LAS VEGAS -- When the Sacramento Kings' summer league team took the court for its game against the Warriors, it was greeted by a vocal contingent of fans who had made the trek from Sacramento. For so long, the Kings' story was about survival, but you can feel the energy that surrounds the team with new owner Vivek Ranadivé, general manager Pete D'Alessandro and coach Mike Malone all in place.

It's quite literally a brand new day for the Kings, and now that the franchise has been saved, it's time to turn things around on the court. Way past time, actually. It's been seven years since they were in the playoffs and at least a half-decade since they were competitive. Even in a league where long rebuilding projects are the norm, that's still an eternity. It's difficult to be around Malone for any length of time and not feel the urgency of the task at hand.

"I felt it when Vivek hired me," Malone told SB Nation on Monday. "The passion that the fans showed to keep the team in Sacramento. The fight that Kevin Johnson, our mayor, showed to keep the team there. When I first got in the NBA, ARCO Arena was the toughest place to play in the NBA. You definitely feel the excitement from the ownership group, the fans, the front office and I think the players, more importantly, have got a sense of that excitement."

Ah yes, the players. Several of them were at the Thomas & Mack Center, including Isaiah Thomas, Jimmer Fredette and newly signed free agent Carl Landry, whom Malone is counting on to help spread the gospel of defense and ball movement.

"You definitely feel more confident about the organization," Fredette told SB Nation. "You feel more stable. You feel like we're going to progress and move forward. These guys really have a vision for what they want to do and are going to try to put together the team that they want to put together. Sometimes, it takes change to make moves and become better as a team."

Malone has definite ideas about how to turn things around, and it has less to do with the talent on hand then it does with a distinct change in attitude. All new coaches preach defense and ball movement, but in the case of the Kings, it's so painfully obvious that that's where Malone needs to start for a team that ranked No. 29 in defensive rating the past two seasons and near the bottom in assist rate.

"They've been allergic to defense for a while and they haven't defended," Malone said. "A lot of guys don't want to buy into that end of the floor because it's hard work. What they'll realize is if they buy into that end of the floor their jobs will be so much easier on offense. When you get stops, you run. They can score; they've shown they can score. It's defense and offensively sharing the ball. They have to be a little bit more unselfish."

As always, there's help on the way in the form of young talent. Top pick Ben McLemore has struggled in summer league, but there's time for him to grow on a team that has NBA talent ahead of him. Second-rounder Ray McCallum is more advanced at this stage, and his toughness and floor leadership have been one of the summer's bright spots.

Malone is also counting on point guard Greivis Vasquez, who was acquired from New Orleans in the Tyreke Evans sign-and-trade, and hard-nosed defender Luc Richard Mbah a Moute to help lead the change in direction. Landry, the Kings' one big free agent investment, also comes with the knowledge of having played for Malone in New Orleans and Golden State.

But as with most things with the Kings, it comes back to talented center DeMarcus Cousins. The new coach reached out to Cousins and told him they were starting with a clean slate.

"I wasn't here in the past. I wasn't a part of all that," Malone said. "I told him, ‘I'm going into this with an open heart, an open mind and we're going to form our own history together. We'll go through our own experiences. I'm going to challenge you. I want you to be the leader of this team. I want you to buy in. If you buy in, all the other guys will follow and fall in line. This is going to be a relationship. We have to be willing and able to work together to turn this around."

For his part, Cousins told Malone that he hates to lose, and that's exactly what Malone wanted to hear.

"We have a lot in common because I hate to lose," Malone said. "If that's the case, you have to be willing whatever it takes to win. I'm going to challenge you on the defensive end of the floor, the offensive end of the floor to fulfill his potential as a player, because he has a chance to be one of the most talented bigs in the NBA. The challenge is for him to show that talent every night. Not just once in a while, but 82 games to be our guy, to be our foundation, to be our anchor to be a guy we can play through every night."

All of this sounds great in July when the season is still months away and everyone is still energized by the dramatic moves to keep the team in Sacramento. After years of stagnation, the challenge is immense, but finally everyone involved with the Kings is headed in the same direction.

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

Cleaning out the Mail Sac, so portions of some of these questions might be slightly dated.

Leading off with Matt from East Sac: "Now that the Kings has owners that want to put a competitive team on the court. What are your thoughts about using the amnesty clause on John Salmons? Also, do you think the Kings are shopping Thornton? He is a streaky shooter but has difficulty creating his own shot. Not really a fan. If so, what options other than Monta Ellis do we have?"

The only reason to amnesty Salmons is to make salary and roster room for another player, which I don't think will occur. Salmons is still (amazingly!) the second best small forward on this team, behind only Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. And because he can play the two and even fill in at the point in small doses, he does give the Kings added trading flexibility throughout the season. If a team came in and offered something oversized for any of the current guard corps, Salmons could fill in as needed.

As far as Thornton is concerned, we have to separate the player from the contract. Because the issue with Thornton is really his contract and not Thornton himself. Yes, he has a pouty persona on the court, but he works his arse off when he's out there. He's a plus offensive rebounder for a two guard (perhaps because that usually means another shot for him). He is not a willing passer, but that has really never been his job. His defense lacks, right with the rest of the team. But he is a flat-out scorer, and there is really not a long list of proven flat-out scorers in the league right now.

I have mentioned that I would like to see Thornton's contract moved, with Jimmer Fredette being the beneficiary of most of those minutes. But make no mistake: Marcus Thornton is miles better than Jimmer Fredette right now. Miles. Fredette's biggest advantage over Thornton is that he will make $11m less than Thornton over the next two years. But when it comes to actual on-court performance, it's Thornton by margin. And before any Jimmer fans go bat-shirt crazy here, I'm not bashing on him. If I had my druthers, I'd rather watch Fredette and McLemore log most of the time at the two this year. But simply, if Thornton and Fredette were both free agents right now, Thornton would draw more interest and more money, at least by those teams that are more interested in on-court results than marketing.

Another aspect as it pertains to Thornton is how much he is needed for this year. Even if Ben McLemore wins the starting job, he's going to be going through an arduous rookie season, and he is going to find that rookie wall, probably sooner than later. My bet is that Thornton is going to have more of an opportunity to earn his salary this year than last year.

Next up, mjalmighty: "I am very curious about this. I am pretty sure that you are a long time follower of the Kings. I can see that from your dedication. And for sure, I can't imagine how crazily happy you are when the Kings became a perennial Playoff team (I am crazily happy during those times), especially when they peaked in 2002. So I would like to know your thoughts or feelings when the Kings missed the Playoffs for the first time in years back in 2006-07? Were you shocked or was that something that you expected? And have you ever been confident that the team will be back in contention in a few years' time? Or have you already envisioned that this team will miss the postseason for a prolonged amount of time?"

2006-07 was disappointing for me as a fan. Remember, the Kings were 18-26 the prior year before trading for Ron Artest. After the Artest trade, the closed out the season like a freight train and put a pretty good scare into San Antonio in the playoffs. The following season was marred from the get-go thanks to the Eric Musselman DUI. A year later, Reggie Theus came in and had the team playing hard and on the fringe of playoff hopes. But the next year his ego lost the team, and the fall into the deep abyss soon followed.

