| Lakers sign Powell | Thursday 8/14, 10:46 PM CT |
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The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Josh Powell to a contract, according to The Sports Network.
Our View: Powell is strictly back-up material, and will not be a factor in fantasy leagues. |
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| Artest deal official | Thursday 8/14, 8:48 PM CT |
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Ron Artest is now officially a member of the Houston Rockets, according to the AP. "This is definitely the high point of my career," Artest said.
Our View: If Artest can keep himself together, he's obviously one of the top players available in fantasy basketball drafts, and the Rockets are a legitimate threat in the NBA's Western Conference. |
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| Suns sign Amundson | Thursday 8/14, 6:47 PM CT |
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The Phoenix Suns have signed Louis Amundson to a two-year contract that will pay him the veteran's minimum, according to the East Valley Tribune.
Our View: Amundson is a forward who will strictly be a depth player with no fantasy value. |
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| Team USA shoots down Greece | Thursday 8/14, 11:44 AM CT |
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Kobe Bryant scored 18 points in Team USA's 92-69 win over Greece in the Olympics Thursday, according to the Houston Chronicle. Chris Bosh also registered 18 points and Dwayne Wade scored 17 points.
Our View: Team USA shot 54 percent from the field, and hit 7-of-20 shots from long range. They also forced Greece to make 25 turnovers. Spain is next up on the Olympic schedule, who are the reigning world champion.
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| Roy surgery update | Thursday 8/14, 11:28 AM CT |
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Updating a previous report, Brandon Roy's arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to repair a torn meniscus was successful and no additional procedures are needed, according to the Oregonian.
Our View: Early indications are that Roy should have a quick recovery. The regular season opener is 11 weeks away, and the source believes he will be ready to play. |
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| Marbury has clean slate | Thursday 8/14, 11:23 AM CT |
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Donnie Walsh stated that Stephon Marbury has a clean slate with the Knicks and will get a chance to prove himself in training camp, according to Newsday. Walsh also noted that Marbury has been working hard in the off-season.
Our View: This is encouraging news for the 31-year-old guard, and Marbury is worth keeping tabs on, as he could excel in coach Mike D'Antoni's system. |
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| Dragic deal denied | Thursday 8/14, 10:31 AM CT |
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The Suns have denied a Sporting News report that point guard Goran Dragic has reached an agreement with Tau Cerimaca and intends to sign a three-year deal to move to the NBA, the East Valley Tribune reports. Dragic, 22, was the 45th overall pick in the 2008 draft.
Our View: The Suns don't deny that they want Dragic to be playing with them in 2008-09. They intend to groom him as the eventual replacement for Steve Nash, which makes Dragic mildly interesting in keeper leagues. |
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| Elson inks two-year deal | Thursday 8/14, 10:24 AM CT |
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Center Francisco Elson has finalized a two-year deal with the Bucks, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The contract is worth around $3 million.
Our View: Elson is a nice bench addition with no fantasy value. He'll be the backup to Andrew Bogut. |
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| West still in the picture | Thursday 8/14, 10:22 AM CT |
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Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry says the team is still negotiating with guard Delonte West despite trading for Mo Williams. "This changes nothing on the Delonte front," Ferry tells the Akron Beacon Journal. "We want him back and hope we can reach a common ground." West is a restricted free agent.
Our View: Do you think West and his agent are buying that line? West can play both guard spots, but Williams, Daniel Gibson, and Wally Szczerbiak all need playing time alongside LeBron James. We're guessing that West will want to find a way to play elsewhere as he heads into the final year of his contract. |
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| Ridnour expected to start | Thursday 8/14, 10:16 AM CT |
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Luke Ridnour is expected to start at point guard for the Bucks. "There's always open competition," general manager John Hammond tells The Journal Times. "But when you move a starting point guard (Mo Williams) and acquire a point guard, you expect that point guard to be the starter." Hammond notes that Ridnour previously thrived when surrounded by Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, and he hopes to create a similar trio with Michael Redd and Richard Jefferson.
Our View: The Bucks also have a promising young point guard in Ramon Sessions, who piled up a ton of assists late in 2007-08 and played well in the Vegas Summer League. There's a spot for some fantasy success here, but we'll have to see how the competition plays out in camp. |
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| Bosh helps USA to win over Greece | Thursday 8/14, 10:10 AM CT |
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Chris Bosh paced Team USA with 18 points in their 92-69 win over Greece. The Raptors big man added five rebounds, two steals, and two blocks over 21 minutes. He hit 7 of his 8 shots from the floor.
Our View: It was an all-around effort for Team USA on Thursday, and Bosh's line shows efficient, solid work on both ends of the court. The numbers shouldn't surprise fantasy owners, who know Bosh's work well. |
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| Roy to undergo surgery | Thursday 8/14, 9:06 AM CT |
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The Oregonian indicates that Brandon Roy will undergo arthroscopic left knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
Our View: Blazers' training camp is seven weeks away. Their first preseason game is eight weeks away. The regular season opener is 11 weeks away. The source does not believe he is in jeopardy of missing any games. |
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| Yao scores 30 for China | Thursday 8/14, 8:08 AM CT |
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Yao Ming scored 30 points to lead China to a 85-68 win over Angola in the Olympics, according to the Houston Chronicle. He hit 10-of-11 shots in the game.
Our View: After blowing a double-digit fourth-quarter lead against Spain, China needed the win to keep alive the hope of advancing out of the preliminary round of the Olympic tournament. |
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