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Eric Gordon pleased with Pelicans' offseason

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Just one year ago, Eric Gordon was causing a stir with comments about how he preferred that New Orleans not match a max offer sheet from the Phoenix Suns. Flash forward to the present, and Gordon is excited about the potential of the Pelicans and happy to be a part of what's being built in New Orleans.

The Pelicans have made quite the splash this offseason, starting with a trade of No. 6 pick Nerlens Noel to the Philadelphia 76ers for All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday. Following that, the Pelicans acquired Tyreke Evans via sign-and-trade with the Sacramento Kings. Several other smaller moves have been made to help bolster the team's depth, and New Orleans could be a team that contends for a playoff spot in the stacked Western Conference.

Much of the Pelicans' success could depend on Gordon, who expressed his pleasure with this offseason to USA Today's Sam Amick:

"It's an all new beginning for me," Gordon told USA TODAY Sports. "That Holiday (trade) - that was surprising because he's still a young dude. You would've never thought that would happen. It's good that we have him for sure, and we've made some pretty good moves for sure.

"It's definitely heading in the right direction. We've got a lot of good young talent that's been experienced and they've proven themselves. Especially with Tyreke and Jrue, where we all can play together and break down (defenders), it just makes more opportunities for this team."

Gordon has battled injuries for much of his career, and he has only played in 51 games over two seasons in New Orleans. When healthy, Gordon is a dynamic scorer who, along with Holiday and Evans, could pose a lot of problems for opposing defenses.

If everything works out for New Orleans, a playoff spot could be on the horizon. But Gordon knows that there's a lot of competition in the Western Conference, so that spot won't come easy:

"I definitely would like for it to be a playoff team, but you've also got to look at some of these playoff teams from this past year in the West that have gotten better," he said. "I think we're going to be fighting for it. As long as we stay healthy, we're going to be fighting for it. I want us to be a playoff team. That's definitely the main expectation, because we're still a young team and this is our first year playing together."

As Gordon says, it likely will take some time for the Pelicans' crew of young players to gel. But if that happens, New Orleans will be one of the more enjoyable teams to watch in the NBA.

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Could the Spurs really end up signing Greg Oden?

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[Editor's note: This is a guest post from Bruno Passos, who may be writing for us on a more regular basis soon. -JRW.]

Spurs Look at Rolling the Dice with Greg Oden

In the glossy, candy-colored casino that is NBA free agency, the San Antonio Spurs have never been regarded as high rollers-even in their recent years spent hovering just above the cap. Long considered among the great pragmatists of the league, PATFO most often find themselves at the $10 tables, watching as other owners spin the treacherous money wheel.

This week in Las Vegas, the Mavs, Kings and Pelicans joined the Heat and Spurs as teams now in talks to sign former number one pick Greg Oden. The move appears to be a low-risk, high-reward scenario for whichever squad picks up the injury-plagued seven-footer, and much can be said for how both the Spurs and Oden stand to benefit from this pairing.

How Does Oden win?

It's been a bumpy road for Oden, even before joining the league. He played much of his sole college season through a wrist injury, which limited his game and forced him to shoot free throws with his off hand. Still, that didn't stop him from garnering first team All-America honors and being selected first overall by the Blazers in 2007. In what was seemingly a coin flip at the time between size and scoring, Portland went with Oden over Kevin Durant. And while Durant's gone on to become one of the top players in the league, Oden's misfortunes have become a draft cautionary tale, leading Blazers fans to (almost) forget the name Sam Bowie.

But there may still be chapters of Oden's story still to be written, and the San Antonio Spurs may present him with the best situation where he can revitalize his career.

Oden would be joining a club that's ready to ease him in, with tempered expectations that hinge neither on the player's health nor the team's necessity. Pop, the NBA's answer to Raymond Babbitt, manages his roster's minutes better than anyone in the league, and wouldn't be in a hurry to lean on him for important minutes or add him to the mix right away. Meanwhile, teams like Dallas (whose only centers are named Brandan Wright and Bernard James) would almost certainly expect big minutes from Oden early on.

Another advantage the Spurs possess over teams like Miami is their style of play, which would far better suit Oden's skill set. Unlike the Heat, who have been one of the league's biggest proponents of small ball, the Spurs continue to believe in the big man, so much so that they shelled out $36 million to Tiago Splitter despite his largely ineffective play in the Finals. The addition of a healthy Oden would not only further PATFO's commitment to the big man philosophy, but strengthen its punch.

Perhaps best of all for Oden's long-term prospects is the presence of Tim Duncan, who could mentor him much like Duncan himself was able to learn from Robinson early in his career. Beyond his wealth of on-the-court experience and all-time-great status, Timmeh is another former number one pick and has been able to manage his body remarkably well, both after coming back from his own knee injury in 2000 and most recently by losing 25-30 pounds and being selected as an All Star once again.

Whether Oden decides to land on black (and silver) may come down to other factors-namely salary. The Spurs can only offer him the veteran's minimum of $1 million, while teams like the Mavs (sitting bitterly on some extra cap space after failing to throw money at every marquee FA) can offer far more. Yet, Oden may be looking at the big picture and at how much an ideal situation can improve his long-term basketball and financial outlook.

How do the Spurs win?

The fact that teams like the Spurs aren't deterred from speaking with Oden's even though he's only appeared in 82 games over six seasons - and hasn't played since his last injury in 2009 - speaks volumes about his talent and potential impact. Even lacking the polish many hoped he'd have developed by this stage in his career, a healthy Oden should bolster the defense and rebounding of any team, even in limited minutes.

Heck, even an hobbled Oden was able to put up averages of 9.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. The Spurs finished just outside the top 10 in points allowed and stand to improve upon that, as well as their rebounding and defensive efficiency, with Oden seeing regular minutes by mid-season.

Oden would fit right in with the Spurs ethos, which, like a car-lover who only buys American, has always trumped the virtues of size and dependability. (Before Tiago's big pay day, fans will recall the $42 million given to Rasho Nesterovic who, according to this ESPN article, was seen as the new Slovenian admiral.)

It's also been reported that Oden is currently in great shape and progressing well, although (grain of salt alert!) this intel comes by way of fellow Ohio State alum, and new Spur, Deshaun Thomas. Call it hype, call it wooing, but it at least seems like his head, if not his whole body, is in the right place.

Not to be overlooked is the fact that Greg Oden has been a model NBA citizen, avoided scandal (aside from one iPhauxn pas), and continues to be a great figure in the community-his "Team Oden" is an organization that mentors kids in the Portland area. Oden's humble, understated personality would be a perfect fit in the Alamo city.

Previous Rolls of the Silver and Black Dice

In order to put this would-be transaction into context, here is a quick rundown of San Antonio's previous risky acquisitions.

1993 Trade: Spurs All-Star Sean Elliott and David Wood for Dennis Rodman.

Detroit had in Rodman the league's top rebounder who, just the year before, averaged almost 19 a game. Yet, Rodman's off-the-court issues and overall Wormliness had grated on Pistons personnel. Coming to answer their prayers were the Spurs, who traded away All-Star (and all-around good guy) Elliott to roll the dice on Rodman. The universe, however, never seemed right with Rodman donning a Spurs jersey and, after two winning, but combative, years, saw Rodman out and Elliott back home to Taco Caban-er-San Antonio yet again.