When the Kings finally decided to "blow it up," I figured that it could take four or five years for the team to return to respectability. This upcoming season promises to be the eighth straight lottery season, and we may not be at the end of that string of futility.

If there's a silver lining to all of this, it's that Kings fans that have come along in the past seven years are a lot like original Kings fans in that they are having to suffer the darkness before the dawn. And trust me when I say that this will make the good times all that much sweeter.

Frank has a question: O.K.... "We need a SF. Brandon RUSH was recently traded from GS to UT. 1) B.RUSH played for Malone at GS. Before missing the whole season this year and playing as a reserve, Rush was a 10 point per game scorer with good averages who could hit treys. I believe he's got one year left on his contract. Wouldn't he be a good add at SF? 2) UTAH needs help at PG. Trey Burke is a rookie who's not yet shown anything in the summer league....and is showing NO shooting skills. The Jazz are actually looking at John Lucas as a PG asset. The team is going to be unwatchable (imo) this season. They are obviously tanking in anticipation of the ‘14 draft. JIMMER seems like a perfect add for the Jazz. His BYU connection will make him an instant fav in Salt Lake City. He certainly can shoot...it's the "other stuff" that's the problem. The Jazz F.O. can distract the Jazz faithful for a season with "Jimmer doin's"....hoping his hooping will entertain while hopping for ping pong balls. SO....we offer JIMMER plus a second rounder for B.RUSH. What say you o' sage of Kings Hoopla?"

Since you sent this on the 12^th and Mbah a Moute was obtained on the 9^th, I'm assuming that you are not feeling the force of Luc?

Rush has always struck me as more of a shooting guard than a small forward. He's 6-6 and has a wingspan that is the equivalent of Tyreke Evans while being 10 pounds lighter than Tyreke, and I never really considered Evans to be a small forward. I think that he's a good bench wing, but not a guy that you can stick in the starting lineup at small forward.

One thing that always seems to be lost in all of this "Jimmer to Utah" conversation is the fact that for every BYU fan that loves him, there are at least as many Utah and Utah State fans that loathe him. There is also the not-so-small matter that Fredette has yet to prove himself as a point guard, so the Jazz bringing him in would not solve that issue. If the Jazz are looking for short-term help at point guard, they can opt for Mo Williams. I actually think that Beno Udrih would be perfect for them right now. I think that Aaron Brooks and D.J. Augustin are still out there, too.

And one from saslyg: "Hey I was wondering what would the chances of landing Danny Granger through some type of trade. Maybe Salmons and Hayes for Danny?"

I don't see the Pacers doing any deal where they take on contract for next year. Let's plug in your trade. The Pacers basically have eight players under contract next year at a total of $47m, plus they will need to extend Paul George, and you have to figure that they will max him at somewhere around a $15m starting tag. That puts them at $62m, or about $9m under the tax level with 3-5 open roster spots. They can pick up the options on Donald Sloan and Orlando Johnson at a little under $1m each, so that would be 1-3 open roster spots and roughly $7m under the tax. Hayes and the buyout to Salmons would completely eat that up. I think that the only scenario in which the Pacers deal Granger is one where they are taking back virtually no 2014 contract in return. And the Kings can't offer while making a deal that works under their own cap restrictions. The closest deal that I can come up that would work numerically is Patterson/Fredette/Salmons for Granger, as the Pacers could buy Salmons out and renounce Patterson (and perhaps even Fredette). But I'm not sure why either team makes that deal.

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Pick & Droll: Last week we canvassed you for your deserted island discs. This week let's turn to deserted island flicks.

10: 12 Angry Men

9: The Usual Suspects

8: The Maltese Falcon

7: Rocky

6: The Simpsons Movie

5: Snatch

4: Monty Python & the Holy Grail

3: Shawshank Redemption

2: Blazing Saddles

1: The Godfather

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Send your questions and topic ideas to asksactownroyalty@gmail.com.

The NBA Summer League will continue Tuesday afternoon with seven more games taking place between the Cox Pavilion and Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. Summer League's leading scorer, Andrew Goudelock, is just one of a handful of players that will look to stay hot in the desert heat as the fifth day of the Las Vegas Summer League rolls on.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Miami Heat, 4 p.m. ET

The Timberwolves haven't been very lucky thus far in Summer League considering Marcus Morris hit a buzzer-beating game-winner on Monday to keep them winless, but Tuesday's game against the Miami Heat will give them another chance at putting their mark on the win column. Robbie Hummel, last year's second-round pick, is currently leading the Wolves with 15 points per game as he waits for this year's first round picks -- Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng -- to get themselves going (they're currently averaging less than 10 points combined).

Miami will be playing their eighth game in ten days after already competing in the Orlando Summer League, meaning there might be some tired legs taking the court Tuesday afternoon. Second-round pick James Ennis led the Heat in scoring in their last outing with 11 points while former Brooklyn Nets pick Damion James scored 10 points off the bench after playing in the NBA Development League this past season.

Sacramento Kings vs. Toronto Raptors, 6 p.m.

The Kings are also looking to get into the win column for the first time on Tuesday when they play the Raptors. Draft pick Ray McCallum is averaging 17 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 steals through the Kings first two games, showing the things he did in college at Detroit translate at least to the NBA Summer League. First round pick Ben McLemore has shown flashes, too, but he's been in a shooting slump that's seen him make just eight of his 35 shot attempts through his team's first two games.

Toronto is being led by a player that might be too good for the Summer League circuit as Jonas Valanciunas is tearing it up in Vegas. The former first round pick is averaging a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds in just 28 minutes of action. Fellow former Raptors draft pick Terrence Ross is averaging 11.5 points, matching the output of D-League standout Chris Wright as the only other players averaging more than nine points per game.

Golden State Warriors vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 6:30 p.m.

A pair of undefeated teams will take the stage in the first game at the Thomas & Mack when the Bucks and Grizzlies play their third game of the summer. The Warriors are led by Kent Bazemore as he shows with his 18 points per contest that he's more than just a human highlight film on the Golden State sidelines. Draymond Green isn't far behind Bazemore with his 16.5 points, but the regular season rotation player is in a Summer League slump, shooting just 6-of-18 from the field and 1-of-7 from 3-point territory.

The Bucks have one of the best big men in Summer League on their roster in last year's first-round pick John Henson. The former North Carolina standout scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in his lone game for Milwaukee's Summer League entry. Aside from him, former Dallas Mavericks guard Dominique Jones is averaging 17 points as he looks to prove his decision to leave the Mavs instead of playing for their D-League affiliate was a wise one.

Chicago Bulls vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 8:00 p.m.

Drew Goudelock is doing the same thing he's done everywhere he's been given the opportunity -- get buckets -- with the Bulls' Summer League squad. The former Los Angeles Lakers' draft pick and D-League MVP is averaging a Summer League- high 28.5 points per game thanks to his 8-of-11 3-point shooting. Another former D-League standout is making waves with the Bulls, too, as Malcolm Thomas has corralled 32 rebounds through Chicago's first two games. Goudelock's backcourtmate, Marquis Teague, is scoring 13.5 points.

The Blazers have been led by first round pick C.J. McCollum with his 18.5 points per contest. Their only two other scorers in double figures were selected in last year's draft as Will Barton and big man Meyers Leonard are both averaging 10.5 points.

Phoenix Suns vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 8:30 p.m.

