| Augustin goes for 30 | Tuesday 7/15, 11:44 PM CT |
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DJ Augustin scored 30 points in the Bobcats 99-93 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. He also had six rebounds, but did not record even one assist, while turning the ball over five times.
Our View: 30 points is great, no assists is not great. He also had seven fouls on the night, which wasn't even the most on the night, as two other players had eight. There's a lot to like about Augustin, who will battle Raymond Felton for the point guard job in Charlotte. |
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| Bayless scores 26 | Tuesday 7/15, 11:40 PM CT |
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Jerryd Bayless poured in 26 points, and snared six rebounds, though he only had two assists and turned the ball over five times in Portland's 75-74 loss to the Sacramento Kings in the team's summer league game Tuesday.
Our View: It's clear Bayless can score, but can he dish? His assist total is not as high as fantasy players would like it to be, and he only shot 6-for-15 from the floor, which is more evidence that he needs to work on his shooting. |
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| Sessions plays well in summer game | Tuesday 7/15, 11:30 PM CT |
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Ramon Sessions played great in the Bucks 73-59 summer league victory over the Detroit Pistons. Sessions scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds while dishing out four assists.
Our View: The young point guard is talented, and he could be a factor for Milwaukee at the point, and he is a name to at least think about when fantasy drafts come around. |
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| Gallinari out with back injury | Tuesday 7/15, 10:55 PM CT |
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Danilo Gallinari missed Tuesday's practice with the New York Knicks, and could miss Wednesday's summer league game, according to the New York Daily News. "If he wakes up (today) and feels great he'll play," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said.
Our View: Gallinari left his first summer league contest with the back injury, and he is still ailing from it. This does not sound like a serious injury, and he remains an intriguing fantasy prospect, though realistically his chances of contributing are likely slim. |
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| Camby traded to Clippers | Tuesday 7/15, 9:56 PM CT |
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Marcus Camby was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Los Angeles Clippers, in exchange, the Nuggets receive the option to switch second-round picks in 2010, according to the Associated Press.
Our View: He's not Elton Brand, but Camby is another presence down low for the Clippers. He will give them rebounds and blocks, but obviously not the points Brand did. His fantasy value should remain about the same, as the team will likely play him and Chris Kaman next to one another |
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| Warriors sign Randolph | Tuesday 7/15, 6:49 PM CT |
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The Golden State Warriors have signed first-round pick Anthony Randolph to a contract today that will pay the 19-year-old about $1.4 million, according to the Associated Press.
Our View: Randolph has been impressive in his very limited time in summer league games, and has loads of potential for fantasy owners, but probably not for a year or two. |
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| Rush signs rookie contract | Tuesday 7/15, 6:26 PM CT |
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Brandon Rush has signed his rookie contract with the Pacers, according to the Associated Press. The contract will pay the thirteenth overall pick $1.5 million this season.
Our View: Rush can score, and he is also a quality defender, making it likely he will see quality minutes in his rookie campaign, though it is questionable if they will be plentiful enough for him to make an impact on fantasy teams. |
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| Hibbert signs with Pacers | Tuesday 7/15, 6:21 PM CT |
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Center Roy Hibbert , the seventeenth pick in the NBA draft, has signed a contract with the Indiana Pacers, that will pay him about $1.2 million his first year, according to the Associated Press.
Our View: Hibbert will not add a lot of offense to the Pacers, and he will have to fight for playing time with three veterans, so his fantasy stock is not high. |
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| Chandler will train with Olympic team | Tuesday 7/15, 4:32 PM CT |
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Tyson Chandler will train with the U.S. Men's Olympic basketball team, where he is an alternate, according to the Associated Press. "This will allow Tyson and the team to be better prepared in the event that he is needed," Jerry Colangelo, the director of USA basketball said.
Our View: Chandler is the top alternate and with the team lacking big men, he will be needed should one of them go down with injury. |
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| Howard almost back to full health | Tuesday 7/15, 2:00 PM CT |
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Dwight Howard noted he feels no lingering effects from the slightly fractured sternum he sustained in the playoffs, and he expects to be fully healthy next week when he reports to training camp for Team USA’s Olympic basketball team, according to Florida Today.
