We kick off the week with a pair of questions from NewYorkKingsFan: "Do any of you have the sort of inside informants like Sam Amick, to get contact info for the players, etc.? As a sports blog, do you get access to the locker room after games?"

Currently we do not have credentials for games or practices, but that could always change. We had been offered an opportunity some time back, but all of the contributors to this site have other jobs that make covering the team in beat writer fashion virtually impossible. To attempt to cover the team on a part-time basis would be disrespectful to those that do it for a living, in my opinion.

I have a great deal of respect for those that take their jobs seriously and do it well. Aside from Amick, I also hold James Ham and Jon Santiago from Cowbell Kingdom in very high regard. Ham and Santiago are at the arena seemingly full time, and they are a great resource of knowledge. We link them often and recommend them always. I also have to hat tip Ailene Voisin, who has been coming on strong since the change of ownership.

One thing that has always deterred me from wanting to take on beat writer responsibilities is that you pretty much have to give up being a fan. That is, you are not permitted to root at the games or really show any emotion one way or the other if you are a member of the press corps. I've always written from the fan perspective (most of us at Sactown Royalty do, some subtly and some overtly). I've always had an interest in covering a game or two just so I could give the membership a tour "behind the purple curtain," but game-in and game-out I want to be a fan.

The end result is that we provide the best single location to see the works of Amick and Ham/Santiago and Voisin, as well as the best forum around for members to discuss those works. I'm not sure that we'd be better off if we had a full-time beat writer, as we would be more of a competitor of these writers instead of a sounding board for them.

And the next question from NYKF: "Have any of you heard from some of the former Kings, like Corliss Williamson, or Doug Christie, or even Jon Barry, to get their reaction to the Kings staying in Sac? I went to American River College in 1982-83 but haven't really lived there full time since, and being in upstate New York now, with crappy satellite internet, I don't get to listen to any radio shows that you locals do, which might carry interviews or whatever with those guys..."

I'll let the fellow members chip in via the thread as it pertains to what reactions they may have seen from former Kings players. I know that Mitch Richmond was obviously pleased, as he is invested in new Kings ownership. Chris Webber was fairly vocal in his support as well. Spencer Hawes, not so much...

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Pick & Droll #1: How many Kings games do you hope to attend this year?If you don't live in Sacramento but do live in another NBA city, will you be attending when the Kings come to town? And will you go out to a bar or restaurant with a group to take in some of the games, and if so, where?

My budget is tight, but I'm still hoping to catch about eight games this year, including potentially a couple of StR nights if we can get them pulled together. My favorite time to go to a bar or restaurant is when the Kings are on the road - Friday or Saturday games with a Pacific or Central starting time are the best.

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

Last week it was reported that the Kings were going to meet with Free Agent center Greg Oden as he attempts to make his comeback to the NBA after missing the last three seasons due to various knee injuries and ailments.

Today, Yahoo!'s Marc Spears reports that Oden will hold a private workout in Indianapolis tomorrow for both the Kings and Pelicans. Spears says the Pelicans are prepared to offer Oden a deal worth approximately $3 million. The Kings do not have $3 million in cap space, but can still offer around that much due to the Room Exception ($2.5 million).

ESPN's Marc Stein and Jeff Goodman also report that the Kings will have representatives watch Oden, but add that the Kings are a seeming "long-shot contenders" for the big man's services. According to them, Oden will likely choose between the Miami Heat or San Antonio Spurs.

Should the Kings sign Oden, they will add to an already pretty crowded frontcourt, but Oden would be the only 7 footer among the bunch. Whether or not he could play or meaningfully contribute is another question. I personally have my doubts, but I wish Oden the best as he tries to revive his career.

More from Sactown Royalty:

• Monday Mail Sac: Reporters, former player reaction, and how many games are you going to this year?
• DeMarcus Cousins's last chance with Team USA
• Northern California roller coasters for Ben McLemore
• How Kings' new Bighorns relationship could keep Summer League players in the pipeline
• Ben McLemore, Ray McCallum finish Summer League with a Kings win

The Utah Jazz (not tanking, rebuilding!) traded two first round picks this past 2013 NBA Draft for Trey Burke's rights, and we signed him. The Jazz have added only John Lucas III as the only other full-time point guard on the roster. And, well, no one knows how much Trey will play. But we all have different ideas on how much he SHOULD play.

I don't see why he shouldn't play over 30 minutes per game. Some people agree. Some do not. In order to figure out how much he's likely to play I decided to look at the rookie year minutes for every (or just about every) point guard drafted in the last decade. It comes out to about 80 players. It's a long table below. I'm sorry. It's not organized by age, experience, if they were a lotto pick, if they were drafted to a playoff team, or whatever. It's just the player, the team, the season, and their numbers.

Either this information is interesting to you, or not. Either way, if you've read this far down -- you stand to lose little by reading what I have to say after presenting the data.

So, the average is about 21 mpg. That's pretty crazy because this isn't just franchise players (like a Paul, or Rose, or Curry), this includes players who have played 50 or fewer total NBA minutes. The average minutes per season (regular season + playoff combined) falls at 1,279.5 minutes in their rookie year. My goal is to get over 2,000 minutes for Trey this year. If Trey plays in 76 games this year, I'd be cool with close to 2,500 minutes. I'd be overjoyed if it was closer to 34 mpg myself.

But that's just me. Howzaboutyou?

With NBA Summer League action closing out Monday night, the offseason hits a new gear of boring this week, but rumors and transactions still continue to trickle in as teams finalize training camp rosters. The Denver Nuggets appear to have added one of the final remaining significant pieces on the market in Nate Robinson, giving the team some added scoring punch. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks look to be going young with their front office after a second consecutive offseason of failing to sign top free agents. Here's the latest from around the NBA.

Nate-Rob goes Mile High

One of the shortest players in the NBA appears headed to the Mile High City as Nate Robinson reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with the Denver Nuggets on Monday. Using the bi-annual exception, the contract could be worth up to $4.03 million, though Robinson also holds a player option for the second year. Should he break out and have another strong season with the Nuggets in 2013-14, it's possible he opts out of the deal to land an even more lucrative deal next offseason.

Over at Denver Stiffs, they note this deal could force another move down the road:

"This signing likely means another move is coming at some point, sooner rather than later. The Nuggets will likely look to deal backup point guard Andre Miller, who will make $5 million this season and has a $4.6 million not fully-guaranteed deal for the 2014-15 season."

