The Boris Diaw School of Leisure

Thoughts on the European "Vacation."

2008-08-17T04:23:00.001-07:00

With all of the recent NBA emigration, one has to ask what kind of impact this trend will have on the future of the league.

David Stern and the rest of the mainstream have been quick to dismiss the growing number of mid-level NBA and NCAA talent leaving for Europe, but there is certainly relevant information and warning signs that they are either consciously or unconsciously ignoring.

Looking at the list of NBA players who chose the European basketball during this free-agency period, there is one common thread.

Josh Childress, Jannero Pargo, Carlos Delfino, Earl Boykins, Juan Carlos Navarro, Carlos Arroyo, Dan Dickau, Bostjan Nachbar, Taurean Green.

All of these players are versatile perimeter players in some capacity with basketball IQ. They’re solid NBA starters at best and solid bench players at worst. And, the simple reality is that without such players, the NBA fails to function. The San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and most NBA Championship rosters rely on roleplayers.

This is where the problem arises. Despite the immense value of these players, the nature of the NBA salary cap system makes it very difficult for teams to pay players the money that they believe that they deserve. The salary cap benefits a star system that a majority of roleplayers are not a part of and rarely get the opportunity to experience. Sizeable contracts or even full mid-level exceptions were not available to Josh Childress and so he went to a team that could pay him a full salary. That team just happened to be Olympiacos in Greece.

Is Ben Gordon making an empty threat when he says that he’d rather sign overseas than a qualifying offer with the Bulls? Considering the overseas success of American coached combo-guards such as Will Solomon, Will Bynum, and Sarunas Jasikevicius, Gordon has the potential to be a tremendous player in Europe. He is the ideal for most European rosters and he will likely see a larger contract than he would in the NBA. Because he has played successfully in the NBA, GMs know how well he is capable of playing and his stock should not drop during his time away.

Aside from the brand name that the NBA brings to the table, what does a 6’3 trigger happy combo-guard like Gordon have to lose by going to Europe?

People will surely argue that such players are easily replaceable and that the NBA will always have access to mid-level players. They will also say that while these established veterans are exceptions to the rule and that young players will never follow suite.

But, the facts suggest otherwise.

Earlier this summer Arizona recruit Brandon Jennings decided to forgo college and spend a year in Europe before he entered the NBA draft. Whether or not this was a good decision is not the point. In past year’s, players who could not qualify for the NCAA colleges spent a year or two at prep schools or junior colleges. But, Jennings’s decision suggests that Europe is becoming a legitimate option.

Then, last year, junior-college star Keith Brumbaugh, who was a one-time Oklahoma State recruit and NBA prospect, decided against conventional wisdom to declare for the NBA draft. When he went undrafted, rather than exploit the draft loophole and go to college as an unrestricted free-agent, he bolted overseas. He spurned the NCAA system for a paycheck and a European pedigree.

More recently, Arkansas sophomore guard Patrick Beverly, who is considered to be a potential NBA prospect, was suspended from his team for a season. He immediately decided to hire an agent and pursue options overseas. In the press release, Beverly stated that he would enter the NBA Draft next year.

While some people will still stand by their dogma that the NBA is the be-all and end-all of the universe, there are a lot of young players who do not think similarly. Young players will begin looking elsewhere for greater contracts, more playing time, and a level of respect that simply does not exist while playing in the NCAA, NBDL, or sitting at the end of an NBA bench.

Whether for rookies or for veterans, a certain reality has emerged pertaining to the NBA. The NBA is no longer an attainable dream for most players. The goal is to make a living playing basketball and more importantly, as entrepreneurs such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have taught us, to make a business out of your basketball abilities.

The dream has expanded past the bounds of the NBA. After all, Willie Solomon and Will Bynum were the toast of European basketball. Now, as they’ll find out and basketball enthusiasts will surely witness, they will be roleplayers. International basketball will become a legitimate option because players are beginning to understand the limitations of the NBA or bust mentality and how limited of a future it provides for a majority of players.

The NBA dream has reached its tipping point and there is a strange ethical struggle occurring between two groups of people. The first are the xenophobes of the basketball world who believe that the NBA and NBDL are actually superior in a moral sense as well as a matter of talent. People who prescribe to this group are likely to support any form of domestic basketball from the NBDL to the CBA to the ABA as preferable alternatives to international leagues. A recent college graduate or a high school phenomenon that cannot make grades should stay local, in the eyes of such supposed purists.

But, if there is anything that enthusiasts can learn from recent trends, it is simply that more and more young players are realizing the following statement: “It’s not as if the D-League pays players enough to raise a family.” This second group of basketball mind realizes the limitations of the NBA dream and it’s side-effects: the monopolization of NBA as the only mainstream brand of professional basketball, the destruction of amateur and college basketball, and the corruption of basketball culture and its outlying influences.

This new trend signals a sort of revolution comparable, at least on one level, to politics. Before the age-limit was instituted, the NBA was a two party democracy. High school-aged players and college players were granted admission and international players could sneak in like Ross Perot or Ralph Nader and spoil the party for the big candidates. Once the age limit was established, however, the NBA became a dictatorship, with only one party and one option. Just like that, the dream seemed to be dead. Recent drafts have seen a growing frequency of “experienced” players, and ultimately have condemned the “wait and see” philosophy that made the draft so interesting in the first place.

The reality of the situation is that there is a sense of reality to this situation. There is clearly a desire amongst the mid-level talent in the NBA to play where they will be respected in playing time, contract money, and as human beings. The NBA is quickly becoming a hostile environment for such players and as international economics continue to favor lucrative and untaxed European contracts, it will always be an option for NBA players. The interesting situation that may arise, though, is definitely the possibility that the mid-level emigrants will influence the domestic market to the point where the basketball economy will be more international than ever before and the right to emigrate and immigrate are held to the same standard.

It seems as though it is only a matter of time. Or, it might just be a trend. You decide. We've made our decision.

Return of the Complete 2008 Free Agency and Pre-Season (Updated 10/10/2008 4:39 a.m.)

2008-08-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost over and the NBA regular season looms ahead, just three months away. There has been a lot of post-season movement thus far and we have been tracking it throughout the playoffs. In case you haven't been following our coverage, always featured on the right hand side of the screen, we're reprinting the Complete 2008 Free Agency and Pre-Season updated as of this evening. Enjoy!

During this off-season, some of the most high-profile players in the NBA are free-agents in some form. Players like Gilbert Arenas, Elton Brand, and Baron Davis all opted out of their contracts in order to pursue maximum contracts from their teams or elsewhere. While the potential 2010 and 2011 somewhat dwarfs the importance of this summer's free-agency, there are a lot of good, difference-making players out there and we will be following the process every step of the way. Enjoy and feel free to post any new developments in the comments section.

Unrestricted Free-Agents:

Top 15 Guards:

1. Baron Davis, Golden State (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: 5 years/$65 million)
2. Gilbert Arenas, Washington (RESIGNED WITH WASHINGTON: 6 years/$111 million)
3. Corey Maggette, Los Angeles Clippers (SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: 5 years/$50 million)
4. Jason Williams, Miami (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: 1 year/$1.3 million- RETIRED)
5. Beno Udrih, Sacramento (RE-SIGNED WITH SACRAMENTO KINGS: 5 years/$33 million)
6. Jannero Pargo, New Orleans (SIGNED WITH DYNAMO MOSCOW: 1 year/$3.8 million)
7. Chris Duhon, Chicago (SIGNED WITH NEW YORK: 2 years/$11.6 million)
8. Sebastian Telfair, Minnesota (RE-SIGNED WITH MINNESOTA: 3 years/$6.6 million)
9. Ricky Davis, Miami (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: 2 years/$4.7 million)
10. James Jones, Portland (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: 5 years/$20 million)
11. Jarvis Hayes, Detroit (SIGNED WITH NEW JERSEY: 2 years/$4 million)
12. Maurice Evans, Orlando (SIGNED WITH ATLANTA: 3 years/$7.5 million)
13. Devin Brown, Cleveland (SIGNED WITH NEW ORLEANS: 2 years/---)
14. Michael Finley, San Antonio (RE-SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: 2 years/$2 million)
15. Carlos Arroyo, Orlando (SIGNED WITH MACCABI TEL AVIV: 3 years/$5 million)

More Guards:

Roger Mason Jr., Washington (SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: 2 years/$7.5 million)
Tyronn Lue, Dallas (SIGNED WITH MILWAUKEE: 2 years/$3.9 million)
Antoine Wright, Dallas (RE-SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 2 years/$4 million)
Darrell Armstrong, New Jersey
Anthony Carter, Denver (RE-SIGNED WITH DENVER: 1 year/$1.26 million)
Yahkouba Diawara, Denver (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: 2 years/$1.8 million)
Fred Jones, New York
Keyon Dooling, Orlando (RE-SIGNED WITH ORLANDO: 3 years/$10.8 million)
Quinton Ross, Los Angeles Clippers (SIGNED WITH MEMPHIS: non-guaranteed)
Shaun Livingston, Los Angeles Clippers (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: 2 years/---)
Smush Parker, Los Angeles Clippers (SIGNED WITH DENVER: non-guaranteed)
Dan Dickau, Los Angeles Clippers (SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: ---/---)
Anthony Johnson, Sacramento (SIGNED WITH ORLANDO: 2 years/$3.8 million)
Casey Jacobson, Memphis (RIGHTS RENOUNCED BY MEMPHIS- SIGNED WITH ALBA BERLIN: ---/---)
Blake Ahearn, Miami (SIGNED WITH MINNESOTA: non-guaranteed)
Royal Ivey, Milwaukee (SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: 2 years/$1.7 million)
Kirk Snyder, Minnesota
Adam Haluksa, New Orleans (SIGNED WITH HAPOEL JERUSALEM: ---/---)
Kevin Ollie, Philadelphia
Gordan Giricek, Phoenix (SIGNED WITH FENERBAHCE: 2 years/---)
Eric Piatkowski, Phoenix
Brent Barry, San Antonio: (SIGNED WITH HOUSTON: 2 years/$3.9 million)
DerMarr Johnson, San Antonio (SIGNED WITH WASHINGTON: non-guaranteed)
Damon Stoudemire, San Antonio
Mickael Gelabale, Oklahoma City
Derek Anderson, Charlotte
Earl Boykins, Charlotte (SIGNED WITH VIRTUS BOLOGNA: 1 year/$3.5 million)
Shannon Brown, Chicago (SIGNED WITH CHARLOTTE: 1 year/$826,269)
Juan Dixon, Detroit (SIGNED WITH WASHINGTON: 1 year/1 million)
Lindsay Hunter, Detroit
Flip Murray, Indiana (SIGNED WITH ATLANTA: 1 year/$1.2 million)
Kareem Rush, Indiana (SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: 1 year/$998,000)
Eddie House, Boston (RE-SIGNED WITH BOSTON: 2 years/$5.6 million)
Tony Allen, Boston (RE-SIGNED WITH BOSTON: 2 years/$5 million)
Sam Cassell, Boston (RE-SIGNED WITH BOSTON: non-guaranteed)

Top 15 Forwards/Centers:

1. Elton Brand, Los Angeles Clippers (SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: 5 years/$82 million)
2. Eduardo Najera, Denver (SIGNED WITH NEW JERSEY: 4 years/$12 million)
3. Mickael Pietrus, Golden State (SIGNED WITH ORLANDO: 4 years/$26 million)
4. James Posey, Boston (SIGNED WITH NEW ORLEANS: 4 years/$25 million)
5. deSagana Diop, New Jersey (SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 5 years/$31 million)
6. Kurt Thomas, San Antonio (RE-SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: 2 years/$8 million)
7. Bostjan Nachbar, New Jersey (SIGNED WITH DYNAMO MOSCOW: 3 years/$14.3 million)
8. Matt Barnes, Golden State (SIGNED WITH PHOENIX: 1 year/$1.2 million)
9. Kwame Brown, Memphis (SIGNED WITH DETROIT: 2 years/$8 million)
10. Bonzi Wells, New Orleans
11. P.J. Brown, Boston
12. Theo Ratliff, Detroit (SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: 1 year/$1.3 million)
13. Adonal Foyle, Orlando (RE-SIGNED WITH ORLANDO: 1 year/$1.3 million)
14. Dikembe Mutombo, Houston
15. Alonzo Mourning, Miami

More Forwards/Centers:

Scot Pollard, Boston
Othella Harrington, Charlotte
Dwayne Jones, Cleveland (SIGNED WITH ORLANDO: non-guaranteed)
Devean George, Dallas (RE-SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 2 years/$4 million)
Malik Allen, Dallas (SIGNED WITH MILWAUKEE: 1 year/$1.5 million)
Juwan Howard, Dallas (SIGNED WITH DENVER: non-guaranteed)
Jamaal Magloire, Dallas (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: 1 year/$1.3 million)
Austin Croshere, Golden State (SIGNED WITH INDIANA: non-guaranteed)
Patrick O'Bryant, Golden State (SIGNED WITH BOSTON: 2 years/$3 million)
Paul Davis, Los Angeles Clippers (RE-SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: ---/---)
James Singleton, Los Angeles Clippers (SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 1 year/$798,000)
D.J. Mbenga, Los Angeles Lakers (RE-SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES LAKERS: non-guaranteed)
Ira Newble, Los Angeles Lakers
Andre Brown, Memphis (RIGHTS RENOUNCED BY MEMPHIS- )
Earl Barron, Miami (SIGNED WITH FORTITUDO BOLOGNA: 1 year/$2 million)
Jake Voskuhl, Milwaukee
Michael Ruffin, Milwaukee (SIGNED WITH CHICAGO: non-guaranteed)
Michael Doleac, Minnesota
Chris Andersen, New Orleans (SIGNED WITH DENVER: 1 year/$998,000)
Ryan Bowen, New Orleans (RE-SIGNED WITH NEW ORLEANS: 1 year/$1.2 million)
Pat Garrity, Orlando (RETIRED)
Louis Amundson, Philadelphia (SIGNED WITH PHOENIX: 2 years/$1.7 million)
Herbert Hill, Philadelphia
Shavlik Randolph, Philadelphia (SIGNED WITH PORTLAND: non-guaranteed)
Linton Johnson, Phoenix (SIGNED WITH WASHINGTON: non-guaranteed)
Sean Marks, Phoenix (SIGNED WITH NEW ORLEANS: 1 year/$1.3 million)
Brian Skinner, Phoenix (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: 1 year/$1.3 million)
Lorenzen Wright, Sacramento (SIGNED WITH CLEVELAND: 1 year/$1.3 million)
Robert Horry, San Antonio
Ronald Dupree, Oklahoma City (SIGNED WITH CLEVELAND: non-guaranteed)
Francisco Elson, Oklahoma City (SIGNED WITH MILWAUKEE: 2 years/$3 million)
Primoz Brezec, Toronto (SIGNED WITH LOTTOMATICA ROMA: ---/---)

Restricted Free-Agents:

Top 15 Guards:

1. Monta Ellis, Golden State (RE-SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: 6 years/$67 million)
2. Jose Manuel Calderon, Toronto (RE-SIGNED WITH TORONTO: 4 years/$50 million)
3. Ben Gordon, Chicago (RE-SIGNED WITH CHICAGO: 1 year/$6.4 million)
4. Josh Childress, Atlanta (SIGNED WITH OLYMPIAKOS: 3 years/$32.5 million)
5. J.R. Smith, Denver (RE-SIGNED WTIH DENVER: 3 years/$16.5 million)
6. Daniel Gibson, Cleveland (RE-SIGNED WITH NEW YORK: 5 years/$27 million)
7. Sasha Vujacic, Los Angeles Lakers (RE-SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES LAKERS: 5 years/$15 million)
8. Louis Williams, Philadelphia (RE-SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: 5 years/$25 million)
9. Delonte West, Cleveland (RE-SIGNED WITH CLEVELAND: 3 years/$12.7 million)
10. Rudy Fernandez, Portland (SIGNED WITH PORTLAND: 3 years/$3.3 million)
11. Kelenna Azubuike, Golden State (RE-SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: 3 years/$9 million)
12. Carlos Delfino, Toronto (SIGNED WITH BC KHIMKI: 3 years/$13.5 million)
13. C.J. Miles, Utah (RE-SIGNED WITH UTAH: 4 years/$14.8 million)
14. Chris Quinn, Miami (RE-SIGNED WITH MIAMI: 2 years/$2.0 million)
15. Jose Juan Barea, Dallas (RE-SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 3 years/$4.8 million)

More Guards:

Mario West, Atlanta
Salim Stoudemire, Atlanta (SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: 2 years/$1.5 million)
Demetris Nichols, Chicago (RE-SIGNED WITH CHICAGO: 1 year/non-guaranteed deal)
JamesOn Curry, Chicago (WAIVED BY CHICAGO- )
Bobby Jones, New York (WAIVED BY NEW YORK- SIGNED WITH MIAMI: non-guaranteed-WAIVED BY MIAMI-SIGNED WITH SACRAMENTO: non-guaranteed)
Alex Acker, Detroit
Andre Owens, Indiana
Marcus Williams, Los Angeles Clippers (SIGNED WITH CHARLOTTE: non-guaranteed)
Roko Leni Ukic, Toronto (SIGNED WITH TORONTO: 3 years/$3.3 million)
Juan Carlos Navarro, Memphis (SIGNED WITH FC BARCELONA: 5 years/$20 million)
Kasib Powell, Miami (RELEASED BY MIAMI- )
Awvee Storey, Milwaukee (SIGNED WITH NEW JERSEY: non-guaranteed- CUT BY NEW JERSEY- )
Von Wafer, Portland (SIGNED WITH HOUSTON: non-guaranteed)

Top 15 Forwards/Centers:

1. Antwan Jamison, Washington (RE-SIGNED WITH WASHINGTON: 4 years, $50 million)
2. Josh Smith, Atlanta (RE-SIGNED WITH ATLANTA: 5 years/$58 million)
3. Luol Deng, Chicago (RE-SIGNED WITH CHICAGO: 6 years/$71 million)
4. Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia (RESIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: 6 years/$82 million)
5. Emeka Okafor, Charlotte (RE-SIGNED WITH CHARLOTTE: 6 years/$72 million)
6. Andris Biedrins, Golden State (RE-SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: 6 years/$63 million)
7. Ryan Gomes, Minnesota (RE-SIGNED WITH MINNESOTA: 3 years/$9 million)
8. Carl Landry, Houston (RE-SIGNED WITH HOUSTON: 3 years/$9 million)
9. Dorrell Wright, Miami (RE-SIGNED WITH MIAMI: 2 years/$4.8 million)
10. Nenad Kristic, New Jersey (SIGNED WITH TRIUMPH MOSCOW: 2 years/$5.7 million)
11. Craig Smith, Minnesota (RE-SIGNED WITH MINNESOTA: 2 years/$4.8 million)
12. Ronny Turiaf, Los Angeles Lakers (SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: 4 years/$17 million)
13. Walter Herrmann, Detroit (RE-SIGNED WITH DETROIT: 1 year/$2 million)
14. Marc Gasol, Memphis (SIGNED WITH MEMPHIS: 3 years/$10 million)
15. Robert Swift, Oklahoma City (RE-SIGNED WITH OKLAHOMA CITY: ---/---)

More Forwards/Centers:

Jeremy Richardson, Atlanta (SIGNED WITH ORLANDO: non-guaranteed)
Ryan Hollins, Charlotte (RE-SIGNED WITH CHARLOTTE: 1 years/$1 million)
David Harrison, Indiana (SIGNED WITH MINNESOTA: non-guaranteed)
Kosta Perovic, Golden State (WAIVED BY GOLDEN STATE- SIGNED WITH PAMESA VALENCIA 3 years/---)
Nick Fazekas, Los Angeles Clippers (SIGNED WITH DENVER: non-guaranteed)
Josh Powell, Los Angeles Clippers (WAIVED BY LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS-SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES LAKERS: ---/---)
Stephane Lasme, Miami (WAIVED BY MIAMI- )
Ersan Ilyasova, Milwaukee
Chris Richard, Minnesota (RE-SIGNED WITH MINNESOTA: 1 year/$711,517)
Melvin Ely, New Orleans
Randolph Morris, New York (SIGNED WITH ATLANTA: 2 years/$1.7 million)
James Augustine, Orlando (WAIVED BY ORLANDO-SIGNED WITH GRAN CANARIA: ---/---)
Jorge Garbajosa, Toronto (BOUGHT OUT BY TORONTO-SIGNED WITH KHIMKI MOSCOW: ---/---)
Donyell Marshall, Oklahoma City (WAIVED BY OKLAHOMA CITY-SIGNED BY PHILADELPHIA: 1 year/$1.3 million)

Other Pre-Season Signed/Waived Players of Interest

Othello Hunter (SIGNED WITH ATLANTA: non-guaranteed)
Thomas Gardner (SIGNED WITH ATLANTA: non-guaranteed)
Frank Robinson (SIGNED WITH ATLANTA: non-guaranteed)
Marcus Hubbard (SIGNED WITH ATLANTA: non-guaranteed)
Olumide Oyedeji (SIGNED WITH ATLANTA: non-guaranteed- WAIVED BY ATLANTA- )
Darius Miles (SIGNED WITH BOSTON: non-guaranteed)
Donnell Taylor (SIGNED WITH CHARLOTTE: non-guaranteed)
Elton Brown (SIGNED WITH CHICAGO: non-guaranteed)
Roger Powell Jr. (SIGNED WITH CHICAGO: non-guaranteed)
Darius Washington Jr. (SIGNED WITH CHICAGO: non-guaranteed)
Tarrance Kinsey (SIGNED WITH CLEVELAND: 1 year/$797,581)
Jawad Williams (SIGNED WITH CLEVELAND: non-guaranteed)
Michael Dickerson (SIGNED WITH CLEVELAND: non-guaranteed- CUT)
Lance Allred (SIGNED WITH CLEVELAND: non-guaranteed- CUT)
Vernon Hamilton ((SIGNED WITH CLEVELAND: non-guaranteed)
Billy Thomas (WAIVED BY CLEVELAND- )
Gerald Green (SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 1 year/$998,000)
Keith McLeod (SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 1 year/$798,000)
Cheyene Gadson (SIGNED WITH DALLAS: non-guaranteed)
Charles Rhodes (SIGNED WITH DALLAS: non-guaranteed)
Jajuan Smith (SIGNED WITH DALLAS: non-guaranteed)
Reyshawn Terry (SIGNED WITH DALLAS: non-guaranteed)
Dahntay Jones (SIGNED WITH DENVER: 1 year/$998,000)
James Mays (SIGNED WITH DENVER: non-guaranteed- WAIVED BY DENVER- SIGNED WITH VILLA DE LOS BARRIOS: ---/---)
Mateen Cleaves (SIGNED WITH DENVER: non-guaranteed)
Jamont Gordon (SIGNED WITH DENVER: non-guaranteed)
Will Bynum (SIGNED WITH DETROIT: 1 year/$700,000)
Alex Acker (SIGNED WITH DETROIT: non-guaranteed)
Anthony Morrow (SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: non-guaranteed)
Justin Williams (SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: non-guaranteed- CUT)
Dion Dowell (SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: non-guaranteed- CUT
Rob Kurz (SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: non-guaranteed)
DeMarcus Nelson (SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: non-guaranteed)
Marcus Campbell (SIGNED WITH HOUSTON: non-guaranteed- CUT)
Josh Davis (SIGNED WITH INDIANA: non-guaranteed)
Dontell Jefferson (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: non-guaranteed)
Curtis Sumpter (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: non-guaranteed)
David Noel (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: non-guaranteed)
Jelani McCoy (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: non-guaranteed)
Sun Yue, Los Angeles Lakers (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES LAKERS: 2 years/non-guaranteed)
Dwayne Mitchell (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES LAKERS: 1 year/442,114- WAIVED BY LOS ANGELES LAKERS)
Marcellus Kemp (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES LAKERS: non-guaranteed)
C.J. Giles (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES LAKERS: non-guaranteed)
Brandon Heath (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES LAKERS: non-guaranteed)
Hamed Haddadi (SIGNED WITH MEMPHIS: 2 years/$3 million)
Brett Pettway (SIGNED WITH MEMPHIS: non-guaranteed)
Malick Badiene (SIGNED WITH MEMPHIS: non-guaranteed)
David Padgett (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: non-guaranteed)
Jason Richards (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: non-guaranteed)
Eddie Basden (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: non-guaranteed)
Matt Walsh (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: non-guaranteed- WAIVED BY MIAMI- )
Omar Barlett (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: non-guaranteed)
Tre Kelly (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: non-guaranteed- CUT)
Kevin Kruger (SIGNED WITH MILWAUKEE: non-guaranteed)
Ron Howard (SIGNED WITH MILWAUKEE: non-guaranteed)
Matt Frieje (SIGNED WITH MILWAUKEE: non-guaranteed)
T.J. Cummings (SIGNED WITH MILWAUKEE: non-guaranteed)
Rafael Araujo (SIGNED WITH MINNESOTA: non-guaranteed)
Jaycee Carroll (SIGNED WITH NEW JERSEY: non-guaranteed)
Julius Hodge (SIGNED WITH NEW JERSEY: non-guaranteed)
Brian Hamilton (SIGNED WITH NEW JERSEY: non-guaranteed)
Eddie Gill (SIGNED WITH NEW JERSEY: ---/---)
Jared Jordan (SIGNED WITH NEW ORLEANS: non-guaranteed)
Courtney Sims (SIGNED WITH NEW ORLEANS: non-guaranteed)
Anthony Roberson (SIGNED WITH NEW YORK: 2 years/$1.6 million)
Allan Houston (SIGNED WITH NEW YORK: non-guaranteed)
Dan Grunfield (SIGNED WITH NEW YORK: non-guaranteed)
Taurean Green (WAIVED BY NEW YORK-SIGNED WITH CAI ZARAGOZA: ---/---)
Chris Alexander (SIGNED WITH OKLAHOMA CITY: non-guaranteed)
Derrick Byars (SIGNED WITH OKLAHOMA CITY: non-guaranteed)
John Lucas III (SIGNED WITH OKLAHOMA CITY: non-guaranteed)
Mike Wilks (SIGNED WITH ORLANDO: non-guaranteed)
Antywane Robinson (SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: non-guaranteed)
Cory Underwood (SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: non-guaranteed-CUT BY PHILADELPHIA- )
Jared Reiner (SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: non-guaranteed)
Maureese Rice (SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: non-guaranteed-CUT BY PHILADELPHIA- )
Andre Emmett (SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: non-guaranteed-CUT BY PHILADELPHIA- )
Luke Jackson (SIGNED WITH PORTLAND: 1 year/non-guaranteed)
Steven Hill (SIGNED WITH PORTLAND: 1 year/non-guaranteed)
Jamaal Tatum (SIGNED WTIH PORTLAND: 1 year/non-guaranteed)
Goran Dragic (SIGNED WITH PHOENIX: 3 years/$6 million)
Coleman Collins (SIGNED WITH PHOENIX: non-guaranteed- CUT)
Jiri Hubalek (SIGNED WITH PHOENIX: non-guaranteed)
Robert Hite (SIGNED WITH PHOENIX: non-guaranteed)
Trey Johnson (SIGNED WITH PHOENIX: non-guaranteed)
Bobby Brown (SIGNED WITH SACRAMENTO: 2 years/1.1 million)
Zhang Kai (SIGNED WITH SACRAMENTO: non-guaranteed)
Noel Felix (SIGNED WITH SACRAMENTO: non-guaranteed)
Anthony Tolliver (SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: 2 years/$899,692)
Darryl Watkins (SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: non-guaranteed)
Dasmon Farmer (SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: non-guaranteed)
Devin Green (SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: non-guaranteed)
Brian Morrison (SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: non-guaranteed-CUT)
Charles Gaines (SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: non-guaranteed)
Hassan Adams (SIGNED WITH TORONTO: 1 year/$798,000)
Will Solomon (SIGNED WITH TORONTO: 1 year/$774,000)
Jamal Sampson (SIGNED WITH TORONTO: non-guaranteed)
Gerry McNamara (SIGNED WITH UTAH: non-guaranteed)
Kevin Lyde (SIGNED WITH UTAH: non-guaranteed)
Britton Johnson (SIGNED WITH UTAH: non-guaranteed)
Dee Brown (SIGNED WITH WASHINGTON: 1 year/$798,000)

Notable Extensions:

Chris Paul, New Orleans (4 years/$68 million)
Deron Williams, Utah (4 years/$70 million)
Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles Lakers (---/---)
Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee (5 years/$72.5 million)
Danny Granger, Indiana (---/---)
Francisco Garcia, Sacramento (5 years/$30 million)

Post-Season Trade Destinations:

1. Portland (Ike Diogu and Jerryd Bayless) & Indiana (Jarrett Jack, Brandon Rush, and Josh McRoberts)

2. New Orleans (cash considerations) & Portland (Darrell Arthur)

3. Portland (Nicolas Batum) & Houston (Darrell Arthur and Joey Dorsey)

4. Memphis (Darrell Arthur) & Houston (Donte Greene)

5. Oklahoma City (D.J. White) & Detroit (Walter Sharpe and Trent Plaisted)

6. Indiana (T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Roy Hibbert, and Maceo Baston) & Toronto (Jermaine O'Neal and Nathan Jawai)

7. New Jersey (Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons) & Milwaukee (Richard Jefferson)

8. Miami (Mario Chalmers) & Minnesota (two 2009 second round picks and cash considerations)

9. Boston (Bill Walker) & Washington (cash considerations)

10. Los Angeles Clippers (Mike Taylor) & Portland (2009 second round pick)

11. Memphis (O.J. Mayo, Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, and Greg Buckner) & Minnesota (Mike Miller, Kevin Love, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins)

12. Chicago (Omer Asik) & Portland (Three 2009 second round draft picks)

13. Minnesota (Rodney Carney, Calvin Booth, and a future first round pick) & Philadelphia (future second round pick and $2.8 million dollar trade exemption)

14. Los Angeles Clippers (Marcus Camby) & Denver (Future draft considerations)

15. Orlando ($3.3 million dollar trade exception) & New Jersey (Keyon Dooling)

16. Golden State (Marcus Williams) & New Jersey (Conditional first round draft pick)

17. New York (Bobby Jones, Taurean Green, and 2010 second round draft pick) & Denver (Renaldo Balkman and cash considerations)

17. Los Angeles Clippers (Jason Hart) & Utah Jazz (Brevin Knight)

18. Houston (Ron Artest, Sean Singletary, and Patrick Ewing Jr.) & Sacramento (Bobby Jackson, Donte Greene, 2009 first round draft pick, and cash considerations)

19. Los Angeles Clippers (Steve Novak) & Houston (Future draft considerations)

20. Oklahoma City (Kyle Weaver) & Charlotte (2009 second round draft pick)

21. Cleveland (Mo Williams), Oklahoma City (Desmond Mason and Joe Smith), & Milwaukee (Luke Ridnour, Aidrian Griffin, and Damon Jones)

22. Houston (D.J. Strawberry) & Phoenix (Sean Singletary)

23. Houston (Frederick Weiss's draft rights) & New York (Patrick Ewing Jr.)

24. Dallas (Shawne Williams) & Indiana (Eddie Jones)

Examining Off-Season Trades: Draft Day Trades

2008-08-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCTION:

Rather than harshly judge off-season trades and deals without the benefit of hindsight or discretion, at The Boris Diaw School of Leisure, we chose to wait to begin our debate about the plethora of off-season trades until some time had passed and the some context has developed. Perhaps the most dangerous thing in sports is unjustified and unintelligent analysis, and as we’ve seen with the endless stream of careless reporting courtesy of sports “journalists,” nothing is less productive than irresponsible and uninformed opinions. This was always the mission of The Boris Diaw School of Leisure.

That being said, we will continue our extended coverage of this NBA off-season with a conversation about the many trades that have occurred thus far. As more trades are made, we will revive this article. With 17 official trades down, one pending league approval on August 14, and a host of trades remaining in the future, however there is plenty for us to tackle in the meantime.

DRAFT-DAY TRADES:

The days leading up to the 2008 NBA Draft were filled with rumors of blockbuster deals, trades, and swaps, but this season's NBA Draft featured expected player movement with no less than twelve official draft night trades occuring. Though some were minor, the deals made were, for the most part, amongst some of the most ambituous of this off-season and surely will impact the NBA landscape next year. These trades consist of players, picks, cash considerations, and more, and often explain some of the more confounding elements of the NBA Draft once they are finally deemed official. Without further ado, let's analyze these trades.

THE BRILLIANT BLAZERS:

The spotlight of the draft-day trading landscape undoubtably, and perhaps unsurprisingly, belongs to Portland Trailblazers GM and wunderkind Kevin Pritchard. He pulled the trigger on five deals, which ultimately helped the Blazers reach the title of Best Draft for the second year in a row.