Our View: Tyson Chandler would have filled his spot on Team USA if needed, but it looks like Howard will be fine and set to compete for the gold medal. |
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| Walton needs surgery | Tuesday 7/15, 1:24 PM CT |
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The Lakers indicated that Luke Walton needs right ankle surgery, according to the AP. Walton will undergo the operation Friday to remove bone spurs from his ankle. The procedure will be performed in Los Angeles by Dr. David Thordarson.
Our View: The Lakers have not released a timetable for how long Walton will be sidelined following the operation.
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| Pecherov nursing ankle injury | Tuesday 7/15, 1:10 PM CT |
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Olexsiy Pecherov is nursing a sprained left ankle and is expected to miss Wednesday's summer league game against the Sixers, according to the Washington Post.
Our View: He could return for the final three games of the summer league though, and the ailment isn't serious. Pecherov needs to have a big off-season to earn a favorable role with the Wizards this season, which doesn't seem likely. |
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| Strawberry fares well in loss | Tuesday 7/15, 11:52 AM CT |
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D.J. Strawberry scored 22 points in Monday's summer league loss to the Rockets, according to the Arizona Republic. Suns' senior VP David Griffin said, "D.J. started to show some leadership at point guard.D.J. has come a long way. He's definitely playing with a confidence that's different. Terry Porter has him believing in himself and thinking he's a point guard."
Our View: Strawberry is making good progress, but shouldn't see a significant boost in playing time to make him "fantasy worthy" next season. |
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| Lopez enjoys solid debut with Suns | Tuesday 7/15, 11:46 AM CT |
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Robin Lopez enjoyed a solid debut with the Suns as he poured in 19 points over 27 minutes in Monday's summer league loss to Houston, according to the Arizona Republic. He also added two blocks and five boards. Suns' senior VP David Griffin said, "Robin's going to be good. He had a vicious block, and he dunked on the other end in the second quarter."
Our View: Lopez was the 15th overall pick of the draft and could blossom into a solid pro, namely as a rebounder and shot blocker, but he shouldn't make a big fantasy impact right away as a rookie. |
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| Carney battling hamstring ailment | Tuesday 7/15, 11:26 AM CT |
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Rodney Carney is battling a sore hamstring, which may force him to miss all five summer league games, according to the Star Tribune. Coach Randy Wittman said, "I hope we get a look at him. His athleticism, it's a good thing. But it's one thing to be athletic. It's another to understand where their athleticism comes in and where it doesn't. In drills, those athletic guys can really stand out. When it's 5-on-5, sometimes it's a different story."
Our View: Minnesota has a surplus of talent on the wings, and Carney's absence in the summer league will limit his chances to earn a favorable role with the team. |
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| Hickson looking good | Tuesday 7/15, 10:50 AM CT |
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JJ Hickson had 26 points and nine rebounds in Monday's Summer League loss to the Knicks, and the Cavaliers have been presently surprised by the rookie's skills. He was the 18th pick in the draft. "To the credit of our scouts and (general manager) Danny Ferry, they already knew what they wanted. They targeted him right from the get-go and you saw some of the things that make him special today," assistant John Kuester tells the Charlotte Observer. Kuester adds that Hickson needs to work on his conditioning and defense.
Our View: Scouts didn't doubt Hickson's skills, but many people thought he should have returned to N.C. State for another year. He is a big-bodied power forward with an array of offense skills on the block. Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao stand in the way of playing time with the Cavs, but we could envision Hickson spending a year refining his game and then stepping up in 2009-10. |
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| Yao could play this week | Tuesday 7/15, 10:41 AM CT |
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Yao Ming is aiming to play in the Stankovic Cup this week, Reuters reports. It is a four-team, round-robin tournament that serves as a warm-up for the Olympics. "Yao will definitely go to the Stankovic Cup in Hangzhou, and the chance of him playing is very high," Hu Jiashi, vice chief of Chinese Basketball Association, says. China will face Serbia on Thursday. Ming is coming back from a stress fracture in his left foot.
Our View: It's a good sign that Yao is this close to returning to the court. Barring any setbacks, the Rockets center will be ready for the 2008-09 season. The lingering question, though, is if he'll be able to stay healthy. |
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| Sloan displeased with Miles | Tuesday 7/15, 10:23 AM CT |
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Coach Jerry Sloan is displeased with C.J. Miles' decision to skip participation in the summer league for the second straight season, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. Sloan said, "He's not probably getting advice from me. If he was, he'd be here. If he's behind again, I don't know what to do about it. We'll just pick somebody that's ready to go."