Mavs hire Gersson Rosas as GM

The Dallas Mavericks couldn't beat out the Houston Rockets for Dwight Howard's services, but they did nab a key executive from the organization Monday by hiring Gersson Rosas as general manager. A key figure in Daryl Morey's front office over the past few years, Rosas brings youth and a forward-thinking attitude to the Mavericks after back-to-back disappointing offseasons. Formerly the Rockets' vice president of basketball operations, the 35-year-old becomes the second Houston assistant to land a GM gig this offseason after Sam Hinkie signed on with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Greg Oden to host suitors

The comeback of former No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden appears to be nearing its next chapter, as the seven-foot center plans to host and work out for several suitors this week. The Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings will have executives in attendance as Oden works out, looking to sign a new deal over three years after his last NBA appearance. Since undergoing a third microfracture procedure in February 2012, he's gotten healthy enough to garner significant interest from teams, and he could prove to be an intriguing addition should he be able to make it onto the court.

DeJuan Blair to sign for around $3 million

Teams are becoming increasingly hesitant to hand out money to free agents, but DeJuan Blair holds out hope he can still land a mini-midlevel contract worth about $3 million. In a piece centered on Kenyon Martin's pursuit for a similar deal, ESPN New York's Jared Zwerling says Blair's market is currently in that range despite many teams having full rosters. "I think all teams are waiting out the free agency. They know guys will get nervous, and the longer teams wait, the more likely players will take a minimum," Jeremiah Haylett, Martin's agent, said. Still, the 24-year-old Blair could be one of the few players capable of commanding a decent deal at this point after putting in a few solid years with the San Antonio Spurs.

Grizzlies acquire Nick Calathes

The Memphis Grizzlies made a minor move Monday afternoon, acquiring the rights to guard Nick Calathes from the Dallas Mavericks, the teams announced. Dallas gets a minor improvement to one of its assets in the deal, as the 2016 second-round pick Memphis was already trading to the Mavs in a separate deal will now be unprotected. It had previously been top-55 protected, but now Dallas will receive the pick regardless of where it is.

A former star at Florida, the 24-year-old spent the past four seasons overseas, most recently playing for Russia's Lokomotiv Kuban. Starring for the club, he earned 2012-13 EuroCup MVP honors. You can check out a video some Calathes highlights over at Grizzly Bear Blues.

More from SB Nation:

• Ziller: Team USA needs a big to stop Gasol

• Dwight Buycks: Summer League's breakout star

• Team USA minicamp begins | DeMarcus Cousins's last chance

• Explaining why Brandon Jennings is still unsigned

• Pierre Jackson's wild week in his hometown

The Miami Heat are now considered to be finalists for the services of big men Greg Oden and Marcus Camby, though it currently is not known if the team is interested in adding both players or just one.

Adding both Camby and Oden appears to be unlikely, considering the Heat already have Chris Bosh, Joel Anthony, Chris Andersen and Jarvis Varnado in the mix. The Heat could cut Varnado, who played during Summer League tournaments in Orlando and Las Vegas, before Opening Day to avoid guaranteeing his contract. They could have also made Anthony their amnesty cut but with that option now gone after jettisoning Mike Miller the Heat could still find a trade partner for the defensive specialist (and offensive non-specialist).

Just one year after pursuing Camby during the offseason, the Heat are once again in position to land the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year and longtime New York Knicks big man.

Heat, Rockets, Bulls finalists for Camby. Sun Sentinel told by agent Rick Kaplan that Camby, "looking to make a decision in the next week."

— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) July 22, 2013

Many Heat fans would consider Camby to be too old at this stage in his career to be truly effective playing alongside the Big 3, though he would have to be considered an upgrade if he were to simply replace Juwan Howard's roster spot (and seat on the bench). Last season was a disappointment for Camby in his Knicks reunion, limited to playing just 26 regular season games and 3 playoff games primarily because of coach Mike Woodson's preference to play small ball as well as playing behind Rasheed Wallace during the first half of the season.

Meanwhile, Greg Oden may not be as close to deciding on his second NBA team since leaving the Portland Trailblazers after several frustrating and injury-filled years since being the 2007 #1 overall draft pick but signs are pointing to an eventual decision. Representatives from the Heat, New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings have been invited to attend an Oden workout that will take place this week, according to ESPN.com.

Sources say that the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks -- which had face-to-face meetings with Oden last week -- also remain in contention for the 7-footer's services. But the Heat and Spurs established themselves as the front-runners to land Oden last month and, according to one source close to the process, remain the co-favorites to sign him.

The 25-year-old Oden has been monitored by Pat Riley and the Heat for the past year as a player who could rehabilitate properly under their care and, while he may never live up to his early promise, could become a serviceable big man that could contribute off the bench for 15-20 minutes of action.

Oden has career averages of 9.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg and 1.4 bpg in just 82 career games between 2008 and 2010. Camby, 39, has 17 years of experience averaging 9.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, and 2.4 bpg in 973 regular season games.

The Heat would prefer to sign either at the veteran's minimum but they also have a $3.183 taxpayer's mid-level exception at their disposal.

More from Hot Hot Hoops:

• Miami Heat Player Countdown: #144-140
• NBA approves of five new rules changes for 2013-14 season
• Miami Heat Player Countdown: #149-145
• NBA Free Agency Report: Miami Heat interested in Marcus Camby again
• Three Peat: Heat win ESPY for 'Best Game' of the year; LeBron gets 'Best Male Athlete' and Heat named 'Best Team'

Ray McCallum, Jr., drafted 36th overall out of Detroit Mercy, played with poise and control for the Sacramento Kings during the Las Vegas Summer League, establishing himself as a leader in a backcourt that also featured Ben McLemore, an aggressive scoring guard selected 29 spots higher.

The two players overcame occasional uneven play early in the week, developing chemistry and peaking at the same time in their final game last Friday as McCallum dished 11 assists and McLemore scored 27 points

"That's something that I've always taken pride in, being a true point guard," McCallum said after the Kings beat the Hawks, 93-87. "I've always liked to get my teammates involved."

McCallum carried the scoring load in college, averaging 18.7 points per game for the Titans his junior year. But playing next to a lottery pick, he knows that won't often be the case. "Here at the next level, I got to get the ball to the guys that they pay big dollars to."

Helping McLemore finish strong was a big priority for McCallum, especially after the team opened summer league play with four straight losses and McLemore scored just a single point in the fourth game.

"I feel like anytime you have a group of 12 guys who, it's the first time everyone is playing on the same team together, it's going to be difficult," McCallum said. "But we watched a lot of film, and I think over the course of the tournament our chemistry got better.

"When you're watching us throughout the game, Ben and I are always talking. I'm asking him where does he want the ball, what spots is he looking for. And that's my job, to get him the ball," he said. "When you have such a great player like that -- and he's such a great talent -- I got to get him going. And I felt like today, he got going himself. So when he gets it going like that, it's easy for me to find him and keep him hot."