2009 Trade: Fabricio Oberto, Bruce Bowen and Kurt Thomas to the Milwaukee Bucks for Richard Jefferson

Richard Jefferson had averaged nearly 20 points a game for the Bucks the year before, boasting a combination of three-point shooting and athleticism that SA had been severely lacking. The trade, combined with the re-structuring of his contract, cost the Spurs a few fan favorites, as well as cap flexibility for the future. The next year, Jefferson averaged 12.3 points for the Spurs, and was never able to perform at the level expected out of him.

2011 Trade: George Hill to the Indiana Pacers for Kawhi Leonard

George Hill wasn't just loved by fans, Popovich notably called him as his "favorite player." Nonetheless, the Spurs, who saw Kawhi as a top-five talent, decided to pull the trigger and acquire the rights to the 15th overall pick. The gamble has paid off. While Hill has found a home in Indiana, Kawhi has already blossomed, showing defensive instincts and acumen well beyond his years, while rebounding at an excellent rate on both ends and continuing to grow into a dangerous offensive weapon.

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NBA Las Vegas Summer League 2013: Jonas Valanciunas leads hot prospects

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NBA Summer League is a time for teams and players to experiment with new on-court roles and responsibilities, but the tinkering doesn't always produce encouraging results. Some players flash improvements in their game or tap into the potential scouts spotted earlier in their careers while others highlight the gaps in their development.

The lesson to remember is that it's just summer league and real value can only be proven on NBA courts during meaningful games, but sometimes it's hard to throw out the production completely. With these thoughts in mind, the following players are standing out for their own reasons.

Three Prospects Playing Well

Jonas Valanciunas

The learning curve for young big men in the NBA is typically steep, but second-year big man Jonas Valanciunas -- the No. 5 overall pick in 2011 by the Toronto Raptors -- has flashed some impressive improvements in his game over the past week.

He's been physical in the paint during every game, and his stats have been outstanding. Valanciunas is a top-five scorer in Vegas, and owns a double-double average for the tournament through four games. Here are his stats:

GMPGPPGFG%FT%OFFDEFRPGAPGSPGBPGTOPF
429.318.80.5610.8792.87.3101.80.20.855.8

The scoring and rebounding number speak for themselves, but the turnover and foul stats are still a bit alarming. Valanciunas made some improvement in those areas in Toronto's most recent contest, however.

Here's the account of that game, in which the big man scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, from team blog Raptors HQ:

The Lithuanian didn't only impact the game offensively. He stifled the paint, scaring the Nuggets guards from taking it to the hole. Most of the time, he would force penetrators into tough looks that they missed most of the time or would block the shot attempt. His dominant presence forced Denver to shoot 28 three-point shots. Valanciunas also did an exceptional job of going straight up, something he had failed to do the three games prior. Averaging 6.3 fouls-per-game, the big man did an excellent job of defending without fouling in this particular contest even though his stat-line shows he finished with four fouls. Three of those fouls came in the fourth quarter, two of which were in garbage time, that is, when the game was just about wrapped up. Finally, he continued his exceptional free-throw shooting, going 5-for-6 from the line.

Austin Rivers

The New Orleans Pelicans have loaded up with backcourt talent in the wake of Rivers' disastrous rookie season, but the second-year guard from Duke has shown signs of life in Vegas as he's scoring 17 points per game on 43.9 percent shooting through four games to go with four rebounds and 2.5 assists. Those may seem like modest numbers, but they speak to how bad things were for Rivers in 2012-13. At the Hive knows there is still a way forward for Rivers, and he seems to be on track.

The young guard believes he has made big strides during the offseason, too, and he told Paul Flannery of SB Nation that his rookie year has become a motivating influence in his NBA journey:

"I have a chip on my shoulder," Rivers said. "Last year was up and down for me. I didn't have a great year. That was tough. That was the first time in my life that everything wasn't roses and successful. I had to look in the mirror and be like, ‘All right. What am I going to do?'"

...

"This is a test," Rivers said he told himself. "I'm going to rehab the heck out of my hand. I'm going to come back better."

...

"You can see the difference between last year and this year," Rivers said. "I wanted to show people that I'm healthy, I'm back and this year is a big year for me."

Jordan Hamilton

Jordan Hamilton only started three games and appeared in 66 contests during his first two seasons in the NBA, but he finally looks confident and comfortable in Vegas. Hamilton is only shooting 40.4 percent from the field, but he's hitting a scorching 44 percent of his three-point shots. Through four games he has posted impressive raw stats: 15.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per contest.

Paul Flannery of SB Nation caught up with Hamilton at summer league to discuss his transition into the NBA under George Karl and his new opportunity with head coach Brian Shaw:

"I never thought I'd come to a team and not play at all," Hamilton told SB Nation. "But I've learned a lot from coach (George) Karl. He taught me a lot of things both on and off the court. I admire coach Karl. It's tough being a coach. I never rode him or anything like that. I just sat back and waited my turn and hopefully this is it."

...

"This is the opportunity I've been waiting for," he said. "As of right now we're kind of thin on the wings with Gallinari down and a few guys leaving. I definitely think I can fit that mold once the season starts. This is the opportunity I've been waiting for to finally feel like I'm an NBA player."

Three Struggling Prospects

Ben McLemore

It's too early to say much of anything about McLemore's role with the Kings for next year, but so far it's been ugly for the rookie shooting guard in Vegas. For a prospect known to have a sweet shooting stroke, it's alarming to see McLemore's 28.1 percent conversion rate from the field and his ghastly 17.9 percent shooting from beyond the arc on more than 14 shot attempts per game. For all the talk about Shabazz Muhammad and his lack of assists, McLemore has yet to record a single helper despite playing an average of 28.8 minutes over four contests.

Mike Prada of SB Nation has been watching McLemore closely in Vegas, and he thinks the rookie is thinking too much about his game and pressing things at this point. Tom Ziller of Sactown Royalty and SB Nation isn't worried about McLemore at all. This is your reminder that it's just summer league:

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.

Tony Wroten

Wroten has the athleticism and tools to be an effective penetrating guard in the NBA, but his skill level has lagged his early transition to the NBA. His jump shot hasn't improved and when teams focus on pushing him right -- away from his dominant left hand -- the results are typically poor. The 20-year-old guard has taken 14.6 shots per game and only converted 26 percent of his attempts. Furthermore, his average of four assists has been undercut by the accompanying 3.5 turnovers. He's not effectively creating offense for himself or his teammates.

Tom Lorenzo of SB Nation has been following Wroten at summer league, though, and the young prospect said that the team is still encouraging him to shoot the ball ... regardless of the results:

My first impression from watching Wroten in Game 4 was that despite his struggles in the first three games, he still knew that at the top of the Summer League agenda was for him to work on his jump shot. Wroten said after the game, "I've been working really hard on that, regardless of how many I miss they kept telling me to keep shooting." And that is exactly what he did, becoming, if you will, the objective of Summer League play for the Grizzlies.

Last season Wroten shot just 38.4 percent from the floor in limited action, making just 7-of-36 jumpers, good for just 19.4 percent of his attempts. Again, the Summer League objective was to fix this. The aesthetics of his shot looked better in warmups, but without a live hand in his face he can't expect to get better.

