Shoe company Adidas will open a retail shop in the Portland Trail Blazers' arena this year.

Allan Brettman at OregonLive.Com reports that Adidas will open a retail store at the beginning of the season on the Moda Center's 100 level. The store will sell Blazer merchandise and possibly other NBA goods. The Moda Center will also sport retail kiosks on the 200 and 300 levels. Blazers spokesman Michael Lewellen stated,

The Adidas-only outlet and the retail kiosks are expected to relieve some of the shopping crush at the merchandise store located on the west side of the building.

Earlier this year it was announced Adidas would take over retail operations for the Sacramento Kings and three other teams.

You may soon be able to find the new DLillard1 in a Moda Center near you.

DeMarcus Cousins had a dominating performance but it wasn't enough to overcome the lack of late game execution and overall sloppiness of the Kings.

Despite leading for much of the game, a dominating DeMarcus Cousins performance, and no Tim Duncan or Kawhi Leonard for the Spurs, the Kings fell to the San Antonio Spurs 106 to 99.  It was a bit of deja vu to the last few times the Kings have visited San Antonio, as once again the team failed to execute and close out in the final quarter as the game tightened up.

Cousins led the way with 32 points on 12-14 shooting from the field.  He also added a game-high 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and a block.  Boogie's problems taking care of the ball continued, as he one-upped his previous 9 turnover game against Maccabi Haifa with 10 turnovers tonight.  All five of Cousins fouls were of the offensive variety, and while a couple of them were iffy, they were all in situations that could have used more ball movement.  The team as a whole had 23 turnovers to just 19 assists.

The Kings were without Nik Stauskas and Omri Casspi and there was definitely a different feel to the bench without those two guys.  The offensive spacing was not good, and the Kings didn't really have any reliable three point shooters.  One of the big differences in the game was from beyond the arc, as Sacramento made just 1 of 8 attempts compared to 8 of 26 for San Antonio.  Carl Landry was Sacramento's only reliable bench weapon, scoring 15 points on 5-6 shooting to go with 7 rebounds in 18 minutes.  Ramon Sessions had 10 points himself but shot just 3-11 from the field.

The Kings now have almost the rest of the week off before finishing up preseason with a visit to Vegas to face the Lakers.

For the opponent's perspective, visit Pounding the Rock.

Random Observations:

• Ben McLemore scored just 6 points on 3-5 shooting and was very iffy defensively but for a three minute span early on in the game he looked really good.  He had two good moves to the basket that more importantly he was able to finish, and he followed that up with a pump fake into a swished jumper.  I want to see more of that Ben McLemore.
• Rudy Gay had a pretty disappointing game for 18 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists.  He shot just 4-12 from the field and there were several possessions where he opted for a tough shot rather than move the ball.  That's the Rudy Gay nobody wants to see.  One good thing about Rudy is that he did try and succeed to get to the basket, as he drew 12 Free Throw Attempts.
• I liked seeing Carl Landry get going offensively.  When he's in the game, the Kings need to involve him on offense because he's a real threat down low.  It's a much more efficient play than trying to post up Reggie Evans or Derrick Williams (as the Kings tried to do several times).
• Kyle Anderson is going to make a lot of draft analysts look silly. Sure, he's not the most athletic dude, but you know what? He can play basketball and he can play right now.  He finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and a block in just 30 minutes of action and didn't look like a rookie during much of that time.  How on Earth this guy was allowed to fall down to the Spurs is beyond me, especially when almost all the statistics showed him as one of the better players in the draft.  What's done is done though, and the rich get richer.
• With Nik Stauskas out, Ray McCallum got the call as backup Shooting Guard.  He did not look very good at all.  McCallum was routinely blown by on defense, didn't score in 21 minutes and only had 1 assist.
• Manu Ginobili is the NBA's version of Colin Kaepernick.  He has the ability to do the craziest things (and pull them off on many occasions), but then he also does the stupidest things.  He had a very weird stat line tonight with just 2 points on 1-11 shooting, but he still managed a +5 thanks to his playmaking, rebounding and defense.
• I would like to add some more shooters to this team.  We still don't have enough, and it was really noticeable with Stauskas out.  Even Casspi, who isn't a huge threat from outside, at least warrants some attention from the defense on the perimeter.

Kyle Anderson looks comfortable and DeMarcus Cousins had an amusing triple-double (points, rebounds, and turnovers).

We should start with the understanding that all preseason games are always, always, ALWAYS meaningless, under all circumstances and that the only way to ever take away anything from any of them is if someone gets injured. Everyone agrees on those two hard and fast rules, right? Yes? We're clear on this? Good.

But still though...

It'd be silly in the extreme to suggest that the Spurs "needed" to win a preseason game. Silly and patently wrong. The score is the absolute last thing that matters here. However, it couldn't have hurt for certain individuals to mix in a solid performance after a string of sloppy ones or for others to reinforce past strong showings with yet another one. The Spurs closing quintet of Jeff Ayres, Austin Daye, Kyle Anderson, Bryce Cotton and Marco Belinelli checked off their respective boxes and outplayed the Sacramento starting lineup led by DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay and Darren Collison in San Antonio's 106-99 win at the AT&T Center Monday night.

What was interesting about the win is this is precisely the kind of game the Spurs are notorious for winning in the regular season, resting their stars against the dregs of the league like the hapless Kings. Tim Duncan sat this one out, Kawhi Leonard, Tiago Splitter and Patty Mills continue to be out injured and Manu Ginobili is still shaking off a summer's worth of rust. He shot 1-of-11 and his one make was a goaltend that had no prayer of going in. Tony Parker, meanwhile, was so-so in his 28 minutes, never getting out of second gear, and regulars such as Boris Diaw and Danny Green saw 30 minutes of "action" between them. The above list of names comprises the eight individuals most responsible for delivering a fifth championship to the Spurs last spring, and they combined for 23 of the Spurs' 106 points.

