Hello reader! The Sixers are going to be bad this year, didn't you know? But don't just take my word for it, look at the NBA Rankings courtesy of the SB Nation NBA network, who almost unanimously voted YOUR Philadelphia 76ers as the worst group of people who play basketball in the league. It ain't no tanking rankings, but it's something.

Those poor Sixers. It's going to be a rough go for them next year, although that's pretty much the plan. If the Basketball Gods have any mercy, Philadelphia wins the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes in exchange for dealing with the Bynum nightmare.

People seem to feel bad for us as Sixers fans. Last year, yes, I will happily take all of your sympathy and giftbaskets and muffin tops. But now? There aren't more 7-8 teams in the league that I would trade places with.

Top of the world, babies.

**I will find whichever human ranked the Sixers at 27 and squeeze the life out of him.

It's Episode 8 of the Sactown Royalty Show! This week's guest is Michael Levin. Levin runs Liberty Ballers, SB Nation's 76ers blog, and also contributes to SB Nation's NBA coverage.

On the show we discussed a variety of topics. Michael weighed in with his thoughts on the Kings offseason moves. We talked briefly about Tyreke Evans, and then Michael offered an opinion on DeMarcus Cousins that was a bit different from the recent narrative. Michael's also follows the Kansas Jayhawks, so he gave us his insights on Ben McLemore.

We also talked about the NBA offseason in general, particularly the Detroit Pistons and their recent acquisition of Brandon Jennings.

And finally we talked about Greg Oden. Levin wrote a fantastic piece on Oden for the dot com on Wednesday, and I highly recommend checking it out.

Like what you heard? Subscribe on iTunes and you'll never miss an episode!

Let us know how we're doing in the comments.

Thanks for listening.

More from Sactown Royalty:

• Marcus Thornton, the Forgotten Man
• NBA Power Rankings: How others see the Kings
• Wednesday Mail Sac: Rules changes, international expansion, sulky players and their contracts, shopping, costumes, and a trip down memory lane
• 15 minutes of DeMarcus Cousins highlights
• Report: Turner Construction Hired to Build Downtown Sacramento Arena

We have a quick announcement about the staff here at Sactown Royalty Enterprises Inc. Blake Ellington, the founding editor of Bleed Black and Purple, one of the producers of Small Market, Big Heart and a founding member of Here We Stay, is joining Sactown Royalty. He'll be writing about ... well, whatever he wants. This is Sactown Royalty. We have fewer rules than Outback Steakhouse. (Also fewer battered onions.)

Primarily, Blake will write about arena stuff and will be covering the team from the inside. He'll be attending a number of games this season on a credential, and will produce some no-doubt great work out of it. He's a fabulous writer and an enterprising fellow, too.

His first post will be up tomorrow. In the meantime, welcome Blake Ellington, new member of the StR team!

Thursday Mail Sac, starring gregsactly: "This here is a two parter:

Part 1: It has been my opinion in recent years that, upon leaving the disjointed and poorly run mess that used to be the Sacramento Kings, former Kings players in their new cities tend to play better basketball (JJ Hickson comes to mind as one example). I call this the M*loof Effect. Is there any statistical proof to this? (I realize roles change depending on the team, so advanced stats may be necessary. I would have looked this up on my own, but I am simply incapable of doing so).

Part 2: Using whatever data was found, is there a way to project Tyreke's numbers for the next season? Also, because the M*loofs (and Smart and Petrie) are out of Sacramento, many people on this board have stated this may feel similar to a trade for many players. Applying the M*loof Effect (if one does exist) to current Kings, what type of a statistical jump, if any, should our guys expect?

Regarding part 1, I think that gate swings both ways. Hickson was better in Portland, but Udrih was not really better in Milwaukee. Casspi got worse while walking into a wide open situation. Jon Brockman has never been better than he was when he was here. I think the M*loof effect comes into play inasmuch as most of the players that have been through here over the past several years have been mediocre at best, and their performances here and elsewhere reflect that.

Regarding part 2, I actually expect to see the efficiency numbers down across the board for the Evans and the Kings early on. Evans is going to a completely new team, with new coaching, new teammates, and a new system. The guy running the offense (Jrue Holiday) is brand new to the team, too. Don't get me wrong - I think that the Pelicans are an improved team. But if they win early on it will probably be more due to their defensive effort than their offensive efficiency. And the same could hold true for the Kings in the early going. If Vasquez is the opening night starter at point guard, he's going to be facilitating to an entirely new set of teammates under a new system. Even if Thomas is the opening night starter, he'll still be working under a new system. Poor Isaiah is the Kings' version of Alex Smith. I do think that Cousins will benefit statistically, as the franchise certainly seems focused on building around him and his talents.

And from SacKing16: "Now that Tyreke Evans is gone, I'm in the market to purchase another Sacramento Kings Jersey. Not too interested in a Thomas, Fredette, or Thornton Jersey, considering they could be traded away soon. I've narrowed it down to Cousins or McLemore, but I'm worried Cousins won't receive an extension and will not be on the Kings in a year or two, and McLemore might turn into a bust like T-Rob... Any Help?"

Well, if you're looking for guaranteed longevity, this bunch of bananas might be a bit too ripe for you. But if I had to hazard a guess when it comes to which guys have the best chance of being on the roster for the next two full seasons, I would go with Ben McLemore first, followed by Carl Landry, followed by DeMarcus Cousins, and then probably Ray McCallum. Obviously I am not ranking these guys by talent. But I don't see new ownership and management going T-Rob on McLemore, the team didn't sign Landry to turn around and trade him, Cousins is here unless the contract situation goes sideways, and McCallum is inexpensive and a nice backup plan if the Kings elect not to sign both Vasquez and Thomas to new deals next year. If the Kings do add defensive length up front, Thompson's really the odd man out, so I am not confident that he will remain here for the length of his contract.

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Pick & Droll #1: Call your rotation for the Kings if you had to make out the starting lineup and core bench players today. I'll go with Cousins, Patterson, Mbah a Moute, Thornton and Vasquez as my starters, with Thompson, Landry, Thomas, McLemore rounding out the 9 man rotation, with Salmons again getting spot minutes at the 3 and defensive 2. That leaves virtually no minutes for Hayes, Outlaw, Fredette and McCallum, injuries/fouls/suspensions notwithstanding. Fredette is really the biggest victim of circumstance here. He's not likely to pry point guard minutes away from Vasquez/Thomas, so he's going to have to beat out Thornton or McLemore out of minutes at shooting guard. That's going to be a tall task.