The Suns aren't expected to win many regular season games this year, but Jeff Hornacek's squad is off to a solid start in Vegas with wins in their first two games. The Morris brothers are back to doing what they did as Kansas Jayhawks with Markieff averaging 20 points and Marcus 16, the latter hitting a big game-winner on Monday. Dionte Christmas, a standout for the Celtics last year in Summer League play, is averaging 11.5 points as he tries to make the Suns' squad.

The Grizzlies scored just 58 points in their loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, but that shouldn't be too surprising as Tony Wroten is the only player on their roster that played for Memphis last season (and he's shooting 5-of-23 from the field and 0-for-7 from beyond the arc). Notre Dame's Jack Cooley has been one of the better undrafted free agents, though, as his gritty play is translating to 14 points and eight rebound averages -- despite averaging six fouls per contest.

Denver Nuggets vs. Washington Wizards, 10 p.m.

Neither Denver nor Washington picked up wins in their first two Summer League games, but one will leave Tuesday's contest with a mark in the win column. Evan Fournier is leading the Nuggets with 15 points, but it's Luke Harangody making the biggest impression as he averages 14 points and 4.5 rebounds along with 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point territory.

The Wizards are barely averaging 60 points per game through their first two contests. Chris Singleton, the team's only player to average double-figures, will be looking for help from his teammates if Washington's fortunes are going to change on Tuesday evening. Glen Rice Jr. has been good for a couple of highlight plays, but the former D-Leaguer is shooting just 30 percent from the field and 3-of-12 from beyond the arc, keeping him from making a true impact on the offensive end.

Dallas Mavericks vs. D-League Select, 10:30 p.m.

The Mavericks are led by Josh Akognon with 19 points as he looks to cement himself to an NBA roster as an undersized scorer that so seldom finds a place on regular season rosters. Jae Crowder is averaging 16 points, too, but it's Gal Mekel who is likely garnering the most attention from onlookers. The Israeli point guard is averaging 12.5 points and four assists as he attempts to show he belongs in the NBA after playing overseas the past few years.

The D-League Select team features a very good coaching staff in Alex Jensen, Joel Abelson and Casey Hill, but the players are being talked about in this preview. To that end, Darnell Jackson and Stefhon Hannah have both looked very good for the undefeated club made up of the best D-Leaguers not on an NBA Summer League roster.

The 6:30, 8:30 and 10:30 games can all be watched on ESPN3. All other games are available either on NBA TV or the Summer League Live broadband account.

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

The Orlando Magic will make Ronnie Price their first free-agent addition of the offeason, reports Chris Haynes of Comcast SportsNet Northwest.

Price, 30, spent the 2012/13 season with the Portland Trail Blazers. In 39 appearances, all off the bench, Price averaged 2.7 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 13.1 minutes per game. Portland waived him at the 2013 NBA trading deadline after acquiring Eric Maynor, another point guard, via trade.

Price went undrafted out of Utah Valley State in 2005 but has carved out an eight-year NBA career as a role-player. He owns career averages of 3.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 11.6 minutes, shooting 38.3 percent from the floor and 30 percent on three-pointers.

Price began his career with the Sacramento Kings, where he remained for two seasons before latching on with the Utah Jazz. His first season in Salt Lake was his finest as a professional, as he averaged 3.7 points per game on a career-best 43.1 percent shooting from the floor.

Since his run with the Jazz ended, Price has signed one-year deals with the Phoenix Suns and later with Portland.

We invite you to follow Orlando Pinstriped Post on Twitter and like Orlando Pinstriped Post on Facebook.

Section214 marks his triumphant return to the podcast! We discussed Vegas Summer League. We discussed Ben McLemore and Ray McCallum. We then transition to Marcus Thornton, Isaiah Thomas, building a team around DeMarcus Cousins, and Section's best Vegas stories.

The podcast is available on iTunes. Subscribe and you'll never miss an episode. We're also now available on Stitcher, for you Android users.

Discuss our idiocy in the comments.

More from Sactown Royalty:

• Tuesday Mail Sac: Trades! Trades!! Trades!!! Also, the playoff drought continues, and deserted island movies!
• Monday Mail Sac: VSL notes, televised Kings games options, and being a hater
• NBA free agency: Kings to meet with Greg Oden this week, according to report
• Ben McLemore isn't hurt, Ray McCallum looks lovely and more from Game 1 of the Kings and Vegas Summer League
• New Kings president Chris Granger does the rounds

CJ McCollum sent the Portland Trail Blazers into overtime against the Chicago Bulls, where they'd eventually lose, with less than 10 seconds remaining to highlight Day 5 action of the Las Vegas Summer League.

It's the proving ground for aspiring stars, so naturally, the players are going to do their best to showcase their ability to score, often times without a shot-selection conscience; such was the case on Tuesday night.

Both the Bulls and Blazers shot less than 40 percent, but the game still had all of the drama of a regular season contest as it took an extra frame to decide the winner. Here is the roundup of that game and all of the others that capped another interesting night of summer action.

Bulls 80, Trail Blazers 78

McCollum led all scorers with 27 points after tying the game with 10 seconds remaining, but did so on 8-of-25 shooting from the field and was a paltry 1-of-5 from beyond the arc. Spain's Victor Claver had the best all-around game and put together a line of 10 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals. Thomas Robinson added 12 points and a monstrous 18 rebounds and Meyers Leonard poured in 12 points of his own.

Marquis Teague stole the show and had 25 points on 7-of-14 shooting and went 3-for-3 from the three-point line. Chicago saw five of its players score in double figures, despite only having 11 collective assists.

Suns 100, Grizzlies 88

The Phoenix Suns led by rookie Archie Goodwin used a 31-point second quarter to snatch the momentum from the Memphis Grizzlies and win convincingly. Goodwin finished with 22 points and four rebounds, while P.J. Tucker added 18 points and five rebounds.

Donte Green led the way for the Grizzlies and scored 18 points in a balanced effort that saw all five starters score in double figures. Jack Cooley notched a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Washington 97, Denver 69

Five players scored in double figures as the Washington Wizards destroyed the Denver Nuggets in a game that was never close. Jan Vesely knows this is a make-or-break year and led the way with 18 points and three rebounds. Glen Rice Jr. added 13 points on 6-of-12 from the field, while Otto Porter Jr. scored four points on 2-of-4 shooting in limited action.

Evan Fournier led the Nuggets in scoring with 12 points, but committed seven turnovers as Denver shot just 33 percent from the three-point line.

D-League Select 82, Mavericks 75

Both teams committed over 20 turnovers, but the D-League select was the lesser of two evils as they defeated the Dallas Mavericks behind Kyle Weaver's 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting off the bench. Elijah Millsap and Stefhon Hannah added 12 apiece.

Josh Akognon scored 20 points to lead all scorers in the losing effort, while Jae Crowder added 14. The D-League Select committed 25 turnovers, yet forced 22 from the Mavs to hang on for the win.

More from SB Nation:

• Flannery: The Kings start over

• Ziller: Fighting over Rockets fans’ money

• The Lakers' weird season, as seen from the end of the bench

• Kent Bazemore, more than a hype man| Warriors committing to defense

• The most asked question at Vegas Summer League | Complete coverage

Marcus Camby's time as a Toronto Raptor appears like it will be very short-lived, as the Raptors are expected to buy out the final two years of his contract. Camby has about $8.5 million left on his deal, although the second year isn't fully guaranteed.