Yet it was Anderson, the 30th pick out of UCLA, who looked perfectly comfortable for the second consecutive game down the stretch, and filling the box score with 14 points, five boards, a couple of assists, and three steals. A number of Anderson's played stood out, from his slick underneath pass while driving to a wide open Aron Baynes at the rim for a dunk to the effortless way he backed down and shot over the smaller Ramon Sessions for a mid-range bucket to his swat of Collison at the rim. My two favorites though were Leonard-esque open floor steals of first Sessions and later Gay. Both guys tried to cross over the rookie, but Anderson, who's not fast but is quicker than he appears and long, swiped the ball off both guys trying to embarrass him and took off down the floor with the ball. it took him a while to get there but the first play culminated in a dunk while the second was an "and-1" that gave the Spurs a late 100-93 lead. The skinny New Jersey native will be overmatched at the post plenty, but otherwise the weaknesses in his game are few and far between and he's already got a far more sophisticated understanding of the game and offensive repertoire than Leonard did as a rookie.

"I like being in there at the end of the game and getting game reps under my belt," said Anderson. "I use it as practice these preseason games, so that in the end of the games, if the opportunity does come in the regular season maybe I'll know what to do."

When Anderson wasn't exploiting the Kings, it was the similarly-framed Daye doing the damage. He scored 11 of his 13 in the second half and hit 3-of-6 from downtown, while chipping in with eight boards. It's a stretch to suggest Daye needed to come up big to hold off hard-charging rookie JaMychal Green, considering that the former has a guaranteed contract and the latter does not, but it's getting more and more difficult to ignore the springy Green's efforts on the floor. In 12:44 he scored a dozen points, had four boards, two steals, a block and made a pair of next-level passes to fellow bigs within the offense. Green canned a pair of mid-range jumpers, which wasn't supposed to be a club in his bag and continues to look like anything but a neophyte in his understanding of the offense. Defense, however, is a different story, as it is with most anyone mentioned here. Even Cotton, coming off a disastrous showing Saturday night against Miami where he fouled out in little over 12 minutes, was far more solid tonight with nine points and three assists.

Of everyone though I think the most impressive was Jeff Ayres, the much-maligned, fumble-thumbed journeyman at the end of the bench. He scored 11 of his team-leading 15 in the second half and had far more success (that is to read less outright failure) than any Spur in trying to defend the ridiculous Cousins. Ayres, giving up inches and pounds to the fellow they call "Boogie," battled Cousins at the rim, drew some fouls and scored on the other end. Twice he found rolling guards, first Cotton and then Belinelli in the fourth quarter for "and-1" layups, the second of which clinched the game.

You want to root for JaMychal Green, you do, but there's no point in it. There are 16 NBA players on the Spurs and the rules dictate that only 15 can make the team. 15 happen to have guaranteed contracts. The math is cold and simple.

"That is part of the league," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich confirmed. "You never know when you are going to get your opportunity. A lot of guys bounce around before they get it right. Danny Green is a good example of that. Back in the day Avery Johnson was a good example of that. Do your work, do what coach is asking you to do, fit in and try to get better."

The Spurs got better on Monday, even if nobody will realize it months from now. They finally kept their turnovers in the teens, finishing with 18 to Sacramento's 23. Aside from the sloppy second period, they only had nine giveaways in the other three quarters. Mostly though they beat a Kings team close to full strength. When the opponent's play-by-play guys and the talking heads wonder incredulously how a Spurs team can beat whoever when the big three are being rested, it's because of preseason games like this, when their third and fourth string are playing down the stretch and out-executing an opponent whose in-over-his-head coach is needlessly playing his starters.

Mike Malone couldn't understand afterward how his team lost when Cousins scored 32 on 10-of-12 shooting and his team enjoyed advantages in paint scoring, free throw attempts, transition points and field goal percentage. He couldn't process that it was because he relied too much and too long on his starters that they would let him down in the end, as they often do for the Kings. Many coaches in the NBA don't understand the concept of diminishing returns but it's one that Pop figured out long ago. The best way to develop a team full of good players is to treat them all like they are.

Basketball Insiders’ Steve Kyler says Detroit is “not shopping” their $54 million man.

Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders believes the Pistons have ceased any efforts to trade Josh Smith and have instead pinned their hopes on him performing more efficiently this season.

In an "NBA Rumors Chat" posted Monday, Kyler was asked if Josh Smith would make the Toronto Raptors "better or worse" if they traded for him.

"Contract value aside ... sure," he replied. "Josh gets a lot of heat because of his shot selection, but he is still one of the top 75 or so players in the league. I think it always comes down to what do you have to give up to get him."

Then Kyler added this comment:

"I want to be clear the Pistons are not shopping Josh. In fact they are hoping to get a more efficient Josh this season."

While there were two series of rumors during the summer that a trade of Smith to Sacramento was being discussed, nothing ever came of those alleged talks. Assuming there was truth to the talks, it seems likely that Stan Van Gundy did not like what the Kings were offering, and chose instead to make the most of Smith’s abilities. Or, as Kyler put it, he’s "hoping to get a more efficient Josh this season."

Is it reasonable to hope that Smith will be more efficient in 2014-15? Fans who share that dream can pin their expectations on three factors: Smith’s position change, Van Gundy’s coaching, and Smith’s preseason play.

Smith’s position change

While Van Gundy did start Smith at small forward in the preseason contest at Charlotte last Wednesday, he has primarily been used at power forward – the position he played most often in Atlanta. While Smith frequently moved to that spot when either Andre Drummond or Greg Monroe went to the bench last season, he still started and spent most of his minutes at small forward. As has been well-documented by many others, this (mis)use of Smith encouraged his worst tendencies as a shooter.

Smith was his usual efficient self in the paint in 2013-14, making .711 percent of his shots at the rim according to basketball-reference.com. But his attempts from that location were the fewest (301) since his first two years in the league, when he played fewer minutes and the Hawks were using him more at small forward. Contrast that with his most efficient season (2009-10) when Smith attempted over half of all his shots at the rim (616).

For his career to date, Smith has averaged 401 attempts at the rim per season, which is also the same number he shot from that area his last year in Atlanta. Remarkably, he made .771 percent of those baskets in 2012-13, and his career average is .671 percent.

Smith attempted more shots from 16-feet and out last season than he ever has before – 548. But he’s attempted over 500 the past four years, with long two-point attempts usually exceeding the threes. In 2013-14 those shot types were almost equally divided, but he shot poorly from both locations.