Pick & Droll #2: Here's a post from July 11, 2009, inspired by our draft picks of that summer (Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi and Jon Brockman). Four years later, all three of them are gone (along with a semi-protected 1^st round draft pick), and in return we have Greivis Vasquez, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (if you count his acquisition as part of the Evans deal that brought us a pair of 2^nd round picks), and Isaiah Thomas (the 60^th pick that was used to select him was part of the Brockman trade).

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Send your questions and topic ideas to asksactownroyalty@gmail.com. As always, this thread (and only this thread) is threadjack compatible.

The Sacramento Kings released their 2013 Preseason schedule today and as usual the Kings stay mostly local for their 7 games, with 3 at home and 4 away. Sacramento plays each of its Pacific division opponents at least once and stays on the West Coast in its only non-division game.

Oct. 7th @ Golden State 7:30 PM PST

Oct. 10th @ L.A. Lakers (Vegas) 7:00 PM PST

Oct. 14th vs. L.A. Clippers 7:00 PM PST

Oct. 17th vs. Phoenix 7:00 PM PST

Oct. 20th @ Portland 7:00 PM PST

Oct. 23rd vs. Golden State 7:00 PM PST

Oct. 25th @ L.A. Clippers 7:30 PM PST

Preseason's not usually too exciting but this is our first year of basketball in Sacramento where we don't have to worry about whether or not the team is leaving. This will be the first basketball played in Sacramento since the team was sold and relocation to Seattle denied. I can't wait.

There is currently no word on whether or not the preseason games will be televised or not. The Kings haven't televised preseason games at all the last few years, but that was under previous ownership. It's unknown if that will change under Vivek Ranadivé.

The full 2013-14 NBA Schedule will be released on Tuesday, Aug. 6th at 3 PM Pacific.

SB Nation recently unveiled their NBA Power Rankings for next season, constructed from the input of 22 bloggers from around the SB Nation network. I represented Mavs Moneyball, and was very interested to see the results:

Nearly everyone seemed to agree that the Heat should be #1 and the Sixers #30, and in both cases, I see no reason for argument. However, it was certainly curious to see just how far down the rung the Mavericks ranked. The "13" in the best column ranking, it may not surprise you, came from me (although I was not alone in giving that placement).

For anyone curious, this was the full ranking I submitted:

1 - Miami Heat

2 - OKC Thunder

3 - San Antonio Spurs

4 - Houston Rockets

5 - Los Angeles Clippers

6 - Chicago Bulls

7 - Indiana Pacers

8 - Golden State Warriors

9 - Memphis Grizzlies

10 - Brooklyn Nets

11 - New York Knicks

12 - Minnesota Timberwolves

13 - Dallas Mavericks

14 - Denver Nuggets

15 - Portland Trailblazers

16 - Washington Wizards

17 - Atlanta Hawks

18 - Los Angeles Lakers

19 - Cleveland Cavaliers

20 - Toronto Raptors

21 - Detroit Pistons*

22 - New Orleans Pelicans

23 - Milwaukee Bucks

24 - Utah Jazz

25 - Boston Celtics

26 - Charlotte Bobcats

27 - Sacremento Kings

28 - Phoenix Suns

29 - Orlando Magic

30 - Philadelphia 76ers

* Just a note: this ranking was done prior to the Brandon Jennings trade, and had it been compiled after, I would likely have moved Detroit a spot or two higher, and Milwaukee a spot or two lower.

In my view, the top 11 teams are fairly solid. Realistically, these are the teams I could see winning at least one playoff series, maybe more. One can debate the precise order of those teams, but for the most part, I see that being the top 11. Starting with #12, there is a considerable drop-off, and this explains the extreme variance in rankings for a lot of the 12-20 teams.

That all being said, I'm still a little surprised Dallas checked in all the way down at 19 in average rank. Certainly, it has been a disappointing offseason for Mark Cuban and company. Dallas failed to land Dwight Howard, or Andrew Bynum, and narrowly missed landing Andre Iguodala, as well. However, Dallas did add several quality veteran pieces, and their roster appears about as deep as any in the league. On the whole, looking simply at the team Dallas puts on the court next season, they did a pretty fine job of salvaging things after the catastrophic start to the summer.

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find many who would call me a shameless homer when it comes to evaluating the Mavericks' chances. Typically, I'm on the more cynical (realistic) side of the fence. Yet, I find myself in the unusual position of trying to figure out just why I'm so much more optimistic about Dallas than my peers. The best I can come up with is that the media, twitter, and all that lay in between have spent so much time focusing on what the 2013-14 Mavericks aren't, that they've essentially glossed over what they are: a collection of productive, established veterans. Starting with #13, let's take a look at the teams ranked ahead of Dallas, and I will try to give my own perspective on why I differ from my fellow bloggers.

Denver Nuggets

Denver checks in at #13, having 57 games last year, good for 3rd best in the Western Conference. However, the Nuggets lost arguably their best player in swingman Andre Iguodala, and their starting center, the underrated Kosta Koufos. They also may be without Danilo Gallinari for some time, after the forward tore his ACL near the end of last season. Early reports suggested Gallinari could be back by February, but even if he beats that timetable, it's a big blow to the star-less Nuggets who relied heavily on outstanding depth rather than a go-to scorer. Denver also lost George Karl, who despite his postseason record, has a track record of regular season success Brian Shaw can't match. I still think Denver will be in the mix for the playoffs, which is why I put them just behind Dallas at #14, but there are undoubtedly question marks.

Atlanta Hawks

I'm not sure what I'm missing with the Hawks. GM Danny Ferry has done a very nice job, first in reducing their salary obligations, and then in brokering one of the best value deals of the offseason, with Paul Millsap. Still, on paper, I don't get why almost nobody picked Atlanta to finish worse than Dallas. The Hawks might have the advantage in terms of their best three or four players, but to me they remain top-heavy. From a production standpoint, I think they made a lateral move, while nearly every team immediately in front or behind them improved, some significantly. With a fully healthy season from Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas should be one of those teams. I still expect Atlanta to make the playoffs, given that it is the Eastern Conference, but there is at least one upstart I think has a chance to pass the Hawks by.

Portland Trailblazers

Portland has lots of exciting young pieces and it is entirely possible that, in time, the Blazers could be knocking on the door of Western Conference relevance again. I would caution, though, against applying the anointing oil too soon. A lot of their talent is still young, and Aldridge is pretty much the only guy on the roster who has ever played serious minutes on a playoff squad. Maybe the big reason I'm less bullish on Portland than most is(forgive me for my blasphemy) that I wonder how much Damian Lillard really improves going forward. Even being from a small school, he's polished, shoots well and made few mistakes. Rookies with that profile don't typically improve by leaps and bounds, which might mean Lillard just ends up being very good, instead of a superstar like some are predicting after he won Rookie of the Year over an unimpressive field.

