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NBA free agency: Mavericks to meet with Samuel Dalembert, never offered Andrew Bynum a contract

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After passing on making an offer to Andrew Bynum, the Dallas Mavericks will meet with free-agent big man Samuel Dalembert, according to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Mavs met with Bynum on Wednesday, but decided against offering a contract and quickly set their sights on Dalembert. ESPN's Marc Stein reports that the Atlanta Hawks also declined to offer a Bynum a contract, and the big man agreed to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Dalembert played for the Milwaukee Bucks last season, averaging 6.7 points and 5.5 rebounds. Dalembert made nearly $6.7 million last year for the Bucks, but with the emergence of Larry Sanders, the 32-year-old was pushed into a smaller role.

Dalembert won't secure a contract like his last one, but he's still a solid player who could get a nice little deal from the Mavs, who need a center. Dallas currently only has Bernard James at the center position.

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Grading the NBA free agent deals


The top players to watch at the 2013 Las Vegas NBA Summer League

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For many NBA fans, the Summer League circuit represents the first chance to see top draft picks compete at the professional level, and the last chance to soak in NBA basketball until training camp rolls around in the fall. In reality, the stakes are fairly low for the top players, the predictive value of the on-court results is murky at best, and most teams hope for the chance to experiment with their prospects and ultimately escape the event injury-free.

Two top-five picks from the 2013 NBA Draft will not be available to play due to injury -- No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett (shoulder) and No. 5 pick Alex Len (ankle) -- but there are still plenty of interesting prospects to watch. Rookie prospects Otto Porter, Cody Zeller, Ben McLemore, C.J. McCollum and Shabazz Muhammad will join second-year pros Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Dion Waiters, Thomas Robinson, Damian Lillard, Terrence Ross, Austin Rivers, Meyers Leonard, Kendall Marshall and John Henson to compete in Vegas from July 12-22.

Here's a quick breakdown of the tournament format, participating teams and the players you should be watching:

A New Format

In a new twist, the Las Vegas Summer League has chosen to adopt a single-elimination tournament format for the event. Each team will compete in three preliminary round games from July 12-16, and then the tournament bracket will be seeded based on those results. A tournament champion will be crowned on July 22. Every team is guaranteed to play at least five games.

Participating Teams

The following teams will participate in the 2013 Las Vegas Summer League:

Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA D-League Select, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards

2013 Rookies to Watch

Otto Porter -- The No. 3 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft headlines a Washington Wizards roster that also features Glen Rice Jr., Chris Singleton and Jan Vesely. Porter is a versatile player who should receive plenty of opportunities to set up the offense from the high post and try to create good looks for the offense. His defensive length and high basketball IQ should also serve him well in the Summer League setting. Wizards fans are excited about the possibilities with Porter, and here's part of the primer from Wizards blog Bullets Forever:

"...four days of mini-camp before Las Vegas isn't enough for him to grasp the fast-paced nature of NBA offenses, and it will reflect in his game as he takes the court on Saturday. Unlike last year with Beal, Wittman should be able to run more structured sets early on to get Porter easy looks at the basket, a luxury that wasn't afforded to the young shooting guard till later in the regular season. Rather than running Porter off classic pindowns or staggered screens, Wittman should be able to get Porter the ball on the move through HORNS sets when he's able to make quick decisions with the ball. The key is for him to discover his comfort zone now that he's away from Georgetown, and doing so in-games regardless of competition is always a plus."

Cody Zeller -- Zeller joins Kidd-Gilchrist and Bismack Biyombo on an intriguing Bobcats roster that sets up some competition in the front court. With Al Jefferson now on the roster, Zeller and Biyombo will compete for playing time during the upcoming season. Zeller has to show that he can handle the length of NBA defenders in the post, but Biyombo may be the player with the most to prove. For more, be sure to visit Rufus on Fire's Summer League preview.

Ben McLemore -- The sweet-shooting guard from Kansas could earn a big role with the Kings next season, and Summer League will be his first chance to prove that he's more assertive and aggressive as a scorer than scouts assumed. If nothing else, it will be fun to watch McLemore stroke the NBA three.

C.J. McCollum -- McCollum is coming off a foot injury in college and may be a bit rusty when he hits the court, but it will be very interesting to see how he adjusts to playing with Damian Lillard in any creative lineups the Trail Blazers choose to use. Combo guard scorers are used to operating the offense with the ball in their hands at all times. Will McCollum get that chance, or will he start his transition to the NBA by working off the ball?

Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng should both be fun to watch for Timberwolves fans. Muhammad is a known quantity as a scorer, but people will likely be tracking his assist numbers after a rough season at UCLA revealed some of the flaws in his game. Meanwhile, Dieng is an older prospect who should be able to make an impact as a defender right away.

2012 Lottery Picks to Watch

Several big-name players from the previous draft class will also be worth watching. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Thomas Robinson have plenty to prove after perhaps falling out of favor during their rookie seasons, but both players were considered premium prospects 12 months ago. How far have their games come since the end of the season?

Damian Lillard and Dion Waiters enjoyed a measure of success during their first years on the job, so most people will expect them to flash some dominance against questionable competition. These score-first guards will get the chance to use plenty of possessions and run the offenses as they please. It's not clear if Lillard will play, but he is listed on Portland's roster.

Austin Rivers and Kendall Marshall failed to impress anyone last season, and now both prospects are up against difficult situations with their teams. Rivers posted awful numbers during his rookie season, and now he could get buried behind Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon on the Pelicans' roster. Marshall got less playing time in 2012-13, but now Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe stand in his way. If either player shows a pulse, they could help their trade value.

Finally, Meyers Leonard, Terrence Ross and John Henson will get the chance to show they're ready to assume a bigger role on their respective NBA squads next season. All three players flashed some interesting potential, and minutes should be available to earn when the season rolls around.

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2013 Vegas Summer League begins: Kings' first game on Saturday

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All hail Vegas Summer League, the 2013 edition of which tips off on Friday. The Sacramento Kings' entry won't get into action until Saturday. Here's a refresher on the Kings' schedule. All times Pacific.

Sat., July 13: Kings vs. Mavericks, 3 p.m., Cox Pavilion
Mon., July 15: Kings vs. Warriors, 5:30 p.m., Thomas & Mack
Tue., July 16: Kings vs. Timberwolves, 3 p.m., Cox

Then the Kings will play at least two additional games from Wednesday, July 17, through the weekend. Teams will be seeded and a tournament bracket will ensue. Stay tuned on that.

Here's the Kings' roster. Only player currently with a guaranteed contract is Ben McLemore, though Ray McCallum may very well sign on before we tip off.

Forwards
Ashley Hamilton (Loyola Marymount)
C.J. Aiken (St. Joe's)
Chris Evans (Kent State)
Drew Gordon (New Mexico)
Nick Minnerath (Detroit)

Guards
Ben McLemore (Kansas)
Ray McCallum (Detroit)
Will Clyburn (Iowa State)
Shane Gibson (Sacred Heart)
Jorge Gutierrez (Cal)
David Lighty (Ohio State)
Trent Lockett (Marquette)
Kyle Randall (Central Michigan)

Centers
Xavier Gibson (Florida State)
Garrett Stutz (Wichita State)

A couple of these guys could be cut Friday morning, though having 15 players is pretty normal. Chris Jent will coach the team.

Games will be available on NBA TV, some on tape delay. (There are conflicting games due to two sites.) But you can catch everything live and archived through NBA.com's Summer League Broadband package, which is $15.

section214 is down there and will be delighting us with vignettes. If you're headed down too, speak up.

NBA free agency: Monta Ellis, Mavericks reach 3-year deal, according to report

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Monta Ellis and the Dallas Mavericks have reached a three-year deal that is worth at least $25 million and could rise to as much as $30 million, reports Marc Stein of ESPN. The Mavericks had cleared cap space for an opportunity to land a "big name" free agent, and after missing out on a handful of marquee names, have now moved on to Ellis.