Their first move was perhaps their most important from a personnel perspective. The Blazers traded Jarret Jack, Josh McRoberts, and the rights to 13th pick Brandon Rush to the Pacers for Ike Diogu and the rights to 11th pick Jerryd Bayless. Jack never displayed the poise to emerge as a starter at the point guard position in Portland and both he and McRoberts represented players who the Blazers lack the future cap-room to resign. Brandon Rush would have been a perfect fit for the Blazers on the wing, but considering their returns, his loss is not at all tragic. Bayless, who was the MVP of the NBA Summer League, looks like a steal and a perfect backcourt-mate for Brandon Roy. While he isn't a pass first point guard in any definition of the term, he can get to the basket at will, and should immediately be an important spark on the bench. At best, he could emerge as the best player from this draft and at worst, he should be a solid contributor and roleplayer. Diogu is a former lottery pick who lacked direction and a favorable system for his skillset during stints at Golden State and Indiana. He's going to have to fight for minutes, but he is a versatile and talented post scorer and could be a contributing member of the post rotation if he begins to achieve his potential.

Portland's next two moves are directly related as Pritchard convinced owner Paul Allen to buy the Hornets' 27th pick, which allowed them to draft Darrell Arthur, who miraculously fell to the end of the first round. Arthur was one of the most coveted players in the draft and the only reason he dropped so low was an allegedly faulty medical report which was deemed untrue after the draft. The Blazers then traded the rights to Darrell Arthur to the Houston Rockets for another highly regarded lottery pick, the young and versatile French wing Nicolas Batum. In order to acquire Batum, the Blazers had to give up the rights to Arthur and Joey Dorsey, one of their three second round picks. The Blazers had to sacrifice a rookie wing in order to gain Bayless's draft rights, but they managed to acquire another top wing prospect for a pick they bought for less than three million dollars and a second round pick. This is yet another example of Pritchard's draft day genius. In Batum, the Blazers add a developing young wing player to their roster who does not require immediate playing time and has the potential to develop into a Bruce Bowen-style roleplayer in the future. Losing Arthur and Dorsey, despite their low post abilities, doesn't hurt that much considering the loaded frontcourt filled with elite young talent already present in Portland.

Then, the Blazers cemented their future draft day dominance by acquiring four 2009 second round picks by dealing two borderline NBA prospects. Chicago overvalued the right to Turkish prospect Omer Asik to the tune of three second round picks and the Clippers accepted 6'1 D-League combo-guard for the price of a 2009 second rounder. Considering the fact that there is a decent that neither player will ever amount to much in the NBA, Portland now has four 2009 second rounders and possess even more ammunition to make a significant and similar impact on the 2009 NBA Draft just as Pritchard and company accomplished for the past two seasons. Simply put, the Blazers have one of the premier GMs in the league and he should help this team achieve elite status in the near future.

THE SURPRISING SUCCESSES:

Contrary to popular belief, other teams made draft day deals besides Portland. The other big winner, and definitely on Portland's level of achievement, was the Indiana Pacers GM Larry Bird. While the Jerryd Bayless deal happened first, the most significant trade that the Pacers engaged in was a blockbuster deal sending Jermaine O'Neal and the rights to second-round pick Nathan Jawai to Toronto for T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Maceo Baston, and the rights to first round pick Roy Hibbert. O'Neal didn't contribute as much to the Pacers record last season as he did to their payroll. He has since admitted to sitting out the rest of last season because of how negative his time in Indianapolis had become. In return, the Pacers received a starting point guard in T.J. Ford and post-depth in the likes of NBA starter Rasho Nesterovic and rookie Roy Hibbert. Neither is a particularly exciting player, but both are solid post-defenders and should help make this team more formidable and gritty on the defensive end. Ford is injury-prone, but considering the fact that Travis Diener was starting at point guard for stretches last season, he is an immediate upgrade over the likes of Jamal Tinsley and Keith McLeod. Maceo Baston shouldn't make much of an impact, but he is a cheap and hard-working 12th man should the Pacers retain his rights.

Their earlier move, trading Ike Diogu and the rights to Jerryd Bayles to the Blazers for Jarrett Jack, Josh McRoberts, and the rights to Brandon Rush, makes more sense in the context of the aforementioned deal. McRoberts is a local product and still has a world of potential should he gain confidence in his game and Jack should add solid point guard depth behind T.J. Ford. He can even start if Ford's injury woes reemerge as they often do during the extended NBA regular season. Rush should provide an instant upgrade defensive at the shooting guard position. In fact, he could emerge as a solid starter in due time because of his basketball IQ, perimeter shooting abilities, and commitment to defense. Bayless's addition would have been redundant, but in return, the Pacers received some very nice players.

NETRUAL, BUT CERTAINLY NOT NEGAITVE

Toronto's end of the aforementioned deal is largely unknown at this point. O'Neal is getting older, is sporting a maximum contract, and is extremely injury prone. If healthy, however, he could be a nice compliment to Chris Bosh in the post, particulalry on defense. Assuming O'Neal can stay healthy, this deal looks fairly good considering Toronto's desire to win now and make a deep run in the playoffs. If O'Neal gets hurt, which happened during his past three seasons in Indiana, Toronto looks to have gotten a very raw deal for some nice supporting players and a young center prospect. While we've let this deal marinate in our minds for quite some time, we really have no idea who got the upper hand. Thus far, however, you can quote us as siding with Indiana until proven otherwise.

The last significant deal is important for a couple reasons: 1) it marks the first decent trade Timberwolves GM Kevin McHale has made in recent memory. 2) neither the Grizzlies nor the Timberwolves, despite their reputations, hurt themselves with this deal. The Grizzlies sent Mike Miller, Jason Collins, Brian Cardinal, and the rights to Kevin Love to the Timberwolves for Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, Greg Buckner, and the rights to O.J. Mayo.

The immediate winner of this trade seems to be the Timberwolves, who, despite popular criticism, had a very good draft. Mike Miller is a very talented scorer and one of the best perimeter shooters in the NBA. He should start from day one and is a big step up from Rashad McCants, who should have been in a reserve role anyway. Kevin Love is a versatile post player with big time potential as he showed in summer league when he silenced his critics that said he wouldn't be able to score against more athletic competition. He plays the same position as Jefferson, but should be able to play both post positions, whichever the incumbent does not want, efficiently. He could emerge as the best post-prospect in this draft when it is all said and done and considering the fact that they acquired Miller in this deal, also, the Timberwolves seemingly got very good value with the pick. The other players aren't spectacular, but should be able to contribute: Collins is a good team defender in the post, which compensates for Jefferson and Love's inability to play post-defense at the NBA level, and Brian Cardinal, whose massive contract expires in the near future, is a nice end of the bench guy who can step in and stretch defenses with his perimeter jumpshot.

The Timberwolves second draft day trade was more of a gamble and less commendable in an immediate context, but, if Mario Chalmers does not succeed as an NBA point guard, trading his draft rights to Miami for two 2009 second round draft picks, then does not seem like such a stretch. Chalmers is a defensive mastermind, is a very good perimeter shooter, and is a competent point guard who could thrive in Miami's system and make the Timberwolves look foolish. Considering the fact that they just drafted Randy Foye to be their point guard and re-signed Sebastian Telfair after a solid trial run, the Timberwolves did not desperately need a point guard that may not develop into a talent better than the aforementioned pair. This is yet another pick that will have to wait until later to be analyzed, though at least in the beginning, Miami seems to have received a future starter and defensive specialist for next to nothing in NBA Draft terms.

Going back to the original trade, which brought Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, Greg Buckner, and the rights to O.J. Mayo to Memphis, it is difficult to say, but GM Chris Wallace may have proved his competency through this draft. Jaric and Mayo, while adding to the glut of lead guards in Memphis, are both better scorers than exist and Mayo has the potential be to develop into a superstar if he continues to improve offensively. Walker is a scorer to come off of the bench, but probably won't see many minutes in Memphis's youth movement. Same goes for Buckner, who could be an excellent role player on a contender, but likely won't last the entire year on this young roster. The contracts aren't pretty either, swapping Cardinal's massive contract for Jaric's equally unyieldy one; the only difference is that Jaric can actually play. The Grizzlies received a lot of talent, though losing Miller and Love certainly hurts. They came out merely lukewarm because despite the fact that they received a very talented young player, their financial situation leaves a lot to be desired because of Jaric's long-term contract.

Then, the Grizzlies drafted Donte Greene, which seemed to be redundant considering the emergence of Rudy Gay. Then, Chris Wallace showed that a basketball brain actually exists in his head. He traded the rights to Greene to Houston for the rights to Darrell Arthur, a move that bolstered the Grizzlies' weak and undersized frontcourt as well as giving them a versatile post-scorer. Arthur might not be the toughest player around, but he is a low-risk, high-reward type player who could turn into a key member of the rotation in the youth movement. Overall, Chris Wallace and Grizzlies had a very productive draft and even though the results are somewhat inconclusive pending Mayo and Arthur's NBA careers, it looks like the Grizzlies hit a home run on both fronts.

Houston is another team that did well, but nothing overly spectacular. Acquiring Greene will give them a versatile option at either forward spot to back up Battier, McGrady, or Artest. As proven by his 40 point game in Summer League, if Greene's shot is falling, he can be a very effective scorer. In the very beginning, he should be a very rich man's Steve Novak and could develop into a Rashard Lewis type scorer at the peak of his potential. At the very worst, the was a very low-risk pick and considering how highly he was once regarded, if he develops into a starter, he could be one of this draft's biggest steals and a solid rotation player should Artest run into any trouble.

Houston also broke San Antonio's hearts by drafting Nicolas Batum, but then turned the deal on its head by trading Batum for Arthur and the rights to Portland's second round pick Joey Dorsey. Basically, they traded the 25th pick for the 28th pick and the 39th pick. While that doesn't seem like the most genius thing in the world, it is worth considering that this lineup is absolutely loaded with talent and roleplayers are exactly what this team is lacking at the moment. Dorsey is a solid defender and rebounder and should be a solid third string center in a Ben Wallace role. Though he's offensively limited, he thrives as a scrappy roleplayer, not demanding shots, but making his presence felt just about everywhere else. The Rockets came out of the draft with more talent than they did coming in and though they did nothing to wow anybody, they certainly didn't hurt themselves.

INCONSEQUENTIAL OR JUST PLAIN BAD

To end this marathon analysis, we'll turn our attention to some trades that did very little to improve either team. Whether or not this was the intention behind each trade differentiates these last three deals, but the fact is that none of these trades accomplished much. We'll start with one of the most mutually confusing trades in recent memory.

Milwaukee acquired Richard Jefferson and in exchange, dealt Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons to New Jersey. This deal simply makes no sense. Consider it from Milwaukee's perspective. They acquired Jefferson right before the draft, and the trade was made official during the draft. If the trade was going happen and the front office knew that, why did they draft Joe Alexander, a raw forward who plays the same position as Jefferson and recent free-agent acquisition Desmond Mason? Somebody call the redundancy police. Please. We all knew the Bucks management had no idea what it was doing when it tried to strong arm the entire nation of China during last year's Draft, but this takes it to the next level. In the past two years, the Bucks have traded away a lottery pick and a player who they overpaid for a player that plays the same position as their lottery pick this year and their top-rated free-agent last year. And, what of Charlie Villanueva. Milwaukee is a mess and next year that looks like "a mess" will remain the status quo.

Equally confounding is how this deal benefits New Jersey. And, yes, we're taking into consideration their desire to emerge a frontrunner in the LeBron James sweepstakes. The Nets had one of their better drafts in recent memory this year in which they acquired the rights to Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, and Chris-Douglas Roberts. That being said, by acquiring Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons their number of soft forwards increased dramatically. Now the roster contains a plethora of forwards and centers: Josh Boone, Sean Williams, Brook Lopez, Yi Jianlian, Bobby Simmons, Ryan Anderson, Eduardo Najera, and Stromile Swift. If that's not a logjam, we're not sure what is. And, again: we realize that the Nets want to sign LeBron in a couple years. All the Nets did this off-season was do their best to confuse their roster and fans alike. Here's to hoping that somebody in New Jersey knows what's going on; we certainly don't. Milwaukee is just a bad organization, the Nets are not making any sense.

These last two trades are very minor, but for the sake of completion, we'll include them anyway. First, Boston bought Washington's second round pick, which turned out to be Bill Walker. We believe that Walker will be a much better player in the long-run than J.R. Giddens, partially because he has a basketball brain in addition to a lot of ability. Washington has more money, which is not the most interesting gain, but certainly essential for an organization on the cusp. They also have no use for a player like Walker because of their depth on the perimeter. Boston got a potentially nice player; Washington got some financial flexibility, which they likely put towards resigning Gilbert Arenas or Antwan Jamison. Both sides won, which is a rarity in the modern post-Pritchard NBA trade.

Last but not least, the newly christened Oklahoma City *** pulled the trigger that sent the rights to two long-term second rounders, combo-forward Walter Sharpe and center Trent Plaisted, to Detroit for the rights to first round pick D.J. White. White is a solid, albeit defensively limited and undersized, power forward who displays a shooting touch out to the former college three-point line and is a good position rebounder. He's not the sexiest prospect in the world, but he's a player in the same vein as Carl Landry, Leon Powe, and Paul Millsap and has a decent chance to succeed in the new NBA. With the 29th pick, the ****s couldn't haven't done much better than one of the most solid post players the NCAA had to offer.

The Pistons might not get help right away with their end of the bargain, but with Kwame Brown, Amir Johnson, Cheikh Samb, and Jason Maxiell waiting in the wings, they might not need immediate assistance in their rotation. Their primary concern was to find an end of the bench post prospect and a back-up for Tayshaun Prince. In Walter Sharpe, they may have discovered their future Prince. At 6'9, Sharpe has superb size for the wing and for those of you who followed our coverage of summer league, you're well aware of his potential and downright remarkable skillset for a player with as little experience as he has. If Sharpe can overcome his concentration issues and work hard to improve, we're talking about one of the biggest steals from this draft. If not, he's a low-risk, high-reward type player. Plaisted is a couple years from being considered a legitimate NBA player, but his solid size, mobility, and athleticism make him a tantalizing prospect. He likely won't develop into a starter, but he could become a useful roleplayer if he gains a greater understanding of his role on the floor and drops his unaware demeanor. GMs, especially those as talented as Joe Dumars, don't get fired for these picks.

After that marathon... We're finished with this installment of Examining Off-Season Trades and should have the last update posted in the near future.

Examining Off-Season Trades: Salary Dumps

2008-08-01T14:01:00.001-07:00

INTRODUCTION:

Rather than harshly judge off-season trades and deals without the benefit of hindsight or discretion, at The Boris Diaw School of Leisure, we chose to wait to begin our debate about the plethora of off-season trades until some time had passed and the some context has developed. Perhaps the most dangerous thing in sports is unjustified and unintelligent analysis, and as we’ve seen with the endless stream of careless reporting courtesy of sports “journalists,” nothing is less productive than irresponsible and uninformed opinions. This was always the mission of The Boris Diaw School of Leisure.

That being said, we will continue our extended coverage of this NBA off-season with a conversation about the many trades that have occurred thus far. As more trades are made, we will revive this article. With 17 official trades down, one pending league approval on August 14, and a host of trades remaining in the future, however there is plenty for us to tackle in the meantime.

SALARY DUMP TRADES:

With all of the journalistic mudslinging and the oft-reckless pursuit of “the story”, people seem to forget that the NBA is a business and trades often reflect the business-side of basketball in addition to the talent-side of the game. With that in mind, we’ll take a look at the most controversial trade of the summer, a salary dump featuring the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Camby.

The Denver Nuggets sent starting center Marcus Camby to the Los Angeles Clippers for the right to swap second-round picks in the 2010 NBA Draft. At first-sight, this is an incredibly lopsided deal. And, if you’re the Denver Nuggets, it very well may be despite the financial advantages. By dumping Camby’s salary, the Nuggets supposedly were saving valuable cap-space that they could use in order to re-sign their young talent and add some quality veterans to the roster. Looking at what they have done since, however, leads us to believe that they had no idea what they were doing when they dealt Camby. The acquisitions of Renaldo Balkman adds some perimeter defense and versatility, but they had to give away their 2010 second-round draft pick in the process. They also signed Dahntay Jones, but he likely will be a low-end rotation player and he is not being paid more than a league minimum.

Last but not least, this deal has to sting for Denver fans because as of now, J.R. Smith has still not re-signed with the team. In fact, his contract situation looks bleaker than ever and even if Smith signs for cheap, the chances that he has a future in Denver are not looking very likely. In addition, without Camby’s gaudy numbers, they are among the worst defensive teams in the NBA. This deal was supposed to give the Nuggets more cap flexibility and a better second-round pick in 2010. They have received neither and are now firmly on the cusp of missing the NBA playoffs next year in a competitive Western Conference. Camby was rightly shocked, a feeling that his teammates and fans are beginning to experience, as well.

Denver’s competition for that eighth spot this past season was Portland and Dallas.. By trading Camby, the list of has expanded. Now, the Los Angeles Clippers are legitimate playoff contender and have one of the more formidable defensive frontcourts in the league with Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby anchoring the middle. Not only that, but because Camby has such a reasonable contract, the Clippers’s cap will be fully recovered by the time the 2010 free-agency season begins. Now, a team that looked to be among the worst in the Western Conference looks to, at least, contend for a playoff spot. With Baron Davis, Cuttino Mobley, and Eric Gordon as the principal guards and Al Thornton and Tim Thomas pitching in on the wing, this team has one of the more solid eight-man rotations in the league and should be in solid salary cap position going into 2010. Though the Clippers lost franchise-luminary Elton Brand and leading scorer Corey Maggette, the additions of Camby and, later in free agency, Ricky Davis, should help to make their departures hurt less.

While the Clippers look to have bested Denver with the Camby deal, it is not the only trade made in the name of dumping salary. It will not be the last either. That being said, one of the most important deals of the off-season had little to do with the players drafted. Enter Philadelphia GM Ed Stefanski.

When Philadelphia traded Rodney Carney, Calvin Booth, and a future first round pick to Minnesota for a future second round pick and $2.8 million dollar trade exemption, it was not even remotely close to big news in the national press. It should have been. By dumping the salaries of small-time rotation players Rodney Carney and Calvin Booth, the 76ers were able to find the cap-space to sign All-Star power-forward Elton Brand. In return, the 76ers got some very good value in an almost three million dollars trade exception and a future second rounder. The largest gain, however, was acquiring the cap-room to sign Brand. In that respect, Philadelphia won a significant battle despite the fact that it took a seemingly small deal to make it happen.

Minnesota got two nice end-of-the-bench reserves. Carney hasn’t developed the ball skills to be an NBA caliber scorer, but he is a decent defender and can spot up on the perimeter. If he makes the final roster, he could play small minutes every night and is a nice addition to Minnesota’s youth movement. Assuming Booth sticks around, he could be a solid addition to a team that lacks a true center. He doesn’t offer much offensively, but he is a decent defender and rebounder. Most importantly, however, for their complicity in this deal, Minnesota will receive a future first-round draft pick from Philadelphia. Considering how bad GM Kevin McHale’s trading record has been, this summer is probably his most successful and one that certainly has helped out the rebuilding Timberwolves.

While the two aforementioned trades at least equal when they were made, the New Jersey Nets pulled the trigger on one of the most lopsided deals of the summer when they traded young point guard Marcus Williams to Golden State for a conditional first-round draft pick. In principal, the move makes sense. It is no secret that the future Brooklyn Nets are cutting payroll in order to have the cap room to make significant moves during the summer of 2010. It was also no secret that the Nets did not believe that Marcus Williams was a long-term answer at the point guard position. That being said, they could have and should have waited for a better offer to come to the table. As the trade stands, Marcus Williams was dealt to Golden State for a conditional 2011 first round draft pick that is lottery protected in 2011, top-11 protected in 2012, and top-10 protected in 2013. If these provisions are upheld and the Warriors remain a lottery team, then the Nets do not even receive a first round pick. Instead, they receive the Warriors’ second round picks in 2013 and 2015. The only course of action that the Nets can take now is to pray that Marcus Williams blossoms in Oakland and brings the Warriors out of the lottery by 2013. Judging by the current roster make-up, this could be a pipe-dream in the stacked Western Conference. The Nets may have cut their payroll by removing the future possibility of overpaying Williams, but they received very little in return.

Even if Williams continues to regress and never becomes a starting point guard in the NBA, the Warriors will likely not give up much to in order for his services. At best, they lose two second picks and get a quality back-up or average starting point guard for their rotation. At worst, Williams flourishes, the Warriors win a lot of games, and they lose a first rounder. Either way, this trade works out positively for the Warriors, which considering the majority of GM Chris Mullin’s moves this summer, could emerge as the bright spot for the Warriors’ summer.

We talked briefly about New York trading Balkman to the Nuggets, and it does not deserve that much attention, but it was another example of a curious salary dump situation. While Renaldo Balkman does not really fit into Coach Mike D’Antoni’s run-and-gun offense, he is a versatile perimeter defender and a solid reserve who will never demand a lot of cash. That being said, like New Jersey and just about every other team in the NBA, the Knicks want to be in a favorable salary cap situation during the summer of 2010. In Donnie Walsh’s mind, Renaldo Balkman represents a future salary that the Knicks cannot afford not to mention unneeded depth on the wing. From a practical standpoint, however, Balkman really does not make that much money and he is a good hustle player for a rotation that lacks quality team defenders. So, while this is a fairly insubstantial move, it does really does not make much sense. There are simply too many bad contracts on this team to consider this a legitimate salary dump. Zach Randolph, Jerome James, and Stephon Marbury are far more detrimental to this team’s future than Balkman was.

In return, the Knicks received Taurean Green, Bobby Jones, and a 2010 second-round draft pick. After waiving both Green and Jones, the Knicks essentially traded a former first round draft pick for a second round draft pick. The Nuggets, as explained above, have done just about everything to sabotage their team’s future. Balkman is a nice addition, but they essentially gave up Marcus Camby and a future second-round pick for Renaldo Balkman. This has not been a very good summer for the Nuggets.

In the next few days we will publish an article examining draft-day trades as well as an article looking at the impact of the less heralded trades that will continue to occur until late October. Stay tuned.

Analyzing Group B: Team USA's Path to the Olympics

2008-07-26T19:37:00.001-07:00

When the United States qualified for the Olympics by steamrolling through the FIBA Americas tournament, spirits were high and many believed that the Dream Team had returned. Despite realizing that the lower-level competition from the likes of Mexico, the United States Virgin Islands, and Panama was just that--lower level--every talking head in the country jumped the gun and claimed that the golden age of United States basketball dominance had returned.

Then, the groups for the Olympic Games were announced and the United States landed in Group B and all of the positive speculation seemed somewhat premature.

First, let's introduce the teams: The United States of America, Spain, Angola, Greece, Germany, China.

Why is this the more competitive of the two groups in the Olympics? We'll state our case and then let you decide...

You know Team USA; let us introduce you to the competition:

Spain
FIBA Ranking: #3

The Spanish National Team consists of the following players: Jose Manuel Calderon, Juan Carlos Navarro, Rudy Fernandez, Jorge Garbajosa, Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Ricky Rubio, and Raul Lopez. That is a remarkable eight players who have played, are currently playing, or will play on an NBA roster. This team is extremely fundamental, deadly from inside and outside and has both the experience and talent to challenge Team USA. The last time these two teams met, it took a perfect performance by the United to defeat the Spaniards. Will Team USA have the focus to repeat? Don't be deceived by the third ranking, Team Spain is the clear cut favorite, if there is a favorite, to beat Team USA.

Greece
FIBA Ranking: #6

Right before Team USA swept the FIBA Americas Tournament, they claimed Bronze at the FIBA World Championships. We bet that you can guess who they lost to... Greece's National Team features a less star-studded, but even more disciplined roster than that of the Spanish. Behind a backcourt led by Vassilis Spanoulis, Dimitris Diamantidis, and the legendary Theodoros Papaloukas lies one of the stronger frontcourts including Antonis Fotsis, Andreas Glyniadakis, and former Baby Shaq-candidate Sofoklis Schortsanitis. Don't expect anything flashy out of this team, but they will make some noise in Beijing and no team in Group A or B can afford to sleep on Panagiotis Giannakis's team.

Germany
FIBA Ranking: #9

There are only two reasons why the German National Team can be considered a threat to the United States: Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman. Nowitzki is one of the most unstoppable basketball players in the history of FIBA and can score against just about anybody from anywhere; his NBA MVP award shows that he's capable of outplaying Carmelo Anthony, Tayshaun Prince, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, or whoever gets the misfortune of having to guard him. Chris Kaman only adds to a stacked frontcourt. Kaman is certainly not on Nowitzki's level, but frontcourt depth is clearly Team USA's weakness and Germany has one of the deeper frontcourts in Beijing. Germany has very few consistent perimeter scorers to match up with the many elite backcourts in Group B, but they will not go down quietly, especially since achieving an Olympic bid during a miraculous run in the qualifying tournament in Greece.

China
FIBA Ranking: #11

China is a very weak team compared to the rest of the Group, Angola included until further notice, but that does not mean anything with the likes of NBA caliber players Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian, Wang ZhiZhi, and Sun Yue, as well as NBA prospects Chen Jianghua who is a favorite of Coach K, Mo Ke, and Zhang Songtao. There is not much of a backcourt to speak of as there are very few true-facilitators on the floor at any given time, but the Chinese frontcourt looks very good. Just like the one-two punch of Nowitzki and Kaman, Jianlian plays away from the basket while Yao anchors the paint, which can make things difficult for a team potentially lacking in post-depth and defense. China likely won't make much noise this year, but this is a talented team not to be taken lightly.

Angola
FIBA Ranking: #14

Angola, the FIBA Africa champion, has the potential to be a Cinderella team if the cards fall in the right way. This team beat a very strong Serbian B-Team, a less-strong, but not insignificant Russian B-Team, and the Chinese National Team. There aren't many stars on this team, but this is a tough and determined group of players eager to steal a game from the basketball elites in this conference. For teams like the United States and Spain, who have lacked focus in the past against weaker teams, Angola is a threat because of their continuous energy. This Angola team, after all, has already beaten the Chinese National Team and while they shouldn't pose much of a threat to the Americans, this is a continental champion and a tough team looking to make a name for itself on the national stage.

So, if you did not believe that United States will be experiencing anything but a cakewalk during the Olympics, this article will hopefully inspire you to reconsider. While Team USA is very good, has the best roster in the world, and certainly worthy of the top world ranking, they are not invincible. There are six worthy competitors in Group B that makes it, in this blog's opinion, the tougher of the two groups. The United States has to take the form of the Dream Teams of the past if they want to find an easy way out. If not, these games will be quite entertaining and far more interesting than every paid basketball pundit previously assumed.

The Debut of Team USA: Thoughts

2008-07-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

Team USA (120) vs. Team Canada (65)

Top Performers:

Carmelo Anthony (USA): 20 pts (7/12 FG, 0/3 3FG, 6/6 FT), 6 reb, 3 ast, 1 TO
Michael Redd (USA): 20 pts (6/8 FG, 6/8 3FG, 2/4 FT), 2 reb
Dwayne Wade (USA): 20 pts (7/10 FG, 1/1 3FG, 5/5 FT), 3 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 4 TO
Chris Paul (USA): 11 pts (4/5 FG, 2/2 3FG, 1/2 FT), 2 reb, 8 ast, 2 TO
Jermaine Anderson (CAN): 18 pts (6/9 FG, 3/6 3FG, 3/4 FT), 1 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 TO

The United States Men's Senior National Team succeeded in its first of five pre-Olympic exhibition games with a 120-65 victory over the reeling Canadian National Team, which missed the Olympics after a defection by star center Samuel Dalembert. To make matters worse, the Canadians only shot 33% from the field and managed only seven assists alongside of 24 turnovers.

Team USA simply clicked, and even though the Canadians are not nearly in the same league as the likes of China, Angola, Spain, or Greece (all of whom Team USA will face in their Olympic division). The Americans shot an incredible 66% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, which begins to answer past questions about how well this team will fare against zone defenses. Carmelo Anthony's ability to get to the rim continued his reputation as one of the most consistent members of Team USA. With LeBron James returning shortly from injury, the slashing corps will be in full effect by the time Team USA arrives in China to take on the deceptive Russian National Team.

Perhaps the biggest surprise, yet again, was the pristine play of Chris Paul (now to be known as CP13). He hit two perimeter jumpshots to go along with 11 points and eight assists in 23 minutes. He did not start and was behind both Jason Kidd and Deron Williams in the rotation, but proved that he is the best distributor on the American team.

BDSL Presents... The Best of the Rocky Mountain Revue

2008-07-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

By the time that the Rocky Mountain Revue concluded, we were exhausted from watching summer league basketball. Though the games were sloppy, ugly, and, for the most part, very difficult to watch, there were some bright spots.

Gerald Green, despite possessing a guaranteed contract for next season, needed a string of games to showcase his scoring ability and he delivered in Salt Lake City much to the happiness of Mavs GM Donnie Nelson. Similarly, the Utah Jazz were relying on Morris Almond to dominate and though he did not shoot the ball particularly well from the perimeter, he showed that he could be more assertive on offense. The re-signing of C.J. Miles might mean he did not play well enough, but we felt as though he looked much improved rom last year.

Anthony Tolliver, after earning a guaranteed contract with the Spurs, showed that their investment paid off, hitting over 50% from beyond the arc and thriving in whatever role was asked of him. Anthony Morrow played out of his mind, shooting almost 70% from beyond the arc, and earned a non-guaranteed contract that will provide him the opportunity to make the opening night roster for the Warriors. Similarly, if the Hawks have not yet offered Othello Hunter a roster spot, they really should consider... After all, Hunter is younger, more athletic, and flat-out better than current back-up big man Solomon Jones, who has struggled to break into the rotation.

This is Thomas Gardner's second impressive summer league season, as he impressed last year with Chicago and, even though he does not have much of a chance of making Atlanta's roster, he surely impressed teams. The same is true for Reyshawn Terry. Terry looks like a completely different player this year after a year playing overseas. In addition to being a perimeter gunner, his ball-handling and defensive abilities are both much improved. He could develop into a solid player for the Mavericks in the future.

And, without further ado...

The Boris Diaw School of Leisure All-Rocky Mountain Revue First Team:

G Morris Almond (UTA)
-18.5 ppg (45% FG), 2.8 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.8 spg

G Anthony Morrow (GSW)
-21.0 ppg (69% 3FG), 6.5 rpg, 3.3 apg, 0.8 bpg

F Gerald Green (DAL)
-17.7 ppg (46% 3FG), 2.7 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.0 spg

F Anthony Randolph (GSW)
-17.5 ppg (81% FT), 6.8 rpg, 3.3 apg, 0.8 bpg

C Othello Hunter (ATL)
-13.2 ppg (67% FG), 6.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.2 spg

The Boris Diaw School of Leisure All-Rocky Mountain Revue First Team:

G DeMarcus Nelson (GSW)
-12.5 ppg (47% FG), 4.8 rpg, 5.0 apg, 1.3 spg

G Thomas Gardner (ATL)
-16.3 ppg (47% 3FG), 2.5 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.5 spg

F Reyshawn Terry (DAL)
-11.3 ppg (46% 3FG), 6.7 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.8 bpg

F Anthony Tolliver (SAS)
-11.5 ppg (53% 3FG), 3.5 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.8 spg

C Rob Kurz (GSW)
-12.5 ppg (63% FG), 6.8 rpg, 0.8 apg, 2.3 bpg, 1.0 spg

Summer League 2008: Day Eighteen/The End of Summer League Season

2008-07-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

Today marks the final day of the Boris Diaw School of Leisure 's extended summer league coverage. We've followed the NBA off-season from Orlando to Las Vegas and finally, to its last stop in Salt Lake City, Utah.

We will be posting sporadically throughout the summer, with the latest information in the basketball stratosphere. These past few months have been some of the most productive throughout our relatively brief history and more basketball fans from around the world have read this blog than ever before.

We hope you have enjoyed our summer coverage thus far and that you are looking forward to sticking around during the the slower half of the off-season.

And without further ado, the last day of the Rocky Mountain Revue...

Atlanta (105) vs. Golden State (91)

Top Performers:

Demetric Bennett (ATL): 30 pts (12/15 FG, 3/3 3FG, 3/3 FT), 3 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk, 3 TO
Thomas Gardner (ATL): 27 pts (9/19 FG, 7/14 3FG, 2/2 FT), 3 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 1 TO
Othello Hunter (ATL): 20 pts (10/12 FG), 8 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk
Luke Jackson (ATL): 8 pts (2/9 FG, 1/4 3FG, 3/3 FT), 5 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl, 1 TO
DeMarcus Nelson (GSW): 21 pts (9/14 FG, 1/3 3FG, 2/4 FT), 6 reb, 5 asat, 1 blk, 1 TO
Anthony Randolph (GSW): 20 pts (7/13 FG, 0/1 3FG, 6/6 FT), 6 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 5 TO
Rob Kurz (GSW): 17 pts (6/9 FG, 0/1 3FG, 5/5 FT), 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 2 TO
Anthony Morrow (GSW): 15 pts (7/21 FG, 1/4 3FG), 7 reb, 1 blk, 2 TO

Dallas ( ) vs. Utah ( )

Top Performers:

2008 Free Agency Update: Top Remaining Restricted Free-Agents

2008-07-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that, by now, this somewhat monumental free-agencies has been filled to the brim with defections, betrayals, surprises, and downright confusing occurrences.