New Orleans Pelicans

Funny what one offseason can do. Of course, I'm not sure the Pelicans offseason made any sense, whatsoever, but they certainly will have an interesting team. Is this a good team, though? Forget for a moment that they have names we know, like Davis, Gordon, Holiday, etc. This, to me, looks like a mess. ESPN Insiders might have seen this article, breaking down the Brandon Jennings trade. What it illustrated was that, in most raw stat categories, as well as comprehensive metrics like WARP, Jennings and Jrue Holiday were almost identical. Yet, while Jennings had to beg for a job this offseason, Holiday was traded for a mega-haul. Does this mean Jennings is undervalued, or Holiday overvalued? Either way, I don't know how exactly Holiday, Gordon and Evans are going to mesh together. Or who's going to play center. There's a lot of unrealized potential on this roster, and a lot of injury concerns, as well. If this was a baseball lineup, where everyone got to take their turn, I'd be a lot more enthused. As it is, I'm going to risk looking foolish in 12 months and say this team will take their lumps in year one, and fall short of the .500 mark the 16th best team in the NBA usually hits.

Washington Wizards

The Wizards were my sleeper pick, and the team I chose to make the biggest leap. John Wall was dominant in the season's final few months, and I think he's poised to become one of the top 15-20 players in the game. They have balance both in young talent and heady veterans, and while no-one was looking they were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA last year. Still, let's remember that making a big leap is not easy. Only two teams improved by more than 15 games last year: the Nets and Warriors. Another reason to pump the brakes on throwing teams like the Pelicans or this next team into the playoff mix.

Cleveland Cavaliers

If absolutely everything goes right, I do think this can be a playoff team. I know one Cavs blogger who is convinced they'll be one. But, how likely is it things go right? Last year Varejao missed 57 games. Kyrie missed 23. Waiters 21. Bynum missed the whole year, and for all we know, may never play more than a handful of games the rest of his career. I have questions about how former Longhorn Tristan Thompson fits with #1 pick Anthony Bennett. And, as sublimely fun to watch as Kyrie Irving is as a scorer, he's got some work to do as a passer and defender. In three years, this could be one of the best teams in the East. For now, they'll be highly entertaining, but I think a lot of people are going to feel pretty foolish about putting Cleveland ahead of Dallas at the end of this next season.

One interesting trend I noticed in evaluating a lot of these teams is that a lot of them are major projections. We all want to see the next Oklahoma City Thunder: a group of 23-year olds who explode on to the scene and develop quickly and steadily. The fact of the matter is that most young teams are bad. They go through serious ups and downs, experience growing pains, and rarely improve at the same rate and at the same time. One team I didn't talk about was Minnesota, who I had ranked ahead of Dallas, but who could easily fall well short of expectations, as they have for years(they were a trendy playoff sleeper last year, too).

In the end, I have lots of issues with where Dallas is at as a team right now. I think the huge -- HUGE -- issue is that they have almost completely ignored conventional avenues for acquiring young, cheap talent, like the draft, or selling off expiring contracts at the deadline. Their future is very cloudy, and if this had been a "futures" ranking, I could accept their placement. However, in the short term, this is going to be a competitive team. They need to stay healthy, but assuming that, I believe they'll be very much in the mix for one the last two playoff spots, and if I had to make a prediction, I'd say they get in the postseason.

One thing is for sure: they will have a potent offensive attack. Dirk will have the best second option in years, and Monta Ellis will be something other than the first option in years. Jose Calderon will make sure the ball keeps moving, and Rick Carlisle will get the most he can from the aging legs of Shawn Marion, Vince Carter, and Samuel Dalembert. Now that he's been paid and the center rotation has thinned, we may finally see Brandan Wright unleashed, as well.

This may be a far cry from the title team of just 24 months ago, but I think this Maverick team is being overlooked and undervalued. Which is fine, because it will make each victory that much sweeter.

News10's Sean Cunningham reports that, according to multiple sources, Corliss Williamson is set to leave his post as head coach at Central Arkansas and join the Sacramento Kings as an assistant coach. Big Nasty, who played with the Kings in two separate stints, retired as a player in 2007 and went back to his home state of Arkansas to get into coaching. He's led Central Arkansas since 2010.

The Kings picked Big Nasty at No. 13 overall in 1995, and he was rather solid. But after picking up Chris Webber and Vlade Divac, Geoff Petrie moved Williamson in a trade for Doug Christie in 2000. Williamson went on to win a Sixth Man of the Year award and a championship with the Pistons. He signed a fat deal with the Sixers after the Pistons' title win in 2004, then got traded back to the Kings in the Webber deal. So he basically missed most of the era when the Kings were actually good. Maybe he can make up for that this time.

Williamson would join a staff led by Malone that also includes Chris Jent, Brendan Malone, Dee Brown and Micah Nori. He'd also be reunited with Bobby Jackson, who is still in the organization, and John Salmons, who played with Big Nasty in Philadelphia and Sacramento.

More from Sactown Royalty:

• 2013 Preseason Schedule Released
• Thurday Mail Sac: Ex-Kings for better or worse, projecting player stats for 2013-14, more jersey hunting, pick your own rotation & the 2009 Kings draft re-visited
• Welcome the newest member of the Sactown Royalty staff: Blake Ellington
• The Sactown Royalty Show Ep. 8: Michael Levin
• Marcus Thornton, the Forgotten Man

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd is apparently a very big fan of The Matrix and intends to use the plot of the movie to "motivate" his team, according to an interview he gave to The Source.

The Matrix. A professional NBA coach. Kevin Garnett.

It immediately created a flurry on Twitter, with the lead-off hitter as SB Nation's very own Ben Swanson:

Lots of people die in that movie RT @NetsDaily: Kidd says he's a big fan of "The Matrix." Thinks he can use the plot a motivational tool.

— Ben Swanson (@CardboardGerald) August 2, 2013

"NO ONE MAKES THE JUMP THE FIRST TIME, ROOK"- Kevin Garnett, before throwing Mason Plumlee off a rooftop.

— Brian Schroeder (@Cosmis) August 2, 2013

The theme for the Nets season is stoned college students my age

— Bethlehem Shoals (@freedarko) August 2, 2013

final play "Kevin, close your eyes and throw the ball wherever""Nobody's ever tried that before""That's why it's going to work." *chills*

— J. Doug Hatings (@basquiatball) August 2, 2013

Kidd's bold proclamation led the SB Nation think tank to, well, think. Here's half the league linked to movies, because the Nets shouldn't be the only team hogging the league's Blockbuster card.

Boston Celtics: The Departed

The only question remaining is when Danny Ainge will catch Rajon Rondo in his apartment unexpectedly.