McCallum's unselfish mindset hasn't gone unnoticed by Sacramento's coaching staff.

"He's shown me this week that, OK, here's a guy who's a coach's son, three years in college and has a great feel for the game, great kid," said new Kings head coach Mike Malone. "Ben is looking to him, because that's the kind of leader that Ray is."

McCallum always did embrace his status as a coach's son. After earning McDonald's All-American honors coming out of Detroit Country Day, McCallum had offers from major programs like UCLA, Arizona and Florida. But instead of chasing the limelight, he opted to play for his father, Detroit Mercy's head coach Ray McCallum, Sr.

"It was a special time playing with my dad," he said, repeating himself for emphasis, "It was a really special time getting to play for my dad. That's something that you can't replace.

"It was definitely a tough decision, turning down major offers from teams competing for a national championship, but that father-son relationship and winning a [Horizon League] championship and changing a program, it's special."

"My father was a winner himself, and he's really instilled that in my family, a competitive, winning mindset. He's always talks about winning, and I think that's made me a great competitor, and someone who's always eager to win."

Even now that he's in the NBA -- he officially signed a three-year contract last week -- McCallum is still loyal to his father and Detroit. He continued speaking to several reporters Friday long after the rest of his teammates had left, explaining that he sees it as part of his duty.

"It's part of the job, and I try to take advantage of any opportunity," he said. "Coming from a small school, not everybody really knows who I was, so any opportunity I can, I guess, get my brand out there -- it helps the team out, helps my father and the University of Detroit out -- I'll take full advantage of it."

While McCallum's ability to see the floor and find his teammates is already apparent, the rest of his game is not yet complete. For starters, McCallum shot just 38 percent from the field in Vegas. But Malone isn't worried, predicting that his shot will fall more consistently with a mechanical tweak.

"He's learning, and as his jump shot comes into play and it gets better and more consistent, that's going to open up so many more things for him," Malone said. "Right now, his shot is not flawed. He's got a good shot [but] his release point has to get higher. When he misses his jump shot and a lot of his free throws, it's because they're on the front rim, he has a flat shot at times. I spent some time with his father talking to him about that, he's got to get his shot up higher, give it more of a chance to go in.

"He also has to develop a midrange game. He's realized this week, unlike in college when he could get to the rim a lot, now there's a lot bigger guys, he's got to develop a floater, he has to develop a midrange pullup, which is a dying art obviously."

McCallum agrees, promising to continue working on his ability to finish at the rim.

"That's all I'm going to be work on when I get home, just work on different finishing moves, because I know at the next level I'm not going to be able to get to the hole every time," he said. "I'm going to have to work on cleaning up my midrange game, my outside shooting, just work on different finishes around the rim."

If he can do that, don't be surprised if McCallum carves out a spot in Sacramento's crowded point guard rotation -- a difficult task considering incumbent starter Isaiah Thomas and new arrival Greivis Vasquez combined to start 140 games last season. Just having the chance to sign an NBA contract and compete, though, is a dream realized for the young point guard.

"It feels great. I'm definitely truly blessed and feel honored. It's something that I've been wanting my whole life and I had the opportunity to get it done and I'm happy to be a Sacramento King."

Nick Young signed a two-year, $2.3 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakersearlier this month, leaving the Philadelphia 76ers for his hometown team. Young played his college ball for the USC Trojans and went to high school in the Los Angeles area, so a homecoming made sense for the unrestricted free agent.

But Young also could have signed with the Lakers last offseason and chose not to, instead opting to sign with the Lakers now because, unlike last offseason, he actually envisions an opportunity to contribute, he told Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:

"They had Dwight [Howard], [Steve] Nash and Antawn Jamison," Young said in an interview with this newspaper recently after playing in the Drew League at King-Drew Magnet High School in downtown Los Angeles. "I didn't want to just be another guy on the bench. I felt like I wouldn't have been a good fit."

Young said the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings were suitors this offseason, but the Mavericks acquired Monta Ellis— both players come cast from the mold of scorers with triggers quicker than quick — and Young said the Kings' ultimately futile pursuit of Ellis signaled to him they weren't the team for him.

Besides, Young has played for a hometown team before. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2012, played 22 games there and left in free agency for Philadelphia.

He averaged 10.6 points per game last season on 41.3-percent shooting.

More from SB Nation:

• Flannery: Analytics and coaching in the NBA

• The Vegas Summer League Curiosity Encyclopedia

• Warriors win first Summer League championship

• Nuggets, Nate Robinson agree to 2-year deal

• Team USA minicamp begins | DeMarcus Cousins's last chance

In terms of accurate and up-to-date salary information for the NBA there is no greater source than Mark Deek's ShamSports. You should have it in your bookmarks. Today Mark updated Sacramento's salary cap page following the draft, signings and trades that have occurred since the end of the season.

Surprisingly, the Kings are at exactly 100% of the cap following the signing of Ray McCallum. This is the firs time the Kings have been at the cap in a few years. They got there thanks to the acquisitions of Ben McLemore, Ray McCallum, Greivis Vasquez, Carl Landry and Luc Mbah a Moute.

One of the great things about ShamSports is the ability to see how contracts are structured:

Landry signed a 4 year, $26 million contract and is being paid $6.5 million in each of the 4 years with no increases or decreases.

Ray McCallum signed a 3 year, $2.3 million deal. His first two years are fully guaranteed, while his third year is fully unguaranteed until July 20th, 2015.

We also can see how the New Orleans Pelicans structured Tyreke Evans' contract now. Per Mark, the contract starts at $11.7 million and declines each year after that, ending with $10.2 million in the fourth and final year of the contract. The contract also contains a trade kicker for the lesser of $1 million or 15% of the contract.

For those wondering how the Kings could sign another player while being at 100% of the cap, the team still has the ability to use their Room Exception, a provision available for teams who fall enough below the cap to lose their mid-level exception, which the Kings did before signing Landry. The Room Exception is worth $2.5 million this year, so that is what Sacramento would need to use to sign someone like Greg Oden or Cole Aldrich, unless they clear some more salary via trade.

As reported yesterday, representatives of the Miami Heat - including head coach Erik Spoelstra as well as personnel and scouting director Chat Kammerer - were indeed present when free agent center Greg Oden held a private workout Tuesday in Indianapolis.

In addition to the Heat, reps from the Sacramento Kings and the New Orleans Pelicans were also at the workout. Strangely, Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports had earlier reported that just the Kings and Pelicans would be granted permission to see the former 2007 #1 overall draft pick.

Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel today reported that was not the case, with Spoelstra and Kammerer confirmed to be in attendance and that the two also met with Oden.

Tuesday's workout in Indianapolis was limited, with Oden, 25, still working his way back from a series of injuries that have had him out of the league since a Dec. 5, 2009 game with the Portland Trail Blazers.