Ellis averaged 19.2 points per game on 41 percent shooting last season with the Milwaukee Bucks. He declined his $11 million player option to become an unrestricted free agent.

Ellis had narrowed his free agency search down to three teams -- the Atlanta Hawks, the Sacramento Kings and the Mavericks -- earlier in the week.

While missing on pitches to both free agent big men Andrew Bynum and Dwight Howard, the Mavericks have spent their summer adding guards to their roster. Devin Harris, Jose Calderon and Wayne Ellington have all been added to the Mavericks, and now there's another guard joining the fold.

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Greivis Vasquez is 8 weeks from being medically cleared, will be ready for training camp

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The Greivis Vasquez-Tyreke Evans deal was made official on Thursday, and Vasquez was able to talk to the local media on Friday. The usual platitudes were volleyed about -- his enthusiasm sounds great in print -- but there's also a bit of news: he expects to be medically cleared to resume basketball activities in eight weeks, putting him healthy in time for training camp, which typically begins in the last days of September.

Vasquez had surgery to remove bone spurs from his right ankle at the end of the Hornets' 2012-13 season.

Knock on wood, but the incumbent Kings returning for next season are all believed to be healthy.

Vasquez plays for the Venezuelan national team in FIBA competition, but I assume the surgery recovery knocks him out of the 2013 FIBA Americas tournament, which begins August 30. An eight-week timetable from now puts Vasquez still uncleared by the time the action begins. Unfortunately, Vasquez's home city of Caracas is actually hosting the tournament this year. The top four finishers at the tournament qualify for the next FIBA World Cup.

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Some Thoughts on the Raptors, Tanking, and Mediocrity

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If we can project one thing about next season with certainty it's that there are going to be some really bad teams in the NBA. As well as the usual suspects of ineptitude-the Bobcats (even with Big Al) and Kings-you can add the Celtics, Magic, Jazz, Suns, Sixers, and Lakers (if they're smart) into the mix of general awfulness.

Of course, every NBA season features its fair share of teams that are going to lose a lot of games, but in 2013/14, mostly because the 2014 draft is projected to be the most stacked since 2003, there appears to be more teams than usual content to gut their core, let expensive free-agents walk, and retool with a high draft pick in the summer.

As Braedon Clark recently pointed out, however, the Raptors, as currently constructed, won't be one of those rebuilding/tanking teams. They won't be a good team either-again, as currently constructed, their ceiling might be 35 or so wins, and potentially not bad enough to end up in the draft lottery. Whatever your opinion is on Rudy Gay and DeMar DeRozan, in that duo the Raptors possess enough scoring in a weak Eastern Conference to fight for the seventh or eighth seed.

For many people, fans and executives alike, the thought of their team being stuck in basketball no-man's land - not good enough to seriously challenge for a title, or even get out of the first round of the playoffs - and not bad enough to improve through the draft, is extremely frustrating. In theory you'd much rather be the Bobcats - acquiring high drafts picks and with tons of cap room-than the consistently mediocre Milwaukee Bucks. (Well, maybe you don't quite want to be the Bobcats, but you get the point).

This viewpoint makes a lot sense. I'm very partial to the idea of avoiding mediocrity, particularly when it comes to teams like the Celtics and Lakers-teams that have had success in the past, are big, secure players in their respective markets, and to whom finishing eighth and getting swept by the first seed is an exercise in futility.

But what about a team like the Raptors, a team that has only made the playoffs 5 times in 19 seasons, the last time being the 2007-08 season? If, for example, the Lakers decide to gut their team and miss the playoffs for a couple seasons, their fans (if the plan is articulated clearly) probably won't mind too much. But for the Raptors, is another two or three seasons of not making the post-season something that everyone's completely cool with? That question isn't rhetorical. I'm genuinely asking.

On a recent CBS Eye on Basketball podcast Zach Harper, a long-suffering Timberwolves fan, said that he'd be happy if his team just scraped into the playoffs next season. He was just plain of sick tanking and following the draft lottery standings every year. Being able to cheer for his team during relevant games in April, and in the playoffs - however fleeting that experience turned out to be - would be satisfactory for Harper.

Granted, from the perspective of the Raptors' long-term strategy, which should be to win a championship (if it isn't, then why bother with this basketball stuff?) just scraping into the playoffs isn't the best thing. But there are other things to consider here. The Raptors don't dominate the sporting landscape of Toronto - everyone knows that - and it's rare that they capture the imagination of a hockey-obsessed populace.

While it's easy to sell a rebuild/tank to the hardcore, basketball-obsessed fans that will stay loyal no matter what, it's a lot harder to attract the attention of the casual fan during a rebuild: a casual fan that may go to a Raptors game, or buy merchandise when the team is competitive. That exposure and those fans are important too.

Related to this is, of course, the financial bottom line. In sports there will always be clashes between ownership and management given the financial consequences at stake when a team doesn't make the post-season. Even for teams that are swept in the first round, particularly small-market teams, those two home playoff games are immensely valuable. Bucks owner Herb Kohl, to the frustration of many, is adamant that his team should at least try to scrape into the playoffs every year. General Managers may prefer to pass on those potential first-round drubbings, but they aren't the ones cutting the cheques.

Even though their current status as a playoff bubble team isn't ideal, tanking is a dangerous game for the Raptors. As we found out in 2006, having a high draft pick is no guarantee of success, and losing year after year can breed a fan base that moves from angry, to cynical, to the extremely dangerous, franchise-killing emotion of indifference.

Sure, I'd love to see the Raptors try to snare Andrew Wiggins and slowly build a contender-I realize that, technically, it's the sensible way to go about things. But I also know that I'm sick of not seeing playoff basketball at the ACC, and sick of watching meaningless games in March and April. And even knowing what we all know about teams that fight for the 8th seed year after year, when the Raptors are gearing up for that Game 3 in Toronto against an Eastern Conference powerhouse, everything else will fade into the background-at least for a couple of hours.

Scraping into the playoffs may be the sporting equivalent of reckless, instant gratification, but it isn't without its benefits.

Las Vegas Summer League 2013: Day 2 schedule and TV times

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It will be a busy Saturday in the Las Vegas Summer League, as there are seven games on tap. The slate of games will tip off at 4 p.m. ET with a battle between the Golden State Warriors and the Washington Wizards. Let's take a brief look at the key players in each game on the docket.

Golden State Warriors vs. Washington Wizards, 4 p.m.

Players to watch: For the Warriors, first-round draft pick Nemanja Nedovic likely won't play due to an ankle injury. That should give Scott Machado, a star of the 2012 Summer League, plenty of time at point guard. Second-year players Draymond Green and Kent Bazemore have the tools to dominate the competition. Meanwhile, many eyes will be on Otto Porter, the No. 3 overall pick for Washington. Jan Vesely, the No. 6 pick in 2011, will also be in action.

Sacramento Kings vs. Dallas Mavericks, 6 p.m.

Players to watch: No. 7 pick Ben McLemore should be the star for Sacramento. The Kings' guard has the potential to flourish thanks to his scoring ability and athleticism. Point guard Ray McCallum is also one to look out for, as the Kings' second-round pick enjoyed a very productive college career. For the Mavericks, second-round pick Ricky Ledo takes the court after not playing a single game in college. Jae Crowder, a 2012 Summer League star, is playing in the Summer League again this season.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. D-League Select Team, 6:30 p.m.

Players to watch:Shabazz Muhammad was one of the top prospects coming out of high school, but his stock dropped due to an age scandal and an uneven year at UCLA. Still, the No. 14 pick has plenty of talent and he will put it on display for Minnesota. No. 21 pick Gorgui Dieng will also suit up for Minnesota. He was a dominant defensive player during his college career. The D-League Select Team features Darnell Jackson and Kyle Weaver, two former college stars who have each spent time in the NBA.