Chicago Bulls: Robocop 2

'Nuff said.

It ends with a heroic return and victory though, Chicago.

Dallas Mavericks: The Official Dallas Mavericks 2010-2011 Championship Season DVD

Oh, what was, and what never came to be.

Detroit Pistons: Panic Room

Without much space, the Pistons will somehow have to survive together while millions are at stake.

Houston Rockets: Finding Nemo

Dwight Howard's favorite movie, and that opt-out is only a few years away, Houston.

Los Angeles Clippers: Freaky Friday

A superstar player in his prime, a big time coach swooping in, more stability than the team that shares the city and Staples Center as their home? The Los Angeles Clippers, everybody.

Los Angeles Lakers: Kazaam 2: The Quest for the Sixth Lamp

Wait that never happened.

Memphis Grizzlies:Grown Ups 2

Did you know: Zach Randolphwas set to join the cast of Grown Ups 2, but ulitimately the casting director went with Kevin James.

Miami Heat: Arthur

If only for the Batman and Robin dress-up scene.

New Orleans Pelicans:The Birds

A lesson to Anthony Davis and his feathered teammates on how to play aggressive defense.

New York Knicks: I Know What You Did Last Summer

You traded for Andrea Bargnani using draft picks.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Thunderstruck

Because somebody has to watch it.

Philadelphia 76ers:Titanic

In SB Nation's collaborative power rankings, the 76ers ranked last. The ship is going down, cap'n.

Sacramento Kings:Sleepless in Seattle

Too soon?

San Antonio Spurs: While You Were Sleeping

The Spurs do everything right, so much so in fact that it's as if we fell in love with the organization while we were sleeping. Coach Pop probably dreams of Italy, right?

More from SB Nation:

• Kenny Anderson says he was sexually abused

• John Wall agrees to $80 million extension with Wizards

• Profile: The rise of C.J. McCollum

• Is Greg Oden worth the risk?

• Ziller: Pistons grab Jennings, risk fans' sanity

• Pau Gasol looks to regain footing on Lakers

• The top 61 rookies at NBA Summer League

The effort to keep the Kings and build a new arena in downtown Sacramento has and continues to be a united front that includes numerous people and organizations.

One of those entities is the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, a private, non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of the central Sacramento business district. The organization represents 176 property owners and more than 400 retail businesses located within the 66-block district of downtown.

The Downtown Partnership has helped mobilize the local business community to push for the approval and completion of a downtown arena and remains active in the process as the city now enters the next phase of environmental review.

I recently caught up with Michael Ault, executive director of the Downtown Partnership, to get his thoughts on what this project would mean for downtown businesses and the future of Sacramento.

BE: The arena process has taken a lot of twists and turns over the years and I know the Downtown Partnership has been a strong advocate for putting the facility downtown for a long time. It's not done yet, but how exciting was it for you and your organization earlier this year when the City Council approved a term sheet with the new owners of the Sacramento Kings and the team ended up staying?

MA: We were thrilled. Our organization has advocated for this project in the downtown core for over a decade, so to see it move forward, especially after being so close to losing the team and the prospect of a downtown Entertainment and Sports Complex earlier this year, was just tremendous.

BE: When you hear from property owners around downtown, what are the main things they are excited about in terms of the potential of a new Entertainment and Sports Complex?

MA: Many downtown businesses, believe the ESC will be a positive asset to their business. The events will attract high volumes of visitors, and a good design will encourage pedestrian activity, which together will result in more business. The influx of excitement about the arena and the subsequent investment in the area will lead to a very dynamic retail and entertainment mix that will complement and enhance our existing assets.

From a development standpoint, it's all about absorption. An activity generator like an arena will have a positive effect on growing our residential and commercial markets. It will help shorten the absorption time it takes to fill retail and residential space and make other projects more financially feasible.

Ultimately, it will help the Sacramento region continue to position itself as an area to attract young professionals with both affordability and an exciting urban scene, which is very important to businesses looking to recruit and retain talent.

BE: I know the Downtown Partnership has recently made an effort to try to spruce up the 7th-9th blocks of K Street. How will the Entertainment and Sports Complex help that effort?

MA: There's no question it will pave the way for more opportunities for private capital to be injected into those blocks. The 700 block of "The Kay" has had plans for development for several years now, but has yet to break ground due to complications with the dissolution of redevelopment. The area in general is now much more attractive to private investors and the financial lending community.

BE: Are there out-of-town business owners right you know of who are considering opening up shop in downtown Sacramento because of the potential of the Entertainment and Sports Complex?

MA: We have absolutely seen outside interest in businesses wanting to lease retail and commercial space in downtown. Businesses are asking about the plans and time line of the Entertainment and Sports Complex and looking for vacant space nearby to lease. They want to take advantage of opportunities before the arena is built and see the long-term potential of what it will bring to the area.

BE: It is projected that the Entertainment and Sports Complex will bring in millions of new visitors to downtown Sacramento. What will that mean to the current downtown business owners and potential business owners?

MA: It's huge. It means everything. The increase in visitors, excitement, and attention will mean that small business owners can feel confident in expanding their hours and services and will be able to leverage foot traffic into increased revenue. It will give every business owner down here a chance to really show what value they can provide to visitors, whether that is someone attending an event at the ESC, or someone staying in a hotel nearby to attend a conference.

High-density urban projects like the ESC create critical mass and increase foot traffic. These qualities are attractive to large retailers. Right now, national retailers are passing up the Sacramento Region (not just downtown) for larger markets because we lack the density they require.

BE: Some downtown business owners I have talked to say they would like to see more locals coming through their doors, not just folks going in and out of the Capitol and people staying at the hotels. Talk about how the draw of the Entertainment and Sports could get more people who live in the region downtown and in the doors of businesses.

MA: An Entertainment and Sports Complex would add to the regional draw in the downtown core. Folks in the outlying areas who don't work downtown often need a specific reason to visit the urban center and see all of the momentum and positive changes we've seen over the last several years. An ESC would give a much broader local audience additional reasons to visit their city's center, and explore the other amenities we have as well.

BE: Sleep Train Arena is surrounded by a parking lot, which forces current arena goers into their cars when they leave an event. What could having a central hub like the Entertainment and Sports Complex do for the synergy of the downtown core?

MA: That is the beauty of an urban facility. With a daytime office population of over 100,000 people, downtown is already set up for both its infrastructure and businesses to serve a large population. The ESC will attract a large population of event goers at the times when office workers typically head home, keeping downtown energized beyond the usual workweek. Downtown will be able to easily accommodate the evening crowd, just as it does the hundreds of thousands of employees daily.