Based on his history, using Smith almost exclusively at power forward well not by itself lead to a radically more efficient performance by him. So hopes for improved play will need to rely mostly on the influence of Detroit’s new head coach and his staff.

Van Gundy’s coaching

Van Gundy has openly stated that he is well aware of both the strengths and weaknesses in Smith’s game. Back in June Detroit’s new coach spoke extensively about what he saw in the former Atlanta star:

"When we played them in the second round of the playoffs and they had a very good team, I believe he only shot seven threes the entire season," Van Gundy said. "He played to his strengths. That’s a big key, not just for Josh but for everybody.

"You have certain things you can do and for whatever reason, players always want to try to do a little bit more. Well, sometimes expanding your game isn’t better. Sometimes shrinking your game is a little bit better and really get to the things you do well. Those are conversations we’ll have, not only with Josh. You want to play to your greatness and there is certainly greatness in Josh Smith.

"Josh Smith, put in the right spots, is an outstanding player. You put Josh down on the right block, in the low post or even on a short isolation – 12 feet, 15 feet from the basket – he can get to the rim. He’s outstanding. He’s not only a very willing passer, but an outstanding passer. I think it’s the best part of Josh’s game. Probably the most overlooked part of his game is his ability to create for teammates. He can also really rebound the ball and block shots. I think he’s great when he takes the ball off the boards and then can lead the break. He’s got great ballhandling ability. He makes good decisions.

"I think Josh has got a lot of talent, but I do think that at times he can get away from his strengths and start playing to his weaknesses."

In the 2010 playoff series between Atlanta and Orlando (won 4-0 by the Magic) referred to by Van Gundy, Smith averaged 15.8 points and 7.7 rebounds. He shot .441 percent from the field and attempted only one three-pointer (a miss). While that is not great efficiency, it’s still a step up from Smith’s .419 percent for Detroit last year.

While it’s much too soon to say with any certainty that Van Gundy’s coaching will have the desired effect on Smith, his statements indicate that there has been clear communication between the two about what the expectations are. So the last place we can look for now is at how Smith has actually played so far under the new regime.

Smith’s preseason play

First of all, six preseason games do not provide sufficient data to make any sure judgments about whether Smith will play more effectively this season. At most we can look at the initial trends and compare them to past performance to see if they offer us any clues. So here is what we have seen thus far, compared to Smith’s career numbers and last year’s statistics, with all numbers given at a Per36 rate:

While any conclusions we make based on these numbers are extremely preliminary, they do provide some encouragement to those who anticipate a more effective contribution from Smith. While the shooting percentage is still substandard for a power forward, the attempts are down – especially from three-point range. If that trend were to continue, he would shoot threes at a rate closer to that of his early years, when one or two per game was the norm.

While a rising rebounding rate is also nice to see, the most significant development is the use of Smith as a playmaker. While his assist/turnover ratio is not great (1.55:1), it should probably be compared to a player like LeBron James (1.81:1 in 2013-14), rather than to a typical point guard. Even more telling is that this trend seems to reflect his new head coach’s view that passing is one of Smith’s key abilities. As was noted above, Van Gundy has said, "I think it’s the best part of Josh’s game."

So while it is still very early, the initial indications appear to be that Smith is responding to the wishes of his new coach. He is shooting fewer threes – a weakness – and he is passing more to open teammates – a strength. What cannot be determined, of course, is whether this early data is a sign of more efficient play to come, or an aberration that will evaporate like the morning dew when the real games are underway.

Conclusions

As Kyler indicated, it does appear that Josh Smith is here to stay in Detroit for the foreseeable future. No one can predict what will transpire between now and the February trade deadline, but Van Gundy appears to have concluded that he can indeed get more efficient play from Smith this season. He is certain to start the team’s first two games while Monroe is under suspension. Whether he will continue in a starting role or move to the bench after Monroe comes back will probably depend on how the Pistons perform in those opening outings.

The quandary for Van Gundy will be that if Smith plays significantly more efficiently, he will become a more attractive trade target for other teams. Yet in that case, with Monroe due to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, Van Gundy might be even more reluctant to part with Smith.

On the other hand, if Smith reverts to the wildly inefficient performer he was in 2013-14, it will become even more difficult to find a willing trade partner. The immediate upside of this would probably be an even greater role for Monroe, but that will not insure that he will re-sign with the Pistons. With Drummond eligible for a max extension in 2016-17, Monroe looking for big money in 2015, and Smith already pulling in $13.5 million per year, there will also be constraints on the funds available to otherwise upgrade the roster if Van Gundy tries to keep all three big men.

Apparently the organization has elected to let this season play out under a new head coach with a new system, and resolve these personnel issues next summer. While more efficient play from Smith will certainly help the Pistons’ prospects for making the playoffs, it may not make it any easier for Van Gundy to reshape the roster into a true championship contender.

No real surprises here.

Coming into the preseason, Sacramento's starting lineup was a bit of a question mark aside from DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay.  Coach Michael Malone said as much in most of his interviews on the subject.  That left three positions up for grabs.

Today, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reports that the starting lineup we saw on Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs will be the opening night starting lineup.  That lineup featured Darren Collison and Ben McLemore in the backcourt and Rudy Gay, Jason Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins up front.  Despite the uncertainty of who was going to start, this lineup doesn't really feature any surprises.

Beyond the obvious of Cousins and Gay, Collison was about as sure a lock for the starting spot as anyone else.  The Kings brought him in to run the offense, and he also spaces the floor better than Ramon Sessions.  Sessions is a very capable backup himself however, and we also saw the Kings run a few lineups this preseason with both him and Collison together, something that I think will continue well into the regular season.

At Shooting Guard there was a tougher decision to be made.  Ben McLemore was the incumbent starter, but mostly because there were no other options last year.  Nik Stauskas brought some real competition, and probably will continue to do so.  Ben has the edge right now due to his defensive efforts but if Nik comes on strong and Ben remains inconsistent, I can see this changing throughout this season.  This is easily the least secure starting spot on the roster.

Nobody should be surprised that Jason Thompson again prevailed among his many counterparts as starting Power Forward.  There is a thought that Thompson is best suited coming off the bench as a backup center, where he can get more touches, but with a healthy Carl Landry back, our bench has its own big man scorer already.  Still, I don't think the Kings are quite satisfied at this position yet, and I could see a trade being made that secures this spot for someone else.