Chicago Bulls vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 8 p.m.

Players to watch: No. 20 pick Tony Snell will play for Chicago, possibly showing off the solid shooting stroke and defensive ability that intrigued the Bulls. Second-year point guard Marquis Teague struggled at times during the 2012 Summer League. A strong 2013 performance, however, could help him work his way into the Bulls' rotation. For the Grizzlies, 2012 first-round pick Tony Wroten will get a chance to run the team, while 2013 second-round pick Jamaal Franklin will make his debut.

Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 8:30 p.m.

Players to watch:Kendall Marshall returns after a poor 2012 Summer League performance and an uneventful 2012-13 NBA regular season. Archie Goodwin, the No, 29 pick in the 2013 draft, will likely play next to Marshall in the backcourt. The Blazers have a lot of NBA talent on their Summer League roster, and there's even a chance Damian Lillard plays a bit. Second-year big man Meyers Leonard is a player to monitor, as are 2013 draft picks C.J. McCollum and Allen Crabbe.

Denver Nuggets vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 10 p.m.

Players to watch: Nuggets 2012 first-round draft pick Evan Fournier didn't play much last season, but he should have plenty of time to shine in Las Vegas. Second-round pick Erick Green will be intriguing to watch for his scoring potential, while 2012 second-round pick Quincy Miller has loads of ability. For the Bucks, second-round pick Nate Wolters transitions to the NBA after four seasons at South Dakota State. John Henson is probably the best player on Milwaukee's roster.

Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors, 10:30 p.m.

Players to watch: The two-time defending champion Heat also played in the Orlando Summer League. Second-round pick James Ennis showed some flashes in Orlando. Undrafted point guard Myck Kabongo will get another shot to prove that he can run the show. The Raptors' roster is headlined by 2011 No. 5 pick Jonas Valanciunas and 2012 No. 8 pick Terrence Ross.

How to watch Saturday's games

The Warriors-Wizards, Kings-Mavs, Bulls-Grizzlies and Nuggets-Bucks will all be broadcast live on NBA TV. All of the games are available live online with the purchase of NBA.com's Summer League Live subscription.

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Dallas Mavericks Las Vegas Summer League Game One

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The Dallas Mavericks take on the Sacremento Kings today in their first matchup in the 2013 Las Vegas Summer League, live on NBATV at 6 PM ET from the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.

The Dallas Mavericks roster can be found here:

Jae Crowder

Josh Akognon

Shane Larkin*

Gal Mekel

Christian Watford

Bernard James

Ricky Ledo

Dewayne Dedmon

Hamady N'Diaye

D.J. Stephens

Alexandre Paranhos

Jud Dillard

Terrico White

*Shane Larkin of course will be out after injuring his ankle.

The Kings roster can be found here. Expected to be in uniform is Kings first round pick, Ben McLemore.

Follow on NBATV if you can, or online here at SB Nation and at nba.com. Also be sure to follow the MMB Vegas contingent: @LJRotter , @SmitheeMMB , @andytobo , @KirkSeriousFace

Get your chat on, Mavericks fans!


Summer League Recap: Mavs steal one from Kings, 76-73

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The Dallas Mavericks took on the Sacramento Kings to open their Summer League stretch, live from the Cox Pavilion. Despite trailing most of the game, the Mavericks pulled out the win.

The box score, courtesy of NBA.com:

SACRAMENTO KINGS (0-1)
FIELD GOALSREBOUNDS
POSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-A+/-OFFDEFTOTASTPFSTTOBSBAPTS
W. ClyburnG13:302-80-31-1-71451201025
N. MinnerathF15:332-50-00-0+31121312014
X. GibsonF-C14:040-30-00-0+12130402000
B. McLemoreG31:224-231-112-4-323500120011
R. McCallumG30:273-110-15-6-617845322111
D. Gordon24:067-120-33-5-6281003130117
D. Lighty19:510-30-10-0+30112000000
C. Aiken19:475-51-12-2+121302021013
J. Gutierrez09:331-20-02-2+30000320004
T. Lockett21:473-51-11-2-40441311108
C. EvansDNP - COACH'S DECISION
S. GibsonDNP - COACH'S DECISION
K. RandallDNP - COACH'S DECISION
G. StutzDNP - COACH'S DECISION
Totals20027-773-2116-221130419259154573
35.1%14.3%72.7%TEAM REBS: 14TOTAL TO: 16
DALLAS MAVERICKS (1-0)
FIELD GOALSREBOUNDS
POSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-A+/-OFFDEFTOTASTPFSTTOBSBAPTS
J. CrowderF/C29:127-161-61-1+817825130016
C. WatfordF11:540-20-20-0+10110001100
B. JamesF/C24:360-40-02-4+63691713312
J. AkognonG27:028-143-63-3+311203000122
G. MekelG29:075-101-23-4+404443030114
T. White10:522-40-00-0+21231000004
R. Ledo22:314-50-01-2-11231003009
J. Dentmon14:393-80-23-3+21232321019
H. N'Diaye15:210-20-00-2-31120000100
D. Dedmon10:240-40-00-0-130220201000
J. Carmichael04:230-10-10-0+60000100000
J. DillardDNP - COACH'S DECISION
S. LarkinDNP - COACH'S DECISION
A. ParanhosDNP - COACH'S DECISION
D. StephensDNP - COACH'S DECISION
Totals20029-705-1913-199283711244155476
41.4%26.3%68.4%TEAM REBS: 11TOTAL TO: 16

So, Dallas trailed by five after one, seven at halftime, and five after the third, but saved their best for last.

The game started in predictably sloppy fashion, as both teams looked a little out of shape and short on most jumpers. The lone exception was Josh Akognon, the former Cal-State Fullerton standout who had the stroke working all game long.

Dallas would have a lot of trouble on the defensive end, allowing penetration off pick and rolls, and easy offensive putbacks off missed shots(of which there were plenty).

Dallas managed to make a mini run just before half-time(mainly off free throws), and also at the start of the third quarter, but Sacramento continued to push back. It wasn't until the fourth when Dallas finally managed to break free, thanks to the strong play of Akognon, Gal Mekel and Ricky Ledo, as well as a few timely points from Jae Crowder.

Some observations:

  • For the "veterans", there is an expectation that guys who have played real NBA minutes should dominate in this environment. Jae Crowder did not do this. 7-16 from the floor, Crowder continued to hoist jumpers, and he's yet to prove that's a good thing. Though he had some success from midrange, 1-6 from three is worrisome.
  • Bernard James was a mixed bag. He did grab 9 boards and blocked 3 shots, but went 0-4 from the field and picked up 7 fouls, allowing too many putbacks and interior passes. He also had trouble catching passes at the other end, which will make his offensive contributions minuscule without any sort of post game or face-up shot.
  • The MVP was clearly Josh Akognon. The tiny sparkplug had no hesitation to shoot and with good reason, going 8-14 for 22 points. Akognon got into a few games last year for the big club, and with yesterday's injury news at point guard, he undoubtedly sees a opening.
  • Gal Mekel had a pretty nice game, also, showing patience and the ability to get into the lane, where his size and passing ability could be major assets for Dallas. A couple of nice floaters should help him make up for the lack of elite athleticism. He even hit a jumpshot, though he requires quite a bit of windup to let loose. Mekel did not embarrass himself, and that's a good thing, because as of today he is pencilled in as the backup point guard. About the only thing he did that I could criticize was overuse the behind the back pass once or twice.
  • Ricky Ledo didn't get a lot of playing time in the first half, but he came alive after halftime, going 4-5 and hitting a couple of tough fadeaway jumpers. Even if he's got the Nick Young profile, he's intriguing, and bears close watching throughout the upcoming week. You see the size, shooting touch and ball-handling skill, and he was as confident as you can expect from someone who didn't go to college. Ledo is going to be an important test for the Dallas coaching staff developmentally. The talent is there.

