, or whoever it was. If they shot 40 shots but had 45 points. It was the moments,” Teague said.</p><p>“If they got hot in the fourth and they won the game, that’s what we remembered. We didn’t care that they missed their first 15 shots. It was what they did in the clutch and that’s what made them special to us.”</p><p>Teague then addressed Durant’s standing in the conversation.</p><p>“As far as the NBA and scoring – I think Kevin Durant is one of the most skilled players and skilled scorers, but that don’t make him the best scorer. I think if I can get the basket just as efficient as you, but however I do it, I’m the best scorer then LeBron scores just as many points as anybody.”</p><h2><b>Jeff Teague praises LeBron James while critiquing Kevin Durant, Michael Jordan</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rockets-news-Kevin-Durant-defended-criticizing-Michael-Jordan-retirements.jpg"><figcaption>© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-year-23-workout-video-emerges">James, 40, is entering his 23rd NBA season</a> and currently ranks as the league’s all-time leading scorer with 42,184 points. In his 22nd season and seventh with the Los Angeles Lakers, he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and one steal per game while shooting 51.3% from the field and 37.6% from three across 70 appearances. Over his career, the four-time NBA champion and four-time MVP has averaged 27 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 50.6% from the field and 34.9% from deep in 1,562 games.</p><p>Durant, 36, finished his 17th NBA season averaging 26.6 points, six rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 52.7% from the field and 43% from three across 62 games. Earlier this offseason, the two-time NBA champion and 2014 MVP was <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/kevin-durant-trade-grades-7-teams-blockbuster">traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets</a>. He ranks eighth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 30,571 points.</p><p>Jordan, 62, played 15 NBA seasons — 13 with the Chicago Bulls and two with the Washington Wizards — averaging 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game while shooting 49.7% from the field and 32.7% from three. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-michael-jordans-agent-lebron-cherry-picking-championships">six-time NBA champion and five-time MVP</a> ranks fifth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 32,292 points.</p><p>Teague further described James as someone whose enjoyment for the game came from more than just putting the ball in the basket.</p><p>“He enjoyed throwing fancy passes more than he did scoring. When he was in high school, when he threw a fancy pass, he would get hype. I think he got more of a kick out of that than scoring the basketball.”</p><h2><b>Teague says LeBron’s ability to elevate teams sets him apart from Durant, Jordan</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/LeBron-James-and-Michael-Jordan-on-court-during-halftime-during-the-2022-NBA-All-Star-Game.jpg"><figcaption>© David Richard-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While Teague did not point to a specific season, James’ career provides multiple examples of carrying rosters beyond expectations. Most notably, he <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/atlanta-hawks/hawks-larry-nance-jr-reveals-top-5-nba-moments-fathers-day">led the 2018 Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals</a> despite a midseason roster overhaul and limited depth. In 2007, at just 22 years old, James also guided an underdog Cavaliers squad past the top-seeded Detroit Pistons to reach the Finals for the first time in franchise history.</p><p>Teague contrasted James’ ability to elevate teams with Durant’s, questioning whether the Rockets star could replicate that kind of run with a less-talented roster.</p><p>“I think that’s what makes him so great is that he can elevate teams. You know how I feel about Kevin Durant, I think he’s one of the best players ever, but I don’t think he has the ability to take a questionable team and elevate them dudes to a certain level.”</p><p>He also compared James’ impact to other stars in NBA history — and in doing so, critiqued Jordan’s approach.</p><p>“You’ve gotta be generational. That’s what made Chris Paul special; that’s what made LeBron very special. It’s a rare few people that can just do that. Even Mike couldn’t do that. I’ll win the game by myself but he really didn’t make people better. He challenged some other people to get better — he challenged Scottie like, ‘You gotta be stronger, you gotta be this.’ He led by example.”</p><p>In Teague’s view, LeBron James’ greatness is defined less by scoring skill and more by his ability to raise the level of everyone around him — a quality he believes even some of basketball’s most celebrated legends never possessed to the same degree.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jeff Teague shades Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant with bold LeBron James take

Gorgui Dieng

Jonathan Isaac

Terrence Ross

Joe Ingles

Jeff Teague

Andre Roberson

Jerami Grant

Justin Holiday

Elfrid Payton

Mikal Bridges

1x All Star

2021 NBA Champ

Atlanta Hawks

Indiana Pacers

Minnesota Timberwolves

Milwaukee Bucks

Boston Celtics

1 season

7 seasons

Career

https://twitter.com/Teague0/status/1306086368641249280/

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Down 3-1 s/o to my boy Paul and the nuggets

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https://twitter.com/Teague0/status/1306033165451112449/

2020-21 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
6.7	1.6	2.4	0.2	0.6

2020-21 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
6.7	1.6	2.4	0.2	0.6

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