According to a source familiar with the situation, the 7-foot center's decision ultimately could come down to the team that steps up with the most significant offer. A decision is expected within a week.

Oden is said to making his decision within the next week, with the San Antonio Spurs considered the co-favorites along with the Heat among a group of teams that also include the Dallas Mavericks.

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• Miami Heat Player Countdown: #139-135
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• Heat are favorites to sign Greg Oden or Marcus Camby with decisions coming soon

It's tough to imagine the past few years going any worse for Greg Oden, who has played all of 82 games since going No. 1 overall in the 2007 Draft. After countless injuries and surgeries, the 7-footer is trying to resurrect his career one final time.

As expected, Oden worked out for a handful of teams in Indianapolis Tuesday and looked great, according to one report. It's unclear just how hard he was pushing it during the workout and what kind of basketball drills he was able to successfully do. Marc Spears of Yahoo! reports that Oden will make his decision next week and that he is considering Sacramento, Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans, San Antonio and Dallas. All of these six teams could benefit from adding to their bench, and if Oden proves to finally be healthy, he could be quite the late-July addition.

SB Nation blog Sactown Royalty don't seem too enthused about the idea of Oden in purple and white.

Should the Kings sign Oden, they will add to an already pretty crowded frontcourt, but Oden would be the only 7 footer among the bunch. Whether or not he could play or meaningfully contribute is another question. I personally have my doubts, but I wish Oden the best as he tries to revive his career.

The Heat and Spurs are regarded by most as the two favorites to sign Oden.

Spurs rescind qualifying offer to Gary Neal

Reports earlier in the offseason stated that the Spurs were likely moving on from Neal, and that they expected him to sign elsewhere as a restricted free agent. On Tuesday, San Antonio took the next step, rescinding their $1.1 million qualifying offer, thus making him an unrestricted free agent.

Neal, 28, just wasn't going to see minutes in San Antonio next season. Spurs blog Pounding the Rock took a deeper look at the team's backcourt situation:

After signing Marco Belinelli, the Spurs backcourt is suddenly overcrowded, and Neal looks to be the odd man out. Neal has been a solid contributor for San Antonio since joining the team three years ago, averaging between 9.5 and 9.9 PPG each year. But his 3-point shooting, and his FG% in general, took a big dip in 2012-2013. Even during the playoffs, which included a Game 3 where Neal made six triples, his percentages left something to be desired (39% FG, 35% 3PT).

The Milwaukee Bucks are believed to be one of the frontrunners to sign Neal.

Brandan Wright agrees to two-year deal with Mavericks

Wright, who has bounced around the league since being selected with the eighth overall pick in 2007, became a reliable bench player for the Dallas Mavericks the past two years. On Tuesday, he signed a two-year deal worth $10 million that includes $1.1 million in incentives.

Wright, 25, played well in Dallas last season, setting new career-highs in points (8.1) and rebounds (4.1) while averaging 18 minutes a game. He appeared in 64 games, starting 16 of them. Wright should see an increased role the next two seasons after the team lost Chris Kaman and Elton Brand in free agency. Plus, as Mavs Moneyball detailed, he has shown a lot of promise alongside Dirk Nowitzki.

He's a monster finisher in the paint, he extended his range to 15-19 feet, he's staggeringly efficient from the NBA "dead zone," he finishes in the restricted area as good as LeBron James, Tyson Chandler or Dwight Howard and he's a beast in pick and rolls, freeing up Dirk for spot up looks. He's getting better on the boards, following up teammates misses if he doesn't get the ball in a pick and roll, he's always been a good shot blocker and he's starting to become a good team defender.

Larry Sanders injures ankle during Team USA camp

While participating in a scrimmage with his Team USA teammates, Bucks center Larry Sanders injured his left ankle and was forced to the trainer's table, according to a tweet by C.F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He later had his ankle wrapped and returned with ice wrapped around his leg.

Sanders broke out with Milwaukee last season, averaging 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game in his third year as a pro. He will be examined further by team doctors to determine if any structural damage has been done.

Flopping rule could be decided by arbitration

Things between the NBA and NBA Players Association are getting sticky. Here is the latest on the flopping rule and the fines that were set in place by the league last fall.

The National Basketball Player's Association filed an unfair labor practices charge against the league to combat the new anti-flopping fines, but the National Labor Relations Board refused to rule on the complaint. Now, the NBPA is seeking an arbitrator to work between itself and the NBA, according to CBS Sports' Ken Berger.

Billy Hunter, the former director of the NBAPA, is the one leading the charge. He claims it was not fair that the league determined they would fine players after not meeting with them prior to making their decision.

With fines of just $5,000 for first time offenders and $10,000 and $15,000 for repeat offenders, most feel a change needs to be made. David Stern admitted that the current anti-flopping program was not successful in its debut year, and that changes could be coming.

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• Q & A: Denver Stiffs talks to Nuggets GM Tim Connelly

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Following former No. 1 pick Greg Oden's Indianapolis Basketball Summit of Champions on Tuesday, Yahoo!'s Marc Spears reports the center will pick his team next week. Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro was on hand to witness the momentous occasion. Reports, including one from ESPN Dallas, suggest Oden looked good in the workout.

The Kings are among several contenders for Oden, including the Pelicans, Hawks, Mavericks and the lowly Heat and Spurs.

The Kings, barring a quick trade, have only the room exception to offer Oden. Such a deal would be for a maximum of two years, $5.3 million. Were I Pete D'Alessandro and Oden passed some basic physical tests, I would offer that in a heartbeat. Disclosure: I am not Pete D'Alessandro.

More from Sactown Royalty:

• An Updated Look at Sacramento's Salary Cap
• DeMarcus Cousins - Renaissance Man
• Kings and Pelicans to Watch Oden Workout
• Monday Mail Sac: Reporters, former player reaction, and how many games are you going to this year?
• DeMarcus Cousins's last chance with Team USA

A couple quick bites from Yahoo! and ESPN yesterday on the continued Greg Oden chase:

Yahoo!:

NBA free-agent center Greg Oden will decide next week where to sign, a league source told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday.

Oden, 25, has received varying contract offers from the Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks, a source said. All deals are pending Oden passing a physical.

Oden worked out and rehabbed in front of the Kings, Pelicans and Heat in his hometown of Indianapolis on Tuesday. The 90-minute session included drill work, post play and running.

"He's coming along," said one scout who attended the workout. "Good to see him out there working."

ESPN:

Greg Oden went through a two-hour workout Tuesday in Indianapolis in front of Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, new Sacramento Kings general manager Pete D'Alessandro and representatives from the New Orleans Pelicans, according to sources close to the situation.