BE: How does having a new arena and the Kings downtown help advertise the city?

MA: Well, for one, it gives our downtown national television coverage all basketball season long, whether it's broadcasting the games or recapping the highlights on ESPN or other news outlets, having a professional sports franchise helps keep your city involved in the national consciousness. Add to that a stunning skyline after each commercial break, and it can become an extremely effective tool for keeping Sacramento familiar and top of mind.

Regionally, it goes even further. It reminds those in the greater metropolitan area and beyond that Sacramento is a fun and exciting place with big name concerts, national sporting events and family-friendly entertainment. We'd like to see our hard-earned entertainment dollars spent in our own city, rather than using our incomes to supplement the tax base in the Bay Area, Tahoe or Reno. Essentially, it's just like how we encourage shoppers to "buy local." Sacramento residents will be regularly reminded to "buy local" when spending money on entertainment.

BE: With the development of the Intermodal facility around the corner from the Downtown Plaza, how can this project help boost connectivity in the core of downtown in terms of transportation?

MA: We hope it will give visitors and residents alike a way to get to and from downtown easily and seamlessly without a car. This would mean less congestion, less gas purchased, less time spent and more environmentally friendly options for travel

The proximity of the ESC to the Intermodal facility will add transportation options to an already transit-rich experience downtown. Connections from regional transit, Capital Corridor and Amtrak service will reduce dependency on the automobile and allow ESC attendees to enjoy retail, dining and entertainment options before and after events at the facility. Additionally, existing transit infrastructure options adjacent to the proposed ESC site will ensure a drastically different experience from the one at the current facility. Not only will this reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, but the ability to choose from various modes of transportation will encourage event goers to come early and stay late, thus increasing economic activity and vibrancy in the core.

BE: When you think about the potential for downtown Sacramento, what other cities around the country that have built downtown arenas would you compare it to?

MA: After the ESC is developed, all but two NBA facilities will be located in primarily urban areas (and one, where theGolden State Warriors play, is proposed to move into San Francisco). Indianapolis and Washington D.C. are prime examples of the catalytic benefits associated with downtown arenas, and Brooklyn, while not necessarily to Sacramento's scale, is part of a $5 billion development project that includes significant residential, retail and commercial projects. The Staples Center in Los Angeles transformed a formerly rough area in downtown that has seen the development of numerous residential towers, premiere arts and cultural facilities and luxury hotels.

BE: With any major local development project, you are going to get opposition. How do you respond to some of the arguments against this project from those who say the city should focus on other things rather than investing in an arena?

MA: The city is investing in the future economic success of the Sacramento region. By investing in the arena, we will continue to generate increased tax revenue for our general fund. Not just through sales tax directly connected with the events, but also through tax revenue connected to hotel stays, dining, entertainment and other commerce.

This is a chance to invest in our city's future by retaining and creating jobs, generating more revenue for the general fund, protecting funding for public safety and education, creating new convention and tourism opportunities, all while giving our city a state-of-the-art entertainment and sports amenity.

Additionally, this deal leverages an estimated $1 billion in additional development not including the actual ESC. When you include the private investment into the Entertainment and Sports Complex, it totals well over $1 billion in private capital investment into downtown Sacramento. That is roughly $4 private capital for every $1 invested by the city. With no more redevelopment dollars available, there will be very few large-scale catalysts that draw private investment in our economy, and we need to make sure we capitalize on this one.

More from Sactown Royalty:

• 2013 Preseason Schedule Released
• Thurday Mail Sac: Ex-Kings for better or worse, projecting player stats for 2013-14, more jersey hunting, pick your own rotation & the 2009 Kings draft re-visited
• Welcome the newest member of the Sactown Royalty staff: Blake Ellington
• The Sactown Royalty Show Ep. 8: Michael Levin
• Marcus Thornton, the Forgotten Man

The Orlando Magic have parted ways with Al Harrington, placing him on waivers. Harrington had a two-year, $14.7 million contract that was only 50 percent guaranteed. He played in just 10 games during the 2012-13 season because of a staph infection in his knee.

Teams now have 24 hours to claim him before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Harrington was traded to the Magic from the Denver Nuggets as part of the blockbuster deal last summer that landed Dwight Howard with the Los Angeles Lakers, Andre Iguodala with the Nuggets and a host of assets including Arron Afflalo with the Magic.

The veteran forward has played with seven franchises since being drafted by the Indiana Pacers with pick No. 25 in the 1998 NBA Draft. Harrington turns 34 in February.

Greg Oden decision still to come

Greg Oden is expected to make a decision on where he will sign this season on Friday, but the former first-overall draft pick has yet to make an announcement.

Former Ohio State Buckeye teammate Mark Titus has confirmed that the decision is made, however.

Oden has received offers from the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings. The Heat are considered favorites to land the big man.

Atlanta Hawks waive DeShawn Stevenson, expected to announce signing of DeMarre Carroll

The Atlanta Hawks have waived swingman DeShawn Stevenson and are expected to announce the signing of DeMarre Carroll as early as Saturday. Stevenson's three-year, $6 million deal with Atlanta he signed in 2012 was fully non-guaranteed, meaning the Hawks will not have to pay him despite placing him on waivers.

The move was expected as the Hawks finalized their roster through the summer. Atlanta had come to an agreement with Carroll on July 5 on a two-year, $5 million deal.

Carroll, a former first-round draft pick, has become a journeyman since joining the NBA in 2009. He has played for the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz.

Chris Copeland undergoes knee procedure

Indiana Pacers free agent signee Chris Copeland underwent successful arthroscopic knee surgery to remove a loose body in his left knee. The team placed a six-to-eight week timetable on Copeland's return, which means he should be available at the start of training camp.

Copeland signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the Pacers this summer. The 28-year-old second-year player made his NBA debut with the New York Knicks in 2012-2013 after playing overseas for five seasons. He had a "breakout" year with the Knicks, averaging 8.7 points per game while shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc.

New York Knicks seeking veteran's minimum big man

The New York Knicks are still searching the free agent marketplace for a veteran's minimum big man to round out their roster. Ivan Johnson has emerged as the Knicks' primary target after being waived by the Atlanta Hawks.

Johnson spent the last two seasons with Atlanta, averaging 6.5 points and 3.9 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game.

Other names brought up include Cole Aldrich, Hamed Haddadi, Jerome Jordan, Gani Lawal, Shavlik Randolph and Henry Sims.