Camby was recently traded to Toronto as part of the Andrea Bargnani deal. However, the Raptors have little use for a 39-year-old big man with foot problems who's owed over $4 million next season. Hence the talk of a buyout. If this goes as expected, several contenders have expressed interest in Camby, including the Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets.

The Clippers and Bulls make some sense for Camby, as both teams are looking for some center help. Blog a Bull says that while Camby may be a little too similar to current backup center Nazr Mohammed, Camby could have more upside if he stays healthy:

So yeah, this search wasn't ever going to get the cream of the crop. Camby's last season could've been just an aberration and he has another good one left. Or he could finally be toast. Given that Nazr Mohammed is signed under a similar perspective, they may not want to give this roster spot to someone quite so similar, but I'd say the upside for Camby is higher if he can regain his form.

Camby played just 24 games last season for the New York Knicks due to recurring plantar fasciitis. And when Camby did play, he played very little.

The Rockets' interest stems from the fact that Camby lives and trains in Houston.

Bucks amnesty Gooden

Drew Gooden has played for nine different teams over the course of his 11-year NBA career, and that could soon reach double-digits. The Milwaukee Bucksamnestied Gooden on Tuesday, wiping his salary off the books to help create a bit more cap flexibility.

Gooden was set to earn about $13.3 million over the next two seasons from Milwaukee. The veteran will still get his money, but anything the Bucks pay won't count against their cap. Gooden must now go through the amnesty waiver process, where teams under the cap get their first shot at bidding on him.

Gooden barely played last year, seeing the floor just 151 minutes total and spending most of his time on the bench in a suit. The Bucks tried to move him throughout the season, but were unable to get the right deal.

Bobcats, Henderson still discussing new deal

The Charlotte Bobcats are still having ongoing discussions with restricted free agent Gerald Henderson, but the two sides are still not close on money, according to Yahoo! Sports' Marc Spears.

It was reported last week that the Bobcats were seeking out potential trade partners in order to execute a sign-and-trade, but nothing has come to fruition.

Henderson has spent all four of his NBA seasons in Charlotte, averaging 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He averaged a career-high 15.5 points in 68 games last season.

Lucas agrees to join Jazz

The Utah Jazz needed a point guard to back up Trey Burke, and they have found one in John Lucas III, who has agreed to sign with the team.

The terms of the deal are unknown, but Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Lucas will receive more than the five-year minimum salary of $1.03 million.

Lucas averaged 5.3 points and 1.7 assists in 13.1 minutes per game last season with the Toronto Raptors, but he may get a bigger opportunity being the primary backup to Burke.

Raptors amnesty Kleiza

In addition to likely buying out Camby, the Raptors have wiped Linas Kleiza's $4.6 million salary off their books by using the amnesty provision on the small forward. Kleiza had picked up his option for the 2013-14 season.

Kleiza played just 376 minutes last season. If Kleiza clears through amnesty waivers, there's a chance that the 28-year-old will head overseas to play in Europe.

More from SB Nation:

• Flannery: The Kings start over

• Ziller: Fighting over Rockets fans’ money

• The Lakers' weird season, as seen from the end of the bench

• Kent Bazemore, more than a hype man| Warriors committing to defense

• The most asked question at Vegas Summer League | Complete coverage

J.R. Smith's new contract with the New York Knicks is just three years and not four as originally reported, according to Howard Beck of The New York Times.

Smith was believed to have agreed to a four-year, $24.5 million deal to return to New York. But amid the recent news that Smith underwent left knee surgery on Monday, it has been revealed that the deal is for three years and $17.95 million.

Smith will make $5.57 million next year, $5.98 million in 2013-14 and then have a player option worth $6.4 million in the third year of the contract. While a three-year deal doesn't carry quite as much risk as a four-year deal, it still may be a bit much for a streaky player coming off knee surgery.

Smith actually had two procedures done on Monday, one to deal with damage to his patella tendon and the other to repair a torn meniscus. Smith was dealing with knee problems toward the end of the year, which could help explain some of his troubles in the postseason. The injury will keep the reigning Sixth Man of the Year out 12-16 weeks.

The Knicks claim to have known about the knee situation, and general manager Glen Grunwald isn't too concerned about it. Smith isn't really worried about it either, as Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that it was Smith who pushed for the three-year deal so he could get his Bird rights sooner.

Something that is truly strange, however, is the fact that Grunwald never corrected the incorrect reports of a four-year deal. Furthermore, Beck reports that he got his information from a rival executive and another person with "access to the contract" as opposed to somebody within the Knicks' organization.

More from SB Nation:

• Flannery: The Kings start over

• Ziller: Fighting over Rockets fans’ money

• The Lakers' weird season, as seen from the end of the bench

• Kent Bazemore, more than a hype man| Warriors committing to defense

• The most asked question at Vegas Summer League | Complete coverage

The NBA is trying something new this year with the Las Vegas Summer League Championship, and the tournament will begin on Wednesday with the 12 lowest seeds competing in six games throughout the day. The tournament will tip off at 6 p.m. ET with a game between the New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets.

Let's take a closer look at the first day of tournament action (seeds in parentheses).

New Orleans Pelicans (11) vs. Denver Nuggets (22), 6 p.m.

Players to watch:Austin Rivers has played extremely well for the Pelicans, averaging 17.3 points on 46.5 percent shooting. Rivers really struggled as a rookie last season, so his strong performance this summer has to be encouraging for New Orleans. Nuggets second-year guard Evan Fournier has been solid, averaging 14.0 points. Luke Harangody has also played well for Denver, averaging 12.3 points on 59.1 percent shooting in only 16.7 minutes per game.

Washington Wizards (12) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (21), 6:30 p.m.

Players to watch: No. 3 overall pick Otto Porter has been pretty dreadful for Washington, averaging 6.3 points on 30.0 percent shooting. Porter has been picked up by Jan Vesely, who's leading the team with 11.3 points per game on 64.0 percent from the field. For the Grizzlies, second-year guard Tony Wroten is averaging 13.7 points, but he's shooting just 22.5 percent. Jack Cooley is also averaging 13.7 points, and he's also pulling down 8.7 rebounds per game.

Minnesota Timberwolves (13) vs. Sacramento Kings (20), 8 p.m.

Players to watch: Timberwolves first-round pick Shabazz Muhammad has struggled a bit this summer, averaging just 7.3 points on 34.6 percent from the field. Robbie Hummel has played well, leading the team in scoring and rebounding. Kings first-round pick Ben McLemore had a woeful Summer League debut, but he has rebounded well and leads the team in scoring with 17.0 points per game. Second-round pick Ray McCallum is averaging 14.3 points and 4.7 rebounds.

Atlanta Hawks (14) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (19), 8:30 p.m.

Players to watch:John Jenkins and Mike Scott have done the brunt of the work for the Hawks, with Jenkins leading the team in scoring with 19.3 points per game and Scott not far behind at 16.3 points per game. First-round picks Dennis Schroeder and Lucas Nogueira have also both contributed nicely. Blazers first-round pick C.J. McCollum is averaging a team-high 21.3 points, although he's shooting just 37.7 percent from the field. Second-year big man Meyers Leonard is averaging 11.0 points and 5.7 rebounds, while Thomas Robinson is averaging 8.3 points and 12.0 boards.