The Kings haven't had a stable starting lineup in many years, and I don't think that has changed yet.  For reference, here are the opening day starting lineups of the last 5 years compared to the ending starting lineup (ignoring injuries/suspensions) for that season:

2013-14:

Game 1: DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson, John Salmons, Marcus Thornton, Greivis Vasquez
Game 82: DeMarcus Cousins, Reggie Evans, Rudy Gay, Ben McLemore, Isaiah Thomas

2012-13:

Game 1: DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, James Johnson, Tyreke Evans, Isaiah Thomas
Game 82: DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, John Salmons, Tyreke Evans, Isaiah Thomas

2011-12:

Game 1: DeMarcus Cousins, Chuck Hayes, John Salmons, Marcus Thornton, Tyreke Evans
Game 82: DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, Tyreke Evans, Marcus Thornton, Isaiah Thomas

2010-11:

Game 1: DeMarcus Cousins, Carl Landry, Omri Casspi, Tyreke Evans, Beno Udrih
Game 82: Samuel Dalembert, DeMarcus Cousins, Francisco Garcia, Marcus Thornton, Tyreke Evans

2009-10:

Game 1:  Jason Thompson, Sean May, Desmond Mason, Kevin Martin, Tyreke Evans
Game 82: Jason Thompson, Carl Landry, Andres Nocioni, Tyreke Evans, Beno Udrih

Jeremy Lin is ready to get back on the court.

Jeremy Lin expects to play Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns, ready to return after tweaking both of his ankles during training camp. The Los Angeles Lakers have been relying on Ronnie Price for big minutes, as Jordan Clarkson and Steve Nash have also been out due to injury. Lin made the announcement himself on Twitter:

ankles are finally feeling better...excited to get back on the court tonight! #Lakerspic.twitter.com/tWiOWVGsRP

— Jeremy Lin (@JLin7) October 21, 2014

It's unclear what kind of minute-load Lin will take on in his first game back, or if he'll take back starting point guard duties. The Lakers have a heavy schedule to close out preseason, and their game against the Phoenix Suns is the first half of a back-to-back. Los Angeles plays the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday in Ontario.

The final game of preseason is Friday against the Sacramento Kings, making a stretch of three games in four nights for the Lakers. Lin's return should be a boost for an offense-starved roster that's struggled offensively without players who can create shot opportunities or finish at the rim.

Sacramento voted for the change, but the reform's failure helps the Kings.

The NBA's Board of Governors have voted down lottery reform, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.  This is big news, as the reform was widely expected to hurt small market teams.

The NBA draft lottery reform has been voted down at Board of Governors meeting, league sources tell Yahoo Sports. System stays.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) October 22, 2014

But in an interesting turn of events, Woj reports that the Kings voted in favor of the reform.

Big markets -- Chicago and Washington -- voted against the reform, source says. Small market Sacramento voted for it. Strange twist.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) October 22, 2014

The change would have worsened the odds for bad teams to have high lottery picks.  Under the current system, the team with the worst record can fall no farther than 4th, as the Kings experienced in 2009.  Under the proposed change, the worst team could fall as far as 8th.

The odds being spread out would have made it more difficult for teams to strategically use the draft to rebuild, as tanking would no longer ensure a high draft pick.  The reform was largely in response to the Philadelphia 76ers recent tanking efforts.

As Kings fans, this is good news.  While we hope the Kings will be a good team for years to come, we're simply not there yet.  There's a chance the current rebuild fails, and the Kings would once again be in the league's cellar.  Or, even in the best case, the Kings would eventually return to the cellar after their run of multiple championships.

Lottery reform would have had another consequence for Sacramento, as it would have increased the likelihood of the Kings conveying their owed pick from the Omri Casspi-JJ Hickson deal.  The first round pick is top-10 protected this season, and almost surely would have been conveyed under the new system.  The Chicago Bulls currently own the pick, as it was included in the package the Cleveland Cavaliers sent to Chicago in exchange for Luol Deng.

Small market teams rely on the lottery and the draft.  Weakening this tool would have hurt the competitive balance of small market teams.  Today's news is good news.  The big question then is trying to figure out why the Kings favored the reform.

ESPN's NBA Rank is just the latest example of Boogie starting to get the respect he's earned.

The national narrative surrounding DeMarcus Cousins is changing for the better.  It's been slowly happening since last season, but this summer has been a turning point.  Cousins' performance on Team USA at the FIBA World Cup certainly helped draw attention to Boogie's improved performance and effort on both ends of the floor.

NBATV's The Starters unanimously agreed that Cousins would make the All-Star Team this season, stating "now is the time we all fall in love with DeMarcus Cousins."

Then there's the praise from Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe in their League Pass power rankings.  Simmons has been on board with Cousins for a while now, but Lowe has been a bit more hesitant.  I respect the hell out of Lowe, and when he brings up faults with Cousins, they're usually quite valid.  But even he is coming around.

Lowe: He has made strides every season. This should be a monster year for him - a chance for his first All-Star appearance. They're making noise about a breakneck pace and position-less basketball, but let's see how much of that carries over. The juicier story line is what happens when ownership realizes this team is not nearly as good as they think. A panic trade? A coach firing? A way-too-big commitment to Rudy Gay?

Simmons: I just want to say - your genuine praise of Boogie brought tears to my eyes. This is the best day in Boogie Fanboy Club history other than the time he carried us to the World Cup gold medal over Serbia when we were 33-to-1 favorites.

Lowe: Hey, Boogie keeps getting better. He's a beast. That contract is a steal. He mostly tries on defense now. I know it's hard to believe, but trying helps! He's also the new king of the one-man fast break that could end in disaster for literally every one of the 10 guys on the floor.

And today DeMarcus Cousins' status was revealed in ESPN's annual NBA Rank.  Cousins was ranked 19th by the voters.  19th!  I'm sure there are some who feel he should be even higher, but he's just been acknowledged as a top 20 player.  That's huge.  Last season he was listed as 40th.  Players Cousins was ranked ahead of?  Guys like Chris Bosh, Tim Duncan, Al Jefferson, Kyrie Irving, Serge Ibaka, and Al Horford.