Dallas takes on the Charlotte Bobcats tomorrow at 6 PM Eastern Time. Be sure to check back here for more Mavs updates, and follow us on twitter!

NBA Summer League 2013: Ben McLemore struggles to find shot in Kings debut

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The stage was set for Ben McLemore to impress in his first appearance as a member of the Sacramento Kings. New owner Vivek Ranadive, general manager Pete D'Alessandro and even boxing champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. were in the house to watch the Kansas standout. But instead of a great game, McLemore had a bad game, a really bad game. He finished with 11 points on 4-23 shooting, including 1-11 on three-point attempts, in the Kings 76-73 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

While McLemore didn't play well in his Summer League debut, it's just one game. McLemore is a very good shooter, making 49 percent of his shots and 42 percent from three-point range in college. He did a good job creating open looks for himself coming off of screens in the game, and the five rebounds he grabbed also showed that he stayed engaged in other areas of the game despite the poor shooting performance.

That engagement and the 23 shots taken may be the two most important indicators in McLemore's game. As Jonathan Tjarks pointed out before the draft, McLemore at times can take himself out for stretches.

As an unselfish player without great ball-handling ability, McLemore has the tendency to disappear when the offense stagnates.

Again, it's just one game, but it looks like the Kings are going to be insistent on getting McLemore the ball and making sure he stays aggressive. Fellow rookie Ray McCallum also struggled shooting for the Kings, but did have four assists and eight rebounds while serving as the team's primary ball handler.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks were without first-round pick Shane Larkin, who suffered a broken ankle in a Friday practice. Second-year men Jae Crowder and Josh Akognon, as well as rookie Gal Mekel, led the charge for the Mavericks, scoring a combined 52 of the Mavericks' 76 points.

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Miami Heat Player Countdown: #154-150

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154. Gerald Fitch


Gerald Fitch, born August 12th, 1982, was a 6'3" point guard from Columbus, GA. He played four seasons of college ball for the University of Kentucky Wildcats, averaging 11 points, four rebounds, and two assists in 26 minutes per game. He was not drafted, and left the Wildcats after graduating with the Class of 2004. In October, the Washington Wizards signed him to a free agent contract, but he did not make it out of training camp, getting waived the day before the season started. He ended up playing abroad that year, seeing time with Cibona Zagreb and with Khimik Yuzhny.

Prior to the 2005-06 season, the Heat signed Fitch to a free agent contract for $359,858. He played just over a quarter per appearance, getting into 18 games total, including one start. He shot 33.7% from the field with occasional three points attempts, also making 33 assists and grabbing 30 boards. On December 20th, he scored a career high 15 points on four-of-seven shooting, pitching in with five rebounds, two assists and a steal in a 111-92 Heat win over the Atlanta Hawks. On January 6th, he passed out a career high six assists in just over a half of action, scoring five points and grabbing four rebounds in a loss, 111-93 to the Phoenix Suns. On February 23rd, Miami traded him to the Houston Rockets for Derek Anderson and a trade exception.

Fitch has yet to reappear on an NBA roster since then. He has spent his playing career mostly in Europe, namely in Turkey, Italy, and Spain. He currently suits up for Strasbourg IG, a French team founded in 1928.

All-Time Statline: One season, 18 games, 13.3 minutes, 4.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.3 blocks, 10.2 PER, 0.1 win shares.

153. Tyrone Hill


Tyrone Hill was a 6'9" power forward from Cincinnati, OH. Born on March 19th, 1968, he played four seasons collegiately with the Xavier Commodores, averaging 16 points and 11 rebounds per contest. The Golden State Warriors selected him with their first pick in the 1990 draft, 11th overall.

Hill played three seasons with Golden State, leading the NBA with 315 personal fouls in 1991-92. Considered as little more than bench depth through most of his time with the Warriors, Golden State dealt him to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a 1994 first round pick during the 1993 offseason.

Hill enjoyed his greatest NBA success with the Cavs, earning a spot on the all-star team in 1995, when he averaged 13 points and 11 rebounds per game. He would spend four seasons with Cleveland, later appearing with the Milwaukee Bucks (74 games), the Philadelphia 76ers (165 games), for a second stint with the Cavs (58 games), and again with the Sixers (24 games).

On November 7th, 2003, Hill signed a free agent contract to play for the Heat for $221,829. He appeared in five games, going three-for-five from the field, grabbing eight rebounds, and committing 10 personal fouls in 38 minutes on the floor. He scored nearly all his points on November 21st, in a 101-91 loss to Golden State, where he made all three of his field goal tries in 11 minutes of game action (he also committed three fouls). It was the last time that Hill played professionally. Off the court, he owns All Net Records, an independent label in Cincinnati.

All-Time Statline: One season, five games, 7.6 minutes, 1.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.0 assists, 0.0 steals, 0.2 blocks, 8.2 PER, 0.1 win shares.

152. Antonio Lang


Antonio Lang was a 6'8" small forward from Mobile, AL. Born on May 15th, 1972, he played four seasons with the Duke University Blue Devils, graduating in 1994. He averaged 30 minutes, 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and an assist per game during his senior season. The Phoenix Suns made him their second round pick that year, 29th overall.

Due to a knee injury, the Suns limited Lang's playing time his rookie season, appearing in 12 games and 53 minutes overall. Just before the 1995-96 season, Phoenix traded him along with Dan Majerle and a first round pick (Brevin Knight) for Hot Rod Williams to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played 105 games over two seasons in Cleveland, averaging 2.7 points and 1.6 assists in 12.2 minutes per appearance.

Just before the 1997-98 season, Lang signed a free agent contract with the Golden State Warriors, but failed to make the opening day squad. On March 13th, the Heat signed him to a 10-day contract (which they later extended through the end of the season). He played six games with the Heat, scoring 12 points on three-of-five shooting with five rebounds. On March 31st, he played 11 minutes of a 121-95 win over the Boston Celtics, scoring six points on two-of-three shooting with a rebound and a steal. Miami released him in July.

Lang later suited up for the Cavaliers (10 games), the Toronto Raptors (seven games) and the Philadelphia 76ers (three games). He went on to play in the CBA, in Japan, and in the Phillipines. He is currently the head coach for the Mitsubishi Diamond Dolphins in Japan.

All-Time Statline: One season, six games, 4.8 minutes, 2.0 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.0 blocks, 14.9 PER, 0.1 win shares.

151. Jeff Malone


Jeff Malone, born June 28th, 1961, was a 6'4" shooting guard from Mobile, AL. He played four seasons in college with the Mississippi State Bulldogs, averaging 20 points and four boards in a rest-deprived 35 minutes per contest. The Washington Bullets spent their 1983 first round pick on him, 10th overall.

Malone made the all-rookie team with the Bullets, playing just over a half per game and averaging 12 points with two rebounds and two assists per appearance. He ultimately spent seven seasons in our nation's capital, earning two all-star selections and playing in 548 games (eighth all-time). He averaged 20 points, three rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes per game. He also ranks second all-time on the franchise scoring leaderboard, behind only Wes Unseld with 11,083. During the 1990 offseason, Malone found himself traded to the Utah Jazz as part of a three team trade also involving the Sacramento Kings.

Malone played for parts of four seasons in Utah (279 games), later also appearing with the Philadelphia 76ers in parts of three (71 games). Miami picked him off waivers from Philadelphia on February 12, 1996, eventually signing him through the rest of the season.

With Miami, Malone averaged 15 minutes off the bench over seven appearances, shooting 39.4% from the floor. On February 15th, he played in 26 minutes of a 97-91 Heat win over the Denver Nuggets. Malone shot four-of-seven from the floor for 10 points, also helping the cause with two rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Miami released him after the season.

Malone played the following season in Greece before calling it quits. He went into coaching, with the IBL's San Diego Stingrays, the CBA's Columbus Riverdragons, and the now-defunct CBA Florida Flame.