New York Knicks (15) vs. Miami Heat (18), 10 p.m.

Players to watch: Knicks first-round pick Tim Hardaway Jr. played pretty well before suffering a sprained wrist in the second game of the summer. Hardaway missed the third game and may not play in the tournament. Terrence Jennings is averaging 10.7 points on 60.0 percent shooting. For the Heat, Jarvis Varnado and James Ennis have led the way in Vegas after both players also participated in the Orlando Summer League.

Dallas Mavericks (16) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (17), 10:30 p.m.

Players to watch:Josh Akognon has been very good for the Mavs, averaging 19.3 points on 45.2 percent shooting overall and 37.5 percent from three-point range. Jae Crowder is averaging 15.3 points on 48.6 percent shooting, while Ricky Ledo is averaging 8.0 points. Clippers first-round pick Reggie Bullock is averaging 16.0 points on 39.5 percent from the field. Samardo Samuels is averaging 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 60.0 percent.

How to watch Wednesday's games

Pelicans-Nuggets, Timberwolves-Kings and Knicks-Heat will be broadcast live on NBA TV. Wizards-Grizzlies and Hawks-Blazers will air overnight. All games are available live online with the purchase of NBA.com's Summer League Live subscription, which is now just $4.99.

More from SB Nation:

• Flannery: The Kings start over

• Ziller: Fighting over Rockets fans’ money

• The Lakers' weird season, as seen from the end of the bench

• Kent Bazemore, more than a hype man| Warriors committing to defense

• The most asked question at Vegas Summer League | Complete coverage

Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown revealed that he plans to play No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett"strictly at the 4" for the time being, according to Bob Finnan of The News-Herald.

Brown says that Bennett could possibly be used as a small forward at some point in the future, but that would happen "way, way, way down the road." The Cavs do have a bit of a hole at the 3, so it would have made some sense for Brown to try Bennett at that position. The UNLV product is a versatile scorer, but it's apparent that the Cavs aren't comfortable using Bennett as a small forward just yet.

While playing Bennett exclusively at the 4 could create a bit of a logjam at the position, Brown has a plan:

"I got it figured," Brown said. "His ability to score in a lot of different ways is intriguing. His explosiveness is intriguing. His standing reach is higher than lot of guys playing power forward in the league, including Kevin Love. He's got long arms. There's a desire to want to be better. He has a lot of upside."

Tristan Thompson started at the 4 all of last season, and after a slow start, he came on strong. Thompson finished the year with averages of 11.7 points and 9.4 rebounds, so he likely has that starting spot on lock for next year. However, as Brown explains, there will be ways to find minutes for Bennett despite the fact that the Cavs also signed Earl Clark this offseason and have several other options at the 4.

Bennett is still recovering from surgery to repair a torn labrum, but he's expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

More from SB Nation:

• Flannery: The Kings start over

• Ziller: Fighting over Rockets fans’ money

• The Lakers' weird season, as seen from the end of the bench

• Kent Bazemore, more than a hype man| Warriors committing to defense

• The most asked question at Vegas Summer League | Complete coverage

Summer league results don't matter, even with the new tournament-style format introduced this year. All that matters is how the relevant players (those most likely to appear on your team's roster next season) performed. With that in mind, let's dive into the Raps' 81-70 win over the Kings by focusing on the four players that will be with the big team when training camp opens in October.

Dwight Buycks: 9 points (3-5 FG, 0-1 3FG), 2 assists, 2 steals, 5 turnovers, 31 minutes.

The newest member of the team wasn't noticeably bad or good, but submitted a fine performance. He showed a nice ability to get into the lane and finish thanks to his good size for a point guard (6'3", 195). Many of the five turnovers came out of poor decisions in the pick-and-roll; Buycks tried to throw cross-court passes across his body to weakside shooters, and the results were predictably bad.

For those who are unfamiliar with Buycks' background, he played college ball at Marquette, spent the 2011-12 season with the Tulsa 66ers of the D-League and played last season in France. The 24-year-old averaged 9.5 points and 6 assists during the Orlando Summer League with Oklahoma City just a couple weeks ago.

Bonus points to Buycks for the snazzy yellow shoes he wore.

Quincy Acy: 14 points (5-11 FG, 0-3 3FG), 5 rebounds, 29 minutes.

Acy may have only taken three triples, but it felt like 300. It's obvious that the coaching staff is encouraging him to fire away, but let's hope it's only a summer pet project. The man's NBA destiny is clearly as a bruising power forward, so why try to mess with that?

On the positive side of things, Acy continued to bang down low, punctuating his afternoon with a nasty dunk after an offensive rebound on a missed free throw. He even gave the fans in Vegas a mean staredown after the dunk, which was made even better by his fantastic bald head/pointy beard combo.

For a team that has failed so often with second round picks, it's nice to finally see one that looks like a real NBA player.

Terrence Ross: 14 points (5-12 FG, 0-2 3FG), 6 rebounds, 4 steals, 4 turnovers, 29 minutes.

Ross started well, curling off screens to hit two midrange jumpers in the first quarter. He was active on the glass and showed his customary athleticism around the rim, but one move in particular got me thinking. In the second half Ross scored on a beautiful baseline move by avoiding the defender for an acrobatic layup. It worked, but it was a great opportunity to draw contact and get to the free throw line, something Ross did very little of in his rookie season, averaging an anemic 0.6 attempts per game.

For someone so athletic, Ross should be making a living at the free throw line, but sometimes he lets his athleticism work against him by avoiding contact too much. It reminds me of a piece John Hollinger wrote for ESPN in December 2010 about Derrick Rose. Hollinger argued that Rose's relative lack of trips to the line when compared to other elite players was a function of his brilliant athleticism and body control:

"The same things that make Rose so watchable also conspire against him. He's so smooth, so graceful and so explosive that it's fairly easy for him to float past opponents and drop in a layup or to launch his unusually-effective 10-foot floater or to pull up for the J while an opponent watches helplessly from the other side of the screen. Alas, none of those maneuvers get him to the line, and the next time Rose willfully draws contact to force his way there will be a first."

Rose averaged 3.1 free throws per game in his rookie season. Just two years later, in his MVP season, that number was up to 6.9. Now, this is in no way to draw a comparison between Terrence Ross and Derrick Rose. One is a certifiable superstar, the other still struggling to find his way. But Ross could learn a thing or two from Rose about channeling his freakish athleticism into more trips to the free throw line.

Jonas Valanciunas: 18 points (6-12 FG, 6-6 FT), 8 rebounds, 9 fouls, 7 turnovers, 29 minutes.

Wow, those last two numbers are ugly. It was a sloppy game for Valanciunas, full of cheap fouls and turnovers. But his overall size and talent often made up for itand he continued to show small wrinkles to his post game. He displayed a running hook with both the left and right hand and continues to work on a baseline spin move (although he's been called for an offensive foul nearly every time).

It was also good to see him make a 15-foot jumper. Too often in the summer league he's been hesitant to take that shot, hoping instead to draw his opponent off balance with an endless series of pump fakes. It's worked at times, but he is always most effective when he makes a quick and decisive move. Four straight pump fakes might work against the dregs of summer league, but when the real games start he'll need to make quicker decisions.