In the grand scheme of things, the perceptions of Bill Simmons and a player's standing in NBA Rank mean little.  They don't necessarily reflect how good a player is.  But they are strong bellwethers of the national opinion of a player.

The national media is recognizing Cousins for the dominant force that he is.  Cousins is leading the way for the Kings to return to respectability.  It's a fantastic thing to see.  It's going to make the average fan pay a little more attention to the Kings.  And if the team can play well, if the can be entertaining, or both, the narrative around the franchise will change as well.

For now, though, raise the red flag of Cuzizstan.  The year of Boogie is upon us.

In unsurprising but interesting news, David Pick of Eurobasket.com and Sportando.com tweeted today that the Kings had offered Jordan Crawford a deal this summer.  You may have noticed a distinct lack of Jordan Crawfords on the Kings roster today, so what happened?

Spoke to Jordan Crawford. He said the Kings extended an off-season deal, wasn't comfortable with a backup role in Sacramento.

— David Pick (@IAmDPick) October 22, 2014

Jordan Crawford signed a $1.4m deal in China during the summer. Said he was "overlooked in the NBA." Full read drops tomm.

— David Pick (@IAmDPick) October 22, 2014

Oh.

Personally, I'm a bit glad that Crawford saved the Kings from themselves by turning down the deal, as he's simply not that great of a player.  In his three years in the league he's proven to be an inefficient scorer who likes to shoot, a poor defender and a so-so playmaker.  The Kings did much better in signing Ramon Sessions, a more proven commodity.

Crawford's not the first player to think himself better than what he is, and he won't be the last.  After all, that confidence is oftentimes what makes a great NBA player.  But for now Crawford is out of the NBA, and there's no easy way back.

Kobe Bryant's preseason has come to an end, but he showed more than enough in his six-game return to feel optimistic about the season.

The Los Angeles Lakers will sit out Kobe Bryant in the final two games of preseason, electing to rest the veteran before the regular season tips-off on Oct. 28, head coach Byron Scott announced before their game against the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday. Bryant will also miss the final preseason game against the Sacramento Kings Friday.

He'll end his exhibition-return on a high-note, dropping 27 points in a losing effort against the Phoenix Suns. Kobe hit numerous difficult shots through the second half of the game, particularly when he checked back in during the fourth quarter.

Bryant ends his preseason return averaging 19 points, four assists and three rebounds in 26.7 minutes player per game, looking sharp through most of the six-game run. His shooting percentages suffered, shooting 39 percent overall and 33 percent from the field, but the Lakers' offense has struggled with numerous key players missing time due to injury.

Kobe looked good in stretches and showed he can still make his bread-and-butter high degree of difficulty shots. It makes sense to sit him out in the second half of a back-to-back and the last game of preseason to give him some extra time off the court, and it will also allow Jordan Clarkson minutes as he returns from a strained calf.

Utah Jazz Team Cuts, On the Way Up, Q QNA The Downbeat: #1486

Utah Jazz cut Dahntay Jones, Jack Cooley to bring roster to 15 | Deseret NewsJody Genessy

As it stands, former Washington State power forward Brock Motum and second-year guard Toure' Murry are the only players on the team whose contracts aren't fully guaranteed for the upcoming season.

Here is a look at the current financial situation. You can obviously take off the salaries of Jones and Cooley. I don't think that this has anything do with the extension of Burks and Kanter or even the signing of Motum and Murry, it's just that the Jazz have figured out who they want moving forward. The Utah Jazz have until the Oct 31st deadline to extend Burks and Kanter.

Salary data via Hoops Hype

Salary Data via Hoops Hype

Blogtable: Down, but on its way up " NBA.com | Hang Time Blog with Sekou Smith

I love these round table discussions. Interestingly enough, Sekou Smith is high on the Jazz and the young talent that we have-

The one place where I believe that there has been a true altering of the DNA for the better is in Utah. The continued stockpiling of versatile, young talent is at a point where the process can be accelerated a bit this season. Trey Burke, Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, Dante Exum, Alec Burks and even new coach Quin Snyder will operate without the added pressure of playoff expectations, which are not realistic for the Kings or Magic either.

The Kings are underachieving considering the talent they have had on the team the last five years. I know they have traded away some of their talent, but Cousins is a solid enough player to build around. I feel like the Magic are in a similar situation to the Jazz. They have young guys that they are waiting to "break out" or move to the next level. The Magic play in a conference where 38 wins might get you into the playoffs. This means the Magic would need to improve by 15 games this year to make the playoffs, I don't see it, but the East is not very good. The Jazz have a slim to none chance of making the playoffs in the West. It will probably take 47-49 wins to get the eighth seed. If the Magic and Jazz were to switch conferences, I would put my money on the Jazz to make a bigger leap than the Magic.

Nba | Quin Snyder answers NBA Australia's questions | SPORTAL I didn't see this interview posted anywhere or possible missed it, if so I apologize.  I pulled some of my favorite quotes, there are more at the above link.

On Exum

But I think it is important to remember that decision was made based on the player we see him becoming long-term, and not where he is today.

About draft night

But I think it is important to remember that decision was made based on the player we see him becoming long-term, and not where he is today.

On Exum's professionalism

He is a very bright kid and certainly has been very professional with his approach.

On Trey and Exum together

I am not as focused on specific positions as much as I am having guys that can play the way we want them to on the court.

On Motion Offense

Our biggest focus offensively is on moving the ball to get the right looks.

On Defense

Effort.  Our real focus is on effort and communication defensively, with an emphasis on transition defense.

On the Jazz ceiling

We are not going to skip steps or cut corners.  We want to play hard and play the right way, and if we do that then good things will come down the road.

As stated above, there is much more to the interview check out the link above.

KJZZ TV Special Takes Fans Inside Utah Jazz | Utah Jazz

KJZZ Television cameras and microphones will take viewers behind the scenes with unparalleled access to the Utah Jazz during NBA Draft Night, NBA Summer League and training camp as the team prepares for the 2014-15 season. The 30-minute "Jazz All Access" special airs at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

The show will rebroadcast at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8.

KJZZ broadcasts on channel 14 over the air and for Dish and DirecTV subscribers and on Comcast channels 3 (SD) and 657 (HD).