All-Time Statline: One season, seven games, 14.7 minutes, 4.4 points, 1.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.0 blocks, 8.0 PER, 0.1 win shares.

150. Sean Marks


Sean Marks, a native of Auckland, New Zealand, was a 6'10" center and power forward. Born on August 23rd, 1975, he played four collegiate seasons with the California Bears. The New York Knicks chose him with their second round pick of the 1998 draft, 44th overall. The following day, the Knicks sent him with cash and Charles Oakley to the Toronto Raptors for Marcus Camby.

Marks played sparingly over two seasons with the Raptors, totaling 40 minutes in 13 games. After playing 2000-01 in Poland, the Heat signed him for two-years and $1,178,255.

In 2001-02, Marks shot 43.2% from the floor, with 75 rebounds over 21 contests. On November 6th, he started at center and scored a season high 15 on seven-of-nine shooting with five rebounds, two assists and a block in an 87-85 Heat win over the Seattle Supersonics. On November 20th, he logged a double-double, scoring 11 points with 11 rebounds in an 80-73 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Marks was moved to power forward for Miami in 2002-03, playing 23 games and shooting 37.3% from the field with 35 rebounds. During that season, he never scored more than six points and never grabbed more than four rebounds.

Marks later played for the San Antonio Spurs (48 games), the Phoenix Suns (22 games), the New Orleans Hornets (74 games), and the Portland Trail Blazers (29 games). After officially retiring from the game in 2011, he was hired in some capacity with the Spurs.

All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 44 games, 12.3 minutes, 3.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.2 steals, 0.4 blocks, 6.4 PER, 0.1 win shares.

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NBA free agency: Heat, Spurs reportedly frontrunners for Greg Oden

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Free-agent center Greg Oden is still being courted by several teams, with the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings showing the most interest, according to Lang Greene of HOOPSWORLD. Greene says Oden is looking for a multi-year deal and a chance to become a regular rotation player next season.

ESPN's Marc Stein reports that the Heat and Spurs are the frontrunners for Oden's services, and that the big man will be in Las Vegas this week to meet with a couple other suitors. The Kings are among that group, as are the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks. The meeting with the Mavs will reportedly take place on Monday.

Between the two frontrunners, Miami can offer Oden a more lucrative contract. The Heat still have the taxpayer mid-level exception at their disposal, while the Spurs can only offer a minimum contract.

Oden, 25, is trying to make a return to the NBA following a third microfracture knee surgery in February 2012. The top overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft hasn't played a single game in the league since Dec. 2009.

In 82 career games, Oden has posted averages of 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.

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Las Vegas Summer League 2013: Day 4 schedule, TV times, and who to watch

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Monday brings another full day of action at the Las Vegas Summer League, with seven games on the slate. Day 4 will tip off at 4 p.m. ET with a game between No. 4 pick Cody Zeller and the Charlotte Bobcats and the New York Knicks. Let's take a brief look at each game.

New York Knicks (1-1) vs. Charlotte Bobcats (1-1), 4 p.m.

Players to watch: Zeller had 21 points and 13 rebounds in an 86-80 Bobcats victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Zeller went 6-of-12 from the field and went 9-of-9 from the free throw line. 2012 No. 2 pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 11 points in the win. For the Knicks, Tim Hardaway Jr. has been impressive thus far, but he did suffer a wrist injury on Sunday. It's unclear just how serious the injury is.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2-0) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (1-1), 6 p.m.

Players to watch:Dion Waiters followed up a brutal Summer League opener with a 23-point point performance in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Anthony Bennett continues to sit out with a shoulder injury. Austin Rivers has played extremely well for the Pelicans, averaging 19.5 points through two games.

Minnesota Timberwolves (0-1) vs. Phoenix Suns (1-0), 6:30 p.m.

Players to watch: Timberwolves first-round pick Shabazz Muhammad had an uneventful Summer League debut, scoring seven points on 3-of-7 shooting in a loss to the D-League Select Team. No. 21 pick Gorgui Dieng had four points and four rebounds. For the Suns, first-round pick Archie Goodwin had 13 points in a victory over the Trail Blazers on Saturday. 2012 first-round pick Kendall Marshall was quiet, scoring five points and handing out four assists.

Los Angeles Clippers (1-1) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (1-1), 8 p.m.

Players to watch: No. 25 pick Reggie Bullock has scored 18 points in each of the Clippers' first two Summer League games. Samardo Samuels played well on Sunday, scoring 15 points and grabbing six rebounds. The Lakers have not received any standout performances yet this summer, although Marcus Landry has averaged 14.0 points through two games.

Sacramento Kings (0-1) vs. Golden State Warriors (1-0), 8:30 p.m.

Players to watch: Kings No. 7 pick Ben McLemore went just 4-of-23 in his Summer League debut, while second-round pick Ray McCallum had 11 points on 3-of-11 shooting. Kent Bazemore had 21 points in a Warriors victory on Friday, while Draymond Green had 15 points. Green shot just 1-of-9 from the field, but he went 12-of-14 from the free throw line.

San Antonio Spurs (1-1) vs. Atlanta Hawks (1-1), 10 p.m.

Players to watch: Spurs second-round draft pick Deshaun Thomas played well in a loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, scoring 16 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Cory Joseph also had 16 points in the loss. For the Hawks, second-year guard John Jenkins is averaging 21.5 points through two games. Rookie point guard Dennis Schroeder is averaging 7.5 assists and fellow first-round pick Lucas Nogueira leads the team with 6.0 rebounds per game.

Chicago Bulls (1-0) vs. Denver Nuggets (0-1), 10:30 p.m.

Players to watch:Andrew Goudelock had 26 points in the Bulls' Summer League opening win over the Grizzlies. Second-year point guard Marquis Teague had 12 points and seven assists, while No. 20 pick Tony Snell had seven points. Nuggets 2012 first-round pick Evan Fournier had 10 points in a blowout loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. Quincy Miller had nine points and eight rebounds.

How to watch Monday's games

Knicks-Bobcats, Cavs-Pelicans, Clippers-Lakers and Spurs-Hawks will be broadcast live on NBA TV. Kings-Warriors and Bulls-Nuggets will be shown later in the night. All of the games are available live online with the purchase of NBA.com's Summer League Live subscription.

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Monday Mail Sac: VSL notes, televised Kings games options, and being a hater

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Before we get to the mailbag, a few random observations from Vegas Summer League (all player comments have been approved by the Small Sample Size Institute):