Overall, though, there's not much to complain about. Valanciunas has dominated the competition throughout the week and has shown he's made improvements in both his body and game. He's taken 27 free throws in three games and is shooting 89% from the stripe. As a centre, the importance of his outstanding free throw shooting can't be overstated; the only centre in recent memory to shoot as well from the line is Yao Ming, whose touch was the stuff of legend. JV isn't 7'6", but he's shown himself to be an elite centre in the making. You can't ask for much more from summer league.

The Raps will play tomorrow at 6 p.m. Eastern against the winner of New Orleans/Denver. It will be a summer league playoff game, which is perhaps the greatest example of an oxymoron in the history of man. Enjoy!

Unlike in actual NBA cities, where stars are born, celebrated and remembered, Las Vegas is where most players go to be forgotten. Amid fast-paced games, inconsequential results and a generally boozy Vegas atmosphere, the Summer League stands as a beacon of hope for some, a last gasp of opportunity of others.

How could one dream up a better scenario? Young guys with everything to lose, careers on the line in a city where many have gambled away it all. Making it in Vegas isn't about fame or glory, it's about keeping the NBA dream alive long enough to wear the jersey, take the court and prove everyone who doubted you wrong.

For most, at least. Then there are the first-round picks, the talented millionaires who take the court amid pomp and circumstance, their every move analyzed by scouts and fans alike as the fine details between a future star and a bust sort themselves out.

Goudelock Gunning For The NBA

Will the former Lakers second-round pick be able to translate summer league success into an NBA contract?

But every player on the court has something to earn, whether it's a roster spot or playing time. Big performances in Vegas can be the difference between starting next season in Orlando, or tipping off in Fort Wayne, Ind., for the Magic's D-League affiliate. Top picks can find that rotation spot sooner rather than later.

As we enter the tournament phase of this year's Summer League, let's take a look at which players are making or breaking their NBA prospects in Vegas.

The Good

Andrew Goudelock, Bulls: A D-League star for most of last season, Goudelock hopes to bring his scoring flair to the next level in 2013-14. Currently Vegas' leading scorer, the 24-year-old averaged 22.7 points on 57 percent shooting during the first three contests, powering Chicago to a 3-0 record thus far.

John Henson, Bucks: As Mike Prada wrote before, Henson is the kind of player who is simply too talented for this league. A late lottery pick by Milwaukee last year, the UNC product averaged 14 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks over the team's first two games, looking especially dominant in a 88-74 win over Denver last weekend.

C.J. McCollum, Trail Blazers: The 10th-overall pick in the 2013 draft, McCollum leads Vegas in minutes and shots taken per contest. He's been fairly inefficient, shooting just 27 percent from behind the arc and 37 percent overall, but his per-game averages of 21.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists are pretty darn solid.

Jonas Valanciunas, Raptors: The Raptors' top pick last season played well in his first three Vegas games, averaging 20 points and 9.3 rebounds per game to power the team's 2-1 record. It's not all good, though, as he recorded 16 turnovers and 19 fouls.

Marquis Teague, Bulls; Austin Rivers, Hornets: A pair of second-year guards who struggled last season, Teague and Rivers have looked noticeably better this summer. A benchwarmer in Tom Thibodeau's rotation as a rookie, the 20-year-old Teague put up 25 points against Portland on Tuesday, and only Atlanta's Dennis Schroeder averages more assists. Looking to rebound from a historically bad rookie performance, Rivers has averaged 17.3 points on 47 percent shooting.

Kent Bazemore, Warriors: Known primarily for his raucous sideline celebrations, Bazemore continues to prove he's more than a cheerleader. After averaging 15.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals over the first three summer contests, all wins, Prada wondered aloud if he could be a jack-of-all-trades role player next season.

Cody Zeller, Bobcats; Tyler Zeller, Cavaliers: The Zeller twins have played pretty well in Vegas thus far. Considered the more talented one, Cody has looked the part so far, averaging 15.7 points and 9.3 rebounds with double-doubles in his past two games. Tyler has been quite steady for Cleveland, averaging 13.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest.

Jan Vesely, Wizards: The No. 6 pick in the 2011 draft comes awfully close to bust status at this point, but his play in Vegas gives some reason for optimism. Looking more in control, the electric athlete has averaged 11.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.7 blocks per game. Maybe most importantly, he's shown improved awareness to avoid the bone-headed mistakes which defined his game the past couple years.

The Bad

Ben McLemore, Kings: The Vegas performance of the Kings' top pick nicely reflects his status among scouts: madly talented, maddeningly inconsistent. At times, like during a 26-point effort against Toronto, he's looked quite good, but he's shooting 33 percent overall and 21 percent from three-point range with ZERO ASSISTS PER GAME. He's got potential, but there's clearly a lot he needs to learn.

Dion Waiters, Cavaliers: A former top-five pick entering his second year should be dominating Vegas, but Waiters has mostly struggled this month. Leading a solid Cavs team, he's averaged 14.0 points and 3.7 assists per game, but he's shooting just 22 percent on threes and 30 percent overall. For a player who does little beyond scoring, it's not good.

Tony Wroten, Grizzlies: Like Waiters, Wroten should be thriving as a former top pick entering Year 2, but he's looked downright terrible this summer. Despite showing a clear ability to penetrate the defense, his inability to hit open shots and make plays has been noticeable. He's 2-for-15 from three-point range, 9-for-40 from the field and 21-for-37 from the charity stripe. Yikes.

Coby Karl, Raptors: The son of longtime coach George Karl, Coby hasn't necessarily been terrible -- he's just been non-existent. Despite averaging nearly 30 minutes per game this summer, Karl doesn't score, make plays or force turnovers. However, he does average nearly seven fouls per contest, so maybe there's a secret plan afoot.

Otto Porter, Wizards: Struggling for two games before leaving the third due to injury, Porter rarely looked like the No. 3 overall pick during his time in Vegas. Taking just 10 shots, he struggled to assert himself in the Wizards' offense, while fouls became a consistent issue on the defensive end. You could see glimpses of elite perimeter defense and an understanding of offensive spacing, but it's a disappointing start for Otto in D.C.

Scott Machado, Warriors: The starting point guard for an unbeaten Golden State summer squad, Machado has definitely not been the reason for that success. Over the first three games, he's shot 4-for-23 from the field while grabbing a total of four rebounds. He's avoided turnovers and fouls, something that can't be said for most Summer League participants, but shooting 17 percent is never really acceptable.

Jerome Jordan, Knicks: Jerome Jordan is seven feet tall. Somehow, he's still managed to shoot below 32 percent in Vegas. These two facts don't reflect well upon him.

Myck Kabongo, Heat: The unsigned rookie was considered a draft-worthy talent but slipped through the cracks after a shaky collegiate career at Texas. So far, absolutely nobody is regretting that decision, as the 21-year-old recorded as many turnovers as combined points and assists (five) during his first two games.

More from SB Nation:

• Flannery: The Kings start over

• Ziller: Fighting over Rockets fans’ money

• The Lakers' weird season, as seen from the end of the bench

• Kent Bazemore, more than a hype man| Warriors committing to defense

• The most asked question at Vegas Summer League | Complete coverage

The New Orleans Pelicans expect to meet with free agent center Greg Oden this week and could be "poised to make an offer close to $3 million,"Yahoo! Sports' Marc J. Spears reports. The deal would presumably be for one year, though it could include options to provide the team with possible added value.