Dion Waiters

Waiters is yet another volume scorer who hasn't done much to improve his efficiency profile during summer league play. The second-year player from Syracuse has scored 17.3 points per game, but he's done it on 37.3 percent shooting and 15.4 percent accuracy from three-point range. His 3.5 turnovers to 3.0 assists ratio isn't exactly inspiring either, even if it does point to his aggressiveness with the ball in his hands.

A 27-point performance on 12-23 shooting on Thursday raised his overall shooting numbers significantly, though, and Conrad Kaczmarek of Cavaliers blog Fear the Sword filed his recap on the scene in Vegas

Dion Waiters came out with his typical aggressive mindset. He got to the basket several times, made a couple nice passes, and hit two jumpers in the first quarter. He also committed a lazy turnover when he tried to split a double team. The good news is that his jumper looked to be finally falling. When he's able to hit jumpers consistently, it makes it much easier for Waiters to get to the rim and score easy baskets. Despite his normal boneheaded heat checks and ill-advised gambles, Waiters basically did whatever he wanted. He scored in a variety of ways and the Spurs couldn't really do anything to stop him. Unfortunately, Waiters does the defense a favor anytime he decides to pull up for a jumper.

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2013 Vegas Summer League: Atlanta Hawks vs Sacramento Kings game thread

Are the Celtics a lottery team right now?

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So we've already established that the players and coaches will not "tank" the season (meaning lose games on purpose). It remains to be seen if Ainge will "tank" the season by trading Rondo or even by offloading useful (and not yet old) players for future considerations and cap space.

Basically my current stance is that we just don't know what kind of team we'll have till the summer moves are done. So this is a completely unfair topic to have at this point. With all that said, I can't help but ask the question: Is this team a lottery team? It is important because how you feel about this team might impact what the next moves should be.

The critics of the Celtics current status claim that the team hasn't yet done enough to truly tank and they need to offload Rajon Rondo to get down into the deep lottery. I don't agree with that since I don't think we need to give up our one bonified star for a slightly higher percentage point chance at picking up someone who will be lucky to ever achieve what Rondo has already done.

I do, however, agree that there's little value in making the playoffs next year. So how bad are we right now? I don't think this team is bottom 3 bad and I don't really think they are currently a playoff team either.

My rationale has less to do with the Celtics then it does with what the other teams have done around us. A lot of teams that many pundits assumed would be part of Tankpalooza have made moves to upgrade their rosters.

I happen to think that the Cavs could make the playoffs behind Irving and a little luck in regards to injuries (Bynum, Varejao, etc.). The Wizards looked solid at the end of last year and are motivated to make the playoffs this year. The Bobcats/Hornets spent money on Al Jefferson (which doesn't guarantee anything but at least they are trying). At one point Chad Ford had the Hawks pegged for tanking, but I think they can make the playoffs behind Millsap and Horford. The Raptors with Gay and a new (smart) GM might be ready to take a step up. The TWolves might actually have some healthy stars this year. Detroit has Josh Smith, so they may take over the Hawks permanent 6th seed status.

Maybe I'm just buying the spin that these teams are selling (the Wizards manage to trick me every year it seems) but I don't see as many teams deep diving for Tankpalooza as I had originally thought. (Head nod 76ers, I see you)

I'm no NBA scout and I'm still trying to keep up with the moves from the last few weeks, but I think you can swag it into 3 broad strokes categories (in no particular order). Feel free to debate these as you like.

Top 10 (contenders or wannabe contenders)

Heat, Thunder, Spurs, Rockets, Clippers, Griz, Knicks, Nets, Pacers, Bulls

Middle 10 ("no man's land" or perhaps "the road to making the next step")

Hawks, Warriors, Nuggets, Mavs, Blazers, T-Wolves, Cavs, Wizards, Pistons, Lakers?

Bottom 10 (scoreboard watching for all the wrong reasons)

Sixers, Celtics, Cats, Magic, Pelicans, Kings, Suns, Bucks, Jazz, Raptors

I'm pretty confident in the top 10 but there are several teams that could land in either of the next two categories. And that's the tough part. Next year's draft is "top heavy" (according to the experts) but I get feeling that it would be a lot better to be in the top 10 then anywhere after that.

So what do you think? Are the Celtics currently a bottom 10 team? Lottery (bottom 14)? Or are they good enough to make the playoffs?

Poll
Where do you think the Celtics would finish (as of now)?

  1454 votes |Results

Summer League Game 5: Kings vs. Hawks open thread

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Can the Kings avoid going 0-5 in Summer League? Find out this afternoon as the Kings complete their Vegas trip with a match against the Hawks. The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. Pacific. It'll be shown live on NBA TV and available via Summer League Live on broadband.

The Hawks have a really intriguing set of rookies, including point guard Dennis Schroeder. And the Kings finally had a day off, so perhaps Ray McCallum and Ben McLemore will bounce back with good performances.

Waiving Samantha Prahalis is an affirmation of an alarming trend in the world of basketball

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There is has always been a constant battle within an organization to choose between building for the future or winning in the here and now. That battle often leads to questionable decisions that hindsight picks apart like ants on a piece of forgotten bread on the picnic blanket...

An ongoing trend in basketball has been the poor development of young players. Let's correct that statement: The poor development of non-superstar level players. Or to take it a step further simply the lack of development in basketball.

In recent years too many talented players that have the potential to add something to a franchise have been tossed aside like those pieces of bread on that blanket, but there is never a real, rationale, or reasonable reason delivered as to why. Why should an 18 or 22 year old that has shown promise simply be cast aside? Why is Thomas Robinson, a former No. 5 Overall pick in the NBA Draft, on his third NBA team begging for opportunity?

Also, why is Samantha Prahalis, the 2012 No. 6 Overall pick, without a job?

There is never a real answer as the responsibility is stripped from the organization that made a commitment to the player. Players are attacked and buried in the media when they move from team to team making power plays and demands like year after year. They do as they please or as much as they can with contracts being considered, but when they do that they are vilified. Organizations, general managers, and coaches do the same thing and are not.

The responsibility to develop these players is dismissed. The responsibility as a whole is dismissed, flicked into the grass, and along with the ants; completely forgotten.

That lack of development and lack of responsibility happens more and more in basketball. For the Phoenix Mercury, Sammy Prahalis is the latest casualty in the lack of responsibility to the younger generation of basketball players that may or may not have "superstar" potential. She became a fan favorite and showed promise as a rookie with little help around her before becoming one of those ants without a crumb, in the grass, and abandoned.

This is an affirmation of the times as young players are discarded without rationale, reason, or any sense of responsibility.

*********************************

Last season Prahalis filled in admirably for a group that more resembled an M.A.S.H. ward more than a professional basketball team.

She didn't ask any questions, just started 28 out of 28 games giving the Mercury a steady ball-handler in place of the idle Diana Taurasi and Penny Taylor. With her at the helm of a team that suited up 14 different players the team only won seven games, but without Taurasi and Taylor they were the equivalent of the Miami Heat if they featured LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in suits with Mario Chalmers and Chris Bosh as the nightly one-two-punch.

This season Prahalis started off doing only one thing wrong; playing behind All-World Taurasi who was back to claim her thrown in the WNBA after missing nearly all of last season.