"Jazz All Access" will provide unique insight to the off-season work of the first-year coach Quin Snyder and his staff as well as the cast of Jazz players. The first episode focuses on the draft night selections of Danté Exum and Rodney Hood, the team’s summer league success in Las Vegas, and the hard work of two-a-days during training camp.

The show is the first of six unique programs broadcast only on KJZZ. Additional Jazz specials will be Dec. 2 in 2014 and Jan. 6, Feb. 3, March 3 and April 7 in 2015. All original programs air at 9 p.m.

The Jazz broadcasting team – featuring Craig Bolerjack, Matt Harpring, Alema Harrington, Thurl Bailey, Phil Johnson, David Locke, Ron Boone and Steve Brown -- will contribute to the series of shows, giving Jazz fans a unique perspective on the team from the court to the community.

The official @KJZZ14 twitter account alluded to the possibility that these episodes may be available on their Vimeo Channel (which is a dead link at the moment) for a price. See following tweet.

@white_jones33 We may be offering them for sale on our Vimeo channel, but need to get the okay first. @utahjazzhttp://t.co/dtbGzjCwCC

— KJZZ (@KJZZ14) October 21, 2014

Buy or Sell? If you live in the Beehive State (Utah), are you getting one of the new Utah Jazz license plates? Why or why not?

Utah Jazz License Plates

The end of the preseason has arrived for the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers have one preseason game left before the regular season begins, heading to Las Vegas to take on the Sacramento Kings at the MGM Grand. The Lakers have a chance to end the preseason with a 4-4 record if they can win their third straight game.

Jeremy Lin and Ed Davis are both expected to play off the bench, leaving starting duties to Ronnie Price and Robert Sacre. Davis and Lin give the Lakers' bench unit a duo that's chemistry has been clicking from their first games together, using the pick-and-roll to create efficient points for an offense that's susceptible to nasty dry spells.

Julius Randle had his best game as a Laker against the Portland Trail Blazers, showing off his versatile talents on his way to 17 points and eight rebounds. His preseason has been inconsistent, but when everything falls into place, it's hard to believe he fell all the way to the seventh-overall pick even in a draft as deep as it was in 2014.

The Kings are one of the teams still projected to dwell at the bottom of the Western Conference, even with DeMarcus Cousins adding another season under his belt along with some of the young talent they've accrued over the last few years. Sacramento still has growing to do, along with second-year head coach Michael Malone, but they have talented pieces in place.

It's been a tough preseason for the Lakers, who can't seem to stay maintain their health for the third straight year. The Lakers officially ruled Steve Nash out for the season Thursday, which is the big injury news, but the Lakers have been playing without him for the majority of preseason and should have been well-prepared for this scenario. They're still dealing with scattered injuries across the board as well, but the show must go on.

One more game for Byron Scott to test and observe his players, and one more game for us to see if the team has actually made progress over the span of exhibition play. Enjoy the final game without a meaningful result.

The Brooklyn Nets have added yet another sponsor to the list. This time, it's the rising fantasy sports company, FanDuel. The deal makes FanDuel an official sponsor of the team, and ensures exposure all over the stadium during games, along with more publicity on television and radio broadcasts. Here's what Brett Yormark had to say about the agreement:

"Fantasy sports gaming is a new category for our team and we are delighted that FanDuel, the pioneer of one-day gaming, sees the value of forming an alliance with the Brooklyn Nets," said  Yormark.  "We are also pleased that FanDuel will develop a presence in the community through a rewards program that offers fans a chance to attend Nets games."

The deal between the Brooklyn Nets and FanDuel was negotiated during the Nets preseason tenure in China, where FanDuel CEO Nigel Eccles was present to see the Nets take on the Sacramento Kings. Eccles spoke about the upside of having his company sponsor a New York team:

"My trip to China with Nets management was a first-class experience and gave me further insight into their organization," said Eccles.  "New York City is a hot-bed for tech start-ups and this partnership between a leading New York tech company and a leading professional sports franchise highlights the innovation taking place right here in our hometown market."

Along with the Nets, the New England Patriots football team also reached an agreement with another gaming company, fellow daily fantasy sports operator DraftKings, providing more evidence that these fantasy-based business is on the rise.

• Brooklyn Nets Partner With Fantasy Sports Company FanDuel - Darren Heitner - Forbes

The NBA preseason is coming to an end for the Sacramento Kings tonight as they face the Los Angeles Lakers in their annual preseason matchup in Las Vegas.  The game is not televised on our end but will be on Time Warner Sports Network in Los Angeles if you're in the area.  Otherwise you can listen to the game on KHTK 1140.  Tip-off is at 7:00 pm Pacific Time.

3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. Turnovers have been a huge issue for the Kings this preseason as they attempt to learn a new offense.  DeMarcus Cousins has been the biggest offender, with 19 turnovers in the last two games alone.  While these games don't count, it would be nice to see the Kings curb this habit before the season begins.

2. Kobe Bryant is back, and he's going to be going straight at Ben McLemore.  It's a good test for the young shooting guard, whose shown strides on both ends of the floor this preseason.  He should also feel free to go right back at Kobe, who isn't nearly as explosive or dangerous as he once was.  UPDATE: Apparently Kobe isn't playing so feel free to completely disregard this section!

3. With this being the last game of preseason, I expect we'll see a pretty tight regular season-like rotation, much like we saw in the previous game.  We know who the starters are, but now we'll also hopefully see how the bench looks with Omri Casspi and Nik Stauskas in a regular rotation.  Both players were out in Monday's loss to the Spurs and their absence was noted, especially as Sacramento went just 1-8 from three in that game.

PREGAME LIMERICK

There once was a Laker named Kobe,
feared more than an ancient Japanese Shinobi.
But now he's old,
tarnishing the purple and gold,
as slow as an update from Adobe®.

PREDICTION IN VIDEO FORM

In effect, the Nets and 76ers completed two simultaneous trades today. 

Brooklyn acquired Casper Ware with the pre-existing Tyshawn Taylor trade exception then sent Marquis Teague and a second round pick in 2019 to Philly for Ware, whose contract is non-guaranteed.  As a result, the Nets also wound up with a $1,120,920 trade exception, the value of Teague's contract. Ware was waived early Saturday morning.

Here's the nitty-gritty...