For Oden, agreeing to a deal with New Orleans could signify the beginning of a new era for both his career and the franchise. As the Pelicans begin their first season under the nickname, adding a former once-in-a-generation prospect seems like the kind of medium-risk, high-reward move befitting a franchise entering its next chapter.

Still, what Oden will actually be able to offer a team on the court is quite uncertain. Arguably the best big man prospect since Dwight Howard, the former No. 1 overall pick simply never showed an ability to handle the workload of an NBA contributor, let alone the superstar he was once projected to be.

That potential still has teams lining up to speak with Oden, though, even after numerous surgeries and nearly three years away from the game. At the ripe age of 25, he's still well within reach of an actual NBA career should he be able to stay healthy.

For a team like New Orleans, that health risk essentially explains the entire deal. Someone of Oden's talent doesn't come this cheap without the risk, but one imagines the Pelicans are protecting their investment to some degree through the inclusion of non-guaranteed money and/or team options.

If Oden can stay healthy, pairing him with another former top pick in Anthony Davis could give New Orleans a truly intimidating frontcourt, particularly on the defensive end. And should his body fail to cooperate, the Pelicans are only down a few million bucks.

After trading Nerlens Noel and a 2014 draft pick for Jrue Holiday earlier this year, the Pelicans showed they're not interested in complacency or being risk-averse. Signing Oden would simply be another extension of that emerging philosophy.

More from SB Nation:

• Flannery: The Kings start over

• Ziller: Fighting over Rockets fans’ money

• The Lakers' weird season, as seen from the end of the bench

• Kent Bazemore, more than a hype man| Warriors committing to defense

• The most asked question at Vegas Summer League | Complete coverage

The Philadelphia 76ers have received permission to interview Atlanta Hawks assistant coaches Quin Snyder and Kenny Atkinson for their head coaching vacancy, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports. It's the final remaining opening among the 30 NBA teams this summer.

With the 76ers embarking on a major rebuilding project under new GM Sam Hinkie, the team's coaching search has taken a backseat to re-working the team's roster. Considering the 2013-14 season will be more about position in the draft order than the standings for Philly, most big coaching names haven't even been considered for the gig.

Following the departure of Andrew Bynum and the trade of Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia looks positioned to be one of the worst teams in the league next season. As a result, it wouldn't be surprising if the Sixers took a chance on a first-time coach who could potentially grow along with the team's top young players, including Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel.

Snyder or Atkinson would qualify as a forward-thinking hire for the Sixers. The former was recently brought in by Atlanta after a stint with CSKA Moscow in Russia, with his last head coaching experienced coming roughly seven years ago at the University of Missouri, while the latter only has assistant experience in New York and Atlanta.

After firing the old-school Doug Collins following a disappointing 2012-13 season, it appears highly likely the Sixers go a younger, more progressive route this time around.

More from SB Nation:

• Flannery: The Kings start over

• Ziller: Fighting over Rockets fans’ money

• The Lakers' weird season, as seen from the end of the bench

• Kent Bazemore, more than a hype man| Warriors committing to defense

• The most asked question at Vegas Summer League | Complete coverage

The Sacramento Kings want another big man to go alongside Jason Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins. While Greg Oden spoke with the team this week, another option is Denver Nuggets restricted free agent Timofey Mozgov, according to the Sacramento Bee.

ESPN's Marc Stein also reports that Mozgov could be the second option if Sacramento can't sign Oden.

Denver did lose last year's starting center, Kosta Koufos, in a trade this offseason and it is quite likely the Nuggets elect JaVale McGee to start in his place.

There are some complexities for Mozgov to land in Sacramento, even if the Kings decide he's a priority. For one, the Nuggets could still see Mozgov as a pricey backup option. And for the Kings, bringing on such a lucrative contract that will be nearly $4 million or more could be tough.

The Kings didn't waive swingman John Salmons and still have his $7.6 million salary on the books, so making a move to acquire Mozgov would require a sign-and-trade or a separate trade to free up the necessary cap space.

Mozgov averaged 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds last season, and played in only half of the Nuggets' games.

More from SB Nation:

• J.R. Smith and another weird Knicks saga

• Flannery: The Blazers’ quiet makeover

• Goudelock emerges as Summer League star

• Kent Bazemore, more than a hype man| Warriors committing to defense

• The most asked question at Vegas Summer League | Complete coverage

When: 7:00pm Central
What: Wolves vs. Kings, Las Vegas Summer League

The Wolves, with 1-2 record so far, take on the Sacramento Kings summer league entry this evening. The Kings feature 7th overall draft pick Ben McLemore, who had been struggling with his shot until their last game when he scored 26 points on 8-14 shooting in a loss to Toronto.

Ray McCallum, the Kings second round pick has been playing very well at point guard for the Summer Kings, and appears a good bet to make the team this fall.

For the Wolves, we're still watching the guys with contracts: Shabazz Muhammad, who has struggled throughout, Gorgui Dieng, who looked much better after returning from a groin shot in the second half of Tuesday's win over Miami, and Chris Johnson, who has had his moments.

Robbie Hummel and Demetri McCamey have consistently been the Summer Wolves' best players so far, and both seem deserving of camp invites. Brandon Paul has had his moments, especially shooting the ball, as has D-League veteran Othyus Jeffers.

If the Wolves win tonight, they will earn a rematch against the D-League Select team that beat them in the opener. That game would take place Thursday at 7:30 CDT. If they lose tonight, they will play again on Friday at 5:00 CDT, and that would be their final game.

Enjoy tonight's tilt. Talk about it here if you wish.

EDIT: Game should be televised live on NBA TV.

The Kings begin their epic journey towards summer league immortality as they take on the unsuspecting Minnesota Timberwolves in Las Vegas. Tip-off is at 5 PM, and the odds makers say that this game will not go the distance and will be stopped on cuts.

No gifs or jpegs or mpegs or milfs in the thread - comments only. This is the biggest game in the history of the Kings franchise, so the thread will need plenty of room. If you are a milf and have an issue with this policy, please email me directly...please!

GO KINGS!!!

Wednesday night marked the debut of the Las Vegas Summer League Championship, the new tournament-style format used to determine a Summer League champion. Three games are in the books thus far, with the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves winning and advancing. Let's take a closer look at the outcomes.

Hamilton leads Nuggets past Pelicans

The Nuggets were the lowest seed in the tournament at No. 22, but they were able to defeat the No. 11 Pelicans , 87-82, behind 23 points from Jordan Hamilton. Hamilton shot 8-of-14 overall and 4-of-7 from three. Quincy Miller put forth an excellent effort as well, scoring 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting overall and a scorching 5-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Denver burst out of the gates quickly, grabbing a 31-17 lead after the first quarter. The Pelicans got back into the game early in the second quarter, but the Nuggets extended their lead back out to 11 at the break. New Orleans got to within one in the fourth quarter, but they were never able to get over the hump.

Darius Miller had 23 points to lead the Pelicans. Brian Roberts added 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting, while Austin Rivers chipped in 16 points.