By her own admittance Prahalis struggled early on, but the only reason she was brushed aside this week was because of a lack of patience, development, and team responsibility.

Yes, Taurasi is playing on a level not even seen by Taurasi during her amazing career. She is leading this team offensively playing at an all-time high. She needs the ball in her hands. But does that mean Prahalis does not need a locker in central Phoenix? Head Coach Corey Gaines speaks to the lack of minutes for Prahalis with direct correlation to the play of Taurasi. As a head coach it is Gaines responsibility to find the right role, spot, and time for his young guard to get on the court and develop.

Coaching is all about winning and a coach will do what is required to win no matter the cost. The game is the game and the system is rigged, but it does not mean it is right.

That cost can at times be punishing the infallible.

Across all levels of basketball this has become the case. Development and responsibility have been cast aside by coaches and teams to the point where players are more and more being put in this situation.

*********************************

Over the past five years 21 lottery picks were traded before making it to the end of their third season in the NBA. That is 4.2 players per lottery that are cast away for different reasons and circumstances, basically 30% of the lottery picks over the last five seasons. Between the years 2003-2007 there were 19 lottery picks that were traded or moved before the end of year three. The exclamation point came in 2010 with eight lottery picks flicked off the blanket in their first or second year in the league. No patience. No responsibility.

If that is the precedent going forward, what does that say about the game? If you are not a star by game 200 you are expendable?

Robinson is the new benchmark after lasting 51 games before the Sacramento Kings sent him off to a new home. Then, just 19 games later, the Houston Rockets delivered him to the Pacific Northwest for his third uniform in less than one year. For the first 51 games Robinson played in dysfunction with the Kings before they turned him into Patrick Patterson and cash.

The Mercury didn't turn Prahalis into anything. Rather, they waived her just 36 games into her career after eight DNP-Coaches Decisions and a rough start to her sophomore year.

As a 23 year old point guard Prahalis has the potential to be a serviceable starter for years to come, or, at worst, a change of pace guard off the bench that can create offense for others and shoot the ball. On a team filled with stars, aging by the minute, having a young talented player off the bench can be invaluable. It can be invaluable if the emphasis of the team is development.

There is no reward, no responsibility, and especially no trueheartedness in this business. This is after all is a thankless business for young players like Robinson, Prahalis, and many more to come.

Las Vegas Summer League 2013: Ben McLemore scores 27 in Kings win; Austin Rivers shines

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The end of Summer League play might be approaching, but there was a full slate of games on Friday. The players seem to enjoy the newly-implemented bracket-style format this summer, as a title up for grabs gives the games great meaning. Here's a recap of some of Friday's earlier action.

Knicks 91, Clippers 80

The Knicks were able to overcome 15 turnovers and a poor shooting performance from behind the arc to pick up the 91-80 victory over the Clippers. Jeremy Tyler led the way with 20 points and came up with this monster block. Rookie Tony Mitchell came off the bench to score 15 points, bring down five rebounds and dish out three assists. As a team, New York hit 53 percent of their shot attempts and did a nice job getting to the rim.

The Clippers shot 40 three-pointers and made just seven of them, making for a frustrating day on the offensive end. First-round pick Reggie Bullock played very well, scoring a team-high 22 points on 8-of-20 shooting. Samardo Samuels recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds to continue his strong summer. L.A. dropped to 1-4 in Summer League play with the loss.

Kings 93, Hawks 87

The Kings finally won a game in Las Vegas behind a huge performance from first-round pick Ben McLemore. Despite starting off slowly, McLemore finished with 27 points and nine rebounds for arguably his best performance to date, even getting off a highlight reel dunk in the process. Second-round pick Ray McCallum continued to impress while running point guard, recording a double-double with 12 points and 11 assists. If this is a sign of things to come, Sacramento is on the right track back to relevance out West.

Second-year forward Mike Scott had a big game for Atlanta, scoring a team-high 25 points and bringing down 10 rebounds. John Jenkins did not shoot the ball particularly well, but still managed to score 19 points. The most impressive stat on the day: the Hawks combined to go 23-for-23 on their free throw attempts.

Wizards 78, Pelicans 77

The Wizards snuck out the one-point victory despite not having No. 3 pick Otto Porter on the floor. Sundiata Gaines led Washington with 15 points off the bench, while second-round pick Glen Rice Jr. scored 14 points with four rebounds and three assists. The Wizards are now 2-3 following their win.

Austin Rivers shined for New Orleans with a team-high 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. He also came away with two steals on the defensive end, an area he's been working to improve this summer. Second-round pick Jeff Withey scored just four points, but also brought down six rebounds and blocked two shots. The Pelicans shot 47.5 percent from the floor.

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Las Vegas Summer League 2013: Tony Snell scores 20 in Bulls win; Nate Wolters strong in Bucks loss

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Las Vegas Summer League play heats up on Saturday with the quarterfinal of the bracket play round, but on Friday several teams ended their Summer League experience with one final consolation game. Sacramento Kings' rookie Ben McLemore was among the rookies to make a solid last impression with 27 points as the Kings beat the Hawks. Chicago Bulls' rookie Tony Snell scored 20 to help push Bulls past the Mavericks. Here's a recap of Friday's last four games from Vegas.

Spurs 90, Bucks 80

The Spurs shook off a slow start in the first quarter and then slowed down the Bucks to rest of the way to win their final game in Las Vegas and leave town with a 3-2 record. Second-year forward Hollis Thompson led the Spurs with 21 points, making eight of his 12 shots as he looks to stick in the league after spending his first year out of Georgetown in the D-League. Ryan Richards came off the bench to give the Spurs a boost in the second half, finishing the game with 18 points.

After the loss, Milwaukee leaves Vegas with a 2-3 record as second-year big man John Henson sat out the game with a groin injury. Rookie guard Nate Wolters looked good for the Bucks off the bench, making eight of 13 shots to finish with 20 points.

Grizzlies 91, Nuggets 84

The Memphis Grizzlies rallied down the stretch to finish Summer League play on a winning note. Rookie free agent Vander Blue made his presence known again in Vegas. After scoring 24 points in his previous game, Blue scored 13 points and was in the mix as the Grizzlies made a fourth-quarter run for the win. Gerald Robinson and Donte Green led the Grizzlies with 16 points apiece while Matt Howard added 12 points and 12 rebounds to help Memphis finish with a 2-3 record.

The Nuggets finished play with a 1-5 record with forward Luke Harangody leading the team with 17 points. C.J. Harris added 13 points, combining with Harangody to knock down six of eight three-pointers.

Bulls 94, Mavericks 87

The Chicago Bulls were stuck in the consolation round but added another win in their final effort to leave Vegas with a 4-1 record. Guard Andrew Goudelock finished a strong Summer League showing with 22 points in the win to lead the Bulls. First-round pick Tony Snell finished strong with 20 points, showing off his range from behind the arc by making five of eight three-point shots and also grabbing seven rebounds. Erick Murphy added a double-double for the Bulls with 19 points and 13 rebounds.

The Mavericks were led by guard Justin Dentmon, who scored a game-high 23 points off the bench as he looks to translate his success in the D-League to a full-time gig in the NBA. Josh Akognon made four three-pointers and added 18 points in the losing effort for Dallas. The Mavericks end Summer League play with a 2-4 record.