Ware is scheduled to make $816,482 this season, none of it protected.  The Nets still had a $788,872 TE left over from the Taylor deal that didn't expire until January.  Teams can add up to $100,000 to the value of a TE for trade purposes. In this case, that means ceiling of $888,872.  That's more than Ware would have made, so the two teams could shape the deal that way. The Nets are expected to waive Ware as early as Saturday.

The pick they sent Philly came to the Nets in July as part of the Jason Kidd compensation package. The pick, still five years away, will be the more favorable of the two second rounders the Bucks have in that draft: their own or the one they acquired from the Kings last year in the Luc Mbah a Moute trade.

The Nets still have a $741,160 TE from the Marcus Thornton for Jarrett Jack and Sergey Karasev deal.  They could have used that one as well, if they had wanted to.  But since the Thornton TE has a longer shelf life, better to use the one close to running out and save the one with the longer shelf life.

So at the end of the day, the Nets have two TE's one for $1,120,920 (+$100,000) from the Teague deal and one for $741,160 (+$100,000) from the Thornton deal. The Teague TE expires a year from Friday. The Thornton TE expires in July.

Only thing that could have made things better? If the Nets had their own D-League team, they could have sent Ware, not a bad player, there.  Still, as one team insider said Friday night, "Pretty good, huh."

The Kings forward took a mean elbow from Julius Randle and is not expected to return.

We're at halftime of the Kings-Lakers preseason game, but Rudy Gay's night is done.

Gay took an elbow to the face from Lakers rookie Julius Randle during a fastbreak and had to leave the game, running immediately to the locker room.  It's possible the elbow may have reaggravated an earlier jaw injury that Gay suffered this past summer during the FIBA World Cup in Spain.

According to reporters around the team, Rudy will not return to game action tonight and will have X-rays taken upon his return to Sacramento.

Rudy Gay has suffered a jaw injury vs. Lakers, will not return. X-rays upon return to Sacramento. @SacramentoKings

— Bryan May (@BMayNews10) October 25, 2014

Rudy Gay will have x-rays on his jaw in Sacramento and will not return tonight. Took a shot from Julius Randle.

— Jason Jones (@mr_jasonjones) October 25, 2014

Gay had scored 8 points on 3-6 shooting in 15 minutes before he was forced to leave the game.  Hopefully the injury isn't serious and Gay won't be forced to miss any regular season action.  He'll have a few days to recuperate before the Kings open up the season next Wednesday in Sacramento against the Golden State Warriors.

Boogie is BBBBBAAAADDDD MAN!!

The Kings ended the preseason on a Ray McCallum buzzer beating tip in. Typical.

The Sacramento Kings looked as though they were going to end the preseason on a sour note, falling to the Lakers by double digits late in the game, but Ray McCallum and Sacramento's bench led a big comeback that included a 15-2 run and a game-winning tip shot by McCallum at the buzzer to win 93-92.  McCallum only played the final 4 minutes and 12 seconds of the game but was a +14 for the Kings as he both tied the game and won it in the final minute.

DeMarcus Cousins was about the only real positive for Sacramento for the first three periods, scoring 21 points on just 11 shots in 26 minutes to go with 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks and just 2 turnovers.  The Lakers had no answer for Cousins all night.  Ramon Sessions, Derrick Williams and Nik Stauskas were the only other Kings in double digits with 14, 13, and 10 points respectively.  Sacramento was leading at halftime but fell apart in the 3rd quarter where they were outscored 28 to 15 and scored just 6 points in the first 7 minutes of that period.

Sacramento's offense was the worst it's been all preseason, shooting just 41%.  Meanwhile the defense continued to be bad as the Lakers shot 46.3% and made a preseason-high 7 three pointers.  The Kings did end up getting to the line a lot more than the Lakers (31 attempts to just 16) and that proved to be a difference maker in the game.

The Kings also lost Rudy Gay and Ben McLemore to injuries in the game.  Gay got hit in the face by an errant Julius Randle elbow in the second quarter, re-injuring his jaw.  The severity of that injury is not currently known but he will have x-rays on his return to Sacramento.  McLemore also got hit in the face late in the 4th quarter by Wayne Ellington and cut his face open, also knocking him out of the game.  Per James Ham, he suffered a laceration above his eye and will need stitches.

The Kings now have four days off before starting the season with a visit from the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

Random Observations:

• Julius Randle looks like he's going to be a very good player in the NBA for years to come.  He's already got a very advanced offensive game, both inside and out.  He actually reminds me a little bit of DeMarcus Cousins as a rookie.
• Nik Stauskas needs to get more touches on offense, especially when he's the only shooter on the floor.  It's not like he needs the ball a lot, but I'd rather see the offense run through him up top than Reggie Evans trying to play the high-low game.
• Ben McLemore airballs more jumpers than any other "shooter" that I know.  Great jump shooters can't be doing that.  He did not have a good game before he was forced to leave to injury, shooting just 1-7 on the night.  Consistency continues to be an issue for Ben.
  
• Speaking of missing shots, Ramon Sessions seemingly missed at least 3 open layups.  He can get to the rim at will but needs to be able to finish.
• Carl Landry played alright but shot way too many jumpers for my liking.  That was his issue last time in Sacramento.  To be fair most of the jumpers he shot were pretty open and he's proven he can hit those.
• McCallum is too good to be a third string player.
• Trey Johnson got some playing time after McLemore's injury.  I wouldn't be surprised if he makes the team as a sort of injury insurance like Hamady N'Diaye did last year.
• Reggie Evans doesn't just have a nose for getting rebounds, it's like he's got his own personal tractor beam to make the balls come to him.  Reggie had 16 rebounds in just 20 minutes, and while his offense was pretty bad (several point blank misses including a dunk and layup), the Kings would not have won without his efforts on the board.  In fact it was his offensive rebound and putback attempt that set up Ray Mac's game-winning tip in, so tip of the hat to Reggie.

The Lakers were in cruise control until the fourth quarter. Then Ray McCallum happened.

The Los Angeles Lakers end their preseason on a sour note with a 93-92 loss to the Sacramento Kings, finishing exhibition play with a 3-5 record. Los Angeles was shorthanded and dealing with foul trouble through the game, then lost control of the lead in the fourth quarter. The Kings, down one, had the final possession. Ray McCallum swooped in to grab an offensive rebound and barely managed to beat the buzzer as he tipped-in the miss.