Wroten, Cooley star for Grizzlies in victory over Wizards

Like the Nuggets, the No. 21 Grizzlies pulled the "upset" by defeating the 12th-seeded Washington Wizards, 90-83. Tony Wroten led the way for the Grizzlies with 23 points and six assists. Jack Cooley added a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Donte Greene had 16 points.

The game was tight throughout the first half, with the Grizzlies taking a one-point lead into the break. But Memphis broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Washington, 24-8, in the frame. The Wizards finished strong, but it was not enough to make up for the poor third quarter.

No. 3 pick Otto Porter didn't play in the game after struggling in the first three games of the summer. Chris Singleton had 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, and Jan Vesely continued his strong summer with 15 points and nine rebounds. Glen Rice Jr. added 14 points.

Timberwolves blow out Kings

The No. 13 Timberwolves dominated the No. 20 Sacramento Kings from the get-go, cruising to a 92-54 victory. Shabazz Muhammad led a balanced Wolves attack with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting and 3-of-4 from three. Demetri McCamey had 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting as Minnesota shot 53.8 percent from the field.

The Timberwolves jumped out to a 21-10 lead after the end of the first quarter and never looked back. The lead ballooned to 26 at halftime and the game never got close again in the second half.

The Kings struggled offensively, shooting just 29.9 percent as a team. No. 7 pick Ben McLemore had an especially rough go of it, scoring one point and not making a single field goal in eight attempts. Will Clyburn had 15 points to lead Sacramento.

More from SB Nation:

• J.R. Smith and another weird Knicks saga

• Flannery: The Blazers’ quiet makeover

• Goudelock emerges as Summer League star

• Kent Bazemore, more than a hype man | Warriors committing to defense

• The most asked question at Vegas Summer League | Complete coverage

The NBA free agent market is slowly drying up, but that doesn't mean it's impossible for teams to acquire all-star talent. LaMarcus Aldridge trade rumors were recently revived, as the Trail Blazers' general manager recently met with representatives for the all-star forward to discuss trade possibilities. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers are primed to add Byron Mullens to their roster and the Dallas Mavericks made another interesting move by inking Samuel Dalembert to a deal.

Blazers' GM meets with reps for LaMarcus Aldridge to Discuss Trade Options

The LaMarcus Aldridge trade rumors are still alive and well, it seems. Portland Trail Blazers general manager Neil Olshey met with representatives for Aldridge in Las Vegas last Sunday to discuss trade possibilities, according to Chris Haynes of Comcast Sportsnet-Northwest. The meeting was reportedly "productive," as both sides seemed focused on finding a solution that would satisfy each other, but Olshey is not in a rush to make a deal and a trade centered on receiving a collection of future draft picks is "not an option."

Aldridge has not formally requested a trade, but it's clear that he would be open to moving on to a team closer to contending. The 27-year-old forward has two years and approximately $30 million remaining on his current deal. Team blog Blazer's Edge has more.

Clippers close to deal with Byron Mullens

The Los Angeles Clippers are close to a two-year deal with Byron Mullens, according to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. Mullens started 41 games for the Bobcats last season and averaged 10.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest. Although he never really blossomed in Charlotte, the 24-year-old big man could be a nice value as a rotation player for the Clippers. Team blog Clips Nation certainly isn't opposed to signing him for the NBA minimum and taking a chance on what's left of his upside.

Mavericks sign Samuel Dalembert

Veteran center Samuel Dalembert has chosen to sign a deal with the Dallas Mavericks, according to Marc Stein of ESPN. The New York Knicks has expressed interest in the big man, and the Mavericks are still pursuing free agent center Greg Oden, but those factors didn't dissuade Dalembert from signing on the dotted line. A writer at Mavs Moneyball believes Dalembert could be used to lure in Oden by offering protection against big minute loads.

Raptors add D.J. Augustin

The Toronto Raptors have decided to take a flier on former top-10 pick D.J. Augustin with a one-year contract, which means he will have an opportunity to battle with backup guard Dwight Buycks for minutes in the backcourt behind Kyle Lowry. The contract worth $1.26 million, so it doesn't represent much of a risk for the Raptors.

Kings may go after Timofey Mozgov

The Sacramento Kings have been sniffing around Greg Oden this summer, but another option the team is considering is a run at restricted free agent center Timofey Mozgov, according to the Sacramento Bee. Because the Kings did not waive John Salmons via the amnesty provision, a sign-and-trade would be needed to clear space for Mozgov. It will be interesting to see how the Kings proceed.

More from SB Nation:

• J.R. Smith and another weird Knicks saga

• Flannery: The Blazers’ quiet makeover

• The rise of Jonas Valanciunas

• Kent Bazemore, more than a hype man | Warriors committing to defense

• The most asked question at Vegas Summer League | Complete coverage

So Ben McLemore followed up a brilliant Tuesday game at the Vegas Summer League (26 points on 8-14 shooting largely against an actual NBA player, Toronto's Terrence Ross) with an 0-8 cringer on Wednesday in a blowout loss to the Wolves. The Kings are now 0-4 for Vegas with one last consolation game remaining on Friday. McLemore is shooting 28 percent from the floor and 18 percent from long-range. He has zero assists in 115 minutes, and 14 turnovers. It's not been a very good week. He shot 7-10 in the second half on Tuesday ... he's 9-47 the rest of the week. Jimmer Fredette is like, "Dang, that's bad."

But ...

1. McLemore is 20 years old. He's so young he can't even see his peak with binoculars.

2. It's Summer League. As the final results of the game indicate, the Kings' squad isn't exactly stacked with talent. No second- or third-year NBA-level players, and only one other guy (Ray McCallum) who is even semi-likely to be in an NBA rotation next season. Even by Summer League standards this is a thin team. At least most squads have their 2012 first-rounder in place. Ours is playing for Portland.

3. It's Summer League. McLemore finished his first post-high school season in March, trained for the draft, worked out for a few teams and got plopped into Vegas to learn a system and NBA range and NBA speed and all of that.

4. It's Summer League. McLemore's 0-8 came in his third game in three days. He played a combined 63 minutes on Monday and Tuesday.

5. It's Summer League.

We've seen players transition to the NBA flawlessly, like Tyreke Evans. We've seen players struggle at first and then figure it out and excel. See Martin, Kevin. We've seen players struggle to figure it out with a number of extenuating circumstances (Jimmer, with the rotation and coaching) and without those circumstances (Quincy Douby). Stage 1 has not been easy for McLemore. Maybe Stage 2 (preseason) will be rough too, and heck, maybe even Stage 3 (rookie season). But that won't determine what kind of NBA player McLemore will be in the end. This fan base should know as well as anyone that what a player does as a rookie doesn't guarantee anything one way or the other. The last two great shooting guards the team has had, Martin and Evans, are a perfect example.

In conclusion, it's Summer League. Chillax.

More from Sactown Royalty:

• Wednesday Mail Sac: Greg Oden, Gerald Wallace, best(???) Kings coach of the past seven years, plus career day!
• The Sactown Royalty Show Ep. 6: Section214 on Vegas Summer League
• Tuesday Mail Sac: Trades! Trades!! Trades!!! Also, the playoff drought continues, and deserted island movies!
• NBA free agency: Kings to meet with Greg Oden this week, according to report
• Monday Mail Sac: VSL notes, televised Kings games options, and being a hater