Timberwolves 72, Trail Blazers 66

The Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the Portland Trail Blazers in a back-and-forth affair to close out Summer League play for both teams. Minnesota enjoyed a boost from guard Lorenzo Brown as the second-round pick led the team with 13 points and eight rebounds. Fellow rookie Shabazz Muhammad struggled from the floor, making just two of eight shots to finish with six points. The win evened the Timberwolves' Vegas record at 3-3.

Portland finished with a 1-5 record as they tightened the playing rotation to give seven players a strong, final look. Terrel Harris took advantage of the extra time as the guard acquired as part of a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans scored a game-high 25 points with six rebounds and a pair of steals.

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Ben McLemore, Ray McCallum finish Summer League with a Kings win

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Ben McLemore had himself a second half on Friday as the Kings beat the Hawks in Sacramento's Summer League finale. McLemore scored 27 in the game, 23 of those in the second half. He shot 2-9 in the first half, and 8-12 in the second. As has been the case for nearly all of Summer League, McLemore wasn't shy about getting his shots up. That's an important thing given that one of the knocks at Kansas was that he wasn't aggressive enough. He showed no lack of aggression in Vegas. (He also had nine rebounds, eight of them on defense. That's going to be important to have going forward.)

Ray McCallum was quite good as well, racking up 11 assists on two turnovers to go with his 12 points (4-12 shooting). A couple of those feeds were to McLemore in the open court, and I really can't wait to see Isaiah Thomas and Greivis Vasquez run with McLemore, or to see McCallum running with NBA-level bigs who can finish, like Jason Thompson.

After five games, it's a question mark if anyone else on the club is getting a camp invite. Looking at the depth chart, Will Clyburn might have the best shot if he doesn't sign in Europe. His jumper wasn't falling much in Vegas, but he was really active and scored a point every two minutes, which is a really good rate. I'm not sure he's better than Travis Outlaw, though. Drew Gordon could get a look, too: he rebounded quite well (10.6 per 36) and has a high-potential background. But the Kings' roster is still at 14 after you add the rookies, so actually making the team (barring more trades) is a long shot.

Warm fuzzy time: from a Jason Jones blog post.

Rookie guard Ben McLemore, who scored 23 points in the second half, said [DeMarcus] Cousins gave him a pep talk at halftime.

McLemore said Cousins told him to "keep working, keep your head in the game, keep playing ball."

DeMarcus Cousins: mentor. I love it.

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Las Vegas Summer League 2013: Day 9 schedule, TV times and who to watch

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The action continues on Saturday in the Las Vegas Summer League, as there are four quarterfinal games to play in the single-elimination tournament round. The slate of games will tip off at 4 p.m. ET with a battle between the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Here's a brief look at the key players in each game on the schedule.

Miami Heat vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 4 p.m.

Players to watch: Cleveland doesn't have 2013 top pick Anthony Bennett available in Vegas, but 2012 first-round picks Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller lead the Cavs into the Vegas quarterfinals. Waiters scored 27 points in his last game and is averaging over 17 points in Vegas. Zeller is averaging 10.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game around the basket. For the Heat, second-round draft pick James Ennis and free agent Myck Kabongo will continue trying to earn a spot on the roster.

Toronto Raptors vs. Phoenix Suns, 6 p.m.

Players to watch: 2011 No. 5 pick Jonas Valanciunas is showing promise for the Raptors, averaging almost 19 points and 10 rebounds per game in Vegas, though his summer may have already ended. 2012 first-round pick Terrence Ross is averaging 13.5 points and is always a player to keep an eye on for highlight plays. For Phoenix, rookie Archie Goodwin is averaging almost 12 points per game while showing he can knock down the NBA three-pointer without forcing the issue. Goodwin has made five of his seven shots from behind the arc.

Charlotte Bobcats vs. D-League Select Team, 6:30 p.m.

Players to watch:Cody Zeller has looked strong for the Bobcats throughout his stay in Las Vegas. The No. 4 overall pick is averaging 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds as the big man has shown his ability to get out and run in the more open NBA-style game. Jeffrey Taylor is taking advantage of his time with Charlotte as well, averaging over 20 points per game. The D-League Select Team looks to Darnell Jackson and Kyle Weaver among others to remain undefeated in Summer League play.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors, 8 p.m.

Players to watch: The Lakers look to move on in the Summer League tournament behind the solid play of Lester Hudson. The guard is averaging almost 11 points per game while making 45% of his three-point shots. Forward Marcus Landry leads the Lakers in scoring with 15.5 points per game. For the Warriors, second-year players Kent Bazemore and Draymond Green lead the way. Bazemore heads into Saturday's play averaging 18 points and six rebounds, while Green is adding 12.5 points per game.

How to watch Saturday's games

The Summer League tournament quarterfinal games will all be broadcast live on NBA TV. All of the games are also available live online with the purchase of NBA.com's Summer League Live subscription.

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How Kings' new Bighorns relationship could keep Summer League players in the pipeline

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The major, obvious benefit in the Kings gaining a hybrid affiliation with the Reno Bighorns is that current and future youngsters drafted by the team have a place to develop if they aren't getting any run at the NBA level. That hasn't worked out in the past for the Kings -- Tyler Honeycutt didn't develop at all in his D-League sojourns, and let's not even get into Hassan Whiteside. But now the Kings can install a coach, a coaching style, a playing style and have greater control over what type of run players get. A Kings draft pick assignment will not be strapped to the Reno bench unless Pete D'Alessandro and Co. want him strapped to the bench.

But there's another benefit: creating a pipeline of non-roster players.

Under NBA rules, the final three D-League players cut by NBA teams in training camp are assigned to that team's affiliate. In the past, that just meant that whatever D-League players the Kings invited to camp and then cut ended up with Reno, which was run totally independently with no input from the Kings, and in one case run by a coach previously fired by the Kings. Now, the Kings run the Bighorns' basketball operations. So those three camp cuts are still being exposed to the Kings system, the Kings style, the Kings philosophy. And the Kings have eyes on those players -- inside eyes. Eyes in practice. Eyes on the team bus. Eyes everywhere.

If Will Clyburn and Drew Gordon elect to stay in the D-League and try to make the NBA in 2013-14, the Kings could invite them to training camp, cut them (unless they decide to sign them outright), and keep them in Reno to watch and impact their development. If injury or a trade strikes, the Kings could call them up on 10-days or for the full season having a much better idea of what they bring to the table.

I omitted David Lighty from that paragraph because I think he's more likely to head back to Europe if he doesn't have a contract. Guards do really well in Europe, and there's more competition and less opportunity for a call-up, if my read over the past few years has been accurate. (That'd actually be interesting to look at.) But big men are always needed in the NBA, and Gordon has enough promise that I think sticking around could pay off sometime in the next two years. Clyburn is a wing, but a similar case applies. Heck, he could have been drafted last month. If there's a third player the Kings could camp-cut-assign from the Summer League team, I'd guess it'd be Nick Minnerath. But the front office could also look outside the VSL squad for candidates.

It's important to note that while roster players the Kings assign to Reno (like Ray McCallum, potentially) cannot be called up by any other squad, camp-cut-assign players could be. So the Kings could bring Gordon to camp, cut him, work on developing him in Reno, and watch him get picked up by the Rockets or something. It's a risk, but the Kings don't really have the roster openings to sign-and-assign to prevent that.