More from SB Nation:

• Kenny Anderson says he was sexually abused

• Greg Oden, Andrew Bynum and why cost is the important factor in risk

• Bucks demolish their roster

• Profile: The rise of C.J. McCollum

• Getting to know Luigi Datome, Vitor Faverani and Gal Mekel

• The top 61 rookies at NBA Summer League

Greg Oden will play for the Miami Heat this upcoming season, according to ESPN's Marc Stein, ending an NBA hiatus that has been ongoing since Dec. 5, 2009. Oden's return to the court has been rumored for the past couple of years, but his signing with the Heat makes it a reality. His contract is for one year with a player option for a second, per ESPN's Jeff Goodman.

Oden reportedly had offers on the table from the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings, but reports earlier Friday mentioned that both the Hawks and Kings were out of the running for the uber-skilled big man.

The 25-year-old Oden was originally selected with the first overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, but a myriad of injuries forced an early exit from the league. He hasn't played in the regular season since 2009, but the Portland Trail Blazers kept him on their roster until the end of the 2011-12 season with hopes that his injury list would quit growing.

The list is extensive, but the microfracture surgery on his right knee that caused him to miss his rookie season, the 2010 microfracture surgery on his left knee and the Feb. 20, 2012, microfracture surgery (again on his left knee) are the major reasons he's missed the last few seasons of professional basketball. Those are just the serious knee surgeries and don't include things like a fractured left patella, a right knee scope, surgery on his wrist or a hip surgery in grade school, either -- all of which have likely contributed to his injury-shortened 82-game basketball career.

Injury concern is likely the reason some teams didn't offer Oden a contract, especially after seeing the mess the Philadelphia 76ers had to go through last season with Andrew Bynum. The difference with gambling on Oden, according to SB Nation's own Tom Ziller, is that the upside outweighs the relatively low cost of getting a potential difference maker.

Bynum hurt Philly so much because he was an all-in bet. Oden is two chips at a low-limit table. Oden is jaywalking across an Old West dirt path. He's skydiving from the top bunk. There's just not much risk at this point because there's not much cost.

And in fact, in a salary cap league, finding gems with low monetary and asset costs is a huge part of the game.

Oden is seemingly healthy now, however, as reports indicated that he was noticeably slimmer and looking solid athletically when he hosted five teams at a recent workout. That doesn't mean he'll be able to stay healthy over the duration of his contract, of course, but the fact that he's spent the last year getting healthy hopefully means it'll be sustainable this time around.

More from SB Nation:

• Kenny Anderson says he was sexually abused

• Greg Oden, Andrew Bynum and why cost is the important factor in risk

• Bucks demolish their roster

• Profile: The rise of C.J. McCollum

• Getting to know Luigi Datome, Vitor Faverani and Gal Mekel

• The top 61 rookies at NBA Summer League

Welp, the long mystery of where Greg Oden will play in 2013-14 is over: the 2007 No. 1 pick chose the Miami Heat. The Sacramento Kings reportedly remained in the running until the very end and made an offer last week, but lost out to the two-time defending world champs.

Where will the Kings turn now? It appears they'd still like to add a true center to the roster. In addition to Oden, the Kings reportedly pursued Timofey Mozgov, who ended up re-signing with the Nuggets. Cole Aldrich is legitimately the best center available, in all likelihood, unless Pete D'Alessandro can yank a gem out of the system. The front office could also decide to enter the season with the roster in place and look for moves as the season moves along.

Good luck to Oden, who deserves a break in the right direction.

More from Sactown Royalty:

• Downtown Partnership's Michael Ault weighs in on how downtown businesses will benefit from new arena
• Corliss Williamson to join Kings as assistant coach, according to report
• 2013 Preseason Schedule Released
• Thurday Mail Sac: Ex-Kings for better or worse, projecting player stats for 2013-14, more jersey hunting, pick your own rotation & the 2009 Kings draft re-visited
• Welcome the newest member of the Sactown Royalty staff: Blake Ellington

The way Corliss Williamson tells it to The Bee's Joe Davidson, the Kings came calling totally out of the blue.

The Kings called. Corliss Williamson listened, conferred with family about a career-altering opportunity and offered an emphatic "yes" to Kings coach Michael Malone. [...]

"I'm coming home to my NBA family," Williamson said by phone. "It felt like being recruited, and it felt great. I'm very flattered and was caught off guard. I didn't expect this. I've always wanted to get back into the NBA and coach, but I didn't think it would happen this soon. I'm still in awe with the opportunity. Of all places to coach ... ."

Until you're established and sought-after, every job in the NBA is coveted. Fought for. Interviewed for. In some cases, begged for. This happens at almost every level. The PR jobs. The analytic jobs. The GM jobs. The coach jobs. The assistant coach jobs. The video coordinator jobs.

Yet the Kings basically cold-called Corliss and asked him to join the club? It's very strange. I don't question it, or doubt that Williamson will help the team. And I'm certainly glad to see Big Nasty again -- more Big Nasty on local TV and radio is an unequivocal plus. This is just a really different situation. A weird one. NBA 3.0, I guess.

More from Sactown Royalty:

• Downtown Partnership's Michael Ault weighs in on how downtown businesses will benefit from new arena
• Corliss Williamson to join Kings as assistant coach, according to report
• 2013 Preseason Schedule Released
• Thurday Mail Sac: Ex-Kings for better or worse, projecting player stats for 2013-14, more jersey hunting, pick your own rotation & the 2009 Kings draft re-visited
• Welcome the newest member of the Sactown Royalty staff: Blake Ellington

I'm impressed with that Utah Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey has done this off-season. It all really started on draft night when we were all stunned when we picked up the top PG of this draft class. The moves we've made since then have put an emphasis upon the youth and potential of Kevin O'Connor's draft picks and trade pieces. This roster is going to be exciting to watch and crazy to follow.

Why?

Well, here are their best ever NBA games . . .tell me what you see.

Yeah, it seems like getting to the FT line is important. Also, yeah, John played 46 mins, took 28 shots, and went 1/7 from downtown -- and that's his BEST game of his career.

I could look up the best games for Trey, Rudy, and Ian -- but it's the off-season. We have plenty of time left to investigate them.

A few weeks ago I asked on twitter about who the Utah Jazz should add to the team via free agency (or trade for) to fill out whatever needs we may have at the point guard spot. This happened after drafting Trey Burke and after Earl Watson signed with the Trail Blazers. Since this time we have added John Lucas III, found out we can't bring over Raul Neto this year, and also swooped in and stole Ian Clark (SG stroke with PG size) from the Warriors.

Our roster is now at 13, but I still am less than okay with fielding 2 points guards and 2 shooting guards who can play point guard. Waaay back in the 12 man rotation days the Jazz doctrine was always to have on their roster 3 full-time point guards. Holding onto that legacy doesn't seem dumb at all when current rosters can be up to 15 men deep. I'd be cool with signing another PG, even if that means less time at PG for JL3. (Somehow I'll find the will to survive)

When I asked who we should add, this was your answer! I've also included the status of these players since the weeks have gone by.