  • Yeah, I know, 4-23 for McLemore. But only about four of those shots were ill-advised. What I saw was a kid whose shot was just off early, and then a little fatigue seemed to set in late. But he looked like he belonged, and in spite of the poor shooting I was not really disappointed. And the kid's got some hops. My guess is that he's going to be a big beneficiary of Greivis Vasquez's generosity if he cuts hard to the hoop a few times a game.
  • The guy that really caught my eye was Trent Lockett, the 6-5 guard out of Marquette. He just had a knack for being in the right place on the floor throughout the game, hit a couple of shots, and played very enthusiastically on defense. There's really no room for him on given the makeup of the current regular season roster, but he just gave me the vibe that he could be the next Tony Allen / Thabo Sefolosha-type guy, making a club with grit and defensive intensity.
  • Ray McCallum looked good for a 2nd round pick, and is a lot more athletic than I had thought.
  • The San Antonio Spurs' summer team plays the same type of ball as the regular Spurs. It's ridiculous! Making the extra pass, defending high pick and rolls, everyone playing with their heads up and their feet moving. Ime Udoka had ‘em playing as though he were Popovich. Very impressive. Kris Joseph and DeSean Thomas looked like another in the line of guys that will get a lot better once if they are added to the big club. Thomas especially impressed me when he hit back-to-back long jumpers, and the next time down the floor he passed on an open jumper, hitting a wide open Joseph for a much better shot. As I said, ridiculous.
  • Dion Waiters didn't look like he wanted to be there to me. He really sort of mailed the game in, in my opinion. On the other hand, Carrick Felix (their 2nd round pick this year) played with a lot of energy, and the Cavs coaching staff sent most of their bench correspondence through him. Another guy that looked good for the Cavs was Jermaine Taylor. His 3-point shot looked much-improved.
  • C.J. McCollum looked versatile as hell during the Portland game. He made a few mistakes, but he did a nice job of running things overall. Thomas Robinson looks like a guy that will always lead his team in rebounding rate - he just has a knack for it. But his hands still need work, and he needs to learn to stop bringing the ball down where the smaller players can get at it. And he is still lost offensively on anything other than a put back. But as an energy guy he could be good for Portland.
  • Hat tip to Mike Tavares, Sign Lady, Niko, Heuristic Lineup, betweentheeyes and the rest of the gang that sat together and watched the Kings VSL game. What a blast! The Sac-ra-men-to chants were a highlight, and that led to Vivek and his daughter coming over after the game and taking a picture with us. Love-that-man! Oh, and a special hat tip to Heuristic's fiancé, who not only recognized Brian Scalabrine (now on the Warriors coaching staff) but gave him some good-natured trash talk as well. Marry that woman, HL!
  • You can tell by the way that players, coaches and front office staff from other teams seek out Shareef Abdur-Rahim that he has huge respect around the league. Betweentheeyes had made mention that Vivek brought dignity back the Sacramento Kings, and I agree completely. What little dignity the old team had was retained in Abdur-Rahim.
  • And a shout out to Andrew and Alex and David (I think it's David...if I'm wrong I'm terribly sorry...Jeff?...Mulva...Gipple?) from the Kings media team. They sought out the Kings fans and were very engaging. I've met Andrew before, and it's just great to meet people that (a) are very good at what they do and (b) really enjoy doing it. Between Vivek and the media team, they made the Kings fans in attendance feel a little like family. Pretty cool.
  • For those thinking about going next year, you can make the drive from Sacramento in less than 9 hours without breaking the law (much). It's really not bad...cost me about $200 in gas to get there and back and drive around during the week, but no cost for airline ticket, taxi, rental car, etc. The Warriors do a big excursion with their fans - I think that they charter a bus and everything. It would be kind of cool to see the Kings put something like this together in the future.

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We have a couple of Mail Sac questions asking about the how to obtain the Kings TV broadcast games for this season. I believe that Comcast still has the contract for the bulk of their games, with News10 picking up a few as well. I do not believe that the league has announced their national roster of games yet, but I'd be surprised if the Kings were on their more than once or twice. If you cannot obtain the Comcast network that shows the Kings games, NBA League Pass would be your next best bet. We've also had inquiries of options that would spare you the expense of NBA League Pass. Sorry, but we don't do that here. And I caution our members that if you are going to suggest an alternative option in the thread, it better be 100% above-board and legal.

There are many other questions in the Mail Sac, but they will have to wait until tomorrow. I'm wiped out!

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Pick & Droll, courtesy the sick and twisted mind of Ragin17: "Since yesterday's {now last week's} pick and droll was about your favorite players growing up, I think we'd all want to know which players you loved to hate!"

Let's start with hoops. I hated Elvin Hayes for beating Lew Alcindor and UCLA. I was 9 at the time, and was not ready to learn that life wasn't always fair. You made me cry, Elvin. I hope you're happy. My least favorite King of all time is Jason Hart. He was a poopy head.

Baseball: I won't go as far as to say that I hated Ron Cey, but he scared the crap out of me whenever he batted against the Giants. And more recently, I didn't really hate Emmanuel Burris as much as I hated that the Giants actually had to play him (we call this Will Solomon Syndrome).

Football: The Cincinnati Bengals defense. They robbed us all of Bo Jackson.

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Send your questions and topic ideas to asksactownroyalty@gmail.com. Feel free to jack the thread...but only this thread.

NBA Draft and Free Agency: How the Jazz absolutely owned a few teams on their rebuild

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Okay fans, let's get something straight. The Utah Jazz may win 20 games next year, or they may win 40 games next year. Just looking at this off-season alone, both Free agency and trade season are not over yet. The team has money to spend, and a front office willing to wheel and deal. That said, looking at the long play -- the Jazz have set themselves up quite well as a small market team during this rebuilding phase. I've said it before, and honestly I will probably say it many times again in the future, but you can only get a star through free agency, trades, or the draft. A small market team in a market that is less desirable than, say, South beach, is at further limitations because you can only really get good guys in the draft, or by luck, in trades.

Let's look at the Jazz and see just how they've done -- and which teams they have taken advantage of to get here: the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets (when they were in New Jersey), Atlanta Hawks, and most recently, the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Timeline:

  • Jul 20, 2001: Sign free agent center John Amaechi
  • Sep 10, 2002: Sign free agent point guard Carlos Arroyo
  • Aug 5, 2003: Trade future pick (2004, Round 2 #48) Ricky Minard for Keon Clark, future pick #1 (2004, Round 2 #55: Luis Flores), and future pick #2 (2007, Round 2 #39: Stanko Barac)
  • Sep 30, 2003: Trade John Amaechi, future pick (2004, Round 2 #55: Luis Flores) and a trade exception for Glen Rice, Future pick #1 (2004, Round 1 #21: Pavel Podkolzin), Future pick #2 (2005, Round 2 #51: Robert Whaley), and Future pick #3 (2006, Round 2 #46: Dee Brown)
  • June 24, 2004: Trade future pick (2004, Round 1 #21: Pavel Podkolzin) on draft night for future pick (2005, Round 1 #27: Linas Kleiza)
  • Jan 21, 2005: Trade Carlos Arroyo for Elden Campbell and future pick (2006, Round 1 #30: Joel Freeland)
  • Apr 20, 2005: Utah Jazz finish season 26-56. Then miss out in the lottery and gain Future pick (2005, Round 1, #6: Martell Webster).
  • Jun 28, 2005: Trade Future Pick #1 (2005, Round 1 #6: Martell Webster), Future Pick #2 (2005, Round 1 #27: Linas Kleiza), Future Pick #3 (2006, Round 1 #30: Joel Freeland) for Future Pick (2005, Round 1 #3: Deron Williams)
  • Feb 23, 2011: Trade Deron Williams forDevin Harris, Derrick Favors, Future Pick #1 (2011, Round 1 #3: Enes Kanter), and Future Pick #2 (2013, Round 1 #21: Gorgui Dieng)
  • July 11, 2012: Trade Devin Harris forMarvin Williams
  • Apr 17, 2013: Utah Jazz finish season 43-39. Then miss out in the lottery and gain Future pick (2013, Round 1, #14: Shabazz Muhammad).
  • June 27, 2013: Trade Future Pick #1 (2013, Round 1 #14: Shabazz Muhammad) and Future Pick #2 (2013, Round 1 #21: Gorgui Dieng) for Future Pick (2013, Round 1 #9: Trey Burke)

Flow Chart:

I know that's hard to follow, so I also made / updated my chart.

Jazz_rebuild_minard_to_favors_kanter_burke

This chart doesn't include the guys we got via just the draft (and not trades): Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks. Hayward and Favors are in the Team USA pipeline and will be giving up parts of their second off-season in a row to work with them. Kanter and Burks look to turn a lot of heads this season. And Burke could be the player with national appeal and star quality that will bring it all together. We also finished draft night with not only the biggest point guard prize, but also by adding Rudy Gobert (who spends part of his off-season as the Alps) and Raul Neto (who at times during summer league looked better than the guy who Vegas gave the best odds to win Rookie of the Year).

We have youth, and flexibility with okay vets on cheap deals (like Jeremy Evans), and bad vets on expiring deals (like Andris Biedrins and Richard Jefferson). We also have question mark vets on expiring deals too (Marvin Williams and Brandon Rush).