Reno!

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NBA Summer League 2013: Ben McLemore adjusting to 'more open' style of play

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Sacramento Kings first-round pick Ben McLemore had quite the up-and-down Las Vegas Summer League, mixing in some poor shooting and ball security issues with glimpses of why some considered him the best prospect in the 2013 NBA Draft.

McLemore made just four of his 23 shot attempts in his Summer League debut. His box score didn't get much better, either, as he ended up finishing the summer shooting 33.3 percent overall and 19.4 percent from beyond the arc, turning the ball over 18 times in five games. The Kansas product capped off his time in Vegas with a strong performance, though, scoring 27 points on 10-of-21 shooting in a 93-87 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Summer League was just part of the learning process for McLemore, and he explained to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee some of the adjustments that must be made:

"You have so much more space than in college," McLemore said, referring to the farther three-point line in the NBA. "It's just more open for me, and I have to get used to it. I'm going to get used to it. It's summer league, and I'm here to get better each and every day."

McLemore is known most for his scoring, but to be a true star in the NBA, he must be able to impact the game in other ways than just putting the ball in the basket. For example, the rookie grabbed nine rebounds in Friday's win, which really stood out to new Kings coach Mike Malone:

"(Friday) showed Ben is not just a shooter - he's an all-around basketball player," Malone said. "If your jump shot's not going, you've got to find different ways to affect the game, and he did that (Friday)."

Malone is confident that McLemore, as well as second-round pick Ray McCallum, will both continue to get better thanks to their strong work ethics:

"Both of those guys are willing to work and do whatever it takes to improve," Malone said. "That's the exciting thing. They're ready, willing and able."

McLemore and McCallum now have just over a month to watch film and make more improvements before training camp opens on Oct. 2.

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Quincy Douby To Work Out For Sixers, Other Teams

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When a team is looking to avoid winning as many games as humanly possible in one season, they typically look to fill out the roster with cheap, filler players who once had some upside.

Quincy Douby fits that description perfectly.

According to SNY.tv's Joshua Newman (and uncovered by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey), the former Rutgers shooting guard will be working out for the Sixers sometime this month, as well as the Los Angeles Lakers. He worked out for the Knicks in late June.

Douby, now 29, was selected with the 19th overall pick in the 2006 draft by the Sacramento Kings. He spent two and a half seasons with the Kings (and a half season with the Toronto Raptors), and averaged just 4.1 PPG.. Granted, he didn't average more than 12 minutes a game, but never shot the ball well enough to become a mainstay in an NBA rotation.

From there, he started on a magical mystery tour of foreign basketball leagues, stopping in Turkey to play for a second division team called "Cooper Tires", then spent two separate stints in China, as well as playing in Spain in between. Douby gained some notoriety in January of this year, scoring a record 75 points in the Chinese Basketball Association while with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls. He averaged 31.6 PPG while with Zhejiang, while shooting an impressive 57.2% from the floor.

When the CBA season ended, Douby signed a deal to play in Lebanon, but seems to have his sights set on returning to the NBA.

He may catch on somewhere, but I imagine the Sixers are just doing their due diligence here.

Northern California roller coasters for Ben McLemore

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From Sunday's Ailene Voisin column on Ben McLemore:

Between poor performances early on, and after soulful conversations with Kings coach Michael Malone and Kansas coach Bill Self, McLemore left the hotel and walked down the Strip to New York, New York, intending to ride the famous roller coaster. It was a great idea, a classic youthful adventure if ever there was one, except for one problem.

"The line was so long, and it was so hot, I just turned around and came back," McLemore said with a soft smile. "It was a little disappointing."

That's like legitimately a little sad. He just wanted to ride a roller coaster. In that spirit, a few roller coasters within shouting distance of Sacramento that Mac can check out this year.

* Medusa at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo)

"Oh my God I'm going to crash into that parking lot that's a restricted parking lot I can't crash there I'll get a ticket my GOD!"

* Vortex at California's Great America (Santa Clara)

Oh, you're standing up for this one. No NBA centers allowed. WARNING: The line will be long and it will be hot.

* Giant Dipper at The Boardwalk (Santa Cruz)

The quintessential California coaster. Bonus: it's on the beach.

BONUS SUPER CLOSE COASTER!

The Flying Dragon at Funderland (Sacramento)

I would embed a video but that would a) just focus on a 2-year-old riding it per YouTube tradition and b) ensure you never visit Funderland, which would be a shame because snow cones.

***

Any more recommendations for Ben?


Orlando Pinstriped Post Mailbag no. 8: The starting five, trading Glen Davis, and a potential deal with the Kings

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The United States Postal Service does not deliver on Sundays, but Orlando Pinstriped Post is not the United States Postal Service. Let's dig into some of the Orlando Magic questions you've submitted.

Before we begin, here's a reminder: Tyler Lashbrook and I are always taking your questions. Email them to OPPMailbag@gmail.com or post them on the OPP Facebook page.

Away we go.

Andrew asks:

Who do you believe will be the starting five next year?

Barring a trade, the Magic's roster is set. Once Orlando officially signs Ronnie Price, it'll be finished making additions via free agency. So we can at least try to answer this question now.

Jameer Nelson, Arron Afflalo, and Nik Vučević are safe bets to start at point guard, shooting guard, and center, respectively. It's difficult to imagine any of those three guys transitioning to a bench role.

Barring a trade, the Magic's roster is set.

The forward spots are open, it would appear. If Glen Davis were healthy, then he'd be a solid bet to start at power forward, but he's not healthy; there's no guarantee he'll be ready for training camp, given the setback that he suffered regarding the broken bone in his right foot.

The signing of Jason Maxiell would seem to signal, in part, some doubt within the Magic organization that Davis will feel 100 percent for opening night. It's not hard to envision Maxiell getting some of Davis' minutes at starting power forward and at backup center.

I think small forward is Maurice Harkless' job to lose. He did, after all, get 59 starts as a rookie and the Magic did not add any small forwards in the offseason. Tobias Harris could challenge him here, but I think he's best suited to come off the bench. For one thing, Harris is a scorer, first and foremost, and there's some sense in ensuring that at least one guy off the bench can put the ball in the basket. But for another, Harris is best suited to play power forward, where he can create mismatches with his speed and his ability to create for himself off the bounce.

That's just one way the starting five could shake out. It's possible that Victor Oladipo could earn a starting spot as well, which would most likely shift Afflalo to small forward and Harkless to the bench. The problem with this lineup is size: at 6-foot-4, Oladipo figures to give up inches to most opposing two-guards. So to will the 6-foot-5 Afflalo to most small forwards. Opposing wings could post up against either of those two and enjoy a significant mismatch, perhaps drawing an extra defender and further opening up the weak side of the floor for a ball-reversal.

Oladipo and Afflalo will surely spend some time together in 2013/14, but I'm not sure that opening games with that pairing is the best idea for Orlando.

Henrik asks, via Facebook:

What means the signing of Maxiell for a possible trade involving Davis or Andrew Nicholson?

Probably nothing. A good segment of Magic fans reacted to the news of the Maxiell signing by saying it means Davis is on his way out, but I don't see it that way at all. As I mentioned in the above answer, I think Maxiell represents insurance for Davis' health than anything else. Further, Maxiell is on a short-term deal, so it's not as though he's part of the Magic's core.