Sources told ESPN that Oden will put his skills on display again Thursday for Atlanta Hawks officials before sitting down for his long-anticipated private meeting with the Pelicans later this week in Las Vegas.

But Oden, sources said, is down to 275 pounds after being as heavy as 315 at one point while out of the game.

Overall, nothing super new here, though the weight bit does worry me a little.

An article on Nola.com states that Pelicans coach Monty Williams"has already been meeting with his assistants to change a significant amount of their offensive sets from last season." Given the drastic roster change since last season, changes to the offense are no surprise.

One significant potential change, as Williams already suggested, is an increase in team pace. Last season, the Pelicans averaged 88.5 possessions per 48 minutes, the second slowest pace in the entire NBA. Replacing Greivis Vasquez, long-hampered by his slowness, with the much more athletic Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday creates the opportunity to generate far more transition possessions. Last season, 9.9 percent of Vasquez’ total possessions were used in transition, where he scored 0.92 points per play, 283^rd in the league, according to Synergy Sports. Comparatively, transition opportunities constituted 11.7 percent of Holiday’s possessions and a 24.4 percent of Evans’. At 1.02 points per play, Holiday scored at a respectable rate in transition, though his athleticism would suggest better results. Evans scored 1.15 points per play in transition, excellent for such a high volume of transition plays.

Tyreke Evans with the sweet move in transition (via Sacramento Kings)

Evans will often finish in transition with a Euro-step or rip through style move similar to the one above, often driving directly into the body of a defender. Evans’ exploits in transition take advantage of the unique combination of size, speed, and strength that help make him an effective NBA player.

Though Holiday was not excellent in transition, a transition play is inherently more efficient than a half court play for nearly every NBA player, Holiday included. Also, as Holiday moves to a team that will hopefully place an emphasis on avoiding the midrange jump shot rather than seeking it, Holiday may become more committed to getting all the way to the rim in transition.

However, the offensive changes will likely extend far beyond an increase in pace. As is often said, the NBA is a "copycat league." It is likely that Williams and his assistants are scouring the film of last year’s 76ers and Kings to find the sets in which Holiday and Evans excelled.

One derivation to the typical Sixers’ offense, added late in the season, was the use of Jrue Holiday in the post. These possessions were typically created by having Holiday suddenly stop on a cut through the lane and seal his man, waiting for the entry pass.

Though inexperienced in the post, Holiday excelled in a low volume of post ups last season, scoring 0.97 points per play on 32 post possessions, the 13^th best in the NBA, according to Synergy Sports. Holiday uses his athleticism, touch around the basket, and touch around the basket to score efficiently in the post, leaving it up to the coaching staff to create these opportunities.

Like Holiday, Tyreke Evans also excelled in a low volume of post up opportunities, scoring 0.98 points per play on 55 total post ups. Unlike Holiday’s post touches, which were required a bit of basic misdirection or deception to create, the majority of Evans’ opportunities were isolation clear outs, often closer to the midrange than low block.

Along with the cut plays described, the Pelicans may try to create efficient opportunities close to the basket by running basic Flex offense style pin downs with Holiday and Evans receiving a screen then sealing their man.

Though the Pelicans’ offense may suffer restricted spacing in lineups that play Anthony Davis at power forward, the Anderson-Davis lineups should offer the opportunity to surround a posting guard with shooters, further enhancing their efficiency and allowing for a higher volume of post ups.

The likely increase in pace and transition possessions may also increase post opportunities for the wing players, as players running off the ball in transition are often able to seal defenders carried running to defend the rim.

To leverage Ryan Anderson’s skills in a higher paced offense, expect the Pelicans to develop an early offense play to free Anderson from three. This can take many forms, but one common semi-transition set around the league is the "Pistol". With Anderson functioning as the initial screener (a rim rolling big man would generally set the second screen) and popping wide to spot up as the ball handler attacks the paint off a second screen, the Pelicans would likely be able to generate open opportunities either from three or at the rim.

Grizzlies Pistol / EO Step Up (via How U)

The basic structure of the Pelicans offense will likely be a high volume pick and roll, drive and kick attack. However, by using occasionally specifically designed plays, sets, and reads to set up advantageous situations, the Pelicans can hope to maximize their offensive efficiency.

While it is the players’ responsibility to execute, the coaching staff must be able to put the players in the best possible position to take advantage of their respective skills, and Monty Williams appears committed to doing so.

Heading into what looks to be the best draft in a decade, the Sixers look to be in prime position to do well. That entails being awful. And boy, do the Sixers have a bleak outlook for next year.

But we'll get to that later!

Before free agency began officially on July 1st, no one knew who exactly would be in position to tank for the 2014 Draft. Observers largely expected the Sixers to be in the group, due to their draft day trade for Nerlens Noel and a protected first round pick from the Pelicans. Some teams looked to continue rebuilding, and thus setting themselves up to tank, while others had to wait and see how they performed in free agency.

With free agency all but over - the remaining major free agents look to be re-signing with their own teams at some point - now's a good time to assess where the Sixers' competition stands. Here's your first Tanking Rankings, unofficially Battleship-themed because I apparently can't get my military forces right.

Destroyers

Destroyers, if they play their cards right, could be NBA playoff teams given the right circumstances. However, injuries and draft pick protection could launch them into premature tank mode if things go wrong enough early on. They are tanking long shots.

New Orleans Pelicans

With a top-5 pick protection and an army of young stars, the Pelicans have well-founded playoff aspirations. However, if one or more of their young guns injure themselves early, the Pelicans may fight to keep their top 5 protected first rounder currently owned by your 76ers. Consider this, as well as all of the destroyers, to be highly unlikely tankers, and certainly not by offseason design.

Ziller: Rebuilding is not tanking

On the differences between the 2 terms and what "tanking" really means.

Los Angeles Lakers

They don't want to tank, and if Kobe Bryant returns to the team or intends to return to the team, the team will go for wins or die trying at Kobe Bryant's hands. But if he has a setback and eventually is lost for the whole season?

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons should be good enough to escape the bottom of the East, but the team owes a Top 8-protected pick to Charlotte. They might Golden State their way into the top 8 if they find themselves significantly behind during the season.

Submarines

Consider submarines your lurkers - they don't necessarily want to tank, but they will embrace losing if they get off to a rough enough start.

Boston Celtics

Boston's tanking aspirations, to me, have been horribly exaggerated. Aside from not having anyone notable available to play the center position, the Celtics have a decent bunch of talent, especially if Rajon Rondo returns. The talent is mostly concentrated at the forward slots, and they have vets on big contracts competing with promising young players for playing time. I find it hard to believe they could lose as many games as the true bottom feeders.