And we just traded for a boatload of more draft picks.

Pota_-_chuck_laugh

So next season may be rough in the win/loss department . . . but we're going to eventually win the war. Other teams will be rocking themselves in the corner with their petty regular season wins from seasons past when our guys will be at their peaks.

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NBA Free Agency: Heat still favorites to sign Greg Oden, but other teams scheduling meetings

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Even while Greg Oden and his agent Mike Conley Sr. continue to be vague about when the oft-injured center plans to return to normal basketball activities, the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs continue to be rumored as the frontrunners to sign him.

According to Marc Stein from ESPN.com, the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings are lining up to meet up with the 25-year old center in Las Vegas this week, though Oden hasn't scheduled any workouts with any of them as of yet.

Heat president Pat Riley had confirmed two weeks ago that the team was interested in Oden and had met with him previously. Though the team's payroll is currently over $86 million, they can offer the mini-midlevel exception at $3.183 million. The Spurs can only offer the veteran's minimum.

"Obviously, they've got a need there," Conley told Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida. "It's a situation where they probably can't go out and get a top player (with the money they have), but they can take chance on somebody like Greg and his upside. The exposure (of playing for the Heat) would be good for Greg. He could work his way back into his game. I think Miami is a good situation."

With Chris Andersen signing for the minimum, Conley is well aware the exception is still available for his client.

"I think it obviously makes it easier because they know how much money they have available," Conley said. "We haven't been down that road yet but I anticipate we will be shortly."

Conley also said that talks with the Heat would resume soon. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavs are no longer interested in Oden due to their signing of Andrew Bynum but the Dallas Mavericks are pushing hard after swinging and missing on several key free agents.

Oden has only played 82 NBA games since being the top overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. He hasn't played in a game since December 5, 2009.

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Las Vegas Summer League Preview: Day 4 - Watch the point guards

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Day 4 of the NBA Las Vegas Summer League is upon us, folks. That means more turnovers, more more botched alley-oops, and hopefully more awkward post games. Get excited!

Again, i won't be able to to make it to every single game, but when choosing which ones to attend, I wanted to make sure i see every team that i can. So, without further ado, here's a look at what's to come in Day 4.

3:00 PM: New York Knicks vs. Charoltte Bobcats

I don't have a choice in going to this game. It's the only one slotted in the one o' clock hour, so I have to cover it. But, in the words of Tupac: I ain't mad at cha. This game gives me a chance to watch the New York Knicks, whom I haven't seen yet in Vegas; and it also provides me another opportunity to see the Milwaukee Bucks, who have become my favorite non-Spurs squad to watch here in Vegas. For the Knicks, I'm interested in catchiing Tim Hardaway Jr. who will hopefully play after spraining his wrist against Washington yesterday. He's their first round pick, and I'm curious to see how he'll do against Charlotte's guards.

Player to Watch: Toure Murry, New York Knicks
Posting and Toasting went into more depth on him, but Murry has been favored by Mike Woodson to be a possible training camp invitee. We'll see what he's capable of.

5:30 PM Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Phoenix Suns

The Minnesota Timberwolves are full of rookies that I think can find a way to contribute to an NBA team one day. Guys like Shabazz Muhammed, Gorgui Dieng, Brandon Paul, and Lorenzo Brown are all very talented; I can't wait to see what they can do together. The Suns really might have one of the best rosters out here. With the Morris twins and P.J. Tucker, they have players that are NBA vets, and should be able to destroy summer league opponents.

Player to Watch: Dionte Christmas, Phoenix Suns
Back when he played at Temple, Christmas was one of my favorite guys in the NCAA to watch. He could fill it up in a variety of ways, and always had a little flare to his game. Fast forward about five years, and Christmas has been the fringiest of fringe NBA players, and spent a lot of time overseas. In this summer league, he's already had one good game against the Portlland Trail Blazers. Another solid performance could put him back on the NBA map.

7:30 PM: Golden State Warriors vs. Sacramento Kings

Sacramento has highly-touted draft pick Ben McLemore, who has struggled a bit so far, and will be looking to get back on track. I'm curious to see what kind of off-ball action he'll be involved in, and also how much of the ball-handling duties he'll be responsible for. Golden State has a lot of fine, young guards on it's team, most notable is Ken Bazemore. The Bazed God has already had a good start to this year's summer league, and should continue to keep it going. He's already on Golden State's roster, but with Jarrett Jack gone he's making a push for more minutes at backup point guard.

Player to Watch: Ray McCallum, Sacramento Kings
McCallum was originally a blue-chip recruit coming out of high school, but he went to the University of Detroit to play under his father, the coach, over a larger university. That decision caused him to fall under the radar a bit in college due to the competition level. However, McCallum has an NBA type of game. He's a pass-first point guard, who has the ability to get to the rim well due to his great size and athleticism. He can bully smaller guards down low, and is a solid shooter. This guy definitely deserves an eye on him at all times.

9:00 PM: San Antonio Spurs vs. Atlanta Hawks

The Spurs have been solid so far in the summer league, and have a 1-1 record to show for it. Cory Joseph has been fantastic at point guard, and has shown great leadership. DeShaun Thomas has been a bright spot, revealing his NBA-ready shooting touch. Atlanta has a couple bright spots of their own in rookies Dennis Schröder and Lucas Nogueira. Schröder has shown a vast amount of potential so far, controlling the games well from the point. Nogueira has been great in the post, and shown a nice ability to facilitate his teammates as well.

Player to Watch: Dennis Schröder, Atlanta Hawks
Seriously, this guy is awesome. His handle is tight, he plays great in the pick-and-roll, and has great court vision. I know it's just summer league, but this guy has a lot of talent and potential. It'll be fun watching him battle with Cory Joseph all game long.

There we have it, we're now ready for Day 4 of summer league to get going. It'll be another long day, but also another fun one. I can't wait for this slate of games to begin.

Las Vegas Summer League: Kings' Ben McLemore still trying to find rhythm

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The Sacramento Kings were thrilled that Ben McLemore, considered by some to be the best all-around player in the 2013 NBA Draft, fell into their laps at No. 7 when word was they would need to trade up to get him. They still should be, but his first two performances at the Las Vegas Summer League haven't been pretty, as it seems the talented 20-year-old might be trying to do just a tad too much.

In Game 1, a 76-73 loss to the Mavericks, McLemore took 23 shots and scored just 11 points, missing 10 of his 11 three-point attempts. In Game 2, an 80-66 loss to the Warriors, McLemore was improved, but still not efficient: 14 points on 12 shots, just 1-for-7 from three, with four turnovers and no assists. And the statline doesn't do the shoddy nature of the performance justice, according to those who were in Las Vegas. From SB Nation's Mike Prada:

Airballs! Bad turnovers! PANIC!

It's not shameful for McLemore to have some growing pains in Vegas. He's two games into something vaguely resembling NBA action, and he's being asked to carry the lion's share of his team's offense. The shooting will come: McLemore hit 42 percent of his threes in college, and although the line is further in the NBA, it's not further enough to cause a dropoff down to 11 percent. The one worrisome thing is that several, including Prada, report a Warriors defensive effort spearheaded by Kent Bazemore focused on sending McLemore to his left, and he looked uncomfortable trying to operate that way. But overall, there's no reason to overreact to two bad performances.

Besides, there's this:

If you're curious, second-round pick Ray McCallum looked quite fine for the Kings, leading all scorers with 23 points on just 10 shots to go along with six steals. Draymond Green and Bazemore carried the torch for Golden State, with 18 and 15 apiece.

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Golden State Warriors Summer League: Kent Bazemore praises Darren Erman's emphasis on team defense

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The Golden State Warriors wasted no time in imposing their defensive will on their game against the Sacramento Kings yesterday.