Our complete coverage of this off-season can be found here: The Boris Diaw School of Leisure's 2008 Pre-Season Report.

People cried foul when Baron Davis jumped ship to what many saw as a pre-arranged deal in Los Angeles. Those people were proven wrong very quickly once Elton Brand fled Los Angeles for the greener passages of Philadelphia. The Clippers responded by trading pennies for Marcus Camby and letting Corey Maggette defect to Golden State. Jermaine O'Neal is now teamed with Chris Bosh to form a formidable frontcourt in Toronto and the list goes on and on.

In addition, how many foresaw Josh Childress bolting to Greece or Jorge Garbajosa and Bostjan Nachbar passing up mid-level contracts for Russian riches.

This year's free-agency has been somewhat schizophrenic in nature, but that is precisely what makes it interesting.

Our list of restricted free-agents is noticeably more high-profile than our published list of unrestricted free-agents. This has a lot to do with the fluctuating contract market, which is still reeling from massive contracts bestowed to Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, and Andrew Bogut. While big contracts are certainly justifiable for top-tier NBA players, they also impact the less-talented and less-deserving players who exploit market trends to acquire big contracts.

Below is a list of the best remaining restricted free-agents, all of whom can instantly impact an NBA roster next season.

Top 10 Restricted Free-Agents:

1. Josh Smith (Atlanta)
-Smith is in an elite class of athletes in the NBA and versatile enough to play either forward position. He is a good defender and his offense has continued to develop throughout his brief NBA career. He is currently insulted by small offers by the Hawks and wants a contract that is comparable to, if not greater than, Gerald Wallace's or Richard Jefferson's contract.

2. Monta Ellis (Golden State)
-Ellis is one of the best young scoring guards in the NBA, who is a jumpshot away from entering the NBA's elite scoring guard fraternity. He is currently in contract negotiations with Golden State. After already losing Baron Davis, GM Chris Mullin is not losing his next brightest star.

3. Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia)
-After acquiring Elton Brand, there is no way that AI2 is leaving Philadelphia. With Iguodala on the wing, Philadelphia's rotation is one of the best in the East. He's not a great first option, but with Elton Brand in the middle, he can specialize as a slasher. He is the perfect second option and should he resign as expected, the Sixers could be nearing elite status in the Eastern Conference.

4. Luol Deng (Chicago)
-Deng made a mistake not accepting a $10 million/year contract last year for the Bulls and runs the risk of getting a lesser contract now, but he is still a very talented player and the perfect player for the future Derrick Rose offense. He would be an incredible second option for a championship contender, but the money is simply not there for him to get signed by anybody else.

5. Ben Gordon (Chicago)
-Gordon is in a similar boat as Deng. He is certainly talented, but teams do not ahve the money anymore to overpay for an undersized shooting guard who is trigger happy and can't play point guard. He should take whatever contract Chicago gives him and hopefully has a good couple seasons to back it up so he can get a shot at a maximum contract in the future.

6. Emeka Okafor (Charlotte)
-Okafor is one of the more overrated post-players (for the amount of money he asks for, an estimated $64 million dollars over four years) in the NBA and has professed a desire to get out of Charlotte via trade. He is likely going to another team that will pay him too much money.

7. Andris Biedrins (Golden State)
-Biedrinns is one of the better young centers in the NBA and has improved steadily since getting drafted by the Warriors. With Baron out of the question, the Warriors will surely rely upon their Bird rights and resign their starting center. Biedrinns has a lot of potential to improve and resigning him is a good long-term investment.

8. J.R. Smith (Denver)
-Smith is poised for a breakout season next year after averaging 18 points per game during the 2008 NBA Playoffs. He, like Josh Smith, is an elite athlete, but his jumpshot is lights out and his potential is through the roof. Smith can be very special if he wants it to happen and a smaller contract is possible considered the Nuggets's bloated payroll.

9. Louis Williams (Philadelphia)
-Williams is proving to be a reliable sixth man on a contender and looks to inherit the starting point guard role from Andre Miller in a couple years. It should not cost that much money to sign him, considering Bird rights assuming Monta Ellis stays in Oakland. This is yet another low-risk high-reward pickup and for a team bordering on perennial contention, Williams could be an essential player.

10. Ryan Gomes (Minnesota)
-There are a lot of other worthy candidates for this spot, but Gomes is a smart and productive roleplayer that can play minutes at either forward position. He is supposedly a great teammate and is well worth the low-risk contract that he will command. There is simply no market right now for roleplayers, though there are more than a couple teams that could get better with Gomes in their rotations.

2008 Free Agency Update: Top Remaining Unrestricted Free-Agents

2008-07-24T17:58:00.001-07:00

There is no doubt that, by now, this somewhat monumental free-agencies has been filled to the brim with defections, betrayals, surprises, and downright confusing occurrences.

Our complete coverage of this off-season can be found here: The Boris Diaw School of Leisure's 2008 Pre-Season Report.

People cried foul when Baron Davis jumped ship to what many saw as a pre-arranged deal in Los Angeles. Those people were proven wrong very quickly once Elton Brand fled Los Angeles for the greener passages of Philadelphia. The Clippers responded by trading pennies for Marcus Camby and letting Corey Maggette defect to Golden State. Jermaine O'Neal is now teamed with Chris Bosh to form a formidable frontcourt in Toronto and the list goes on and on.

In addition, how many foresaw Josh Childress bolting to Greece or Jorge Garbajosa and Bostjan Nachbar passing up mid-level contracts for Russian riches.

This year's free-agency has been somewhat schizophrenic in nature, but that is precisely what makes it interesting.

Below is a list of the best remaining unrestricted free-agents who can instantly impact an NBA roster.

Top 10 Unrestricted Free-Agents

1. Jason Williams (Miami)
-Williams is far removed from his prime, igniting the fast-break and draining perimeter jumpshots in Sacramento and Memphis, but he can still run the point guard efficiently for a young team either from the bench or as a part-time starter. He is the most attractive unrestricted free-agent guard on the market and with so many teams lacking depth at the lead guard, Williams should have a job by November.

2. Ricky Davis (Miami)
-If Davis could shed his reputation of slack work-ethic and trigger-happy inefficiency, he would undoubtedly have a contract right now. Unfortunately, he struggled to establish himself in Miami and likely will not be invited back. Veteran teams looking for cheap backcourt fire power such as Boston or San Antonio should strongly consider Davis in their off-season plans.

3. Maurice Evans (Orlando)
-There was a rumor that Evans was going to sign a contract with Golden State, where he likely could have played a key role in the rotation. He was not impressed with their contract, however, and is now still a free-agent. Evans can provide perimeter defense and instant offense off of the bench to whatever team decides to take a shot at him. Maurice Evans will not have to worry about his job security next year; somebody will sign him.

4. Kwame Brown (Memphis)
-Brown is much-reviled, which for some reason or another, allows people to forget that he is a good post-defender and had some quiet success as a reserve in Los Angeles. Now that his gargantuan contract has expired, he can provide a contending team a solid post-presence for a low-price. He is another guy that should not stay on this list for long.

5. Devin Brown (Cleveland)
-Brown is one of the most underrated players in the NBA at the moment, thriving as a reserve for championship contenders such as Cleveland and San Antonio. He is a good role player, partially because of his ability to play everywhere on the perimeter and his solid defensive presence.

6. Michael Finley (San Antonio)
-Michael Finley, until this year, was one of the highest paid players in the NBA and he was not even remotely earning such a high-figure salary. Now, however, he can continue to be the high-percentage shooting veteran reserve that he was overpaid to be in San Antonio for a more realistic figure. He is clearly at the end of his career, but he has a little bit more left in the tank to contribute to a contender.

7. Carlos Arroyo (Orlando)
-Arroyo is one of the biggest enigmas in basketball as he shows up during international play and disappears in the NBA. While he will never be a consistent starting point guard, he can provide solid minutes off of the bench at either guard spot for a team in need of point guard depth.

8. Adonal Foyle (Orlando)
-Foyle is another one of the enigmatic players in the NBA, earning one of the most lopsided salaries in NBA history, and providing very little in terms of results. Foyle is getting old too, but there are a lot of teams that would pay him the minimum to play spot minutes off of the bench and provide a positive presence in the locker room.

9. D.J. Mbenga (Los Angeles Lakers)
-Mbenga is still very much a project, but as he showed off of the bench for the Lakers, he can be a very reliable reserve on the defensive end. He is one of the most athletic and mobile big men in the NBA and, despite his raw skill set, he should be able to find a job next season. If he does not develop, however, he does not have a good deal of staying power at this level.

10. Quinton Ross (Los Angeles Clippers)
-Ross was a quality player and key contributor to the Clippers's most recent playoff run as a defensive stopper and deceptive scorer. Whether or not his absence from the Clippers' rotation is representative of Dunleavy's general incompetence as a coach or Ross's own doing is unknown, but if Ross can maintain his stopper reputation, he has potential to be a solid contributor in an NBA rotation next season.

Summer League 2008: Day Seventeen

2008-07-24T17:06:00.000-07:00

Day Five: Rocky Mountain Revue
-Live From Salt Lake City, Utah-

NBA D-League Ambassadors (81) vs. Golden State (82)

Top Performers:

Anthony Morrow (GSW): 19 pts (7/12 FG, 3/3 3FG, 2/2 FT), 5 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk, 3 TO
Mykal Riley (GSW): 17 pts (6/15 FG, 3/8 3FG, 2/4 FT), 6 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 3 TO
DeMarcus Nelson (GSW): 14 pts (5/11 FG, 0/1 3FG, 4/6 FT), 7 reb, 7 ast, 1 stl, a TO
Rob Kurz (GSW): 11 pts (5/8 FG, 0/1 3FG, 1/1 FT), 10 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 4 blk, 2 TO
Nick Lewis (NBDL): 17 pts (5/7 FG, 7/9 FT), 5 reb, 1 stl, 2 TO
Glen McGowan (NBDL): 15 pts (4/13 FG, 1/2 3FG, 6/8 FT), 7 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO
Errick Craven (NBDL): 15 pts (4/7 FG, 7/8 FT), 2 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk, 1 TO

New Jersey (66) vs. Dallas (81)

Top Performers:

Charles Rhodes (DAL): 21 pts (8/10 FG, 5/6 FT), 5 reb, 2 stl, 2 TO
Gerald Green (DAL): 16 pts (5/12 FG, 2/4 3FG, 4/4 FT), 4 reb, 1 ast, 1 TO
Reyshawn Terry (DAL): 12 pts (5/10 FG, 1/1 3FG, 1/1 FT), 12 reb, 1 ast, 1 TO
Chris Douglas-Roberts (NJN): 16 pts (7/12 FG, 2/4 FT), 5 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk, 3 TO
Brook Lopez (NJN): 12 pts (6/11 FG, 0/1 FT), 6 reb, 1 stl, 2 blk, 3 TO
Jaycee Carroll (NJN): 10 pts (4/11 FG, 0/3 3FG, 2/2 FT), 7 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO

Utah (83) vs. Atlanta (78)

Top Performers:

Morris Almond (UTA): 29 pts (10/19 FG, 1/3 3FG, 8/10 FT), 3 reb, 1 blk, 3 TO
Kyrylo Fesenko (UTA): 4 pts (2/2 FG), 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 TO, 3 blk
Kosta Koufos (UTA): 9 pts (3/6 FG, 3/3 FT), 6 reb, 2 blk
Acie Law IV (ATL): 21 pts (6/15 FG, 1/2 3FG, 8/10 FT), 2 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO
Luke Jackson (ATL): 16 pts (5/13 FG, 3/7 3FG, 3/4 FT), 2 reb, 4 ast

Summer League 2008: Day Sixteen

2008-07-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

Atlanta (82) vs. San Antonio (83)

Top Performers:

Acie Law IV (ATL): 27 pts (7/16 FG, 2/4 3FG, 11/11 FT), 1 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 3 TO
Thomas Gardner (ATL): 16 pts (6/12 FG, 3/6 3FG, 1/2 FT), 1 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 TO
Anthony Tolliver (SAS): 21 pts (6/8 FG, 5/6 3FG, 4/4 FT), 5 reb, 2 stl
Malik Hairston (SAS): 17 pts (5/6 FG, 7/8 FT), 2 reb, 1 ast, 4 TO

Golden State (90) vs. Dallas (73)

Top Performers:

Anthony Morrow (GSW): 27 pts (9/16 FG, 4/5 3FG, 5/6 FT), 10 reb, 5 ast, 1 TO
Anthony Randolph (GSW): 20 pts (3/11 FG, 14/17 FT), 6 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 7 TO
Jamont Gordon (GSW): 20 pts (7/14 FG, 2/4 3FG, 4/7 FT), 5 reb, 2 ast, 5 TO
Richard Hendrix (GSW): 3 pts (1/4 FG, 2/2 FT), 11 reb, 1 blk, 2 TO
Gerald Green (DAL): 17 pts (5/12 FG, 2/4 3FG, 5/6 FT), 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 3 TO

New Jersey (79) vs. Utah (87)

Top Performers:

Morris Almond (UTA): 24 pts (4/11 FG, 2/4 3FG, 14/18 FT), 4 reb, 1 stl, 1 TO
Tyrone Brazelton (UTA): 16 pts (7/9 FG, 0/1 3FG, 2/4 FT), 4 reb, 4 ast,1 stl, 2 TO
Jaycee Carroll (NJN): 22 pts (9/17 FG, 1/4 3FG, 3/3 FT), 2 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk, 4 TO
Ryan Anderson (NJN): 18 pts (3/11 FG, 1/5 3FG, 11/12 FT), 9 reb, stl, 2 TO
Julius Hodge (NJN): 14 pts (6/8 FG, 2/5 FT), 5 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 1 TO

Summer League 2008: Day Fifteen

2008-07-21T17:27:00.001-07:00

Dallas (84) vs. San Antonio (77)

Top Performers:

Gerald Green (DAL): 27 pts (8/15 FG, 5/9 3FG, 6/7 FT), 5 rebm 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk, 5 TO
Reyshawn Terry (DAL): 14 pts (5/13 FG, 4/9 3FG), 2 reb, 3 ast, 1 TO
George Hill (SAS): 18 pts (7/14 FG, 2/5 3FG, 2/4 FT), 4 reb, 4 ast, 4 stl, 3 TO
Ian Mahinmi (SAS): 17 pts (3/6 FG, 11/11 FT), 10 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 5 TO

Golden State (108) vs. New Jersey (84)

Top Performers:

Anthony Morrow (GSW): 23 pts (10/18 FG, 3/4 3FG), 4 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk
Dion Dowell (GSW): 20 pts (7/11 FG, 3/5 3FG, 3/3 FT), 3 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk, 2 TO
Rob Kurz (GSW): 18 pts (7/10 FG, 3/5 3FG, 1/1 FT), 7 reb, 1 stl, 3 blk, 1 TO
Richard Hendrix (GSW): 10 pts (5/9 FG, 0/1 3FG, 0/2 FT), 12 reb, 1 stl
Anthony Randolph (GSW): 16 pts (2/10 FG, 1/2 3FG, 11/13 FT), 8 reb, 5 ast, 2 blk, 5 TO
DeMarcus Nelson (GSW): 9 pts (4/10 FG, 1/4 FT), 5 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl, 1 TO
Julius Hodge (NJN): 20 pts (9/13 FG, 2/4 FT), 10 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 2 TO
Brook Lopez (NJN): 16 pts (5/14 FG, 6/8 FT), 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 blk, 3 TO

NBA D-League Ambassadors (70) vs. Atlanta (74)

Top Performers:

Glen McGowan (NBDL): 17 pts (4/9 FG, 0/1 3FG, 9/10 FT), 5 reb, 1 stl, 2 TO

Iranian National Team (57) vs. Utah (82)

Top Performers:

Mohammad Nikkhah Ba (INT): 23 pts (10/25 FG, 0/5 3FG, 3/4 FT), 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 4 TO
Hamed Ehadadi (INT): 9 pts (4/5 FG, 1/2 FT), 7 reb, 3 blk, 3 TO
Yaroslav Korolev (UTA): 9 pts (4/7 FG, 1/2 3FG), 1 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk, 1 TO

Summer League Winners and Losers

2008-07-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

The whole purpose of the summer league trifecta (and all of the other semi-pro leagues that exist and feature NBA talent) is to hopefully catch either the eyes of NBA personnel who need to fill roster spots or scouts from wealthy international basketball clubs. Both types have been present in large numbers throughout the summer league and rumors have already begun about players that have good chances of making regular season rosters in America and abroad.

In the past, the summer league has helped young NBA players jumpstart their NBA careers as well as provide unsigned free-agents the opportunity to showcase their abilities for NBA personnel. Last season, Jose Juan Barea established himself as a quality scorer and floor general for the Mavericks and after earning two years of a minimum contract, was given a 3 year/$4.8 million dollar contract this offseason. Journeyman power-forward Josh Powell has been another such story, latching on with the Mavericks before signing a multi-year contract and seeing rotation minutes with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Golden State Warriors have had success in the past finding the likes of Kelenna Azubuike and C.J. Watson in past summer league seasons.

Looking at the current state of certain NBA rosters and the wealth of professional talent participating in these summer leagues, there seem to be more than a few roster spots up for grabs.

The most attractive teams seem to be the Dallas Mavericks, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Mavericks had three open roster spots coming into the summer league season and have made commitments to guards Gerald Green and Keith McLeod, both veteran presences to bolster a weak backcourt. Green's perimeter shooting and athletic potential make him a low-risk, high reward player who could one day develop into a very good two-way player. McLeod is steady and his inclusion on the roster could mean that Jose Juan Barea sees more minutes in the rotation.

The San Antonio Spurs, according to reliable rumor, are enamored with D-Leaguer Anthony Tolliver, a player who should be able to cover low-minutes at either forward spot and has a sweet-stroke from beyond the arc. Roger Mason Jr. also had a very steady summer league season, proving much of the same skill-set, but showing improvements that might lead Spurs officials to believe that he more potential.

Despite the improvements that the Minnesota Timberwolves made to their frontcourt, their backcourt is extremely thin with only Randy Foye under contract next year. Looking at their summer league roster, there is a multitude of lead guards available, mostly in the bench-spark plug variety. The most impressive guards of the pack, and the two most likely to get a shot at training camp, are veteran journeyman Pooh Jeter and former Miami Heat rookie and D-Leaguer, Blake Ahern. Ahern has had the more impressive performance thus far showing the ability to hit open shots and attack the basket. Should Sebastian Telfair choose to sign elsewhere, one of these guys has a very good chance of making the roster.

The Washington Wizards really liked Dee Brown when he was a member of the Utah Jazz and after he got cut from the Jazz and played a year in Turkey, the Wizards gave him a two-year partially guaranteed contract and a spot on the summer league roster. He did not disappoint, proving himself to be a reliable creator and scorer off of the bench. It is all but assumed that he will inherit Roger Mason Jr.'s role in the rotation.

The Knicks loved Anthony Roberson's ability to handle the ball and put points on the board. They loved him so much, in fact, that they offered him a guaranteed contract. Roberson will get playing time in D'Antoni's system if he can prove to be a competent lead guard.

The Los Angeles Lakers lost an important rotation player when Ronny Turiaf decided to bolt for Oakland. The good news, however, is that two perfect replacements turned in efficient performances on their summer league team: former Clemson Tiger Sharrod Tiger and Fordham rookie Bryant Dunston. Dunston seems like the front runner if either of these players actually has a chance, but Ford has more experience and a better resume. Both of these guys had great performances and Los Angeles's decision to draft Joe Crawford instead of a power forward seems just a bit suspicious. Crawford did a good job, but failed to show that he is a versatile scorer.

More to come...

The Best of the 2008 Vegas Summer League

2008-07-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

There were a lot of great players featured at this year's 2008 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. In fact, the talent was far superior to the actual games in most instances. Unlike in most years, veteran talent did not solely dominate the camp, although there were many young veteran's out to prove their worth to teams. Below is a list of The Boris Diaw School of Leisure's top players, from the best of the best to the guys that look like they will make a splash in the League in the near future. We will be publishing a feature tomorrow exploring the best kept secrets of the summer league and what undrafted free-agents have the best opportunity to make opening night rosters.

The Boris Diaw School of Leisure 2008 NBA Summer League MVP:

Jerry Bayless (POR)

Bayless was simply unstoppable during this summer league, scoring at will against just about any competition that was thrown at him. His ability to draw fouls and get to the free-throw line is simply uncanny and his shooting ability from mid-range on out was on full display. Though his pure point guard abilities are somewhat questionable, Bayless is a player that, at worst, is going to be one of the top sixth men in the league and at best, he should be a very competent scoring guard next to Brandon Roy. Kevin Pritchard, as is becoming custom, got a tremendous steal when he drafted Bayless and the Portland GM looked like a genius throughout the past week as his star-rookie put on a scoring exhibition against some legitimate NBA talent.

The following players, Bayless included, however, really went above and beyond in terms of proving themselves at this level. There isn't a player on this list that hurt their stock this time around. And without further ado...

All-2008 NBA Summer League First Team:

G Ramon Sessions (MIL)
-15.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 7.3 apg, 0.3 apg

G Jerryd Bayless (POR)
-29.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.2 spg

F Wilson Chandler (NYK)
-16.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.8 spg

F Andray Blatche (WAS)
-17.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.2 bpg

C J.J. Hickson (CLE)
-19.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.2 bpg

All-2008 NBA Summer League Second Team:

G Quincy Douby (SAC)
-22.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 1.3 apg, 2.8 spg, 1.2 bpg

G Dahntay Jones (DEN)
-18.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.0 apg

F Alando Tucker (PHX)
-21.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.6 apg

F Anthony Randolph (GSW)
-20.8 rpg, 7.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.2 bpg

C Kevin Love (MIN)
-18.0 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.8 bpg

All-2008 NBA Summer League Third Team:

G C.J. Watson (GSW)
-18.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.8 apg, 4.2 spg

G D.J. Strawberry (PHX)
-18.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.0 spg

F Al Thornton (LAC)
-15.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 0.8 bpg

F Jason Thompson (SAC)
-16.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.6 bpg

C Marreese Speights (PHI)
-18.2 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 2.2 bpg

All-2008 NBA Summer League Honorable Mention:

G Aaron Brooks (HOU)
-16.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 7.0 apg, 0.8 spg

G O.J. Mayo (MEM)
-18.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.4 spg

G Bobby Brown (NOH)
-15.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 6.3 apg, 0.5 spg

G D.J. Augustin (CHA)
-19.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.0 spg

F Donte Greene (HOU)
-22.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.6 spg, 1.0 bpg

Summer League 2008: Day Fourteen

2008-07-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

Today marks the last day of 2008 Summer League in Las Vegas and, because of the Sunday reprieve in Utah, we will be focusing our coverage on the final games in Las Vegas.

Tomorrow we will release our All-2008 Summer League Teams, and continue our coverage of the Rocky Mountain Revue.

Minnesota (111) vs. New York (91)

Top Performers:

Pops Mensah-Bonsu (MIN): 21 pts (8/12 FG, 5/6 FT), 8 reb, 2 blk, 2 TO
Blake Ahearn (MIN): 16 pts (7/15 FG, 2/6 3FG), 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO
Corey Brewer (MIN): 10 pts (4/9 FG, 2/4 FT), 7 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk, 3 TO
Anthony Roberson (NYK): 23 pts (9/18 FG, 3/7 3FG, 2/3 FT), 1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO

Phoenix (88) vs. Washington (69)

Top Performers:

Alando Tucker (PHX): 25 pts (8/15 FG, 1/3 3FG, 8/10 FT), 3 reb, 2 TO
D.J. Strawberry (PHX): 20 pts (7/19 FG, 0/2 3FG, 6/9 FT), 5 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 6 TO
Judson Wallace (PHX): 15 pts (6/12 FG, 3/7 3FG, 0/2 FT), 9 reb, 4 stl, 3 TO
Jared Jordan (PHX): 6 pts (2/4 FG, 2/2 FT), 6 reb, 7 ast, 1 stl, 1 TO

Milwaukee (72) vs. Cleveland (88)

Top Performers:

J.J. Hickson (CLE): 24 pts (10/17 FG, 0/1 3FG, 4/4 FT), 5 reb, 4 TO

Portland (78) vs. New Orleans (63)

Top Performers:

J.R. Pinnock (POR): 30 pts (11/19 FG, 4/5 3FG, 4/4 FT), 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 TO
Bernard Robinson (POR): 11 pts (4/8 FG, 3/3 FT), 10 reb, 5 ast, 1 TO
Steven Hill (POR): 8 pts (3/4 FG, 2/2 FT), 3 reb, 1 stl, 4 blk, 1 TO
Bobby Brown (NOH): 13 pts (5/14 FG, 1/7 3FG, 2/4 FT), 4 reb, 10 ast, 4 TO
Derrick Byars (NOH): 15 pts (7/12 FG, 1/4 3FG), 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 TO

Sacramento ( ) vs. Houston ( )

Top Performers:

Summer League 2008: Day Thirteen

2008-07-20T12:28:00.000-07:00

2008 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas:

New York (71) vs. Charlotte (103)

Top Performers:

Orien Greene (CHA): 13 pts (4/5 FG, 2/3 3FT, 3/3 FT), 3 reb, 5 ast, 4 TO
Marcus Slaughter (CHA): 10 pts (5/6 FG), 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 TO
Mustafa Shakur (CHA): 7 pts (2/11 FG, 0/1 3FG, 3/4 FT), 7 reb, 5 ast, 2 TO

Golden State (95) vs. Toronto (90)

Top Performers:

Anthony Randolph (GSW): 26 pts (5/17 FG, 0/2 3FG, 16/18 FT), 12 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 5 TO
Anthony Morrow (GSW): 22 pts (9/14 FG, 3/4 3FG, 1/2 FT), 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 TO
Marco Bellinelli (GSW): 14 pts (4/14 FG, 2/5 3FG, 4/6 FT), 1 reb, 8 ast, 3 stl, 3 TO
Desmon Farmer (TOR): 22 pts (8/12 FG, 2/5 3FG, 4/6 FT), 4 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO
John Lucas III (TOR): 14 pts (6/13 FG, 0/2 3FG, 2/2 FT), 6 reb, 7 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO

Denver (92) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (79)

Top Performers:

Bobby Jones (DEN): 18 pts (6/9 FG, 2/3 3FG, 4/5 FT), 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO
Keith Langford (DEN): 17 pts (6/6 FG, 3/3 3FG, 2/2 FT), 1 reb, 2 ast, 1 TO
Joe Crawford (DEN): 17 pts (8/18 FG, 1/4 3FG, 0/1 FT), 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 TO

Washington (80) vs. Houston (75)

Top Performers:

Andray Blatche (WAS): 23 pts (9/19 FG, 0/2 3FG, 5/5 FT), 7 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl, 2 blk, 4 TO
Dominic McGuire (WAS): 18 pts (9/13 FG, 0/1 FT), 11 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 2 TO
Nick Young (WAS): 14 pts (5/12 FG, 2/4 3FG, 2/3 FT), 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 3 TO
Mike Harris (HOU): 16 pts (7/11 FG, 2/3 FT), 11 reb, 4 ast, 7 TO
Gustavo Barrera (HOU): 16 pts (5/7 FG, 1/2 3FG, 5/6 FT), 6 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 4 TO

Milwaukee (81) vs. Minnesota (67)

Top Performers:

Darius Washington Jr. (MIL): 19 pts (6/10 FG, 1/1 3FG, 6/7 FT), 2 reb, 7 ast, 3 stl, 3 TO
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (MIL): 13 pts (6/10 FG, 1/1 FT), 10 reb, 1 stl, 2 TO
Matt Freije (MIL): 6/10 FG, 1/4 3FG, 3/4 FT), 1 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk

Portland (74) vs. Phoenix (73)

Top Performers:

Jerryd Bayless (POR): 36 pts (14/26 FG, 2/3 3FG, 6/6 FT), 3 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl, 1 TO
Alando Tucker (PHX): 18 pts (7/12 FG, 1/1 3FG, 3/4 FT), 5 reb, 1 stl, 1 blk, 3 TO

New Orleans (79) vs. Cleveland (78)

Top Performers:

Bobby Brown (NOH): 15 pts (7/17 FG, 0/3 3FG, 1/1 FT), 6 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 1 TO
Ndudi Ebi (NOH): 15 pts (7/11 FG, 1/3 FT), 5 reb, 1 stl
Clay Tucker (CLE): 23 pts (9/16 FG, 1/3 3FG, 3/4 FT), 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 TO
J.J. Hickson (CLE): 17 pts (6/15 FG, 5/13 FT), 10 reb, 1 blk, 5 TO

2008 Rocky Mountain Revue:

Iranian National Team (62) vs. Dallas (79)

Top Performers:

Hamed Ehadadi (INT): 19 pts (7/12 FG, 5/8 FT), 16 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk, 6 TO
Mohammad Nikkhah Ba (INT): 16 pts (5/15 FG, 1/5 3FG, 5/6 FT), 2 reb, 1 ast, 6 TO
Gerald Green (DAL): 15 pts (4/7 FG, 0/1 3FG, 7/7 FT), 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 TO
Aaron Miles (DAL): 12 pts (6/8 FG), 1 reb, 6 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO

NBA D-League Ambassadors (65) vs. San Antonio (68)

Top Performers:

Devin Green (SAS): 19 pts (5/9 FG, 2/5 3FG, 7/9 FT), 6 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk, 5 TO
Anthony Tolliver (SAS): 15 pts (4/13 FG, 3/8 3FG, 4/4 FT), 7 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO
George Hill (SAS): 6 pts (2/6 FG, 0/2 3FG, 2/6 FT), 1 reb, 5 ast, 5 stl, 2 TO

Atlanta (72) vs. Utah (63)

Top Performers:

Othello Hunter (ATL): 19 pts (8/13 FG, 1/1 3FG, 2/2 FT), 8 reb, 3 ast, 4 stl, 1 blk, 2 TO
Acie Law IV (ATL): 17 pts (5/11 FG, 7/7 FT), 2 reb, 4 ast, 3 TO
Mario West (ATL): 9 pts (3/9 FG, 1/2 3FG, 2/3 FT), 10 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk
Morris Almond (UTA): 17 pts (6/13 FG, 1/2 3FG, 4/4 FT), 4 reb, 4 TO
Kosta Koufos (UTA): 12 pts (3/11 FG, 6/6 FT), 10 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 blk, 1 TO
Kyrylo Fesenko (UTA): 9 pts (4/6 FG, 1/2 FT), 9 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 blk, 1 TO

Summer League 2008: Day Twelve

2008-07-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

While the 2008 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas is rapidly drawing to a close and ends tomorrow, our focus will turn to the Rocky Mountain Revue (RMR), the third league in this year's NBA summer league trilogy.

Expect one final live blog from tomorrow's game between New York and Charlotte as well as our custom-made All-NBA Summer League (Las Vegas) first and second team. Then, we'll be covering the league in Salt Lake City full time. The top performers from tonight's RMR games between San Antonio, Atlanta, Dallas, and Utah, are featured at the bottom of the page.