Sacramento Kings

Sacramento actually has a kind-of-decent team, but in a stacked Western conference with an undeveloped core, they could find themselves having a lot of talent but no record to show for it. Like the Celtics, the Kings have like 1,588 forwards to somehow play every night, but the talent is still there.

Utah Jazz

Utah's core 4 should all be starting next season, along with newbie point guard Trey Burke, making a fun team to watch develop but not one gunning for wins. Still, Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors are already good players, and Favors could be great, and the rest of the cast isn't miserable. They're teetering on the edge of a full out tank, but their young guys may be too good to hold back.

Charlotte Bobcats

The Bobcats signed Al Jefferson in an attempt to not-tank. That may fail, but that's not their intention. When the losses inevitably pile up, the Cats will probably decide to change course.

Battleships

Here are your full-on, no regrets tankers, a fleet of sinking ships. There's almost no hope for next year, only that it goes by quickly, and the time pays off with a high draft pick. While development may be the goal, the losses are sure a part of that. In some cases, the teams might even be built to lose in 2013-14.

Philadelphia 76ers

Could the Sixers Just Not Have a Coach?

Levin looks at the results of a coach-less team. Adam Aron would be proud of the text options.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Sixers

10, 9, 8, 76 losses.

If you can't see the Sixers tanking efforts, you must not have realized that the team still hasn't hired a coach. Or signed a single free agent despite having about $15 million in cap room after signing their draft picks. Or made any indication that the short-term matters. The team is carefully constructed to be awful next season in the hopes of getting better soon. If there's any argument for a team built to lose, it's this one.

Orlando Magic

Then again, arguably a better indicator of a team's intentions is that Jason Maxiell equals the team's major free agent signing for the summer. They'll probably be the Sixers's biggest threat to the best lottery odds, as the team has no intention of improving their record this year.

Phoenix Suns

Again, the Western Conference is superior to the East talent-wise, and that adjustment must be factored in when discussing rebuilders/tankers. Phoenix has some decent players, ones you can build something possibly decent around. They have more talent than either the Sixers or the Magic, but with a tougher slate of opponents and a younger squad with the potential to sell off veteran pieces later and get worse, they lurk as another big threat to our top lottery odds..

David Lighty walked out of the tunnel of Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas wearing ice wrapped around his knees and a smile on his face. Having torn an ACL in high school and broken a foot in college, few realize the importance of keeping his body in pristine shape like he does.

The smile Lighty displays comes from the satisfaction of knowing he made a great final impression on the Kings' summer league staff, after scoring 16 points on 8/9 shooting during their final summer league game on Friday. Down the stretch, the 6'6" swingman had the unenviable task of defending both point guard Dennis Schroeder and power forward Mike Scott, demonstrating the type of versatility he is capable of bringing to a team defensively.

"Whatever the coach asks me to do, I'll do," Lighty told me when we spoke after the game.

Statements and sentiments like that come naturally to Lighty. This is a guy who truly understands his role on a basketball team, and doesn't ever need a play run for him to be successful. You see, if there are two words that exemplify what Lighty is, they're the two words he uses most in conversation: teammate and winner.

After my interview, I went through and counted how often he used those words in the five minute span. He used the words "team" or "teammate" 14 times, and the words "win" or "winner" 9 times, showing just what his priorities are. He takes pride in being Ohio State's all-time wins leader more than he does in his quite impressive overall statistical performance there.

"Everybody likes a winner," Lighty said. "At the end of the day, if you have zero points, but have five rebounds, five assists, and five steals and you win, I'm happy. Scoring is definitely a big part of the game, and people love that part, but winning is even better."

Lighty did all of those things and more during his time at Ohio State. As a member of their vaunted 2007 recruiting class - one that also featured Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr., and Daequan Cook -- Lighty was overshadowed early on in favor of bigger names. But that shouldn't diminish the type of impact he had as soon as he stepped on campus. As a jack-of-all-trades defensive player, Lighty became the glue to a team that went to the national title game in 2007 and won the NIT championship in 2008. Then just as the Buckeyes had opened up a hard opening stretch unbeaten in 2009 to become ranked for the first time in nearly two years, Lighty suffered the aforementioned broken foot that held him out the rest of the season.

He took his time off to develop a more versatile offensive game, and when he returned in 2010 as a redshirt junior, he took a large step forward as a scorer. Lighty became a 40% three-point shooter on over 230 shots during his final two seasons, and had developed his handle enough that he was capable of creating on-the-ball for both he and his teammates. His defensive level never wavered, and Lighty became arguably the second-most important piece on a team that featured National Player of the Year, Evan Turner. Over the last fifteen years, Lighty is in the top ten statistically in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks, which exhibits just how influential he was on the outcome of every game.

"My time at Ohio State was lovely," Lighty said. "It grew me into the player I am today. Learning how to play with stars was great - I played with seven NBA players - and just being about the team and winning. Coach Matta and his staff were all about that."

After graduating Ohio State with a degree in consumer affairs, Lighty then went undrafted in the 2011 NBA Draft. Furthermore, he couldn't have picked a worse year to go undrafted. The lockout continued to rage on for about 6 months after the draft, meaning he couldn't speak to teams until things were settled. Plus, summer league was canceled that year, so he never got another chance to make an impression on the floor. He made the difficult decision of leaving the United States and going over to Italy to play for Cantu of the Italian Serie A.

"I didn't know if I wanted to stay and wait out the lockout or go overseas, but I ended up signing in Italy and had a great first year as a professional," Lighty said. "I just tried to pick up as many things as I could, and learn things from different guys."

This past season was arguably the most successful of Lighty's career, as he left Italy and went over to France. While playing for Nanterre this year, Lighty averaged 12.5 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal per game en route to becoming their most important player. Nanterre made the playoffs as the 8 seed, knocking off top-seeded Gravelines (featuring newly-signed NBA point guard and French League MVP Dwight Buycks) and then fourth-seeded Chalon in a combined four games. In the championship, they faced off against second-seeded Strasbourg. After losing by 24 in the first game, Nanterre went on a three-game run culminating in a championship on June 8^th. Lighty himself was named MVP of the final, after scoring 21 points in the clinching game.

"The team I was with was just like a family," Lighty said. "No one was selfish and everyone was about winning. In the end, we ended up winning a French championship. In the final, I just tried to be as aggressive as possible. The team we were up against had experience and size down low, so I just tried to attack the bigs and get at them early. Once I did that, the whole thing changed around for us and we got a lot of confidence."

If the NBA is in the cards, the next step will be receiving a training camp invite, which is what he was working to secure by playing in Summer League this season. He started his month-long journey this summer at a Bucks' workout for players ineligible for the 2013 draft, and then moved on to the Brooklyn Nets in the Orlando Summer League. While in Orlando, Lighty averaged nearly eight points with 2 assists and rebounds per game. He left a day early to work with Sacramento's Summer League team and former Ohio State assistant Chris Jent.