It's true that Orlando is well stocked at power forward and center. That sort of depth makes a trade easier, but it does not signal that a deal is imminent.

Nicholson is in an interesting spot, though. Once everyone is fully healthy, he'll have Davis, Maxiell, and Harris ahead of him on the depth chart, in some order. And yet it's difficult not to play him because he provides two skills--efficient scoring and low-post offense--of which the Magic are in short supply. Swapping him for a similar-salaried player at a different position, perhaps small forward, would seem to make sense, as doing so would help balance the roster.

But you hate to part with a young, skilled, cheap contributor, especially if you're primarily doing it to give minutes to veterans who aren't in your team's long-term plans. I am curious to see how Rob Hennigan, the team's general manager, sorts out the glut of Orlando's bigs.

Shawn asks:

What about Ray McCallum? He slipped to the second round and ended up in Sacramento. They have a full back court (Greivis [Vásquez], [Isaiah] Thomas, [Ben] McLemore, [Marcus] Thornton) but he is exceeding expectations in summer league showings. They are not exactly in full rebuild/tank mode like Orlando and Phoenix. Could we work a deal with them?

Since you sent this message, Sacramento has inked McCallum to a three-year, fully guaranteed contract, so it would appear that he's in the Kings' future plans. Second-round picks do not usually get such lucrative deals, so it's clear that Sacramento values him going forward.

But the Kings do, as ever, have a glut of guards. Thomas and Vásquez stand out as potential Magic trade targets, given their talent level and their position. Thomas is probably the most talented of the two, despite his lack of height: guards who can shoot and run the pick-and-roll are valuable commodities, and the Magic could really use his scoring touch. The fact that Thomas is worth significantly more than his league-minimum salary makes trading for him difficult. The Magic would need to absorb a bad contract from Sacramento--perhaps John Salmons' or Chuck Hayes'--and send back some talent in return. The Kings need a small forward, which makes Orlando a poor trading partner in that regard.

The same issues apply to Vásquez: he's set to earn slightly more than $2 million in 2013/14, which salary is significantly less than his real value.

That's it for this edition of the OPP Mailbag. If you've got a question, please send it our way by emailing OPPMailbag@gmail.com or by posting it to our Facebook page.

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

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Knockout Kings II: Fight week schedule, events open to the public

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Showtime and Golden Boy are back again on Saturday, July 27, with the Knockout Kings II televised tripleheader from San Antonio, where former welterweight titlist Andre Berto will face rugged veteran Jesus Soto Karass in the night's main event. On the TV undercard, Keith Thurman takes on Diego Chaves, and Omar Figueroa meets Nihito Arakawa.

There are events open to the public in San Antonio this week, including media workouts and Friday's weigh-in. The media workouts will take place on Wednesday, July 24, at H-E-B #36 (6818 South Zarzamora Avenue in San Antonio). Here's the lineup:

5:00 pm CDT: Jessie Anguiano, Anthony Hanshaw, Felix Piedra, Stephan Salazar
5:20 pm CDT: Jerry Belmontes, Armando Cardenas, Anthony Dirrell, Emanuel Ledezma, Joseph Rodriguez
5:40 pm CDT: Nihito Arakawa, Diego Chaves
6:00 pm CDT: Jesus Soto Karass
6:15 pm CDT: Keith Thurman
6:30 pm CDT: Omar Figueroa
6:45 pm CDT: Andre Berto

The weigh-in event will take place at the same venue (H-E-B #36) at 2:00 pm CDT on Friday afternoon.

BLH will have week-long coverage of Knockout Kings II, leading up to live, round-by-round coverage on Saturday night.

NBA free-agency news roundup: Marcus Camby narrows choices to 3, Mavericks making minor moves

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Veteran big man Marcus Camby is officially a free agent after clearing waivers on Sunday, and he has reportedly narrowed his choices down to the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls, according to Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Camby, 39, was, to his preference, just bought out by the Toronto Raptors after being traded from the New York Knicks in the Andrea Bargnani deal. He played in just 24 games last season due to foot problems, averaging only 1.8 points and 3.3 rebounds.

Camby is expected to make his decision in the next few days. The Heat tried to sign Camby last season, but the Knicks were able to offer more money. Miami could use some more help in the frontcourt despite already re-signing Chris Andersen.

The Bulls are looking for some center depth behind Joakim Noah, as Nazr Mohammed is currently the team's only other player at the position. The Rockets have Dwight Howard and Omer Asik in place at center, but Asik could still possibly be dealt and the Rockets could be sensible with Camby making his home in the Houston area.

Mavs waive Akognon, intend to re-sign James

The Dallas Mavericks were forced to waive Bernard James over the weekend to help fit Monta Ellis' new contract under the salary cap, and they had to do the same thing with Josh Akognon on Sunday.

Akognon led the Mavs' Summer League team in scoring, and Dallas would like to bring him back if he clears waivers.

Speaking of James, he has officially cleared waivers, which leaves him free to go back to the Mavs at the minimum. ESPN's Marc Stein says that Dallas fully intends to bring back the 28-year-old, who would probably see a bigger role than last season.

Kirk Henderson at Mavs Moneyball is pleasantly surprised that James will likely be back:

This was a risky gamble for Dallas because James is a functional big man capable of playing 10-15 minutes a game. He blocks shots, he rebounds, and generally plays hard. There's really not more you can ask out of a minimum salary player. I'm very surprised an under the cap team didn't pick him up.

Oden scheduling more meetings?

Free-agent center Greg Oden may meet with the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings this week, according to NBA.com's David Aldridge. The Heat, Mavs and San Antonio Spurs have already met with Oden.

The Pelicans reportedly have been mulling an offer for Oden worth about $6 million over two years. The Heat could make a similar offer, but it's unclear whether they are willing to make that type of financial commitment to the oft-injured Oden, who hasn't played a game in the NBA since 2009.

Splitter considered signing elsewhere, but happy in San Antonio

Tiago Splitter admitted that he strongly considered signing an offer sheet elsewhere before re-signing with the San Antonio Spurs for four years and $36 million, according to Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News:

"You feel good that some teams want you, and sometimes you even feel like you'd like to try something new," Splitter said. "You have that doubt behind your ears."

The Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers discussed offer sheets with Splitter, but ultimately, the big man was drawn back to the Spurs because of the level of prosperity the team has had in recent years:

"When you have such a successful team, you've got to keep what's working," Splitter said. "We didn't win a ring last year, but we were very close, and we went the year before to the West finals. You don't want to change it."

Splitter averaged 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds in an increased role during 81 games last season.

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Orlando Pinstriped Post Mailbag no. 9: Romero Osby's contract, Jason Maxiell's minutes, and NBA expansion

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Let us reach once more into the Orlando Pinstriped Post Mailbag to see what Orlando Magic topics have piqued your interest.

A reminder before we get underway: Tyler Lashbrook and I are always taking your questions. Email them to OPPMailbag@gmail.com or post them on the OPP Facebook page.

Let's begin

Brady asks, via the OPP Facebook:

Why haven't the Magic signed Romero Osby yet?