2008 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas:

New York (85) vs. Phoenix (80)

Top Performers:

Wilson Chandler (NYK): 31 pts (11/19 FG, 1/1 3FG, 8/10 FT), 12 reb, 1 stl, 1 blk, 2 TO
Mardy Collins (NYK): 13 pts (4/8 FG, 1/2 3FG, 4/6 FT), 6 reb, 7 ast, 1 stl, 1 TO
D.J. Strawberry (PHX): 21 pts (7/16 FG, 0/1 3FG, 7/10 FT), 1 reb, 1 ast, 3 TO
Alando Tucker (PHX): 19 pts (7/10 FG, 5/5 FT), 3 reb, 1 ast
Robin Lopez (PHX): 15 pts (7/12 FG, 1/3 FT), 9 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 3 TO

Charlotte (67) vs. Detroit (78)

Top Performers:

Will Bynum (DET): 16 pts (6/9 FG, 4/6 FT), 1 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 4 TO
Cheikh Samb (DET): 14 pts (7/13 FG, 1/2 FT), 4 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk, 1 TO
Arron Aflalo (DET): 10 pts (2/5 FG, 6/8 FT), 3 reb, 6 ast, 1 stl, 3 TO
Walter Sharpe (DET): 8 pts (2/4 FG, 1/1 3FG, 3/4 FT), 1 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk

Cleveland (69) vs. Washington (72)

Top Performers:

Andray Blatche (WAS): 22 pts (8/17 FG, 1/2 3FG, 5/6 FT), 9 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk, 3 TO
J.J. Hickson (CLE): 12 pts (5/11 FG, 2/6 FT), 9 reb, 4 blk, 3 TO

Los Angeles Lakers (71) vs. Toronto (89)

Top Performances:

Joey Graham (TOR): 20 pts (4/9 FG, 12/15 FT), 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 TO
John Lucas III (TOR): 16 pts (6/8 FG, 2/2 3FG, 2/3 FT), 2 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk
Lorenzo Mata-Real (LAL): 5 pts (2/5 FG, 1/4 FT), 11 reb, 3 blk, 5 TO

Sacramento (94) vs. Golden State (91)

Top Performers:

Quincy Douby (SAC): 36 pts (14/21 FG, 3/6 3FG, 5/6 FT), 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk, 4 TO
Jason Thompson (SAC): 20 pts (7/11 FG, 6/8 FT), 10 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 2 TO
Spencer Hawes (SAC): 13 pts (3/13 FG, 7/8 FT), 14 reb, 4 ast, 4 blk, 7 TO
C.J. Watson (GSW): 24 pts (8/18 FG, 2/6 3FG, 6/8 FT), 4 reb, 6 ast, 4 stl, 2 TO
Anthony Randolph (GSW): 16 pts (6/15 FG, 0/1 3FG, 4/6 FT), 6 reb, 1 stl, 1 blk, 3 TO

Houston (104) vs. Denver (105)

Top Performers:

Aaron Brooks (HOU): 25 pts (8/16 FG, 2/6 3FG, 8/8 FT), 2 reb, 10 ast, 3 TO
Joey Dorsey (HOU): 22 pts (10/13 FG, 2/3 FT), 13 reb, 2 TO
Donte Greene (HOU): 19 pts (7/15 FG, 2/8 3FG, 3/4 FT), 5 reb, 3 blk, 4 TO
Dahntay Jones (DEN): 29 pts (6/8 FG, 17/19 FT), 4 reb, 1 stl, 3 TO
Elton Brown (DEN): 21 pts (9/13 FG, 3/3 FT), 12 reb, 3 TO
Sonny Weems (DEN): 16 pts (5/15 FG, 1/3 3FG, 5/8 FT), 4 reb, 4 TO

2008 Rocky Mountain Revue:

Dallas (74) vs. Atlanta (89)

Top Performers:

Jeremy Richardson (ATL): 21 pts (8/14 FG, 1/3 3FG, 4/4 FT), 4 reb, 4 ast, 2 TO
Luke Jackson (ATL): 20 pts (7/9 FG, 5/7 3FG, 1/1 FT), 5 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk
Gerald Green (DAL): 20 pts (8/17 FG, 2/6 3FG, 2/3 FT0, 1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 TO

San Antonio (83) vs. Utah (57)

Top Performers:

George Hill (SAS): 21 pts (6/14 FG, 1/4 3FG, 8/8 FT), 4 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl, 3 TO
Morris Almond (UTA): 17 pts (4/12 FG, 0/1 3FG, 9/9 FT), 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 1 TO

RLBA Triad Pro-Am Summer League: Day Five

2008-07-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

The RLBA Triad Pro-Am Summer League is a month of basketball from some of the Piedmont Triad area's top collegiate prospects.

The Boris Diaw School of Leisure presents in-depth coverage of this event, which also serves as an introduction to some of the nation's top collegiate prospects in the coming years.

We are going to focus on three games tonight. The first game features a mediocre high-school squad that may or may not be featuring a second-consecutive cameo of MVP runner-up, Olympian, and New Orleans Hornets star Chris Paul. Then, we may or may not take in a game featuring Wake Forest's starting off-guard Jeff Teague, incoming five-star recruit Tony Woods, and Winston-Salem State stopper Jamal Durham. Finally, we will be heading across the parking lot to take in one of the most anticipated games of the RLBA Triad Pro-Am Summer League, featuring WFU's starting point guard Ishmael Smith and incoming five-star recruit Ty Walker against last year's starting small forward L.D. Williams and incoming five star recruit Al-Farouq Aminu.

Chris Paul is a local-celebrity in Winston-Salem and is as close to a savior that exists in this medium-sized Southern city. By supporting this somewhat local and small summer league, he made a tremendous statement, proving his dedication to the community and his desire to bring hope and inspiration wherever he goes. His performance, as would be assumed by 32 points and 7 assists, was stellar and the only reason that the lowly Forsyth Country Day School varsity basketball team was able to transcend their typical amateur hour and make the game interesting. In the end, they lost, but Paul's impact was undeniable. The crowd was in awe as the NBA's MVP runner-up came back to support his first city even if the glamorous lights were not shining. Paul is going to be playing in the Olympics as a member of Team USA next week, but the gesture of him playing in this summer league shows how much he cares about both the people in Winston-Salem and people, in general. Paul showed us today that he was the ultimate athlete: a true citizen, philanthropist, genuine human-being and a very good basketball player.

Jeff Teague's point guard ability is still very much in doubt. He has very good court vision and is a good passer, but playing alongside this competition, he does not really find much of a need to pass the ball. His instinct seems to be very much shoot first, which would be fine if he was a better perimeter shooter. His form looks fine, but his shot simply isn't falling at this point and did not fall throughout last season. He needs to keep working this summer to find consistency in his jumpshot. Off of the dribble, he is still unstoppable, showing an insanely fast first step and excellent touch around the basket. Though Teague didn't show anything new tonight, he continued to show his ability as an off-guard. Perhaps he would thrive in a sixth man role next year, a move that could greatly help the Wake Forest second unit.

Tony Woods showed today that he is even rawer than initially thought. Despite his good size, athleticism, and strength, he had trouble with the ball in his hands, often looking confused and surprised. He has some nice tools to work with including a spot-up jumpshot from 10-15 feet and developing footwork, but his touch is off, largely because of his weak shooting form and lack of ball-handling ability. Defensively, he does not yet show the best timing, but he does a pretty good job moving around in the paint and even can do a decent job guarding his man on the perimeter. He has quick feet and very long arms, which is a positive sign for his future develop. The key word, however, is future. Woods is a far way away from becoming an elite ACC big man. Next year, he should work on his fundamentals, conditioning, and overall understanding of the game. He will add size and depth to Wake's gigantic frontcourt and should be a solid reserve for the young Deacs. With the Wake Forest coaching staff in attendance, expect them to draw similar observations and adjust their rotation accordingly.

In a disappointing development, neither Ty Walker nor Ishmael Smith showed up to play in the night's final game. Al Farouq Aminu and L.D. Williams did play, however, even if their performances offered very little new insight.

If Al Farouq Aminu wants to play small forward someday in the NBA, he absolutely must accomplish these two things:

1. He must get better at dribbling the basketball. Right now, he can dribble very well for a 6'8 college freshman, but he is too slow with the ball in his hands to think that he will be able to score on the LeBron James, James Posey, or Bruce Bowen type perimeter defenders at the next level.

2. He must work on developing a quicker release for his jumpshot. Right now, his release is deliberate and slow. He brings the ball behind his head and, in a hitched motion, releases it very highly. The high release is fine, but there is a lot of wasted movement in his form, right now. He should look at getting more power from his legs and eliminating the hitch in his form. Until he improves his shooting form, he has no chance of scoring in the NBA against NBA caliber defenders.

Aminu moves very well in the open court and has very good athleticism for the small forward position, but his skill-set is very much that of a combo-forward's. He is more of a perimeter power forward at this point than a small forward, much like where James Johnson was last year. James Johnson might be a better candidate to play small forward, or perhaps Coach Gaudio might choose to start L.D. Williams on the wing and go small with Johnson and Aminu on the blocks. Who knows at this point.

Speaking of L.D. Williams, he again showed a better offensive awareness and aggressiveness to attack the basket. He should be a very solid player next year and should be a starter as he is the best defender and veteran presence on this very young team.

We will be back on Monday with more coverage.

Summer League 2008: Day Eleven

2008-07-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

Dallas (79) vs. Detroit (73)

Top Performers:

Will Bynum (DET): 20 pts (8/11 FG, 0/1 3FG, 4/6 FT), 4 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 1 TO
Walter Sharpe (DET): 16 pts (5/11 FG, 2/3 3FG, 4/6 FT), 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 TO

New Orleans (80) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (76)

Top Performers:

Hilton Armstrong Jr. (NOH): 25 pts (10/17 FG, 5/8 FT), 8 reb, 1 blk, 2 TO
Bobby Brown (NOH): 17 pts (7/18 FG, 0/4 3FG, 3/3 FT), 1 reb, 6 ast, 3 TO
Marcus Williams (LAC): 24 pts (8/16 FG, 8/9 FT), 10 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 2 TO
Nick Fazekas (LAC): 16 pts (8/13 FG), 6 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk, 2 TO
DeAndre Jordan (LAC): 6 reb (3/8 FG, 0/2 FT), 11 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 5 TO

Toronto (85) vs. Philadelphia (87)

Top Performers:

Thaddeus Young (PHI): 21 pts (6/15 FG, 0/4 3FG, 9/11 FT), 3 reb, 2 stl, 2 TO
Marreese Speights (PHI): 15 pts (4/14 FG, 0/1 3FG, 7/10 FT), 11 reb, 1 ast, 4 blk, 5 TO
Jason Smith (PHI): 12 pts (4/7 FG, 0/1 3FG, 4/5 FT), 12 reb, 5 TO
Joey Graham (TOR): 17 pts (8/18 FG, 1/2 FT), 4 reb, 3 ast, 2 TO
C.J. Giles (TOR): 13 pts (5/10 FG, 3/4 FT), 12 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk, 3 TO

San Antonio (74) vs. Phoenix (98)

Top Performers:

Alando Tucker (PHX): 24 pts (8/10 FG, 0/1 3FG, 8/11 FT), 3 reb, 2 TO
Robin Lopez (PHX): 14 pts (6/12 FG, 2/3 FT), 9 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk, 1 TO

Portland (78) vs. Minnesota (88)

Top Performers:

Jerryd Bayless (POR): 29 pts (8/15 FG, 0/2 3FG, 13/16 FT), 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 6 TO
Kevin Love (MIN): 26 pts (7/20 FG, 0/3 3FG, 12/14 FT), 15 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 TO

Denver (67) vs. Milwaukee (79)

Top Performance:

Ramon Sessions (MIL): 13 pts (5/13 FG, 3/3 FT), 8 reb, 9 ast, 1 blk, 2 TO
Dahntay Jones (DEN): 20 pts (5/12 FG, 10/12 FT), 2 reb, 1 blk, 1 TO

Live Blogging Summer League: Volume Four

2008-07-16T14:46:00.001-07:00

Today we are going to be live blogging throughout the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs game.

There are a couple of interesting storylines to follow including the youthful and energetic Knicks take on a Spurs, led by a former low-major guard with a lot of ability, but limited results thus far here. George Hill is a prospect that has unlimited potential on a team like the Spurs, but thus far, he has shot only 2/19 from the field and lacks a positive assist/turnover ratio. Granted he is known as a Randy Foye-esque multi-purpose guard, but he needs to show he can run a team. Another Spurs player worth watching is Ian Mahinmi, the former first rounder who had a very successful D-League campaign last year and is a candidate to start at center for the Spurs.

The Knicks were led from dominating performances by Wilson Chandler and very promising performances from former draft-pick Mardy Collins and this year's lottery pick, Danilo Gallinari, who needed three-quarters before he came out of his shell and dominated. A big performance out of Collins and Renaldo Balkman are very important, as well, so that they maintain spots in the rotation.

4:00- There will be no Danilo Gallinari today. He is suffering from a sore hamstring and is doubtful for the remainder of the summer league.

In a surprise development, Nate Robinson will be playing today, hoping to live up to his MVP billing.

Balkman came out of the gates with more aggression than he played with all of last game. He has a lot to work on, including his shooting, which judging his free-throw shooting, has a long way to go. If he wishes to be a part of the rotation in the future, he must improve his offensive repertoire, which three years after getting drafted is still very limited.

4:05- Paul Miller hit a pair of jumpshots. Miller was a member of the Witchita State teams that were successful in the MVC renaissance of a few year's ago.

Also on the floor is former Illinois bruiser turned Reverend, Roger Powell Jr., and te Spurs's second round draft pick James Gist, who just made a beautiful spot-up perimeter jumpshot.

George Hill, both in person and statistically, is a tremendous rebounder on both sides of the floor. He is athletic, strong, and aggressive, but perhaps most importantly, he understands how to score the basketball, not just by shooting, but also scrapping. If he can get his jumpshot to fall, he could be a very good sparkplug off of the bench for the Spurs.

Anthony Roberson is still taking and making shots. He was offered and accepted a two year non-guaranteed contract by the Knicks. His role will obviously be to score, but he is not even remotely a point guard. It will be interesting to see if he can crack the rotation or if he is destined to be a bench ornament and D-League All-Star.

4:10- It will be interesting to see if James Gist can brush off the tweener label that has been thrust upon him. He hasn't shown much perimeter ability beyond hitting spot-up jumpshots, but the book is still very much open, as NBA teams rarely pass up athletic energy players to stack in their lower reserves.

4:15- Von Wafer is hitting some tough shots off of the dribble. The biggest knock on Wafer has never been his ability to put the ball in the basket, rather, it has been that he is a tremendous head-case. Regardless, he was drafted and has played on three separate teams so his ability is clearly not in question. He is having a good night tonight, but it does not look likely that the Knicks have any room for him on the wing.

Herb Williams is talking about Danilo Gallinari's rusty three-quarters on Monday. "He is very mature and has been playing against guys that were 25-30 years old. It's very refreshing when you seen him doing something out there that you explained to him."

4:20- San Antonio is winning 25-19 and the first quarter is over. George Hill has been very quiet offensively, but is doing well defensively and looks better distributing the basketball.

It is difficult to believe that there will be many Knicks season ticket holders next year. We would think that Knicks would have to prove themselves before the high-rollers start showing up to every home game.

Mike D'Antoni has talked about Nate Robinson fulfilling a Leandro Barbosa-type role next season in his offense. Nate has shot the ball much better in the last couple years and he is doing a good job shooting the ball today.

Mardy Collins is not the fastest or quickest player in the world, but he has grown as an offensive player in the sense that he has a better sense of recognition and adaptation. He just made a high-arcing mid-range jumpshot form the top of the key. Then, he had a nice steal in the backcourt and fed Wilson Chandler for a jumpshot. Mike D'Antoni has to be really happy with this team.

The score is now tied at 25.

4:25- Gallinari looks upset sitting on the bench in street clothes. An Italian journalist is talking about Danilo's European career. He sounds like a phenomenon, but seeing him on tape throughout his European career, we can say that the hype was very much justified.

The Knicks are going to take and miss a lot of jumpshots next year. We think they may resemble the Golden State Volume Shooting Warriors rather than the structured-madness fast-break Suns. There are too many average shooters on the Knicks and not enough playmakers for D'Antoni to reinvent the Suns in New York next season

4:30- The Spurs young prospects have been very quiet with George Hill missing a pair of jumpshots and Ian Mahinmi being a complete non-factor on both sides of the ball. If the Spurs want to have a chance, they must get their offense going, inside and out.

An interesting point was just brought up by Simone Sandri (the journalist). He is talking about how NBA players practice less and European players must adjust their work habits and focus in order to succeed in the NBA. Gallinari seems like the kind of player that will work hard to achieve his potential, but this certainly explains the failures of the Nikoloz Tskitashvili, Darko Milicic, and Zarko Carbacapa-like players in the NBA. His bloodline (his father was an elite basketball player in Italy) also will help him as he will constantly be motivated to get better. Danilo's nickname, Gallo or The Rooster, is merely a shortened version of his last name. "His nickname is way too simple for a guy like Gallinari," Sandri said. "He's a very good pick for Mike D'Antoni's offense." Evidently Gallinari is still growing and he could even get to 7-feet tall in a few years. Imagine a 7'0 Gallinari, with his handles, basketball IQ, and shooting ability. He could challenge Dirk for the best European forward in the NBA.

Mardy Collins has continued to attack the basket and seek his own offense. He is still having trouble shooting form the perimeter, but he looks much better from mid-range and around the basket.

George Hill is looking very tentative on offense and has passed up more than a couple shots. Perhaps this has to do with his 0-10 shooting performance yesterday?

The Knicks are on a 14-0 run.

4:35- Mahimni runs the floor very well and looks like he could really thrive in an open court offense. Whether or not the Spurs run an optimal system for his skill-set is to be determined, but he is not looking very good in the half-court offense, as he is unable to really utilize his athleticism and quickness with his back to the basket in this setting.

Things were not falling from the field for George Hill so he relied on his outstanding first step and got into the lane. Hill is immediately going to be an upgrade over Jacque Vaughn and will help to maintain Tony Parker's slashing game even when Parker is on the bench. It will be interesting to see what the Spurs' rotation looks like next year partially because of all the additions of Roger Mason Jr. and George Hill, two combo-guards, to the rotation. With Brent Barry departing, there is clearly room in the rotation, but are these guys going to be able to relieve Ginobli and Parker for stretches?

4:40- Malik Hairston was one of the top recruits in the country before he decided to attend Oregon. He slipped a little, but he looks quicker than he did in college and had a nice runner in the lane a few moments ago. He is a long-shot to make the veteran's Spurs roster because he is neither a defensive-stopper nor an athletic specimen, but he could make an NBA roster.

Walt "Clyde" Frazier: "Quentin is looking quite loquacious." Quentin attempted 700 three-point jumpshots during his career season with the Suns. That is remarkable and around 8 or 9 a game.

4:45- Roberson is selfish, but he can score. His ability to score everywhere on the floor is remarkable. We're not fans, but it is hard to not admire what he is doing on the floor right now. He goes from hitting a long NBA three-pointer to pulling up off of the dribble and then, he spots-up off of an inbounds play to score from the baseline. He is a very talented scorer, but whether or not he has the court vision to earn minutes in D'Antoni's rotation is to be seen.

Quentin Richardson: " This is Wilson Chandler: aka Ill Will, aka Will the Killer, etc. etc." You have to love Quentin Richardson.

It is halftime with the Knicks winning 39-35. Nobody looks outstanding, but the Knicks's young players are doing a good job of scoring the basketball, particularly Wilson Chandler and Anthony Roberson. Mardy Collins is not having as much success today as he did yesterday, but he still looks much improved.

4:50- For the Spurs, George Hill and Ian Mahinmi are very quiet, neither really able to establish any sort of groove on offense. The Spurs are moving the ball well, but they are not letting any single player get hot from the field, and it is going to be difficult to beat the Knicks without somebody consistently putting the ball in the basket.

Coach Greg Popovich cannot be too happy watching this game. The Spurs definitely need an infusion of youth on their veteran roster and none of these players are really standing out as consistent rotation players, at least next year.

4:55- Perhaps Renaldo Balkman lack of assertiveness stands out because of how little he has improved over the past couple seasons. Balkman, more than any player on the roster, could benefit from D'Antonis system, but he must develop some offensive game. He is extremely athletic, a good perimeter defender, and has surprisingly good basketball IQ, but he currently has a very small and insignificant offensive repertoire, which is based almost solely based on his athleticism. Even Walt "Clyde" Frazier believes that Balkman is on thin-ice. He is an energy player, for sure, but he must develop a reliable perimeter jumpshot.

On the other hand, Nate Robinson has a very nice looking perimeter stroke. He elevates very well and his form looks much-improved.

For all of Mardy Collins's improvement, if he were to become a better dribbler, his game would continue to improve exponentially. This aspect of his game, plus his developing perimeter jumpshot, must get better if he wants to stick in the league for the future.

5:00- The first call for Jerome James to retire... Poor Jerome James. It's not his fault Isiah Thomas overvalued him.

This is a very ugly game, but George Hill needs to sit down and watch some film. He looks lost on the floor and is not doing anything to dispel notions that he is an undersized shooting guard rather than a point guard. Plus, his shooting touch is off. For a guy that shot 50+% from the field and 40+% from beyond on the arc, he is not shooting the ball well at all. He is 0/4 thus far tonight and just 2/23 so far in summer league. Ian Mahinmi is scoring in transition, but has yet to prove he can score in the halfcourt offense.

A surprise player for the Spurs has been Devin Green, a guy who has bounced in and out of the league for a few consecutive seasons. He is moving very well in the Spurs offense, but the signing of Roger Mason Jr. really limits the chances that he makes this roster.

5:05- Quentin Richardson is here scouting his own teammates, looking at the strengths and weaknesses of these young players, and thinking about how he will play with them. We never credited Quentin with being the most intelligent basketball player, but he sounds like he understands his limitations, knows that he can play better, and that the Knicks are a salvageable team. "I don't want to make any excuses. I'm planning to get it done this year," Richardson said.

Roberson should look to hit the weight room before the season starts because besides all of his success scoring the basketball, he is not yet strong enough to finish with contact. Summer league referees are much more sympathetic to young, weak guards than veteran NBA referees.

5:10- Renaldo Balkman is currently on the ground writhing in pain after twisting his ankle following a block attempt. This has not been a very good summer league for Balkman and he is in danger of being the odd-man out next season considering the development of Wilson Chandler, the addition of Danilo Gallinari, and Quentin Richardson's return to form.

San Antonio has stormed back into the lead, largely because the Knicks are completely lacking in ball-movement. They are winning 48-43. The Spurs are playing very good team basketball and while nobody is standing out, they are doing a good job on both sides of the ball.

The Knicks are resting their premier players and seeing if their are any diamonds in the rough on the bench. It doesn't look to be so, but this is the reason Nate Robinson, Wilson Chandler, and Mardy Collins have not been playing significant minutes.

5:15- For all of the nice things we have said about Roberson, he is still one of the most selfish players in this summer league, which is impressive considering this setting. He has met very few shots he didn't like and/or want to take.

5:20- New York's youth movement has checked back in. Paul Miller just had an athletic drive and has a chance for a three-point play.

This has been a very ugly game for both sides, with none of the NBA players on these rosters performing up to expectations. Earth to George Hill... Come in George Hill... George Hill is now 2/24 from the field. That is less than 10% from the field, ladies and gentlemen.

Chandler is still playing very well, though. It will be interesting to see if he can make the jump to the NBA with this solid play, especially with his newly-discovered mid-range prowess. Fatigue may be a reason that he is having more trouble putting the ball in the basket today. He is setting himself up well, but his legs are simply not there today.

Mahimni, on the other hand, still has a lot of potential and the skills that can earn him minutes alongside of Duncan in the post-rotation. He has a nice touch from the field and is very athletic. Questions still exist about how much offensive awareness, however, and his future improvements really depend on his work to expand his understanding of the offense.

5:25- Roger Powell Jr. just drew a foul courtesy of Mardy Collins and has a chance to complete an elusive four-point play. Bad foul, Mardy... But, Powell Jr. missed the free-throw.

Ian Mahinmi is quietly pursuing a double-double. Despite only shooting 3/9 from the field, he has ten points and eight rebounds. This is a surprise to us considering his completel performance tonight.

5:30- Gist has done nothing to dispel the tweener label tonight. If anything, he has reinforced this criticism of his game. He is taking spot-up jumpshots and taking what he can get inside. He still shows very little perimeter game and his handle is still very weak.

From a purely numbers perspective, Hill would have seven or eight assists if his teammates could make shots. He is not doing an outstanding job running the team, but he is setting up his teammates and running the offense fairly well. This is a week to forget for Hill and he should put in some significant work if he wants to be a rotation player next year. Right now, it looks like he is going to be spending the season in a suit.

5:35- Gist has a double-double, but has not really been much of a factor on either side of the floor.

It is funny. A player like Mahinmi would thrive on the D'Antoni Knicks and it seems as thought the Spurs are the exact opposite environment in which he would thrive. He just showed his first legitimate post-move of the game, shooting a nice sky-hook to get his 14th point.

5:40- The Knicks are getting absolutely abused, losing 82-67 in the dying seconds of the game. The Spurs had a very nice turnaround, partially due to George Hill's better job of running the point guard, but also because they began to dominate the paint offensively.

George Hill, in three games, is 2/25 from the field during summer league. That is an astounding 8% from the field? Is this a summer league record? It has to be. Somebody look this up and post a comment about it. Please.

The wrap-up: George Hill and Ian Mahinmi have a long way to go, but both look like solid rotation players if they can continue to work on their shooting and better learn the Spurs offense. Roger Powell Jr. actually has a chance of making the Spurs, as they are still looking for a big defensive enforcer to back up Bruce Bowen. His shooting today wasn't stellar, but he hit some big shots and showed greater offensive versatility than he had in the past. This wasn't a spectacular showing for either team, but the Knicks were clearly taking this game lighter than in the past. They recognize their talent and want to see if there any good players stuck on the bench. There aren't. In fact, there aren't for either team. This game will be better off forgotten for both teams.

Summer League 2008: Day Ten

2008-07-16T12:54:00.001-07:00

New York (67) vs. San Antonio (82)

Top Performers:

Roger Powell Jr. (SAS): 15 pts (6/13 G, 1/4 3FG, 2/5 FT), 4 reb, 1 stl, 1 blk, 1 TO
Ian Mahinmi (SAS): 14 pts (4/11 FG, 6/7 FT), 10 reb, 1 ast, 2 TO

This was an ugly game all around, but Roger Powell Jr. did a very good job on the offensive end showing the diversity present in his game. Though his percentages may indicate otherwise, his perimeter shot looked much improved from last year and he took the ball to the basket better this time around than he ever has. He also showed a mid-range arsenal that is still very much developing, but is interesting in the possession of a player who is has NBA caliber size and strength. Defensively, Powell Jr. did a very good job, as well. While roster openings on San Antonio are likely slim and his chances of making the team are even slimmer, he is a player who could fill useful minutes behind Bowen, Udoka, and Horry. Mahinmi looked great in the open court, using his size and athleticism to score on the break, but in half court settings, he rarely had the opportunity to make the most of his physical gifts. He only demonstrated one post-move the entire game: a nice jump hook that went in. Mahinmi may benefit more in an open court system, but there is no denying his ability to play foil to Duncan's franchise talent in the post. If anything, he should be a significant upgrade over Francisco Elson and Fabricio Oberto.
Sacramento (71) vs. Dallas (93)

Top Performers:

Gerald Green (DAL): 18 pts (5/12 FG, 2/3 3FG, 5/6 FT), 7 reb, 2 TO
Spencer Hawes (SAC): 17 pts (6/17 FG, 0/1 3FG, 5/9 FT), 6 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk

Gerald Green finally played a good game, but did very little to dispel notions that he is a one-dimensional player. He has endless range on the perimeter and a very good looking three-point shot, but outside of that, the results are somewhat sketchier. For one, his ball-handling ability, or lack thereof really hinders him to utilize his quickness and athleticism while he is slashing to the basket. Similarly, it almost completely prevents him from possessing and developing a reliable mid-range game. If he wants to stick in the NBA, he is going to have to show that he can take the bal to the basket and that he can create offense for himself on a consistent basis. Defensively, he did a decent job, using his long arms and solid lateral quickness to be a factor, but his awareness and focus are still not entirely developed. While he will not have as much trouble learning Rick Carlisle's defense as he would have had with Avery Johnson, Green still has a very long way to go before realizing his true potential, which is still out of this world. Spencer Hawes put up a lot of points tonight, but did so while looking softer than ever before. Hawes is the kind of center that would rather be a 7'0 jumpshooter rather than use his size for his own benefit in the post. It is mind-baffling, but it is true. Hawes fades from contact and does not get easy shots due to his desire to play often outside of his comfort zones. His low shooting percentages are indicative of this problem. If Hawes wishes to earn serious minutes over Brad Miller, he absolutely must appropriate Miller's ability to receive the ball in the post and either finish or kick it out to his sharpshooting teammates. If not, we'll be seeing Spencer Hawes back here again next summer doing the same old thing.

Philadelphia (86) vs. Washington (72)

Top Performers:

Marreese Speights (PHI): 24 pts (9/17 FG, 0/1 3FG, 6/9 FT), 13 reb, 1 stl, 2 blk
Jason Smith (PHI): 24 pts (9/14 FG, 6/6 FT), 11 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 TO
Jamont Gordon (PHI): 10 pts (5/10 FG, 0/1 FT), 4 reb, 7 ast, 2 TO
Andray Blatche (WAS): 18 pts (6/10 FG, 0/1 3FG, 6/10 FT), 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 5 TO

Minnesota (93) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (95)

Top Performers:

Kevin Love (MIN): 18 pts (9/18 FG, 0/2 3FG, 0/1 FT), 17 reb, 4 ast, 2 blk, 6 TO
Corey Brewer (MIN): 19 pts (7/10 FG, 5/6 FT), 2 reb, 2 blk, 1 TO
Nik Caner-Medley (LAL): 19 pts (4/6 FG, 1/1 3FG, 10/12 FT), 6 reb, 1 stl, 1 TO

Memphis (74) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (82)

Top Performers:

Marcus Williams (LAC): 22 pts (6/11 FG, 11/11 FT), 10 reb, 1 stl, 1 blk, 1 TO
Al Thornton (LAC): 20 pts (6/10 FG, 8/9 FT), 8 reb, 3 ast, 4 TO
DeAndre Jordan (LAC): 6 pts (3/3 FG), 5 reb, 5 blk, 1 TO
O.J. Mayo (MEM): 20 pts (8/22 FG, 2/8 3FG, 2/5 FT), 2 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 4 TO

Cleveland (72) vs. Houston (73)

Top Performers:

J.J. Hickson (CLE): 18 pts (7/15 FG, 4/8 FT), 6 reb, 1 blk, 3 TO
Maarty Leunen (HOU): 17 pts (5/9 FG, 3/5 3FG, 4/5 FT), 5 reb, 2 TO
Aaron Brooks (HOU): 16 pts (5/14 FG, 0/2 3FG, 6/7 FT), 3 reb, 7 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO
Donte Greene (HOU): 17 pts (4/17 FG, 3/8 3FG, 6/6 FT), 5 reb, 2 stl, 4 TO
Joey Dorsey (HOU): 8 pts (4/4 FG, 0/6 FT), 14 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 6 TO

Summer League 2008: Day Nine

2008-07-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

Detroit (59) vs. Milwaukee (73)

Top Performers:

Arron Aflalo (DET): 18 pts (5/12 FG, 1/1 3FG, 7/11 FT), 5 reb, 4 ast, 5 TO
Ramon Sessions (MIL): 21 pts (6/11 FG, 0/1 3FG, 9/12 FT), 6 reb, 4 ast, 2 TO

Philadelphia (81) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (73)

Top Performers:

Coby Karl (LAL): 18 pts (5/13 FG, 3/7 3FG, 5/6 FT), 1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 TO
Joe Crawford (LAL): 16 pts (6/13 FG, 1/1 3FG, 3/4 FT), 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO
Marreese Speights (PHI): 16 pts (7/11 FG, 2/4 FT), 9 reb, 2 blk, 1 TO
Thaddeus Young (PHI): 16 pts (6/14 FG, 1/2 3FG, 3/4 FT), 2 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 7 TO
Jason Smith (PHI): 16 pts (4/8 FG, 8/9 FT), 4 reb, 2 blk, 4 TO

San Antonio (68) vs. New Orleans (76)

Top Performers:

Bobby Brown (NOH): 15 pts (7/12 FG, 1/2 3FG, 0/1 FT), 1 reb, 8 ast, 3 TO
James Gist (SAS): 14 pts (5/7 FG, 1/1 3FG, 3/3 FT), 11 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 5 TO

Sacramento (75) vs. Portland (74)

Top Performers:

Jerryd Bayless (POR): 26 pts (6/15 FG, 1/2 3FG, 13/16 FT), 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 5 TO
Petteri Koponen (POR): 18 pts (7/18 FG, 1/6 3FG, 3/5 FT), 3 reb, 3 ast, 4 TO
Quincy Douby (SAC): 24 pts (7/15 FG, 1/3 3FG, 9/12 FT), 1 reb, 1 ast, 6 stl, 5 TO
Jason Thompson (SAC): 17 pts (4/8 FG, 0/1 3FG, 9/11 FT), 9 reb, 1 blk, 4 TO

Charlotte (93) vs. Golden State (99)

Top Performers:

D.J. Augustin (CHA): 30 pts (9/14 FG, 2/3 3FG, 10/11 FT), 6 reb, 1 stl, 5 TO
Marco Belinelli (GSW): 30 pts (9/15 FG, 3/4 3FG, 9/9 FT), 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 4 TO
C.J. Watson (GSW): 23 pts (5/12 FG, 0/2 3FG, 13/16 FT), 4 reb, 7 ast, 5 stl, 4 TO

Live Blogging Summer League: Volume Three

2008-07-14T12:56:00.001-07:00

In just a few moments, we will begin our third Summer League live blog, chronicling the debut performances of Danilo Gallinari and D'Antoni's Knicks. They will battle against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Those unfamiliar with the Summer League Knicks should look for a fun and uptempo game. This year's Knicks feature returning Summer League MVP Nate Robinson, Renaldo Balkman, last year's pick Wilson Chandler, and this year's lottery selection Danilo Gallinari. The Cavaliers slink in less packed with stars, but definitely showcasing talented players including this year's first-round selection J.J. Hickson, former lottery pick Robert "Tractor" Traylor, and former UNC Tar Heel Jawad Williams. An underrated player for the Cavs to keep in mind throughout summer league, even if he does not see a good deal of playing time tonight, is former Butler point guard Mike Green who can hit open shots, play defense, and distribute the ball well in a half court offense.