This leaves slim pickings indeed if we want to go with another PG. Which is fine, because we were not trying to sign a starter -- just add insurance on the bench. Funny, three of the guys were three of the four PGs Kevin O'Connor had brought in to be PGs for us as the season went on last year. Funny, three of those four guys don't have jobs this year. (Again, were we tanking LAST year?)

I guess the only remaining guys I would even look at are the guys from our team last year + Beaubois and Beno.

We kick off our Monday Mail Sac (which is much better than getting kicked in the Mail Sac) with Napa Jack from Wisconsin: "Do you think P-Patt is on the opening day roster?"

Unless the Kings can obtain a shot altering big via trade, I think that Patterson is on the opening day roster and perhaps starting alongside DeMarcus Cousins.

Last week I projected a starting lineup of Cousins, Patterson, Mbah a Moute, Thornton and Vasquez. I think that Patterson makes the most sense of any of the Kings bigs in this lineup. Patterson spreads the floor better than Landry or Thompson or Hayes. Thompson will be needed to log minutes behind Cousins. Thompson works better off the bench with Landry than Patterson would.

There are no free agent bigs right now that would crack the current top four, and perhaps not even the top five. Cole Aldrich is the best free agent big out there right now. In some specific instances he might be better than Chuck Hayes, but overall he is not in the same league with Patterson, Thompson and Landry. This explains in part why he is still currently a free agent. So the Kings are not going to sign a big that is suddenly going to find himself starting next to Cousins.

Now, if the Kings go with Cousins and Thompson in the starting lineup, I could see Patterson as being very challenged to find minutes behind them and Landry. And a starting lineup of Cousins and Patterson could potentially cause some defensive challenges for the Kings up front. But in my little pea head it just seems that Patterson is the best fit for what I see as the Kings opening night starting lineup.

From cuse12: "From what you guys at STR know, will the Kings sellout every home game next year or average around 15-16k a night?"

Well, we know that the team leads the NBA in new season ticket sales. We also know that thanks to the old owners, season ticket sales really had nowhere to go but up.

I would be very surprised if the team logged 17,314 fans for each and every home game this year, but I wouldn't bet against the voraciousness of new ownership's ticket sales team. I'm going to bet that we are going to see a lot of different partial season ticket packages being offered, as well as a lot of 4-6 pack game packages and single game drives. We will probably see a concerted effort towards group packages as well. I'm going to guess (and it is a guess) that the team will average around 16.5k fans per game, with as many as half the games being at or near sellout capacity.

And a very interesting observation and question from polotown: "So, earlier this summer, Vivek and Malone visited DMC at his home. They brought along Ulysses "Junior" Bridgeman, former Cardinal and Buck, who is a Louisville businessman and local icon. I thought that was cool that Junior was identified as a friend of Vivek's (FOV?), but didn't think much more of it. But a few days ago, Aileen Voison writes about Vegas:

‘Several of the Kings owners/officials met with DeMarcus Cousins for a late dinner. The timing was pushed back because the fourth-year center had an early-evening commitment with the national team. The contingent included majority partners Mark Mastrov and Junior Bridgeman, Pete D'Alessandro and Chris Mullin, among others.'

Is Junior an owner? I would love for there to be another Louisville connection.

I have not seen Bridgeman's name mentioned prior to this, but it would be great to have him in the fold. Bridgeman owns 160 Wendy's restaurants and 120 Chili's restaurants and has a reported net worth of over $240m. All of this after being drafted out of Louisville by the Lakers and was immediately traded along with several other players for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bridgeman scored over 11,500 points during his 12 year NBA career.

I have not been able to find anything linking Bridgeman to the Kings. Aside from his nearly 24 dozen restaurants, Bridgeman is a member of the following Boards of Directors: Churchill Downs, Fifth Third Bank, the West End School, the PGA Foundation and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He is past chairman of the board of trustees for the University of Louisville.

What-a-stud!

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Pick & Droll: Pets. Are you a dog person, a cat person, something else, nothing at all?

With apologies to daughter214, who is my early pick for crazy cat lady of the next generation, I'm a dog guy. My first dog was a Wire Hair Terrier (she was actually a family member two years before I showed up), and she was my favorite until the Beagle sisters that joined our family almost nine years ago. I'm a sucker for unconditional love and a big wet kiss. I'm a big fan of Labs, too. I have an agreement with most cats - I don't make trouble for them and they don't make trouble for me.

Pick & Droll #2: A "bandwagon" piece that I did almost four years ago. I hope that you enjoy it.

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Send your questions and topic ideas to asksactownroyalty@gmail.com. The thread is now open for your jacking.

The NBA plans to unveil its full 2013-14 schedule on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Pacific. And thank Shammgod we'll see "Sacramento Kings" on that schedule 82 times.

As always, what I'll be looking for on the schedule, since it's guaranteed to include 41 games at home, 41 on the road, two games against everyone in the East, 3-4 games against everyone in the Northwest and Southwest, four games against everyone in the Pacific ...

* Will the Kings get an opening homestand? That'd be great!

* What does November look like? The 2012-13 season had a pretty home-heavy November ... and that didn't turn out well. But establishing some success early would be really, really awesome. So another home-heavy November would be grand.

* When is Spencer Hawes visiting?

* When are the Lakers visiting? I'll need to make sure my rosaries are hung.

* When are the Pelicans visiting, because those promise to be lovely games?

We'll have a link to the schedule right around 3 p.m. Tuesday, with fuller analysis Wednesday morning. Basketball!

More from Sactown Royalty:

• Monday Mail Sac: Patrick Patterson, game attendance, Junior Bridgeman, favorite pets & more from the archives
• Corliss Williamson was recruited by Michael Malone, Kings
• Greg Oden picks the Heat, not the Kings
• Downtown Partnership's Michael Ault weighs in on how downtown businesses will benefit from new arena
• Corliss Williamson to join Kings as assistant coach, according to report

There are few NBA writers out there that I enjoy reading more than Grantland's Zach Lowe, particularly in his takes on specific players. He does a great job of combining visual and statistical analysis, and backing up his claims with facts.

Today on Grantland he took on the task of analyzing Sacramento's own DeMarcus Cousins, who you probably haven't read much about lately (cue laugh track).

As you all know by now, Cousins is up for a max extension, and we've had numerous debates on the site about whether or not he'd be worth giving a max extension to. In a poll we held on this site on June 20th, 60% of you voted to not give Cousins a max extension.

Zach Lowe agrees with you.