I can't speak to the specifics of Osby's case, but in general, there is less urgency to sign second-round Draft choices. They aren't bound to a scale salary, like first-rounders are, which helps to explain why the Magic have already signed Victor Oladipo. And because most second-rounders sign for the league's minimum salary, they can be signed at any time, regardless of the salary cap.

Most second-rounders do not sign until later in the summer. Here's a look at when second-rounders from 2012 and 2013 wound up signing:

PlayerTeamYearPickDate Signed
Kim EnglishDetroit Pistons2012446 July 2012
Tyshawn TaylorBrooklyn Nets2012417 July 2012
Doron LambMilwaukee Bucks20124211 July 2012
Jeff TaylorCharlotte Bobcats20123113 July 2012
Orlando JohnsonIndiana Pacers20123613 July 2012
Will BartonPortland Trail Blazers20124013 July 2012
Quincy AcyToronto Raptors20123715 July 2012
Jae CrowderDallas Mavericks20123420 July 2012
Toko ShengeliaBrooklyn Nets20125424 July 2012
Bernard JamesDallas Mavericks20123325 July 2012
Draymond GreenGolden State Warriors2012353 August 2012
Kyle O'QuinnOrlando Magic2012498 August 2012
Khris MiddletonDetroit Pistons20123914 August 2012
Darius MillerNew Orleans Hornets20124622 August 2012
Mike ScottAtlanta Hawks2012436 September 2012
Quincy MillerDenver Nuggets2012386 September 2012
Robert SacreLos Angeles Lakers2012607 September 2012
Darius Johnson-OdomLos Angeles Lakers20125514 September 2012
Kevin MurphyUtah Jazz20124714 September 2012
Glen Rice Jr.Washington Wizards2013358 July 2013
Allen CrabbePortland Trail Blazers2013319 July 2013
Erik MurphyChicago Bulls20134910 July 2013
Isaiah CanaanHouston Rockets20133415 July 2013
Ray McCallumSacramento Kings20133618 July 2013
Tony MitchellDetroit Pistons20133719 July 2013

On average, 2012's second-rounders didn't sign until August 4th, and the median date was July 25th. Further, none of the 11 players picked after Osby in 2013 has signed yet. In short, there's nothing unusual or at all out of the ordinary about the fact that Osby hasn't signed.

Osby will certainly come to training camp with the Magic, but camp doesn't begin until October 1st. I'm sure Orlando will ink him well in advance of that date.

Megapickel asks:

I was wondering if you believe that Jason Maxiell will take up the majority of backup minutes away from [O'Quinn] at the center position? [...] [A]s we all know [Maxiell] is more than capable at the Center, and would warrant some time there considering the amount of PFs we currently hold.

Yes, I expect Maxiell to get some minutes at center behind Nik Vučević. Those same minutes went to O'Quinn down the stretch of the 2012/13 season.

I understand Magic fans' resistance to any transaction that might result in fewer minutes for O'Quinn and the rest of Orlando's under-25 players. But Maxiell is more than simply a body or a locker-room tutor: he's an excellent low-post defender, capable of defending centers despite his height, which the NBA lists as 6-foot-7 but which I understand to be generous. He's also coming off a season in which he blocked 1.3 shots per game, and he joins an Orlando team which blocked fewer shots than all but five clubs in 2012/13.

None of this is meant to suggest that Jacque Vaughn will relegate O'Quinn to the end of the bench. There's always a chance that O'Quinn will work his way into the playing rotation, just as he had to do as a rookie. But at this stage of the offseason, it's tough to envision Maxiell playing behind O'Quinn.

bcd jd asks:

In an alternate universe, the NBA resolved the Sacramento/Seattle dilemma by granting Seattle an expansion team right now. In a typical "protect 8" expansion draft, who do the Magic protect? Which current player ends up moving to Seattle?

First, allow me to reiterate my support for an expansion team in Seattle. It's a viable NBA market with devoted fans who would support a team. There's no legitimate reason for the NBA not to expand; spare me the arguments about talent dilution and having an odd number of teams. They don't sway me in the slightest.

More Sonics coverage:SonicsRising

Having said that, I participated in an exercise like this one for Sactown Royalty, SB Nation's blog about the Sacramento Kings, in January. Which unprotected Magic player slipped away to the fictional Sonics? Find out here.

Let's update the question, however, and protect eight Magic players. Let's assume that the expansion SuperSonics will begin play in the 2014/15 season, meaning the Magic can only protect players who are either under contract for that season or who will be restricted free agents.

Based on those criteria, Orlando has 12 players eligible for the expansion Draft. Were I in charge of making the team's personnel decisions--and I suspect there are a great many readers of this site who are grateful that I am not--I would protect Jameer Nelson, Arron Afflalo, Oladipo, Maurice Harkless, Vučević, Tobias Harris, Andrew Nicholson, and O'Quinn.

The Magic players in the expansion draft pool would be Glen Davis, Al Harrington, Maxiell, and Doron Lamb. Seattle can only pick one player, at most, from each team. The Magic's two most attractive unprotected pieces are Davis and Lamb, but there's no telling if they'd appeal to Seattle.

I chose to protect Afflalo instead of Lamb because, despite Lamb's youth and relative upside, Afflalo is a better player who also has more trade value. And, because his salary far exceeds Lamb's, he could net more in a potential trade.

That's a wrap for this edition of the OPP Mailbag. If you've got a question, please send it our way by emailing OPPMailbag@gmail.com or by posting it to our Facebook page.

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Dot...Dot...Dawg (7/22)

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  • Adam Jude from the Seattle Times picks Oregon to beat Arizona St. in the Pac-12 title game, while also picking the Huskies to finish No. 3 in the North Division standings.
  • Unsurprisingly, season ticket sales for football have increased from last season: a 41,193 to 45,056 jump, to be exact. A winning football team and a brand new stadium are the easy reasons why sales are up.
  • Brian Elsner at Wait For It Seattle continues his all-time Husky position lists, this time covering wide receivers.
  • Titan Sized makes a compelling argument on why Titans quarterback Jake Locker might not be as bad as some fans currently think he is. A closer look at Colts quarterback Andrew Luck's and Locker's numbers might surprise you.
  • Desmond Trufant is not under contract with the Atlanta Falcons yet. Pro Football Talk reports Trufant and the Falcons organization are currently conflicting about his contract situation. It's all about that guaranteed money!
  • Jon Johnston from SB Nation's Nebraska blog, Corn Nation, argues that college football will be dead in 20 years.
  • The Sacramento Bee catches up with Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas. Lil' Zeke says he "welcomes" competition at the point guard position.
  • How's Grizzlies point guard Tony Wroten developing? For starters, he's only shooting 56 percent from the charity stripe – and in his first two summer league games he was 5-for-23 from the field. But then again, it's summer league. Chris Herrington from the Memphis Flyer gives his observations of Wroten in this blog post.
  • Construction for the new Husky baseball stadium has commenced. Check out this video from GoHuskies.com:


Question of the Day:

Everyone knows ASJ is a sure-fire NFL draft pick whenever he decides to declare for the draft. However, who else on this roster has a legitimate shot at having a career at the next level? Are Keith Price and Bishop Sankey NFL prospects? Can Shaq Thompson catch scouts' attention, if he hasn't already? Who in your opinion are the NFL prospects on this Husky football team?

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