4:00- And the game begins! Gallinari gets called with a bad foul less than 15 seconds into the game while trying to guard Mike Green. Not the greatest move on his part, but with 10 fouls to give, does it matter?

It is worth mentioning that Renaldo Balkman is guarding J.J. Hickson on defense.

And, in case people don't remember the reason why Florida got better once Anthony Roberson and Matt Walsh left the team, Anthony Roberson hasn't passed the ball yet in two possessions.

Gallinari has a good deal of work to do defensively. Even if these referees are calling this game abnormally tight considering it is the beginning of a summer league team, Danilo must stop reaching and play move his feet. He is getting absolutely abused defensively.

Wilson Chandler played really well last season after the Knicks packed their bags for the lottery and has taken a pair of very nice looking jumpshots. If he can continue to work on his game, mainly improving his ball handling abilities (which are still very suspect), then he could join a very small group of elite athletes with tremendous size that can legitimately play on the perimeter.

4:05- It is great to see Darnell Jackson on the floor. While he might not be the most refined post player of all time and his NBA potential is certainly limited, he has an incredible story and has triumphed over a lot of adversity to get where he is today as a Cavalier.

Chandler just hit a step back jumpshot. If Renaldo Balkman could find the same level of versatility, he could earn a lot more minutes in the current Knicks rotation.

I forgot how entertaining Walt "Clyde" Frazier can be with his eloquent wordings. "Posting and toasting" to describe a Robert "Tractor" Traylor post move. Traylor is a former lottery pick, but most people know him as the guy Milwaukee traded Dirk Nowitzki for... Needless to say, Traylor is still every bit as big as he was when he was still in the league. How a guy that large can move that well is beyond us, though his knees must absolutely despise him.

4:10- J.J. Hickson is doing exactly what he did in college; being incredibly aggressive in the paint and attacking the rim. He is a guy to watch as the Cavs liken him to an Elton Brand or Carlos Boozer caliber talent.

4:15- Roberson as a point guard is really stifling this team's ball movement. He has taken a lot of shots (6 with a turnover) and is really taking the team out of the game.

Jawad Williams has checked in for Cleveland. He has very good size and athleticism for the perimeter and has shown very good touch from the perimeter. He can't put it together, however, and that's the reason that he isn't in the NBA. Many thought of him as a Stephen Jackson-caliber player coming into his senior year of college, but he never really achieved his potential.

The Knicks are playing far too much one-on-one basketball and their offense is obviously suffering as a result. That being said, Gallinari has very good court vision, already throwing a pair of nice passes and running the pick and roll well. His size is very good for the wing and unlike most tweeners, he has the abilities to back it up. He should have some very nice highlights before this game is over.

Frazier: "The omnipotence of Traylor. Invincible."

4:20- Wilson Chandler has some very impressive ink as well.

I'm not sure if people remember Von Wafer in college, but before he had a few cups of coffee in the NBA, he was a sharp-shooter at Florida State and once dropped 40 points on Wake Forest in regulation. He is showing a better handle than he had in the past in addition to his stellar shooting ability.

There is not much defense being played, especially on the Knicks end.

4:25- Wilson Chandler should thrive in D'Antoni's system. He just stole the ball by gambling in a passing lane and took it all the way to the basket, finishing with an emphatic dunk. His versatility and potential he still possesses puts his ceiling extremely high.

We're still waiting to see J.J. Hickson's shooting stroke, which he showed occasionally at North Carolina State.

Gallinari's athletic limitations are being exposed thus far in the game. He is having a lot of trouble getting his shot off, but he does have a quick release when he is able to shoot. The Cavaliers, to their credit are not giving him much room to work move.

And there he goes: J.J. Hickson just slashed to the hoop for a very good looking and-one opportunity. We thought he was a guard, to be perfectly honest. He looked very good off of the dribble.

4:30- Renaldo Balkman is usually a summer league star, but he's very quiet tonight. He's not showing much of his court vision, athleticism, or defensive tenacity. Hopefully he will come back to life.

Jamal Crawford is being interviewed right now and says that he is excited about playing in D'Antoni's system. It is a good sign to see Knicks players supporting their young teammates; it is a clear change of culture from last year's Knicks. Crawford is one of the more versatile players in the NBA and with his ball-handling abilities and shooting stroke, should really be a key player in the Knicks offense. He is working on strengthening his core and he is currently weighing 200 pounds.

Hickson just had one of the most emphatic dunks of the Summer League. He dunked it so hard, he fell over when he hit the ground. Hickson is playing extremely hard around the rim and just missed repeating.

Anthony Roberson is getting his numbers, as he often does, but he is doing it completely outside of a team offense concept. He is likely very good in pick-up games, but does not offer much in a team setting.

Mardy Collins hit one more jumpshot just now than he hit all season last year. Crawford is talking about how last year Collins's confidence last year was very low; he just reminded spectators about April and May of his rookie campaign where he was putting up near triple double numbers every night. Granted, it was on the Knicks, but it is still somewhat relevant. Weight loss is a big theme in this interview. Crawford has lost five, Collins has lost 15, and Quentin Richardson evidently has lost a lot of weight, as well.

4:35- The Knicks now lead 38-37.

There does not look to be that much free-agent talent on the floor for the Cavaliers, but does the team really need any lower role players? J.J. Hickson looks like he can be a very solid role player next year and probably develop into a starter sooner than later.

The Knicks on the other hand, look like they are going to improve a lot based on the improvements of their young players. Mardy Collins has been hitting shots, Balkman just had two consecutive blocks in a row, and Chandler is showing a lot of nice offensive adjustment. This Knicks team next year might have trouble playing a true point guard every night, as Chris Duhon really is not the long-term answer, but they have a lot of basketball IQ and offensive versatility on the floor at any given moment, which is essential in order to run a D'Antoni offense. The question, though, is what is to be done about Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph in the middle? The twin blubbers...

4:40- We know this is summer league, but it is nice to see young players aggressively seeking their offense. Wilson Chandler and Mardy Collins are doing a very good job of scoring despite the fact that their reputations paint them as less assertive. If Collins can shoot the ball better, he can probably earn rotation minutes as his perimeter defensive abilities are well-known.

4:45- Balkman is listed at 6'7 and sometimes was listed as 6'8 and 6'9 when playing for South Carolina, but he looks hardly 6'5 standing next to Danilo Gallinari.

Will the D'Antoni clan return respectability to the Knicks franchise? Next year will be interesting to say the least, but I expect the fast-break Knicks to resemble this year's baby Hawks. They might not win a lot of games but they will be very fun to watch. Those with League Pass and MSG Network rejoice. Everybody else: you are out of luck.

It is halftime and the Knicks are winning 44-42 and are definitely the better team. Outside of Hickson, there are very few standouts for the Cavaliers. Hickson, assuming that he improves, could emerge as a tremendous steal in the 2008 NBA draft as his size, strength, and versatility suggest a bright future for the former freshman phenom. Darnell Jackson is not playing a bad game either, showcasing his spot-up jumpshot as well as his ability to attack the basket.

4:50- The Knicks are experiencing a very promising performance courtesy of Wilson Chandler who has 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and two steals at halftime. Mardy Collins is playing well, also, showing much better shooting ability than Knicks fans are accustomed to and looking much more confident. Gallinari is the exact opposite. He looks very uncomfortable in this setting, not really knowing what to do with the ball sometimes, and struggling to move with the ball in his hands. It will be interesting to see if he can turn on his engines in the second half because he looks out of place outside of his outstanding size.

Chandler is currently being interviewed and is talking about playing defense as one of the biggest needs for the Knicks. "You have to get stops before you can run," Chandler said. This dedication to defense is a good sign for the Knicks, and Chandler's desire to improve is promising considering his significant potential. He struggled with knee injuries last year, but he says that he is back on track and in good physical shape. Besides rehabbing his knees, Chandler said that he worked a lot on his ball-handling this summer; though he still has a long way to go, his handle looks noticeably better.

4:55- The second half has begun. Chandler has forced a couple shots tonight settling for difficult fadeaways instead of absorbing contact in the post.

Gallinari really bites on pump fakes. He leaves his feet often on defense. In terms of immediate improvement, Gallinari is far from NBA-ready on the defensive end and simply must get better.

Quentin Richardson is currently getting itnerviewed and he looks good and has clearly lost some weight. He is talking about his back problems influenced his weight gain and physical inefficiency in the past. If you remember, the last time that Richardson was a relevant NBA player was when he was hitting shots for the run-and-gun Suns at the peak of their dominance. "It's a lot of fun to play," Richardson said. Richardson is also talking about how much he likes the Duhon addition. We really must not see how he will improve the team that much, however, if the Knicks believe in him, there must be something to like.

Hickson is making some very nice plays at the rim, and is doing a great job of attacking the basket and following up on missed shots.

5:00- Richardson says that Curry is working hard getting his body in shape and his confidence back to where it was during his breakout season. "The best part of our roster is that we have great talent and great players," Richardson said. "We just have to get it done. It's all about us going out there and working hard. Cohesiveness."

Hickson spends a suspect amount of time hanging out around the perimeter instead of posting up. This is definitely something to look at throughout the rest of summer league. He is attacking the basket well and working hard on the offensive boards, but it would be good to see him posting up more.

5:05- Do not underestimate J.J. Hickson's strength. He has 20 points and 7 rebounds and he is doing an outstanding job of working in the paint.

Anthony Roberson is putting up some decent numbers, but he is a one-man team and is doing a very bad job of involving his teammate.

Jawad Williams just made a very good looking perimeter jumpshot that snapped the net even though he has not been shooting the ball particularly well today. If he moved better on offense, he would have a higher volume of looks, not to mention better looks.

5:10- Eddy Curry and Quentin Richardson are working out extensively with Tim Grover, which hopefully will yield the expected results. Eddy Curry is said to actually weigh 285 pounds, which would really help him move in the paint better. Though there are no official measurements, Curry had to weigh at least 300+ pounds during last season and he really suffered because of it.

Gallinari just had a bad turnover, throwing the ball away, and then compounded his mistake by fouling his man on the fast break. As we typed that, he had his first truly impressive offensive possession when he made a trio of nice passes, showcased his impressive ball-handling abilities, and then hit a beautiful step-back jumpshot from just inside the three-point line.

5:15- Collins looks like a completely different player than he did last year when he looked like he would struggle in the D-League, let alone in an NBA rotation. I don't know what happened to him last year or if he'll revert to that player once this season begins, but he is doing a good job facilitating the offense as well as aggressively seeking his own.

Gallinari just had an athletic put-back dunk. Despite all of the criticisms we have of him. He has above-average leaping ability and a stronger-than-advertised frame to go along with his great size for the perimeter. He shows nice footwork in the paint, as well, posting up and drawing a foul. He is gaining confidence and you can see the difference. Gallinari could be a very special player if he continues to work hard in the Lamar Odom/Hedo Turkoglu vein of size and versatility. He now has eight points, all in the past five minutes, and looks like a completely different player.

5:20- Tractor Traylor's comeback certainly makes a good story and his reasons for coming back are legitimate (to finance his family), but he is the same player, only older, less athletic, and still out of shape. He has had a few nice dunks, but is not doing much else besides eating space.

Gallinari has 10 points now after pulling up off of the dribble. Then, he instigated the break and found an open Wilson Chandler who knocked down a perimeter shot. It will be interesting to see what D'Antoni does with the Knicks who have a glut of combo-forwards. Balkman, Chandler, Gallinari, and Richardson all play the same position. Zach Randolph's departure is almost guaranteed at this point.

Chandler is playing like a man possessed. He is getting offense from everywhere. When he has improved his handle further, he could be a very dangerous offensive player.

5:25- While we said that Darnell Jackson would probably not make the team, it is certainly not because of lack of effort. He is moving extremely well, attacking the offensive boards well. The hindrance to make Cleveland's roster is clearly J.J. Hickson who is looking like an outstanding draft-pick for the Cavaliers. He is now showing off his versatility in the post and his developing footwork.

Gallinari hit another step back jumpshot off of the dribble and though it seems as though we're overhyping his performance, it is very impressive to see a 6'10 player putting the ball on the floor and creating his own offense, especially by pulling up off of the dribble like Gallinari has been doing in the second half.

It is worth mentioning that Brandon Hunter is playing extremely hard. He is not going to make the Knicks or any NBA team, but he is doing all of the little things for this team and getting a lot of much-deserved compliments by Walt "Clyde" Frazier.

5:30- Knicks fans should be excited. Donnie Walsh looks like he is doing a very good job so far and should be commended for his turnaround effort thus far in the summer. It will be interesting to see what the Knicks do with Zach Randolph and Stephon Marbury, two players with gargantuan contracts and not a lot of positive press or credentials. there looks to be change brewing in New York.

Frazier on a Gallinari slash: "That was slick. He's got some Maravich in his game."

Frazier on a Gallinari shot: "You can literally count the seams on the ball when he releases it."

Balkman has been an absolute non-factor today, perhaps being told that Chandler and Gallinari were to receive more touches. He does not look like he has improved all that much and for a guy with a skill set like Balkman's, he has a very small window to stay in the league if he does not get better, develop a jumpshot, and continue to work on his ball-handling.

J.J. Hickson hit a nice fadeaway jumpshot from the elbow. In this atmosphere, he is fearless, taking on anybody in his way to the basket. He is a very talented player and could actually approach the comparisons of Brand and Boozer if he continues to improve. He is going to enter the NBA with a lot of offensive tools in his repertoire.

5:35- Roberson has 17 points on 17 shots and a turnover without an assist. The point total is nice, but his performance has been anything but...

With 1:48 to go, the game is tied at 89. As expected, this has been one of the more exciting games in Summer League.

Collins is not going to be an impact player for the Knicks, but if he plays like this, he will be a reliable rotation player next season, which is why the Knicks drafted him in the first place. He now has 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Wilson Chandler must have forgotten how to miss. He is absolutely on fire, with 24 points.

5:40- Stephon Marbury is on the air. This should be interesting. "I just want to get on the basketball court and play again. I'm excited about playing again. It's fun coming home sweaty and sore feeling like you've done something. I'm in basketball shape to play, right now," Marbury said. They're discussing trade-rumors now and Marbury is being a good sport. "I'm going to play somewhere. I'm going to play basketball. I love basketball," Marbury said. We know that every year people say that Marbury is going to return to his old self, but he seems much more psychologically and physically involved than he has in past years. But, who knows...

Cleveland's free-agent Clay Tucker has been dynamic from the field hitting a multitude of jumpshots and doing all of the little things on offense that many small-time players, such Devin Brown, have made money in Cleveland doing.

5:45- All of this being said, the Knicks young players look outstanding. Isiah Thomas was a lousy coach and an even worse GM, but he certainly knows how to recognize talent. His players will form a backbone of this team for the future.

With the game winding down and the game close, it is refreshing to see the teams care about the outcome. The Knicks ran a full-court press, and eventually won the game 97-94.

Gallinari gained more confidence throughout the game, feeling his way out, very visibly in the beginning, but gradually taking the game by storm, asserting himself on offense and doing a great job of moving the ball, creating his offense, and even doing a little bit of facilitating for his teammates.

We'll be back live blogging tomorrow. We hope you have enjoyed today.

Summer League 2008: Day Eight

2008-07-14T12:53:00.000-07:00

New York (97) vs. Cleveland (94):

Top Performers:

Wilson Chandler (NYK): 26 pts (11/21 FG, 1/2 3FG, 3/3 FT), 8 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk, 2 TO
Mardy Collins (NYK): 17 pts (4/6 FG, 1/1 3FG, 8/9 FT), 6 reb, 5 ast, 1 TO
Danilo Gallinari (NYK): 14 pts (5/11 FG, 0/4 3FG, 4/4 FT), 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 4 TO
Anthony Roberson (NYK): 22 pts (8/19 FG, 3/8 3FG, 4/4 FT), 2 reb, 1 stl, 2 TO
J.J. Hickson (CLE): 26 pts (11/15 FG, 4/7 FT), 9 reb, 3 TO
Clay Tucker (CLE): 17 pts (7/16 FG, 2/6 3FG, 1/1 FT), 6 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 TO

Chandler played an outstanding game, showcasing his improved offensive repertoire including an array of slashes, spot-up jumpshots, and pull-up jumpshots. He has all of the talent and athleticism in the world to be an outstanding basketball player and today was a step in the right direction for his development. He was simply unstoppable. The same goes for Mardy Collins, who looked miserable last season, but tonight showed off a slimmer frame and hungrier attitude on the offensive end, doing a great job of attacking the basket. He also showed a much improved perimeter jumpshot and did a fine job of facilitating for his high-scoring teammates. Gallinari's debut started slowly as he had a very poor first half, but once the second half begun, he was unstoppable getting offense off of the dribble and showcasing his solid footwork and touch around the basket. His size is truly elite for the perimeter and he did a very good job of using his body to his advantage. Look for another good offensive performance in future games. Anthony Roberson had good stats, but really interrupted the flow of the offense with his 19 shots. As a point guard, he somehow failed to rack up a single assist. Clay Tucker was another high-scoring guard, who got a lot of points on the board, but did not do much else, particularly in helping his teammates to get involved. J.J. Hickson's debut was incredible. He used his size, strength, and athleticism to absolutely dominate the lane, scoring at will in the post no matter who was in his way. He even showed glimpses of his perimeter game after making an athletic slash to the basket and making a pair of nice spot-up jumpshots. Cavalier's fans should be very excited for Hickson's rookie season.

Denver (90) vs. Toronto (79):

Top Performers:

Taureen Green (DEN): 17 pts (3/3 FG, 2/2 3FG, 9/12 FT), 3 reb, 4 ast, 2 TO
Dahntay Jones (DEN): 16 pts (6/10 FG, 4/8 FT), 3 reb, 1 ast, 3 TO

Portland (78) vs. Washington (73):

Top Performers:

Jerryd Bayless (POR): 28 pts (5/12 FG, 18/23 FT), 4 reb, 3 TO
Peteri Koponen (POR): 19 pts (7/13 FG, 4/6 3FG, 1/2 FT), 2 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 3 TO
Nick Young (WAS): 17 pts (5/11 FG, 2/4 3FG, 5/6 FT), 3 reb, 2 ast, 3 TO
Andray Blatche (WAS): 17 pts (5/11 FG, 1/1 3FG, 8 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk, 5 TO

Houston (100) vs. Phoenix (97):

Top Performers:

Donte Greene (HOU): 40 pts (12/20 FG, 5/10 3FG, 11/12 FT), 3 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl
Mike Harris (HOU): 21 pts (9/14 FG, 1/2 3FG, 2/2 FT), 13 reb, 1 blk, 2 TO
Maarty Leunen (HOU): 16 pts (6/13 FG, 1/6 FT, 3/4 FT), 4 reb, 3 ast, 2 TO
D.J. Strawberry (PHX): 22 pts (7/15 FG, 0/2 3FG, 8/12 FT), 6 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 3 TO
Alando Tucker (PHX): 22 pts (6/16 FG, 2/3 3FG, 8/10 FT), 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 TO
Robin Lopez (PHX): 19 pts (5/13 FG, 9/11 FT), 5 reb, 2 blk

Dallas (88) vs. Minnesota (74):

Top Performers:

Kevin Love (MIN): 18 pts (7/13 FG, 0/2 3FG, 4/7 FT), 13 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 5 TO
Blake Ahearn (MIN): 17 pts (4/8 FG, 1/3 3FG, 8/8 FT), 2 TO
Shan Foster (DAL): 17 pts (8/13 FG, 1/3 3FG), 3 reb, 1 TO
JaJuan Smith (DAL): 19 pts (6/10 FG, 4/6 3FG, 3/4 FT), 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl
Reyshawn Terry (DAL): 15 pts (5/6 FG, 1/2 3FG, 4/6 FT), 4 reb, 1 blk, 2 TO

San Antonio (76) vs. Memphis (78):

Top Performers:

Darrell Arthur (MEM): 23 pts (10/13 FG, 3/4 FT), 6 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 TO
O.J. Mayo (MEM): 18 pts (5/17 FG, 2/4 3FG, 6/6 FT), 6 reb, 2 ast, 2 TO
Ian Mahinmi (SAS): 18 pts (5/10 FG, 8/10 FT), 8 reb, 1 ast, 2 TO
George Hill (SAS): 17 pts (2/9 FG, 1/2 3FG, 12/16 FT), 8 reb, 1 ast, 2 TO

Summer League 2008: Day Seven

2008-07-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

Charlotte (75) vs. New Orleans (77):

Top Performers:

Bobby Brown (NOH): 20 pts (6/14 FG, 1/4 3FG, 7/8 FT), 5 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 1 TO
D.J. Augustin (CHA): 15 pts (5/9 FG, 1/3 3FG, 4/5 FT), 3 reb, 2 ast, 5 TO
Jermareo Davidson (CHA): 12 pts (4/8 FG, 4/6 FT), 9 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 TO

Dallas (86) vs. Golden State (95):

Top Performers:

James Singleton (DAL): 17 pts (5/9 FG, 1/3 3FG, 6/7 FT), 8 reb, 1 ast, 2 TO
Brandan Wright (GSW): 15 pts (7/10 FG, 1/4 FT), 7 reb, 1 stl, 2 blk, 2 TO
Marco Bellinelli (GSW): 25 pts (9/19 FG, 2/8 3FG, 5/7 FT), 3 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 TO
C.J. Watson (GSW): 14 pts (3/4 FG, 1/1 3FG, 7/11 FT), 3 reb, 1 ast, 4 stl, 3 TO

Memphis (76) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (85):

Top Performers:

O.J. Mayo (MEM): 15 pts (6/13 FG, 3/5 3FG), 2 reb, 6 TO
Coby Karl (LAL): 16 pts (4/13 FG, 0/5 3FG, 8/8 FT), 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 1 TO
Cedric Bozeman (LAL): 12 pts (5/5 FG, 1/1 3FG, 1/1 FT), 4 reb, 1 ast, 2 TO

Los Angeles Clippers (66) vs. Detroit (75):

Top Performers:

Arron Aflalo (DET): 25 pts (8/10 FG, 9/9 FT), 4 reb, 1 ast, 2 TO
DeAndre Jordan (LAC): 15 pts (5/6 FG, 5/9 FT), 10 reb, 1 blk, 3 TO

We will be back liveblogging at 4 p.m. ET during the Knicks Summer League debut and perhaps during the 8 p.m. ET matchup between Washington and Portland. Until then...

Summer League 2008: Day Six

2008-07-12T15:37:00.000-07:00

Sacramento (93) vs. Toronto (86):

Top Performers:

Spencer Hawes (SAC): 23 pts (9/17 FG, 0/3 3FG, 5/6 FT), 9 reb, 2 ast, 7 TO
Quincy Douby (SAC): 20 pts (5/12 FG, 1/4 FT, 9/11 FG), 2 reb, 3 stl, 1 blk, 3 TO
Shelden Williams (SAC): 16 pts (5/8 FG, 6/6 FT), 10 reb, 2 ast, 4 TO
Jason Thompson (SAC): 12 pts (4/7 FG, 1/1 3FG, 3/4 FG), 7 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 5 TO
Joey Graham (TOR): 23 pts (6/13 FG, 12/15 FT), 8 reb, 1 stl, 5 TO

Charlotte (81) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (66):

Top Performers:

Al Thornton (LAC): 22 pts (7/12 FG, 1/2 3FG, 7/8 FT), 7 reb, 1 blk, 4 TO
Eric Gordon (LAC): 15 pts (4/10 FG, 1/5 3FG, 6/10 FT), 4 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk, 0 TO
Jermareo Davidson (CHA): 15 pts (6/10 FG, 3/4 FT), 8 reb, 1 blk, 3 TO

Denver (99) vs. Philadelphia (85):

Top Performers:

Dahntay Jones (DEN): 25 pts (8/15 FG, 0/1 3FG, 5/9 FT), 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 TO
Sonny Weems (DEN): 17 pts (8/15 FG, 1/2 FT), 3 reb, 1 TO
Elton Brown (DEN): 13 pts (4/6 FG, 5/10 FT), 11 reb, 1 ast, 3 TO
Marreese Speights (PHI): 14 pts (7/9 FG), 5 reb, 2 blk, 1 TO
Thaddeus Young (PHI): 22 pts (7/21 FG, 0/3 3FG, 9/12 FT), 4 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 4 TO
Jamont Gordon (PHI): 12 pts (5/8 FG, 0/2 3FG, 2/6 FT), 6 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 4 TO

Memphis (88) vs. Milwaukee (79):

Top Performers:

O.J. Mayo (MEM): 26 pts (9/19 FG, 4/6 3FG, 4/4 FT), 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 4 TO
Ramon Sessions (MIL): 11 pts (1/4 FG, 10/14 FT), 2 reb, 9 ast, 1 stl, 7 TO

Live Blogging Summer League: Volume Two

2008-07-11T19:21:00.000-07:00

We're back for the second game, another very good matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Clippers. Both teams have roster space so there are a lot of high-profile free-agents and prospects on both teams. We will be blogging throughout the game and if you see or hear anything interesting, don't hesitate to post a comment or two.

In addition to draft picks Eric Gordon, Mike Taylor, and DeAndre Jordan, Nick Fazekas, Brandon Heath, and former Arizona forward Marcus Williams will taking the floor. The centerpiece of the Clippers roster, however, is last year's star rookie Al Thornton.

Dallas's roster is stacked with former draft picks Reyshawn Terry, Shan Foster, and Ronnie Seibutis. Former lottery pick Yaroslav Korolev and Gerald Green are making appearances. Former NBA players such as James Singleton, Pape Sow, and Keith McLeod are on the roster, too.

And now, the game begins and we'll begin blogging.

10:30- Eddie Ducette and Steve Jones are doing a very good job doing color commentary of this game. They're making a good point. Who are the Dallas Mavericks going to be this season? What will be their identity? We still can't believe they traded Devin Harris for a geriatric Jason Kidd.

Every player in the Dallas summer league starting lineup has started an NBA game. Remarkable.

10:35- Gerald Green still lacks shot selection of any sort, but he can run in the in the open court and is extremely athletic. We'll be following him with interest throughout this game.

Eric Gordon first made a nice pass for a Fazekas bucket and then ran the court for an and-one layup. The next possession, he knocked down a three pointer. Is he capable of playing the point guard position? Or, is he merely an undersized shooting guard. We think he can do it, but he has a lot of people to convince. With Baron Davis in town, though, he might have a good role model to ease him into the position.

DeAndre Jordan is playing well. He already has a very athletic block and is playing hard. He even converted a left handed jump hook. He took a major dive on draft night, but he could pay huge dividends. He really looks like a first rounder, if not a lottery player. The Clippers could have a major steal on their hands. He is playing with a passion that many never associated with him and was largely associated with his plummeting draft stock.

10:40- There are a lot of "former" NBA players in this game and a lot of guys that have the physical talent to make the NBA. The energy level of this game is through the roof because these players are literally playing for future job security as they have to prove to their employers that they can put it all together on the basketball court.

Early on, the Clippers look very good with Jordan and Gordon stepping up offensively, but Mike Taylor is playing well, too. He is running the point a lot better than he did in Orlando during the Pre-Draft Camp and his blazing speed certainly makes him an intriguing player for the future.

Al Thornton is going to be focal point of this team next year. He's certainly talented enough, but the question is whether or not he can cut down on his turnovers and become a more efficient basketball player. He is playing good team basketball thus far tonight.

10:45- The score is 19-6 in favor of the Clippers and those who criticize Mike Taylor and Eric Gordon's ability to run a team should be paying very close attention. Granted this is just summer league, but these guys are doing a good job of dictating the tempo and giving everybody touches. The score reflects their solid play.

Koko Archibong should be given a contract based on the sole reason that his jersey sales would be through the roof.

Former Winston-Salem legend Reyshawn Terry entered the game, as did Aaron Miles, one of the most underrated American point guards not in the NBA.

10:50- The Clippers think that Al Thornton can replace Elton Brand's production, but at what position? Is he a small forward or a power forward in the new Los Angeles Clippers rotation? We think he'll probably stay at small forward unless Coach Dunleavy utilizes him in an Al Harrington-esque undersized power forward role.

James Singleton, a player who has been in the NBA for the past two seasons, is really making an impact scoring inside and out. He could really help the Mavericks this year and eventually inherit Devean George's role as a reserve forward.

10:55- Los Angeles is winning 21-18. Coach Mike Dunleavy is on the air right now talking about the Clippers's current situation. He is talking about the miracle that was the DeAndre Jordan pick. Supposedly the Clippers received a lot of lucrative offers for that pick. Dunleavy is not sure of what to do at the power forward position, but he is insinuating that they will spend a lot of money for a power forward this off-season. Josh Smith and Emeka Okafor have been mentioned as potential players to fill this vacancy.

11:00- Nick Fazekas is playing well in this setting, but he is not quick or athletic enough to be a face-up power forward in the NBA, in our opinion.

Yaroslav Korolev is on the floor. He will go down in history as one of the most disastrous European lottery picks. Rumor has it that Korolev reminded Mike Dunleavy of his son so much that he pulled the trigger on him and took him in the lottery. He just missed a three point shot.

For all of Aaron Miles's talent as a point guard, he is not playing very well. The Mavericks need a better point guard if they want their offense to click better. They have better players on the floor, but there is no cohesion. One Maverick that is looking very good in the team offense is last year's draft pick Shan Foster. He often is criticized as being one-dimensional and not doing anything so far tonight to dispel that opinion.

11:05- Marcus Williams is another NBA enigma. He's bounced around to a couple of teams and has a lot of talent and athleticism, but he can't put it together consistently enough to stick or earn playing time on a team. He is also under intense scrutiny throughout this summer league.

Pape Sow is a very good energy player and has a decent amount of post moves. If ever got as many minutes as Ronny Turiaf, he would probably put up better numbers. The has had a few short runs in the league, but because of his sometimes less than stellar defense, he has not managed to stick.

11:10- Gordan's lack of size has not hurt him getting to the rim. He gets to the rim whenever he wants to; whether or not he finishes. He is shooting 2/8 from the field.

There is nothing pretty about Al Thornton's game, but he is a good scorer and can get baskets inside and outside thanks to his size. He is doing a good job of drawing fouls inside as he can use his size and agility to his advantage in order to draw contact.

Los Angeles is leading 37-28.

11:15- This is merely an observation: DeAndre Jordan will someday be a perfect fit in a running offense. Few big man are as fast in the open court as Jordan.

Gerald Green's career is being dissected right now. He is allegedly quite a head-case, who is obsessed with his own perceived talent, and coaching staff's have been unable to reach him. Two questions emerge: Can a coach reach him? and Is it worth the effort to try and reach him? Dallas believes that Green can be something special, but the one year deal means that they don't have a good deal of faith in him. He is taking the ball to the basket tonight, which is nice. However, his shot selection is simply awful and he's not shooting the ball particularly well either.

11:20- Dallas badly needs a point guard. This is embarassing. Where is Jose Juan Barea? He's a summer league all-star.

We can imagine that every time DeAndre Jordan throws down one of his emphatic dunks, he is envisioning one of the faces of the 26 GMs that passed him up in the draft. He is not doing a lot offensively, but when he has room around the basket, he will finish aggressively regardless of who is around him. He may not be as good as Dwight Howard was at the same age, despite what pundits claim, but he is every bit as good as Andrew Bynum was as a rookie.

Mike Taylor is putting on an offensive clinic. He has scored from the perimeter, while slashing to the hoop, and by pulling up from mid-range. He is definitely more of a scoring combo-guard in the mold of Monta Ellis, but he has the talent to play in the NBA and should get an opportunity to back up Baron Davis or at least earn a spot on the bench in a suit and tie.

Los Angeles is winning 45-28. Dallas is too unorganized to win and Los Angeles is playing very good team basketball, despite their lack of a true point guard on the floor.

10:35- The second half has begun. Eric Gordon is now shooting 3/12. He is going to have a lot of ugly shooting nights, but his talent is undeniable. He creates separation very well and is a born scorer.

Fazekas has put on a lot of weight to the point where he could probably be a second or third string post-player, but he has to overcome his athletic limitations.

Fans are chanting overrated in Gerald Green's direction. He is not responding well to his negative performance and his inability to hit a shot is not helping anything. He is more aggressive in attacking the basket, but he needs to start making perimeter jumpshots if he wants to stick on the Mavs. His body language is really negative, though.

11:40- Both Taylor and Gordon are playing very solid defense, as well. They really are doing a good job running this team, especially in finding Al Thornton in addition to their own offense.