But the track record so far does not suggest Cousins is a cornerstone player. Some team is going to give him something close to the max, whether it's Sacramento; the Lakers or some other team that will be flush with cap space next summer; or a team that trades for Cousins between now and then. D'Alessandro should be working hard to find that trade partner willing to surrender a package that meets his needs.

The Kings should be in no rush; Cousins hasn't earned it. They control the free-agency process, and they should make him prove he's worth that kind of deal - either so they can feel comfortable giving it to him, or to boost his trade value midseason.

I highly recommend reading Lowe's entire piece so you see how he gets to his conclusion. He makes some very valid points, even if you disagree with his opinion.

H/T to Deleran for posting this in the FanShots.

More from Sactown Boogity:

• 15 Minutes of DeMarcus Cousins Highlights
• Tuesday Mail Sac: Cousins, Cousins, Cousins, season tickets & road trips
• Finding the ideal front court partner for DeMarcus Cousins
• DeMarcus Cousins is actually quite good
• DeMarcus Cousins contract negotiations with Kings set to begin

The NBA announced Tuesday the 2013/14 regular-season schedule for all 30 of its teams. Here's a look at some key dates and facts for the Orlando Magic, who are celebrating their 25th season. The full schedule is available on OrlandoMagic.com.

Season opener: October 29th against the Indiana Pacers.

Home opener: November 1st against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Longest homestand: Six games in 14 days from Dec. 18-31 against the Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, and Golden State Warriors.

Longest roadtrip: Six games in 10 days from December 2nd-11th against the Washington Wizards, Philadelphia 76ers, Knicks, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Charlotte Bobcats.

National TV appearances: Four (vs. Phoenix Suns on November 24th on NBA TV, at Wizards on December 2nd on NBA TV, vs. Pistons on February 5th on ESPN, at Milwaukee Bucks on March 10th on NBA TV)

And here's how the schedule breaks down by month:

Month	Home games	Road games	Total	Best bet
October	0	2	2	Oct. 29th at Indiana
November	10	4	14	Nov. 1st vs. New Orleans
December	7	8	15	Dec. 13 vs. Cleveland
January	7	10	17	Jan. 4 vs. Miami
February	5	7	12	Feb. 7 vs. Oklahoma City
March	7	7	14	Mar. 5 vs. Houston
April	5	3	8	Apr. 9 vs. Brooklyn

Dwight Howard and the Rockets visit Orlando just once, on March 5th. The Magic host the two-time defending champion Miami Heat on two occasions: November 20th and again on January 4th.

The Magic have yet to announce their preseason schedule.

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

More from Orlando Pinstriped Post:

• Harris the NBA's "most promising" small forward?
• Report: Magic want their own D-League team
• Magic request waivers on Al Harrington
• OPP Mailbag: The Magic's future at point guard
• Magic projected to finish in bottom of East

The 2013-2014 NBA schedule was released Tuesday night, and the world will get its first look at some of the teams that have gone through major roster upheavals.

The Rockets, with Dwight Howard, open the year Wednesday, Oct. 30, with an easier matchup to ease him into it, at home against the Charlotte Bobcats. The Brooklyn Nets, after trading for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and signing Andrei Kirilenko, will go on the road against Kyrie Irving, No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett and maybe even Andrew Bynum. The Detroit Pistons, with new additions Brandon Jennings and Josh Smith, host the Washington Wizards that same night.

One of the best nights of the first week will be Halloween. There will be just two games, but they are doozies, with Knicks-Bulls followed by Warriors-Clippers, both on TNT. The next night, Nov. 1, the defending champion Miami Heat go to Brooklyn to face the retooled Nets, and the Timberwolves -- who should have both Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love playing healthy together for the first time since winter 2011 -- host Kevin Durant and the Thunder.

Click here for the full NBA schedule.

(All times Eastern)

Tuesday, Oct. 29

Magic vs. Pacers, 7 p.m.
Bulls vs. Heat, 8 p.m., TNT
Clippers vs. Lakers, 10:30 p.m., TNT

Wednesday, Oct. 30

Nets vs. Cavaliers, 7 p.m., NBATV
Heat vs. 76ers, 7 p.m.
Celtics vs. Raptors, 7 p.m.
Pistons vs. Wizards, 7:30 p.m.
Bucks vs. Knicks, 7:30 p.m.
Bobcats vs. Rockets, 8 p.m.
Magic vs. Timberwolves, 8 p.m.
Pacers vs. Pelicans, 8 p.m.
Hawks vs. Mavericks, 8:30 p.m.
Grizzlies vs. Spurs, 8:30 p.m.
Thunder vs. Jazz, 9 p.m.
Blazers vs. Suns, 10 p.m.
Nuggets vs. Kings, 10 p.m.
Lakers vs. Warriors, 10:30 p.m., NBATV

Thursday, Oct. 31

Knicks vs. Bulls, 8 p.m., TNT
Warriors vs. Clippers, 10:30 p.m., TNT

Friday, Nov. 1

Cavaliers vs. Bobcats, 7 p.m.
Pelicans vs. Magic, 7 p.m.
76ers vs. Wizards, 7 p.m.
Raptors vs. Hawks, 7:30 p.m.
Bucks vs. Celtics, 7:30 p.m.
Mavericks vs. Rockets, 8 p.m.
Pistons vs. Grizzlies, 8 p.m.
Thunder vs. Timberwolves, 8 p.m.
Heat vs. Nets, 8 p.m., ESPN
Blazers vs. Nuggets, 9 p.m.
Jazz vs. Suns, 10 p.m.
Clippers vs. Kings, 10 p.m.
Spurs vs. Lakers, 10:30 p.m., ESPN

Saturday, Nov. 2

Cavaliers vs. Pacers, 7 p.m.
Bulls vs. 76ers, 7:30 p.m., NBATV
Bobcats vs. Pelicans, 8 p.m.
Grizzlies vs. Mavericks, 8:30 p.m.
Raptors vs. Bucks, 8:30 p.m.
Rockets vs. Jazz, 9 p.m.
Spurs vs. Blazers, 10 p.m.
Kings vs. Warriors, 10:30 p.m.

Sunday Nov. 3

Celtics vs. Pistons, 6 p.m.
Wizards vs. Heat, 6 p.m.
Nets vs. Magic, 6 p.m.
Suns vs. Thunder, 7 p.m., NBATV
Timberwolves vs. Knicks, 7:30 p.m.
Hawks vs. Lakers, 9:30 p.m.

More from SB Nation:

• Study: Kobe's quick comeback would be nearly unprecedented

• Why J.R. Henderson is now J.R. Sakuragi

• Sixers (still!) interviewing coaching candidates

• Heat interested in Sebastian Telfair

• Ziller: Is the NBA draft pick overvalued?