In Las Vegas, he performed admirably prior to his breakout final game; however, his style of play is not conducive to the selfish and sloppy Summer League. He works best within a team concept where he is able to spot up and knock down open shots. Ben McLemore taking 16 shots a game over the five days didn't leave many shots for the rest of the team, and team defensive concepts are non-existent in Las Vegas. If Lighty wants to make a roster, he's going to have to display his ability to pick up a system role in training camp.

--------------------------

So what's next for Lighty? He'll probably take a couple of weeks to relax, continue working on his game, and hope a training camp invite rolls in. Lighty badly wants to succeed in the NBA, but he's also seemingly happy and appreciative of where his life has taken him to this point. He would contentedly return to France if that ends up being the final option. In that vein, there may not have been a more polite and grateful player at Summer League this year. After the final game, I watched as Lighty walked up to every member of the Kings organization and thanked them simply for the opportunity of getting the Summer League tryout.

And that Ohio State past that we talked about earlier? He makes sure he always remembers his roots by wearing the same "Ohio State 23" backpack that I saw him wearing around campus when I was an undergrad at the same time.

While at OSU, Lighty played with seven future NBA players. With a continued hard work and a few lucky breaks, Lighty might be able to become number eight.

More from Fear The Sword:

• Kyrie Irving says he "had a lot of growing up to do" this offseason
• Cleveland Cavaliers introduce Sergey Karasev at press conference
• NBA Summer League: Three Cavaliers lessons from Las Vegas

Our Humpday starts with 2001nbachampions: "When do you think the next all-star will be from Sacramento?"

I'm tempted to answer Ryan Anderson...

OK, based on the current roster, DeMarcus Cousins is the likeliest candidate. It's certainly not going to be any of the other tenured players on the roster, and it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too early to be projecting anything like that for Ben McLemore, so that really leaves Big Cuz.

Cousins faces some major obstacles. First, you have to be really, really good to be named to an all-star team when you're playing for lottery fodder. And the Kings may still be that for the next year or two. However, positive momentum would offset some of that, so if the team shows improvement and Cousins can stay out of the "bad" headlines, that would work in his favor.

The larger obstacle is the current level of big man talent in the Western Conference. Last year's all-star big men out west included Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan, David Lee and Zach Randolph. Bigs that were not named but are better than Cousins has ever been include the brothers Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki (he was hurt last year), and Kevin Love (also hurt). That's ten guys right there, and you can lump Cousins in with the likes of Anthony Davis, Omer Asik, Marcin Gortat, Kenneth Faried and Serge Ibaka. So Cousins will have to make a quantum leap upward in his game, develop at a faster and more thorough pace than guys like Davis and Ibaka, and overtake half of the guys in the top ten. Now, Pau Gasol, Duncan, Nowitzki and Randolph may begin to show their age over the next couple of years, which would help to get Cousins within striking distance of an all-star birth.

This year? It would take a combined miracle of Cousins leaping two levels, the Kings overachieving and a couple of marquee WC bigs getting hurt. Next year? Not out of the question if Cousins steers himself in the right direction. My guess would be no earlier than 2015-16, provided that Cousins gets and stays on the right track.

Which takes us to 2001nbachampions' bonus question: "Will DeMarcus straighten up this year?"

Well, the franchise is certainly banking on it. But here's the one thing that would be keeping me up nights if I didn't drink myself into a stupor: DeMarcus Cousins intimates that the core of his past problems is that he hates losing. This team is going to lose this year, and very probably lose a lot. If the true source of Cousins' consternation is losing, is a 31-51 record going to placate him? 33-49? 36-46? Or will he be satisfied with the installation of a "winning attitude," mounting losses be damned? That has to be a concern, regardless of how badly we're rooting for Cousins to see the light.

I do agree with the Kings' take that this is a fresh start and that the past is the past. As I have noted before, this is almost like a trade to a new team for DeMarcus. New owner, new management, new coaching staff, and only half the roster played an entire season with him last year. But you can't tell me that Kings fans won't be shifting their weight from butt cheek to butt cheek the first time Cousins stares down a referee or gives Michael Malone the bitter beer face.

I'm shoving the stack and going all in here. Cousins will see the light this year. And by see the light, I mean that he will still be a league leader in technical fouls, and he will still get tossed out of at least one game. But he will not have public dust-ups with Malone or any of his teammates. And he will show an immensely improved efficiency on offense and a new sense of purpose on defense. There will be plenty of "cover your eyes and ears" moments throughout the season, but by the end of the year we will be happy with the decision of ownership and management to invest maximum dollars to keep DeMarcus Cousins a Sacramento King.

Or not.

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Pick & Droll #1 courtesy djrick: "Describe your fashion sensibility. What are you wearing? How do you choose what to wear?"

Really, this is one of the simultaneously great and creepy questions that I've been asked during my StR tenure. I think it's the "What are you wearing?" that rings the bell for me. I'm betting that djrick actually voice commanded this into his computer while holding a handkerchief over the microphone.

My fashion sensibility comes via Bill Murray: "Chicks dig me, because I rarely wear underwear and when I do it's usually something unusual."

I work in an office that is professional but casual, so it's usually slacks and either a dress shirt with no tie or a short sleeve casual shirt or golf shirt. Jeans on Friday. Daughter214 buys me t-shirts every now and then that are probably more suited for a younger person, but I proudly wear them and secretly pray that I don't look to Maloofian while I am wearing them. The suits and ties seem to come out a little less often these days, but I do like putting on a suit when appropriate. I look good in a suit, too. I definitely have a body that the more clothes I wear, the better I look.

Pick & Droll #2 comes from adamsite: "Since the real life identities of the StR contributors are largely unknown by the majority of StR members, which famous people, characters, or figures of history do most of us think they resemble in our mind's eye? My take:
Ziller: Dr. Claw
Section: Dr. Emmet Lee (Doc) Brown from Back 2 the Future
Aykis: An old Greek woman eating Baklava
Greg: That dude on the corner of Riverside and Broadway in a banana suit waving a sign
Kevin: Gru, or wait....Pete D'Alessandro, no maybe.... Marcin Gortat
rbiegler: Keyser Soze playing the Wizard of OZ by the name of Deep Throat"

These are frighteningly accurate...

I'll reserve my answers for the thread, as it will likely need the accompaniment of "art," and some of it might run afoul of copyright rules if I place them in the post.

-

Send your questions and topic ideas to asksactownroyalty@gmail.com. This is the perfect venue to drop those questions or topics that you would like to discuss without going through the 75 word hassle of writing your own Fanpost. It's also a great place to ask your fellow members things like if they ever imagined that their toes were ten little people that tried to talk you into doing illicit and lurid things. No? Me neither...