NBA TV reruns programming and commercials more than any network I know. Is basketball really this stagnant in the summer? We think yes, but are hoping you're enjoying our coverage of the NBA Summer League, the RLBA Summer Pro League, and NBA free-agency.

Gerald Green is really being heckled now and his negative attitude is exacerbating this treatment.

Gordon will not pass up a shot. If he has an open look, he will take it. His percentages (3/14) suggest otherwise, but he is not taking many bad shots.

11:45- Koko Archibong... What a name.

Aaron Miles is responding to critics that claim that he can't stick with a team because of his lack of offense with a pull-up mid-range jumpshot and a quick slash to the hoop.

Green took the ball to the basket again. If he slashed as often as he chucked three pointers, he might have a long-term contract right now instead of the veteran's minimum lifejacket contract Dallas just offered him.

11:50- Eric Gordon who is 6'3 is playing very effective defense on Gerald Green who is 6'8. For those who Gordon is going to be a liability on defense underestimate his aggressiveness on defense and his gigantic wingspan. Just ask Gerald Green, who is not taking the pressure particularly well.

Curtis Stinson, another former BDSL favorite, just checked in the game for the Clippers. He is another energetic, but undersized scoring guard who was one of the best scorers in the Big 12 a few years ago. Korolev is also back on the floor.

Reyshawn Terry, who may be as talented as anybody on the floor, is having a remarkably unremarkable game. He just is not asserting himself enough in the offense. There really is not a point guard on the floor and if he wants the ball, he is going to have to be more assertive in demanding touches.

The third quarter just ended and we'll be back after the break. Thank you for reading and please comment if you have anything to say or add.

12:00- We've now been live blogging for over four hours. We will do this a couple more times, but probably not in such large volume. The score is now 66-54 in favor of Los Angeles.

Rick Carlisle is now on the air. He is talking about Dallas's recent slump and how they will get out of it. He is talking about maintaining defensive efficiency and continuing to score in transition. We're not sure that the Mavericks are going to bounce back into the upper echelon of the Western Conference. They are talking about Shan Foster now.

Carlisle says: "[Shan] is a kid that is going to do what he has to do in order to play professional basketball. I don't worry about his range. He's got an unorthodox looking shot, but he makes a lot of three-point baskets. He knows where the basket is. The three point shot is a critical part of success in this league. We've gotta get it back up and be one of the top ten teams in the league."

Al Thornton is moving exceptionally well without the ball poking holes in the Dallas defense and getting open looks inside and outside. He is going to be an even better offensive player next year due to his outstanding awareness and instincts. That being said, Korolev is playing quite good defense on Thornton. Most people forget that he is a 6'9 wing with long arms and good athleticism who can play every perimeter position and handles the ball well for a guy his size. If he learns how to score more consistently, he could be a very good player either in the United States or in Europe.

Carlisle is now talking about Jose Juan Barea, who is now training with the Puerto Rican national team. The indication is that Barea will back up Jason Kidd and Terry will play more off of the ball. For Barea fans, like us, this is a very good sign, even if we're not sure it will greatly improve the Mavs.

12:05- The referees are calling a lot of off-the-ball fouls tonight, which really hampers the flow of the game and makes it tedious to spectators.

Shan Foster just had another very good pass, a further representation of his improving basketball IQ.

12:10- Gordon is still slashing aggressively to the basket and though he's not finishing, he's getting to the free-throw line and is 10/11 from the line. He is going to be a very good scorer in the league. He can get his own shot whenever he wants- he just hit a step-back three pointer- and this is a very valuable skill no matter what size you are. He may be inefficient in the beginning of his career, but it's only a matter of time.

It's a shame that Miles is not a standout offensive player because his vision is outstanding. Just ask Charles Rhodes, who has 8 points because of Miles's passes.

Renaldas Seibutis just checked in for Dallas. He was a highlight off of last year's summer league team because of the energy and intelligence he brought to the floor. He is extremely quick and aggressive, though his shooting must get better if he wants a shot in the NBA.

Just a thought: Baron Davis could make DeAndre Jordan look very good.

12:15- Marcus Williams and Brandon Heath are on the floor, both talented players we have not really talked about yet, but players who have an outside chance of making the final roster. Williams has very good size for the perimeter and smooth athleticism, but he has not yet been able to put it together, particularly in terms of his long-range shooting. He should also look to add strength as he is still very slight. He has had a couple of nice plays tonight off of the dribble, but nothing spectacular. Heath is a 6'4 combo guard who has the size that both Eric Gordon and Mike Taylor lack. He also has displayed very deep NBA three-point range tonight. The problem, however, is that he is not a proven NBA caliber floor general. If there is extra roster space and Taylor does not prove himself a worthy lead guard, Heath could start seeing more minutes.

Gordon is very vocal with the ball in his hands. He's certainly not a point guard, but he is a leader on the floor, which bodes well for him playing without Baron Davis on the floor. He is playing much less selfishly now, and could likely play a sixth man role next year comparable to Ben Gordon's accolade-filled career in Chicago.

12:20- The game is just about over now and I have to admit that the commentators have done an absolutely fabulous job of calling this game.

The Clippers win 84-69. The best players on the floor were in the Clippers's starting lineup: Eric Gordon (23 points), Mike Taylor, and Al Thornton.

We will be providing summer league coverage for the rest of the summer. If you have any comments, either post them or shoot us an e-mail. Thank you for reading and we hope you enjoyed our coverage tonight.

Live Blogging Summer League: Volume One

2008-07-11T16:51:00.001-07:00

Detroit Pistons vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Thanks for joining us for our first ever Summer League liveblog. Feel free to comment and enjoy.

8:01- It's good to see some of the New Orleans vs. Memphis game. I would recommend searching for O.J. Mayo's highlights on YouTube, he had a monstrous dunk.

8:05- O.J. Mayo just made an incredible pass while running the floor. His defense hasn't been half bad either. He moves like a franchise player and he certainly has the swagger that Rudy Gay lacks. I think that Memphis is close to being back on track. In other news: we just witnessed the first Ndudi Ebi sighting of summer league. Remember when he was a first round pick.

Some players to watch in the next game: Amir Johnson and Cheikh Samb, potentially two of the best kept secrets in the NBA.

8:20- The game is about to start. It is a good thing that there are real commentators. All of us that struggled through Orlando Summer Pro League know that...

We're looking forward to finally getting to watch the enigmatic Walter Sharpe. Also, be sure to watch Bryant Duston. He was one of the nation's most underrated and unknown post-presences while at Fordham. And right as I wrote that line, Dunston just made an athletic drive to the hoop. If Turiaf bolts, he would not be a bad pickup at all for the Lakers.

8:25- In case you did not know: Amir Johnson is very athletic. Though, he is having a lot of trouble establishing position in the post and just picked up an offensive foul.

8:30- Rodney Stuckey should be careful. He is auditioning for Detroit's starting point spot, right now, and is making some very ill-advised passes.

8:35- I thought Eddie Murphy stopped making movies. I guess not.

Afflalo looks much improved, knocking down a very long three-point shot as well as showing better ball-handling abilities on a couple of athletic slashes to the basket.

Stuckey is forcing a lot. He should focus on getting his teammates more involved.

Plaisted just checked in; he looks like an insurance salesman... And, Coby Karl looks exactly like his dad, which for this writer is a very negative thing.

Taj Gray has been absent for a couple years. He was once considered to be a lottery pick and looked like one with that athletic pull-up jumpshot.

Suckey is red hot, now.

James White just reminded all of us why his nickname is Flight. The man can fly.

8:40- Stuckey is living up to his billing as a combo-guard and putting up points on the board. He just split two defenders to get to the rim!

If Cheikh Samb could hit that turnaround jumpshot, he would be higher in the rotation...

And, if you could not already tell: Rodney Stuckey is an NBA basketball player. Nobody on Los Angeles can stop him.

Here's a question: Why is Will Bynum slumming in summer league when he could be leading a top-tier team in Europe?

Somehow, Los Angeles managed to pick up the best players in the Atlantic 10: Bryant Dunston, Brian Roberts, and Pat Calathes.

8:50- Will Amir Johnson realize his potential? It's been a very long time. He looks fine for summer league, but this is a guy that most Detroit people think of as a starter in a few years.

Walter Sharpe is doing some nice things on the floor. I'm not sold on him being a true small forward, but he is certainly making Detroit scouts look very good at the moment. He seems like the perfect player to back up Tayshaun Prince.

8:55- You can say a lot about Amir Johnson, but he is active, which regardless of how much he progresses as a player, is enough to keep a 6'11 21 year old relevant in NBA conversations. Five fouls in 10 minutes, though?

There are a lot of bored Lakers fans right now. Pat Calathes could help turn this team around with his basketball IQ and perimeter shooting.

9:00- The commentators just mentioned Jamario Moon. Who will be the next?

They're now talking about Jose Juan Barea and how he was an underrated diamond in the rough. Remember when this blog considered him to be one of the most underrated players in his class and talked about how he would stick in the league, despite being undrafted? Mark Cuban can thank us later.

9:05- Sharpe moves very well for a 6'9 player. Though his shot isn't falling, he has a good looking shooting motion, too.

Samb is having trouble. There is no single area in which we can pinpoint his struggling, but he looks miserable out there. Bryant Dunston is playing good defense on him, though. If Samb had one reliable move; he would stick in the NBA. As I wrote that last sentence, he had a nice turnaround hook.

Coby Karl may be as one-dimensional as a player as his dad is as a coach.

The Lakers should consider themselves lucky that they have a talented regular system roster; if they were relying on these players to round out their roster, then they would be in trouble. Outside of Dunston, I don't see any of these players having much of a chance to make the Lakers roster.

9:10- There is a lot of athleticism in Detroit front line. If these guys ever develop, Detroit may have another dynasty on their hands.

Bryant Dunston is playing a very good game, showing more athleticism and quickness than he did in college. As Leon Powe is getting interviewed by the commentators, the next "undersized power forward who came out of nowhere" might be playing before our eyes.

It looks like there were a lot of superior players to Joe Crawford on the board who Los Angeles could have picked up instead.

9:15- The first half is over. Detroit is winning 42-32. It is no surprise that Rodney Stuckey is the best player on the floor. His back up Will Bynum is not playing badly either and is proving his reputation of being the best American point guard not in the NBA.

We're going to take a break. We'll be back soon.

9:25- Walter Sharpe is showing some flashes of versatility that likely got him drafted, but shots are not falling for him and he really does not know his limitations.

Dunston is looking very good, he is now 3/3 with 9 points.

When Amir Johnson attacks the basket, he looks like an NBA player. In a few years, he could be a very effective face-up power forward.

Rodney Stuckey can create separation on a truly elite level. His handle, size, and athleticism make him an NBA scorer. He is also running an effective pick and roll with Amir Johnson. Detroit's young players always look great in summer league, though, so we'll have to wait until November to see how much these guys have really improved.

The commentators are talking about Rodney Stuckey and Amir Johnson's paths to the NBA and how diverse the backgrounds of NBA players are; that's why blogs like this exist.

9:30- Sharpe is passing the ball well thus far this game; he has particularly good chemistry with Stuckey, which speaks wonders to Stuckey's potential as the next great Detroit point guard.

9:35- Detroit is winning 47-42. If Deron Washington had any ability, he could stick in the NBA. He is that good of an athlete. Unfortunately, he has very little ability at this level and it shows. Despite him being picked in the late second round, we can't help but think that Detroit could have done better.

Samb finally hit a turnaround jumpshot. Samb is definitely a player to keep an eye on. If the light comes on in terms of his offensive game, Samb could definitely be a rotation player in Detroit.

9:40- In this setting, the only person that can stop Rodney Stuckey is Rodney Stuckey. He's not shooting the ball that well anymore, but he is still unstoppable getting his shot off and getting to the basket.

Bryant Dunston continues to impress as he continues to use his athleticism and body control to score in the paint. He now has 11 points on four shots. Sharrod Ford is playing very well, too. I would not surprised to see either of these guys on the Lakers regular season roster.

9:45- Mitch Kupchak is talking about the state of the Lakers and it all seemingly hinges on Andrew Bynum's continued development. It also seems as though the Lakers are going to be looking for some post-depth in free-agency, should Ronny Turiaf leave town. Andrew Bynum's story is quite interesting from his beginnings as an overweight center who could not start for Connecticut to one of the most improved big men in the NBA this year.

It is the end of the third quarter and Detroit is only winning by three: 59-56.

9:50- Mitch Kupchak is talking about Joe Crawford now: "We felt he was the best player left on the board. We knew we were getting a player who had experience. He is a skilled player who knows how to play. He can shoot the ball and score." We're still not sold on Crawford, but at least Kupchak can justify the pick. Isiah Thomas could never do that...

There are 8:37 seconds left and we still have not seen Pat Calathes. He is now officially criminally underrated. He can do everything that Coby Karl can do, but he is a better shooter and he is over 6'10.

Afflalo is having a nice game even if the boxscore does not speak to such an effort.

As much as we dislike Coby Karl, he is having a really nice game playing point guard for the Lakers.

9:55- Derrick Allen must absolutely dominate in Iceland...

10:00- Dunston is listed at 6'9, 230. When we saw him at the Atlantic 10 Tournament he was around 6'8, 250. If the NBA thinks he is 6'9, 230, he certainly has a shot, a bigger shot than we initially thought. He is a basketball player with good post instincts and some face-up abilities. There is a lot to like. Right as we wrote that sentence he threw an ill-advised alley-oop. This is, after all, summer league. It's very difficult to evaluate players based on these games.

Stuckey has 19 points, all of which have been put up in inventive and exciting ways. He is dominating the Lakers.

Sharpe continues to show flashes. If only he could make a shot...

Dwayne Mitchell, 20+ ppg scorer in the D-League, is attacking the basket aggressively. There are not many guards who are stronger than Mitchell in the NBA, let alone in the D-League. He will always be a factor in terms of players on the cusp of sticking in the NBA. Whether he makes it or not is to be determined.

10:10- Former Reynolds (Winston-Salem, NC) High School star Reyshawn Terry will be playing with Dallas who play the Clippers next.

Plaisted just had a nice turnaround jumphook... only, he traveled first.

6'9 players that run the floor as well as Walter Sharpe should not have been unknown until the week before the draft like Walter Sharpe. Joe Dumars is a very good GM.

Joe Crawford is solid, but not spectacular. He certainly is not a better option than Coby Karl, which is a choice that Mitch Kupchak might have to make.

10:15- Marcus Stout, Dunston's teammate, checked in as Dunston hit two more foul shots. Dunston has 11 points.

Kentrell Gransberry is a very big human being. He is very much in the Glen Davis/Oliver Miller/Eddy Curry mold. That is a good thing for some players, but Gransberry does not seem to be one of those players.

This game is over. Detroit wins 84-73. Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo were the best players on the floor by a long shot, but Coby Karl and Bryant Dunston played very well for the Lakers, as well. We'll be back after the break.

BDSL All-Orlando Pro Summer League Teams

2008-07-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

Orlando Pro Summer League is notoriously grating, and this year was no exception, but there were a lot of reasons to watch this year.

There are some notable exceptions. Derrick Rose is absent on this list as he turned in two weak performances before exiting due to tendinitis in his right knee. Here is our rundown of the best:

BDSL All-Orlando Pro Summer League First Team:

G Russell Westbrook (OKC)
-16.5 ppg (50% FG, 36% 3FG, 58% FT), 2.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.8 spg, 1.5 TOpg

G Courtney Lee (ORL)
-20.2 ppg (43% FG, 47% 3FG, 91% FT), 2.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.2 spg, 2.4 TOpg

F Michael Beasley (MIA)
-19.6 ppg (38% FG, 36% 3FG, 78% FT), 7.4 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.8 bpg, 3.4 TOpg

F Jeff Green (OKC)
-22.8 ppg (43% FG, 30% 3FG, 79% FT), 4.0 rpg, 1.5 apg, 2.0 spg, 3.0 TOpg

C Brook Lopez (NJN)
-19.6 ppg (60% FG, 80% FT), 4.8 rpg, 0.2 apg, 1.8 bpg, 1.6 TOpg

BDSL All-Orlando Pro Summer League Second Team:

G Mario Chalmers (MIA)
-15.8 ppg (40% FG, 24% 3FG, 92% FT), 2.0 rpg, 5.4 apg, 2.0 spg, 3.2 TOpg

G Anthony Morrow (MIA)
-11.6 ppg (53% FG, 55% 3FG, 88% FT), 1.8 rpg, 0.6 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.8 TOpg

F Chris Douglas-Roberts (NJN)
-14.0 ppg (49% FG, 25% 3FG, 90% FT), 3.8 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.8 spg, 3.0 TOpg

F Kasib Powell (MIA)
-13.4 ppg (54% FG, 20% 3FG, 77% FT), 4.4 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.8 TOpg

C Marcin Gortat (ORL)
-12.8 ppg (52% FG, 86% FT), 8.6 rpg, 0.8 spg, 2.4 bpg, 2.2 TOpg

Summer League 2008: Day Five

2008-07-11T10:17:00.000-07:00

Today marks the last day of the annually miserable Orlando Pro Summer League and the beginning of the far superior NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Not only will some of these games be broadcasted on NBA TV, but spectators will be treated to better commentary and play-by-play instead of Orlando's amateur hour.

We will be covering the games as they happen including an occasional live-blog during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Enjoy!

Detroit (84) vs. Los Angeles (73):

Top Performers:

Rodney Stuckey (DET): 21 pts (6/15 FG, 0/1 3FG, 9/10 FT), 5 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO
Bryant Dunston (LAL): 11 pts (4/4 FG, 3/6 FT), 4 reb, 1 ast, 3 blk, 2 TO

Dallas (69) vs. Los Angeles Clippers:

Top Performers:

Al Thornton (LAC): 20 pts (6/10 FG, 1/1 3FG, 7/8 FT), 7 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk
Mike Taylor (LAC): 9 pts (4/9 FG, 1/3 3FG, 0/1 FT), 4 ast, 3 stl, 2 TO
Eric Gordon (LAC): 23 pts (5/18 FG, 3/6 3FG, 10/11 FT), 7 reb, 2 ast, 6 TO

Golden State (96) vs. Philadelphia (89):

Top Performers:

Anthony Randolph (GSW): 30 pts (12/18 FG, 0/3 3FG, 6/7 FT), 8 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk, 5 TO
Brandan Wright (GSW): 17 pts (5/7 FG, 7/10 FT), 7 reb, 1 stl, 4 blk, 5 TO
Thaddeus Young (PHI): 27 pts (10/20 FG, 1/3 3FG, 6/10 FT), 6 reb, 1 blk, 5 TO
Marreese Speights (PHI): 22 pts (7/19 FG, 8/12 FT), 13 reb, 5 TO

New Orleans (75) vs. Memphis (88):

Top Performers:

Darrell Arthur (MEM): 18 pts (9/12 FG), 3 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk, 2 TO
O.J. Mayo (MEM): 15 pts (5/10 FG, 1/2 3FG, 4/5 FT), 3 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk, 8 TO
Mike Conley Jr. (MEM): 14 pts (5/9 FG, 2/3 3FG, 2/4 FT), 6 ast, 4 TO
P.J. Tucker (MEM): 17 pts (5/6 FG, 7/8 FT), 8 rebs, 3 ast, 4 stl, 2 TO

Worst stat-line of any summer league thus far:

Julian Wright (NOH): 12 pts (4/17 FG, 1/5 3FG, 3/4 FT), 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 11 TO

Indiana (99) vs. New Jersey (107):

Top Performers:

Stephen Graham (IND): 16 pts (6/9 FG, 4/4 FT), 5 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 2 TO
Brook Lopez (NJN): 25 pts (8/13 FG, 0/2 3FG, 9/9 FT), 4 reb, 1 blk, 2 TO, 7 PF
Chris Douglas Roberts (NJN): 15 pts (2/5 FG, 0/1 3FG, 11/11 FT), 2 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 6 TO
Ryan Anderson (NJN): 20 pts (4/12 FG, 3/5 3FG, 9/9 FT), 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 TO

Chicago (73) vs. Oklahoma City (86):

Top Performances:

D.J. White (OKC): 20 pts (9/15 FG, 2/2 FT), 7 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 4 TO
Ronald Dupree (OKC): 17 pts (5/10 FG, 7/10 FT), 4 reb, 2 stl
Demetris Nichols (CHI): 13 pts (4/9 FG, 2/5 3FG, 3/3 FT), 2 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 2 TO
Aaron Gray (CHI): 16 pts (5/8 FG, 6/8 FT), 12 pts, 4 TO
JamesOn Curry (CHI): 17 pts (4/10 FG, 1/2 3FG, 8/11 FT), 4 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 6 TO

Orlando (74) vs. Miami (69):

Top Performances:

Michael Beasley (MIA): 25 pts (8/19 FG, 0/4 3FG, 9/9 FT), 8 reb, 4 TO
Courtney Lee (ORL): 30 pts (9/21 FG, 0/2 3FG, 12/13 FT), 5 reb, 1 blk, 2 TO
Marcin Gortat (ORL): 16 pts (6/13 FG, 4/5 FT), 12 reb, 1 stl, 2 blk, 1 TO

RLBA Triad Pro-Am Summer League: Day Three

2008-07-10T15:59:00.001-07:00

The RLBA Triad Pro-Am Summer League is a month of basketball from some of the Piedmont Triad area's top collegiate prospects.

The Boris Diaw School of Leisure presents in-depth coverage of this event, which also serves as an introduction to some of the nation's top collegiate prospects in the coming years.

Tonight's games feature the five-star talents of Al-Farouq Aminu, Ty Walker, and Tony Woods as well as Wake Forest players James Johnson, L.D. Williams, Ishmael Smith, Chas McFarland, Gary Clark, Harvey Hale and Winston-Salem State defensive stopper Jamal Durham.

Al-Farouq Aminu had a much better game to the tune of 30 points and 11 rebounds and did a good job of showcasing his developing perimeter game. He was more active and aggressive off of the dribble, demonstrating his solid first step and quickness. A major area of improvement for Aminu, however, is in his ball-handling ability. His handle is incredibly shaky at the moment and he slows down with the ball in his hands, especially while slashing the lane. If he hopes to make a complete transition to the wing position, he must learn how to dribble. His jumpshot still needs work, as well. He has a very high point of release, but his form has a major hitch and his release is quite slow and deliberate. Aminu looked better today because he did not hang around the perimeter and wait for the game to come to him; he really began utilizing his superior size and athleticism to his advantage.

Ty Walker did not have the greatest game from what we saw, but continued to show those in the audience why he is considered to be one of the best prospects in his class. His size and athleticism coupled with his skill-set is simply outstanding. His frame is developing, as well, and it looks like he'll be able to have more of an impact than pundits initially believed. He showed some decent foot work again even if his shot was not falling as well as it was in his first game. Walker's largest hurdle at this stage looks to be his ball-handling ability and his lack of consistent post moves. If he can get faster with the ball in his hands, Walker could be lethal. Right now, however, he rarely puts the ball on the floor despite his face-up potential.

Tony Woods impressed in his first game, but also showed why he was less heralded than Walker and Aminu. He has an NBA-ready body with good size and athleticism for the post. He also moves fairly well, too, and should be able to post up against just about anybody. Outside of his vast physical potential, however, Woods proved himself to be quite raw. Offensively, he has a long way to go. His shooting form is quite bad at this stage as he pushes the ball from his forehead slowly and inefficiently. He was able to get his shot off against summer league competition, but he should have trouble next year if he does not clean his mechanics up. When he caught the ball in the post, Woods showed surprisingly decent footwork and quickness going into his post move, but lacked countermoves and the vision to pass out of the post. He bullied his way through the congested paint and went to the basket. He did manage to score a lot in this manner; his offensive game is anything but pretty at this stage, but he has a lot of potential to become a good back to the basket scorer at Wake. It is tough to really scout defense in this environment because of the nature of summer league play, but Woods was particularly inactive on defense, not really defending his high post-loving mark or boxing out for rebounds. Woods has some very promising abilities and it will be interesting to watch his progression at Wake Forest as a freshman.

L.D. Williams, Jeff Teague, and Ishmael Smith, three current Wake Forest starters, also looked very good. Smith is showing a much improved jumpshot and can shoot just as well off of the dribble and from a standstill. His already stellar ball-handling abilities have improved and, if possible, he looks even faster with the ball in his hands. If Smith can improve his foul shooting and work to limit his mistakes in half-court settings, then he will be the premier point guard in the ACC. Last but not least, Smith actually looks to be around his listed 6'0. Most point guards listed at 6'0 are somewhere between their listed height and 5'10, but Smith looks taller in person than he does on tape.

Jeff Teague did not have many opportunities to show off his abilities as a point guard because of the nature of summer league play, but he has greatly improved his upper-body strength and uses it to attack the lane even more aggressively than he did last season. There are few basketball players quicker than Teague. His jumpshot looked fairly good as well, though he pushed the ball sometimes when he pulled up off of the dribble. One area of concern, however, is still his ball handling abilities, which are average for his position, but must improve if he wants to become an elite guard in the ACC. Sometimes he gets out of control when he is slashing to the basket because of his handle. Teague is a player that we will be looking at in depth throughout the rest of the summer league because of his massive potential and his questionable point guard abilities.

L.D. Williams is almost surely going to have a breakout season next year. Everything about his game is improved from his shooting to his ball-handling. There are few players in college basketball who are as athletic as Williams and even fewer who use their athleticism as well on both ends of the floor as the Wake Forest stopper. Offensively, Williams is going to surprise a lot of people with his improved shooting abilities and his developing mid-range game. He might not be the best spot-up shooter in the world, but he will look for his offense more in other places that were previously inaccessible because of his weak handle. His ball handling abilities still are not perfect and Williams still is somewhat hesitant to attack the rim, but he clearly has been working on this weakness in his game.

David Weaver, though still a very raw basketball player, showed some nice improvements, especially in his post game. Considering the fact that Weaver has maybe exhibited ten post moves in his career at Wake Forest, the nice spin-move into a jumphook that he delivered tonight on two occasions was very promising. Also nice to see is his developing spot-up jumpshot, which allows him more versatility on offense. Weaver is still very raw and will receive only spot minutes next season, but he is making steady improvements as a basketball player.

Chas McFarland, on the other hand, looked quite bad. He does not yet know his limitations despite his solid effort level and work ethic. He moves much better than he did when he first arrived at Wake Forest, but he has a long way to go before achieving his potential.

Summer League: Day Four

2008-07-10T15:58:00.001-07:00

New Jersey (84) vs. Chicago (68):

Top Performers:

Brook Lopez (NJN): 23 pts (9/15 FG, 5/7 FT), 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 TO
Chris Douglas-Roberts (NJN): 15 pts (4/11 FG, 7/9 FT), 5 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl, 1 TO
Sean Williams (NJN): 8 pts (4/10 FG), 5 reb, 2 stl, 3 blk, 1 TO
Ryan Anderson (NJN): 12 pts (3/6 FG, 2/3 3FG, 4/4 FT), 6 reb, 1 TO
Cedric Simmons (CHI): 10 pts (3/6 FG, 4/6 FT), 6 reb, 1 blk, 1 TO

This was an extraordinarily ugly game, as most are in Orlando, but New Jersey's young players had very nice games, which showed how well the Nets have been drafting in recent years. Brook Lopez is still not rebounding the ball particularly well, but he has a very nice offensive repertoire which could earn him immediate minutes alongside of one of his many defensive-oriented teammates. Lopez's performance may mean the end of Nenad Kristic in New Jersey. Douglas-Roberts did not score particularly well today, but he went to the line a lot, which is a valuable skill for a guy that could start next to the volume shooting Vince Carter. Sean Williams had another dominant defensive performance, which only adds to his case to reclaim the starting power forward spot. Cedric Simmons is included only because he had an above-average performance absolutely essential to his case if he wishes to make this Chicago Bulls team.

Orlando (82) vs. Indiana (80):

Top Performers:

James Augustine (ORL): 17 pts (5/7 FG, 7/9 FT), 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 3 TO
Marcin Gortat (ORL): 18 pts (9/13 FG), 11 reb, 4 blk, 2 TO
Courtney Lee (ORL): 18 pts (6/14 FG, 1/2 3FG, 3/3 FT), 1 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk, 2 TO
Andre Emmett (IND): 17 pts (7/8 FG, 2/3 3FG, 1/2 FT), 6 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl, 1 TO

Wake Forest Watch:

Justin Gray (IND): 2 pts (2/2 FT), 1 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl

Oklahoma City (76) vs. Miami (101):

Top Performers:

Jeff Green (OKC): 19 pts (3/10 FG, 0/2 3FG, 13/16 FT), 4 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 1 TO
Russell Westbrook (OKC): 19 pts (7/12 FG, 1/3 3FG, 4/10), 4 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 3 TO
Michael Beasley (MIA): 19 pts (8/16 FG, 2/4 3FG, 1/5 FT), 5 reb, 1 stl, 2 TO
Anthony Morrow (MIA): 16 pts (5/9 FG, 3/4 3FG, 3/3 FT), 1 reb, 1 ast

Summer League: Day Three

2008-07-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

Orlando (74) vs. Chicago (86):

Top Performers:

Tyrus Thomas (CHI): 25 pts (8/19 FG, 9/11 FT), 6 reb, 1 stl, 2 blk, 3 TO
Kevin Kruger (ORL): 13 pts (4/7 FG, 3/3 3FG, 2/2 FT), 4 reb, 8 ast, 3 TO
Marcin Gortat (ORL): 14 pts (7/11 FG, 10 reb, 1 stl, 3 blk, 3 TO

Derrick Rose sat out today because the tendinitis in his right knee was too debilitating, but his absence can also be viewed as damage control courtesy of Chicago's front office. Rose, after all, was playing miserably in this setting and could not find any sort of offensive rhythm. This is likely the last of Rose we will be hearing about until the official pre-season begins.

On the other hand, Tyrus Thomas had his best performance today showcasing his expanded skill set but also proving that he must work on his shot selection if he wants to validate his high-lottery draft status. There are few players as dynamic and athletic as Thomas in the NBA, though, and he will always have a niche as a spark plug, regardless.

The Magic, despite losing badly yet again, got a good performance out of Kevin Kruger, the former UNLV point guard that most pundits believed was being groomed for the backup point guard role. He shot the ball better today and did a good job of distributing to his teammates, but if he wants to stick on the Magic, he is going to have to show that he can consistently knock down shots, particularly three pointers. Marcin Gortat had a nice game today, as well, and showed that he could be a good back-up to Dwight Howard in due time and perhaps even play minutes at the center position. He does not have much offense, still, but there is no denying the impact that he can have on the defensive end and around the basket.

Oklahoma City (81) vs. New Jersey (95):

Top Performers:

Jeff Green (OKC): 23 pts (7/13 FG, 1/2 3FG, 8/10 FT), 3 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 6 TO
Brook Lopez (NJN): 22 pts (9/17 FG, 4/5 FT), 8 reb, 1 stl, 3 blk, 3 TO
Chris Douglas-Roberts: 20 pts (6/10 FG, 8/9 FT), 6 reb,2 ast, 2 stl, 1 TO

Brook Lopez and Chris Douglas-Roberts are making the Nets front office look very smart as they both played very well today in New Jersey's win. For Seattle...I mean, Oklahoma City, Jeff Green is a man among boys, here and Russell Westbrook fell back down to Earth today with a terrible poor performance: 10 pts (2/13 FG, 1/3 3FG, 5/6 FT), 1 rpg, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 1 TO.

More to come...

Eurotrip: The Brandon Jennings Saga Unfolds

2008-07-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

Star Oak Hill point guard Brandon Jennings has decided to take his elite game and retro high-top fade to Europe instead of staying in Arizona.

There are rumors flying around from all sides as to why he has made this decision, but we're not interested in the reasoning. We're interested in the result this could have on the NCAA and NBA from here on out.

Why would Jennings rather spend the next year traveling throughout Europe and getting paid to play basketball?

Well, consider the fact that from a very young age, Jennings has been an elite basketball player. He was considered by many to be the top domestic point guard in the class of 2009. When he signed at Arizona, many believed him to be the next great point guard in a tradition at Point Guard University.

Despite signing with Arizona, it is no secret that Jennings is not much of a student. Before making his decision, he took the SATs three times, and though he likely made passing grades on his last two SATs, he still decided to go to Europe.

As we said before, there are likely private reasons for why this happened, but ultimately, Jennings's move is saying one thing to the NCAA, the NBA, and the fundamentally rotten institution of American amateur sports: "Student athlete, my ass. I'm a basketball player and I'm going to get paid to be a basketball player."

Before anybody starts feeling sorry for the NCAA or the University of Arizona, consider the impact that a player like Jennings has on a university and what he gets back in return.