Our View: Miles headed into training camp way behind and out of shape last season, and Sloan was hoping he would have learned his lesson this time around. |
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| Johnson inks with Magic | Tuesday 7/15, 10:14 AM CT |
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Anthony Johnson has inked a two-year deal with the Magic worth $3.8 million, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Our View: The 11-year vet will serve as the backup point guard, and his signing ends Orlando's pursuit of Keyon Dooling. Johnson shouldn't hold any fantasy value next season. |
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| D'Antoni impressed with Chandler | Tuesday 7/15, 10:09 AM CT |
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Coach Mike D'Antoni has been impressed with forward Wilson Chandler and sees him playing alongside Danilo Gallinari for many years to come, according to the NY Post.
Our View: Chandler scored 26 points with eight boards and two blocks in Monday's summer league game. It appears that he has a shot to unseat Quentin Richardson from the starting spot at small forward, which could make him a sleeper candidate for next season. |
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| Stuckey's injury not serious | Tuesday 7/15, 9:41 AM CT |
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The Pistons indicated that Rodney Stuckey's toe injury is not serious, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Our View: The ailment isn't expected to limit his minutes in tonight's game against the Bucks. He has notably been among the best players through the summer league so far. |
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| Williams yet to sign extension | Tuesday 7/15, 9:28 AM CT |
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Deron Williams is yet to ink an extension with the Jazz, but a deal could be done soon for him, according to the Deseret News. Williams hopes it will happen before Saturday, when he leaves Salt Lake City to join Team USA in advance of next month's Beijing Olympics. His agent (Bob McLaren) said, "Everybody's still working. Everybody's very committed to trying to put a deal together, and we're all working toward that end."
Our View: Williams and the Jazz won't disclose how much they are apart in dollars or years, but a maximum extension could pay Williams nearly $90 million and keep the talented point guard in Utah for another five years after the 2008-09 season. |
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| Sixers to match offers for Iguodala? | Tuesday 7/15, 9:19 AM CT |
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Elton Brand noted that he has been assured the Sixers will match any offers made to restricted free agent Andre Iguodala, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Our View: Iguodala averaged 19.9 points last season and was the club's top player. It is important that the Sixers grant Brand's wish to retain his services. |
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| Heat may be interested in Artest? | Tuesday 7/15, 8:53 AM CT |
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The Heat may be interested in acquiring Ron Artest, according to the Sacramento Bee. The Heat are believed to be willing to part ways with Shawn Marion, whose $17.1 million deal is expiring.
Our View: Artest previously said he would like to be traded and his first choice would be the Lakers. |
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| Afflalo displaying solid shooting skills | Tuesday 7/15, 8:33 AM CT |
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Arron Afflalo continues to work on his game, and he spent countless hours at the Pistons' practice facility improving his shooting touch and working on displaying more athleticism, according to MLive.com. Afflalo led all scorers with 25 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field in Sunday's win over the Clippers in summer league play. Coach Michael Curry said, "You're always glad to see everyone play well. But especially him because you see how hard he works, and puts in the time to improve his game. I've always said, when Arron plays consistent minutes, he shoots the ball consistently."
Our View: Afflalo's hard work should pay off, and he is expected to play consistent minutes in the rotation as the team's backup shooting guard to Richard Hamilton. He could rank as a late-round sleeper for next season.
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| Posey favors Celtics | Tuesday 7/15, 7:38 AM CT |
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James Posey has expressed desire to remain with the Celtics, as did Eddie House, according to the Boston Globe. Posey said, "Boston is my number one choice. I've stressed that to the organization and to everybody. At the same time, I'm still waiting. So we'll see what's going to happen."
Our View: Posey played down the possibility of returning to Cleveland, his hometown, though an NBA source said the Cavs might up the ante in an effort to get a talented player to aid LeBron James. Other teams interested in Posey include Detroit, New Orleans, Washington, and the Lakers. |
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| Woods released | Tuesday 7/15, 7:04 AM CT |
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The Rockets have released center Loren Woods, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Our View: Woods averaged less than one point over seven games last season, and wanted to be released because he has drawn interest from several European teams. |
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