The thread is now open for your conversation and thread jacking pleasure.

James Edward "J.J." Hickson Jr. will turn 25 on Sept. 4th. He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 19th overall pick of the 2008 NBA draft. He played a big role on the 2009-10 Cavs team that went 61-21, alongside LeBron James, Mo Williams, Anderson Varejao, and Shaquille O'Neal. That season, Hickson started in 73 of the 81 games he played in and averaged 8.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in his second NBA campaign.

He was traded to the Sacramento Kings on June 30, 2011 for Omri Casspi and a future first-round pick and then waived by the Kings on March 19, 2012. He signed with the Blazers two days later on March 21, 2012 and appeared in 19 games for Portland and then played in 80 games for the Blazers last season.

His athleticism is stunning. Hickson can do things on the court that will blow people away, like the below video where he just destroys DeAndre Jordan by dunking over him. That's Hickson the basketball player, let's get to know a little more about the man.

Nate Timmons: What is your biggest takeaway from being in the NBA thus far?

J.J. Hickson: Since I've been in the league, one of the biggest things I've learned is that is pays to be consistent. The guys that are good in this league, they're consistent. Given they may hit their down spots, where they're not shooting the ball well or they're not playing well, but throughout 82 games they are consistent.

NT: Are you familiar with another N.C. State guy, David Thompson?

JJ: A guy that had problems later on in his career, but for the time that he played he was fantastic, he was awesome. He definitely played above the rim and he brought excitement to the game.

NT: You grew up in Atlanta, how do you feel about Ludacris or who is your favorite rapper from the area?

JJ: Definitely T.I., Luda is in there, but Atlanta is evolving so fast that there are so many rappers coming out of there. But definitely T.I. [aka Tip Harris].

NT: Did you see T.I.'s movie then? ATL?

JJ: A couple times - a couple hundred times.

NT: What is your favorite movie?

JJ: Inception. I learn something new every time I watch it.

NT: How about a favorite actor?

JJ: Idris Elba. The guy that played in [Takers] with T.I., when they were doing the bank robberies.

(Elba is well known for his role in the HBO series The Wire, where he played Stringer Bell. The British actor is very talented and Hickson scored some big points with this answer as I love The Wire.)

NT: How about a favorite actress?

JJ: I know you expect me to say Halle Berry, I'm not going to say Halle Berry. I cannot think of her name, she played in Jumping the Broom, Paula [Patton].

NT: Let's say at some point that Hollywood comes calling for J.J. Hickson, would you rather be in an action movie, comedy, horror, or Sci-Fi film?

JJ: Definitely action or comedy, I'd flip a coin.

NT: What's the plot in your action movie?

JJ: Definitely blowing something up, running, and chasing somebody.

NT: What's your favorite food?

JJ: Chicken.

[Chris Dempsey, The Denver Post, chimed in: Fried? Baked?]

JJ: It doesn't matter, I'll take it however it comes.

NT: If we opened up your fridge, what would we find?

JJ: If you opened my fridge you'd be surprised. I'm definitely a Whole Foods shopper. I don't know how I got into it, but it just feels good to eat healthy and it pays off at the end of the day.

Nate_Timmons on Twitter
ntimmons73@yahoo.com

It's Episode 7 of the Sactown Royalty Show! This week's guest is Seth Rosenthal. Seth runs SB Nation's Posting and Toasting, contributes to SB Nation's general NBA coverage, and is just a generally smart and funny dude. We discussed Summer League, the offseason, and the NBA in general.

Seth gave us some impartial insights on Ben McLemore's Summer League performance, as well as his takes on the Kings letting Tyreke Evans walk. And it turns out that Seth love DeMarcus Cousins. He just gushes about him.

Because Seth is a Knicks fan, we also discussed New York's whirlwind offseason.

Subscribe to the show on iTunes. and you'll never miss an episode. Be sure to give us a rating and leave us a comment while you're there. Android user? Check us out on Stitcher. And of course, leave your feedback in the comments.

Thanks for listening.

More from Sactown Royalty:

• Wednesday Mail Sac: The next Kings all-star, the immediate future of DeMarcus Cousins, fashion preferences and StR staff likenesses
• Greg Oden to reportedly pick team next week after working out for Kings, others
• An Updated Look at Sacramento's Salary Cap
• DeMarcus Cousins - Renaissance Man
• Kings and Pelicans to Watch Oden Workout

SBNation.com's Mike Prada is crazy, and ranked the Summer League performance of 61 rookies (from Orlando and Las Vegas). Ray McCallum, the Kings' No. 36 pick, came in at No. 8.

He showed an ability to get to the rim and finish throughout the Kings' schedule, a rare combination in Las Vegas. He's still learning how to be a point guard and was prone to some pick-and-roll coverages that forced him baseline and took his scoring out of the equation, though.

Ben McLemore, the No. 7 overall pick, though? He fell all the way down to No. 30. Will Clyburn got a mention at No. 57.

Click through to see what Prada said about McLemore's week in Sin City. An interesting read from an unbiased observer who, as a Wizards fan, knows bad basketball when he sees it.

More from Sactown Royalty:

• The Sactown Royalty Show Ep. 7: Seth Rosenthal
• Wednesday Mail Sac: The next Kings all-star, the immediate future of DeMarcus Cousins, fashion preferences and StR staff likenesses
• Greg Oden to reportedly pick team next week after working out for Kings, others
• An Updated Look at Sacramento's Salary Cap
• DeMarcus Cousins - Renaissance Man

Yahoo! Sports' Marc Spears reported yesterday that LeBron James' days of playing for Team USA are likely over. Spears noted that USA basketball executive director Jerry Colangelo said that Kevin Durant would stand as the "face of USA basketball going forward" in his article. Durant will play in FIBA's first-ever Basketball World Cup next summer.

Colangelo apparently never planned on even asking James if he wanted to play next summer, according to ESPN's Marc Stein. James did not play during the 2010 FIBA basketball tournament after the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Stein reported that Colangelo remains hopeful that the back-to-back Finals and regular season MVP will play in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, though. USA Basketball officials are "cautiously optimistic" that James' stance on 2016 has softened since Spears' initial report.

More from Hot Hot Hoops:

• Heat reportedly will open season vs. Bulls
• James Jones surprises young swimmers for HEAT's Learn to Swim campaign
• Shane Battier buys new house in Coral Gables
• Mike Miller will play for the Memphis Grizzlies next season
• Heat, Spoelstra meet with Oden, observe workout along with Kings, Pelicans
• Gallery: LeBron puts on a clinic at "Witness History" Nike event in Manila