Jennings's arrival boosts season ticket sales, television revenue, and provides valuable advertising for the University of Arizona, the PAC-10 Conference, and the NCAA. What does Jennings get in return? Well, for one, he is providing his services on a largely volunteer basis: he does not get paid a dime for all of these lucrative services he is providing the University of Arizona. Despite the sometimes six hour a day time commitment that playing collegiate sports requires, Jennings must also attend classes and get good enough grades so that he can maintain his eligibility to play basketball! He is also put into a situation where he could be injured and lose money in the future if he is unable to come back from injury. Remember Bill Walker? He was considered to be a top ten pick before he tore his ACL. A year of rehabilitation and strained meniscus later, Walker was a second round pick and will have to fight to make a crowded Boston Celtics roster.

As has been said on numerous occasions, the NBA age-limit and similar legislation benefits everybody involved but the student athlete. The NCAA, led by the ethically-questionable commissioner Myles Brand, makes money because of the extra revenue they stand to make by having a year to exploit elite young athletes. Individual athletic departments of big universities make money because they get to exploit their elite "student athletes" and hope that they can keep them around for as long as possible. After all, it's not small schools, such as the oft-maligned Historically Black Colleges and Universities, who are seeing the benefit of the NBA age limit; it's a very typical "the rich get richer while the poor get poorer" scheme. Even the NBA gets a break because they now do not have to waste time scouting and taking financial risks on eighteen year old young men.

In what way, then, does the NBA's age limit help student athletes, the supposed beneficiaries of such legislation?

Jennings's decision, private issues aside, re-empowers the "student athlete" and hopefully will be the catalyst to overthrow this corrupt and exploitative system. NCAA basketball is certainly fun to watch, but reform is long overdue and the exploitation of student athletes has occurred unchecked for far too long.

Jennings will likely have trouble joining an elite team in Europe for just one year and may have to sign a two or three year contract. This might not seem like the best alternative to college, but Jennings is making a decision about his own welfare and that is a step in the right direction.

He will get paid for his services in a far less disproportionate way and as an eighteen year old male, he will be making a decision for himself. Remember, that if the United States Army decided to institute a military draft tomorrow, Jennings would be old enough to serve and die for his country; yet, he is too young to make the decision to throw his name into the NBA draft. He might have made a tremendous mistake by opting out of his commitment to the University of Arizona, but at least he had the opportunity to make it; it was not made by others who have no stake in his future besides to make money off of him.

Isn't that what the original aim of amateur athletics in the United States was all about? Or, are we merely too hypocritical to realize that Jennings is merely a product of the warping of this tradition?

RLBA Triad Pro-Am Summer League: Day Two

2008-07-08T20:55:00.001-07:00

Summer League 2008: Day Two

2008-07-08T14:22:00.000-07:00

Miami (90) vs. New Jersey (81):

For as good as Michael Beasley and Jaycee Carroll were yesterday, they were just as bad today. Beasley shot an awful 1/13 from the field on his way to 9 points, 7 rebounds, 5 turnovers, and 7 personal fouls. He forced a lot of offense as well. His assertiveness is certainly a good thing, but sometimes it comes off as selfishness. Jaycee Carroll played well in the beginning of the game, but his deficiencies really showed through as he was neither hitting shots nor running the team as well as he did yesterday. It will be tough for him to bounce back from this game.

On the other hand, Mario Chalmers had another excellent performance to the tune of 19 points, 9 assists, and 3 steals. While I'm not entirely sure about his ability to be a starting caliber point guard in the NBA, he did a very good job in stretches running the offense for the Heat. Anthony Morrow had a good performance as well, but has not really improved since his sophomore year at Georgia Tech. He is still a jumpshooter with weak ball-handling skills and defensive ability. He has a great jumpshot and can certainly make a living as a shooter somewhere, but despite the gaudy numbers he put up today, he is not an NBA player. Kasib Powell had another solid performance, though his inability to hit perimeter shots is really hurting him.

Top Performers:

Mario Chalmers (MIA): 19 pts (5/10 FG, 0/3 3FG, 9/10 FT), 2 reb, 9 ast (3 TO), 3 stl
Kasib Powell (MIA): 17 pts (6/10 FG, 0/3 3FG, 5/6 FT), 5 reb, 1 stl
Anthony Morrow (MIA): 19 pts (7/11 FG, 5/7 3FG), 1 ast, 2 stl
Stephane Lasme (MIA): 13 pts (5/6 FG, 3/4 FT), 4 reb
Brook Lopez (NJN): 18 pts (8/10 FG, 2/3 FT), 7 reb, 1 blk
Sean Williams (NJN): 11 pts (5/8 FG, 1/3 FT), 7 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk
Ryan Anderson (NJN): 18 pts (6/15 FG, 4/9 3FG, 2/4 FT), 7 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl

Orlando (77) vs. Oklahoma City (100):

Top Performers:

Courtney Lee (ORL): 27 pts (8/14 FG, 3/3 3FG, 8/9 FT), 4 ast, 2 stl, 3 TO
Jeff Green (OKC): 28 pts (7/15 FG, 1/3 3FG, 13/15 FT), 4 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk
Kevin Durant (OKC): 22 pts (7/10 FG, 2/2 3FG, 6/7 FT), 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk
Russell Westbrook (OKC): 19 pts (8/10 FG, 1/2 3FG, 2/3 FT), 1 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl, 1 TO

While Kevin Durant deciding to participate today was a surprise, the fact that Durant and his co-star Jeff Green looked like professionals was not. Russell Westbrook had another nice night, shooting the ball extremely well, and, though he still does not look like a full-time floor general, he took care of the ball well. For those who thought that the rookie point guard could not duplicate yesterday's success, Westbrook proved such doubters wrong. Courtney Lee proved today that despite the Magic's signing of Mickael Pietrus, he is still very much in consideration for the starting shooting guard spot with his combination of basketball IQ and offensive versatility as he was the best player on the court by a long shot.

Chicago (89) vs. Indiana (84):

Top Performers:

Keith Langford (CHI): 19 pts (6/7 FG, 3/4 3FG, 4/6 FT), 2 reb, 1 ast, 3 blk, 4 TO
JamesOn Curry (CHI): 10 pts (4/7 FG, 1/2 3FG, 1/2 FT), 1 reb, 6 ast
Tyrus Thomas (CHI): 17 pts (6/13 FG, 0/1 3FG, 5/6 FT), 7 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk, 5 TO
Demetrius Nichols (CHI): 16 pts (5/13 FG, 2/7 3FG, 4/5 FT), 3 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 3 TO
Earl Calloway (IND): 20 pts (5/15 FG, 1/3 3FG, 9/12 FT), 6 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 6 TO

Wake Forest Watch:

Justin Gray (IND): 0 pts (0/1 FG), 1 reb, 3 PF in 7 minutes

Also Of Note:

Derrick Rose looked better as a point guard today and more comfortable on defense, but he could not find his offense. This has been a very underwhelming summer league thus far from the first overall draft pick. Rose finished with 9 pts (2/9 FG, 5/6 FT), 6 reb, 7 ast, 3 stl, 3 TO

RLBA Triad Pro-Am Summer League: Day One

2008-07-07T19:46:00.000-07:00

The RLBA Triad Pro-Am Summer League is a month of basketball from some of the Piedmont Triad area's top collegiate prospects. This year's list of participants includes:

Al-Farouq Aminu: 6'8, 210, SF/PF, Freshman (Wake Forest)
Tony Woods: 6'10, 234, PF/C, Freshman (Wake Forest)
Ty Walker: 7'0, 220, PF/C, Freshman (Wake Forest)
James Johnson: 6'8, 235, SF/PF, Sophomore (Wake Forest)
L.D. Williams: 6'4, 205, SG, Junior (Wake Forest)
Jeff Teague: 6'2, 175, PG/SG, Sophomore (Wake Forest)
Kyle Hines: 6'6, 230, PF/C, Graduated (UNC Greensboro)
Ishmael Smith: 6'0, 165, PG, Junior (Wake Forest)
Chas McFarland: 7'0, 225, PF/C, Junior (Wake Forest)
David Weaver: 6'10, 240, PF/C, Junior (Wake Forest)
Gary Clark: 6'4, 185, SG, Sophomore (Wake Forest)
Jamie Skeen: 6'8, 245, SF/PF, Junior (Wake Forest)
Harvey Hale: 6'2, 190, SG, Senior (Wake Forest)

The Boris Diaw School of Leisure presents in-depth coverage of this event, which also serves as an introduction to some of the nation's top collegiate prospects in the coming years.

Photo Credit: Todd Nelson

Though six games were scheduled for tonight, only four were played due to the fact that Tony Woods ripped down one of the gym's baskets during warmups.

Therefore, the marquee matchup of evening was not a battle between Wake Forest's titanic triplets (Woods, Walker, and McFarland). Tonight's marquee matchup featured the debut of superfrosh Al-Farouq Aminu and an athletic exhibition courtesy of L.D. Williams.

Before we talk about Aminu's performance, we'll take a look at defensive stopper L.D. Williams. Despite only being 6'4, Williams is an elite athlete with superior leaping ability, long arms, great lateral quickness, and outstanding speed in the open court. He is a strong player, as well, which allows him to fully utilize his athleticism on the perimeter or in the lane. Last year, he experienced a pair of freak injuries which somewhat derailed a breakout year for him, but if his performance tonight was any indication, Williams is looking at a true breakout season next year. The difference tonight was that Williams was finally looking for offense off of the dribble. In addition to continuing his tradition of gravity-defying, mind-bendingly athletic dunks, he showed some welcome versatility, tonight. Before, he was content to shoot perimeter jumpshots or scrap for offense around the rim, but tonight he was taking his man off of the dribble and using his athleticism to get his shot off. His handle is still shaky and it's something that Williams must work on if he wants to maximize his potential at the next level. His jumpshot, however, is much better and his mechanics from his form to his release, look much quicker and improved. This summer league is not the place to really judge anybody's defense, but Williams showed how he can use his athleticism and strength to physically incapacitate the weaker offensive guards.

While Williams was excellent tonight, the real story was Al-Farouq Aminu's debut. Aminu is the highest ranked recruit ever to set foot on Wake Forest's Winston-Salem campus, and judging by the packed gym tonight, fans are eager to see if the hype surrounding him is justified.

Photo Credit: Todd Nelson

Aminu took some time to heat up and get comfortable on the floor, but once he did, he delivered a performance that those familiar with him have come to expect. Despite his billing as a true small forward, Aminu is still very much a combo-forward, lacking the bulk and skill to play down low and not possessing the ball-handling ability to play on the perimeter. The reason why pundits believe that he can become a full-time perimeter player, however, is because of his smooth athleticism, which allows him to elevate over his men when releasing his jumpshot and soar towards the rim for emphatic dunks. He had a few dunks tonight that had the crowd on their feet including the one in the above picture. His basketball skills are still very raw, though. Aminu's jumpshot is very deliberate, featuring a high, albeit hitched, release. At the moment, he shoots the ball too slowly for his jumpshot to be an effective weapon at the NCAA level. Furthermore, he fell in love with his jumpshot for much of the first half and bricked countless spot-up jumpshots before he began taking the ball inside. He has developing mid-range instincts, which were evident when he put the ball on the floor. He can pull-up inside of the three point line, though his effectiveness is somewhat limited because of his shoddy ball-handling abilities. If he could work on his handle to the point where he could move without thinking with the ball in his hands, he could realize his potential as an elite NBA wing. Until then, however, he will join James Johnson as a jumpshooting combo-forward. Inside, Aminu simply lacks instincts. His footwork against opposing big men was unimpressive and he constantly shied away from contact, opting to fade away instead of taking the ball directly to the basket. He simply does not possess the fundamentals at this stage to become a reliable inside presence based on today's performance. On the defensive end, he has the potential to be a tremendous factor. He has a long wingspan, which combined with his timing, quickness, and athleticism, should allow him to successfully harass wings at the next level. The problem, however, is that he lacks the awareness and conditioning to be a factor at the moment. Even in such a disorganized setting as this summer league, he was unable to stay in front of his man and communicate with his teammates. This is an area in which we would like to see some improvement by the end of the month. Similarly, he does not box out or establish position for rebounds. If he learned some basic rebounding fundamentals, he could be a nightmare in the paint.

Basically, tonight was an example of Aminu's positives and negatives. The main negative is that he is still a very raw player both physically and in his skillset. He wants to be a small forward and some skills of a small forward, but until his ball handling improves, he is going to have a lot of trouble in the ACC, let alone the NBA. His positives, however, outweigh the negatives as his potential is still through the roof. He is a very talented basketball player with the athleticism to become a star. Aminu showed flashes tonight of what makes him so special; he should devote the rest of this summer league as well as next season to realizing his tremendous potential.

Summer League 2008: Day One

2008-07-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

Miami (94) vs. Chicago (70):

Top Performers:

Michael Beasley (MIA): 28 pts (9/21 FG, 1/3 3FG, 9/12 FT), 9 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk
Kasib Powell (MIA): 15 pts (5/9 FG, 2/4 3FG, 3/4 FT), 4 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl
Mario Chalmers (MIA): 11 pts (2/8 FG, 1/3 3FG, 6/7 FT), 6 ast, 4 stl
Tyrus Thomas (CHI): 12 pts (3/7 FG, 6/7 FT), 10 reb, 1 ast, 3 blk
Derrick Rose (CHI): 10 pts (3/8 FG, 0/1 3FG, 4/8 FT), 2 reb, 4 ast (5 TO), 1 stl

Miami vs. Chicago Game Notes:

Miami was outstanding in an emphatic victory over the Bulls. Mario Chalmers played incredible defense on Derrick Rose, locking the top pick down for much of the game, and shooting the ball well from downtown. His handle still is a bit shaky and his point guard instinct looked like it could certainly stand to get better, but Chalmers looks like he'll be a very good backcourt companion to Dwayne Wade. The Heat played very well as a team today, which is a testament to the point guard play of Chalmers as well as former Davidson alumn Jason Richards.

Michael Beasley was nothing short of fantastic, showing that he could score against any defender the Bulls put on him (Joakim Noah, Tyrus Thomas, Aaron Gray, Cedric Simmons, etc). He scored in a variety of different ways, attacking the basket, pulling up from mid-range, launching perimeter jumpshots, and showing his trademark post fadeaway. He rebounded the ball very well, too, fighting and maintaining position against Chicago's bigger post players and scrapping on the offensive boards. Sometimes, however, Beasley looked somewhat selfish, clearly not showing any interest in passing to his teammates. Defensively, Beasley showed more energy than usual, but he is still nothing special. What Beasley proved today, however, is that he has the potential to be a really good basketball player in the NBA and for the second straight year, there is a chance that the first pick might not live up to the second.

Other Miami free agents of note include Josh Duncan who looked decent facing the basket, but is still very athletically limited compared to NBA caliber players. He is still very soft and stays around the perimeter too often, but he looks much better than he did during the NCAA season. Stephane Lasme played good man defense, especially on Cedric Simmons, but he is still too undersized to play the post in the NBA and, despite showing a refined spot-up jumpshot, not skilled enough to play on the perimeter. David Padgett simply looked bad, slow footed and unathletic to the point where he could not even get a shot off against any of Chicago's athletic post defenders.

Derrick Rose was fairly underwhelming today playing the role that he was drafted to fill for the near and far future. For the first half, he played miserably, moving passively, deferring leadership to his less talented teammates, and turning the ball over five times. Mario Chalmers completely shut Rose down, picking him a couple times and using his lateral quickness to contain the top pick. Rose looked disinterested most of the time and did not look like a first rounder, let alone the first pick. The second half was a completely different story. Rose broke out of his passivity as you used his awesome speed and athleticism to weave in and out of defenders breaking to the basket. Once he got to the rim, he used his outstanding body control and touch to score acrobatically. There are few players who can change speeds as fast as Rose and on the fast break, he is a very good distributor. In half court sets, his point guard instinct was a little rough, but he showed more than enough flashes to suggest that he will turn in a better performance next game.

Tyrus Thomas continued to show his incredible athleticism, but his offensive repertoire is still very limited, but he showed more consistency on his spot-up jumpshot and slashed to the basket thanks to his improved ball handling and quickness. Demetrius Nichols once again displayed his beautiful perimeter stroke, but showed improved ball-handling abilities which allowed him to show off a developing mid-range game and slashing game. He needs to improve his handle, but with his size and scoring abilities, he can contribute a lot to the young and rebuilding Bulls.

Oklahoma City (78) vs. Indiana (95):

Top Performers:

Russell Westbrook (OKC): 18 pts (7/13 FG, 1/3 3FG, 3/5 FT), 4 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 1 TO
Jeff Green (OKC): 21 pts (6/16 FG, 1/3 3FG, 8/12 FT), 5 reb, 3 stl, 1 blk, 5 TO

Deacon Watch:

Justin Gray: 0 pts, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 TO

This was an ugly game whose only real highlight was Russell Westbrook's constant energy attacking the basket. Westbrook might not show that he was worth the fourth pick immediately (or better than Jerryd Bayless), but he has a lot of promise to become, at worst, a starting caliber combo-guard in the league. This was a very ugly game, clearly a manifestation of the slow death Seattle fans suffered this year at the hands of Clay Bennett and his cronies.

New Jersey Nets (95) vs. Orlando Magic (74):

Top Performers:

Jaycee Carroll (NJN): 22 pts (7/13 FG, 0/1 3FG, 8/9 FT), 7 reb, 5 ast (3 TO)
Chris Douglas-Roberts (NJN): 15 (7/14 FG, 0/2 3FG, 1/1 FT), 5 reb, 2 stl

Summer League in Orlando is often quite ugly, and this is yet another example. Outside of Carroll and Douglas-Roberts's spite filled send offs to the 30+ teams that passed over them, there is little else of note here. Brook Lopez somehow managed to not grab a single rebound in almost 20 minutes and Courtney Lee's usually steady play yielded four turnovers this time around. Hopefully today was just rust and the rest of the games in Orlando will be more competitive.

The BDSL Summer League Preview

2008-07-06T16:22:00.000-07:00

The 2008 NBA summer league season begins in just 48 hours. This year's summer leagues include the following: Pepsi Pro Summer League, Reebok Pro Summer League, Southern California Summer Pro League, Reebok Rocky Mountain Revue, and NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Last year's summer league season witnessed the emergence of League MVP Nate Robinson, Louis Williams, Aaron Brooks, Rodney Stuckey, and a 40 point highlights courtesy of Marco Bellinelli and Marcus Banks. It also marked the last time Greg Oden was seen on a basketball court in a uniform, which featured a jaw-dropping dunk alongside of ten fouls.

This year, players from the NBA, overseas leagues, and domestic minor leagues will be competing for coveted NBA roster spots.

While some games will be featured live on NBA TV and streaming on NBA.com, a majority of these rosters will be toiling in relative obscurity. The game schedule is located here. The Pepsi Pro Summer League will available in streaming video format on the Orlando Magic's official website. The NBA Summer League in Las Vegas will be broadcasted on NBA TV and available to stream on the NBA's official website. When we hear about the others, we will post the necessary information.

There is a lot of talent on these rosters aside from lottery picks eager to prove their talent, draft position, and new contracts. While the cameras won't be shining as bright on some of these less-heralded prospects, these players are experiencing the true drama of the summer league season.

Here are some currently players to watch out for:

DETROIT: Alex Acker 6'5 PG/SG (Barcelona)

Acker had a bad run in Europe, but it is no secret that he is considered highly in Detroit. Considering the success of fellow 6'5 combo-guard Rodney Stuckey, expect Detroit to take another long look at Acker.

ORLANDO: Brian Roberts 6'2 PG/SG (Dayton)

After losing the Chris Duhon sweepstakes, the Magic are still in need of a solid bench point-guard. Brian Roberts can run an offense, put points on the board, and has a lot of poise for a young player, all skills that the Magic backcourt desperately need.

MIAMI: Pat Calathes 6'10 SG/SF/PF(St. Joseph's), David Padgett 6'11 PF/C (Louisville)

Calathes was one of this year's most underrated prospects going into the draft and he enters Miami's summer league team still one of the most talented perimeter players not on an NBA roster. His three-point range and court vision make him a natural fit in the Dwayne Wade show and he could emerge as a solid bench player shortly. David Padgett is a skilled and efficient big man with good size for his position and a habit of winning basketball games with his sure play. Both of these players have a very good chance of making Miami's roster.

DALLAS: Reggie Williams 6'5 SG/SF (VMI), Renaldas Seibutis 6'6 SG (Olympiakos), Reyshawn Terry 6'8 SG/SF(Aris), Aaron Miles 6'1 PG (Cajasol Sevilla), Yaroslov Korolev 6'9 SG/SF (Dynamo Moscow)

Dallas is a popular free-agent destination because they have roster room. Former draft picks Seibutis and Terry will likely have first priority on a pick. Seibutis is an energetic and athletic shooting guard who also displays solid court awareness. Terry could be the second coming of Bruce Bowen with his defensive abilities and perimeter shooting. Reggie Williams is a talented scorer who sees the floor well and can rebound; he might not be a lock to make a roster, but he is surely going to provide some highlights this summer. Miles is one of the best point guards not in the NBA. The signing of Jose Juan Barea means that Miles may have a good chance to be the Mavericks's third-string point guard. Korolev is a former lottery pick who has a lot of skill, but cannot put it together. His appearance will likely not win him a roster spot, but it could keep his name in the NBA conversation for a few more years.

HOUSTON: Dijon Thompson 6'7 SG/SF (UCLA)

Thompson is a sweet shooting wing that is more ready to play than Donte Greene and could help the Rockets address their perimeter scoring woes. He is also a solid defender.

CHICAGO: Brad Buckman 6-9 PF/C (UMobitelco), Rashaun Freeman 6'9 PF/C (Nantes)

The Bulls need post scoring and Buckman and Freeman provide just that. Freeman should provide highlights with his intensity and energy, but also his increased skill level since becoming a borderline star in France. Buckman still has sweet scoring range and is a decent team defender. His chances are much lower, but he is a player to keep an eye on throughout Summer League.

SACRAMENTO: Zabian Dowdell 6'3 PG/SG (Nancy), Darian Townes 6'10 PF/C (Arkansas)

The Kings need depth at point guard and power forward. Dowdell is a great defensive player who can play either guard positions on offense and should prove to be the perfect foil to Beno Udrih. Townes is an athletic post player with developing scoring abilities and the potential to develop into a solid backup. The Kings should take a long look at both of these players, especially Dowdell, who outplayed the King's second round draft pick just about every meeting between UVA and VT.

PHOENIX: Rod Benson 6'10 PF/C (Dakota Wizards), Ekene Ibekwe 6'9 PF/C (Hapoel Galil Elyon), Jared Jordan 6'2 PG (Lietuvos), Marcus Vinicius 6'8 SG/SF (Plus Pujo)

The Suns need quality bench depth and with this group of players, they have a couple potential steals on their roster. Benson is a fierce rebounder and defensive player who has been trying to get a shot in the league for a long time. He should get a long look because of the Suns's lack of depth inside. Ebekwe is a similar player and has proven himself as a solid reserve overseas. Jordan is the perfect back-up point guard for the aging Steve Nash. Vinicius is an athletic wing from Brazil who never earned minutes in the strict defensive-minded rotation in New Orleans. All of the aforementioned players are upgrades than the trio of Sean Marks, Eric Piatkowski, and Brian Skinner and should demand serious attention from Phoenix's scouts and coaches.

DENVER: Elton Brown 6'9 PF/C (Hapoel Holon), Jamont Gordon 6'3 PG/SG (Mississippi State), Jelani McCoy 6'10 PF/C (Los Angeles D-Fenders)

Denver needs defensive-minded post players, especially with Marcus Camby allegedly on the blocks. McCoy and Brown are both good defensive players that know how to rebound the basketball (both players are among the cream of NBDL big men) and both be highly considered by the Nuggets brass. The Nuggets also lack depth and skill at the point guard position. Jamont Gordon should have been drafted and his resume speaks for itself; he cannot be passed up if the Nuggets choose not to address need in free-agency.

GOLDEN STATE: Louis Amundson 6'7 PF (Philadelphia 76ers), Demarcus Nelson 6'3 PG/SG (Duke)

The Warriors are in a borderline rebuilding phase and, at this stage, they simply need to take a look at the best talent available. Amundson is a gritty defensive player, whose athleticism allows him to compete despite his lack of height. He does not have much offense in his repertoire, but his defense should work well alongside of Brandan Wright or Anthony Randolph. Nelson is a player in the vein of Monta Ellis, an undersized athletic specimen who is first and foremost a scorer. Nelson is not as versatile on the offensive end, but he could be a solid addition to this roster.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: Brandon Heath 6'3 PG/SG (Orleans)

The Clippers need more depth at the point guard position in case Shaun Livingston does not resign and Mike Taylor disappoints. Heath is yet another combo-guard, but he has more experience at a professional level and his scoring abilities should guarantee him a chance on a team that now has shown significant interest in a good deal of undersized off-guards.

MEMPHIS: Alan Anderson 6'6 SG/SF (La Fortezza), Malick Badiane 6'10 PF/C (St.Vallier), Steve Burtt 6'1 PG/SG (Ashkelon)

Memphis needs bench scoring and post depth. Badiane brings athleticism and defense and should get a significant look for the toughness-depleted Grizzlies. Anderson is a solid perimeter defender with good size for his position; he is not a great scorer, yet, but he has shown improvement every year since he left college. He also has a lot of NBA experience from his stint in Charlotte. Steve Burtt probably won't find much of a chance of making the Grizzlies's crowded point guard rotation, but there are few scorers who are as fun to watch. Burtt was one of the most exciting guards ever to play in the MAAC when he was at Iona and he should not disappoint here either.

INDIANA: None, other than former Wake Forest star Justin Gray.

NEW JERSEY: Jamar Butler 6'1 PG (Ohio State), Jaycee Carroll 6'2 PG/SG (Utah State), Yuta Tabuse 5-9 PG (Anaheim Arsenal), Marcus Slaughter 6'8 SF/PF (Gravelines Dunkerque)

The Nets clearly are looking for a second or third string point guard to round out their roster. Jamar Butler is a rock-solid point guard with a good perimeter jumpshot, but he lacks the athleticism and versatility to succeed at the next level. Jayce Carroll is more of an Eddie House type of guard, but he is a very smart player with and without the ball in his hands. He's not going to be a full-time point guard, but he can shoot the ball better than most players in this year's rookie class. Yuta Tabuse is a summer league mainstay and one of the quickest and flashiest point guards you'll see this summer. He's not going to make a team, but there is a good chance that he'll make highlight reels. Marcus Slaughter is a BDSL favorite and still a very talented tweener, but unfortunately he is also a player that the Nets simply do not need. He may be the most talented player in all of Summer League, but with Sean Williams, Ryan Anderson, and Yi Jianlian already with guaranteed contracts, there does not seem to be much room for Slaughter on this roster despite his great talent.

As more rosters are announced, we'll provide more analysis.

The Complete 2008 Free Agency and Pre-Season (Updated 8/5/2008 9:15 p.m.)

2008-07-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

During this off-season, some of the most high-profile players in the NBA are free-agents in some form. Players like Gilbert Arenas, Elton Brand, and Baron Davis all opted out of their contracts in order to pursue maximum contracts from their teams or elsewhere. While the potential 2010 and 2011 somewhat dwarfs the importance of this summer's free-agency, there are a lot of good, difference-making players out there and we will be following the process every step of the way. Enjoy and feel free to post any new developments in the comments section.

Unrestricted Free-Agents:

Top 15 Guards:

1. Baron Davis, Golden State (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: 5 years/$65 million)
2. Gilbert Arenas, Washington (RESIGNED WITH WASHINGTON: 6 years/$111 million)
3. Corey Maggette, Los Angeles Clippers (SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: 5 years/$50 million)
4. Jason Williams, Miami
5. Beno Udrih, Sacramento (RE-SIGNED WITH SACRAMENTO KINGS: 5 years/$33 million)
6. Jannero Pargo, New Orleans
7. Chris Duhon, Chicago (SIGNED WITH NEW YORK: 2 years/$11.6 million)
8. Sebastian Telfair, Minnesota (RE-SIGNED WITH MINNESOTA: 3 years/$6.6 million)
9. Ricky Davis, Miami (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: 2 years/$4.7 million)
10. James Jones, Portland (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: 5 years/$20 million)
11. Jarvis Hayes, Detroit (SIGNED WITH NEW JERSEY: 2 years/$4 million)
12. Maurice Evans, Orlando (SIGNED WITH ATLANTA: 3 years/$7.5 million)
13. Devin Brown, Cleveland
14. Michael Finley, San Antonio
15. Carlos Arroyo, Orlando (SIGNED WITH MACCABI TEL-AVIV: 3 years/$5 million)

More Guards:

Roger Mason Jr., Washington (SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: 2 years/$7.5 million)
Tyronn Lue, Dallas (SIGNED WITH MILWAUKEE: 2 years/$3.9 million)
Antoine Wright, Dallas (RE-SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 2 years/$4 million)
Darrell Armstrong, New Jersey
Anthony Carter, Denver (RE-SIGNED WITH DENVER: 1 year/$1.26 million)
Yahkouba Diawara, Denver
Fred Jones, New York
Keyon Dooling, Orlando (RE-SIGNED WITH ORLANDO: 3 years/$10.5 million)
Quinton Ross, Los Angeles Clippers
Shaun Livingston, Los Angeles Clippers
Smush Parker, Los Angeles Clippers
Dan Dickau, Los Angeles Clippers
Anthony Johnson, Sacramento (SIGNED WITH ORLANDO: 2 years/$3.8 million)
Casey Jacobson, Memphis
Blake Ahearn, Miami
Royal Ivey, Milwaukee (SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: 2 years/$1.7 million)
Kirk Snyder, Minnesota
Kevin Ollie, Philadelphia
Gordan Giricek, Phoenix
Eric Piatkowski, Phoenix
Brent Barry, San Antonio: (SIGNED WITH HOUSTON: 2 years/$3.9 million)
DerMarr Johnson, San Antonio
Damon Stoudemire, San Antonio
Mickael Gelabale, Oklahoma City
Derek Anderson, Charlotte
Earl Boykins, Charlotte
Shannon Brown, Chicago
Juan Dixon, Detroit
Lindsay Hunter, Detroit
Flip Murray, Indiana
Kareem Rush, Indiana (SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: 1 year/$998,000)
Eddie House, Boston (RE-SIGNED WITH BOSTON: 2 years/$5.6 million)
Tony Allen, Boston (RE-SIGNED WITH BOSTON: 2 years/$5 million)
Sam Cassell, Boston

Top 15 Forwards/Centers:

1. Elton Brand, Los Angeles Clippers (SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: 5 years/$82 million)
2. Eduardo Najera, Denver (SIGNED WITH NEW JERSEY: 4 years/$12 million)
3. Mickael Pietrus, Golden State (SIGNED WITH ORLANDO: 4 years/$26 million)
4. James Posey, Boston (SIGNED WITH NEW ORLEANS: 4 years/$25 million)
5. deSagana Diop, New Jersey (SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 5 years/$31 million)
6. Kurt Thomas, San Antonio (RE-SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: 2 years/$8 million)
7. Bostjan Nachbar, New Jersey (SIGNED WITH DYNAMO MOSCOW: 3 years/$14.3 million)
8. Matt Barnes, Golden State (SIGNED WITH PHOENIX: 1 year/$1.2 million)
9. Kwame Brown, Memphis (SIGNED WITH DETROIT: 2 years/$8 million)
10. Bonzi Wells, New Orleans
11. P.J. Brown, Boston
12. Theo Ratliff, Detroit
13. Adonal Foyle, Orlando (RE-SIGNED WITH ORLANDO: 1 year/$1.3 million)
14. Dikembe Mutombo, Houston
15. Alonzo Mourning, Miami

More Forwards/Centers:

Scot Pollard, Boston
Othella Harrington, Charlotte
Dwayne Jones, Cleveland
Devean George, Dallas
Malik Allen, Dallas (SIGNED WITH MILWAUKEE: 1 year/$1.5 million)
Juwan Howard, Dallas
Jamaal Magloire, Dallas
Austin Croshere, Golden State
Patrick O'Bryant, Golden State (SIGNED WITH BOSTON: 2 years/$3 million)
Paul Davis, Los Angeles Clippers
James Singleton, Los Angeles Clippers (SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 1 year/$798,000)
D.J. Mbenga, Los Angeles Lakers
Ira Newble, Los Angeles Lakers
Andre Brown, Memphis
Earl Barron, Miami
Jake Voskuhl, Milwaukee
Michael Ruffin, Milwaukee
Michael Doleac, Minnesota
Chris Andersen, New Orleans (SIGNED WITH DENVER: 1 year/$998,000)
Ryan Bowen, New Orleans
Pat Garrity, Orlando
Louis Amundson, Philadelphia
Herbert Hill, Philadelphia
Shavlik Randolph, Philadelphia
Linton Johnson, Phoenix
Sean Marks, Phoenix
Brian Skinner, Phoenix (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: ---/---)
Lorenzen Wright, Sacramento
Robert Horry, San Antonio
Ronald Dupree, Oklahoma City
Francisco Elson, Oklahoma City
Primoz Brezec, Toronto (SIGNED WITH LOTTOMATICA ROMA: ---/---)