On the first defensive possession of the game they forced the Kings into a 24 second violation. less than three minutes later an 8-second violation, and later in the first quarter a 5 second violation. They ultimately finished the game forcing the Kings into 24 total turnovers en route to an 80-61 win.

Warriors guard Kent Bazemore credited the defensive emphasis of summer league coach Darren Erman for the team's defensive intensity.

"It's definitely Darren Erman man," said Bazemore, who finished the game with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. "You know, he has this stuff down to a T. He's a defensive guru - he's great defensively. So that's what we work on: for the first 30-45 minutes of practice we'll work on shell drill. We're running other teams' prime plays and getting into certain spots and making sure they can't have fluid offense."

Individually, Bazemore got plenty of attention for his role in holding 2013 lottery pick Ben McLemore to 14 points on 4-for-12 shooting along with 4 turnovers and no assists. But when asked about his strategy for defending the rookie, Bazemore went back to basic team concepts.

"One thing you don't want to do at this level is start thinking, 'Oh, I got to push him left,'" Bazemore said when asked about whether they were trying to force McLemore to his weak side. "These guys are way too good and way too smart for that. If he knows I want to push him left, he's going to go right. It's just things you've got to do. Play solid defense, if he's on the right side of the floor on the ball, push him down. Simple things like that."

And the consistently strong team defense was what stood out, almost more than Bazemore's effort, if only because we've come to expect the latter rather quickly whereas the former has eluded the franchise for decades now. Although the Warriors did get a strong defensive effort from Bazemore, their team defense was even more impressive regardless of who had the ball.

They made it difficult - or as difficult as one could reasonable expect in a summer league setting - for the Kings to get into the paint with a help side defender always cutting off driving lanes and a weakside defender making it hard to set up a teammate. They rotated as a unit, although occasionally over-committing and leaving themselves vulnerable to breakdowns, to force the Kings into difficult decisions. And without an experienced ball handler on the floor, the Kings struggled to breakdown the Warriors' defense consistently.

Of course, the Warriors weren't exactly an offensive juggernaut either - they shot just 38.5% from the field and 4-for-18 from 3-point range with Bazemore, Ian Clark (14 points), and Draymond Green (game-high 18 points) doing the bulk of the scoring. But the defensive emphasis the Warriors have shown thus far is perhaps as big a takeaway for what to expect from this coaching staff without Mike Malone as it is about any individual player: if Erman is truly the defensive guru that Bazemore touts him as and the Warriors' early summer league results show, they have a good shot to continue making defensive strides moving forward.

Other notes:

  • I commented a number of times during Bazemore's games with the Santa Cruz Warriors that it looked like he was settling for jumpshots too often. One of the most noticeable improvements in his game offensively this summer is that he has been much more aggressive in attacking the basket this year in summer league. When asked about that after the game, Bazmore told me and SB Nation's Mike Prada after the game that a large part of that is due to film work and learning to read defenses more effectively.
  • Ian Clark definitely stood out as someone beginning to find his groove. He's a decisive scorer who knows how to get his shot with one or two dribbles and he gets his feet set very quickly off the catch. For a stretch during the third quarter, they had Clark running point guard along with Bazemore and Green for a combination that moved the ball quite well.
  • James Southerland made an impression although he only hit one shot. The combination of his size (6-foot-8) and high release from beyond the arc makes him a potentially dangerous 3-point shooter. He only played 11 minutes yesterday.
  • Scott Machado has excellent court vision and has a knack for finding gaps in the defense to get himself in the paint, but his shooting woes continued as he was only 1-for-4 for the game and 0-for-3 from the 3-point line.

For more on summer league thus far, visit our Warriors Summer League 2013 section.

NBA free agency rumors roundup: Wizards working on John Wall extension, Kendall Marshall on trading block

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We're just about done with NBA free agency, as the majority of worthy players have found their new homes. But there are still rotation spots to be filled, and as Tuesday's news shows, there are still moves to be made, if not big signings: the Washington Wizards are interested in ensuring John Wall stays safely in Washington, the Toronto Raptors are making sure their salary situation remains tenable and the Phoenix Suns are hoping to create some value from a draft pick gone bad.

Here are Tuesday morning's NBA rumors for you to enjoy:

Wizards interested in extending John Wall

The Wizards know that 2010 first overall selection John Wall is the franchise, and they're willing to put their money where their mouth is and begin negotiations with the talented 22-year-old on a long-term deal. His rookie contract extends though next year, but Washington would apparently like to avoid the awkwardness that comes with soon-to-expire contracts and make sure Wall knows he's wanted. What people have forgotten behind some truly awful Wizards teams is that Wall is quite, quite good -- he averaged 18.5 points and 7.6 assists last year, spectacular numbers for a third-year player. Although the Wizards finished well out of the playoffs, they were a respectable 24-25 after Wall's return from injury, and that only because they ended the season on a six-game losing streak. With Bradley Beal and now No. 3 pick Otto Porter in the fold, the Wizards are building around the future, and it could be a bright one.

Raptors amnesty Linas Kleiza

Linas Kleiza was only owed $4.6 million over one season, but Masai Ujiri chose to waive him and use the amnesty clause to avoid taking a luxury tax hit. Kleiza hadn't been effective for the Raptors for the majority of his three-year stay in Toronto, and only made it into 20 games this past season, none after the new year. The Rudy Gay contract is somewhat burdensome for Toronto, but they need Gay to compete on-court. As Tom Ziller wrote, another amnesty clause is probably just around the corner in the 2017 CBA, so the Raptors don't lose too much by using it instead of holding on for a truly onerous contract.

Kendall Marshall on the trading block

The Phoenix Suns are apparently interested in dealing Kendall Marshall, the No. 13 pick out of North Carolina just a year ago. According to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com, the Suns see new acquisition Eric Bledsoe as their No. 1 point guard, and Goran Dragic as their backup, leaving Marshall as the No. 3 option. The 21-year-old didn't look particularly strong in his rookie year, averaging just 3.0 points and 3.0 assists in sparing minutes, and the Suns would like to make a move to prevent a first-round selection from becoming nothing more than a deep bench player in just over a year. That pick was made by then-GM Lance Blanks: now, Ryan McDonough, a hot young executive brought in from the Boston Celtics organization, is running the show.

Mavericks, Kings, Pelicans also in Greg Oden running

Yesterday we wrote that the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs were the two main teams interested in bringing in Greg Oden, the former No. 1 pick whose career has been derailed by injury problems. Tack on two more: the Mavericks met with Oden Monday night, per Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, and the Kings and Pelicans are also in the mix, per Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld. All these teams would be taking a flyer on big man depth that may never be able to contribute, as Oden hasn't played in an NBA game since 2010. But if the Ohio State product finally feels ready to resume an unfortunately curtailed career, there's no denying the talent that was once there.

Sixers pick up James Anderson, Tim Ohlbrecht off waivers

As the Rockets shed payroll, new Sixers GM Sam Hinkie, formerly Daryl Morey's understudy, was more than glad to pick up players he had his eye on while with Houston. James Anderson, a 2010 first-round pick of the San Antonio Spurs, never really became a factor with the Spurs, and played 29 games last season with the Rockets. His strength is hypothetically his shooting, although the 6'6 wing has only shot 33.3 percent for his career. Tim Ohlbrecht is a bit of a project, a 6'11 German center who has dominated in various Eurobasket competitions as well as his one season in the D-League, but his NBA resume consists of just three games with Houston last year. Hinkie doesn't yet have a coach, but the analytics-based executive is making sure that new coach has players with the Hinkie seal of approval.


More from SB Nation:

Mike D'Antoni talks Lakers' new additions with SB Nation

Ziller: The perpetual NBA amnesty machine

Ricky Ledo gets his chance | Otto Porter still struggling

10 years of PGs in summer league | Complete NBA summer league coverage

Metta World Peace officially hits free agency

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