The Lakers' fourth-quarter collapse included missing three out of their four free-throws in the final minutes, similar to their loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Jeremy Lin led the Lakers with a team-high 19 points and seven assists, taking advantage of extended minutes after Ronnie Price went down with a knee injury in the first quarter. Price banged knees with Darren Collison and went to the bench at the next dead ball. He was in noticeable distress on the sideline, and the Lakers have since diagnosed him with a "sore right knee" for now.

Wayne Ellington also left early after he banged heads with Ben McLemore.

Ed Davis stat-stuffed while playing the starting lineup, finishing with 15 points and 13 rebounds. DeMarcus Cousins led all scorers with 21 points, having his way with the Lakers' smaller frontcourt. He also posterized Robert Sacre something vicious after blowing by Davis:

Julius Randle played 29 minutes off the bench, scoring 12 points and grabbing nine rebounds in his final preseason game. He showed off his ability to take opposing big men off the dribble from the perimeter, repeatedly attacking the Kings from t15' and out. Randle's handles were looking good:

The Lakers, however, are looking battered. The preseason is finally over, and the Lakers can now set their eyes on the Houston Rockets for their regular season opener on Oct. 28.

Wins and Losses don't matter in preseason but that doesn't mean we can't learn from it.

With yesterday's win over the Lakers, the Kings have officially completed preseason and are busy getting ready for the actual season to start this Wednesday.  Sacramento finished 3-4 in the preseason and along the way we learned a few things.

1. DeMarcus Cousins is going to be even better than last year

The Kings center was dominant in his 6 preseason games, averaging 18.2 points in just 23.5 minutes a game.  The reason for his ridiculous scoring volume (that translates to 27.9 points per 36 minutes) was his just as ridiculous efficiency, shooting 63.8% from the field.  To be fair, Cousins didn't exactly go up against many stalwart big man defenders in preseason, but it was nice to see him take care of business.  If he can put up similar numbers in the regular season that bodes extremely well for him and the Kings.

2. Darren Collison and Ramon Sessions are not Isaiah Thomas and that's ok

Nobody's saying the decision to let Isaiah Thomas go was a good one (far from it) but Darren Collison and Ramon Sessions proved more than capable.  Collison and Sessions basically ran a "Point Guard by Committee" this preseason with both getting about 26 minutes a game each.  Together they combined for 23.7 points a game on 48.2% from the field and 63.1% from three to go along with 4.4 rebounds, 9.5 assists, 1.2 steals and just 3.2 turnovers a game.  That's not bad production from your two main options at Point Guard.

3. Nik Stauskas is ready to contribute

Nik didn't have the greatest preseason, but he proved on more than one occasion that he can help make an impact in the near future.  He averaged 9.7 points a game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 39.1% from three.  Defensively he still needs a lot of work, but offensively he's already one of the better weapons the Kings have.

4. Consistency is still a problem for Ben McLemore

McLemore had some nice flashes this preseason but he wasn't able to keep anything consistent going.  He shot just 39.3% overall in 7 games, but did manage to up his 3P% to 42.9% while showcasing a much improved handle.  The Kings will need McLemore to become a consistent contributor if he is going to keep his starting spot over Stauskas as the year goes on.

5. Rudy Gay hasn't found his rhythm yet

It could be a case of being tired from this summer or adjusting to a new role, but there's no doubt that Rudy was not great this preseason.  He shot just 37.9% overall and 10% from three in 6 games.  He was able to contribute in other areas (3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1 steal and 0.7 blocks) but it's Gay's scoring that makes him so valuable.

6. Get ready for a ton of Free Throws

The Kings averaged 39.1 Free Throw Attempts a game in Preseason, good for tops among all NBA teams and it wasn't even close.  The second place team, the Houston Rockets, only averaged 32.6 attempts a game.  That difference in attempts from 1st to 2nd is the same as the difference from 2nd to 26th.  As a recent article showed, Cousins was the leader in the NBA in touches per foul drawn and that doesn't seem like it's going to change any time soon.  Along with Cousins the Kings also have Rudy Gay, Darren Collison, Ramon Sessions, Derrick Williams, Omri Casspi and Carl Landry, all guys who excel at getting to the line.

7.  The defense still isn't very good

Sacramento's defense was not terrible this preseason but it also wasn't anything close to what you'd call good.  The simple fact of the matter is that the Kings just don't have the personnel to be a great defensive team.  An argument could be made that DeMarcus Cousins is the only plus defender the Kings have on the entire roster.  Until new guys are brought in or the team really buys into a team defense concept, I don't see this Kings team being anything more than an average to below-average defensive team at best.  That would still be an upgrade, but not the upgrade Michael Malone wants.

8. Learning a new offense is going to take time

The Kings were definitely trying to share the ball more this preseason but the results weren't always great.  In fact the Kings averaged just 18.7 assists a game, the 3rd fewest among teams this preseason (it should be noted that passes that lead to Free Throws don't count as assists and the Kings were the best team at getting to the line so keep that in mind).  They also were the 6th worst team at taking care of the ball, averaging 19.7 turnovers a game.  DeMarcus Cousins had the most issues in this area, averaging 5.5 per game by himself and having two games in a row with a combined 19 turnovers.  A new offense doesn't just happen overnight, and these guys also have to get used to playing with each other.  But until they do we could be in for some sloppy basketball at times.

9. Derrick Williams is still frustrating to watch

Talent wise, there shouldn't really be a competition between Derrick Williams and Omri Casspi for the backup Small Forward minutes, and yet there is.  Casspi, although he didn't have the most efficient preseason (just 38.9% overall and 16.7% from beyond the arc), was far more aggressive on both ends of the floor and on the glass.  Williams needs to exhibit that same type of aggression if he hopes to keep his rotation spot.  He can be a valuable player but he has to learn to play to his strengths.

10. We're going to have to find time for Ray McCallum somehow

With Collison and Sessions taking up most of the time at the PG, there haven't been many minutes to go around for Ray McCallum.  However, after his performance this summer in Vegas and then again against the Lakers, it's clear that he's too good to just simply ride the bench.  We'll probably see McCallum get some minutes at the two spot this year.