Restricted Free-Agents:

Top 15 Guards:

1. Monta Ellis, Golden State (RE-SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: 6 years/$67 million)
2. Jose Manuel Calderon, Toronto (RE-SIGNED WITH TORONTO: 4 years/$50 million)
3. Ben Gordon, Chicago
4. Josh Childress, Atlanta (SIGNED WITH OLYMPIAKOS: 3 years/$32.5 million)
5. J.R. Smith, Denver
6. Daniel Gibson, Cleveland (RE-SIGNED WITH NEW YORK: 5 years/$27 million)
7. Sasha Vujacic, Los Angeles Lakers (RE-SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES LAKERS: 5 years/$15 million)
8. Louis Williams, Philadelphia (RE-SIGNED WITH PHILADELPHIA: 5 years/$25 million)
9. Delonte West, Cleveland
10. Rudy Fernandez, Portland (SIGNED WITH PORTLAND: 3 years/$3.3 million)
11. Kelenna Azubuike, Golden State (RE-SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: 3 years/$9 million)
12. Carlos Delfino, Toronto (SIGNED WITH BC KHIMKI: 3 years/$13.5 million)
13. C.J. Miles, Utah (RE-SIGNED WITH UTAH: 4 years/$14.8 million)
14. Chris Quinn, Miami
15. Jose Juan Barea, Dallas (RE-SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 3 years/$4.8 million)

More Guards:

Mario West, Atlanta
Salim Stoudemire, Atlanta
Demetrius Nichols, Chicago
JamesOn Curry, Chicago (WAIVED BY CHICAGO- )
Bobby Jones, New York (WAIVED BY NEW YORK- SIGNED BY MIAMI: ---/---)
Alex Acker, Detroit
Andre Owens, Indiana
Marcus Williams, Los Angeles Clippers
Roko Leni Ukic, Toronto (SIGNED WITH TORONTO: 3 years/$3.3 million)
Juan Carlos Navarro, Memphis (SIGNED WITH FC BARCELONA: 5 years/$20 million)
Kasib Powell, Miami
Awvee Storey, Milwaukee
Von Wafer, Portland

Top 15 Forwards/Centers:

1. Antwan Jamison, Washington (RE-SIGNED WITH WASHINGTON: 4 years, $50 million)
2. Josh Smith, Atlanta
3. Luol Deng, Chicago (RE-SIGNED WITH CHICAGO: 6 years/$71 million)
4. Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia
5. Emeka Okafor, Charlotte (RE-SIGNED WITH CHARLOTTE: 6 years/$72 million)
6. Andris Biedrins, Golden State (RE-SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: 6 years/$63 million)
7. Ryan Gomes, Minnesota (RE-SIGNED WITH MINNESOTA: 3 years/$9 million)
8. Carl Landry, Houston
9. Dorrell Wright, Miami
10. Nenad Kristic, New Jersey (SIGNED WITH TRIUMPH MOSCOW: 2 years/$5.7 million)
11. Craig Smith, Minnesota (RE-SIGNED WITH MINNESOTA: 2 years/---)
12. Ronny Turiaf, Los Angeles Lakers (SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: 4 years/$17 million)
13. Walter Herrmann, Detroit (RE-SIGNED WITH DETROIT: 1 year/---)
14. Marc Gasol, Memphis (SIGNED WITH MEMPHIS: 3 years/$10 million)
15. Robert Swift, Oklahoma City

More Forwards/Centers:

Jeremy Richardson, Atlanta
Ryan Hollins, Charlotte (RE-SIGNED WITH CHARLOTTE: 1 years/$1 million)
David Harrison, Indiana
Nick Fazekas, Los Angeles Clippers
Josh Powell, Los Angeles Clippers (WAIVED BY LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS- )
Ersan Ilyasova, Milwaukee
Chris Richard, Minnesota
Melvin Ely, New Orleans
Randolph Morris, New York (SIGNED WITH ATLANTA: 2 years/$1.7 million)
James Augustine, Orlando (WAIVED BY ORLANDO- )
Jorge Garbajosa, Toronto (BOUGHT OUT BY TORONTO-SIGNED WITH KHIMKI MOSCOW: ---/---)

Other Pre-Season Signed/Waived Players of Interest

Tarrance Kinsey (SIGNED WITH CLEVELAND: 1 year/---)
Gerald Green (SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 1 year/$998,000)
Keith McLeod (SIGNED WITH DALLAS: 1 year/$798,000)
Dahntay Jones (SIGNED WITH DENVER: 1 year/$998,000)
Will Bynum (SIGNED WITH DETROIT: 1 year/$700,000)
Anthony Morrow (SIGNED WITH GOLDEN STATE: non guaranteed)
Marcellus Kemp (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES LAKERS: non-guaranteed)
Dwayne Mitchell (SIGNED WITH LOS ANGELES LAKERS: non-guaranteed)
David Padgett (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: non-guaranteed)
Jason Richards (SIGNED WITH MIAMI: non-guaranteed)
Jaycee Carroll (SIGNED WITH NEW JERSEY: non-guaranteed)
Anthony Roberson (SIGNED WITH NEW YORK: 2 years/$1.6 million)
Taurean Green (WAIVED BY NEW YORK-SIGNED WITH CAI ZARAGOZA: ---/---)
Bobby Brown (SIGNED WITH SACRAMENTO: 2 years/1.1 million)
Anthony Tolliver (SIGNED WITH SAN ANTONIO: 2 years/---)
Hassan Adams (SIGNED WITH TORONTO: 1 year/$798,000)
Will Solomon (SIGNED WITH TORONTO: 1 year/---)
Dee Brown (SIGNED WITH WASHINGTON: 1 year/$798,000)

Notable Extensions:

Chris Paul, New Orleans (4 years/$68 million)
Deron Williams, Utah (4 years/$70 million)
Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles Lakers (---/---)
Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee (5 years/$72.5 million)
Danny Granger, Indiana (---/---)

Post-Season Trade Destinations:

1. Portland (Ike Diogu and Jerryd Bayless) & Indiana (Jarrett Jack, Brandon Rush, and Josh McRoberts)

2. New Orleans (cash considerations) & Portland (Darrell Arthur)

3. Portland (Nicolas Batum) & Houston (Darrell Arthur and Joey Dorsey)

4. Memphis (Darrell Arthur) & Houston (Donte Greene)

5. Oklahoma City (D.J. White) & Detroit (Walter Sharpe and Trent Plaisted)

6. Indiana (T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Roy Hibbert, and Maceo Baston) & Toronto (Jermaine O'Neal and Nathan Jawai)

7. New Jersey (Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons) & Milwaukee (Richard Jefferson)

8. Miami (Mario Chalmers) & Minnesota (two 2009 second round picks and cash considerations)

9. Boston (Bill Walker) & Washington (cash considerations)

10. Los Angeles Clippers (Mike Taylor) & Portland (2009 second round pick)

11. Memphis (O.J. Mayo, Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, and Greg Buckner) & Minnesota (Mike Miller, Kevin Love, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins)

12. Chicago (Omer Asik) & Portland (Three 2009 second round draft picks)

13. Minnesota (Rodney Carney, Calvin Booth, and a future first round pick) & Philadelphia (future second round pick and $2.8 million dollar trade exemption)

14. Los Angeles Clippers (Marcus Camby) & Denver (Right to swap second round picks)

15. Orlando ($3.3 million dollar trade exception) & New Jersey (Keyon Dooling)

16. Golden State (Marcus Williams) & New Jersey (Conditional first round draft pick)

17. New York (Bobby Jones, Taurean Green, and 2010 second round draft pick) & Denver (Renaldo Balkman and cash considerations)

17. Los Angeles Clippers (Jason Hart) & Utah Jazz (Brevin Knight)

18. Houston (Ron Artest, Sean Singletary, and Patrick Ewing Jr.) & Sacramento (Bobby Jackson, Donte Greene, 2009 first round draft pick, and cash considerations)

State of the Union

2008-07-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

To all of our faithful readers,

This summer is filled to the brim with basketball.

1. Summer League kicks off next week with 21 NBA teams fielding teams and we will try to bring you as many highlights and write-ups as possible. Anybody who gets a chance to visit these games in person should definitely write about them in the comments section and we will post them alongside our analysis.

2. The Olympics begin in early August and we will have some coverage of the basketball event. There will be a focus on Team USA in the early rounds, as every nation will not be fully represented via broadcast, but as the tournament continues, our coverage should broaden its scope.

3. This is a giant summer for free-agency as we have already begun to witness. We will be tracking free-agency via a post that you can access at all times via a link on the right-hand side of the blog's layout.

Last month was our most successful month in the history of this blog and we would like to thank all of our readers for making this blog a success.

Sincerely,
The Boris Diaw School of Leisure

The Winners, Losers, Movers, and Shakers of the 2008 NBA Draft: The Lottery

2008-06-27T18:43:00.001-07:00

Fourteen teams participate in the NBA Draft Lottery. These are teams either rebuilding or on the cusp of success and through the lottery, they hope to find the answer to their problems. Here is part one of our analysis of the lottery teams' drafts.

Miami Heat (A)

Draft Picks: #2 (Michael Beasley), #52 (Darnell Jackson)
Subtractions: #52 (Darnell Jackson), Two future second-round picks, cash considerations
Additions: #34 (Mario Chalmers), 2009 second-round pick

#2 (Michael Beasley), #34 (Mario Chalmers), 2009 second-round pick

Pat Riley masterminded a draft-day that is clearly his best since becoming an NBA GM, and may not even be the Heat's last significant move this summer. Michael Beasley is one of the best collegiate scorers of all-time and he will be an instant star in Miami alongside of Dwayne Wade and Shawn Marion. Maybe along the way he will learn to play some defense. Miami traded two second round picks for NCAA Championship hero Mario Chalmers, arguably the best defensive point guard in the entire draft. As we have discussed before, Dwayne Wade needs a frontcourt mate with size that can knock down perimeter jumpshots, plays aggressive man defense, and can facilitate the offense; Mario Chalmers is by no means a complete player, but Chalmers could prove to be one of the true steals in the draft. The Heat exit this draft with two very important needs filled by two very talented players and look like, barring injury, they will be visiting the post-season next year.

Portland Trailblazers (A)

Draft Picks: #13 (Brandon Rush), #33 (Joey Dorsey), #36 (Omer Asik), #55 (Mike Taylor)
Subtractions: #13 (Brandon Rush), #27 (Darrell Arthur), #33 (Joey Dorsey), #36 (Omer Asik), #55 (Mike Taylor), Jarrett Jack, Josh McRoberts, cash considerations
Additions: #11 (Jerryd Bayless), #25 (Nicolas Batum), #27 (Darrell Arthur), Ike Diogu, Four 2009 second-round draft picks

#11 (Jerryd Bayless), #25 (Nicolas Batum), Ike Diogu, Four second-round draft picks

Kevin Pritchard has emerged as the best GM in the entire NBA by a fairly decent margin. Not only did he solve the Blazer's roster crunch, but he filled the gaps with better and younger players; according to rumor, Pritchard got the two players he was targeting all along during the draft. Jerryd Bayless is the ideal guard to play alongside of Brandon Roy, possessing the ability and athleticism to score by slashing or shooting and the court vision to play the point guard position. Nicolas Batum is an athletic wing prospect that has a smooth and versatile offensive game that brings to mind Andre Iguodala, and who could emerge as a starter down the line. Ike Diogu is a former lottery pick that is a proven scorer in the post with a developing face-up game who will push the Blazers post player for minutes. Last, but not least, the Blazers acquired four second-round picks in next year's drafts; it is almost needless to say that the Blazers will be an active trade entity in next year's draft. The Blazers are on the cusp of greatness and this draft is a continued step in the right direction.

Chicago Bulls (A-)

Draft Picks: #1 (Derrick Rose), #39 (Sonny Weems)
Subtractions: #39 (Sonny Weems), Three future second-round picks
Additions: #36 (Omer Asik)

#1 (Derrick Rose), #36 (Omer Asik)

While drafting Derrick Rose with the first pick presents the Bulls with more questions than answers, there is no denying the fact that Rose has the potential to be great. He will be the Bulls's franchise point guard for years to come and has the opportunity to end up somewhere between Chris Paul and Deron Williams if he improves as expected. Despite much debate on the subject, there is no denying Derrick Rose's legitimacy at this pick, and Chicago, looking for the best player available, could not pick anybody else. With Kirk Hinrich, Chris Duhon, Larry Hughes, Ben Gordon, and Thabo Sefolosha already on the roster, look for the Bulls to keep making moves searching for an offensively-sound post player. Acquiring Turkish rising-star big man Omer Asik, is a step in the right direction, but he is a few years away from competing and even joining the NBA. In addition, the Asik-gamble cost the Bulls three second-round draft picks. The Bulls did not get the best value out of the 39th pick as they passed up on Derrick Rose's running mate Chris Douglas-Roberts and Alabama bruiser Richard Hendrix in favor of Arkansas wing Sonny Weems. That being said, there is no denying the Derrick Rose pick, which saves the Bulls's rating from being significantly lower.

Indiana Pacers (A-)

Draft Picks: #11 (Jerryd Bayless), #41 (Nathan Jawai)
Subtractions: #11 (Jerryd Bayless), #41 (Nathan Jawai), Jermaine O'Neal, Ike Diogu
Additions: #13 (Brandon Rush), #17 (Roy Hibbert), T.J. Ford, Jarrett Jack, Rasho Nesterovic, Josh McRoberts, Maceo Baston

#13 (Brandon Rush), #17 (Roy Hibbert), T.J. Ford, Jarrett Jack, Rasho Nesterovic, Josh McRoberts, Maceo Baston

Though the Pacers gave up Jerryd Bayless and Jermaine O'Neal in the process, this draft is a positive step in the creation of a new era in Indiana. Brandon Rush will step in right away and provide tight perimeter defense in addition to his ability to start from day one at the shooting guard or small forward positions. Roy Hibbert's conditioning is still questionable, but there is no denying the fact that he can be a starting center in the NBA; he was the most polished two-way center in this draft. Behind Hibbert will be proven reserve and new Pacer, Rasho Nesterovic. The Pacers revived their lacking point guard rotation by adding former Toronto starter T.J. Ford and defensive stopper Jarrett Jack. In addition, the Pacers add local hero and versatile forward Josh McRoberts and Maceo Baston to increase the depth in the low post. The Pacers are back on the right track and its largely because of their success in this draft.

Minnesota Timberwolves (B+)

Draft Picks: #3 (O.J. Mayo), #31 (Nikola Pekovic), #34 (Mario Chalmers)
Subtractions: #3 (O.J. Mayo), #34 (Mario Chalmers), Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, Greg Buckner
Additions: #5 (Kevin Love), Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, Jason Collins, Two 2009 second-round draft picks, cash considerations

#5 (Kevin Love), #31 (Nikola Pekovic), Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, Jason Collins, Two 2009 second-round draft picks, cash considerations

The Timberwolves originally selected O.J. Mayo with this pick, but eventually traded him for Kevin Love and Mike Miller. Love brings toughness to the Minnesota front line, but his skill-set somewhat replicates Al Jefferson's all the way down to the fact that neither player excels on the defensive end. There is no denying, however, that Love is the best true post prospect in the draft and he will not disappoint playing under his idol Kevin McHale. Minnesota also added one of the most talented young players in Europe at #31 with the bruising big man Nikola Pekovic. Pekovic is locked into a contract for the near future, but he will make a splash in the NBA whenever he decides to come over. Despite absorbing Brian Cardinal's hefty contract, the Wolves were able to unload Marko Jaric's worse contract, and even picked up a solid post defender in Jason Collins. The most important acquisition, however, was the perimeter player Mike Miller who is a lights-out shooter as well as a versatile passer and rebounder. The Timberwolves may not be ready for the upper echelon of the Western Conference, this draft was a much needed step in the right direction. This is not something that Kevin McHale is used to hearing, either.

Seattle Supersonics (B)

Draft Picks: #4 (Russell Westbrook), #24 (Serge Ibaka), #32 (Walter Sharpe), #46 (Trent Plaisted), #50 (DeVon Hardin), #56 (Sasha Kaun)
Subtractions: #32 (Walter Sharpe), #46 (Trent Plaisted), #56 (Sasha Kaun)
Additions: #29 D.J. White

#4 (Russell Westbrook), #24 (Serge Ibaka), #29 (D.J. White), #50 (DeVon Hardin)

Selecting Russell Westbrook with the fourth pick was somewhat of a reach for the rebuilding Sonics as he is still learning the point guard position. His defensive ability and athleticism, however, suggest that he could be one of the better point guards in the NBA very soon. He will be a defensive stopper from day one and his slashing ability is good enough to allow him to play alongside of Kevin Durant immediately. Serge Ibaka may or may not sign a four-year contract with his Spanish team, which may make this pick an afterthought for a couple more years. Ibaka's athleticism and aggressiveness, however, leave Sonics fans with a lot to look forward to: especially if he improves as expected. D.J. White is a proven scorer in the low-post that can rebound the basketball and will strengthen the low post along with Chris Wilcox, Nick Collison, and Jeff Green. To bolster a center position filled with unfulfilled potential and softness, Cal big man DeVon Hardin arrives bringing his combination of rebounding prowess and solid defensive awareness to the table. He could emerge as one of the steals of this draft when it is all said and done. The Sonics did not have an incredible draft like they did last year, but it was very solid and all of these players should be able to contribute on this young team for a long time.

New Jersey Nets (B)

Draft Picks: #10 (Brook Lopez), #21 (Ryan Anderson), #40 (Chris Douglas-Roberts)
Subtractions: Richard Jefferson
Additions: Yi Jianlian, Bobby Simmons

#10 (Brook Lopez), #21 (Ryan Anderson), #40 (Chris Douglas-Roberts), Yi Jianlian, Bobby Simmons

The Nets made a pair of good draft picks and followed them up with some confusing moves. Brook Lopez should be a good acquisition with the 10th pick. He is a good offensive player, capable of scoring in a variety of ways with his back to the basket or facing the basket. He will fit right in with the solid Nets post rotation. Similarly, Chris Douglas-Roberts was a great pick at 40. His developed offensive game combined with his solid defense and overall intelligence will greatly help the Nets, who sacrificed starting wing Richard Jefferson for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. Yi should fit in well to the offense as he brings a lot of potential as well as a developing face-up game. That's why drafting Ryan Anderson at #21 is so confusing. Anderson, though a very talented scorer in the post and on the perimeter, replicates players that the Nets already have and even acquired in the draft. Perhaps a trade is in the works. The Nets are in a massive rebuilding phase and definitely improved on Draft Day. Lopez and Douglas-Roberts should contribute immediately, while Anderson and Yi may take more time to earn a spot in a clogged post rotation. But, at the end of the day, perhaps no team acquired as much raw talent (one lottery pick, one former lottery pick, two projected first rounders, and the former Sixth Man of the Year) as the Nets did on draft night.

New York Knicks (B)

Draft Picks: #6 (Danilo Gallinari)
Subtractions: None
Additions: None

#6 Danilo Gallinari

The Knicks still need a point guard, despite picking the talented Italian swingman Danilo Gallinari. Gallinari brings basketball IQ and versatility, including a very smooth jumpshot. He is a player that can be the glue for the discombobulated Knicks in the beginning and eventually become one of their best players. There's not much else to say about this pick besides the fact that New York might have gotten more value out of Jerryd Bayless or D.J. Augustin with this pick. That being said, Gallinari is very good, as New Yorkers will find out, and should thrive in Mike D'Antoni's motion offense.

Los Angeles Clippers (B)

Draft Picks: #7 (Eric Gordon), #35 (DeAndre Jordan)
Subtractions: 2009 second-round draft pick
Additions: #55 (Mike Taylor)

#7 (Eric Gordon), #35 (DeAndre Jordan), #55 (Mike Taylor)

The Clippers draft performance is somewhat inconclusive at this stage. With Eric Gordon, the Clippers picked one of the most versatile scoring guards in the college game, but may be dreaming if they think he can transition to the point guard or even combo guard position. Alongside a tall point guard like Shaun Livingston, Gordon should thrive, especially if he is getting a lot of touches per game. The real enigma, however, is DeAndre Jordan, who slipped from a rumored top-10 promise all the way to the 35th pick. Jordan is an athletic 7-foot center who could either work himself into an Andrew Bynum-esque success story or sit on the bench like Patric O'Bryant. Neither is a certainty, but this pick could pay tremendous dividends in the future and at the very worst, the Clippers have found a reliable back-up center. Mike Taylor is a quick and athletic combo-guard whose game resembles former Clipper Guillermo Diaz's. He might stick, but only because the Clippers badly need depth at the point guard position. Taking this analysis into consideration, the Clippers could either have a very good draft complete with one of the biggest steals of all time, or they could have a typical Clippers draft, full of disappointment and unfulfilled promise.

Charlotte Bobcats (B-)

Draft Picks: #9 (D.J. Augustin), #38 (Kyle Weaver)
Subtractions: Future protected first round draft pick
Additions: #20 (Alexis Ajinca)

#9 (D.J. Augustin), #20 (Alexis Ajinca), #38 (Kyle Weaver)

The Bobcats selected D.J. Augustin in the lottery and it seems as though it is time for Raymond Felton to find a new job. With Larry Brown at the helm, Augustin has the new coach's vote of confidence as well as a well-rounded offensive game and advanced point guard instincts. Ajinca looks to be a prospect of the future who should be a formidable defensive presence due to his long arms, solid lateral quickness, and athleticism. He has a developing offensive game, too, but should keep playing in Europe until he is physically and mentally ready to compete in the NBA. The Bobcats got incredible value out of the 38th pick, selecting defensive ace Kyle Weaver who brings combo-guard abilities to the table as well. He is not a great shooter, but he is a facilitator and his perimeter defense will allow him to cover point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards in the NBA. Weaver is not going to be a star, but he should be a good roleplayer on a Bobcats bench that is often short on defense. This is a typical Bobcats draft as neither Augustin nor Weaver are high-risk picks; even Ajinca should be able to achieve a defensive role in the NBA. The Bobcats look to finally be in the position to make the playoffs in a very weak Eastern Conference. This draft may have provided them with the depth to succeed, despite the fact that they could have done better with their first-round picks.

Memphis Grizzlies (B-)

Draft Picks: #5 (Kevin Love), #28 (Donte Greene)
Subtractions: #5 (Kevin Love), #28 (Donte Greene), Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, Jason Collins
Additions: #3 (O.J. Mayo), #27 (Darrell Arthur), Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, Greg Buckner

#3 (O.J. Mayo), #27 (Darrell Arthur), Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, Greg Buckner

The Memphis Grizzlies traded their biggest need for arguably the third best talent in the draft. Therefore, it's tough to really criticize the Memphis draft. O.J. Mayo is an elite talent who should be able to distinguish himself at either guard position and is better than most of Memphis's glut of point guards. Darrell Arthur is a potential steal in this draft, possessing the post game that the Grizzlies desire, but lacking the ideal size of an NBA big man. Jaric, Walker, and Buckner are all underachieving veterans who don't look to contribute much to this roster. The biggest problem with the Memphis draft is the loss of Mike Miller who was the most consistent scorer and most valuable trade asset going into this off-season. They did not get much for him, which is disappointing considering the possibilities that were suggested throughout the season by NBA personnel. This is a typical Chris Wallace draft, but made better by the fact that O.J. Mayo is an undeniable talent and Darrell Arthur literally fell into Memphis's lap. Memphis drafted better than most teams in the lottery, but there is no denying the fact that this team now has even more guards on their roster, worse contracts and egos, and still lacks depth in the frontcourt...

Milwaukee Bucks (C-)

Draft Picks: #8 (Joe Alexander), #37 (Luc Richard Mbah a Moute)
Subtractions: Yi Jianlian, Bobby Simmons
Additions: Richard Jefferson

#8 (Joe Alexander), #37 (Luc Richard Mbah a Moute), Richard Jefferson

The funniest thing about Milwaukee's draft day is that all of their moves, if analyzed individually, are genius. The problem, then? They traded for a player that looks to be a starting small forward and then drafted two small forwards to a roster that already has at least three small forwards. The current Milwaukee forward rotation looks like this: Richard Jefferson, Joe Alexander, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Charlie Villanueva, Desmond Mason, and David Noel. While I'm sure Mbah a Moute and Alexander would slide over to the power forward position to get some minutes, I am a little bit skeptical over Milwaukee's draft day movement. All of these players mesh well with Scott Skiles culture, all of these players are relative steals considering their draft position, but they all play the same position. This is, by far, Milwaukee's most confusing draft day move to date.

Golden State Warriors (D+)

Draft Picks: #14 (Anthony Randolph), #49 (Richard Hendrix)
Subtractions: None
Additions: None

#14 (Anthony Randolph), #49 (Richard Hendrix)

Last but not least, how could a draft analysis be complete with a team that could have revitalized its roster, but ultimately screwed it even further into the ground. Remember, of course, that the Warriors traded franchise star Jason Richardson for Brandan Wright last year. Well, this year, they drafted his clone in Anthony Randolph who is exactly the same size and stature and, like Wright, likely to play power-forward in the NBA. He is also a project and the Warriors need to win now before they are unable to manage the growing amount of desired contract extensions and the increasing age of their team. Then, to make matters worse, they steal Richard Hendrix, a player who could have been a key roleplayer on a championship-caliber halfcourt offensive team, but instead, will languish on the bench in the Bay Area due to his lack of quickness and athleticism. This was an incredibly good pick, but there is no denying how badly Hendrix fits into Golden State's system. This rating is somewhat open ended, just like last year's was. There is no telling how good or bad Randolph will become. There is a chance that an A is in order just as likely as the chance that the Warriors will earn an F based on hindsight.

Sacramento Kings (D)

Draft Picks: #12 (Jason Thompson), #42 (Sean Singletary), #43 (Patrick Ewing Jr.)
Subtractions: None
Additions: None

#12 (Jason Thompson), #42 (Sean Singletary), #43 (Patrick Ewing Jr.)

I will begin this grade by admitting that I love Jason Thompson. I have interviewed him before and he is a great person. He is also a developing player and I think that he could be a solid starter in a couple of years. I also think he will surprise some people in the beginning of his young career in Sacramento. The problem, however, is that Sacramento needed a guard and were 100% devoted to selecting a starting caliber lead guard in this draft. Instead? They draft a project power forward with developing skills to play alongside a project center with developing skills (Spencer Hawes). Then, to make matters worse, they draft a point guard who can't pass and who is maybe half as good as Mustafa Shakur was in Summer League last year. To compound this error, they selected Patrick Ewing Jr., a player that can be favorably compared to Renaldo Balkman, despite the fact that their small forward rotation is decided and completely full. Ewing Jr. and Thompson are nice upside picks and could both emerge as solid roleplayers in the near future, but the Kings could have gotten so much more value out of these picks and still have a gaping hole at the point guard position. In addition, GM Geoff Petrie did not even make a move to acquire a higher draft pick or a veteran player, seemingly settling for lesser prospects than could be acquired with each respective pick. Consider the D rating to be charitable.

Golden State Warriors (D)

Draft Picks: #14 (Anthony Randolph), #49 (Richard Hendrix)
Subtractions: None
Additions: None

#14 (Anthony Randolph), #49 (Richard Hendrix)

Last but not least, how could a draft analysis be complete with a team that could have revitalized its roster, but ultimately screwed it even further into the ground. Remember, of course, that the Warriors traded franchise star Jason Richardson for Brandan Wright last year. Well, this year, they drafted his clone in Anthony Randolph who is exactly the same size and stature and, like Wright, likely to play power-forward in the NBA. He is also a project and the Warriors need to win now before they are unable to manage the growing amount of desired contract extensions and the increasing age of their team. Then, to make matters worse, they steal Richard Hendrix, a player who could have been a key roleplayer on a championship-caliber halfcourt offensive team, but instead, will languish on the bench in the Bay Area due to his lack of quickness and athleticism. This was an incredibly good pick, but there is no denying how badly Hendrix fits into Golden State's system. This rating is somewhat open ended, just like last year's was. There is no telling how good or bad Randolph will become. There is a chance that an A is in order just as likely as the chance that the Warriors will earn an F based on hindsight.

Draft Day Movement, News, and Rumors.

2008-06-26T14:09:00.000-07:00

On Jay Bilas:

How does Jay Bilas have a job? Does he actually scout any of these players? Does Jay Bilas fetishize the bodies of young men? After all, the man thinks more about long arms, strength, and soft hands all of the time and cannot even talk about basketball without referring first to some physical characteristic. Decide the answers to some of these questions for yourself based on the following statements:

1. "[Robin Lopez] is more defensive oriented than his brother and he has bigger hair."

2. "There were some bigger guys who got into [Randolph's] body.

3. "Rose can dunk with his elbows."

4. "I do listen to Usher. It's on my iPod right now."

5. "Mayo is tough, strong, and nasty on the court."

Dick Vitale provided the most offensive and bizarre quotation of the night:

"Gallinari, D'Antoni: it sounds like a good Italian restaurant in New York."

To which Stuart Scott replied, "There are some people cheering for Danilo." This was before he was drowned out by boos.

Trades, Rumors, News:

Charlotte trades a future protected first-rounder to Denver for the 20th pick. With the 20th pick, the Bobcats look to acquire Roy Hibbert. This pick will give the Bobcats a future starting center, as well as a rookie that Larry Brown admires right off the bat.

Milwaukee trades forwards Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons to the New Jersey Nets for forward Richard Hamilton. This looks to complicate Milwaukee's decision at pick 8, as now a point guard such as Russell Westbrook might be more attractive instead of Joe Alexander.
-(EDIT: Could the Bucks be pursuing Anthony Randolph as their power forward of the future? Will they try to trade up to guarantee a shot at Kevin Love?)

There is a unsubstantiated rumor (courtesy of an anonymous Eastern Conference GM) that the Indiana Pacers have agreed to trade Jermaine O'Neal and the 41st pick to the Toronto Raptors for the 17th pick, T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, and Maceo Baston. The Pacers front office has dismissed this deal as speculation, but there are many sources throughout the league that believe it to be possible. With the 17th pick, the Pacers will likely target a big man such as Darrell Arthur, Marreese Speights, or J.J. Hickson, depending who is left on the board.
-(EDIT: Jermaine O'Neal himself has announced that this trade is very real, but must remain unofficial until T.J. Ford becomes a moveable player in mid-July. It is not known whether or not Toronto will make the 17th pick on behalf of the Raptors or if Indiana will make the 41st pick on behalf of the Pacers).

Another rumor out of the MSG war-room is that the Clippers have agreed to swap their 7th pick along with a future protected first rounder for Seattle's fourth pick if O.J. Mayo is selected by Minnesota. If this occurs, the Clippers will likely select Eric Gordon.

Congolese forward Serge Ibaka has reportedly requested to be selected in the second round in order to sign a long-term deal in Europe in the immediate future.

Rumors out of Portland suggest that the Blazers will select Donte Greene with the 13th pick to replace James Jones, who became a free-agent earlier today. Nicolas Batum likely has a promise to be selected by San Antonio with the 26th pick. Russell Westbrook and D.J. Augustin look to have promises from the Bobcats at the 9th pick depending on who is still available. All signs indicate that Westbrook is the preferred player.

Be on the lookout for Memphis to make a significant move with a lower lottery team looking to jump up the draft board.

*EXCLUSIVE BDSL RUMOR*

Earlier today, the Madison Square Garden Box Office released only 400 of what were assumed to be 2,000 General Admission tickets, which leads this blog to believe that these tickets will be for city-based corporations and high-rollers awaiting a significant move into the upper reaches of the lottery. This could be a move from the 6th pick either to Memphis's fifth pick, Seattle's fourth pick, Minnesota's third pick, or even Miami's second pick. More than ever, it seems like the Knicks are going to do whatever it takes to ensure they are able to draft O.J. Mayo, and if not Mayo, Jerryd Bayless or Russell Westbrook.

*EXCLUSIVE BDSL RUMOR*

For additional draft coverage, please check out some of the internet's greatest draft resource websites including:

Draft Express
Real GM

The Second Annual Readers' Draft Commentary Post

2008-06-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

Dear Faithful Boris Diaw School of Leisure Readers,

Tomorrow I will be attending the 2008 NBA Draft at Madison Square Garden's WAMU Theater in person and therefore, will not have the ability to formulate a live blog during the Draft.

I tried this last year, to meager results, but here is your opportunity to live blog the NBA Draft.

While you watch the draft, write your thoughts in the comments section of this post and upon my return to the blogosphere,I will publish your observations after the image below.

Thank you and Happy Drafting!

*Due to the severe ticket shortage (400 General Admission Tickets compared to 2,000 in years past), we will be reporting from afar once again. If you see James Dolan in the streets, punch him in the gut for even managing to screw up the NBA Draft for New York fans. This post is still active, though*